Warehousing systems used for storing and retrieving goods in containers

Abstract

A product order fulfillment system for mixed product units includes: a storage array; and an automated transport system having at least one asynchronous transport system for layer transport and an elevator for inter-layer transport, communicatively connected to the storage array to automatically retrieve and output product units in containers distributed in a common section of the storage array from the output of the storage array. The at least one asynchronous transport system and the elevator are configured to form more than one transport queue, each queue communicatively connected to the common section and the output, and each queue performs orthogonal sorting of product units distributed in the common section corresponding to the transport queue, such that the sorted mixed output product units of the corresponding transport queue are sorted in a predetermined order.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application is a non-provisional application and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 044,721, filed on June 26, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. background 1. Technical Field

[0004] The disclosed embodiments generally relate to material handling systems, and more specifically, to the transport and storage of items within material handling systems.

[0005] 2. A brief description of related developments

[0006] It is well known that integrating automated storage and retrieval systems into the logistics chain (especially goods-to-person systems) is highly advantageous in terms of efficiency and cost across the entire logistics chain. Conventional systems, even those with high-level integration of automated storage and retrieval systems within logistics facilities, typically operate by storing product containers (e.g., supply containers), which include cartons, packages, etc., containing common types of goods (also referred to as products). Product containers may arrive on pallets (e.g., pallets of common supply containers) or as truck loads and be unloaded from pallets or trucks and stored by automated storage and retrieval systems within the logistics facility, distributed throughout the entire storage volume of the logistics facility (e.g., in a three-dimensional array of storage racks).

[0007] Order fulfillment from logistics facilities, particularly in cases where mixed product containers are expected (e.g., where any given order container may have mixed / different products or product types contained in a common container, such as in cases of direct-to-consumer fulfillment, or if indirect-to-consumer (e.g., via a retail order pick-up location), where the mixing of ordered products in the order container is generated at the logistics facility at least in part before being output from the logistics facility), typically involves the generation of mixed product containers using an automated storage and retrieval system. In a goods-to-person configuration, the automated storage and retrieval system manually or automatically outputs product / supply containers (each containing one or more goods items of a common type, i.e., each goods item in the product container is identical or substantially similar) from storage locations in a three-dimensional array of storage racks to a workstation. Based on a given fulfillment (or filling) order, goods are picked up and removed from the different product / supply containers fed to the given workstation by the automated storage and retrieval system, and the different picked goods (mixed or common, if contained in the given order) are then retrieved. fillingIf the product container is "unpacked," its contents can be placed into the order container. This type of workstation can be called an unpacking station, where the product container is "unpacked," and its contents can be placed, either entirely or partially, into the order container, or into a container that can be called an unpacked storage container (e.g., a handbag), such as when the product container is not suitable to continue holding remaining product items after the unpacking operation, and such remaining products (i.e., the remaining products in the "unpacked" product container) should be returned to the storage rack's three-dimensional array by an automated storage and retrieval system. To improve efficiency, the order container can also be moved into the storage rack's three-dimensional array and possibly into a storage location on the storage rack storing the product container until the desired order output is reached. The movement of the order container into and out of the storage rack's three-dimensional array is otherwise influenced by the automated storage and retrieval system.

[0008] Conventionally, unpacking stations are located on a single common floor (e.g., a ground floor or a floor shared with or near the load filler outlet of a logistics facility) to fulfill orders by outputting order containers from the unpacking station to the outlet, thereby filling orders. Alternatively, unpacking stations are distributed in different layers around or within a three-dimensional array of storage racks to facilitate the transfer of product containers between storage locations and unpacking stations via an automated storage and retrieval system, and the entry / re-entry of order containers and unpacked storage containers (collectively referred to herein as unpacked cargo containers) from the unpacking station to the storage location using an automated storage and retrieval system. U.S. Patent No. 9,988,212, published June 5, 2018, discloses examples of conventional systems and methods for order fulfillment by preparing storage units at a pick-up station. U.S. Patent No. 9,988,212 describes a method for obtaining product units from a storage facility in a desired order at a pick-up station. Storage facilities may include: multiple multi-tiered storage racks for storing order and / or product units; automated storage and retrieval equipment, such as shuttles for retrieving and storing order and / or product units; and elevators for transferring order and / or product units to at least one storage-exit conveyor, wherein each elevator is directly connected to a pick station in the pick level via a storage-in conveyor and a storage-exit conveyor. Conventional systems (such as those described above) are constrained by a limited exchange interface between supply containers and unpacked cargo containers (essentially limited by the footprint of the unpacking station). This limits the throughput of the pick station to the throughput performed in the space adjacent to the unpacking operator. An improved system is desired. Attached Figure Description

[0009] The foregoing aspects and other features of the disclosed embodiments are explained in the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0010] Figure 1 and 1A This is a schematic diagram of an automatic storage and retrieval system according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiments;

[0011] Figure 1B , 1C Figure 1D is a schematic diagram of various parts of an automatic storage and retrieval system according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiments;

[0012] Figure 1E This is a schematic diagram of a mixed pallet load formed by an automated storage and retrieval system according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiments;

[0013] Figure 1F This is a schematic diagram of a portion of an automatic storage and retrieval system according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiments;

[0014] Figure 2A , 2B 2C, 2D, and 2E are schematic diagrams of various parts of a storage and retrieval system according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiments;

[0015] Figure 3A and 3B This is a schematic diagram of a portion of a storage and retrieval system according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiments;

[0016] Figure 4A This is a schematic diagram of a transport vehicle according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiments;

[0017] Figure 4B This is a schematic diagram of a transport vehicle according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiments;

[0018] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a portion of a transport vehicle according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiments;

[0019] Figures 6A-6F This is a schematic diagram of various parts of a transport vehicle according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiments;

[0020] Figure 7 —10 is an exemplary flowchart according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiments;

[0021] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of a portion of a storage and retrieval system according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiments;

[0022] Figure 12 These are exemplary flowcharts based on various aspects of the disclosed embodiments;

[0023] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of an operator station for a storage and retrieval system according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiments;

[0024] Figure 14 These are exemplary flowcharts based on various aspects of the disclosed embodiments;

[0025] Figure 15 It is based on various aspects of the disclosed embodiments. Figure 1 and 1A A schematic block diagram of an orthogonal sorting echelon in an automated storage and retrieval system;

[0026] Figures 16A-16E It is a diagram. Figure 15 An exemplary diagram illustrating an orthogonal sorting echelon implementation;

[0027] Figure 17A It is a schematic diagram illustrating the structural configuration of the orthogonal sorting echelon of the automated storage and retrieval system and the controller structure of the automated storage and retrieval system according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiments; and

[0028] Figure 17B These are exemplary flowcharts based on various aspects of the disclosed embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an automated storage and retrieval system (also referred to herein as a warehousing system or product order fulfillment system) 100 according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiments. Although various aspects of the disclosed embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that various aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be embodied in a variety of forms. Furthermore, elements or materials of any suitable size, shape, or type can be used.

[0030] According to various aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 can operate in a retail distribution center, a warehouse, or behind a retail store. The automated storage and retrieval system can operate to, for example, fulfill orders for carton units received from a retail store, such as those described in U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,674, filed December 15, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. For example, a carton unit refers to a carton or unit of goods not stored on a tray, handbag, or pallet (e.g., not contained). In other examples, a carton unit is a carton or unit of goods contained in any suitable manner (e.g., on a tray, handbag, container (e.g., a container for unpacked remaining goods, where the disassembled carton unit structure is not suitable for transporting the remaining goods as a unit), or pallet). In yet another example, a carton unit is a combination of uncontained and contained items. It should be noted that, for example, a cargo unit includes a boxed cargo unit (e.g., a can of soup, a box of cereal, etc.) or an individual item suitable for removal from or placement on a pallet. According to aspects of the disclosed embodiments, shipping containers (e.g., cartons, drums, boxes, crates, cans, or any other suitable equipment for containing the cargo unit) for a cargo unit may have variable dimensions and may be used to contain the cargo unit in shipment, and may be configured to be palletized for shipment or sent to downstream logistics processes (such as, for example, goods-to-person automation) without palletization. In one or more aspects, a cargo unit is a segmented cargo unit (e.g., a segmented tote bag) that includes multiple order profiles within a single cargo unit. Here, segmented cargo units can increase product density within the cargo unit and any downstream logistics (e.g., downstream packaging solutions, such as goods-to-person automation). It should be noted that, for example, when several bundles or pallets of container units arrive at the storage and retrieval system, the contents of each pallet may be identical (e.g., each pallet holds a predetermined number of the same items—one pallet holds soup, and another pallet holds cereal), and when the pallet leaves the storage and retrieval system, the pallet may contain any suitable number of different container units and combinations of different container units (e.g., mixed pallets, where each mixed pallet holds different types of container units—one pallet holds a combination of soup and cereal), these container units are provided to, for example, a pallet stacker in a sorting arrangement to form mixed pallets. In the aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the storage and retrieval system 100 described herein can be applied to any environment for storing and retrieving container units.

[0031] refer to Figure 1 , 15According to aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 includes orthogonal sorting transport convoys 15000, 15100, and 15200 (also referred to herein as sorting convoys), which differentiate the sorting of goods (e.g., pallets, boxes, containers, packages, individual (unpackaged) goods (referred herein to as units or units (each)), etc.). This differentiation of goods sorting achieves the sorting of goods or otherwise separates and distinguishes the sorting of goods from the transport of goods through the automated storage and retrieval system 100 (e.g., achieving further differentiation of goods sorting). Orthogonal sorting queues 15000, 15100, and 15200 provide recursive sorting of goods, enabling sorting through the following steps: breaking down goods components (e.g., pallets, boxes, packages, units) into minimum necessary goods components, sorting the minimum necessary goods components individually, and then reassembling (one or more) of the minimum necessary goods components into larger groups (e.g., reassembling into pallets, boxes, packages, or one or more). Each of these reassembled larger groups is sorted at each reassembly iteration. For example, see [reference]. Figure 17A The minimum necessary cargo component is the unit (also referred to herein as a single unit). Arriving pallets are broken down into cartons, cartons containing units are broken down into packages, and packages are broken down into units. The desired number of units are sorted at the unit level and reassembled into sorted packages. The desired number of sorted packages are sorted at the package level and reassembled into sorted cartons. The desired number of sorted cartons are sorted at the carton level and assembled into a sorted pallet load (PAL). Here, sorting is carried out down to the desired sorting level, and sorted items are recursively reassembled and sorted to construct the pallet load (PAL).

[0032] According to various aspects of the disclosed embodiments, orders for filling items (e.g., pallets, boxes, containers, cargo packages, individual (unpackaged) goods, etc.) can be random (e.g., substantially random in terms of the ordered items and the time of order receipt) and can be fulfilled by the automated storage and retrieval system 100 according to time (e.g., sorting the ordered goods at a predetermined time before the time the order is to be shipped / fulfilled, or sorting the goods in a just-in-time manner). These random orders determine the picking order of the sorted items, such as for building pallet loads or pallet PALs, as described herein. Figure 1E The description (see also, for example, U.S. Patent No. 8,965,559 entitled "Pallet Building System," published February 24, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Although Figure 1EThe pallets in the illustration are shown and described as mixed box pallets, but this illustration also represents pallet loads with mixed boxes, mixed handbags, mixed packages, mixed units (or individual units) of each handbag, etc. Here, sorted items are picked up from a common storage array (e.g., a storage array formed by storage spaces 130S of storage structure 130). The automated storage and retrieval system 100 achieves maximum throughput for each order (e.g., orders received by the automated storage and retrieval system 100 for processing) by processing the order to the desired sorting layer (e.g., the controller 120 drills down / drives through the orthogonal sorting echelons 15000, 15100, 15200, or otherwise) via the orthogonal sorting echelons to achieve the desired sorting layer required for a given order—carton layer sorting, package layer sorting, unit / unit layer sorting, or a combination thereof) independently of order type (e.g., pallet order, carton order, package order, mixed order, etc.), independently of order sequence, and independently of order time from a common storage array.

[0033] Orthogonal sorting tiers 15000, 15100, and 15200 are controlled by controller 120 to achieve maximum flexibility in order fulfillment by separating the sorting of goods at each sorting level from the transportation of those goods, thereby maximizing throughput through the automated storage and retrieval system 100. Correspondingly, orthogonal sorting tiers 15000, 15100, and 15200 minimize the fill cost for each order processed by the automated storage and retrieval system 100.

[0034] According to various aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 includes one or more unpacking modules 266 (see also...). Figure 2CUnpacking module 266 can form one or more of the orthogonal sorting tiers 15100, 15200 as described herein. Unpacking module 266 is configured to disassemble product containers or carton units CU into unpacked goods containers for order fulfillment, as will be further described herein. Unpacking module 266 can operate as an automated decanting process for downstream logistics, such as goods-to-person automation. One or more unpacking modules 266 can be located on a common layer 130L of the automated storage and retrieval system 100, wherein one or more layers of the automated storage and retrieval system 100 include at least one unpacking module 266. The unpacking module 266 can be a plug-and-play module that can be coupled to any suitable part of the structure of the automated storage and retrieval system 100. For example, the unpacking module can be coupled to the container transfer platform 130DC or the pick-up channel 130A of the automated storage and retrieval system 100, as will be described in more detail below. One or more unpacking modules 266 can be disposed on any suitable number of stacked storage layers of the automated storage and retrieval system 100. Here, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 can be configured, for example by any suitable controller (e.g., control server 120), to have selectable operating modes. In one operating mode, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 is configured to output product cartons, containers, and / or carton units to a pallet stacker. In another operating mode, such as using the employed unpacking modules 266, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 is configured to unpack product cartons, product containers, and / or carton units and output unpacked goods containers, product cartons, containers, and / or carton units to a pallet stacker, or otherwise, to cause the remainder of one or more unpacked (order) containers and / or product cartons, containers, and / or carton units to re-enter the pallet stacker (e.g., after being unpacked) for later retrieval.

[0035] If feasible, controller 120 is configured to implement container robot 110 and cargo robot 262 (both forming at least part of an asynchronous transport system) (see also, for example, see...) Figure 2CThe operation of the system assembles orders of unpacked goods BPGs from supply container 265 into unpacked goods container 264 and outputs unpacked goods container 264 via container output station TS, as will be described herein. For example, controller 120 is configured to enable the operation of one or more container robots 110 between container storage location 130S, unpacking operation station 140, and unpacked goods container 264 located along unpacked goods transfer platform 130DG. As another example, controller 120 is configured to enable the operation of one or more cargo robots 262 such that the transport of unpacked goods BPGs traversing the cargo transfer platform 130DG by cargo robots 262 sorts the unpacked goods BPGs (e.g., in unit / single-unit layer sorting) to the corresponding unpacked goods container 264. As a further example, controller 120 is configured to operate container robot(s) 110 such that container robot(s) 110 accesses a corresponding unpacked cargo container 264 at cargo transfer platform 130DG and transports the unpacked cargo container 264 via a traverse along container transfer platform 130DC to at least one of the following: container output / transfer station TS and a corresponding container storage location 130SB of a storage rack on a corresponding layer 130L of a multi-layer storage array.

[0036] The controller 120 is also configured to operate (e.g., to form a container supply system) the container robot(s) 110 and the elevator 150 to introduce empty unpacked cargo containers 264 into an automated storage and retrieval system, such that the container robot(s) 110 transports the empty unpacked cargo containers 264 along transport loops 233, 233A of the container transfer platform(s) 130DC and enters the unpacking module 266 to be placed at one or more unpacking cargo interface positions 263L of the unpacking cargo interface 263 for transferring the unpacked cargo BPG into the unpacked cargo container 264. In other respects, the empty unpacking container 264 can be transferred (in a manner similar to that described above using elevators and container robots) to the storage spaces 130SB, 130S of the rack module RM and stored therein or cached at the input station, wherein the controller 120 is configured to transfer the empty unpacking cargo container 264B from the storage spaces 130SB, 130S or the cache location to the unpacking cargo interface 263 in a manner similar to that described above. In one or more aspects, controller 120 is configured to enable the operation of container robot(s) 110 and elevator 150 (e.g., forming a container supply system) to introduce empty supply containers 265 or standardized containers 265S (as described herein) into an automated storage and retrieval system, such that container robot(s) 110 transports empty supply containers 265 or standardized containers 265S along transport loops 233, 233A of container transfer platform(s) 130DC to unpacking operation station 140 or directly or indirectly to downstream logistics processes, such as goods-to-person processes.

[0037] Also refer to Figure 1EIt should be noted that when, for example, incoming bundles or pallets (e.g., from the manufacturer or supplier of the container units) arrive at the storage and retrieval system to replenish the automated storage and retrieval system 100, the contents of each pallet can be consistent (e.g., each pallet holds a predetermined number of the same items—one pallet holds soup, and another holds cereal). As can be appreciated, the containers loaded on such pallets may be substantially similar, or in other words, homogeneous containers (e.g., similar sizes), and may have the same SKU (otherwise, as previously mentioned, the pallet may be a "rainbow" pallet with layers formed by homogeneous containers). When the pallet PAL leaves the storage and retrieval system 100 in the event of a container-filled replenishment order, the pallet PAL may contain any appropriate number and combination of different container units CU (e.g., each pallet may hold different types of container units—one pallet holds a combination of canned soup, cereal, beverage packaging, cosmetics, and household cleaning products). The containers combined onto a single pallet may have different sizes and / or different SKUs. In one aspect of the disclosed embodiments, the storage and retrieval system 100 may be configured to typically include an input section, a storage and sorting section (wherein, in one aspect, item storage is optional), and an output section, as will be described in more detail below. As will be appreciated, in one aspect of the disclosed embodiments, system 100, for example operating as a retail distribution center, may be used to receive a consistent pallet load of cartons, unpack palletized goods or separate cartons from a consistent pallet load into individual carton units to be processed separately by the system, retrieve different cartons for each order and sort the different cartons into corresponding groups, and transport the corresponding carton groups and assemble the corresponding carton groups into a load that may be referred to as a Mixed Carton Pallet Load (MPL). As can also be achieved in one aspect of the disclosed embodiments, for example, system 100 operating as a retail distribution center can be used to receive consistent pallet loads of cartons, unpack palletized goods or separate cartons from consistent pallet loads into individual carton units that are processed separately by the system, retrieve and sort the different cartons sought for each order into corresponding groups, and transport and sort the corresponding carton groups in the manner described in U.S. Patent No. 9,856,083, issued January 2, 2018, with application serial number 14 / 997,920, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0038] As will be described in more detail below, the storage and sorting section includes a multi-level automated storage system with an automated transport system that sequentially receives or feeds individual cartons into the multi-level storage array for storage in storage areas (such as storage space 130S of storage structure 130). The storage and sorting section also defines the outbound transport of carton units from the multi-level storage array to retrieve desired carton units individually for transport to an output section according to an order generated from an order entering a warehouse management system (such as warehouse management system 2500). In other aspects, the storage and sorting section receives individual cartons according to an order entering the warehouse management system, sorts individual cartons (e.g., using carton-level sorting in a carton layer (e.g., utilizing the buffers and interface stations described herein), and transfers individual cartons to the output section. Sorting and grouping cartons according to orders (e.g., ordering sequence) can be performed wholly or partially by the storage and retrieval section or the output section, or both, with the boundary between them being one of the following: ease of description, and the ability of sorting and grouping to be performed in multiple ways. The expected result is that the output section assembles an appropriate group of ordered cartons into a mixed carton pallet load in a manner described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 654,293 (now U.S. Patent No. 8,965,559), filed October 17, 2012, in a manner that may differ in SKU, size, etc., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0039] In the disclosed embodiments, output segments generate pallet loads within a structured architecture, which may be referred to as a hybrid container stacking. The structured architecture for pallet loads described herein is representative, and in other respects, pallet loads may have any other suitable configuration. For example, the structured architecture may be any suitable predetermined configuration, such as a truck cargo hold load or other suitable container or load container envelope to accommodate the structured load. The structured architecture for pallet loads may be characterized as having multiple flat container layers L121-L125, L12T, as described in U.S. Patent No. 9,856,083, which is previously incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0040] Based on various aspects of the disclosed embodiments, reference again... Figure 1The automated storage and retrieval system 100 includes a storage array (e.g., a storage structure 130 with storage spaces 130S) having at least one raised storage layer 130L. It should be noted that while the storage array is described as a three-dimensional storage array, in other respects, the storage array can be a two-dimensional storage array (e.g., a single-layer floor), a truck rear-mounted storage array, or any other suitable storage array container unit that can be transferred directly (e.g., by container robot 110) or indirectly (e.g., by forklifts or other vehicles / operators placing container units on a conveyor in a predetermined order (grouping inventory units or other classification sorting)) by the storage and retrieval system 100 to the unpacking module 266. In the case where the storage array is single-layered (i.e., a single-layer floor), the unpacking module 266 is located on the floor layer of the storage array. Mixed product units (e.g., packages PCK and units / items UNT—see...) Figures 16A-16E The items are input and distributed in the storage array, in each container CU having a common type of product unit (each container input to system 100 contains a common type of stock unit (SKU)). For example, automated storage and retrieval system 100 includes input station 160IN (which includes pallet depalletizer 160PA and / or conveyor 160CA for transporting items (e.g., inbound supply containers) to lifting module 150A to enter storage layer 130L of storage structure 130).

