| CPC B65G 1/0464 (2013.01) [B65G 1/0478 (2013.01); B65G 1/065 (2013.01); B65G 2207/40 (2013.01)] | 24 Claims |
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1. A rescue system for retrieving a malfunctioning vehicle from a rail system of an automated storage and retrieval system, the rail system comprising a plurality of rails with tracks extending in an X-direction and a plurality of rails with tracks extending in a Y-direction perpendicular to the X-direction, and a plurality of remotely operated vehicles configured to move in the X-direction and the Y-direction on the tracks of the rail system, wherein the rescue system comprises:
a first rescue vehicle configured to run on the tracks of the rail system, the first rescue vehicle comprising a lifting device on one side of the first rescue vehicle, the lifting device configured to engage in a first X-direction, and a part of the lifting device extending into a neighboring cell when the first rescue vehicle is positioned in a center of a grid cell; and
a second rescue vehicle configured to run on the tracks of the rail system, the second rescue vehicle comprising a lifting device on an opposite side of the second rescue vehicle relative to the one side of the first rescue vehicle, the lifting device configured to engage in a second X-direction opposite to the first X-direction, and a part of the lifting device extending into a neighboring cell when the second rescue vehicle is positioned in a center of a grid cell;
wherein the first rescue vehicle and the second rescue vehicle are configured to work in tandem so that when one of the plurality of remotely operated vehicles malfunctions, the first rescue vehicle and the second rescue vehicle position themselves on the rail system on opposite sides of the malfunctioning vehicle to engage their respective lifting devices with the opposite sides of the malfunctioning vehicle and operate their lifting devices simultaneously so as to lift the malfunctioning vehicle off the rail system and transport the malfunctioning vehicle.
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3. The rescue system of claim 1, wherein the rescue system further comprises a control system, and wherein the control system comprises cooperative communication means configured to communicate with the communication means of the first rescue vehicle and the second rescue vehicle to operate synchronously.
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19. A rescue vehicle for retrieving a malfunctioning vehicle from a rail system of an automated storage and retrieval system, the rail system comprising a plurality of rails with tracks extending in an X-direction and a plurality of rails with tracks extending in a Y-direction perpendicular to the X-direction, a plurality of remotely operated vehicles configured to move in the X-direction and the Y-direction on the tracks of the rail system, wherein the rescue vehicle comprises a wheel base unit configured to run on the tracks of the rail system, the wheel base unit providing a mobile platform corresponding in area to a single grid cell for a vehicle rescue module mounted thereon, the vehicle rescue module being orientated in a first direction of the rail system;
wherein the vehicle rescue module comprises a lip on at least one side of the vehicle rescue module arranged at a level above a level of the wheel base unit; and
the lip extends into a neighboring cell when the rescue vehicle is positioned in a center of a grid cell.
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24. A method of retrieving a malfunctioning vehicle from a rail system with perpendicular tracks in X-direction and Y-direction, wherein a plurality of remotely operated vehicles are arranged on the rail system, each remotely operated vehicle of the plurality of remotely operated vehicles comprises a vehicle body and side portions, wherein at least two opposite side portions on each remotely operated vehicle of the plurality of remotely operated vehicles comprises a recess, and wherein the method comprises:
determining an anomaly in an operational condition of a remotely operated vehicle of the plurality of remotely operated vehicles on the rail system;
registering the remotely operated vehicle with the anomalous operational condition as a malfunctioning vehicle;
registering a position of the malfunctioning vehicle relative to the rail system;
operating a first rescue vehicle comprising a first wheel base unit, the first rescue vehicle configured to run on the perpendicular tracks, the first wheel base unit providing a mobile platform corresponding in area to a single grid cell for a first vehicle rescue module mounted thereon, the first vehicle rescue module orientated in a first direction of the rail system;
operating a second rescue vehicle comprising a second wheel base unit, the second rescue vehicle configured to run on the perpendicular tracks, the second wheel base unit providing a mobile platform corresponding in area to a single grid cell for a second vehicle rescue module mounted thereon, the second vehicle rescue module orientated in a second direction of the rail system opposite to the first direction;
operating the first rescue vehicle and the second rescue vehicle in tandem to perform rescue operations on the malfunctioning vehicle, the first vehicle rescue module and the second vehicle rescue module each comprising a lifting device, wherein a part of the lifting device of the first vehicle rescue module extends into a neighboring cell when the first rescue vehicle is positioned in a center of a grid cell, and wherein a part of the lifting device of the second vehicle rescue module extends into a neighboring cell when the second rescue vehicle is positioned in a center of a grid cell;
engaging the parts of the respective lifting devices that extend into the respective neighboring cells on opposite sides of the malfunctioning vehicle,
lifting the malfunctioning vehicle off the rail system.
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