Storage system and storage container

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a storage container for storage in a stack in a grid frame structure comprising a plurality of storage columns, each storage column of the plurality of storage columns being configured to store the stack of storage containers. The method comprises the steps of: A) forming the lower part of the storage container by: i) stamping or drawing a sheet metal blank (185) into a drawing die (184) to form a tray-like preform (178) comprising a bottom (172) with a raised rim (180) and a flange (182); ii) flipping the flange (182) to define a connection surface extending in the same direction as the raised rim (180) of the tray-like preform (178) to form a container having a predefined depth; b) forming an upper portion of the storage container by iii) stamping side walls and / or end walls from one or more separate sheet metal blanks, C) attaching the upper portion to the lower portion by attaching the side walls and end walls to the connection surfaces of the container.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of storage systems and storage containers for use in such storage systems, wherein the storage system comprises load handling equipment running on rails on a grid frame structure for handling storage containers stacked in the grid frame structure. Background Art

[0002] Some commercial and industrial activities require systems for storing and accessing a large number of different products. One known type of system for accessing items from multiple product lines involves arranging storage containers (also called boxes or cases) in stacks on top of each other, with the stacks arranged in rows. The storage containers are removed from the stacks by load handling equipment and accessed from above, eliminating the need for aisles between rows and enabling the storage of a large number of containers in a given space.

[0003] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, storage containers 10, also known as boxes or crates, are stacked on top of each other to form a stack 12. The stack 12 is arranged in a grid frame structure 14 of a warehouse or production environment. The grid frame is composed of a plurality of storage columns or grid columns 11. Each grid in the grid frame structure has at least one grid column 11 for a stack of storage containers. Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the lattice frame structure 14, and Figure 2 FIG1 is a top view of a stack 12 of individual containers 10 arranged within a frame structure 14. Each container or case 10 typically holds a plurality of product items (not shown), and the product items within the containers 10 can be the same or of different product types, depending on the application. For example, each container 10 can be used to store grocery items (e.g., food items). Furthermore, the cases 10 can be physically subdivided to accommodate a plurality of different inventory items.

[0004] The lattice frame structure 14 includes a plurality of upright members or columns 16 supporting horizontal members 18 and 20. A first set of parallel horizontal lattice members 18 are arranged perpendicular to a second set of parallel horizontal lattice members 20 to form a lattice structure that lies in a substantially horizontal plane and is supported by the upright members 16. The members 16, 18, 20 are typically made of metal and are typically connected together by welding, bolting, or a combination of bolting and welding. Storage containers 10 are stacked between the upright members 16 of the lattice frame structure 14 so that the lattice frame structure 14 prevents horizontal movement of the stack 12 of storage containers 10 and guides vertical movement of the storage containers 10.

[0005] The top layer of the grid frame structure 14 includes a track system 15 comprising a plurality of rails or tracks 22 arranged in a grid pattern extending across the top of the stack 12. Figure 3The rails 22 support a plurality of load handling devices or robotic load handling devices 30. A first set 22a of parallel rails 22 guides movement of the robotic load handling devices 30 extending across the top of the grid frame structure 14 in a first direction (e.g., the X direction), while a second set 22b of parallel rails 22, arranged perpendicular to the first set 22a, guides movement of the load handling devices 30 in a second direction (e.g., the Y direction) perpendicular to the first direction. In this manner, the rails 22 allow two-dimensional lateral movement of the robotic load handling devices 30 within a horizontal XY plane, allowing the load handling devices 30 to be moved to a position above any stack 12. The rail system 15 can be integrated into the grid structure, that is, the first and second sets of rails are integrated into the first and second sets of grid members, respectively. Alternatively, the rail system 15 can be separate from the grid structure, that is, the first and second sets of rails are mounted to the first and second sets of grid members, respectively.

[0006] Each load handling device 30 includes a carrier body 32 arranged to travel in the X and Y directions on the tracks or rails 22 of the lattice frame structure 14 over the stack 12 (see Figure 4 ). Figure 4 and Figure 5 The load handling apparatus 30 described in PCT patent publication No. WO2015 / 019055 (Ocado Innovation Limited) and international patent application WO2015 / 140216 (Ocado Innovation Limited) is shown and comprises a carrier body 32 equipped with a lifting mechanism 33, wherein the lifting mechanism 33 comprises a winch or crane mechanism 35 for lifting a storage container or box 10, also known as a box, from above. The crane mechanism 35 comprises a winch cable 38 wound on a reel or spool and a gripper device 39. Typically, the lifting apparatus comprises a set of lifting tethers 38 extending in a vertical direction and connected at or near the four corners of a gripper device 39 (one tether at each corner of the gripper device) for releasable connection to the storage container 10. The gripper device 39 is configured to grip the top of the storage container 10 and lift it from the top. Figure 1 and 2 Lifting in stacks of containers in a storage system of the type shown. Typically, the gripper device 39 is configured as a lifting frame.

[0007] In order to grip the container 10, the gripper device 39 includes four positioning or guide pins 42, which cooperate with corresponding cutouts or holes 44 formed at the four corners of the storage container 10 near or at each corner of the gripper device 39, and four gripper elements 46, which are arranged at the bottom side of the gripper device 39 to engage with the rim 48 of the storage container 10 (see FIG. Figure 6 ). The locating pins 42 help to properly align the gripper element 46 with the corresponding holes 49 in the rim 48 of the container. Figure 7 In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , each retainer element 46 includes a pair of wings 50 that are retractable so as to be received in corresponding apertures 49 in the rim 48 of the storage container and have a size that is larger than the apertures 49 in the rim 48 of the storage container 10 in at least one dimension so as to be able to lock the storage container 10 in an open, expanded configuration (see FIG. Figure 7 b). The wings are driven to the open configuration by a drive gear (not shown). More specifically, the head of at least one wing includes a plurality of teeth that mesh with the drive gear so that when the gripper element 46 is actuated, rotation of the drive gear causes the pair of wings to move from the retracted configuration ( Figure 7 a) Rotate to open expanded configuration ( Figure 7 b).

[0008] The carrier body 32 includes an upper portion and a lower portion (see Figure 5 (a) and Figure 5 (b)). The lower portion is equipped with two sets of wheels 34, 36, which run on rails at the top of the storage system's frame structure. The upper portion of the carrier body 32 can accommodate most of the large components of the loading and handling equipment. Typically, the upper portion of the carrier body houses the drive mechanism for driving the wheels and the lifting mechanism, as well as an onboard rechargeable power supply for powering the drive mechanism and the lifting mechanism.

[0009] The lower portion of the carrier body 32 includes a wheel assembly that is driven to enable the carrier to move along the tracks in both the X and Y directions. A first set of wheels 34, consisting of a pair of wheels 34 at the front of the carrier 32 and a pair of wheels 34 at the rear of the carrier 32, is arranged to engage two adjacent rails of the first set 22a of tracks 22. Similarly, a second set of wheels 36, consisting of a pair of wheels 36 on each side of the carrier 32, is arranged to engage two adjacent rails of the second set 22b of tracks 22. One or both sets of wheels can be moved vertically to lift each set of wheels off its respective track, thereby allowing the carrier to move in the desired direction. When the first set of wheels 34 engages the first set of tracks or rails 22a and the second set of wheels 36 is lifted off the tracks or rails 22, the wheels 34 can be driven by a drive mechanism (not shown) housed in the carrier 32 to move the load handling device 30 in the X direction. To move the load handling device 30 in the Y direction, the first set of wheels 34 is lifted off the track or rails 22, and the second set of wheels 36 is lowered into engagement with the second set of tracks or rails 22a. A drive mechanism can then be used to drive the second set of wheels 36 to achieve movement in the Y direction. One or both sets of wheels can be moved vertically to lift each set of wheels off its respective rails, thereby allowing the carrier to move in the desired direction on the track system.

[0010] The wheels are arranged at the periphery of a cavity or recess in the lower portion called a container receiving recess 40. Figure 5 (a) and Figure 5 As shown in (b), the recess 40 is sized to accommodate the storage container or box 10 when the storage container or box 10 is lifted by the crane mechanism. When in the recess, the container is lifted off the lower rails so that the load handling equipment can be moved sideways to a different location. Although the container receiving space 40 is Figure 4 In the illustration the container receiving space is shown as being arranged within the carrier body 32 , but the container receiving space may be located below a cantilever as described in WO 2019 / 238702 (Autostore Technology AS).