[0041] As will be described herein, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 includes an automated transport system (e.g., robots, unpacking modules, and other suitable layer transport vehicles described herein) having at least one asynchronous transport system for transporting containers / products on a given storage structure layer 130L (e.g., layer transport). Here, as will be described, the storage and retrieval system 100 includes an uncertain container robot 110 that travels along one or more physical paths of the storage and retrieval system to provide at least one asynchronous layer. At least one other asynchronous layer (as described herein) is provided such that, for example, the container / product accommodating space is greater than the number of robots transporting the containers / products. At least one elevator 150 is provided for transporting containers / products between storage layers (e.g., inter-layer transport), or the containers / products can be pre-sorted on predetermined layers before the container robot 110 retrieves them (e.g., so that the elevator does not transfer containers / products between layers for retrieval by the container robot 110). The at least one lift 150B is communicatively connected to a storage array as described herein to automatically retrieve and output product units from containers distributed in a common portion (e.g., storage location 130S of the corresponding storage layer 130L) of the storage array. The output product units are one or more of the following: mixed single-unit product units, in mixed packaging groups, and in mixed containers, as described herein (see [link to documentation]). Figures 16A-16E As an example, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 includes output stations 160UT and 160EC (output stations 160UT and 160EC include pallet stacker cranes 160PB, operator stations 160EP, and / or conveyors 160CB for removing items (e.g., outbound supply containers and filled unpacked goods (order) containers) from storage via lifting module 150B (e.g., to pallet stacker cranes (for pallet stacker loads) or to trucks (for truck loads)). Here, output station 160EC is an individual fulfillment (or e-commerce) output station, which includes, for example, single goods items and / or small... Bundled unpacked goods (orders) containers are transported to fulfill individual fulfillment orders (such as orders placed by consumers via the internet). Output station 160UT is a commercial output station where large quantities of goods are typically provided on pallets to fulfill orders from commercial entities (e.g., commercial shops, warehouse clubs, restaurants, etc.). As can be appreciated, automated storage and retrieval system 100 includes both commercial output station 160UT and individual fulfillment output station 160EC; while in other respects, automated storage and retrieval system includes one or more of commercial output station 160UT and individual fulfillment output station 160EC.

[0042] The automated storage and retrieval system 100 also includes input and output vertical lifting modules 150A and 150B (generally referred to as lifting module 150—note that although input and output lifting modules are shown, a single lifting module can be used to input and remove container units from the storage structure), a storage structure 130 (which may have at least one raised storage layer as described above and in some respects form a multi-layer storage array), and at least one autonomous container transport vehicle 110 (referred to herein as a “container robot” and is at least part of an asynchronous transport system for layer transport), which may be confined to the corresponding storage layer of the storage structure 130 and separate from the transfer platform 130DC on which they travel. Lifting module 150 includes any suitable transport vehicle configured to vertically raise and lower container units, and includes reciprocating lift type elevators, forklifts, etc. Note that a pallet depalletizer 160PA may be configured to remove container units from pallets so that input station 160IN can transport items to lifting module 150 for input into storage structure 130. The 160PB pallet stacker crane can be configured to place items removed from storage structure 130 onto pallet PAL ( Figure 1E The lifting module 150, storage structure 130, and container robot 110 are collectively referred to herein as the aforementioned multi-layer automated storage system (e.g., storage and sorting sections) for the purpose of definition (e.g., relative to, for example, the container robot 110 reference frame REF). Figure 4A (or any other suitable storage and retrieval system reference frame) serves the transport / throughput axis (e.g., in three dimensions) of a three-dimensional multi-level automated storage system, in which each throughput axis has integrated "on-the-fly sorting" (e.g., sorting of container units during transport) so that container unit sorting and throughput occur substantially simultaneously without the need for a dedicated sorting machine as described in U.S. Patent No. 9,856,083, which is previously incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0043] As an example of throughput involving sorting of carton units or unpacking containers, see also Figure 1AThe storage and retrieval system 100 includes several sites or areas for throughput. For example, there is a multi-level container unit storage throughput of 130 LTP (e.g., placing container units into storage), a horizontal container unit transport throughput of 110 TP (e.g., transferring (one or more) container units from storage along pick-up aisles, transfer platforms, and from unpacking cargo interfaces), an unpacking station throughput of 266 TP (e.g., unpacking supply containers at an unpacking operation station), a horizontal cargo transport throughput of 262 TP (e.g., transferring unpacked cargo from the unpacking operation station to the unpacking cargo interface), a container buffer throughput of BTSTP (e.g., buffering container units to facilitate the transfer of container units between storage / unpacking and vertical transport), a vertical transport throughput of 150 TP (e.g., transferring container units via a vertical lift), and a throughput of 160 TP at the output station, which includes, for example, transport via conveyor 160 CB and stacking via pallet stacker 160 PB. On the one hand, as described herein, the sorting of the container unit and the throughput of the container unit along each throughput axis (e.g., the X, Y, Z axes relative to, for example, the container robot 110 and / or the elevator 150 reference frame) 130LTP, 110TP, 266TP, 262TP, BTSTP, 150TP are substantially simultaneous (e.g., “in operation”) and the sorting along each axis is independently selectable so that sorting can be performed along one or more X, Y, Z axes.

[0044] Also refer to Figure 1 , 1F Storage structure 130 may include one or more container autonomous transport loops 233, 233A (e.g., formed on and along container transfer platform 130DC), with the loops located at corresponding layers of storage structure 130. Note that elevator 150 is connected to container transfer platform 130DC via transfer station TS (also referred to herein as container input station when elevator 150 is inbound elevator 150A, or container output station when elevator 150 is outbound elevator 150B), and each elevator is configured to supply containers 265 (empty or filled) (see [reference needed]). Figure 2C ) and unpacked cargo containers 264 (empty or filled) (see Figure 2COne or both of the containers are raised into and out of at least one elevated storage layer 130L of the storage structure 130. Container storage locations (or spaces) 130S are arranged along the periphery of the container transfer platform 130DC. For example, multiple storage rack modules RM configured in a high-density three-dimensional rack array RMA are accessible via the storage or platform layer 130L. As used herein, the term "high-density three-dimensional rack array" refers to a three-dimensional rack array RMA having an indeterminate open racking distributed along the pick-up aisle 130A, wherein, in some aspects, multiple stacked racks are accessible from a common pick-up aisle travel surface or pick-up aisle layer, as described in U.S. Patent No. 9,856,083, which is previously incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0045] Each storage layer 130L includes pick-up surface storage / handover spaces 130S (referred to herein as storage spaces 130S or container storage locations 130S) arranged along the periphery of the container transfer platform 130DC. At least one of the storage locations 130S is a supply container storage location 130SS, and another of the container storage locations is an unpacked goods (or order) container storage location 130SB. The storage spaces 130S are formed, on one hand, by rack modules RM, wherein the rack modules include shelves arranged along a storage or pick-up channel 130A (connected to the container transfer platform 130DC), for example, the storage or pick-up channel 130A extends linearly through the rack module array RMA and provides the container robot 110 with access to the storage spaces 130S and(one or more) transfer platforms 130B. On the other hand, the shelves of the rack modules RM are arranged as multi-level shelves distributed along the pick-up channel 130A. As will be appreciated, container robots 110 travel along pick-up channels 130A and container transfer platforms 130DC on corresponding storage layers 130L to transfer container units between any storage space 130S of the storage structure 130 (e.g., on the layer where container robots 110 are located) and any lifting modules 150 (e.g., each container robot 110 can access each storage space 130S on the corresponding layer and each lifting module 150 on the corresponding storage layer 130L). Transfer platforms 130B are arranged on different layers (corresponding to each layer 130L of the storage and retrieval system), which may be stacked vertically or horizontally offset, such as having a container transfer platform 130DC at one end or side RMAE1 of the storage rack array RMA or at several ends or sides RMAE1, RMAE2 of the storage rack array RMA, for example, those described in U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,674, filed December 15, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0046] The container transfer platform 130DC is essentially open and configured for the container robot 110 to travel along multiple paths (e.g., along relative to...). Figure 4A The X-axis of the robot reference frame REF shown crosses and traverses the uncertainty along the transfer platform 130B. As will be described in further detail below (and as described in U.S. Patent No. 10,556,743, filed February 11, 2020, application No. 15 / 671,591, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety), the multiple travel paths can be configured to provide multiple access paths or routes to each storage location 130S (e.g., a pickup surface, a bin unit, a container, or other items stored on a storage shelf of a rack module RM), such that the container robot 110 can reach each storage location, for example, using a secondary path if the primary path to the storage location is blocked. As will be appreciated, one or more transfer platforms 130B at each storage layer 130L are in communication with each pickup channel 130A on the corresponding storage layer 130L. The container robot 110 traverses bidirectionally between the pick-up channel 130A and the container transfer platform 130DC on each corresponding storage layer 130L, so as to move along the pick-up channel (e.g., along relative to...). Figure 4A The robot reference frame REF (X-axis of throughput) travels and accesses storage spaces 130S located in rack shelves adjacent to each pick-up channel 130A. (For example, the container robot 110 can access storage spaces 130S distributed on both sides of each channel along the Y-axis of throughput, allowing the container robot 110 to have different orientations as it traverses each pick-up channel 130A, e.g., reference frame REF). Figure 4A (Drive wheels 202 guide the direction of travel or drive wheels track the direction of travel). As can be appreciated, the throughput out of the storage array in the horizontal plane corresponding to the predetermined storage or platform layer 130L is achieved by and manifested in the combined or integrated throughput along the X and Y throughput axes. As described above, the container transfer platform(s) 130DC also provides the container robot 110 with access to each elevator 150 on the respective storage layer 130L, wherein the elevator 150 feeds cargo units (e.g., along the Z throughput axis) to and / or removes cargo units from each storage layer 130L, and wherein the container robot 110 performs the transfer of cargo units between the elevator 150 and the storage space 130S.

[0047] See also the above. Figure 2AOn one hand, storage structure 130 includes multiple storage rack modules RM configured as a three-dimensional array RMA, wherein racks are arranged in channels 130A, which are configured for container robot 110 to travel within. A container transfer platform 130DC has an indeterminate transport surface on which container robot 110 travels, wherein the indeterminate transport surface (also referred to herein as platform surface) 130BS has multiple travel paths (e.g., more than one parallel travel path (e.g., a high-speed robot travel path HSTP)) for container robot 110 to travel along one or more container autonomous transport travel loops 233, 233A formed by container transfer platform 130DC, wherein the multiple travel paths connect to channels 130A. Container autonomous transport travel loops 233A provide container robot 110 with random access to any and every pick-up channel 130A and random access to any and every lift 150A, 150B on the corresponding layer 130L of storage structure 130. The travel sensation of at least one of the multiple travel routes is opposite to that of another travel route of the multiple travel routes (thus forming a container autonomous transport travel loop 233).

[0048] As can be appreciated, any suitable controller of the storage and retrieval system 100 (such as, for example, control server 120) can be configured to create any suitable number of alternative paths for retrieving one or more container units (and / or unpacking containers) from their respective storage locations 130S when paths providing access to those container units are restricted or otherwise blocked. For example, control server 120 may include suitable programs, memory, and other structures for analyzing information sent by containers 110, elevators 150A, 150B, and input / output stations 160IN, 160UT, 160EC to plan a primary or preferred route for container robot 110 to predetermined items within the storage structure. The preferred route may be the fastest and / or most direct route that container robot 110 can use to retrieve container units / pickup surfaces. In other respects, the preferred route may be any suitable route. Control server 120 can also be configured to analyze information sent by container robots 110, elevators 150A, 150B, and input / output stations 160IN, 160UT, 160EC to determine if any obstacles exist along the preferred route. If obstacles exist along the preferred route, control server 120 can determine one or more secondary or alternative routes for retrieving the container unit, thereby avoiding the obstacles and retrieving the container unit without any substantial delay in, for example, fulfilling an order. It should be recognized that container robot route planning can also occur on the container robot 110 itself via, for example, any suitable control system (such as controller (system) 110C on container robot 110). For example, the robot control system can be configured to communicate with control server 120 to access information from other container robots 110, elevators 150A, 150B, and input / output stations 160IN, 160UT, 160EC, thereby determining preferred and / or alternative routes for accessing items in a manner substantially similar to that described above. Note that the container robot 110 controller 110C may include any suitable program, memory and / or other structure to achieve the determination of preferred and / or alternative routes.

[0049] refer to Figure 2AAs a non-limiting example, during order fulfillment, a container robot 110A traversing container transfer platform 130DC can be instructed to retrieve item 499 from pick-up channel 131. However, a damaged robot 110B may be blocking channel 131, preventing robot 110A from reaching container unit 499 via the preferred (e.g., most direct and / or fastest) path. In this example, control server 120 can instruct container robot 110A to traverse an alternative route, such as through any unreserved pick-up channel (e.g., a channel without container robots or another unblocked channel), so that container robot 110A can travel along, for example, another container transfer platform 130DC2 substantially similar to container transfer platform 130DC. Container robot 110A can then enter the opposite pick-up end 131 from the other container transfer platform 130DC2 to bypass the damaged container robot 110B and access item 499. On the other hand, the storage and retrieval system 100 may include one or more bypass channels 132 that extend substantially laterally relative to the pick-up channels 130 to allow the container robot 110 to move between the pick-up channels 130 instead of traversing the container transfer platforms 130DC, 130DC2. As described herein, the bypass channel 132 may be substantially similar to the travel path of the container transfer platforms 130DC, 130DC2 and may allow the container robot to travel bidirectionally or unidirectionally through the bypass channel 132. The bypass channel 132 may provide one or more travel paths for the container robot, each path having a floor and suitable guides for guiding the robot along the bypass channel 132 in a manner similar to that described herein with respect to the transfer platforms 130DC, 130DC2. In other respects, the bypass channel 132 may have any suitable configuration for allowing the container robot 110 to traverse between the pick-up channels 130. It should be noted that although the bypass channel 132 is shown relative to a storage and retrieval system having transfer platforms 130DC, 130DC2 located at opposite ends of the storage structure, in other respects, a storage and retrieval system 100 having only one transfer platform may also include one or more bypass channels 132.

[0050] In other respects, the unpacking module 266AL may be located on one side of the pick-up channel 130 of the container transfer platform 130DC, and one or more pick-up channels 130 extend into the unpacking module 266AL to form one or more container robot travel surfaces 266RS. Here, the container robot 110A is used to deliver the supply container 265 to the unpacking module 266AL, and the pick-up channel 133 extending into the unpacking module is blocked by the container robot 110D. In this regard, the control server 120 and / or the container robot controller 110C determines secondary and / or bypass routes for the container robot 110A to access the unpacking station (traveling along another container transfer platform 130DC2 and / or bypass channel 132) in a manner substantially similar to that described above with respect to item 499.

[0051] It should be noted that the storage and retrieval system shown and described herein has only an exemplary configuration, and in other respects, the storage and retrieval system may have any suitable configuration and components for storing and retrieving items as described herein. For example, in other respects, the storage and retrieval system may have any suitable number of storage sections, any suitable number of transfer platforms, any suitable number of unpacking modules, and corresponding input / output stations.

[0052] As can be recognized, the parallel travel paths are parallel to each other along the common uncertainty transport surface 130BS between the opposite sides 130BD1 and 130BD2 of the container transfer platform 130DC. Figure 2AAs shown, on one hand, channel 130A is engaged to container transfer platform 130DC on one side 130BD2, but on the other hand, the channel is engaged to more than one side 130BD1, 130BD2 of container transfer platform 130DC in a manner substantially similar to that described in U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,674, filed December 15, 2011, the disclosure of which is previously incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. As will be described in more detail below, the other side 130BD1 of container transfer platform 130DC may include platform storage racks (e.g., interface stations (also called transfer stations) TS and cache stations BS) distributed along the other side 130BD1 of container transfer platform 130DC, such that at least a portion of the transfer platform is inserted between the platform storage racks (such as, for example, cache stations BS or transfer stations TS) and channel 130A. A platform storage rack is arranged along the other side 130BD1 of the container transfer platform 130DC, such that the platform storage rack is connected to the container robot 110 from the container transfer platform 130DC and to the lifting module 150 (e.g., the platform storage rack can be accessed by the container robot 110 from the container transfer platform 130DC and by the lifting module 150 to pick up and place pick-up surfaces, such that the pick-up surfaces are transferred between the container robot 110 and the platform storage rack, between the platform storage rack and the lifting module 150, and thus between the container robot 110 and the lifting module 150).

[0053] Refer again Figure 1 Each storage layer 130L may also include a charging station 130C for charging the onboard power supply of the container robot 110 on the storage layer 130L, such as as described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 209,086, filed March 13, 2014, and U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,823 (now U.S. Patent No. 9,082,112), filed December 15, 2011, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0054] refer to Figure 1 , 2A2C, as described above, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 includes one or more unpacking modules 266. In one aspect, each unpacking module 266 has a container robot driving surface 266RS that forms a portion 130DCP of the container transfer platform 130DC, wherein the driving surface 266RS is substantially similar to the driving surface of the container transfer platform 130DC, while in other aspects, the container robot driving surface 266RS may be substantially similar to the driving surface of the pickup channel 130A. For ease of explanation, aspects of the disclosed embodiments will refer to the container robot driving surface 266RS within the unpacking module 266 as a portion of the container transfer platform 130DC. In the aspect where the robot driving surface 266RS is formed by a portion (or extension) of the container transfer platform 130DC, it should be noted that although the container transfer platform 130D is in Figure 2C The diagram shows a single-path transport loop, but in other respects, the transport loop of the unpacking module 266 can be connected to... Figure 2A The container transfer platform shown is essentially a multi-line transport loop. For example, see reference... Figure 2E The container robot's travel surface 266RS is an open, uncertain travel surface with multiple inbound and outbound routes. For example, there are multiple inbound travel routes TL1 and TL2, where travel route TL2 is a bypass route used to circumvent obstacles on travel route TL1 (and vice versa). There may also be multiple outbound travel routes TL3, TL4, and TL5. Here, travel route TL5 defines a queue line 130QL for the container robot 110 at the unpacking interface 263. Figure 2C Travel paths TL4 and TL5 can be used for the exit of unpacking module 266, where travel path TL5 is a bypass for navigating obstacles on travel path TL4 (and vice versa). In other aspects, container units can be transferred indirectly (e.g., via conveyors and / or forklifts) between the storage array and unpacking module 266. In one or more aspects, container robot 110 or forklifts can deliver container units to conveyors that transport the container units to the unpacking station and from the unpacking station to the storage array or downstream logistics processes.

[0055] Each unpacking module 266 includes: an unpacking cargo autonomous transport loop 234 (see exemplary unpacking cargo autonomous transport loops 234A-234E, formed on and along the cargo platform or cargo transfer platform 130DG), at least one unpacking operation station 140, and an unpacking cargo interface 263, which is disposed between the cargo transfer platform 130DG and the container transfer platform 130DC and interfaces the cargo transfer platform 130DG and the container transfer platform 130DC. See also... Figure 1 and2A The unpacking module 266 may include one or more belt sorters (BSTs, such as cross-belt sorters) configured as interfaces between the cargo robot 262 (operating on the cargo platform 130DG) and the container robot 110 (operating on the container transfer platform 130DC), between the container robot 110 and the unpacking station 140, and / or between the unpacking station 140 and the cargo robot 262. For illustrative purposes only, the cargo platform 130DG is illustrated with three travel paths forming (variable length) travel loops 234A-234E; however, in other respects, the cargo platform may have any suitable number of travel paths forming any suitable number of unpacked cargo autonomous transport travel loops 234. Each unpacking module 266 may be indeterminately coupled to the automated storage and retrieval system 100 in any suitable manner (e.g., for forming part of it) (e.g., unpacking module 266 may be coupled to the automated storage and retrieval system 100 at any suitable location, such as coupled to one or more ends 130BE1, 130BE2, or located at the center between two ends 130BE1, 130BE2, such as replacing the pick-up channel 130 (and storage location) or at any other suitable location). Although the unpacking module 266 is indeterminately coupled to the structure of the automated storage and retrieval system 100, each component of the unpacking module 166 is independent (e.g., independent as a unit) and / or is automated independently of the components of the automated storage and retrieval system during the guidance and movement of the robot (e.g., cargo robot 262), making the interface between the components of the unpacking module 266 and the components of the automated storage and retrieval system 100 indeterminate.

[0056] One or more unpacking modules 266 can be coupled to the structure of the automated storage and retrieval system 100 at any suitable location and at any suitable layer 130L. For example, as described above, the unpacking module 266 may be located at one or more ends 130BE1, 130BE2 of the container transfer platform 130DC or on one or more sides 130BD1, 130BD2 of the container transfer platform 130DC (such as replacing the storage rack module RM / pickup channel 130A or the elevators 150A, 150B, or as an extension of one or more pickup channels 130A). Each of the unpacking modules 266 is a plug-and-play module integrated with (or otherwise connected to) the container transfer platform 130DC, such that the container transfer platform 130DC is communicatively coupled to the container robot travel surface 266RS. On one hand, the container transfer platform 130DC extends into the unpacking module to form the container robot travel surface 266RS (e.g., the unpacking module forms a modular part of the container transfer platform 130DC), allowing the container robot 110 to traverse the unpacking module 266 or move into or out of the unpacking module 266 along the uncertain container transfer platform 130DC, and at least one of the multiple travel paths of the container transfer platform 130DC defines a queue line 130QL for the container robot 110 at the unpacking cargo interface 263. Figure 2C In other aspects, the container robot's driving surface 266RS includes the track 1200S (see...). Figure 1D The track 1200S extends from the container transfer platform 130DC in a manner similar to the pick-up channel 130A, allowing the container robot 110 to traverse the unpacking module 266 or move into or out of the unpacking module 266 along the track 1200S. The track 1200S also defines a queue line 130QL for the container robot 110 at the unpacking cargo interface 263. Figure 2C It should be noted that, in the case where the container robot's travel surface 266RS is formed by the track 1200S, the travel surface may include an uncertain turning area 1200UTA (similar to the open uncertain container transfer platform 130DC), in which the container robot 110 turns to switch between different travel sections (e.g., inbound and outbound) of the unpacked cargo autonomous transport travel loop 234. Figure 2CAs can be seen, the container robot travel surface 266RS of the unpacking module 266 forms a travel loop 233. The container robot 110 travels around the travel loop 233 to transport supply containers (e.g., cargo units, pickup surfaces, residue containers, etc.) between storage locations 130S and unpacking operation stations 140 (and / or vice versa) and unpacking cargo containers (also called unpacking containers) 264A between the unpacking cargo interface 263 and the unpacking cargo container storage location 130SB or elevator 150 (and / or vice versa). The travel loop 233 provides the container robot 110 with random access to any and each unpacking cargo interface location 263L of the unpacking cargo interface 263 along the robot travel surface 266RS, wherein the unpacking cargo interface locations 263L form an asynchronous product distribution system.

