US 11,851,275 B2
Apparatus for retrieving units from a storage system
Lars Sverker Ture Lindbo, Harpenden (GB); Robert Rolf Stadie, Eversley (GB); Matthew Robert Whelan, London (GB); and Christopher Richard James Brett, St Albans (GB)
Assigned to OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED, Hatfield (GB)
Filed by OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED, Hatfield (GB)
Filed on Oct. 23, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/078,689.
Application 16/902,459 is a division of application No. 15/905,360, filed on Feb. 26, 2018, granted, now 10,829,302.
Application 17/078,689 is a continuation of application No. 16/902,459, filed on Jun. 16, 2020, granted, now 10,913,602.
Application 15/905,360 is a continuation of application No. 14/910,858, granted, now 10,000,337, issued on Jun. 19, 2018, previously published as PCT/GB2014/052273, filed on Jul. 24, 2014.
Claims priority of application No. 1314313 (GB), filed on Aug. 9, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2021/0047111 A1, Feb. 18, 2021
Int. Cl. B65G 1/04 (2006.01); B65G 57/03 (2006.01); B65G 59/02 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 1/0464 (2013.01) [B65G 1/0492 (2013.01); B65G 57/03 (2013.01); B65G 59/02 (2013.01)] 38 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A load handling device for lifting and moving containers from stacks of containers in a storage system having a plurality of rails or tracks arranged in a grid pattern above the stacks of containers, the grid pattern having a plurality of grid spaces such that each stack of the stacks of containers will be located within a footprint of only a single grid space, the load handling device being configured to move laterally on the plurality of rails or tracks above the stacks of containers the load handling device comprising:
an external housing having a container-receiving space to be located above the plurality of rails or tracks when in use;
a lifting device configured to lift a container from a stack of the stacks of containers into the container-receiving space,
wherein the load handling device is configured to have a footprint that, when in use, will occupy substantially only a single grid space in the storage system; and
a wheel assembly having a first set of wheels configured to engage with a first set of the plurality of rails or tracks to guide movement of the load handling device in a first direction and a second set of wheels configured to engage with a second set of the plurality of rails or tracks to guide movement of the load handling device in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction,
wherein one lateral surface of the external housing facing the first direction extends no farther, along the first direction, than an outermost extension of a pair of wheels of the second set of wheels on that lateral surface of the external housing, and one lateral surface of the external housing facing the second direction extends no farther, along the second direction, than an outermost extension of a pair of wheels of the first set of wheels on that lateral surface of the external housing, such that, when the lifting device begins lifting the container from the stack, the load handling device encompasses:
no more than a first grid space of the storage system in the first direction without obstructing another load handling device occupying or traversing a second grid space of the storage system adjacent the first grid space in the first direction, and
the first grid space and no more than part of a third grid space of the storage system adjacent the first grid space in the second direction without obstructing yet another load handling device occupying or traversing a fourth grid space of the storage system adjacent the first grid space in the second direction.