[0011] Once the target location is reached (e.g., another stack, an access point in a storage system, or a conveyor belt), the case or storage container can be lowered from the container receiving space and released from the gripper device 39. In this manner, one or more robotic load handling devices 30 can be controlled by a central control utility (not shown) as shown in FIG. Figure 3 It is shown moving over the top surface of the stack 12 on a frame structure 14. Each robotic load handling device 30 is provided with a lifting mechanism 33 for lifting one or more boxes 10 from the stack 12 to access the required items stored therein.

[0012] The robotic load handling device 30 removes the box 10 containing the inventory items (not shown) and transports the box 10 to a picking station (not shown). At the picking station, the desired inventory items 28 are removed from the box 10 and placed into the box 10 including the delivery container DT. It should be noted that the delivery container DT can be mounted within the box 10. The box 10 can include inventory items or the delivery container DT. Alternatively, the delivery container DT can include at least one bag, into which the inventory items are picked directly at the picking station (not shown).

[0013] Figure 3 A typical storage and retrieval system 1 is shown having a plurality of load handling devices 30 operating on a grid above stacks 12 . Figure 1 and Figure 3 Boxes 10 are shown in stacks 12 within a storage system. It will be understood that a large number of storage containers or boxes 10 may be present in any given storage system and that many different items may be stored in the boxes 10 in the stacks 12, with each box 10 in a single stack 12 containing a different category of inventory items. Typically, each box 10 must be able to withstand the load of a plurality of boxes 10 in the stack. The load of a stack of boxes consists of a maximum load of twenty fully loaded boxes. A fully loaded box weighs approximately 35 kg, of which 5 kg is the weight of the box itself. For example, a stack of twenty boxes 10 would equate to a load of 700 kg or 6,867 N. One or more ribs on opposing side and end walls reinforce the side and end walls to prevent the side and end walls from buckling under such a stacking load.

[0014] Typically, the box 10 is primarily constructed of thermoplastic materials and is injection molded or blow molded. Commonly known thermoplastic materials used in storage containers include polyolefins, such as polypropylene or polyethylene (e.g., high-density polyethylene (HDPE)), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymers (ABS), and polycarbonate and its copolymers. However, a problem with these plastic materials is their flammability and the release of toxic gases. If a fire occurs within the storage and retrieval system, the flammable and exothermic nature of the box 10 material could cause the fire to spread throughout the storage and retrieval system, posing a life-threatening threat. Not only is the box 10 flammable, but the combustion gases released from the burning thermoplastic material are highly toxic, including benzene, a known carcinogen. Inhalation of fine particulate matter from burning debris can cause respiratory irritation. Therefore, extreme fire prevention measures and systems are incorporated into storage and retrieval systems to prevent the rapid spread of fire, such as sprinklers and smoke / heat detection units. Despite these measures to prevent the rapid spread of fire (with the box 10 playing a major role in the spread of fire), the problem of fire spreading throughout the storage and retrieval system remains. Storage containers must not only be fireproof but also possess sufficient structural rigidity to be stacked on top of each other in storage and retrieval systems. Typically, a fully loaded storage container weighs 35 kg. This represents the weight of the inventory or item, while 5 kg is a typical weight for a storage container. For a stack of twenty fully loaded storage containers, the load that the containers in the stack must support reaches 700 kg (6,867 Newtons).

[0015] WO2022 / 161863 (Autostore Technology AS) teaches a storage container for use in an automated storage and retrieval system. The storage containers are configured to be stacked in a stack of storage containers, wherein the lower storage container supports the storage container(s) (106) positioned above. The storage container comprises: a bottom; and four side portions, each of which is hingedly connected to an edge of the bottom by a living hinge. The four corner posts are configured to interconnect pairs of adjacent side portions in a horizontal orientation when the side portions are positioned at substantially 90 degrees relative to the bottom and relative to each other. The bottom and side portions of the storage container comprise sheet metal, which is provided as a blank from which the bottom and four side portions are formed. However, WO2022 / 161863 (Autostore Technology AS) does not address the problem of providing a leak-proof storage container, particularly when the contents of the storage container are groceries or food items, which are susceptible to spillage and may contaminate other grocery items in the storage container or adjacent storage containers in the stack.

[0016] Therefore, there is a need for a fire resistant storage container that can be stacked in a storage and retrieval system and that avoids leakage issues when storing food items. Summary of the Invention

[0017] The present application has alleviated the above problems by forming a storage container comprising a container or tray, wherein the container or tray is formed as a single unified body to accommodate any leakage caused by spillage of any contents of the storage container. Since the container is formed as a single unified body, the container can be defined as a monolithic container. The advantage of forming the bottom portion of the storage container as a single unified body is that this provides greater protection against leaks, rather than relying on the connection between the walls of the storage container to prevent leaks. The monolithic container forms the bottom portion or lower portion of the storage container and provides the best protection against leaks. The side walls and end walls are then attached to the bottom portion to form the upper portion of the storage container. The upper portion of the storage container confines the contents of the storage container within the boundaries of the storage container and prevents the contents from overflowing from the storage container. After assembling the lower portion comprising the container to the upper portion comprising the side walls and end walls, a box-like structure with a predefined depth is formed.

[0018] The processing methods for manufacturing containers involve stamping or punching a single sheet metal blank using a forming die corresponding to the container's shape, or drawing the sheet metal blank into a forming die. In both forming methods, the sheet metal blank undergoes plastic deformation due to the mechanical action of the forming die, particularly in the areas around the container's corners. The degree of plastic deformation caused by the stamping or drawing process depends primarily on the sharpness of any angles formed in the container, or the fact that the angles are formed with very small radii. In the case of a substantially rectangular container, plastic deformation of the sheet metal blank occurs primarily around the container's corners. The sharper the container's corners—that is, those formed to be substantially 90°—the greater the plastic deformation, as the sheet metal blank is subjected to greater stretching or elongation than other areas of the container, such as the container's walls. One of the negative effects of plastic deformation during the forming process is wrinkling of the metal sheet, particularly in the areas around the corners. In a worst-case scenario, the stretching of the sheet metal at the corners of the container can far exceed the yield strength of the sheet metal, resulting in localized thinning of the sheet metal wall to such an extent that the sheet metal may fracture or crack, i.e., reach the fracture point of the sheet metal. Far exceeding the yield strength of the sheet metal during the forming process can cause problems, especially when cold drawing the sheet metal blank, because the ductility of the metal decreases at low temperatures. Cold working the sheet metal blank is often the most preferred forming process due to the fewer operations required to form the sheet metal blank and the rapidity with which the storage containers can be manufactured. Considering that a typical grid frame structure can accommodate tens of thousands of storage containers, the manufacturing cost of the storage containers and the speed at which they can be manufactured are important determinants of the operating cost of the storage and retrieval system. Therefore, there is a need for a manufacturing method that reduces the number of processing steps in the manufacture of the storage containers.

[0019] To address the limitations of cold-working sheet metal blanks into predefined shapes, sheet metal blanks are typically plastically deformed at elevated temperatures using a process known in the art as superplastic forming (SPE) to increase their plasticity. Superplasticity in a metal is defined as the ability to exhibit high elongation and withstand significant stretching at a specific temperature and strain rate. This typically involves heating the sheet metal blank to elevated temperatures to enhance its plasticity. Consequently, superplastic forming is used to produce components that are difficult to form using traditional cold working processes. However, manufacturing storage containers using superplastic forming typically requires relatively long forming cycles of up to 30 minutes. Given the large-scale production required, this forming technique is not suitable for manufacturing storage containers used in storage and retrieval systems.