[0057] The cargo transfer platform 130DG forms a cargo autonomous transport loop 234 located at the storage layer 130L. The cargo transfer platform 130DG is separate from and distinct from the travel loop 233 formed by the container robot travel surface 266RS, and has an unpacking cargo interface 263 that couples the corresponding edges of the container autonomous transport loop 233 of the container transfer platform 130DC and the unpacking cargo autonomous transport loop 234 of the cargo transfer platform 130DG. A cargo autonomous transport loop 234 formed by the cargo transfer platform 130DG is disposed on the platform surface 130DGS of the platform (e.g., cargo transfer platform 130DG) at the corresponding storage layer 130L, and one or more unpacking cargo autonomous transport loops 234 of the cargo transfer platform 130DG are disposed on different platform surfaces 130DGS of the platform (e.g., cargo transfer platform 130DG), which are separate from and different from the platform surface 130BS of the container robot travel surface 266RS (formed by the container transfer platform 130DC and / or track 1200S), where a container autonomous transport loop 233 is disposed. The unpacking cargo autonomous transport loop 234 formed by the cargo transfer platform 130DG (and therefore by the cargo travel platform 130DG) is configured to confine at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle (also referred to as a cargo robot or cargo transport vehicle) 262 to the corresponding storage layer 130L. The at least one cargo robot 262 is arranged or otherwise configured to transport one or more unpacked cargo BPGs (e.g., packages unpacked from supply containers in layer-by-layer sorting or units / units unpacked from packages in unit / unit layer-by-unit sorting) between unpacking operation station 140 and unpacking cargo interface 263 along an autonomous unpacking cargo transport loop 234 formed by cargo transfer platform 130DG. As described herein, container robots 110(one or more) are also configured to autonomously pick up and place unpacked cargo containers 264 at unpacking cargo interface 263. Unpacking cargo interface 263 may be substantially similar to one or more of the transfer station TS and buffer station BS described herein and includes an uncertainty surface (similar to the surface of rack storage space 130S described herein) on which unpacked cargo containers 264 are placed to form an uncertainty interface between cargo transfer platform 130DG and container transfer platform 130DC.

[0058] On one hand, the cargo transfer platform 130DG facilitates the dumping process, during which goods are picked up from a container (such as a supply container 265 or any other suitable standardized container 265S) at the unpacking operation station 140 and merged at the unpacking cargo interface 263 with goods (usually of the same type) from another (e.g., outbound) supply container 265 or standardized container 265S as described below, wherein the other supply container 265 or standardized container 265S is returned to storage. Typically, the supply container 265 entering the unpacking module 266 is picked up until it becomes empty, but only some (not all) of the goods from the inbound supply container can be dumped. Here, container robots 110 can also place containers that can be referred to as outbound (i.e., outbound from the unpacking module 266) supply containers 265 or standardized containers 265S (such as handbags, pallets, etc.) on the unpacking cargo interface 263 in a manner similar to that described herein for facilitating the dumping process for unpacking cargo container 264. During the dumping process, goods are removed from supply containers 265 (which may be original product / cargo box packaging) at unpacking operation station 140 and merged into one or more outbound supply containers 265 or standardized containers 265S (e.g., containing the same type of goods as those removed at unpacking operation station 140) located at unpacking cargo interface 263. Merging goods of the same type from multiple supply containers 265 into a smaller number of supply containers 265 (which are then returned to storage by one or more container robots 110) can increase the storage density of the automated storage and retrieval system 100 because the supply containers 265 stored in the storage racks can be kept substantially “full” (rather than having multiple containers that are not full of the same type of goods). In some respects, the dumped goods (in standardized containers or outbound supply containers) are output from the storage and retrieval system 100 via elevator 150 to be palletized as part of a pallet load (such as at output station 160UT) or shipped separately (such as at output station 160EC).

[0059] Cargo robot 262 can be any suitable type of autonomously guided robot whose payload is configured to accommodate unpacked cargo, rather than product containers (e.g., cargo units, pickup surfaces, etc.). Each cargo robot 262 has a payload compartment with a different configuration than the payload compartment of container robot 110. Cargo robot 262 is configured to autonomously travel along and across one or more unpacked cargo autonomous transport loops 234 formed by cargo platform 130DG. Cargo robot 262 is configured to automatically unload one or more unpacked cargo BPGs (retrieved from unpacking operation station 140) from cargo robot 262 to unpacked cargo container 264 at unpacked cargo interface 263. Suitable examples of cargo robot 262 are those manufactured by Tompkins International, Raleigh, North Carolina (United States), for example, see U.S. Patent No. 10,248,112, issued April 2, 2019. The autonomous transport loop 234 formed by the cargo platform 130DG (one or more) of unpacked cargo has multiple travel routes (see...). Figure 2C The cargo robot 262 is used to travel along one or more unpacked cargo autonomous transport travel loops 234 (e.g., see travel loops 234A-234E) formed by the cargo platform 130DG. As described herein, three travel routes are illustrated for illustrative purposes only, and there may otherwise be more or fewer than three travel routes. At least one of the multiple travel routes is a crossing route used by the cargo robot 262 to cross obstacles on another of the multiple travel routes in a manner similar to that described herein with respect to the multiple travel routes of the container transfer platform 130DC. The one or more unpacked cargo autonomous transport travel loops 234 provide the cargo robot 262 with random access to any and each unpacked cargo interface location 263L of the unpacked cargo interface 263. In other respects, one or more unpacked cargo autonomous transport loops 234 provide cargo robot 262 with access to a belt sorter BST, wherein the belt sorter BST sorts unpacked cargo (and is configured in some respects as a sorting buffer) to unpacked cargo interface 263. Here, the belt sorter BST operates as an interface between cargo robot 262 and container robot 110.

[0060] In one or more aspects, one or more portions of the cargo transfer platform 130DG (e.g., adjacent to the unpacked cargo interface location 263L) may be reserved to provide an exit (or departure) ramp or an entrance (or arrival) ramp from or to the travel loop 234A-234E to facilitate the transfer of unpacked cargo BPG to or from one or more unpacked cargo containers 264 (or supply containers 265, 265S) at the unpacked cargo interface location 263L. The exit ramps (referred to herein as ramps 222, 222C, 222R) will be described herein, but it should be understood that the entrance ramps are substantially opposite in direction to the exit ramps 222, 222C, 222R (e.g., providing access to the travel loop rather than access from the travel loop). The provision of one or more ramps 222, 222C, 333R depends on, for example, the motion characteristics (speed, direction, etc.) of robot 110 and the location(s) of the (destination) unpacking cargo interface location 263L accessed by cargo robot 262 (e.g., a corner near cargo transfer platform 130DG, a corner away from cargo transfer platform 130DG, etc.). For illustrative purposes only, ramp 222 is a general description of an exit / arrival ramp that can be located anywhere on cargo transfer platform 130DG and has any suitable length. Ramp 222C is located at a corner of cargo transfer platform 130DG. Ramp 222R is a "rolling" ramp that moves to follow the path traveled by cargo robot 262 along ramp 222R.

[0061] Ramps 222, 222C, and 222R (which are both arrival and departure ramps) can be temporarily "closed" to prevent general access by cargo robots 262 (e.g., only designated cargo robots delivering unpacked goods to and from unpacked goods interface locations 263L within the areas designated by ramps 222, 222C, and 222R can access the corresponding arrival and departure ramps). Typically, ramps 222, 222C, and 222R provide pathways to and from the destination unpacked goods interface location 263L. Each ramp 222, 222C, and 222R can be bidirectional (e.g., where a cargo robot 2662 enters a ramp and travels along it in one direction to pick up or place an unpacked goods BPG, then travels along the ramp in the opposite direction to leave the ramp). On the other hand, the ramps can be “counter-current ramps,” where the direction of travel along ramps 222, 222C, 222R is substantially opposite to the direction of travel around one or more travel loops 234 (e.g., the cargo robot 262 leaves the travel loop and travels along ramps 222, 222C, 222R in substantially opposite directions). When ramps 222, 222C, 222R are exit ramps, they can terminate at the destination unpacking interface position 263L. Similarly, when ramps 222, 222C, 222R are arrival ramps, they can begin at the destination unpacking interface position 263L. As described above, ramps 222, 222C, and 222R can be located anywhere on the cargo transfer platform 130DG, such that the ramp entry location varies within a line that may be referred to as a parking line (e.g., a line or portion of a travel loop where the cargo robot stops to pick up or place unpacked cargo BPGs), based on one or more of the robot's motion characteristics and the location of the available unpacked cargo interface position 263L. It should be noted that while the turns of the cargo robot 262 toward and away from ramps 222, 222C, and 222R are illustrated as substantially 90° turns, in other respects the turns may have an "S" shape, similar to those described in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 144,668, filed September 27, 2018, entitled "Storage and Retrieval System," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0062] Ramps 222, 222C, and 222R are dynamically generated and can be dynamically implemented (e.g., “rolling” ramps, such as ramp 222R), such that the ramps “roll” in a progressive manner, wherein the initial ramp length is generated from the cargo robot entrance, which has sufficient clearance to avoid collisions with the cargo robot. In one or more aspects, ramps 222, 222C, and 222R (at the robot entrance) are activated if the ramp to the destination unpacking cargo interface location 263L is “blocked” (or otherwise obstructed) by the active cargo robot 262 / active unpacking cargo interface location 263L but is expected to be cleared before the cargo robot 262 traveling along the ramp reaches the blockage. In one or more aspects, if the obstruction of ramps 222, 222C, 222R is cleared, ramps 222, 222C, 222R extend to the destination unpacking cargo interface location 263L; however, if the obstruction is not cleared, the cargo robot 262 traveling along ramps 222, 222C, 222R is redirected, for example, to cross the line and a new ramp is calculated / determined so that the cargo robot 262 can place the unpacked cargo BPG at the destination unpacking cargo interface location 263L or another destination unpacking cargo interface location 263L.

[0063] See also Figure 13 Unpacking station 140 is configured to unpack one or more unpacked cargo BPGs from supply containers 265 at unpacking station 140, and at least one cargo robot 262 is configured to be loaded with the one or more unpacked cargo BPGs at unpacking station 140. In one or more aspects, an operator of unpacking station 140 places the unpacked cargo BPGs onto the at least one cargo robot 262 for transfer to unpacking cargo interface 263. In other aspects, see Figure 1 and 2A A belt sorter BST is positioned between the unpacking station 140 and the cargo robot 262, forming an interface between them. Here, the operator at the unpacking station places unpacked cargo BPGs onto the belt sorter BST, which sorts the unpacked cargo BPGs (and in some respects operates as a sorting buffer) to the cargo robot 262. The unpacking station 140 includes any suitable supply container 265 support surface 140S. In one aspect, the support surface 140S is an indeterminate surface substantially similar to the support surface of the storage rack described herein and includes slats 1210S forming the support surface 140S. In other aspects, the support surface 140S may be an indeterminate roller conveyor (powered or unpowered) having rollers 140RL arranged similarly to the rollers 110RL of the container robot 110 described herein (see [link to relevant documentation]). Figure 4A and 4B), causing the sharp teeth 273A-273E of the pickup head 270 of the container robot 110 to ( Figure 4A and 4B The supply container 265 intersects with the rollers of the roller conveyor to place (or pick up) the supply container 265 from the support surface 140S. Here, the container robot 110 is configured to autonomously transfer (such as to the support surface 140S) one or more supply containers 265 from the container robot 110 to the unpacking station 140 in a manner described herein. In some aspects, refer to... Figure 1 and 2AThe container robot 110 delivers the supply container 265 to the belt sorter BST, which is configured as the interface between the container robot 110 and the unpacking station 140. Here, the container robot 110 places the supply container 265 onto the belt sorter BST, and the belt sorter BST sorts the supply container 265 (and in some respects operates as a sorting buffer) onto the support surface 140S of the unpacking station 140. The support surface 140S can be configured such that when the supply container 265 is placed by the container robot 110 or the belt sorter BST, the supply container 265 moves along the support surface 140S toward the operator 141 (e.g., a human operator or any suitable robotic operator (e.g., an articulated arm, gantry, etc.)) to pick up unpacked goods BPG from the supply container 265 in any suitable manner and place the picked-up unpacked goods into the cargo robot 262 or into one or more of the standardized containers 265S (e.g., handbags, pallets, etc.) and unpacked goods containers 264 located in the operator travel area 140A to achieve one or more of the following: package layer sorting or unit / unit layer sorting of goods. The supply container 265 can move along the support surface 140S to the corresponding operator travel area 140A, where the operator 141 picks up the unpacked goods BPG from the supply container 265 to place in the cargo robot 262 or another container 265S, 264. In one aspect, the operator travel area 140A may be adjacent to and / or formed by the support surface 140S. As described herein, after unpacking, the supply container 265 containing remaining goods may be picked up by the container robot 110 from the support surface 140S or travel area 140A and returned to storage or to the elevator 150. Empty supply containers 265 may be removed from the support surface 140S or travel area 140A by the operator 141 and stored at the unpacking station 140 for later removal in any suitable manner. In one or more aspects, the container robot 110 may transport empty containers from the storage and retrieval system via the elevator 150. In one or more aspects, the unpacking station 140 includes any suitable waste removal system 223 for removing waste (or scrap, such as shredded parcels, packages, boxes, etc.) from the storage and retrieval system. In one or more aspects, the waste removal system 223 includes one or more of the following: a chute, a conveyor, an elevator, or any other suitable means of transport configured to move waste to a predetermined location; while in other aspects, waste may be placed in a container and removed from the storage and retrieval system by a container robot 110 via an elevator 150. Figure 2C and 13As can be seen, the unpacking cargo transfer platform 130DG engages the unpacking operation station 140 and the container transfer platform 130DC at the separation location (e.g., at the unpacking cargo interface location 263L) from each access port of the container transfer platform 130DC to the unpacking operation station 140 for the container robot 110 (e.g., at the common support surface 140S).

[0064] On the one hand, also see Figure 2D One or more unpacking modules 266 include two or more (i.e., multi-layer) cargo transfer platforms 130DG1-130DG3 stacked vertically; however, in other respects, the unpacking modules (one or more) may have a single layer, wherein the raised layer of at least one unpacking module is connected to the container transfer platform layer. Here, the unpacking cargo interface 263 may be substantially similar to Figure 1B The rack shown includes multiple layers 130DGL1-130DGL3, each accessible from the common (layer) container transfer platform 130DC. Reference is also made here. Figure 14 According to various aspects of the disclosed embodiments, unpacking cargo interface positions 263L are provided and arranged on at least one layer of the unpacking cargo interface 263 along one or more edges of the cargo transfer platform 130DG in a manner substantially similar to that described herein. Figure 14 (Box 1600) (Similarly, the unpacking station is illustrated as having three levels, but in other respects, at least one raised level is provided). At least one raised level is also provided for cargo transfer platforms 130DG1-130DG3 ( Figure 14 (Box 1610), wherein one or more elevated platforms define a rolling surface for the cargo robot 262 in each layer of the multi-layer cargo transfer platforms 130DG1-130DG3. As described above, the unpacking cargo interface position 263L of at least one elevated layer 130DGL1-130DGL3 of the unpacking cargo interface 263 is accessed from the corresponding rolling surface of the container transfer platform 130DC, which is shared by multiple layers 130DGL1-130DGL3. Figure 14 (or container transfer platform corresponding to at least one raised layer), wherein unpacking cargo interface location 263L is provided at least along the edge of cargo transfer platform 130DG in each layer 130DGL1-130DGL3 of multi-layer cargo transfer platforms 130DG1-130DG3.

[0065] Container robot 110 can be any suitable, independently operable autonomous transport vehicle that traverses the storage and retrieval system 100 along the X and Y throughput axes to carry and transfer container units. In one aspect, container robot 110 is an automated, independently (e.g., free-roaming) autonomous transport vehicle. For illustrative purposes only, suitable examples of the robot can be found in: U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,674, filed December 15, 2011; U.S. Patent Application No. 12 / 757,312, filed April 9, 2010 (now U.S. Patent No. 8,425,173); U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,423, filed December 15, 2011; U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,447, filed December 15, 2011 (now U.S. Patent No. 8,965,619); and U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,505, filed December 15, 2011. The disclosures of the following patent applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety: U.S. Patent No. 8,696,010; U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 327,040 (now U.S. Patent No. 9,187,244), filed December 15, 2011; U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,952, filed December 15, 2011; U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,993, filed December 15, 2011; U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 486,008, filed September 15, 2014; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 107,135, filed January 23, 2015. Container robot 110 (described in more detail below) can be configured to place carton units (such as the retail goods described above) into a pick-up inventory in one or more layers of storage structure 130 and then selectively retrieve ordered carton units. As can be appreciated, on the one hand, the throughput axes X and Y of the storage array (e.g., the pick-up face transport axis) are defined by the pick-up channel 130A, at least one container transfer platform 130DC, container robot 110, and the extendable end effector of container robot 110 (as described herein) (and in other respects, the extendable end effector of elevator 150 also at least partially defines the Y throughput axis).

[0066] Pickup surfaces (including supply containers 265 on one hand) are transported between inbound sections (such as, for example, input station 160IN) and load filling sections (such as, for example, output station 160UT or output station 160EC) of the storage and retrieval system 100. In the inbound section, pickup surfaces are generated to enter the array. In the load filling section, outbound pickup surfaces from the array are arranged to fill loads according to a predetermined load filling order sequence or to fill one or more individual fulfillment orders according to a predetermined individual fulfillment order sequence. On the other hand, pickup surfaces (e.g., the pickup surface of supply container 265) are transported between storage space 130S and load filling sections (such as, for example, output station 160UT or output station 160EC) of the storage and retrieval system 100 to fill loads according to a predetermined load filling order sequence or to fill one or more individual fulfillment orders according to a predetermined individual fulfillment order sequence. In other respects, one or more unpacked cargo containers 264 (on the one hand, multiple unpacked cargo containers may be arranged in unpacked cargo containers 264 and transported as pick-up surfaces) are transported between storage space 130S and load filling sections and / or between unpacked cargo interfaces 263 of unpacking modules 266 and load filling sections (such as, for example, output stations 160UT or 160EC) of storage and retrieval system 100 to fill loads according to a predetermined load filling order sequence or to fill one or more individual fulfillment orders according to a predetermined individual fulfillment order sequence. The control server 120 can operate the automatic storage and retrieval system 100 in different operating modes to transfer pick-up surfaces (e.g., pick-up surfaces of supply containers 265) and unpacked cargo containers 264 to load-filling sections according to aspects disclosed herein, so as to fill loads with one or more pick-up surfaces (e.g., pick-up surfaces of supply containers 265) and unpacked cargo containers 264 containing cargo that has been sorted by one or more of orthogonal sorting tiers 15000, 15100, and 15200.

[0067] On one hand, the storage rack module RM and container robot 110 are arranged such that the storage rack module RM and container robot 110 combine to achieve in-run sorting of mixed container pick-up surfaces, which in-run sorting occurs simultaneously with transport on at least one of the throughput axes (or in other respects, on at least one of each of more than one throughput axis) to pick up two or more pick-up surfaces from one or more storage spaces and place the two or more pick-up surfaces in one or more pick-up surface receiving locations (such as, for example, buffer stations BS and transfer stations TS) according to a predetermined load-filling order sequence.

[0068] Other suitable features of the container robot 110, lifting module 150, and storage and retrieval system 100 are controlled in any suitable manner, such as by one or more central system control computers (e.g., control servers) 120 via, for example, any suitable network 180. In one aspect, network 180 is a wired network, wireless network, or a combination of wireless and wired networks using any suitable type and / or number of communication protocols. In another aspect, control server 120 includes a collection of substantially concurrently running programs (e.g., system management software) for the basic automated control of the automated storage and retrieval system 100. This collection of substantially concurrently running programs is configured, for example, to manage the storage and retrieval system 100, for exemplary purposes only, including: controlling, scheduling, and monitoring the activities of all active system components; managing inventory lists (e.g., which container units are entered and removed, orders for container removal, and where container units are stored) and pickup surfaces (e.g., one or more container units that can be moved as a unit and handled as a unit by components of the storage and retrieval system); and interfacing with warehouse management system 2500. The control server 120 can be configured to control the features of the storage and retrieval system in the manner described herein. For simplicity and ease of explanation, the term "(one or more) container units" is generally used herein to refer to individual container units and pickup surfaces (which are formed by multiple container units moving as a unit). See also... Figure 17A Regarding the recursive sorting of goods via orthogonal sorting tiers 15000, 15100, and 15200, the configuration of controller 120 (e.g., non-transitory computer program code therein) simulates the physical structure of the orthogonal sorting tiers 15000, 15100, and 15200, such that controller 120 processes the recursive sorting solution in the same manner as the solution implemented by the physical components of the orthogonal sorting tiers 15000, 15100, and 15200. For example, controller 120 includes a box-layer sorting tier control module 120M1, a package-layer sorting tier control module 120M2, and a unit / item-layer sorting tier control module 120M3, each of which individually or in combination (e.g., depending on the sorting tiers required to fulfill an order) performs the disassembly of (one or more) larger goods units to smaller goods units, and the subsequent recursive sorting assembly of sorted smaller goods units to sorted larger goods units, as described herein.

