| CPC B65G 1/0414 (2013.01) [B65G 1/0428 (2013.01); B65G 1/0464 (2013.01); B65G 1/0492 (2013.01); B65G 1/1373 (2013.01); B65G 2201/0235 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
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15. A method for storing and retrieving a target container in/from a container storage system, wherein the container storage system comprises:
a rack comprising a track structure and defining at least one load-bearing platform, the track structure comprising a plurality of running tracks, and the at least one load-bearing platform being located below the running tracks;
a plurality of containers, each container configured to store goods, and at least part of the containers being stacked and placed on the at least one load-bearing platform;
a plurality of carrier vehicles configured to move back and forth on the running tracks to perform storage and retrieval operations to the containers in the container storage system; and
a track-witching device configured to switch a selected one of the carrier vehicles from a current running track where the selected carrier vehicle is located to a target running track;
wherein the track-switching device comprises:
a transition track connected with an end of each running track; and
a track-switching vehicle located on the transition track and movable back and forth on the transition track, the track-switching vehicle configured to receive the selected carrier vehicle and transport the carrier vehicle along the transition track to the target running track;
wherein the track-switching vehicle comprises a vehicle body and a moving mechanism mounted on the vehicle body, the moving mechanism is connected with a driving device, and the driving device drives the moving mechanism to drive the track-switching vehicle to move back and forth on the transition track;
wherein the track-switching vehicle is provided with docking rails on its vehicle body, and the docking rails are configured to be docked with the running track to receive the carrier vehicle; and
wherein the method comprises:
determining a location of a target container according to order information, controlling at least one carrier vehicle to run to above the target container along one of the running tracks, and picking up the target container by means of a grasping mechanism of the carrier vehicle, and
if the target container is not in the working space of the current running track of the carrier vehicle, controlling the track-switching vehicle to transport the carrier vehicle to a target running track above the target container, and then controlling the carrier vehicle to run along the target running track to above the target container and picking up the target container by means of the grasping mechanism.
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