[0020] When a storage and retrieval system is used for the storage of food items, the container must have sufficient depth to catch any spillage from the food items. Spillage may originate from, for example, meat juices, beverages or other liquids that seep out of the stored food items. Due to spillage, the recommended leak-proof capacity or leak-proof capacity of the storage container to catch any spillage from the food items is approximately 20 to 30 liters. Considering that the dimensions of a storage container typically used in a storage and retrieval system are 648 mm in length, 448 mm in width and 362 mm in height, in order to catch and retain 20 to 30 liters of fluid, the container must have a depth in the range of 90 mm to 95 mm. Since the depth of the container is much smaller than the length and width of the container, the container is formed as a shallow container.

[0021] Because more force is required to draw the sheet metal blank to a greater depth, the amount of plastic deformation experienced by the sheet metal blank increases with the depth of the container. However, it is preferable for the container's walls to be substantially uniform, rather than having localized thinning in one or more areas of the storage container, which would weaken the storage container. One obvious solution (while also providing sufficient leak-proof capacity for the container) is to make the container's corners more rounded to reduce the amount of excessive plastic deformation experienced by the sheet metal during the forming process. However, one of the primary requirements for storage containers used in storage and retrieval systems is that they can be stacked in the storage columns of a grid frame structure so that robotic load handling equipment operating on the grid frame can engage and lift a storage container from a stack of storage containers. When stacking storage containers in a grid frame structure, the bottom or bottom wall of the storage container must rest on the edge of the adjacent storage container below in the stack so that the load handling equipment operating on the grid frame can properly engage the storage container. In order for the gripper equipment of the load handling equipment to properly engage the storage container in the stack, the storage container must be level. To ensure that a storage container is level within a stack, its bottom or lower portion should ideally rest smoothly on the edge of the container below it in the stack. Because the container forms its lower portion, achieving more rounded corners in the container presents a problem: one or more corners of the container may not rest squarely on the edge of the adjacent container below it in the stack, and in the worst case, may become lodged in the opening of the container below it. Given that a stack can hold up to twenty-one containers, any container that fails to rest properly on the edge of its adjacent container below it in the stack could potentially cause some containers to become stuck together. This, in turn, prevents the loading and handling equipment operating on the lattice frame structure from properly engaging the container, and even if it does engage, it can hinder proper separation from adjacent containers in the stack. One solution is to draw the sheet metal blank multiple times to different depths by transferring the drawn part to different drawing dies of increasing depth. However, this not only increases the number of processing steps required to manufacture the container, but the repeated transfer of the drawn part to different dies is also detrimental to automated manufacturing. Furthermore, since the drawn component needs to be continually removed from the previous die during the manufacturing process, this also increases the risk of damaging the drawn component each time it is transferred to another die.

[0022] In order to provide a stackable storage container formed from containers of the correct depth (to provide a leak-proof storage container) without encountering the aforementioned problems, the lower portion of the storage container according to the present invention is formed by at least a two-step process. More specifically, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing storage containers for storage in a stack in a grid frame structure comprising a plurality of storage columns, each of the plurality of storage columns being configured to store a stack of storage containers, the method comprising the following steps: A) The lower portion of the storage container is formed by the following steps: i) stamping or drawing a sheet metal blank into a drawing die to form a tray-shaped preform comprising a base with a raised rim and a flange; ii) turning over the flange to define a connecting surface extending in the same direction as the raised rim of the tray-shaped preform to form a container having a predefined depth; B) Forming the upper portion of the storage container by the following steps: iii) stamping the side walls and / or end walls from one or more separate sheet metal blanks; C) Attaching the upper portion to the lower portion by attaching the side walls and end walls to the connecting surfaces of the container.

[0023] Stamping or drawing a sheet metal blank into a drawing or forming die to form a tray-shaped preform comprising a bottom or bottom wall with a raised rim and a flange, followed by flipping the flange to form a container with a predefined depth, allows containers with a predefined leak-proof capacity to be formed through a cold working process. This allows the container to be formed to a predetermined depth without excessively exceeding the breaking point of the metal sheet, particularly at the container's corners. Cold forming the sheet metal blank to form a tray-shaped preform with a small radius, particularly at the corners, can be used as long as the breaking point of the metal sheet is not reached or exceeded. To increase the leak-proof capacity of the tray-shaped preform, the flange is flipped to increase the depth of the tray-shaped preform, rather than re-drawing the tray-shaped preform to a greater depth. The flange is flipped at the junction between the raised rim and the flange of the tray-shaped preform to increase the depth of the tray-shaped preform. The combination of the stamping / drawing process and the flange inversion enables the container to have sharp corners and the required leak-proof capacity to hold liquids, an effect that cannot be achieved when the container is simply stamped or drawn to a predefined depth in a single operation from a single cold sheet metal blank. Optionally, the corners of the tray-shaped preform are rounded to a radius in the range of 5 mm to 10 mm, more specifically in the range of 5 mm to 8 mm. Optionally, the sheet metal blank has a thickness in the range of 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm.

[0024] The deep drawing process involves drawing a sheet metal blank into a die cavity through the mechanical action of a punch. The drawing die comprises a die member, an upper die member, and a lower die member, at least one of which includes a punch, and the other includes a die cavity. Optionally, the method further comprises using the die member with the punch to control the amount by which the sheet metal blank is drawn into the die cavity.

[0025] After the deep drawing process, the flange extends outwardly around the open edge of the outer periphery of the raised rim. In order to turn the flange over to define a connection surface for connecting with the side walls and end walls in the upper part of the storage container, the flange is preferably turned over by turning the flange inward so that the flange extends in the same direction as the raised rim of the tray-shaped preform.

[0026] During the drawing process, a sheet metal blank is clamped in a die member, and a punch is mechanically drawn into the sheet metal, causing the sheet metal blank to assume the shape of a punch including a raised edge. One result of drawing the sheet metal blank is that the sheet metal is stretched as it is gradually drawn into the die cavity. This stretching causes flash, or burr, to appear around the die, extending from the raised edge. Depending on the amount of stretching the sheet metal undergoes in the die cavity, the burr can be of varying lengths. Optionally, the method further includes the step of trimming the burr to form a flange using a trimming die comprising a trimming punch and a positioning die member for supporting the tray-shaped preform, wherein the burr is trimmed by moving the trimming punch relative to the positioning die member to form the flange. Optionally, the trimming punch can be integrally formed with the drawing die, for example, as part of the die cavity. Integrating the trimming punch into the die cavity enables the burr to be trimmed using the same tool as the drawing die. Thus, the punch used to draw the sheet metal blank into the tray-shaped preform can serve as a holding die member for supporting the tray-shaped preform, and a trimming punch integrated into the die cavity can subsequently trim the flash to form a flange for flipping. Alternatively, the trimming of the flash can be performed in a separate tool. In this way, the method can include the following steps: transferring the tray-shaped preform to a trimming die, the trimming die including the trimming punch and a positioning die member for supporting the tray-shaped preform, wherein the method further includes the step of trimming the flash to form the flange by moving the trimming punch relative to the positioning die member.

[0027] The rate and amount of drawing the metal sheet into the mold cavity vary depending on the shape of the mold cavity. For a cube-shaped mold cavity, more metal sheet will be drawn into the sides and ends of the tray-shaped preform compared to the corners of the tray-shaped preform. This results in uneven flash around the open edge of the periphery of the rim of the container, especially at the corners of the flange. This is due to the large material flow at the corners of the flange during the flipping process. The method further includes the step of trimming the corners of the flash by a corner trimming die including a corner trimming punch and a positioning die member for supporting the tray-shaped preform, wherein the corners of the flash are trimmed by moving the corner trimming punch relative to the positioning die member. Similar to the trimming punch, the corner trimming punch is optionally integrally formed with the drawing die. Alternatively, trimming the corners of the flash can be performed in a separate tool. Thus, optionally, the method further comprises the steps of transferring the tray-shaped preform to a corner trimming die comprising a corner trimming punch and a positioning die member for supporting the tray-shaped preform, wherein the method further comprises the step of trimming the corner of the flash by moving the corner trimming punch relative to the positioning die member.

[0028] The term "inversion" encompasses the process of bending the metal sheet at the junction between the raised rim and the flange so that it lies in a vertical plane and thereby increases the depth of the tray-shaped preform. Optionally, the flange is inverted by: i) enclosing the tray-shaped preform by a flanging die such that the flange at least partially extends across the flanging die; ii) The flange is turned over by moving the flanging die relative to the tray-shaped preform.