[0069] See also Figure 1B and 1CThe rack module array RMA of storage structure 130 includes vertical support members 1212 and horizontal support members 1200, which define a high-density automated storage array, as will be described in more detail below. Tracks 1200S can be mounted to one or more of the vertical and horizontal support members 1212, 1200, for example, in pick-up channels 130A and configured such that a container robot 110 travels along tracks 1200S through pick-up channels 130A. At least one side of at least one pick-up channel 130A of at least one storage layer 130L can have one or more storage shelves (e.g., formed by tracks 1210, 1200 and slats 1210S). In one aspect, the one or more shelves can be arranged at different heights to form multiple shelf layers 130LS1-130LS3 between storage or platform layers 130L defined by transfer platform 130B (and tracks 1200S forming the channel platform). Therefore, there are multiple rack rack layers 130LS1-130LS3, each corresponding to a storage layer 130L, extending along one or more pick-up channels 130A communicating with the container transfer platform 130DC of the corresponding storage layer 130L. As can be appreciated, the multiple rack rack layers 130LS1-130LS3 implement each storage layer 130L, each storage layer 130L having a stack of stored cargo box units / supply containers 265 (or cargo box layers) and / or a stack of stored unpacked cargo containers 264 (or unpacking layers), which are accessible from the common platform 1200S of the corresponding storage layer 130L (e.g., the stacks of stored cargo boxes are located between storage layers).

[0070] As can be appreciated, a container robot 110 traversing the pick-up aisle 130A at the corresponding storage level 130L can access (e.g., for picking up and placing carton units and / or unpacking cargo containers) each storage space 130S available on each shelf level 130LS1-130LS3, wherein each shelf level 130LS1-130LS3 is located on one or more sides of the pick-up aisle 130A, PAS1, PAS2 (see, for example) Figure 2A The storage racks 130LS1-130LS3 are vertically stacked on adjacent storage layers 130L. As described above, the container robot 110 can access each of the storage rack layers 130LS1-130LS3 from the track 1200 (e.g., from the common pick-up channel platform 1200S corresponding to the container transfer platform 130DC on the respective storage layer 130L). Figure 1B and 1CAs can be seen, there are one or more intermediate shelving tracks 1210B, 1210C that are vertically spaced from each other (and from track 1200) (e.g., in the Z direction) to form multiple stacked storage spaces 130S, each of which is accessible by the container robot 110 from the common track 1200S. As can be appreciated, the horizontal support member 1200 also forms a shelving track (in addition to shelving track 1210) on which the container units are placed.

[0071] Each stacked shelf layer 130LS1-130LS3 (and / or each individual shelf layer as described below) corresponding to storage layer 130L defines an open and non-deterministic two-dimensional storage surface (e.g., having a box unit / unpacking container support plane CUSP, such as...). Figure 1C As shown in the diagram, the two-dimensional storage surface facilitates the dynamic allocation of the pickup surface (e.g., along the length of the aisle or coinciding with the robot travel path defined by the pickup aisle) and / or the unpacking cargo container 264 in both longitudinal (e.g., along the length of the aisle or coinciding with the robot travel path) and lateral (e.g., laterally to the aisle or path of robot travel relative to the rack depth). For example, the dynamic allocation of the pickup surface and the cargo container units constituting the pickup surface is provided in a manner described in U.S. Patent No. 8,594,835, published November 26, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. While the supply container 265 is in Figure 1B The container 264 is shown stored on the PAS2 side of the pickup channel 130A, and the unpacked goods container 264 is shown stored on the PAS1 side of the pickup channel 130A. However, in other respects, there may be a mixture of supply containers 265 and unpacked goods containers 264 stored on the common sides PAS1 and PAS2 of the pickup channel 130A (e.g., either or both of the PAS1 side and the PAS2 side) and / or a mixture of supply containers 265 and unpacked goods containers 264 stored on the surface of a common shelf.

[0072] In one respect, see Figure 1D and 4B Each storage level 130L includes a single-level storage rack for storing single-level container units (e.g., each storage level includes a single container unit support plane CUSP), and the container robot 110 is configured to transfer container units to and from the storage racks of the corresponding storage level 130L. For example, Figure 4BThe container robot 110' shown is substantially similar to the container robot 110 described herein; however, the container robot 110' is not provided with a Z-stroke sufficient to place the transfer arm 110PA on the plurality of storage rack levels 130LS1-130LS3 as described above (e.g., accessible from the common track 1200S). Here, the transfer arm actuator 250 (which may be substantially similar to one or more of actuators 250A, 250B) includes only a Z-stroke sufficient to perform the following actions: lifting the container unit from the container unit support plane CUSP of a single-level storage rack, transferring the container unit to and from the payload area 110PL, and transferring the container unit between the fingers 273 of the transfer arm 110PA and the payload plate 110PB. Suitable examples of the container robot 110' can be found, for example, in U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,993, filed December 15, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0073] See you again Figure 2A Each container transfer platform 130D or storage layer 130L includes one or more lift pick-up surface interface / transfer stations TS (referred to herein as interface stations TS), wherein one or more cargo units (e.g., individual cargo units, pick-up surfaces, supply containers, etc.), handbags, and / or unpacked cargo containers 264 are transferred between the lift load handling equipment LHD and the container robot 110 on the container transfer platform 130DC. The interface station TS is located on the side of the container transfer platform 130DC opposite to the pick-up channel 130A and the rack module RM, such that the container transfer platform 130DC is inserted between the pick-up channel and each interface station TS. As described above, each container robot 110 on each pick-up layer 130L can access (via the corresponding container transfer platform 130DC) each storage location 130S, each pick-up channel 130A, and each lift 150 on the corresponding storage layer 130L, and therefore each container robot 110 can also access each interface station TS on the corresponding layer 130L. On the one hand, the interface station deviates from the high-speed robot travel path HSTP along the container transfer platform 130DC, making the access of the container robot 110 to the interface station TS uncertain for the robot speed on the high-speed travel path HSTP. Therefore, each container robot 110 can move (one or more) cargo units (e.g., individual cargo units, pickup surfaces (built by the robot), supply containers, etc.), handbags and / or unpacked cargo containers 264 from each interface station TS to each storage space 130S corresponding to the platform layer 130L, and vice versa.

[0074] On one hand, the interface station TS is configured for the passive transfer (e.g., handover) of cargo units (e.g., individual cargo units, pickup surfaces, supply containers, etc.), handbags, and / or unpacked cargo containers 264 between the container robot 110 and the load handling equipment LHD of the elevator 150 (e.g., the interface station TS has no moving part for transporting cargo units), which will be described in more detail below. For example, also refer to Figure 2B The interface station TS and / or buffer station BS includes one or more stacked layers TL1, TL2 of the transfer rack RTS (e.g., to utilize the lifting capability of the container robot 110 relative to the stacked rack RTS), which in one aspect are substantially similar to the aforementioned storage racks (e.g., each formed by rails 1210, 1200 and slats 1210S), such that the container robot 110 handover (e.g., pick-up and place) occurs in a passive manner substantially similar to that between the container robot 110 and the storage space 130S (as described herein), where container units or bags are transferred to and from the racks between the container robot 110 and the storage space 130S (as described herein). In another aspect, the buffer station BS on one or more stacked layers TL1, TL2 also serves as a handover / interface station for the load handling equipment LHD relative to the elevator 150. On the one hand, in cases where robots (such as container robots 110') are configured to transfer cargo units (e.g., individual cargo units, pickup surfaces, supply containers, etc.), handbags, and / or unpacked cargo containers 264 to a single layer 130L of storage racks, the interface station TS and / or cache station BS also include single-layer transfer racks (which are substantially similar to those described above regarding, for example...) Figure 1C The storage rack shelf described is a storage layer 130L. As can be appreciated, the operation of a storage and retrieval system having a container robot 110' serving a single-layer storage and transfer rack is substantially similar to that described herein. As can also be appreciated, the load handling equipment LHD (or elevator) transfers (e.g., pick-up and place) box units (e.g., individual box units, pick-up surfaces, supply containers, etc.), handbags and / or unpacked goods containers 264 to the stacking rack shelf RTS (and / or single-layer rack shelf) in a passive manner substantially similar to that between the container robot 110 and the storage space 130S (as described herein), where box units, handbags and / or unpacked goods containers 264 are transferred to and from the rack between the container robot 110 and the storage space 130S. In other aspects, the rack may include transfer arms (substantially similar to) for picking up and placing box units, handbags and / or unpacked goods containers 264 from one or more of the load handling equipment LHD of the container robot 110 and the elevator 150. Figure 4AThe container robot 110 shown has a transfer arm 110PA, but the Z-direction movement can be omitted when the transfer arm is incorporated into the interface station TS shelf. Suitable examples of interface stations with active transfer arms are described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application No. 12 / 757,354, filed April 9, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0075] On the one hand, the position of the container robot 110 relative to the interface station TS occurs in a manner substantially similar to the position of the robot relative to the storage space 130S. For example, on the one hand, the position of the container robot 110 relative to the storage space 130S and the interface station TS occurs in a manner substantially similar to that described in U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 327,035 (now U.S. Patent No. 9,008,884), filed December 15, 2011, and U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 608,877 (now U.S. Patent No. 8,954,188), filed September 10, 2012, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. For example, see reference to Figure 1 and 1C The container robot 110 includes one or more sensors 110S that detect slats 1210S or positioning features 130F (such as holes, reflective surfaces, RFID tags, etc.) disposed on / in the track 1200. The slats and / or positioning features 130F are arranged to identify the position of the container robot 110 within the storage and retrieval system relative to, for example, a storage space and / or an interface station TS. On one hand, the container robot 110 includes a controller 110C, which, for example, counts the slats 1210S to at least partially determine the position of the container robot 110 within the storage and retrieval system 100. On another hand, the positioning features 130F may be arranged to form an absolute or incremental encoder that provides a position determination of the container robot 110 within the storage and retrieval system 100 when detected by the container robot 110.

[0076] If it can be recognized, refer to Figure 2BAt each interface / transfer station TS, the transfer rack RTS defines a multi-load station on a common transfer rack RS (e.g., having one or more storage container unit accommodating locations for accommodating a corresponding number of container units or tote bags). As described above, each load at the multi-load station is a single container unit / tote bag / unpacked container or multiple container pick-up surfaces (e.g., having multiple container units / tote bags / unpacked goods containers moving as single units) picked up and placed by the container robot 110 or the load handling equipment LHD. As may also be appreciated, the robot positioning described above allows the container robot 110 to position itself relative to the multi-load station in order to pick up and place container units / tote bags and pick-up surfaces from one of the predetermined accommodating locations of the multi-load station. The interface / transfer station TS defines a multi-location buffer (e.g., a buffer with one or more container accommodating locations—see...). Figure 4B —When the container robot 110 docks with the interface station TS, the container holding position is arranged along, for example, the X-axis of the container robot 110. When transferring between the container robot 110 and the load handling equipment LHD of the elevator 150, the inbound and / or outbound container units / handbags / unpacked goods containers and pick-up surfaces are temporarily stored in the multi-location buffer.

[0077] On one hand, one or more peripheral cache / handover stations (BSs) (essentially similar to interface stations TSs and referred to herein as cache stations BSs) are also located on the side of the container transfer platform 130DC opposite to the pick-up channel 130A and rack module RM, such that the container transfer platform 130DC is inserted between the pick-up channel and each cache station BS. The peripheral cache stations BSs are distributed among the interface stations TSs, or on the other hand, as... Figure 2A and 2B As shown, it is otherwise aligned with the interface station TS. On one hand, the peripheral buffer station BS is formed by tracks 1210, 1200 and slats 1210S, and is a continuation of the interface station TS (but a separate section of the interface station TS) (e.g., the interface station and the peripheral buffer station are formed by common tracks 1210, 1200). Thus, the peripheral buffer station BS also includes, on one hand, one or more stacked layers TL1, TL2 of the transfer rack shelf RTS, as described above with respect to the interface station TS, while on other hands, the buffer station comprises a single-layer transfer rack shelf. The peripheral buffer station BS defines a buffer where cargo units / handbags / unpacked cargo containers and / or pickup surfaces are temporarily stored when transferred from one container robot 110 to another different container robot 110 on the same storage layer 130L, as will be described in more detail below. As can be appreciated, on one hand, the peripheral buffer station is located wherever suitable in the storage and retrieval system, including within the pickup aisle 130A and anywhere along the container transfer platform 130DC.

[0078] See still Figure 2A and 2B On the one hand, the interface station TS is located on at least the extension portion extending from the container transfer platform 130DC or on the protrusion 130BD; however, on the other hand, the length of the interface station TS can be arranged and extended along the container transfer platform. On the one hand, the protrusion 130BD is similar to a pick-up channel, in which the container robot 110 travels along a track 1200S fixed to the horizontal support member 1200 (in a manner substantially similar to that described above). On the other hand, the travel surface of the protrusion 130BD can be substantially similar to the travel surface of the container transfer platform 130DC. Each protrusion 130BD is located on one side of the container transfer platform 130DC, such as the side opposite to the pick-up channel 130A and the rack module RM, such that the container transfer platform 130DC is inserted between the pick-up channel and each protrusion 130BD. One or more protrusions 130BD extend from the transfer platform at a non-zero angle relative to at least a portion of the high-speed robot transport path HSTP. In other respects, one or more of the bumps 130BD extend from any suitable portion of the container transfer platform 130DC (including the ends 130BE1, 130BE2 of the container transfer platform 130DCD). As can be appreciated, the peripheral cache station BSD (which is substantially similar to the peripheral cache station BS described above) may also be located at least along a portion of the bump 130BD.

[0079] Now refer to Figure 3A , 3BAs described above, in sections 4B and 5, the interface station TS is a passive station, and therefore the load transfer device LHD of elevators 150A and 150B has an active transfer arm or pickup head 4000A. In one aspect, the inbound elevator module 150A and the outbound elevator module 150B have pickup heads of different types (as described in U.S. Patent No. 9,856,083, which is previously incorporated herein by reference in its entirety), while in other aspects, the inbound elevator module 150A and the outbound elevator module 150B have pickup heads of the same type as pickup head 4000A. The pickup heads of elevators 150A and 150B may at least partially define the Y-throughput axis as described herein. On one hand, both the entry and exit lifting modules 150A and 150B have a vertical mast 4002, and a slider 4001 travels along the vertical mast 4002 under the prime mover of any suitable lifting drive unit (e.g., connected to, for example, control server 120), which is configured to raise and lower the slider (and the pickup head 4000A mounted thereon). One or more entry lifting modules 150A include a pickup head 4000A mounted to the slider 4001 so that the pickup head 4000A moves vertically together with the slider 4001 as the slider moves vertically. In this respect, the pickup head 4000A includes one or more teeth or fingers 4273 mounted to a base member 4272. The base member 4272 is movably mounted to one or more rails 4360S of the frame 4200, which in turn are mounted to the slider 4001. Any suitable drive unit 4005 (such as a belt drive, chain drive, screw drive, gear drive, etc.) (which is substantially similar in form to drive 4002D but may be different in capacity, as drive 4005 may be smaller than drive 4002D) is mounted to frame 4200 and coupled to base member 4272 to drive base member 4272 (which has one or more fingers) in the direction of arrow 4050 (e.g., extension direction 4050A and retraction direction 4050B). One or more outbound lifting modules 150B may be substantially similar to one or more inbound lifting modules 150A.

[0080] As will be appreciated, the lifting modules 150A, 150B, under the control of any suitable controller (such as control server 120), cause the pickup head 4000A to be raised and / or lowered to a predetermined height corresponding to the interface station TS at the predetermined storage layer 130L when picking up and placing (one or more) carton units and / or unpacking cargo containers. As will be appreciated, the lifting modules 150A, 150B provide the Z-throughput axis (relative to the robot reference frame REF and the rack reference frame REF2) of the storage and retrieval system, wherein the output lifting module 150B forms part of the carton layer sorting echelon 15000 and is configured to sort carton units in operation for delivery to the output station 160US, as will be described herein and / or in a manner substantially similar to that described in U.S. Patent No. 10947060, entitled “Vertical Sequencer for Product Order,” published March 16, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. At the interface station TS, a pickup head 4000A or a portion thereof (e.g., an actuator or load handling device LHD) corresponding to one or more cargo units of the interface station TS from the location where one or more cargo units are picked up is extended such that fingers 4273 are positioned below the picked-up (one or more) cargo units between slats 1210S (e.g. Figure 4B (As shown in the diagram) The elevators 150A and 150B raise the pickup head 4000A to lift (one or more) container units from the slats 1210S and retract the pickup head 4000A to transport (one or more) container units and / or unpacked containers to another level of the storage and retrieval system, such as for transporting (one or more) container units to one or more of the output stations 160UT and 160EC. Similarly, for placing one or more container units, the pickup head 4000A or a portion thereof (e.g., actuator or load handling device LHD) corresponding to the container unit receiving position of the interface station TS from which one or more container units are placed is extended such that the fingers 4273 are above the slats. The elevators 150A and 150B lower the pickup head 4000A to place (one or more) container units on the slats 1210S and such that the fingers 4273 cross between the slats 1210S below the container units being picked up.

[0081] See now Figure 4AAs described above, the container robot 110 includes a transfer arm 110PA, which enables the picking and placement of container units from a stacked storage space 130S, an interface station TS, and peripheral buffer stations BS, BSD, defined at least partially in the Z direction, via one or more of tracks 1210A-1210C, 1200 (e.g., the storage space, interface station, and / or peripheral buffer stations may be further defined in the X and Y directions relative to either the rack reference frame REF2 or the robot reference frame REF, through the dynamic allocation of container units as described above). As can be appreciated, the robot defines the X throughput axis and at least partially defines the Y throughput axis (e.g., relative to the robot reference frame REF), as will be further described below.

[0082] As described above, the container robot 110 transports container units between each lifting module 150 and each storage space 130S on each corresponding storage layer 130L. The container robot 110 includes a frame 110F having a drive section 110DR and a payload section 110PL. The drive section 110DR includes one or more drive wheel motors, each drive wheel motor connected to one or more corresponding drive wheels 202 for propulsing the container robot 110 along the X direction (relative to the robot reference frame REF to define the X-throughput axis). As can be appreciated, when the container robot 110 travels through the pick-up channel 130A, the X-axis of the robot's travel coincides with the storage location. In this respect, the container robot 110 includes two drive wheels 202 located on opposite sides of the container robot 110 at its ends 110E1 (e.g., the first longitudinal end) for supporting the container robot 110 on a suitable drive surface; however, in other respects, any suitable number of drive wheels is provided on the container robot 110. In one respect, each drive wheel 202 is independently controlled, allowing the container robot 110 to be manipulated by differential rotation of the drive wheels 202; in other respects, the rotation of the drive wheels 202 can be coupled to rotate at substantially the same speed. Any suitable wheel 201 is mounted to a frame at an end 110E2 (e.g., a second longitudinal end) of the container robot 110 on the opposite side of the container robot 110 to support the container robot 110 on a drive surface. In one respect, the wheel 201 is a free-rotating caster, allowing the container robot 110 to pivot by differential rotation of the drive wheels 202 to change its direction of travel. In other respects, the wheel 201 is a steerable wheel, turning under the control of, for example, a robot controller 110C (configured to implement control of the container robot 110 as described herein) to change its direction of travel. On one hand, the container robot 110 includes one or more guide wheels 110GW, which are located, for example, at one or more corners of the frame 110F. The guide wheels 110GW can dock on the container transfer platform 130DC and / or at an interface or transfer station for docking with the lifting module 150 with a storage structure 130 (such as guide rails (not shown) within the pick-up channel 130A) to guide the container robot 110 and / or position it at a predetermined distance from a location where one or more container units are placed and / or picked up, as described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,423, filed December 15, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0083] As described above, the container robot 110 can enter a pickup channel 130A with different orientations to access the storage spaces 130S located on both sides of the pickup channel 130A. For example, the container robot 110 can enter the pickup channel 130A with its end 110E2 guiding its travel direction, or the robot can enter the pickup channel 130A with its end 110E1 guiding its travel direction.

[0084] The payload section 110PL of the container robot 110 includes a payload plate 110PB, a fence or reference member 110PF, a transfer arm 110PA, and a push rod or member 110PR. In one aspect, the payload plate 110PB includes one or more rollers 110RL, which are laterally mounted (e.g., relative to the longitudinal axis LX of the container robot 110) to the frame 110F such that one or more cargo units and / or unpacked cargo containers carried in the payload section 110PL can be moved longitudinally along the robot's longitudinal axis (e.g., adjusted relative to a predetermined position of the frame / payload section and / or a reference reference of one or more cargo units), for example, for positioning the cargo units and / or unpacked cargo containers at predetermined positions within the payload section 110PL and / or relative to other cargo units and / or unpacked cargo containers within the payload section 110PL (e.g., longitudinal forward / backward adjustment of the cargo units). In one respect, the rollers 110RL can be driven by any suitable motor (e.g., rotating about their respective axes) to move the container units and / or unpacked cargo containers within the payload section 110PL. In another respect, the container robot 110 includes one or more longitudinally movable push rods (not shown) for pushing the container units and / or unpacked cargo containers over the rollers 110RL to move (one or more) container units and / or (one or more) unpacked containers to predetermined positions within the payload section 110PL. The longitudinally movable push rods may be substantially similar to, for example, those described in U.S. Patent Application 13 / 326,952, filed December 15, 2011, the disclosure of which is previously incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The push rod 110PR is movable in the Y direction relative to the reference frame REF of the container robot 110 to achieve lateral adjustment of (one or more) cargo units and / or (one or more) unpacking containers within the payload area 110PL, together with the pick-up head 270 of the fence 110PF and / or transfer arm 110PA, in a manner described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 107,135, filed January 23, 2015, which is previously incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0085] Still referencing Figure 4ACargo units and / or unpacked cargo containers are placed on the payload plate 110PB and removed from the payload plate 110PB using a transfer arm 110PA along the Y-throughput axis. The transfer arm 110PA includes a lifting mechanism or unit 200 substantially located within the payload section 110PL, as described, for example, in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 107,135, filed January 23, 2015, which is previously incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The lifting mechanism 200 provides coarse and fine positioning of a pickup surface (which may include cargo units or unpacked cargo containers, or both) carried by the container robot 110, which will be vertically lifted to a position in the storage structure 130 for picking up and / or placing the pickup surface and / or individual cargo units into the storage space 130S (e.g., on the corresponding storage layer 130L where the container robot 110 is located). For example, the lifting mechanism 200 provides for picking up and placing carton units at multiple raised storage rack levels 130LS1-130LS3, TL1, TL2 that are accessible from a common pick-up aisle or interface station platform 1200S (see example). Figure 1B , 2B (and 2B).

