US 12,421,038 B2
Storage system and methods
Rafael Salichs, Madrid (ES); and Juan Carlos Tamayo, Saragossa (ES)
Assigned to Signode Industrial Group LLC, Tampa, FL (US)
Filed by Signode Industrial Group LLC, Tampa, FL (US)
Filed on Jan. 8, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/407,426.
Application 18/407,426 is a continuation of application No. 17/893,148, filed on Aug. 22, 2022, granted, now 11,897,694.
Application 17/893,148 is a continuation of application No. 17/200,276, filed on Mar. 12, 2021, granted, now 11,492,198, issued on Nov. 8, 2022.
Application 17/200,276 is a continuation of application No. 16/733,545, filed on Jan. 3, 2020, granted, now 10,974,898, issued on Apr. 13, 2021.
Application 16/733,545 is a continuation of application No. 15/846,462, filed on Dec. 19, 2017, granted, now 10,526,143, issued on Jan. 7, 2020.
Application 15/846,462 is a continuation of application No. 13/680,282, filed on Nov. 19, 2012, granted, now 9,850,066, issued on Dec. 26, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/561,895, filed on Nov. 20, 2011.
Prior Publication US 2024/0262622 A1, Aug. 8, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B65G 1/04 (2006.01); B65G 1/02 (2006.01); B65G 1/06 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 1/065 (2013.01) [B65G 1/026 (2013.01); B65G 1/0492 (2013.01); B65G 1/06 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An automated storage-and-retrieval system comprising:
a storage rack comprising multiple vertically spaced layers including a designated layer, wherein the designated layer comprises an aisle and multiple rows intersecting the aisle;
a lift configured to receive an item and to lift the item to the designated layer, the lift comprising a lift conveyor;
a driven buffer conveyor on the designated layer and positioned between the lift and a loading position of the aisle, the buffer conveyor sized to receive the item from the lift and to hold the item as the lift moves away from the buffer conveyor; and
a shuttle movable along the aisle, the shuttle including a shuttle conveyor sized to receive the item from the buffer conveyor and to hold the item as the shuttle moves away from the buffer conveyor,
wherein when the lift is at the designated layer and the shuttle is at the loading position of the aisle, the lift conveyor, the buffer conveyor, and the shuttle conveyor are all oriented to move the item in the same direction.