US 12,448,235 B2
Storage system
Trond Austrheim, Etne (NO)
Assigned to AutoStore Technology AS, Nedre Vats (NO)
Filed by Autostore Technology AS, Nedre Vats (NO)
Filed on Oct. 9, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/483,288.
Application 18/483,288 is a continuation of application No. 17/662,376, filed on May 6, 2022, granted, now 11,814,058.
Application 17/662,376 is a continuation of application No. 17/053,810, granted, now 11,352,016, issued on Jun. 7, 2022, previously published as PCT/EP2019/065233, filed on Jun. 11, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 20180813 (NO), filed on Jun. 12, 2018; application No. 20181005 (NO), filed on Jul. 19, 2018; and application No. 20181039 (NO), filed on Aug. 2, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0059328 A1, Feb. 22, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B65G 1/04 (2006.01); B65G 1/06 (2006.01); B65G 63/06 (2006.01); B65G 1/137 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 63/06 (2013.01) [B65G 1/0414 (2013.01); B65G 1/0457 (2013.01); B65G 1/0464 (2013.01); B65G 1/0471 (2013.01); B65G 1/0478 (2013.01); B65G 1/0485 (2013.01); B65G 1/0492 (2013.01); B65G 1/065 (2013.01); B65G 1/1378 (2013.01); B65G 2201/0235 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A storage network comprising:
a plurality of storage systems,
wherein
each storage system comprises a storage grid structure and at least one container handling vehicle,
the storage grid structure is for storage of storage containers and comprises at least one transfer column and a horizontal top rail grid upon which the container handling vehicle moves in two perpendicular directions, the container handling vehicle is configured to retrieve storage containers from, and store storage containers in, the storage grid structure, and transport the storage containers on the top rail grid,
the storage grid structure comprises at least one horizontal transfer section,
the storage system comprises at least one container transfer vehicle and transfer rails forming a transfer rail grid upon which the container transfer vehicle moves in at least one horizontal direction,
the transfer section is arranged at a level below the top rail grid and extends from an external side of the storage grid structure to a position below the at least one transfer column and comprises at least a section of the transfer rail grid upon which section the container transfer vehicle moves in two perpendicular horizontal directions,
the container transfer vehicle comprises a container carrier for carrying a storage container and a wheel arrangement for moving the container transfer vehicle in two perpendicular directions upon the transfer rail grid,
the at least one transfer column extends from the top rail grid to the transfer section, such that a storage container may be transferred between the top rail grid and the container carrier of the container transfer vehicle, and
the transfer rail grids of the storage systems are connected to provide access for container transfer vehicles of each storage system to each of the storage grid structures and enable the transfer of storage containers between storage grid structures of the respective storage systems.