[0086] The lifting mechanism 200 is configured to perform substantially simultaneous movement of the combined robot axis (e.g., a combination of push rod 110PR, lifting mechanism 200, pickup head extension, and one or more forward / rear adjustment mechanisms, such as, for example, the longitudinally movable push rod described above), enabling the container robot 110 to handle different / multiple SKUs or multiple pickup payloads. On one hand, the actuation of the lifting mechanism 200 is independent of the actuation of the push rod 110PR, as will be described below. The separation of the axes of the lifting mechanism 200 and the push rod 110PR provides a combined pickup / placement sequence, thereby achieving the reduction in pickup / placement cycle time, increased throughput of the storage and retrieval system, and / or increased storage density of the storage and retrieval system as described above. For example, the lifting mechanism 200 provides for picking and placing container units at multiple raised storage rack levels, as described above, which are accessible from a common pickup aisle and / or interface station platform 1200S.

[0087] The lifting mechanism can be configured in any suitable manner to allow the pickup head 270 of the container robot 110 to move bidirectionally along the Z-axis (e.g., reciprocate along the Z-direction—see...). Figure 4AOn one hand, the lifting mechanism includes a mast 200M and a pickup head 270 is movably mounted to the mast 200M in any suitable manner. The mast is movably mounted to the frame in any suitable manner so as to be movable along the lateral axis LT of the container robot 110 (e.g., in the Y direction to define the Y-throughput axis). On the other hand, the frame includes guide rails 210A, 210B to which the mast 200 is slidably mounted. Transfer arm actuators 250A, 250B can be mounted to the frame to at least realize movement of the transfer arm 110PA along the lateral axis LT (e.g., the Y-axis) and the Z-axis. On the other hand, the transfer arm actuators 250A, 250B include an extension motor 301 and a lifting motor 302. The extension motor 301 can be mounted to the frame 110F and coupled to the mast 200M in any suitable manner, such as via a belt and pulley drive 260A, a screw drive (not shown), and / or a gear drive (not shown). The lifting motor 302 can be mounted to the mast 200M and coupled to the pickup head 270 via any suitable transmission device (such as via belt and pulley drive 271, screw drive (not shown), and / or gear drive (not shown)). As an example, the mast 200M includes guides, such as rails 280A, 280B, along which the pickup head 270 is mounted for guided movement in the Z-direction. In other respects, the pickup head is mounted to the mast in any suitable manner for guided movement in the Z-direction. Regarding the transmission device 271, the belt 271B of the belt and pulley drive 271 is fixedly coupled to the pickup head 270 such that when the belt 271 moves (e.g., driven by the motor 302), the pickup head 270 moves with the belt 271 and is bidirectionally driven in the Z-direction along the rails 280A, 280B. As can be appreciated, when a screw driver is used to drive the pickup head 270 in the Z direction, a nut can be mounted to the pickup head 270 so that when the motor 302 rotates the screw, the engagement between the nut and the screw causes movement of the pickup head 270. Similarly, when a gear-driven transmission is used, a rack and pinion or any other suitable gear transmission can drive the pickup head 270 in the Z direction. In other respects, any suitable linear actuator is used to move the pickup head in the Z direction. The transmission 260A for the extension motor 301 is substantially similar to that described herein with respect to transmission 271.

[0088] Still referencing Figure 4A The pickup head 270 of the container robot 110 is located at the pickup / placement location of the container robot 110 and the cargo unit and / or unpacked cargo container (such as, for example, storage space 130S, peripheral cache station BS, BSD, interface station TS (see...) Figure 2A-2B ), unpacking operation station 140 (see) Figure 1 and 2C ) and / or unpacking cargo interface 263 (see Figure 1 and 2C The container robot 110 transfers container units between itself and (one or more) lifting modules 150, and in other respects, transfers container units substantially directly between itself and the lifting modules 150. In one aspect, the pickup head 270 includes a base member 272, one or more fangs or fingers 273A-273E, and one or more actuators 274A, 274B. The base member 272 is mounted to the mast 200M, as described above, for travel along guide rails 280A, 280B. One or more fangs 273A-273E are mounted to the base member 272 at their proximal ends, such that the distal ends (e.g., free ends) of the fangs 273A-273E form cantilevered arms from the base member 272. See again. Figure 1C The 273A-273E teeth are configured to be inserted between the slats 1210S of the box unit support plane CUSP forming the storage rack (and similar slats of the peripheral buffer stations BS, BSD, interface station TS, unpacking operation station 140 and / or unpacking cargo interface 263).

[0089] One or more of the fangs 273A-273E are movably mounted to the base member 272 (such as on a slide rail / guide similar to those described above) so that they can move in the Z direction. In one aspect, any number of fangs are mounted to the base member 272, while in the aspect shown in the figure, for example, five fangs 273A-273E are mounted to the base member 272. Any number of fangs 273A-273E are movably mounted to the base member 272, while in the aspect shown in the figure, for example, the outermost (relative to the center line CL of the pickup head 270) fangs 273A, 273E are movably mounted to the base member 272, while the remaining fangs 273B-273D are immovable relative to the base member 272.

[0090] In this respect, the pickup head 270 uses as few as three fangs 273B-273D to transfer smaller-sized container units (and / or groups of container units) to and from the container robot 110, and uses up to five fangs 273A-273E to transfer larger-sized container units (and / or groups of container units) to and from the container robot 110. In other respects, fewer than three fangs (e.g., more than two fangs movably mounted to the base member 272) are used to transfer smaller-sized container units. For example, on one hand, all the 273A-273E tines except for one tine are movably mounted to the base member, such that transfer to and from the container robot 110 does not interfere with other container units, for example, on a storage rack. The width of the smallest container unit is approximately the distance between the slats 1210S x 1 (see...). Figure 1C ).

[0091] The immovable fangs 373B-373D define the pickup plane SP of the pickup head 270 and are used when transferring cargo units of all sizes, unpacked cargo containers (and / or the pickup surfaces of cargo units and / or unpacked cargo containers), while the movable fangs 373A, 373E selectively raise and lower relative to the immovable fangs 373B-373D (e.g., using actuators 274A, 274B in the Z direction) to transfer larger cargo units (and / or pickup surfaces). Still refer to Figure 4A An example is shown in which all the tees 273A-273E are positioned such that the container unit support surface SF of each tee 273A-273E coincides with the pickup plane SP of the pickup head 270. However, as can be appreciated, the two end tees 273A, 273E are movable so as to be positioned lower (e.g., in the Z direction) relative to the other tees 273B-273D, such that the container unit support surface SF of the tees 273A, 273E is offset from the pickup plane SP (e.g., below the tees 273A, 273E), such that the tees 273A, 273E do not contact one or more container units or unpacked cargo containers (and / or the pickup surfaces of container units and / or unpacked cargo containers) carried by the pickup head 270 and do not interfere with any unpicked container units or unpacked cargo containers located in the storage space 130S on the storage rack or any other suitable container unit / unpacked cargo container receiving location.

[0092] The movement of the tines 273A-273E in the Z direction is achieved by one or more actuators 274A, 274B mounted at any suitable location on the transfer arm 110PA. On one hand, the one or more actuators 274A, 274B are mounted to the base member 272 of the pickup head 270. The one or more actuators are any suitable actuators capable of moving one or more tines 273A-273E in the Z direction, such as linear actuators. For example... Figure 4A In the aspects shown, there is an actuator 274A, 274B for each movable tooth 273A, 273E, such that each movable tooth can move independently in the Z direction. In other aspects, an actuator can be coupled to more than one movable tooth, such that the more than one movable tooth moves as a unit in the Z direction.

[0093] As can be appreciated, the movable mounting of one or more tines 273A-273E on the base member 272 of the pickup head 270 provides full support on the pickup head 270 for large carton units, unpacked cargo containers, and / or pickup surfaces (e.g., pickup surfaces of carton units and / or unpacked cargo containers), while also providing the ability to pick up and place small carton units or unpacked cargo containers without interfering with other carton units or unpacked cargo containers located at, for example, storage spaces, interface stations, peripheral buffer stations, unpacking operation stations, and / or unpacked cargo interfaces. The ability to pick up and place variable-sized carton units without interfering with other carton units at storage spaces, interface stations, peripheral buffer stations, unpacking operation stations, and / or unpacked cargo interfaces reduces the size of the gap GP between carton units on the storage rack (see...). Figure 1B As can be appreciated, because the tines 273B-273D are fixed to the base member 272, there is no repetitive movement when picking up / placing the cargo unit, since the raising and lowering of the cargo unit and / or the picking surface to and from the cargo unit receiving position is achieved solely by the lifting motors 301, 301A.

[0094] Refer again Figure 4AAgain, it is noted that the push rod 110PR is movable independently of the transfer arm 110PA. The push rod 110PR is movably mounted to the frame in any suitable manner (e.g., by guide rods and sliding devices) and is actuated along the Y direction (e.g., in a direction substantially parallel to the extension / retraction direction of the transfer arm 110PA). On one hand, at least one guide rod 360 is mounted within the load section 110PL to extend laterally relative to the longitudinal axis LX of the frame 110F. The push rod 110PR may include at least one sliding member 360S configured to engage and slide along the corresponding guide rod 360. On the other hand, at least the guide rod / sliding device holds the push rod 110PR securely within the load section 110PL. The push rod 110PR is actuated by any suitable motor and transmission, for example by a motor 303 and a transmission 303T. On one hand, the motor 303 is a rotary motor, and the transmission 303T is a belt pulley drive. In other respects, the push rod 110PR can be actuated by a linear actuator that has virtually no rotating parts.

[0095] The push rod 110PR is arranged within the effective load section 110PL so as to be substantially perpendicular to the roller 110RL and to ensure that the push rod 110PR does not interfere with the pickup head 270. For example... Figure 6C As can be seen, the container robot 110 is in a transport configuration, in which at least one cargo unit will be supported on roller 110RL (e.g., the rollers together form a payload plate). In the transport configuration, the serrations 273A-273E of the pickup head 270 intersect with roller 110RL and are located on the cargo unit support plane RSP of roller 110RL (see...). Figure 6A Below (along the Z direction). The push rod 110PR is equipped with slot 351 ( Figure 6D The serrations 273A-273E are inserted into grooves 351, which provide sufficient clearance to allow the serrations to move below the cargo unit support plane RSP and to allow the push rod 110PR to move freely without interference from the serrations 273A-273E. The push rod 110PR also includes one or more holes through which the roller 110RL passes, wherein the dimensions of the holes are designed to allow the roller to rotate freely about its respective axis. As can be appreciated, the independently operable push rod 110PR does not interfere with the roller 110PR, the extension of the transfer arm 110PA in the lateral direction (e.g., the Y direction), or the raising / lowering of the pickup head 270.

[0096] As described above, since the push rod 110PR is a separate, independent axis of the container robot 110, its operation is not interfered with by the extension and lifting axes of the pick-up head 270. Therefore, the push rod 110PR can operate substantially simultaneously with the lifting and / or extension of the transfer arm 110PA. Combined axis movement (e.g., simultaneous movement of the push rod 110PR with the extension and / or lifting axes of the transfer arm 110PA) provides increased payload handling throughput along the Y-axis and enables ordered (e.g., based on the unpacking sequence, which may be at least partially based on a predetermined load output sequence) multiple picks from a common pick-up channel, within a common path of the pick-up channel, of two or more container units and / or unpacked cargo containers, for transfer to the unpacking operation station 140. For example, refer to... Figures 6A-6B During multiple pick-up / placement sequences of the transfer arm 110PA, the push rod 110PR is pre-positioned (because (one or more) cargo units, (one or more) unpacked cargo containers and / or pick-up faces are picked up and transferred into the payload section 110PL) to a position at a predetermined distance X2 from the contact depth X3 (e.g., the depth of the teeth occupied by (one or more) cargo units, (one or more) unpacked cargo containers and / or pick-up faces CU when picked up / placed from storage space or other receiving location). Figure 7 (Box 1100). Distance X2 is the minimum distance that allows sufficient clearance between push rod 110PR and (one or more) cargo box units / (one or more) unpacked cargo containers to allow (one or more) cargo box units / (one or more) unpacked cargo containers to be placed on roller 110RL. When (one or more) cargo box units CU and / or (one or more) unpacked cargo containers 264 descend onto roller 110RL ( Figure 7 (Box 1110), the distance traveled by push rod 110PR to contact (one or more) cargo unit CUs and / or (one or more) unpacked cargo containers 264 is distance X2, which is shorter than the distance X4 traveled from the rear side 402 of the payload section 110PL (relative to the lateral direction of the payload section 110PL and the access side 401) as a conventional transport vehicle. When (one or more) cargo unit CUs and / or (one or more) unpacked cargo containers 264 are lowered by transfer arm 110PA and transferred to roller 110RL for individual support by roller 110RL, push rod 110PR is actuated to adjust (one or more) cargo unit CUs and / or (one or more) unpacked cargo containers 264 forward (relative to the lateral direction of the payload section 110PL and the access side 401). Figure 7(Block 1120). For example, push rod 110PR can laterally push (one or more) cargo container units CU and / or (one or more) unpacked cargo containers 264 in the Y direction, such that (one or more) cargo container units contact fence 110PF (located on the access side 401 of the payload section 110PL) so that a cargo container reference reference can be formed through the contact between (one or more) cargo container units CU / (one or more) unpacked cargo containers 264 and fence 110PF. In one aspect, push rod 110PR can engage or otherwise clamp (one or more) cargo container units CU and / or (one or more) unpacked cargo containers 264 during transport of the loading / unpacking cargo containers (e.g., to keep (one or more) cargo container units and / or (one or more) unpacked cargo containers 264 against fence 110PF) so as to be in accordance with the reference frame REF between each other and with respect to the container robot 110. Figure 4A The predetermined spatial relationship between (one or more) cargo container units (CU) and / or (one or more) unpacked cargo containers 264 ( Figure 7 (Box 1130). When placing (one or more) cargo units and / or (one or more) unpacked cargo containers 264, the push rod 110PR is retracted from contact with (one or more) cargo units CU and / or (one or more) unpacked cargo containers 264 after adjusting (e.g., in the Y direction) against the fence 110PF. Figure 7 (Box 1140). Essentially immediately following the release of one or more cargo container units CU and / or one or more unpacked cargo containers 264 by push rod 110PR, one or more lifting axes (e.g., in the Z direction) and extension axes (e.g., in the Y direction) of transfer arm 110PA are actuated substantially simultaneously with the retraction movement of push rod 110PR. Figure 7 (Box 1150). On the one hand, both the lifting shaft and the extension shaft are actuated when the push rod is retracted from contact with (one or more) container units CU and / or (one or more) unpacked cargo containers 264, while on the other hand, only one of the lifting shaft and the extension shaft is actuated. As can be appreciated, the simultaneous movement of the lifting shaft and / or extension shaft of the transfer arm 110PA, with the push rod 110PR retracted and the distance the push rod moves to adjust (one or more) container units CU and / or (one or more) unpacked cargo containers 264 reduced, reduces the time required to transfer (one or more) container units CU and / or (one or more) unpacked cargo containers 264 to and from the container robot 110, and increases the throughput of the storage and retrieval system 100.

[0097] As an example of container robot 110 manipulating cargo boxes, also refer to Figure 6C-6F One or more containers CUA (which may be supply containers 265 (e.g., pick-up surfaces, one or more cargo units, etc.) or unpacked cargo containers 264) may be picked up from a receiving location (e.g., storage space 130S in a common pick-up channel for enabling ordered multiple pick-ups, and otherwise from lift interface station TS and / or cargo unit buffer station BS located in the pick-up channel or transfer platform) and transferred to payload section 110PL. When one or more containers CUA are transferred to payload section 110PL, push rod 110PR may be pre-positioned near fence 110PF so that push rod 110PR is located between one or more containers CUA and fence 110PF when the containers CUA are lowered to transfer to roller 110RL. The push rod 110PR is actuated to push (one or more) containers CUA (resting on roller 110RL) in the Y direction toward the rear (e.g., tail) 402 of the load section 110PL, such that (one or more) containers CUA contact the adjustment surfaces 273JS of the teeth 273A-273E. Figure 6A It was then adjusted to the rear 402 of the payload section 110PL.

[0098] On one hand, the container robot 110 continues to traverse the common pick-up aisle in the same direction XC (e.g., such that all container units picked up in an orderly multiple pick-up process while the container robot 110 travels in a single direction are picked up in the common passage of the pick-up aisle) and stops at another predetermined storage space 130S according to a predetermined unpacking sequence (which may be determined at least in part by the order of goods from the automated storage and retrieval system 100 for order fulfillment). As described above, during the transport of (one or more) container units between container unit receiving positions, the push rod 110PR remains in contact with (e.g., clamps) the container CUA, such that (one or more) container CUAs are held at a predetermined position (and / or a predetermined position in the longitudinal direction) at the rear 402 of the payload section 110PL relative to the reference frame REF of the container robot 110. To pick up a subsequent container from another storage space, such as a common pick-up channel, push rod 110PR moves in the Y direction to release container(s) CUA, and the lifting and extension shafts of transfer arm 110PA are actuated to retrieve container(s) CUB from other storage space 130S2 (or otherwise, such as from the lifting / transfer interface station TS and / or buffer / transfer station BS as described above). When container(s) CUB are picked up, push rod 110PR is positioned in the Y direction near the rear 402 of payload section 110PL, between container(s) CUA and the adjustment surfaces 273JS of tees 273A-273E. Container(s) CUB are transferred into the payload section and lowered / placed on roller 110RL such that containers CUA and CUB are arranged relative to each other along the Y-axis. Push rod 110PR is actuated in the Y direction to push containers CUA, CUB toward fence 110PF to adjust containers CUA, CUB forward and clamp / accommodate containers CUA, CUB for transport to unpacking module 266. As can be appreciated, on one hand, containers CUA, CUB are placed together as a unit in the receiving location, while on the other hand, containers CUA, CUB are sorted, for example, transported to and placed in separate locations in a common receiving location, such as at a common support surface 140S of unpacking operation station 140 or in different container unit receiving locations, such as, for example, container CUB is placed in unpacking operation station 140 and container CUA is placed in elevator 150B or other receiving locations (such as another unpacking operation station 140 of another unpacking module 266). See also, for example, Figure 2A , 2C 5. The container robot 110, which carries multiple loads, transfers containers CUA and CUB that carry multiple loads to one or more interface stations TS (which include buffer shelves) corresponding to the output elevator 150B.

[0099] As can be recognized, in the container robot 110, the convex block 130BD ( Figure 5 On the one hand, in the container transfer platform 130DC ( Figure 2A The spacing between robots traveling on the high-speed robot path HSTP allows a robot docking with the interface station TS to decelerate and enter the interface station TS with minimal interference from and / or from another container robot 110 traveling along the container transfer platform 130DC. In other respects, the container robot 110 traveling on the container transfer platform 130DC can be driven around the container robot 110 entering the interface station TS, since the container transfer platform 130DC is essentially open and configured for the container robot 110 to traverse across and along the uncertainties described above. In the case where multiple picked-up containers CUA, CUB are placed at different locations on the common buffer rack BS of the interface / transfer stations 7000A, 7000B, such as elevators 150B1, 150B2, the container robot 110 places the first container CUB at a first location on the buffer rack 7000A and the second container CUA at a second location on the buffer rack 7000A. When multiple containers are picked up and placed in a common container holding location, the container robot 110 places two containers CUA and CUB as a unit (e.g., a picking surface) in a common location such as a cache shelf 7000A.

[0100] In cases where containers CUA and CUB are sorted to be placed in separate locations within a common containment location or in different containment locations (such as those described in U.S. Patent No. 9,856,083, which is previously incorporated herein by reference in its entirety), containers CUA and CUB are separated from each other in payload section 110PL. References also include... Figure 4A , 4B And 6A-6F, the pickup head 270 of the transfer arm 110PA can move in the Z direction to lift the containers CUA, CUB from the roller 110RL enough to allow the push rod 110PR to pass under the container by an amount ( Figure 8 (Rectangle 1250A). When containers CUA and CUB are lifted, push rod 110PR is positioned along the Y direction between containers CUA and CUB (see...). Figure 6F ()( Figure 8 (Box 1250B). The pickup head 270 is lowered so that containers CUA and CUB are transferred to roller 110RL and a push rod is inserted between containers CUA and CUB. Figure 8(Rectangle 1250C). The push rod 110PR moves in the Y direction (e.g., to separate the container) to move the container CUA toward the rear 402 of the payload section 110PL (e.g., against the adjustment surfaces 273JS of the serrations 273A-273E or any other suitable position), while the container CUB remains at the front of the payload section 110PL, adjacent to the fence 110PF (e.g., as shown in the image). Figure 6D (as shown) Figure 8 (Box 1250D). As can be appreciated, while the container is held against the adjusting surface 273JS of the teeth during transport, the push rod moves in the Y direction (e.g., to separate the container) to move the container CUB toward the front 401 of the payload section 110PL (e.g., against the fence 110PF or any other suitable position), while the container CUB remains at the rear of the payload section 110PL, adjacent to the adjusting surface 273JS. The push rod 110PR can also move in the Y direction to readjust the container CUB against the fence 110PF to position the container on the teeth 273A-273E for placement in the container receiving position. Figure 8 (Box 1250E). As can be appreciated, with the container CUA positioned substantially against the adjusting surface 273JS of the teeth 273A-273E (e.g., the teeth of the pickup head 270), the container CUB can be placed in a container receiving position substantially undisturbed by the container CUA. Figure 8 (Block 1250F), for example, container CUA does not contact other containers located in the container housing position. Container CUA is lowered / transferred back into payload section 110PL (e.g., by retracting and lowering transfer arm 110PA). Figure 8 (Rectangle 1250G). A push rod 110PR, pre-positioned between the adjustment surface 273JS and the container CUA, pushes the container CUA, which is set on the roller 110RL, against the fence 110PF to adjust the container CUA forward so that it can be placed in another container receiving position (e.g., a receiving position different from that of the container CUB). Figure 8 (Rectangle 1250H). Push rod 110PR remains against container CUA to clamp (e.g., with a fence) the container during transport to another container receiving location. Figure 8 (Box 1250I). The push rod 110PR moves away from the container CUA and the transfer arm is actuated to lift and extend the pickup head 270 to place the container CUA in another container receiving position. Figure 8 (1250J in the box).