[0029] An example of turning over a flange on an industrial scale is to use a flanging die (also known as edge bending) comprising a positioning die member and a flanging die member. The method comprises the following steps: i) retaining the preformed preform in a positioning mold member such that the flange extends outwardly from the positioning mold member; ii) moving the flanging die member relative to the positioning die member to flip the flange.

[0030] Optionally, the flanging die member is integrally formed with the drawing die so that the flanging process of the flange can be completed using the same tool as the drawing process. Alternatively, the flanging process can be performed in a separate flanging tool by the following steps: i) transferring the tray-shaped preform to a flanging mold comprising a positioning mold member and a flanging mold member such that the flanging mold member extends outwardly from the positioning mold member, ii) moving the flanging die member relative to the positioning die member to flip the flange.

[0031] Depending on the shape of the storage container, the flanging mold member can be constructed as a separate flanging mold part, each of which can be adapted to flip at least a portion of the flange of the tray-shaped preform. Considering that the flange extends around the open edge of the periphery of the rim, the flanging mold member can optionally be annular so as to surround the tray-shaped preform, so that the movement of the flanging mold member relative to the positioning mold member can effectively flip the flange protruding from the positioning mold member in a single operation. The flanging mold member can also be substantially rectangular. In this case, the flanging mold member can surround the container, especially when the cross-section of the container is substantially rectangular.

[0032] Because the sidewalls and / or end walls are connected to the lower portion of the storage container via a connection surface formed by connecting to the inverted flange, it is important to maximize the surface contact area between the connection surface in the lower portion of the storage container and the sidewalls and / or end walls in the upper portion of the storage container, particularly at the corners of the storage container. One of the challenges with defining the connection surface for connecting to the sidewalls and / or end walls by inverting the flange is that any deformity or wrinkling in the flange can hinder proper connection between the connection surface and the sidewalls and / or end walls, particularly at the corners of the storage container. For example, the flange is prone to wrinkling, particularly at the corners, to mitigate any plastic flow of metal during inversion. This wrinkling in the flange limits the maximum surface contact between the sidewalls and / or end walls and the connection surface at the corners. To mitigate wrinkling during inversion, the step of trimming the corners of the flash using a corner trimming die optionally includes forming notches in the corners of the flange. The notches in the corners of the flange can have various shapes, including, but not limited to, V-shaped, U-shaped, or semicircular. The depth of the notch allows excess metal that flows at the corners during turning over of the flange to be contained in the space occupied by the notch, which makes the contact surface smoother and thereby maximizes the surface contact between the flange and the upper portion of the storage container (i.e., the side walls and end walls).

[0033] Optionally, the method further comprises the step of stamping a step into the flange. Forming the step in the flange provides a base in the flange for supporting the edges of the side and end walls of the upper portion of the storage container when the side and end walls are provided to the connecting surface. Furthermore, the step in the flange enables the side and end walls in the upper portion of the storage container to be angled outwardly relative to the raised rim of the container. This has the effect of forming a storage container with side and end walls that are tapered or inclined outwardly. After forming the container with the desired leak-proof capacity, the side and end walls are then attached to the flange via the connecting surface to form the storage container. Optionally, the side and end walls are attached to the connecting surface by welding.

[0034] Optionally, the side walls are connected to the end walls via respective edges to form the corners of the storage container. Specifically, the opposite edges of each side wall are connected to the opposite edges of the respective end walls. Since one or more storage containers are stored in the grid frame structure in one or more stacks, each storage container must have sufficient structural integrity to withstand the weight of the one or more storage containers in a given stack. For example, a given stack stored in a grid frame structure may be up to twenty storage containers. Considering that each storage container can weigh up to 35 kg, this is equivalent to a weight of 700 kg. If the walls of the storage container lack the necessary structural integrity, there is a risk that the walls of the storage container will collapse due to the weight of one or more storage containers above the stack. Prior art WO2022 / 161863 (Autostore Technology AS) has alleviated this problem by providing four separate corner posts that connect adjacent sides of the storage container to each other. While the provision of corner posts provides the storage container with sufficient structural integrity to support the weight of one or more storage containers in a stack, the interconnections between the corner posts and the sides of the storage container do not contribute to achieving a leak-proof storage container. This is because, for the storage container taught in WO2022 / 161863 (Autostore Technology AS) to be leak-proof, the interconnections between the corner posts and the sides of the storage container must be leak-proof. However, attempting to achieve leak-proof connections between different components can be complicated, as this depends greatly on the type of connection used.

[0035] In order to avoid the use of separate corner posts to interconnect the sides of the storage container, each side wall and end wall optionally includes a connecting flange that is configured to overlap at the corners of the storage container when each side wall is connected to its respective end wall. The overlapping portions of the side walls and end walls at the corners of the storage container strengthen the corners of the storage container without the need for separate corner posts. The double-layer structure formed by the connecting flanges at the corners of the storage container provides sufficient structural rigidity at the corners of the storage container, thereby providing a load-bearing structure. Providing connecting flanges at the opposing ends or edges of the side walls and end walls of the storage container can strengthen the storage container at the four corners of the storage container. The connecting flanges can be integrally formed during the stamping of the side walls and end walls from one or more separate sheet metal blanks. To further improve the structural rigidity of the storage container, optionally, the upper portion of the storage container further includes a side wall edge portion and / or an end wall edge portion, each side wall edge portion being configured to be assembled to a respective side wall, and / or each end wall edge portion being configured to be assembled to a respective end wall. To further improve the structural rigidity of the storage container (especially at the corners of the storage container), optionally, each end wall edge portion includes a downwardly extending edge flange, each downwardly extending edge flange being configured to overlap with a connecting flange of the respective end wall when the end wall edge portion is assembled to the end wall. Having the downwardly extending edge flange overlap with the connecting flange at the corners of the storage container increases the number of "layers" of the metal sheet at the corners of the storage container from two layers to three layers, thereby improving the structural rigidity of the storage container.

[0036] In order to enable the storage container to engage with the gripper device of the load handling device, the storage container is optionally designed to be lifted by the end wall and / or side wall of the storage container. Optionally, each side wall and / or end wall includes one or more openings or recesses for engaging with the gripper device of the load handling device.

[0037] Tray-shaped preforms are stamped or drawn from sheet metal blanks made of galvanized steel to plastically deform the blanks as they are drawn into the forming die. Galvanized steel is more ductile and easier to machine than alternative corrosion-resistant steels, such as stainless steel. Stainless steel is stronger and more corrosion-resistant than galvanized steel, but it is less ductile than galvanized steel.

[0038] To enhance food safety when using galvanized steel, the storage container may be embedded with a food-safe liner. In this case, the storage container comprises a metal container body embedded with the liner. Optionally, the storage container includes a liner made of a food-grade material. Optionally, the liner comprises a food-grade plastic material and / or a cellulose-based material.

[0039] The present invention provides a storage container for storing one or more items in a storage and retrieval system, the storage and retrieval system comprising a rail system and a stack of a plurality of storage containers located below the rail system, the rail system comprising a first set of parallel rails or tracks and a second set of parallel rails or tracks, the second set of parallel rails or tracks extending transversely to the first set of parallel rails in a substantially horizontal plane to form a grid pattern comprising a plurality of grid spaces or grid cells, and wherein each stack of the plurality of storage containers occupies a single grid space or grid cell, the storage container comprising a metal container body made by a method according to the present invention.

[0040] The present invention further provides a storage and retrieval system comprising: i) a grid frame structure comprising a plurality of storage columns for storing stacks of one or more storage containers and a rail system comprising a plurality of rails arranged in a grid pattern comprising a plurality of grid cells, the rail system being arranged above the plurality of storage columns such that each of the plurality of storage columns is arranged below a respective grid cell of the rail system; ii) a stack of one or more storage containers, wherein at least one storage container in the stack of one or more storage containers is produced by the method according to the invention; iii) a plurality of load handling devices for lifting and moving storage containers stacked in one or more stacks, the plurality of load handling devices being remotely operated to move laterally on a rail system 106 above the storage columns to access the storage containers through the grid cells, each of the plurality of load handling devices comprising: a) a wheel assembly for guiding the load handling equipment on the track system; b) a container receiving space located above the rail system; and c) A lifting device which is arranged to lift a storage container from the stack into the container receiving space. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] Further features and aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagram of an automated storage and retrieval system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 2 It shows the arrangement in Figure 1 Schematic diagram of a top view of a stack of boxes within a frame structure.

