US 12,410,008 B2
Method and apparatus for retrieving units from a storage system
Lars Sverker Ture Lindbo, Hatfield (GB); Andrew John Ingram-Tedd, Hatfield (GB); and Pawel Karolinczak, Hatfield (GB)
Assigned to OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED, Hatfield (GB)
Filed by OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED, Hatfield (GB)
Filed on Jul. 14, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/352,668.
Application 18/352,668 is a continuation of application No. 17/733,464, filed on Apr. 29, 2022, granted, now 11,738,945.
Application 17/733,464 is a continuation of application No. 16/338,205, granted, now 11,345,543, issued on May 31, 2022, previously published as PCT/EP2017/075018, filed on Oct. 2, 2017.
Claims priority of application No. 1616597 (GB), filed on Sep. 30, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2023/0356944 A1, Nov. 9, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B65G 1/04 (2006.01); B25J 15/00 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 1/0464 (2013.01) [B25J 15/0052 (2013.01); B65G 2201/0235 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A load handling device for retrieving, transporting, and delivering containers in a storage system, the storage system having a grid structure formed of two substantially perpendicular sets of rails or tracks, the grid structure forming a plurality of grid spaces and located above a plurality of stacks of one or more containers, each stack arranged to occupy a footprint of a single grid space, the load handling device configured to move laterally on said sets of rails or tracks above said stacks of containers, the load handling device comprising:
a wheel assembly, the wheel assembly including a first set of wheels for engaging with a first set of rails or tracks of said sets of rails or tracks to guide movement of the load handing device in a first direction and a second set of wheels for engaging with a second set of rails or tracks of said sets of rails or tracks to guide movement of the load handing device in a second direction;
a container receiving space;
a plurality of vehicle modules, each of the vehicle modules having a container lifting means arranged to lift a container such that the load handling device is arranged to lift a corresponding number of containers as vehicle modules into the container receiving space;
wherein the load handling device is configured for lifting a plurality of containers from a plurality of stacks in a single lifting operation, and the container receiving space is configured to hold the plurality of containers, which are lifted from the plurality of stacks, such that each container in the plurality of containers is horizontally adjacent to at least one other container in the plurality of containers,
wherein the load handling device further comprises an upper part and a lower part, the lower part comprising a frame structure for supporting the first and second sets of wheels of the wheel assembly;
wherein one or more elements of the frame structure are moveable to raise and lower said first set of wheels with respect to said second set of wheels to facilitate engagement of either the first set of wheels or the second set of wheels with one of the first set of rails or tracks or the second set of rails or tracks, respectively; and
wherein the moveable elements of the frame structure are driven by a motor housed in the upper part of the load handling device.