[0101] Similarly, refer to Figure 1 , 2A And 2C, in container robot 110 from transfer platform (see Figure 2AOn one hand, the interval between robots traveling on the high-speed robot travel path HSTP of the container transfer platform 130DC is transferred to the unpacking module 266. Figure 2A This allows the robot docking with the interface station TS to decelerate and enter the interface station TS with minimal interference from and / or from another container robot 110 traveling along the container transfer platform 130DC. In other respects, the container robot 110 traveling on the container transfer platform 130DC can be driven around the container robot 110 entering the unpacking module 266 because the container transfer platform 130DC is substantially open and configured for the container robot 110 to traverse across and along the uncertainties described above. In the case of multiple picked-up containers CUA, CUB placed at different locations on, for example, the common support surface 140S of the unpacking operator station 140, the container robot 110 places the first container CUB at a first position on the support surface 140S and the second container CUA at a second position on the support surface 140S. When multiple containers are picked up and placed in a common container holding location, the container robot 110 places two containers CUA and CUB as a unit (e.g., a picking surface) in a common location, such as a support surface 140S.

[0102] In cases where containers CUA and CUB are sorted to be placed in separate locations within a common containment location or in different containment locations (such as those described in U.S. Patent No. 9,856,083, which is previously incorporated herein by reference in its entirety), containers CUA and CUB are separated from each other in payload section 110PL. References also include... Figure 4A , 4B And 6A-6F, the pickup head 270 of the transfer arm 110PA can move in the Z direction to lift the containers CUA, CUB from the roller 110RL enough to allow the push rod 110PR to pass under the container by an amount ( Figure 8 (Rectangle 1250A). When containers CUA and CUB are lifted, push rod 110PR is positioned along the Y direction between containers CUA and CUB (see...). Figure 6F ()( Figure 8 (Box 1250B). The pickup head 270 is lowered so that containers CUA and CUB are transferred to roller 110RL and a push rod is inserted between containers CUA and CUB. Figure 8(Rectangle 1250C). The push rod 110PR moves in the Y direction (e.g., to separate the container) to move the container CUA toward the rear 402 of the payload section 110PL (e.g., against the adjustment surfaces 273JS of the serrations 273A-273E or any other suitable position), while the container CUB remains at the front of the payload section 110PL, adjacent to the fence 110PF (e.g., as shown in the image). Figure 6D (as shown) Figure 8 (Box 1250D). As can be appreciated, while the container is held against the adjusting surface 273JS of the teeth during transport, the push rod moves in the Y direction (e.g., to separate the container) to move the container CUB toward the front 401 of the payload section 110PL (e.g., against the fence 110PF or any other suitable position), while the container CUB remains at the rear of the payload section 110PL, adjacent to the adjusting surface 273JS. The push rod 110PR can also move in the Y direction to readjust the container CUB against the fence 110PF to position the container on the teeth 273A-273E for placement in the container receiving position. Figure 8 (Box 1250E). As can be appreciated, with the container CUA positioned substantially against the adjustment surface 273JS of the teeth 273A-273E (e.g., the teeth of the pickup head 270), the container CUB can be placed at the container receiving position of the support surface 140S of the unpacking operator station 140, which is substantially unaffected by the container CUA. Figure 8 (e.g., box 1250F), for example, container CUA does not contact other containers positioned on support surface 140S. Container CUA is lowered / transferred back into payload section 110PL (e.g., by retracting and lowering transfer arm 110PA). Figure 8 (Frame 1250G). A push rod 110PR, pre-positioned between the adjustment surface 273JS and the container CUA, pushes the container CUA, which is set on the roller 110RL, against the fence 110PF to adjust the container CUA forward so that it is placed in another container receiving position (e.g., a receiving position different from the one where the container CUB is placed) on the support surface 140S of the same unpacking operator station 140 or on another support surface 140S of another unpacking operator station 140. Figure 8 (Rectangle 1250H). Push rod 110PR remains against container CUA to clamp (e.g., with a fence) the container during transport to another container receiving location. Figure 8 (Box 1250I). The push rod 110PR moves away from the container CUA and the transfer arm is actuated to lift and extend the pickup head 270 to place the container CUA in another container receiving position. Figure 8 (1250J in the box).

[0103] like Figure 2C As can be seen, the unpacking interface 263 has more than one unpacking interface position 263L, which is arranged at least along the substantially entire edge of one or more unpacking autonomous transport loops 234 (e.g., the unpacking autonomous transport loop 234 of the cargo platform 130DG), wherein each unpacking interface position 263L is configured to accommodate a corresponding unpacking container 264. When the container robot 110 transfers one or more (supply) containers to the unpacking operator station 140, the container robot 110 may opportunistically (i.e., in the sense that the container robot 110 is not scheduled to retrieve the unpacking container 264 but happens to pass by the unpacking container 264, for efficiency, the control server 120 may send a command to the container robot 110 to opportunistically retrieve the unpacking container 264) pick up the unpacking container 264 from the corresponding unpacking interface position 263L (assigned to transfer to the storage or outbound elevator 150B). In other respects, the unpacked goods container 264 in storage may be located in the same pick channel 130A as the supply container 265, wherein both the unpacked goods container 264 and the supply container 265 are designated (e.g., by the control server 120) to be transferred to the same unpacking module 266. The control server 120 may command the container robot 110, which was previously commanded to pick up the supply container 265, to opportunistically pick up the unpacked goods container 264 as it travels along the same pick channel (e.g., where the unpacked goods container 264 is designated to be transferred after an initial command has been issued to the container robot 110). Here, the container robot 110 may travel with the unpacked goods container 264 and the supply container 265, transferring the supply container 265 to the unpacking operation station 140 of the unpacking module 266, and then transferring the unpacked goods container 264 to the predetermined unpacked goods interface position 263L of the same unpacking module 266.

[0104] The following example will be referenced according to one aspect of the disclosed embodiments. Figure 9 and 11 Description: Container robots 110 (one or more) perform container unit transfer operations including multiple pick-up and place-down operations of container units (one or more) and in-run sorting of container units to create a mixed pallet load (MPL). Figure 1E (as shown) and / or fill one or more bags, handbags, or other containers (e.g., supply container 265) with the pre-ordered items picked in the order of the pre-order output. For example, refer to Figure 11Customer orders may require the delivery of one or more cargo units 5 from input elevator 150A to output elevator 150B or unpacking module 266 (e.g., bypassing storage), and require the delivery of one or more unpacked cargo containers 7 from storage or unpacking module 266 to output elevator 150B. In other respects, it should be noted that customer orders may require any suitable combination of delivery of cargo units / unpacked cargo containers carried by common container robot 110 to different locations, including but not limited to different output elevators 150, output elevator 150 and unpacking module 266, output elevator and storage location 130S, storage location 130S and unpacking module 266, and between different unpacking modules 266, so that the transfer of cargo units carried by common container robot 110 to different locations occurs in a manner substantially similar to that described herein.

[0105] In various aspects of the disclosed embodiments described herein, output elevators 150B (e.g., each output elevator 150B of the automated storage and retrieval system / order fulfillment system 100) define a fulfillment route or path (also referred to as a flow) from the storage array exit to a load-filled mixed container pickup surface, wherein the mixed container pickup surfaces enter and exit the fulfillment route in substantially the same order. As can be appreciated, although input and output elevators 150A, 150B are described as vertical reciprocating elevators, it should be understood that, in other respects, input and output elevators 150A, 150B are any suitable transport modules for transporting container pickup surfaces and / or unpacked cargo containers to and from storage structure 130 (e.g., between the respective pickup surface interface stations (such as transfer stations TS or buffer stations BS) and one of the respective input stations 160IN (e.g., input compartments) and output stations 160UT, 160EC (e.g., load-filled sections / compartments)) and / or transporting container pickup surfaces and / or unpacked cargo containers between different storage layers 130L. For example, in other respects, lifting modules 150A and 150B are one or more of the following: vertical reciprocating lifts, any suitable automated material handling system, conveyors, robots, turntables, rollers, multi-level vertical conveyors operating synchronously or asynchronously (e.g., chain bucket elevator conveyors).

[0106] On one hand, container robots 110 are configured to transport unpacked cargo containers 264 from unpacked cargo interface 263 to container output station TS for the output of unpacked cargo containers 264, and to transport other unpacked cargo containers 264 from unpacked cargo interface 263 to container storage location 130S, i.e., unpacked cargo container storage location 130SB for storage. On one hand, unpacked cargo containers and other unpacked cargo containers are carried simultaneously by container robots 110; on the other hand, unpacked cargo containers and other containers are carried separately by container robots 110. Container robots 110 are also configured to transport supply containers 265 between supply container storage location 130S and container output station TS. As an example of the above, container robots 110 utilize the common transfer arm 110PA of container robots 110 from storage space 130S, from unpacked cargo interface 263 (see... Figure 2C ) or pick up the first unpacked cargo container 7 from any suitable holding location. Figure 9 (Box 1400). Container robot 110 adjusts the first unpacking container 7 on the robot in a manner substantially similar to that described herein. Figure 9 (Box 1405) to prepare for placing the first unpacked container 7 in a receiving position or picking up a subsequent container using the common transfer arm 110PA. In one aspect, the container robot 110 uses the common transfer arm 110PA to pick up a second unpacked container 8 from the same or a different position as the position where the first unpacked container 7 was picked up. Figure 9 (Box 1410). When picking up the second unpacked cargo container 8 from a different location, the container robot 110 grips the first unpacked cargo container 7 and moves in parallel to the location of the second unpacked container 8. This location can be another storage location 130S, another location of the unpacked cargo interface 263, or any other suitable location. Here, both the first unpacked cargo container 7 and the second unpacked cargo container 8 are held on the common transfer arm 110PA.

[0107] On the other hand, after picking up the first unpacked cargo container 7, the container robot 110 uses the common transfer arm 110PA to pick up (one or more) outbound cargo container units from the same or different locations as where the first unpacked cargo container 7 was picked up. In the case of picking up (one or more) outbound cargo container units from different locations, the container robot 110, holding the first unpacked cargo container 7, moves parallel to the location of (one or more) outbound cargo container units, which can be another storage location 130S, the input elevator 150A, or any other suitable location.

[0108] In another aspect, the first unpacked cargo container 7 and / or the second unpacked cargo container 8 may be held together with one or more inbound container units 9 on a common transfer arm 110PA. For example, a container robot 110 may pick up the first unpacked cargo container 7 and / or the second unpacked cargo container 8 using the common transfer arm 110PA. Figure 9 Prior to (box 1415), the common transfer arm 110PA picks up (one or more) inbound container units. Figure 9 (Block 1400A). On the other hand, the container robot 110 can utilize the common transfer arm 110PA to pick up (one or more) inbound container units ( Figure 9 (frame 1400A), wherein the first unpacked cargo container 7 and / or the second unpacked cargo container 8 are held on the common transfer arm 110PA.

[0109] By holding any suitable combination of unpacked cargo containers and / or carton units on the common transfer arm 110PA, the container robot 110 grips (one or more) unpacked cargo containers and / or (one or more) carton units. Figure 9 (box 1420) and transport (one or more) unpacked cargo containers and / or (one or more) cargo box units ( Figure 9 The container robot 110 detaches or adjusts (one or more) unpacked cargo containers and / or cargo boxes in a predetermined location / accommodation location (e.g., such as a buffer station BS, transfer station TS, output elevator 150B, unpacking operation station 140, unpacked cargo interface 263, etc.) to a predetermined location / accommodation location (e.g., such as a buffer station BS, transfer station TS, output elevator 150B, unpacking operation station 140, unpacked cargo interface 263, etc.) in a manner described herein in order to place one or more unpacked cargo containers and / or cargo boxes in a predetermined accommodation location. Figure 9 (Box 1425) allows one or more unpacked cargo containers and / or carton units to be placed at a predetermined receiving location using the common transfer arm 110PA, undisturbed by the unpacked cargo containers and / or carton units retained on the common transfer arm 110PA. The container robot 110 extends the common transfer arm 110PA to transfer one or more unpacked cargo containers and / or carton units to the predetermined receiving location. Figure 9 (See box 1430). For example, the first unpacking cargo container 7 and the cargo box unit 5 can be held on (or otherwise supported by) the common transfer arm 110PA, wherein the cargo box unit (supply container) 5 will be placed on the support surface 140S of the unpacking operation station 140 at the unpacking module 266 (see box 1430). Figure 2C and 11The first unpacked cargo container 7 will be placed at the unpacking interface position 263L of the unpacking interface 263. The container robot 110 travels along the container transfer platform 130DC to position itself relative to the receiving position of the support surface 140S. The first unpacked cargo container 7 and the cargo box unit 5 are adjusted such that the first unpacked cargo container 7 faces the rear side 402 of the payload area of ​​the container robot 110. Figure 6A ), and the cargo unit 5 is positioned adjacent to the fence 110PF ( Figure 4A and 4B The container robot 110 extends its common transfer arm 110PA to place the cargo unit 5 on the support surface 140S, and after placing the cargo unit 5, retracts the common transfer arm 110PA to return (one or more) untransferred unpacked cargo containers and / or (one or more) cargo units (in this example, the first unpacked cargo container 7) to the payload section of the container robot 110. Figure 9 (Frame 1435). The first unpacked cargo container 7 is clamped ( Figure 9 (box 1420) and transport ( Figure 9 (Box 1421) is moved to the predetermined unpacking cargo interface position 263L, wherein the first unpacking cargo container 7 is transferred to the predetermined unpacking cargo interface position 263L using the transfer arm 110PA. Figure 9 (Box 1430).

[0110] In the example described herein, the transfer of the cargo unit between the container robot 110 and the elevator 150 occurs passively via the interface station TS as described above. Also in the example described herein, reference... Figure 2C , 10 And 13, the transfer of containers 264 (unpacked goods container), 265 (supply container), and 264S (referred to as unpacking residue container 264S) to and from unpacking operation station 140 and to and from unpacked goods interface 263 occurs passively in a manner similar to that described herein. As an example of a transfer occurring at unpacking module(s) 266, container robot 110 (carrying (several) supply containers 265) is positioned relative to the support surface 140S of unpacking operation station 140 in a manner similar to that described above with respect to slats 1210S and / or positioning feature 130F. Figure 10 (Box 1800). The transfer arm 110PA (e.g., an end effector) of the container robot 110 extends to transfer (one or more) supply containers 265 to the support surface 140S, wherein the fingers or teeth 273A-273E of the transfer arm 110PA engage with, for example, the slats 1210S (or rollers 140RL) of the support surface 140S in a manner substantially similar to that described herein. Figure 10 (Box 1801).

[0111] On the other hand, and as described above, when the unpacked goods BPG is removed from the supply container 265, the unpacking residue container 264S can be generated at the unpacking operation station 140. When the unpacking residue container 264S is generated, the container robot 110 can position itself relative to the operator travel area 140A of the unpacking operation station in a manner similar to that described above. Figure 10 (Block 1800) (wherein the operator travel area 140A may include a container support substantially similar to the support surface 140S). The transfer arm 110PA (e.g., an end effector) of the container robot 110 extends to transfer the unpacking residue container 264S to the payload area of ​​the container robot 110, wherein the fingers or fangs 273A-273E of the transfer arm 110PA engage with, for example, the slats 1210S (or rollers 140RL) of the operator travel area 140A in a manner substantially similar to that described herein. Figure 10 (Box 1802). While the container robot 110 holds one or more unpacking residue containers 264S, the container robot 110 may transfer one or more residue containers 264S to storage on the same layer as the container robot 110. Figure 10 (Box 1803). On the other hand, container robot 110 can transfer one or more unpacking residue containers 264S to an elevator ( Figure 10 (Box 1804) to be stored on another layer 130L of the automatic storage and retrieval system 100, or transferred to output station 160US. Figure 1 To fulfill the order.

[0112] On the other hand, the container robot 110 can position itself relative to one of the predetermined unpacking interface positions 163L of the unpacking container 263 in a manner similar to that described above with respect to slats 1210S and / or positioning features 130F. Figure 10 (Box 1810) to place one or more unpacked goods containers 264 retrieved from storage so that the cargo robot 262 can place additional unpacked goods BPGs into the unpacked goods containers 264 for order fulfillment. Here, the unpacked goods containers 264 are transferred to a predetermined unpacked goods interface position 263L by extension of the transfer arm 110PA (e.g., end effector) of the container robot 110 to place the unpacked goods containers 264 at the predetermined unpacked goods interface position 263L, where the fingers or tines 273A-273E of the transfer arm 110PA engage with, for example, the slats 1210S (or rollers 140RL) of the operator travel area 140A in a manner substantially similar to that described herein. Figure 10 (Box 1802).

[0113] On the other hand, the container robot 110 can position itself relative to one of the predetermined unpacking interface positions 163L of the unpacking container 263 in a manner similar to that described above with respect to slats 1210S and / or positioning features 130F. Figure 10 (Box 1810) to pick up one or more unpacked cargo containers 264 filled by cargo robot 262 with unpacked cargo BPG from unpacking operation station 140 (i.e., the cargo robot retrieves the unpacked cargo BPG from unpacking cargo operation station 140 and transfers the unpacked cargo BPG to one or more predetermined unpacked cargo containers 264 at unpacking cargo interface 263 according to a predetermined order filling instruction). The transfer arm 110PA (e.g., an end effector) of container robot 110 extends to transfer one or more unpacked cargo containers 264 to the payload area of ​​container robot 110, wherein the fingers or teeth 273A-273E of transfer arm 110PA engage with, for example, slats 1210S in a manner substantially similar to that described herein. Figure 10 (Box 1812). While container robot 110 holds one or more unpacked cargo containers 264, container robot 110 can transfer one or more containers 264 to storage located on the same level as container robot 110. Figure 10 (Box 1813). On the other hand, (one or more) unpacked cargo containers 264 can be transferred by container robot 110 to the elevator ( Figure 10 (Box 1814) to be stored on another layer 130L of the automatic storage and retrieval system 100, or transferred to output station 160US ( Figure 1 To fulfill the order.

[0114] As can be recognized, the above regarding Figure 10 One or more of the described pick-up / placement transfers are opportunistic in the sense that container robot 110 traverses to unpacking module 266 for a single transfer operation and that same container robot 110 has the opportunity to pick up unpacked cargo containers (including unpacking residue containers) that it was not scheduled to pick up (e.g., the desire to pick up unpacked cargo containers arises after a placement command is issued to a container robot, wherein the pick-up command is then sent to, for example, the nearest container robot capable of picking up unpacked cargo containers). For example, after transferring supply container 265 to unpacking operation station 140, container robot 110 may opportunistically pick up one or more of unpacking residue containers 264S and unpacked cargo containers 264 to transfer to storage on the same floor or to the elevator as described above.

[0115] To passively transfer unpacked cargo container 264 and unpacked residue container 264S to one or more elevators 150, elevators 150 are moved to position load handling equipment LHD adjacent to interface station TS, which has already been transferred by container robot 110. Load handling equipment LHD is extended to lift unpacked cargo container 264 and / or unpacked residue container 264S from interface station TS and transfer unpacked cargo container 264 and / or unpacked residue container 264S to elevator 150, wherein the fingers 4273 of load handling equipment LHD engage with slats 1210S of interface station TS in the manner described above. As can be appreciated, interface station TS has no moving parts and the transfer of unpacked cargo container 264 and / or unpacked residue container 264S between container robot 110 and elevator 150 via interface station TS is a passive transfer. As can also be recognized, the transfer of the pickup surface from elevator 150 to container robot 110 can be carried out in accordance with the above-mentioned... Figure 10 The described manner occurs in essentially the opposite way.

[0116] On the one hand, the automatic storage and retrieval system 100 described herein is implemented by providing a storage array RMA, which has rack storage spaces 130S arranged along a channel 130A on a rack. Figure 12 (Block 2500). At least one container transfer platform 130DC (which is communicatively connectable to each channel 130A) is also provided. Figure 12 (Box 2505). At least one autonomous transport vehicle or container robot 110 is provided and configured to hold at least one pickup face and traverse at least one container transfer platform 130DC and aisle 130A, and has an extendable actuator or transfer arm 110PA for picking up at least one pickup face from one of the rack storage spaces 130S and placing at least one pickup face into one of the rack storage spaces 130S. Figure 12 (Box 2510). At least one cargo transfer platform 130DG is also provided. Figure 12 (Box 2511). Provide at least one unpacking operation station 140 ( Figure 12 (Block 2512) so as to connectably couple at least one cargo transfer platform 130DG to the container transfer platform 130DC. At least one cargo robot 262 is provided. Figure 12(Box 2513) and cargo robot 262 is configured to hold at least one unpacked cargo BPG and traverse at least one cargo transfer platform 130DG. The pickup surface transport axes X and Y of the storage array are defined by channel 130A, at least one container transfer platform 130DC, at least one autonomous transport vehicle 110 traversing thereon, and extendable actuator 110PA (Figure 25, Box 2515), such that the pickup surface is transported along the pickup surface transport axes X and Y between the inbound section 160IN and the load filling sections 160UT and 160EC of the automated storage and retrieval system, inbound pickup surfaces to the storage array are generated in the inbound section 160IN, and outbound pickup surfaces from the storage array are arranged in the load filling sections 160UT and 160EC to fill loads according to a predetermined load filling order sequence or to fill individual fulfillment orders according to an individual fulfillment order sequence. The pickup surfaces of the unpacked cargo transport axis, transport axes X and Y, are also defined by the traversal of at least one cargo transfer platform 130DG and at least one cargo robot 262 on the cargo transfer platform 130DG. Figure 12 (Box 2516). When the storage rack and autonomous transport vehicle 110 are combined, sorting and transport on at least one of the transport axes X and Y of the pick-up surface are simultaneously achieved during the operation of the mixed cargo pick-up surface. Figure 12 (block 2520) so that two or more of at least one pickup face are picked up from one or more rack storage spaces 130S and placed in one or more pickup face receiving locations (such as, for example, transfer or cache stations TS, BS) different from one or more rack storage spaces 130S according to a predetermined load fill order.