[0043] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a system of known load handling equipment operating on a grid frame structure.

[0044] Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of a load handling apparatus showing a container receiving space within the body of the load handling apparatus.

[0045] Figure 5 (a) and Figure 5 (b) Yes Figure 4 Schematic perspective sectional view of a load handling apparatus in , showing (a) a container accommodated in a container receiving space of the load handling apparatus and (b) the container receiving space of the load handling apparatus.

[0046] Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view of a gripper device positioned above a storage container.

[0047] Figure 7 (a) is a schematic perspective view of a gripper device mounted on a storage container.

[0048] Figure 7 (b) is a schematic perspective view of the gripper device engaged with the storage container.

[0049] Figure 8 is a schematic perspective view of a storage container including a container bottom drawn from a sheet metal blank according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 Exploded view of the storage container shown.

[0051] Figure 10 is formed from a sheet metal blank Figure 8 A schematic perspective view of a side wall of a storage container is shown.

[0052] Figure 11 is formed from a sheet metal blank Figure 8 Schematic perspective view of the end wall shown.

[0053] Figure 12 yes Figure 8 A schematic perspective view of the rim portion of the storage container is shown.

[0054] Figure 13 yes Figure 8 A schematic enlarged view of a corner of a storage container is shown illustrating the double-wall structure reinforced by overlapping side and end wall flanges.

[0055] Figure 14 (a) and Figure 14(b) is a schematic stereoscopic view of (a) a rim portion of a storage container including downwardly extending rim flanges at opposite ends of the rim portion according to another embodiment of the present invention, and (b) a schematic stereoscopic view of an end wall including flanges at opposite ends of the end wall, wherein the end wall is configured to overlap with the downwardly extending flange when the rim portion is mounted to the end wall.

[0056] Figure 15 It is reinforced by three layers of metal plates. Figure 14 (a) and Figure 14 (b) is a schematic perspective cross-sectional view of a corner of a storage container assembled with a rim portion and an end wall.

[0057] Figure 16 is a schematic perspective view of steps in a manufacturing process according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the steps of drawing a single sheet metal blank in a drawing die to form a leak-proof container.

[0058] Figure 17 It is through Figure 16 A schematic perspective view of a tray-shaped preform is shown which is formed by deep drawing a sheet metal blank in a drawing die.

[0059] Figure 18 is a schematic perspective view of steps in a manufacturing process according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the turning over of a flange by a flanging die.

[0060] Figure 19 is a schematic perspective view of steps in a manufacturing process according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing Figure 18 The flange is shown turned over by a flanging die.

[0061] Figure 20 is a schematic perspective view of a step in the manufacturing process showing the trimming of the flash of a tray-shaped preform in a trimming die to form a flange.

[0062] Figure 21 is a schematic perspective view of a step in a manufacturing process showing the trimming of the corner portion of the flash edge of a tray-shaped preform in a corner trimming die.

[0063] Figure 22 (a) and Figure 22 (b) is a schematic perspective view of the tray-shaped preform in (a), wherein the tray-shaped preform has Figure 20 and Figure 21(a) a trimmed flange having been trimmed in the steps shown, the trimmed flange extending outwardly in a direction substantially perpendicular to the raised rim; and (b) a schematic perspective view of a container in which the trimmed flange of the tray-shaped preform is flipped over so that it extends in the same direction as the raised rim.

[0064] Figure 22 (c) is an enlarged view of a corner of the tray-shaped preform showing the curvature radius R of the corner.

[0065] Figure 22 (d) and Figure 22 (e) is a schematic diagram of (d) a flange at a corner of a tray-shaped preform without a notch, and (e) a schematic diagram of a flange at a corner of a tray-shaped preform with a notch.

[0066] Figure 23 is a schematic perspective view of a step in the manufacturing process, showing the turning over of the flange of a tray-shaped preform by a flanging die.

[0067] Figure 24 is a schematic perspective view of the steps in the manufacturing process, showing the steps of drawing a single sheet metal blank in a drawing die, turning over the flange, and trimming the flash in a single operation.

[0068] Figure 25 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an assembly line including assembly stations for assembling storage containers according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0069] Figure 26 is a flow chart illustrating the steps for assembling a storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0070] For known characteristics of storage systems, such as the above reference Figures 1 to 7 (a) and Figure 7 (b) The lattice frame structure and loading handling equipment described in the present invention are designed. Figure 6 、 Figure 7 (a) and Figure 7 (b) is an example of a typical storage container for storing items or goods in a grid frame structure. The storage container is generally cubical, but other shapes are also suitable for use with the present invention. The storage container shown in the specific embodiment of the present invention has a substantially rectangular cross-section. However, the present invention is not limited to having a rectangular cross-section; other cross-sectional shapes are also suitable, such as square. To be suitable for storage in a grid frame, the storage container should have the following characteristics: A. Have sufficient structural integrity to be stacked in storage columns in a grid frame structure without any wall portion of the storage container deforming or changing shape.

[0071] B. Lightweight: Ideally, the weight of the storage container should be a small fraction of the weight of its contents. Typically, storage containers in the field weigh approximately 5 to 8 kg. This is to prevent the lifting mechanism, including the lifting motor, from bearing the weight of the storage container, while also allowing heavier contents to be stored in the storage container.

[0072] C. Leakage prevention to prevent fluids generated by spillage of items stored in the storage container (especially grocery items) from overflowing the storage container and contaminating the contents of other storage containers in the vicinity.

[0073] D. Have relatively sharp corners or corners with a small radius so that any two storage containers can be stacked on top of each other in a storage column without getting stuck in the stack. Therefore, the storage containers should include corners that ensure separation of the storage containers when they are lifted by load handling equipment operating on a grid frame structure.

[0074] E. Flame retardant, meaning the material of the storage container will not spontaneously combust and / or release toxic gases in the event of a fire.

[0075] Typically, the physical properties described in points A to D above can be achieved by using thermoplastic materials to manufacture storage containers because such materials are lightweight and can be molded into complex shapes. Examples of manufacturing methods include, but are not limited to, injection molding, blow molding, and the like. In this way, the storage containers can be molded with sharp corners so that the storage containers can be stacked without getting stuck, especially when the storage container supports a stack of up to twenty-one storage containers with a total weight of approximately 35 kg each. One of the common problems with corners that do not have sharp corners or small radii is that one or more corners of a storage container in the stack can get stuck in the container mouth 58 of an adjacent storage container below the stack (see Figure 6). This can have the undesirable effect of jamming any two containers in a stack, preventing them from separating when attempting to lift one from the stack. In the worst case, load handling equipment operating on the grid frame structure is either unable to lift a container from the stack due to the corners jamming against the vertical columns of the grid frame structure, or is forced to lift multiple containers at once due to the containers jamming together. The jamming problem is exacerbated when the load handling equipment's gripper fails to smoothly lower the container onto the stack. This can occur because any of the lifting tethers connected to the gripper, which engage the container, are of unequal length, causing the gripper to tilt or skew during lowering, and / or because the container wobbles as it descends onto the storage column. To reduce the likelihood of any two containers jamming due to improper placement on adjacent containers below the stack, the containers must form small-radius corners, ideally 90°, so that the container rests smoothly on the edge of the adjacent container below the stack. The ability to mold complex shapes from thermoplastic materials allows storage containers to be formed into complex shapes, especially with small radius corners, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 (a) and Figure 7 (b) Other advantages of using thermoplastic materials in manufacturing storage containers for use in lattice frame structures include their inherent low density, resulting in lightweight, and inherent leak resistance. The low density of thermoplastic materials allows the walls of the storage containers to be made thick enough to provide the structural integrity necessary for stacking in a lattice frame structure. The inherent leak resistance of thermoplastic materials means that storage containers molded from them are leak-proof.

