US 12,264,009 B2
System comprising a multilevel warehouse racking system comprising tote transfer zones, materials handling vehicles, and transporters, and methods of use thereof
Matthew J. Otto, New Bremen, OH (US); Gregory S. Garmann, Us, OH (US); and Mark E. Addison, Ludlow Falls, OH (US)
Assigned to Crown Equipment Corporation, New Bremen, OH (US)
Filed by Crown Equipment Corporation, New Bremen, OH (US)
Filed on Oct. 24, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/493,420.
Application 18/493,420 is a continuation of application No. 17/899,839, filed on Aug. 31, 2022, granted, now 11,834,264.
Application 17/899,839 is a continuation of application No. 16/800,623, filed on Feb. 25, 2020, granted, now 11,465,839, issued on Oct. 11, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0051743 A1, Feb. 15, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B65G 1/137 (2006.01); B65G 1/02 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 1/026 (2013.01) [B65G 1/137 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A goods storage and retrieval system, comprising a multilevel warehouse racking system, a materials handling vehicle comprising cart engagement hardware, a mobile storage cart, and a transporter, wherein:
the cart engagement hardware engages and disengage the mobile storage cart at a variety of locations along an inventory transit surface of the goods storage and retrieval system independent of movement of the transporter within the goods storage and retrieval system;
the cart engagement hardware comprises a mobile storage cart support platform defined by one or more vertically-oriented cart lifting forks; and
the mobile storage cart comprises at least two vertically-oriented fork slots structurally configured to receive the vertically-oriented cart lifting forks and a transporter access opening that is sized and configured to permit the transporter to enter and exit through the transporter access opening along the inventory transit surface, the at least two vertically-oriented fork slots provided on opposite sides of the transporter access opening.