[0117] On one hand, controller 120 (operably connected to at least one autonomous transport vehicle as described above) manages pick-up surface transport axes X, Y, and Z, wherein the pick-up surface transport axes comprise multiple transport axes. As described above, the multiple pick-up surface transport axes X, Y, and Z are oriented in at least two directions at an angle to each other. Also as described above, one of the multiple pick-up surface transport axes Y is defined by an extension of extendable actuator 110PA and is in a different direction at an angle relative to another axis X defined by the autonomous transport vehicle 110 traversing along pick-up channel 130A among the multiple pick-up surface transport axes. On the other hand, as described above, in the case of the rack and at least one autonomous transport vehicle combination, in-run sorting is achieved, and in-run sorting occurs simultaneously with transport on at least one transport axis of each of the multiple pick-up surface transport axes. In one aspect, elevator 150 defines another pick-up surface transport axis Z of the storage array. As described herein, in-run sorting of mixed cargo pick-up surfaces is achieved by elevator 150, which occurs simultaneously with transport on another pick-up surface transport axis to pick up two or more pick-up surfaces from one or more platform layers and transport the pick-up surfaces to load-filling sections according to a predetermined load-filling order sequence. A controller 120 (which may be operatively connected to at least one cargo transport vehicle 262) or any other suitable controller communicating with controller 120 manages the unpacking cargo transport axes X, Y, where the pick-up surface transport axes comprise multiple transport axes. The X, Y unpacking cargo transport axes may be defined by the reference frame of the respective cargo robot 262 and / or the reference frame of the cargo transfer platform 130DG, such as the X and Y axes defining the direction of travel along the cargo transfer platform 130DG (see [link to documentation]). Figure 2C ).

[0118] As described in this article, refer to Figure 15 and 17AThe automated storage and retrieval system 100 includes multiple sorting (or transport) tiers 15000, 15100, and 15200 formed by an asynchronous transport system and at least one elevator 150B. Each sorting tier 15000, 15100, and 15200 is communicatively connected to a common portion of the storage array (e.g., storage space 130S of a corresponding storage layer 130L) and an output (e.g., an output station 160UT). As described herein, each of the sorting tiers 15000, 15100, and 15200 performs orthogonal sorting of product units distributed in the common portion corresponding to the sorting tier 15000, 15100, and 15200, such that the sorted and mixed output product units of the corresponding sorting tiers 15000, 15100, and 15200 are sorted in a predetermined order. The orthogonal sorting of product units in each sorting echelon 15000, 15100, 15200 is orthogonal to the orthogonal sorting of each of the other sorting echelons 15000, 15100, 15200, such that each sorting echelon 15000, 15100, 15200 is an orthogonal sorting echelon for each of the other sorting echelons 15000, 15100, 15200, combining in the output of one or more of the following: mixed single-unit product units (e.g., single-package PCK), mixed package groups (e.g., package PCK and / or unit UNT placed in a common container), and mixed cartons, each sorted in a predetermined order. As described in this article, the orthogonal sorting of each sorting echelon 15000, 15100, 15200 that achieves the output of product units in a predetermined order is independent of one or more of the order sequence and order time.

[0119] refer to Figure 15 and 16B -16E, the container-level sorting echelon 15000 includes at least transfer platforms 130BC and 130DC, a container robot 110, a pick-up aisle 130A, a storage location 130A, and an output elevator 150B. In some aspects, the container-level sorting echelon 15000 also includes an input elevator 150A. As described herein, at least a portion 15010 of the container-level sorting echelon 15000 forms a vertical sequencer that arranges sorted containers (SCUs) in a predetermined order to achieve the construction of a sorting pallet (PAL) in a manner substantially similar to that described in U.S. Patent No. 10,947,060, which is previously incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Figure 16B As shown, the container layer sorting echelon 15000 receives containers CU from the storage array formed at least partially by the storage spaces 130S on the corresponding storage structure layer 130L and sorts the containers to the predetermined pallets PAL.

[0120] The packaging layer sorting queue 15100 includes at least a container robot 110, a portion of the container transfer platform 130DC (130DCP), and an unpacking operation station 140. Here, as in... Figure 16C and 16E As can be seen, the cargo box CU is transferred from storage space 130S to the pick-up layer sorting echelon 15100, unpacked to the packaging layer, and sorted there. The sorted packaged SPCK undergoes one or more of the following: portion 15010 of the cargo box layer sorting echelon 15000 is transferred by container robot 110 for recursive sorting to pallet PAL and placed in the unpacked cargo container 264 (the unpacked cargo container is in...). Figure 16C and 16E The unpacked cargo container 264 (usually referred to as a "cargo box") is used to form a sorted mixed package group with other sorted packaged PCKs or sorted unit UNTs. The unpacked cargo container 264 is transferred by the container robot 110 to a portion 15010 of the cargo box layer sorting echelon 15000 for recursively sorting to the pallet PAL. Placing the packaged PCK into the unpacked cargo container 264 or placing the packaged PCK on a support surface 140S, such as the travel area 140 (e.g., for pickup by the container robot 110) is performed in any suitable manner, such as by the operator 141 of the unpacking operation station. Placing the packaged PCK into the unpacked cargo container 264 (such as at the interface location 263L for grouping with other packaged PCKs or unit UNTs) can also be performed by the cargo robot 262, which may form part of the package layer sorting echelon 15100.

[0121] The unit / single-level sorting tier 15200 includes at least 130DG cargo platforms, 262 cargo robots, and 263L interface locations. Here, as... Figure 16D and 16E As shown, the cargo container CU is transferred from storage space 130S to unit / single-unit layer sorting echelon 15200, disassembled into the unit layer, and sorted by cargo robot 262 at the unit layer. Cargo robot 262 places the sorted unit SUNTs together with other sorted unit SUNTs into unpacked cargo container 264 (also in… Figure 16D and 16E In the container (usually referred to as a "cargo container"), mixed individual product units are formed (in the manner described herein), which are transferred by container robot 110 to portion 15010 of the cargo layer sorting echelon 15000 in unpacked cargo container 264 for recursive sorting (see [reference]). Figure 17A PAL (Platform Available) shipment arrived.

[0122] refer to Figure 15The multiple sorting tiers 15000, 15100, and 15200 are dynamic, allowing the instantaneous assets of one sorting tier to be converted into the instantaneous assets of another sorting tier. For example, a container robot 110 that carries / transports boxes / containers between tiers can be converted from an asset of the box-layer sorting tier 15000 to an asset of the packaging-layer sorting tier, and vice versa. Cargo robots 262 are configured to carry / transport both packages and units, such that any given cargo robot 262 can be converted from an asset of the packaging-layer sorting tier 15100 to an asset of the unit-layer sorting tier 15200, and vice versa, depending on the transport task assigned to that given cargo robot 262.

[0123] Still referencing Figure 15 and 17 and also Figures 16A-16E The automated storage and retrieval system 100 provides sorting of pallets PAL (such as for placement in shipping vehicles) Figure 16A ), for sorting boxes (CU) placed on sorted pallets (PAL). Figure 16B ), for sorting of packaged PCKs placed in sorted containers (SCU) (e.g., removal from cargo boxes (CU)) Figure 16C and 16E ), and sorting (e.g., removal from packaging) of units / units placed in sorted containers (SCUs). Figure 16D and 16E Here, each of sorting queues 15000, 15100, and 15200 provides orthogonal sorting determined by recursive sorting. For example, as... Figure 16B-16E As shown, product sorting performed by the carton-level sorting echelon is notified by sorting performed by one or more of the packaging-level sorting echelon 15100 and the unit / unit-level sorting echelon 15200, such that sorting is achieved by: breaking down cargo components (e.g., pallets, cartons, packages, units) into minimum necessary cargo components, sorting the minimum necessary cargo components individually, and then reassembling the minimum necessary cargo components into larger groups (e.g., reassembling into one or more pallets, cartons, packages). Each of these reassembled larger groups is sorted at each reassembly iteration.

[0124] As described herein, controller 120 is configured to determine recursive sorting to notify each sorting echelon 15000, 15100, 15200 of orthogonal sorting. Similarly, controller 120 includes a box-layer sorting echelon control module 120M1, a packaging-layer sorting echelon control module 120M2, and a unit / item-layer sorting echelon control module 120M3, each of which, individually or in combination (e.g., depending on the sorting layer required to fulfill an order), performs the following: breaking down (one or more) larger goods units into smaller goods units and subsequently recursively sorting and assembling the sorted smaller goods units back into the sorted larger goods units, as described herein. As an example, each sorting echelon 15000, 15100, 15200 is configured to sort ordered goods at the appropriate sorting layer (e.g., box layer, packaging layer, unit / item layer) necessary to fulfill an order. Multiple sorting tiers 15000, 15100, and 15200 are configured to output at least one of the following from the automated storage and retrieval system: sorted goods units / individuals, one or more sorted goods packages, one or more sorted cartons, and one or more sorted pallets. Each of the sorting tiers 15000, 15100, and 15200 operates independently of each of the other sorting tiers 15000, 15100, and 15200 (i.e., separately from them) under the control of controller 120. Here, controller 120 is configured to separate the throughput of cartons (CUs) from the sorting of goods (e.g., pallets, cartons, packages, units / individuals) via the automated storage and retrieval system 100. Controller 120 is configured to receive one or more product fulfillment orders and determine the demand for cartons ordered by the product fulfillment orders(s). The controller 120 determines / resolves the sorting of goods and the sorting layers required for fulfilling (one or more) product fulfillment orders by employing one or more of the following: a box-level sorting queue control module 120M1, a package-level sorting queue control module 120M2, and a unit / single-unit level sorting queue control module 120M3. Resolving the sorting of goods at each sorting layer and for one or more fulfillment orders provides batch processing efficiency and minimizes the workload (essentially eliminating additional movement) performed by the automated storage and retrieval system 100 through the batch / group transfer of common goods belonging to more than one fulfillment order.

[0125] As described herein, controller 120 is communicatively coupled to the asynchronous transport system and configured to generate orthogonal sorting for each of sorting tiers 15000, 15100, and 15200 using sorting tiers 15000, 15100, and 15200. Here, controller 120 is configured to resolve the movement of goods, robots, elevators, etc. (collectively referred to as objects) within the automated storage and retrieval system 100, given existing / available physical paths through which goods can travel. The resolution of object movement is performed by controller 120 according to a predetermined time relative to when an order will be fulfilled. Here, controller 120 (e.g., provided with a physical path, the required sorting layer, and the sorted goods to be sorted from the previously sorted combinations) is configured to optimize the release of goods through storage and retrieval system 100 (e.g., from a common storage array formed by storage space 130) so that goods (e.g., pallets, boxes, packages, units / units) sorted through sorting tiers 15000, 15100, 15200 are transported through storage and retrieval system 100 which is close to each other in time and space.

[0126] The controller 120 is also configured to manage the transport of goods along physical paths, ensuring that individual nodes of the autonomous storage and retrieval system's transport (e.g., elevators, unpacking stations, robots, etc.) are not overloaded. Here, goods are balanced along available physical paths through the pathways of the automated storage and retrieval system 100 to minimize costs by controlling overproduction and underproduction (e.g., the transfer of goods through the storage and retrieval system 100) and by sending goods along lower-cost paths.

[0127] The sorting platoons 15000, 15100, and 15200 described herein are modular, wherein the modularity of the sorting platoons 15000, 15100, and 15200 enables the addition of storage and retrieval system assets (e.g., transfer platforms, robots, robot interface stations on the platforms (such as at unpacking module 266 or other suitable locations in a given storage layer 130L). As an example, see also [reference needed]. Figure 2A , 2CIn conjunction with 2D, the unpacking module 266 is configured and communicatively coupled to the transfer platform 130B or the pick-up channel 130A, allowing additional cargo transfer platforms 130DGE1-130DGE3 to be stacked on top of cargo transfer platforms 130DG1-130DG3, each of which is accessible by the unpacking operation station 140. The addition of cargo transfer platforms 130DGE1-130DGE3 expands the capacity of cargo transfer platform 130DG by providing an increased number of unpacking cargo interface locations 263L (e.g., in correspondingly elevated layers 130DGL1-130DGL3, 130DGLE1-130DGLE3) and cargo robot 262. In a similar manner, additional container transfer platforms 130DCE can be stacked above (or below) container transfer platforms 130DC to provide container robots 110 with access to additional cargo transfer platforms 130DGE1-130DGE3. Ramps similar to ramps 222, 222C, and 222R are provided to enable container robots 110 to transfer cargo between stacked cargo transfer platforms 130DG and 130DGE. In other respects, additional cargo transfer platforms 130DGE can be communicatively coupled to platforms of different (stacked) storage layers 130L, allowing access to container robots 110 from the corresponding storage layers 130L. The modular provision of additional assets through the sorting echelons enables scalable increases in throughput by providing an increased number of physical paths through the storage and retrieval system 100, thereby minimizing the cost of moving products through the storage and retrieval system 100 for any given fulfillment order.

[0128] Reference Figure 1 , 2A -2E, 15, 16A-16E, 17A, and 17B will describe exemplary operation of orthogonal sorting platoons 15000, 15100, and 15200. In operation, pallets are received at input station 160IN into automated storage and retrieval system 100. Figure 17B (Frame 17000). The pallet's container CU is unloaded from the pallet by the pallet depalletizer 160PA. Figure 17BThe products are transported to a common storage array by input lifting module 150A and container robot 110. Controller 120 is configured to command the assets of automated storage and retrieval system 100 to fulfill orders, where, for example, an order may include one or more of cartons (CUs), packages (PCKs), and units / individuals (UNTs) (collectively referred to as products). Products are released from the common storage array by controller 120 in temporal and spatial proximity to each other, such that products travel along one or more physical paths through storage structure 130 of automated storage and retrieval system 100. Here, orthogonal sorting tiers 15000, 15100, and 15200 are used in parallel to sort ordered products, where sorting is distinguished from the transport of products through storage and retrieval system 100. As described herein, controller 120 resolves the sorting of ordered products to achieve batch sorting by releasing batch products from the common storage array via orthogonal sorting tiers 15000, 15100, and 15200. With product sorting resolved, the controller manages the movement of products along different physical paths within the automated storage and retrieval system. Here, the ordered cartons, packages, and units for any given order are released close to each other in both time and space.

[0129] The ordered containers are transported by container robot 110 to container-level sorting echelon 15,000 and sorted in any suitable manner and in a predetermined order. Figure 17B (Box 17030), such as orderly placement at the buffer station BS or transfer station TS and / or vertical sorting by elevator 150B. Sorted containers SCU are output from container layer sorting queue 15000 ( Figure 17B (box 17035) and transported (as described herein) to be placed on pallets 17050 ( Figure 17B (See box 17050).

[0130] In the case of ordering a packaged PCK, the container CU containing the packaged PCK is transported by container robot 110 to, for example, unpacking cargo module 266 (which forms at least a portion of the packaging layer sorting echelon 15100), where the packaged PCK is removed from the container CU (e.g., unpacked). Figure 17B (box 17010) and sorted in the manner described herein ( Figure 17B (Box 17025). The sorted packaged SPCK is output in unpacked cargo container 264 ( Figure 17B (Box 17040), or in some respects not contained in a container, they are transported to pallet PAL or carton layer sorting echelon 15000 to be sorted together with ordered carton CUs so as to be placed on pallet PAL as described above.

[0131] In the case of ordering unit UNT, the container CU containing the unit UNT is transported by container robot 110 to, for example, unpacking cargo module 266 (which forms at least a portion of the unit layer sorting echelon 15200), where the unit UNT is removed from the container CU and any package PCK, wherein the units are arranged according to the package (e.g., unpacking the container and / or unpacking the package). Figure 17B (box 17015) and sorted as described herein ( Figure 17B (Box 17020). The sorted unit SUNT is output from the unpacked goods container 264 ( Figure 17B (Box 17045) One or more of the sorted units SUNT are transported to pallet PAL, included together with other units in package PCK, for sorting by package layer sorting echelon 15100 as described above, and transported to carton layer sorting echelon 15000 to be sorted together with ordered carton CU for placement on pallet PAL, as described above.

[0132] The outputs of multiple sorting tiers 15000, 15100, and 15200 are pallet PALs, which include one or more of the following: mixed single-product units, mixed package groups, and mixed cartons, each sorted in a predetermined order.

[0133] It should be noted that while the recursive sorting of sorting tiers 15000, 15100, and 15200 is described in relation to the transfer of products from storage and retrieval system 100, recursive sorting can be performed on products input into storage and retrieval system 100 in other respects. For example, a fulfillment order can be notified to controller 120 at any given time; however, one of any given fulfillment orders may not be scheduled for fulfillment until a predetermined time period. When products for a given fulfillment order are input into storage and retrieval system 100, controller 120 can opportunistically sort the products with sorting tiers 15000, 15100, and 15200 in a manner substantially similar to that described herein; however, sorted packages, sorted units, and / or sorted cartons may be placed in the storage array (rather than output from the system) until such time as the sorted products are requested to fulfill a given fulfillment order.

[0134] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a warehousing system for storing and retrieving goods in a container is provided. The warehousing system includes:

[0135] At least one storage layer having:

[0136] An autonomous transport loop for containers is provided in the at least one storage layer, and

[0137] The container storage locations are arranged around the periphery of the container autonomous transport loop, with at least one container storage location being a supply container storage location and another container storage location being an unpacked goods container storage location.

[0138] The at least one storage layer has an unpacked goods autonomous transport loop disposed at the at least one storage layer, the unpacked goods autonomous transport loop being separate from and different from the container autonomous transport loop, and the at least one storage layer having an unpacked goods interface coupling the corresponding edges of the container autonomous transport loop and the unpacked goods autonomous transport loop.

[0139] At least one autonomous container transport vehicle is restricted to the at least one storage layer, and the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to transport along the autonomous transport loop of the container, respectively.

[0140] Supply containers between the supply container storage location and the unpacking operation station, and

[0141] The unpacked goods container between the unpacking interface and the unpacked goods container storage location.

[0142] The unpacking cargo autonomous transport loop is configured to confine at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle to at least one storage layer, said at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle being arranged to transport one or more unpacked goods along the unpacking cargo autonomous transport loop between the unpacking operation station and the unpacking cargo interface; and

[0143] The controller is configured to operate the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle and the at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle to assemble unpacking cargo orders from supply containers into unpacking cargo containers.

[0144] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to travel autonomously without constraints along and across the container autonomous transport travel loop.

[0145] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle is configured to travel autonomously without constraints along and across the autonomous unpacking cargo transport loop.

[0146] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the unpacking cargo autonomous transport loop has a plurality of travel routes for the at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle to travel along the unpacking cargo autonomous transport loop, at least one of the plurality of travel routes being a crossing route for the at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle to travel over an obstacle on another of the plurality of travel routes.

[0147] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the container autonomous transport travel loop has a plurality of travel routes for the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle to travel along the container autonomous transport travel loop, at least one of the plurality of travel routes having a travel feel opposite to that of another travel route of the other plurality of travel routes, and the at least one of the plurality of travel routes defining a queue line for the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle at an unpacking cargo interface.

[0148] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the container autonomous transport loop is disposed on a platform surface of the platform at the at least one raised storage layer, and the unpacking cargo autonomous transport loop is disposed on a different platform surface of the platform, the different platform surface being separate from and different from the platform surface on which the container autonomous transport loop is disposed.

[0149] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle has a payload compartment configured to be different from the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle.

[0150] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the one or more unpacked goods are unpacked from the supply container at an unpacking operation station, and the at least one autonomous unpacking goods transport vehicle is configured to be loaded with the one or more unpacked goods at the unpacking operation station.

[0151] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle is configured to automatically unload the one or more unpacked goods from the at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle into an unpacking cargo container at the unpacking cargo interface.

[0152] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to autonomously transfer the supply container from the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle to the unpacking operation station.

[0153] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to autonomously pick up and place unpacked cargo containers at the unpacking cargo interface.

[0154] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the unpacking cargo interface has more than one unpacking cargo interface location arranged at least along the substantially entire edge of the unpacking cargo autonomous transport loop, each unpacking cargo interface location being configured to receive a corresponding unpacking cargo container.

[0155] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the container storage locations are arranged along pick-up channels connected by the container autonomous transport loop at each of the at least one elevated storage layer, the container autonomous transport loop being configured to provide the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle with access to each pick-up channel at each layer.

[0156] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the warehousing system further includes elevators connected via transfer stations to the container autonomous transport loop, each elevator being configured to lift one or both of the supply container and the unpacked cargo container into and out of the at least one elevated storage layer.

[0157] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the warehousing system further includes an inbound / outbound conveyor configured to:

[0158] Transporting inbound supply containers from the pallet depalletizer to the at least raised storage layer, and

[0159] Transport outbound supply containers and filled unpacked cargo containers to pallet stackers, trucks, or downstream processes.

[0160] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one storage layer includes an elevated storage layer.

[0161] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a warehousing system for storing and retrieving goods in a container is provided. The warehousing system includes:

[0162] At least one storage layer, having a container autonomous transport loop disposed in the at least one storage layer, and having

[0163] Container storage locations arranged along the periphery of the autonomous transport loop of the container, at least one of which is a supply container storage location, and

[0164] The container output station is located along the autonomous transport loop of the container.

[0165] Wherein, the at least one storage layer

[0166] The system has an autonomous transport loop for unpacked goods disposed in the at least one storage layer, the autonomous transport loop for unpacked goods being separate from and different from the autonomous transport loop for containers, and...