[0076] To allow air to flow within the storage container 10 when the storage container 10 is placed in the stack, the side walls 52a and 52b and / or the end walls 54a and 54b of the storage container 10 include one or more slots, openings, or vents 56. The slots or openings 56 in the side walls 52a and 52b and / or the end walls 54a and 54b allow air to circulate within and around the storage and retrieval system to flow within the storage container 10. This is particularly important when the storage container 10 is located in a refrigerated area of ​​the storage and retrieval system, where cold air from a refrigeration unit or air conditioning unit is circulated around at least a portion of the grid frame structure to keep items, such as grocery items, at a refrigerated temperature. Cooling systems, such as the one described in International Patent Publication No. WO2016 / 193419 (Ocado Innovation Limited), require air to flow within the storage system and through the storage container 10 and the stack 12 of boxes 10. The system described in that international patent application, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a storage system comprising one or more heaters and / or one or more refrigerators for generating a temperature-controlled gas, one or more fans for circulating the temperature-controlled gas through the storage system, and a plenum for receiving the temperature-controlled gas. If a portion of the storage and retrieval system needs to be cooled to a lower temperature, for example to enable storage of items requiring refrigeration (e.g., fruits and vegetables), it is even more important that the air flow through the system cools the items to be stored. In addition to cooling the storage system, it will be appreciated that the same method described above can be used to heat items stored in the storage system in a similar manner.

[0077] When storing grocery items, one of the most important characteristics of a storage container is preventing leaks from food items from escaping the container and contaminating other food items stored in adjacent containers in the stack. Because fluids tend to settle at the bottom of a storage container, the container is divided into a lower or bottom portion 60 and an upper portion 62. Ideally, the lower or bottom portion 60 of the storage container 10 is leak-proof to prevent spills in the lower portion from escaping the container, while the upper portion 62 includes sidewalls and end walls to contain the goods within the container. Therefore, any ventilation holes 56 in the sidewalls and endwalls for air circulation are formed in the upper portion of the container to prevent fluid trapped in the lower portion from escaping through the vents. A common industry consensus is to manufacture storage containers with a capacity to hold approximately 20 to 30 liters of liquid without leaking (referred to herein as a leak-proof capacity or liquid leakage capacity). For example, for a storage container having dimensions of 448 mm x 648 mm x 362 mm, this means that the lower portion of the storage container has a depth in the range of 90 mm to 95 mm.

[0078] While the use of thermoplastic materials to manufacture storage containers offers significant advantages as described above, a problem with using thermoplastic materials is that they can burn at high temperatures and release toxic gases in the event of a fire. The flammability of thermoplastic materials means that a fire in a localized area of ​​the grid frame structure can quickly spread to other areas of the grid frame structure due to the flammability of the storage containers. For example, in the event of a fire in a localized area of ​​the grid frame structure, the excessive heat can cause one or more storage containers to melt, resulting in molten plastic dripping onto other areas of the grid frame structure. Given the multiple storage containers stacked in a typical grid frame structure, a fire in one area of ​​the grid frame structure can potentially trigger a chain reaction as the fire spreads to other parts of the grid frame structure. The use of inherently flammable thermoplastic materials means that alternative flame-retardant materials must be used in the manufacture of storage containers, while still possessing the necessary physical properties described in points A to D above.

[0079] Metal is the material of choice for manufacturing the storage container according to the present invention due to its flame-retardant properties. However, the storage container according to the present invention is not limited to being constructed entirely of a metal container body; at least portions of the storage container may include other materials, such as plastic. Storage containers comprising a metal container body are also suitable for use as delivery containers (DTs). That is, delivery containers may also include the metal container body according to the present invention, including a container bottom wall, opposing side walls, and opposing end walls. In the following description, storage container 10 is used to refer to a storage container intended for storing inventory items, while delivery container (DT) is used to refer to a container filled or intended to be filled according to a customer's order. It should be understood that these terms are used for ease of reference and description in this document. However, it should be noted that storage container 10 and DT can be of the same shape, size, and / or configuration. Furthermore, DTs can be stored within storage container 10 or any portion thereof within a storage system. To enable access to delivery containers nested within a storage container, the storage container's opposing side walls and / or opposing end walls may include cutouts 59, such that when combined with a delivery container, the cutouts 59 extend below the height of the delivery container.

[0080] See below Figure 8 and Figure 9In the embodiments of the different types of storage containers described, the body of the storage container is entirely made of metal, that is, the metal container body of the storage container is defined as a storage container. This does not affect the fact that the storage container may include an inner liner. For food items, the inner liner may be made of a food-grade material, such as a food-grade plastic material and / or a wax-impregnated cellulose-based material (cardboard). For ease of explanation, the metal container body may be referred to as a storage container in the following embodiments. The metal container body of the present invention may have a shape similar to that of the storage containers currently used for storing items in a grid frame structure, for example having a substantially rectangular container bottom wall and opposing side walls and opposing end walls. The metal storage container can be used in the above reference Figure 3 as well as Figure 6 and Figure 7 (a) and Figure 7 (b) The flame-retardant properties of metal storage containers can be utilized to form flame-retardant barriers within the lattice frame structure. For example, a stack of multiple metal storage containers can be arranged to form one or more flame-retardant barriers to at least partially surround a stack of multiple storage containers comprising plastic material. The one or more flame-retardant barriers comprising metal storage containers can be used to contain any flame within the lattice frame structure.

[0081] Figure 8 is an embodiment of a storage container 110 according to the present invention made from one or more sheet metal blanks, Figure 9 yes Figure 8 Exploded view of the storage container shown. Similar to the storage container 10 currently in practical use, the storage container 110 according to the present invention can also be split into a lower part or bottom part 160 and an upper part 162. Compared to forming the entire storage container as a single unified body with a lower part and an upper part (usually when the storage container is made entirely of plastic material), the storage container according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is assembled from the separate upper part 160 and lower part 162. Figure 9 In the particular embodiment shown, the wall portions in the upper portion of the metal container body are formed as separate parts (e.g., by stamping or drawing a plurality of sheet metal blanks) and are subsequently fixedly connected together to form an upper side wall portion 164 and an upper end wall portion 166. For purposes of definition, the term "upper side wall portion" may be referred to as the "side wall" of the storage container, and the term "upper end wall portion" may be referred to as the "end wall". The upper side wall portion 164 and / or the upper end wall portion 166 may include, for example, Figure 6 One or more cutouts are shown to allow access to a delivery container (DT) nested within a storage container.

[0082] One or more separate rim portions 168 are mounted to the upper edges of the upper sidewall portion 164 and the upper endwall portion 166 to define the rim of the metal container body 110. A separate rim portion 168 is mounted to each of the upper sidewall portion 164 and / or the upper endwall portion 166. Figure 12 As shown, the rim portion 168 includes one or more openings or grooves 149 for engaging a gripper device of a load handling device.

[0083] The upper side wall portion 164 and the upper end wall portion 166 of the metal container body 110 are each formed from a sheet metal blank and may optionally be formed by stamping or drawing the sheet metal blank (see FIG. Figure 10 and Figure 11 ). The rim portion 168 may also be formed by stamping a sheet metal blank. The upper edge of the rim portion 168 is turned inward to form a lip 148 having one or more holes or openings 149 for engaging with a gripper device of the loading handling device. The rim portion 168 is configured so that it is clipped or snap-fitted to the exterior of the upper side wall portion 164 and / or the upper end wall portion 166. In order to improve the structural integrity of the box-like structure of the metal container body and to enable the upper side wall portion and the upper end wall portion to be fixed together, one or more connecting flanges 150, 152 are formed at opposite ends of the upper side wall portion 164 and the upper end wall portion 166. The flange 152 of the upper end wall portion 166 is configured to overlap with the adjacent connecting flange 150 of the upper side wall portion 164 when the upper side wall portion 164 and the upper end wall portion 166 are converged with the lower portion 160 of the metal container body 110 to form the box-like structure. For example, the connecting flange 152 of the upper end wall portion 166 is configured to overlap the adjacent connecting flange 150 of the upper side wall portion 164. This is clearly shown in FIG. Figure 13Each of the connecting flanges 150, 152 of the adjacent upper side wall portion or upper end wall portion extends across the corner of the metal container body 110 to strengthen the corner. The upper side wall portion 164 and the upper end wall portion 166 can be secured together at the corners of the metal container body using their respective flanges using various fasteners known in the art. This includes but is not limited to welding (e.g., spot welding), riveting and / or the use of adhesives. In a particular embodiment of the present invention, the connecting flanges 150, 152 of the upper side wall portion 164 and the upper end wall portion 166 are secured or connected together by a process called mechanical clinching. Clinching is similar to riveting, but does not require separate rivets. Instead, it involves plastically deforming the metal sheets using specialized punches and dies to form a physical lock between the metal sheet blanks. To further enhance the structural integrity of the box-like structure, the rim portion 268 mounted on the upper end wall portion 166 may optionally include a rim flange 254 at each corner that overlaps each connecting flange 152 of the upper end wall portion 166 .

