US 12,296,718 B2
System and a method for harvesting energy from a container handling vehicle
Ivar Fjeldheim, Haugesund (NO)
Assigned to AutoStore Technology AS, Nedre Vats (NO)
Appl. No. 17/432,045
Filed by Autostore Technology AS, Nedre Vats (NO)
PCT Filed Feb. 14, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/053909
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 18, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/169474, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 27, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 20190219 (NO), filed on Feb. 18, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0161662 A1, May 26, 2022
Int. Cl. B60L 7/10 (2006.01); B60L 50/40 (2019.01); B60L 50/60 (2019.01); B60L 53/80 (2019.01); B65G 1/04 (2006.01)
CPC B60L 7/10 (2013.01) [B60L 50/40 (2019.02); B60L 50/60 (2019.02); B60L 53/80 (2019.02); B65G 1/0464 (2013.01); B60L 2200/26 (2013.01); B60L 2200/36 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A container-handling vehicle configured to move on a rail system arranged in a grid pattern across a top of a three-dimensional grid of an underlying storage system configured to store a plurality of stacks of storage container,
wherein the rail system comprises a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane (P) extending in a first direction (X) across the top of the three-dimensional grid, and a second set of parallel rails arranged in the horizontal plane (P) and extending in a second direction (Y) which is orthogonal to the first direction (X), wherein the first set of parallel rails and the second set of parallel rails form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane (P) comprising a plurality of adjacent grid cells,
the container-handling vehicle comprising:
at least one lifting device for lifting storage containers from and lowering storage containers to the underlying storage system, said lifting device comprising a lifting frame for gripping a storage container, a winch system for lifting and lowering the lifting frame, a motor to drive the winch system and a driver circuit with a controller controlling the motor; and
at least a first rechargeable power source and a second rechargeable power source for providing power to the motor,
wherein the driver circuit further comprises a regenerative energy circuit configured to harvest energy from the motor when the lifting frame is lowered into the storage system, the driver circuit is configured to control and direct harvested energy to the first rechargeable power source and/or the second rechargeable power source according to preset levels of charge in the first rechargeable power source and the second rechargeable power source, and wherein the driver circuit is further connected to charge sensors connected to the first rechargeable power source and/or the second rechargeable power source.