[0167] It has an unpacking cargo interface, which couples the corresponding edges of the container autonomous transport loop and the unpacking cargo autonomous transport loop to the unpacking cargo container receiving position;

[0168] At least one autonomous container transport vehicle is restricted to the at least one storage layer, and the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to transport along the autonomous transport loop of the container, respectively.

[0169] The supply container between the supply container storage location and the unpacking operation station, and

[0170] The unpacked cargo container between the unpacked cargo container receiving position and the container output station.

[0171] The autonomous unpacking cargo transport loop is configured to confine at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle to the at least one storage layer, and the at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle is arranged to transport one or more unpacked goods along the autonomous unpacking cargo transport loop between the unpacking operation station and the unpacking cargo interface; and

[0172] The controller is configured to operate the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle and the at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle to assemble unpacking cargo orders from supply containers into unpacking cargo containers and to output unpacking cargo containers through container output stations.

[0173] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to transport unpacked cargo containers from the unpacked cargo interface to the container output station for outputting the unpacked cargo containers, and to transport other unpacked cargo containers from the unpacked cargo interface to the container storage location, which serves as the storage location for unpacked cargo containers, for storage.

[0174] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to transport the supply container between the supply container storage location and the container output station.

[0175] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to travel autonomously without constraints along and across the container autonomous transport travel loop.

[0176] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle is configured to travel autonomously without constraints along and across the autonomous unpacking cargo transport loop.

[0177] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the unpacking cargo autonomous transport loop has a plurality of travel routes for the at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle to travel along the unpacking cargo autonomous transport loop, at least one of the plurality of travel routes being a crossing route for the at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle to travel over an obstacle on another of the plurality of travel routes.

[0178] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the container autonomous transport travel loop has a plurality of travel routes for the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle to travel along the container autonomous transport travel loop, at least one of the plurality of travel routes having a travel feel opposite to that of another travel route of the other of the plurality of travel routes, and the at least one of the plurality of travel routes defines a queue line for the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle at an unpacking cargo interface.

[0179] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the container autonomous transport loop is disposed on a platform surface of the platform at the at least one storage layer, and the unpacking cargo autonomous transport loop is disposed on a different platform surface of the platform, the different platform surface being separate from and different from the platform surface on which the container autonomous transport loop is disposed.

[0180] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle has a payload compartment configured to be different from the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle.

[0181] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the one or more unpacked goods are unpacked from the supply container at an unpacking operation station, and the at least one autonomous unpacking goods transport vehicle is configured to be loaded with the one or more unpacked goods at the unpacking operation station.

[0182] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle is configured to automatically unload the one or more unpacked goods from the at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle into an unpacking cargo container at the unpacking cargo interface.

[0183] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to autonomously transfer the supply container from the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle to the unpacking operation station.

[0184] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to autonomously pick up and place unpacked cargo containers at the unpacking cargo interface.

[0185] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the unpacking cargo interface has more than one unpacking cargo interface location arranged at least along the substantially entire edge of the unpacking cargo autonomous transport loop, each unpacking cargo interface location being configured to receive a corresponding unpacking cargo container.

[0186] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the container storage locations are arranged along pick-up channels connected by the container autonomous transport loop at each of the at least one elevated storage layer, the container autonomous transport loop being configured to provide the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle with access to each pick-up channel at each layer.

[0187] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the warehousing system further includes elevators connected via transfer stations to the container autonomous transport loop, each elevator being configured to lift one or both of the supply container and the unpacked cargo container into and out of the at least one elevated storage layer.

[0188] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the warehousing system further includes an inbound / outbound conveyor configured to:

[0189] Transporting inbound supply containers from the pallet depalletizer to the at least raised storage layer, and

[0190] Transport outbound supply containers and filled unpacked cargo containers to pallet stackers, trucks, or downstream processes.

[0191] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one storage layer includes an elevated storage layer.

[0192] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a warehousing system for storing and retrieving goods in a container is provided. The warehousing system includes:

[0193] A multi-layer storage array, each layer having a transport area and a storage area, the storage area comprising an array of storage racks configured to accommodate containers thereon, and the transport area being substantially continuous and arranged to connect the storage racks communicatively to each other, the transport area comprising a pick-up aisle and a container transfer platform connecting the pick-up aisle;

[0194] At least one autonomous guided container transport vehicle, distinct from the container transfer platform, is located on each layer of the multi-layer storage array and configured to transport access to and containers from each container storage location on each of the storage racks on each layer of the multi-layer storage array between the container transfer platform and pick-up channels on each layer and between unpacking operation stations and container storage locations on storage racks on each layer of the multi-layer storage array. The at least one autonomous guided container transport vehicle is configured to transport supply cargo containers and unpacking cargo containers, respectively.

[0195] In each layer of the multi-layer storage array, the unpacking cargo transfer platform is separate from and different from the container transfer platform, such that the corresponding layer has the container transfer platform and the unpacking cargo transfer platform that are separate from each other and individually coupled to the unpacking operation station.

[0196] The unpacking and transfer platform is configured such that at least one autonomous guided unpacking and transfer vehicle traverses the platform and transports unpacked goods from the unpacking operation station to corresponding unpacked goods containers, for transport by the at least one autonomous guided container transport vehicle on the container transfer platform; and

[0197] The controller is configured to enable the operation of at least one autonomous guided container transport vehicle between the container storage location, the unpacking operation station, and the unpacked cargo container positioned along the unpacked cargo transfer platform.

[0198] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the controller is configured to implement the operation of the at least one autonomous guided unpacking cargo transport vehicle, such that the unpacked cargo is sorted into corresponding unpacked cargo containers by the at least one autonomous guided unpacking cargo transport vehicle traversing the transport of the unpacked cargo on the unpacked cargo transfer platform.

[0199] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the controller is configured to implement the operation of the at least one autonomous guided container transport vehicle such that the at least one autonomous guided container transport vehicle accesses a corresponding unpacked cargo container at the unpacked cargo transfer platform and transports the unpacked cargo container via a traverse along the container transfer platform to at least one of the following: a container output station and a corresponding container storage location on a storage rack of a corresponding layer of the multi-layer storage array.

[0200] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the unpacking cargo transfer platform engages the unpacking operation station and the container transfer platform at a separation location from each access port of the container transfer platform to the unpacking operation station for the at least one autonomously guided container transport vehicle.

[0201] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one autonomous guided container transport vehicle is configured to travel autonomously along and across the container transfer platform.

[0202] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one autonomously guided unpacking cargo transport vehicle is configured to travel autonomously along and across the unpacking cargo transfer platform.

[0203] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the unpacking and transfer platform has multiple travel routes for the at least one autonomously guided unpacking and transfer vehicle to travel along the unpacking and transfer platform, at least one of the multiple travel routes being a crossing route for the at least one autonomously guided unpacking and transfer vehicle to travel over an obstacle on another of the multiple travel routes.

[0204] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the container transfer platform has a plurality of travel routes, at least one of the plurality of travel routes having a travel feel opposite to that of another travel route of the other of the plurality of travel routes, and the at least one of the plurality of travel routes defines a queue line for the at least one autonomous guided container transport vehicle at an unpacking cargo interface, the unpacking cargo interface being coupled to the container transfer platform and a corresponding edge of the unpacking cargo transfer platform.

[0205] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one autonomous guided unpacking cargo transport vehicle is configured to automatically unload the unpacked cargo from the at least one autonomous guided unpacking cargo transport vehicle into an unpacked cargo container at the unpacked cargo interface.

[0206] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one autonomous guided container transport vehicle is configured to autonomously pick up and place the unpacked cargo container at the unpacking cargo interface.

[0207] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the unpacking cargo interface has more than one unpacking cargo interface location arranged at least along the substantially entire edge of the unpacking cargo transfer platform, each unpacking cargo interface location being configured to receive a corresponding unpacking cargo container.

[0208] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the container transfer platform is disposed on the platform surface of the platform at a corresponding layer of the multi-layer storage, and the unpacking cargo transfer platform is disposed on a different platform surface of the platform, the different platform surface being separate from and different from the platform surface on which the container transfer platform is disposed.

[0209] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one autonomous guided unpacking cargo transport vehicle has a payload compartment configured to be different from the at least one autonomous guided container transport vehicle.

[0210] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the unpacked goods are unpacked from the supply goods container at an unpacking operation station, and the at least one autonomous guided unpacked goods transport vehicle is configured to be loaded with the unpacked goods at the unpacking operation station.

[0211] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one autonomous guided container transport vehicle is configured to autonomously transfer the supply cargo container from the at least one autonomous guided container transport vehicle to the unpacking operation station.

[0212] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the container storage locations are arranged along pick-up channels connected by the container transfer platform at each layer of the multi-layer storage array, the container transfer platform being configured to provide access to each pick-up channel for the at least one autonomous guided container transport vehicle at each layer.

[0213] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the warehousing system further includes elevators connected to the container transfer platform via transfer stations, each elevator being configured to lift one or both of the supply cargo containers and the unpacked cargo containers into and out of the multi-layer storage array.

[0214] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the warehousing system further includes an inbound / outbound conveyor configured to:

[0215] Transporting inbound supply containers from the pallet depalletizer to the multi-layer storage array, and

[0216] Transport outbound supply containers and filled unpacked containers to pallet stackers or trucks.

[0217] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a product order fulfillment system for mixed product units is provided. The system includes a storage array having at least one raised storage layer, wherein mixed product units are input and distributed in the storage array in cartons having a common type of product units in each carton; an automated transport system having at least one asynchronous transport system for layer transport and an elevator for inter-layer transport, communicatively connected to the storage array to automatically retrieve from the output of the storage array and output product units in cartons distributed in a common portion of the at least one raised storage layer of the storage array, wherein the output product units are one or more of mixed single-product units, mixed package groups, and mixed cartons; wherein the at least one asynchronous transport system and the elevator are configured to form More than one transport echelon, each echelon being communicatively connected to a common section and an output, and each echelon performing orthogonal sorting of product units distributed in the common section corresponding to the transport echelon, such that the sorted mixed output product units of the corresponding transport echelon are arranged in a predetermined order, wherein the orthogonal sorting of product units by each transport echelon is orthogonal to the orthogonal sorting of each other transport echelon in the more than one transport echelon, such that each transport echelon is an orthogonal transport echelon relative to each other transport echelon in the more than one transport echelon, combined in the output of output product units of one or more of the following: the mixed single product units, mixed packaging groups, and mixed cartons, each sorted in a predetermined order.

[0218] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the orthogonal sorting of each transport echelon that delivers the product unit output in a predetermined order is independent of one or more of the order sequence and order time.

[0219] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, orthogonal sorting for each echelon is notified by recursive sorting determination.

[0220] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the product order fulfillment system further includes a controller configured to determine recursive sorting of orthogonal sorting for each orthogonal sorting echelon.

[0221] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the controller is communicatively coupled to the asynchronous transport system and configured to generate orthogonal sorting for each transport echelon using the orthogonal transport echelons.

[0222] It should be understood that the foregoing description is merely illustrative of various aspects of the disclosed embodiments. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the aspects of the disclosed embodiments. Therefore, the aspects of the disclosed embodiments are intended to cover all such alternatives, modifications, and variations falling within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, the fact that different features are recited in mutually different dependent or independent claims does not imply that combinations of these features cannot be advantageously used, such combinations still remain within the scope of the aspects of the disclosed embodiments.

Claims

1. A product order fulfillment system for hybrid product units, the system comprising: The storage array is into which mixed product units are input and distributed in the storage array in units of cartons, each carton containing a common type of product unit. as well as An automated transport system having at least one asynchronous transport system for level transport and an elevator for inter-level transport, communicatively connected to the storage array to automatically retrieve and output product units in containers distributed in a common part of the storage array from the output of the storage array, wherein the output product units are one or more of a mixed single product unit, a mixed package, and a mixed container; The at least one asynchronous transport system and elevator are configured to form more than one transport echelon, each echelon being communicatively connected to the output of the common section and the storage array, and each echelon performing orthogonal sorting of product units distributed in the common section corresponding to the transport echelon, such that the sorted mixed output product units of the corresponding transport echelon are sorted in a predetermined order, wherein the orthogonal sorting of product units by each transport echelon is orthogonal to the orthogonal sorting of each other transport echelon in the more than one transport echelon, such that each transport echelon is an orthogonal transport echelon relative to each other transport echelon in the more than one transport echelon, combining the output of output product units in one or more of the following: the mixed single product units, mixed packaging groups, and mixed cartons, each sorted in a predetermined order.

2. The product order fulfillment system according to claim 1, wherein, Orthogonal sorting of each transport echelon that outputs product units in a predetermined order is independent of one or more of the order sequence and order time.

3. The product order fulfillment system according to claim 1, wherein, The orthogonal sorting of each echelon is notified through recursive sorting.

4. The product order fulfillment system of claim 1 further includes a controller configured to determine recursive sorting of orthogonal sorting for each orthogonal sorting echelon.

5. The product order fulfillment system according to claim 4, wherein, The controller is communicatively coupled to the asynchronous transport system and configured to generate orthogonal sorting for each transport echelon using the orthogonal transport echelons.

6. The product order fulfillment system according to claim 1, wherein, The storage array has at least one elevated storage layer.

7. A warehousing system for storing and retrieving goods in containers, the warehousing system comprising: At least one storage layer, having An autonomous transport loop for containers is provided in at least one storage layer, and The container storage locations are arranged along the periphery of the container autonomous transport loop, with at least one container storage location being a supply container storage location and the other container storage location being an unpacked goods container storage location. The at least one storage layer has an unpacked goods autonomous transport loop disposed at the at least one storage layer, the unpacked goods autonomous transport loop being separate from and different from the container autonomous transport loop, and the at least one storage layer having an unpacked goods interface coupling the corresponding edges of the container autonomous transport loop and the unpacked goods autonomous transport loop; At least one autonomous container transport vehicle is restricted to the at least one storage layer, and the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to transport along the autonomous transport loop of the container, respectively. The supply container between the supply container storage location and the unpacking operation station, and The unpacked goods container between the unpacking interface and the unpacked goods container storage location. The autonomous unpacking cargo transport loop is configured to confine at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle to the at least one storage layer, and the at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle is arranged to transport one or more unpacked goods along the autonomous unpacking cargo transport loop between the unpacking operation station and the unpacking cargo interface; and The controller is configured to operate the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle and the at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle to assemble unpacking cargo orders from supply containers into unpacking cargo containers.

8. The warehousing system according to claim 7, wherein, The at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to travel autonomously without constraints along and across the container autonomous transport travel loop.

9. The warehousing system according to claim 7, wherein, The at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle is configured to travel autonomously without constraints along and across the autonomous unpacking cargo transport loop.

10. The warehousing system according to claim 7, wherein, The autonomous cargo unpacking and transportation loop has multiple routes for the at least one autonomous cargo unpacking and transportation vehicle to travel along the loop. At least one of the multiple routes is a crossing route for the at least one autonomous cargo unpacking and transportation vehicle to cross an obstacle on another of the multiple routes.

11. The warehousing system according to claim 7, wherein, The autonomous container transport loop has multiple travel routes for the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle to travel along the loop. At least one of the multiple travel routes has a travel direction opposite to that of another travel route of the other multiple travel routes, and the at least one of the multiple travel routes defines a queue line for the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle at the unpacking cargo interface.

12. The warehousing system according to claim 7, wherein, The autonomous transport loop for containers is disposed on the platform surface of the platform located in the at least one storage layer, and the autonomous transport loop for unpacked goods is disposed on different platform surfaces of the platform, the different platform surfaces being separate from and different from the platform surface on which the autonomous transport loop for containers is disposed.

13. The warehousing system according to claim 7, wherein, The at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle has a payload compartment, which is configured differently from the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle.

14. The warehousing system according to claim 7, wherein, The one or more unpacked goods are unpacked from the supply container at the unpacking operation station, and the at least one autonomous unpacking goods transport vehicle is configured to be loaded with the one or more unpacked goods at the unpacking operation station.

15. The warehousing system according to claim 7, wherein, The at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle is configured to automatically unload the one or more unpacked goods from the at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle into the unpacking cargo container at the unpacking cargo interface.

16. The warehousing system according to claim 7, wherein, The at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to autonomously transfer the supply container from the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle to the unpacking operation station.

17. The warehousing system according to claim 7, wherein, The at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to autonomously pick up and place the unpacked cargo container at the unpacking cargo interface.

18. The warehousing system according to claim 7, wherein, The unpacking cargo interface has more than one unpacking cargo interface position arranged at least along the substantially entire edge of the unpacking cargo autonomous transport loop, and each unpacking cargo interface position is configured to accommodate a corresponding unpacking cargo container.

19. The warehousing system according to claim 7, wherein, The container storage locations are arranged at each of the at least one storage layer along a pickup channel connected by the container autonomous transport loop, which is configured to provide the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle with access to each pickup channel at each layer.

20. The warehousing system of claim 7 further includes elevators connected to the container autonomous transport loop via transfer stations, each elevator being configured to lift one or both of the supply container and the unpacked cargo container into and out of the at least one storage layer.

21. The warehousing system of claim 20, further comprising an inbound / outbound conveyor, the inbound / outbound conveyor being configured to: Transporting inbound supply containers from the pallet depalletizer to the at least one storage layer, and Transport outbound supply containers and filled unpacked cargo containers to pallet stackers, trucks, or downstream processes.

22. The warehousing system according to claim 7, wherein, The at least one storage layer includes a raised storage layer.

23. A warehousing system for storing and retrieving goods in containers, the warehousing system comprising: At least one storage layer, having a container autonomous transport loop disposed in the at least one storage layer, and having Container storage locations arranged along the periphery of the autonomous transport loop of the container, at least one of which is a supply container storage location, and The container output station is located along the autonomous transport loop of the container. Wherein, the at least one storage layer The system has an autonomous transport loop for unpacked goods disposed in the at least one storage layer, the autonomous transport loop for unpacked goods being separate from and different from the autonomous transport loop for containers, and... It has an unpacking cargo interface, which couples the corresponding edges of the container autonomous transport loop and the unpacking cargo autonomous transport loop to the unpacking cargo container receiving position; At least one autonomous container transport vehicle is restricted to the at least one storage layer, and the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to transport along the autonomous transport loop of the container, respectively. The supply container between the supply container storage location and the unpacking operation station, and The unpacked cargo container between the unpacked cargo container receiving position and the container output station. The autonomous unpacking cargo transport loop is configured to confine at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle to the at least one storage layer, and the at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle is arranged to transport one or more unpacked goods along the autonomous unpacking cargo transport loop between the unpacking operation station and the unpacking cargo interface; and The controller is configured to operate the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle and the at least one autonomous unpacking cargo transport vehicle to assemble unpacking cargo orders from supply containers into unpacking cargo containers and to output unpacking cargo containers through container output stations.

24. A warehousing system for storing and retrieving goods in containers, the warehousing system comprising: A multi-layer storage array, each layer having a transport area and a storage area, the storage area comprising an array of storage racks configured to accommodate containers thereon, and the transport area being substantially continuous and arranged to connect the storage racks communicatively to each other, the transport area comprising a pick-up aisle and a container transfer platform connecting the pick-up aisle; At least one autonomous guided container transport vehicle, distinct from the container transfer platform, is located on each layer of the multi-layer storage array and configured to transport access to and containers from each container storage location on each of the storage racks on each layer of the multi-layer storage array between the container transfer platform and pick-up channels on each layer and between unpacking operation stations and container storage locations on storage racks on each layer of the multi-layer storage array. The at least one autonomous guided container transport vehicle is configured to transport supply cargo containers and unpacking cargo containers, respectively. In each layer of the multi-layer storage array, the unpacking cargo transfer platform is separate from and different from the container transfer platform, such that the corresponding layer has the container transfer platform and the unpacking cargo transfer platform that are separate from each other and individually coupled to the unpacking operation station. The unpacking cargo transfer platform is configured such that at least one autonomous guided unpacking cargo transport vehicle traverses the unpacking cargo transfer platform and transports unpacked cargo from the unpacking operation station to the corresponding unpacked cargo container, so that the at least one autonomous guided container transport vehicle can transport it on the container transfer platform. and The controller is configured to enable the operation of at least one autonomous guided container transport vehicle between the container storage location, the unpacking operation station, and the unpacked cargo container positioned along the unpacked cargo transfer platform.

25. A method for transporting a cargo container, comprising: A storage array is provided, into which mixed product units are input and distributed in the storage array in units of cartons, each carton containing product units of a common type; and An automated transport system is provided, having at least one asynchronous transport system for layer transport and an elevator for inter-layer transport, communicatively connected to the storage array to automatically retrieve and output product units distributed in a common portion of the storage array in a cargo box, wherein the output product unit is one or more of a mixed single product unit, a mixed package, and a mixed cargo box; as well as Orthogonal sorting of product units distributed in the common area is achieved using more than one transport echelon formed by the at least one asynchronous transport system and the elevator, such that the sorted mixed output product units of the corresponding transport echelon are arranged in a predetermined order, wherein the orthogonal sorting of product units by each transport echelon is orthogonal to the orthogonal sorting of each other transport echelon in the more than one transport echelon, such that each transport echelon is an orthogonal transport echelon relative to each other transport echelon in the more than one transport echelon, in the output of output product units of one or more of the following: the mixed single product units, the mixed packaging groups, and mixed cartons, each sorted in a predetermined order, wherein each echelon is communicatively connected to the output of the common area and the storage array.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the orthogonal sorting of each transport echelon that delivers the product unit output in a predetermined order is independent of one or more of the order order and order time.

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein, The orthogonal sorting of each echelon is notified through recursive sorting.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising: The controller is used to determine the recursive sorting of each orthogonal sorting echelon.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein, The controller is communicatively coupled to the asynchronous transport system and configured to generate orthogonal sorting for each transport echelon using the orthogonal transport echelons.

30. The method according to claim 25, wherein, The storage array has at least one elevated storage layer.

Images