[0084] In order to enable the gripper element of the gripper device to be properly aligned with the hole or opening 149 in the rim portion of the storage container, the metal container body includes a guide 144 at each corner of the box-like structure of the metal container body 110, which extends vertically from the upper edge or rim of the storage container to at least partially along the height of the box-like structure of the storage container for accommodating the guide pins or positioning pins of the gripper device. Figure 6 As described above, the guide 144 is shaped to cooperate with the guide pins or locating pins of the gripper device to properly align the gripper element 46 with the opening 149 in the rim portion 168 of the storage container. The guide 144 at the corner of the metal container body is formed by an elongated vertical groove in the connecting flanges 150, 152 of the upper side wall portion 164 and / or the upper end wall portion 166. The elongated vertical groove 144 can be formed by one or more bends in the metal sheet of the upper side wall portion 164 and / or the upper end wall portion 166. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, as Figure 11 As shown, the elongated vertical groove 144 is formed in the connecting flange 152 of the upper end wall portion 166. Figure 13As shown, the elongated vertical groove 144 in the connecting flange 152 of the upper end wall portion 166 is configured to overlap with the connecting flange 150 of the upper side wall portion 164 at the corner of the box-like structure of the metal container body 110 when the upper side wall portion 164 and the upper end wall portion 166 are brought together. The overlapping connecting flanges 150, 152 of the upper side wall portion 164 and the upper end wall portion 166 cause the corner of the metal container body 110 to include two layers that overlap each other. This in turn strengthens the corner of the metal container body 110 for bearing the load of one or more storage containers placed on top, especially when the storage container including the metal container body is placed in a stack of storage containers. Therefore, due to Figure 13 With the two-part corner structure shown, the corners of the metal container body 110 are provided with rigidity.

[0085] To further strengthen the corners of the storage container, the rim portion 268 mounted on the upper end wall portion 166 may optionally include a rim flange 254 at each corner that overlaps each connecting flange 152 of the upper end wall portion 166. In this way, the overlapping connecting flanges 150, 152 of the upper side wall portion 164 and the upper end wall portion 166 and the overlapping flanges 254 of the rim portion 268 together provide three overlapping layers for the corners of the metal container body 110, rather than having a double-layer structure of the metal container body at the corners of the storage container. This is shown in Figure 14 (a) and Figure 14 (b), where Figure 14 FIG. 1 shows a rim portion including a downwardly extending rim portion 254 configured to cooperate with an opposing flange of an end wall portion in an upper portion of the storage container to increase the number of layers at a corner of the storage container from Figure 13 The two layers shown are increased to three layers. Similar to the storage containers described above, the opposing side walls 164 and the opposing end wall 166 of the storage container 110 may include one or more slots or openings or holes 149 to enable engagement with the gripper elements of the gripper device. To accommodate a guide for the locating pin 42 of the gripper device, the downwardly extending flange 254 and the flange 152 of the upper end wall portion 166 include flanges 254 and 152 when the respective flanges overlap to form a guide for the locating pin 42. Figure 14 (a) and Figure 14 (b) shows the mating vertical grooves 244a, 244b when the rim portion 268 is assembled on the end wall portion 166.

[0086] In order to increase the structural rigidity of the storage container, one or more walls of the storage container may be embossed with one or more ribs 112. Figure 8 and Figure 9In the particular embodiment of the invention shown, the walls of the lower and upper portions of the storage container are embossed with a plurality of ribs 112 to strengthen their respective walls. The orientation of the ribs depends on the direction of the load applied to the walls of the storage container. Since the walls of the storage container bear loads primarily in a substantially vertical direction when supporting one or more storage containers in a stack, the plurality of ribs 112 embossed in the side and end walls of the storage container extend in a substantially vertical direction (see FIG. Figures 8 to 11 ).

[0087] A problem in assembling the walls of a storage container stamped from multiple sheet metal blanks is ensuring that the joints or junctions between adjacent wall portions of the storage container are leak-proof. In the present invention, the lower portion 160 is formed by drawing or stamping a single sheet metal blank to form a container (tray-shaped preform) or tray 170, wherein the container or tray 170 includes a container bottom wall 172 and upwardly upstanding opposite bottom side walls 174 and upwardly upstanding opposite end walls 176 (see Figure 22 ). In order to distinguish them from the opposing side walls 164 and end walls 166 in the upper portion 162 of the storage container, the upwardly upright opposing bottom side walls 174 and the upwardly upright opposing end walls 176 of the lower portion of the storage container can be defined as a raised rim 180. The raised rim includes the bottom side walls 174 and the bottom end walls 176 of the container. The side wall portions 164 and the end wall portions 166 in the upper portion of the storage container are assembled together with the lower portion to form a box-like structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Compared to the upper portion of the storage container, the lower portion of the storage container must be leak-proof when storing grocery items. In order to manufacture the lower portion as a leak-proof container, the lower portion is ideally made of a single sheet metal blank that is plastically deformed to form a box-like structure such as Figure 17 A tray-shaped preform 178 is shown. Figure 17 The tray-shaped preform shown includes a raised rim 180 and a flange 182 extending outwardly around the open edge of the periphery of the raised rim 180. For purposes of definition, the raised rim 180 of the tray-shaped preform includes the upwardly upright opposing bottom side walls 174 and the upwardly upright opposing end walls 176 of the storage container's lower portion 160. As further described below, the flange 182 is formed by a stamping process or a deep drawing process.

[0088] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the lower portion 160 of the storage container is formed by stamping or drawing a single sheet metal blank 185 into a forming or drawing die 184 in a single operation and involves stretching the sheet metal blank through the mechanical action of the forming or drawing die. Figure 16As shown, the drawing die 184 includes a punch die member 186, an upper die member 188 having a die cavity 190, and a lower die member 189 including a punch 192. The holding force or clamping force of the punch die member 186 is controlled by controlling the air pressure applied to the backing plate 186. The punch 192 may be located on a die platen or die member (not shown). However, the present invention is not limited to the upper die member 188 including the die cavity 190 and the lower die member 189 including the punch 192, but is also applicable vice versa, that is, the lower die member 189 including the die cavity 190 and the upper die member 188 including the punch 192. The operation of the drawing process includes bringing the upper die member 188 and the lower die member 189 together so that the punch 192 forces the metal sheet blank 185 into the die cavity 190 to form as shown. Figure 17 The tray-shaped preform 178 is shown. During the drawing process, the punch 192 cooperates with the die cavity 190 to draw the end of the sheet metal blank inward in the direction of the arrow. The peripheral stress generated during the drawing process makes the flange 182 a critical area of ​​the tray-shaped preform 178.

