US 11,999,570 B2
Material handling system
Joseph Valinsky, Moorestown, NJ (US); and Alexander Stevens, Moorestown, NJ (US)
Assigned to OPEX Corporation, Moorestown, NJ (US)
Filed by OPEX Corporation, Moorestown, NJ (US)
Filed on Jun. 30, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/216,656.
Application 18/216,656 is a continuation of application No. 17/847,049, filed on Jun. 22, 2022, granted, now 11,713,192.
Application 17/847,049 is a continuation of application No. 17/564,353, filed on Dec. 29, 2021, granted, now 11,731,834.
Application 17/564,353 is a continuation of application No. 16/993,301, filed on Aug. 14, 2020, granted, now 11,254,504, issued on Feb. 22, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/886,602, filed on Aug. 14, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0034562 A1, Feb. 1, 2024
Int. Cl. B65G 1/04 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B65G 1/06 (2006.01); B65G 1/10 (2006.01); B65G 1/137 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); G06Q 10/087 (2023.01)
CPC B65G 1/1375 (2013.01) [B25J 9/1687 (2013.01); B65G 1/0471 (2013.01); B65G 1/0492 (2013.01); B65G 1/065 (2013.01); B65G 1/10 (2013.01); B65G 1/1371 (2013.01); B65G 1/1373 (2013.01); B65G 1/1376 (2013.01); B65G 1/1378 (2013.01); G05D 1/0027 (2013.01); G06Q 10/087 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A material handling apparatus for storing or retrieving a plurality of items, comprising:
a plurality of storage racks spaced apart from one another forming an elongated aisle wherein each storage rack comprises a plurality of storage locations for storing containers containing items;
a plurality of delivery vehicles wherein each vehicle comprises:
a horizontal drive system operable to drive the vehicle along a horizontal surface,
a vertical drive operable to drive the vehicle vertically; and
a transfer mechanism operable to transfer an item between the vehicle and one of the storage locations;
a conveyor spaced apart from the plurality of storage racks and having a generally horizontal conveyor surface configured to receive a container from one of the delivery vehicles and convey the container in a forward direction toward a workstation where an operator can remove one of the items from the container or in a reverse direction to convey the container away from the workstation and back toward the one delivery vehicle;
a guide adjacent the conveyor configured to guide the delivery vehicles vertically upwardly to an upper position adjacent the conveyor surface;
a central controller comprising a microprocessor programmed to provide control signals to control the delivery vehicles to perform the steps of:
driving a first one of the vehicles on a horizontal surface toward a first of the storage racks;
driving the first vehicle vertically upwardly to a first storage location in the first storage rack;
transferring a first container from the first storage location onto the first delivery vehicle;
driving the first vehicle downwardly with the first container to the horizontal surface;
driving the first vehicle with the first container along the horizontal surface to the guide;
operating the vertical drive to move the first delivery vehicle with the first container vertically upwardly along the guide to the upper position;
transferring the first container onto the conveyor surface; and
actuating the conveyor to convey the first container away from the first vehicle and toward the workstation.