[0089] To prevent wrinkling of flange 182 and control the drawing process, die member 186 applies pressure to flange 182 to suppress wrinkling and control the drawing of the sheet metal into die cavity 190. Die member 186 can operate independently of punch 192, so that die member 186 tightens the periphery of blank 185 to control the amount of blank material drawn into die cavity 190. Tray-shaped preform 178 is an intermediate step in the manufacture of the lower portion of the storage container. In all of the above cases, the sheet metal blank is drawn using a single drawing process. During the drawing process, sheet metal blank 185 undergoes superplastic deformation as the metal is drawn into die cavity 190. The degree of plastic deformation varies throughout tray-shaped preform 178 and is greatest at corners 194 of tray-shaped preform 178. This is reflected by the irregular shape of the flanges 182 at the corners 194 of the tray-shaped preform 178, as these areas of the flanges 182 will experience excessive stretching when clamped by the punch die member (or blank holder) 186. According to the present invention, for definitional purposes, the area of ​​the sheet metal blank that is clamped in the punch die member during the drawing process may be referred to as flash 196, which represents the area of ​​the sheet metal blank that extends outwardly from the open edge around the periphery of the rim of the tray-shaped preform 178, that is, the flash 196 extends outwardly in a direction substantially perpendicular to the wall of the tray-shaped preform. The flash 196 comprises excess material attached to the container 170. In order to transform the tray-shaped preform 178 into a container 170 (such as the lower portion 160 that forms the storage container 110), the container 170 is formed. Figure 22 b), the flash 196 is usually removed by, for example, trimming.

[0090] However, achieving the desired leak-proof capacity by simply drawing or stamping a container 170 from a single sheet metal blank 185 to the appropriate depth depends heavily on the metal's ability to plastically deform to conform to the shape of the mold cavity without breaking or experiencing localized thinning—in other words, on the metal's tensile strength. This is because stamping or drawing the sheet metal blank exploits the metal's superplasticity, or its ability to withstand forces exceeding its breaking point at a given operating temperature. The greater the metal's ductility, the greater its ability to plastically deform to the shape of the mold cavity. The metal should not only be sufficiently ductile to plastically deform to the shape of the mold cavity but also sufficiently corrosion-resistant to hold grocery items. An example of a metal type used in the industry for holding food items is stainless steel. However, stainless steel is not as easy to machine as other corrosion-resistant steels, such as galvanized steel. Generally speaking, galvanized steel is more ductile and easier to machine than stainless steel because the galvanized steel core can be selected from a variety of ductile steels or irons, and the zinc coating protects the underlying steel or iron from corrosion. In certain embodiments of the present invention, the type of metal used in forming the lower portion 160 of the storage container includes galvanized steel due to its ease of machining. Figure 18 、 Figure 19 and Figure 22 (a) and Figure 22 In the particular embodiment of the invention shown in (b), the container in the lower portion 160 is formed as a shallow container having a depth that is less than the length and width of the container. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the container is formed as a shallow container 170 having dimensions of 448 mm (length) x 648 mm (width) x 93 mm (height).

[0091] To enhance food safety, storage container 110 may be lined with a food safety-compliant lining, as described above. However, the present invention is not limited to galvanized steel; other metal types that are corrosion-resistant and possess the necessary ductility to plastically deform into the lower portion of the storage container are also suitable for use with the present invention. Alternatively, the upper portion of storage container 110 (e.g., the sidewalls and / or end walls) may be formed from a plurality of sheet metal blanks, each of which comprises galvanized steel.

[0092] While galvanized steel is sufficiently ductile to be drawn into container 170, the deep drawing process has limitations when cold working sheet metal blanks. Steel's ductility decreases at lower temperatures to the point where drawing the sheet metal blank in a single pass would not achieve the leak-proof capacity and resulting container depth achieved through deep drawing. The more complex the container's shape—in this case, the smaller the radius at corners 194 of container 170—the greater the strain experienced by the sheet metal during plastic deformation during the drawing process, potentially reaching a breaking point before the metal is fully formed into the mold cavity. This can lead to localized thinning or tearing of the sheet metal, particularly around corners 194 of container 170. However, the smaller the radius at corners 194 of container 170, that is, the closer the corner angles are to 90°, the greater the chance that a storage container formed from container 170 can be stacked without any two other containers becoming stuck. According to the present disclosure, each corner of the container 170 has a radius R in the range of 5 mm to 10 mm, preferably in the range of 5 mm to 8 mm (see Figure 22 (c)). Considering that a typical lattice frame structure can accommodate hundreds, even tens of thousands, of storage containers, cold working a sheet metal blank would be the most cost-effective and efficient process for manufacturing the lower portion 160 of the storage container 110. However, due to the ductility limitations of the sheet metal blank when cold working the sheet metal into the tray-shaped preform 178, and considering that it is preferred to draw the sheet metal blank in fewer drawing operations (preferably a single drawing operation), leak-proof capacity cannot be achieved by simply drawing the sheet metal blank into the tray-shaped preform, thereby resulting in a shallow container depth.

[0093] According to the present invention, through another process, the flange 182 extending outward around the open edge of the outer periphery of the raised rim 180 is turned inward toward the mouth 200 of the tray-shaped preform 178, so that the inward-turned flange 182 extends in the same direction as the wall of the container (i.e., forms part of the wall of the container) to increase the anti-leakage capacity of the container. Figure 18 The effect of this is to increase the depth of the container - and therefore also increase the leak-proof capacity of the container 170 - without relying solely on the mechanical effect of the deep drawing process to increase the depth. This can be achieved by controlling the width D of the flange 182 (see Figure 22 a) To control the depth of the container - and therefore the leak-proof capacity. The greater the width of the flange 182, the greater the depth of the container, and vice versa. Figure 22In the particular embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure a, the flange has a width D of approximately 20 mm and the height of the raised rim 180 is approximately 75 mm. When the flange is turned over, the total height is 95 mm, thereby increasing the leak-proof capacity.

[0094] like Figure 18 and Figure 19 As shown schematically, the flange 182 can be turned inwardly so that it lies in a vertical plane using a flanging die or edge bending die 198 as is known in the art. The tray-shaped preform 178 is positioned in the flanging die 198 so that the flange 182 extends across the flanging die 198. The flanging die 198 is moved relative to the tray-shaped preform 178 toward the flange 182 so that the flange extending across the flanging die bends in an inward direction as the flanging die passes over the flange. Figure 18 and Figure 19 The figure in FIG schematically shows that the flange is bent inward by the flanging die, and shows that the flanging die 198 moves relative to the tray-shaped preform 178 in the direction indicated by the arrow. Figure 18 and Figure 19 In the particular embodiment of the invention shown, the flanging die 198 is formed as an annular tool so as to surround the walls 174, 176 of the container 170. The net effect of this is to flip the flange 182 toward the mouth 200 of the container in a single operation so that the flange lies in a substantially vertical plane. For purposes of this invention, the term inward flipping encompasses such Figure 18 The action of bending or raising the flange at the junction or connection between the flange and the container walls 174, 176 (i.e., at the edge of the tray-shaped preform) is shown by the curved arrow in FIG. The use of an annular flanging die 198 allows the flange 182 to be turned in a single operation of the flanging die. The resulting container 170 is as follows Figure 22 b shows a container with the flange 182 raised to increase the depth of the container 170. The inverted flange 182 also defines a connection surface for attaching the upper portion of the storage container including the side wall 164 and the end wall 166.

[0095] Cold working complex shapes (especially those with small or short radii) into a single sheet metal blank only allows for a tray-shaped preform to a certain depth before reaching the metal's fracture point, beyond which the sheet metal begins to fracture. A two-step operation—stamping or drawing the sheet metal blank into the tray-shaped preform 178 and then raising or turning the flange 182 inward to define the increased height of the container 170—enables the formation of complex shapes (especially those with small or short radii) having a predefined depth or predefined containment capacity into the sheet metal blank solely through cold working. The depth of the resulting shallow container, and the resulting containment capacity, can thus be controlled by the width D and shape of the flange. Figure 22 (a) and Figure 22 (b) shows the final effect of the two-step operation for forming a container from a tray-shaped preform. Figure 22 a is an embodiment of a tray-shaped preform before turning inward or raising the flanges, Figure 22 b shows the container formed by inverting or raising the flange so that it lies in a substantially vertical plane.

[0096] To control the depth of the container 170, the flange 182 is formed by trimming the flash 196 of the tray-shaped preform 178 to a predetermined width and / or shape. Once the stamping or drawing process is complete, the tray-shaped preform can be removed from the drawing die and transferred to a container such as a Figure 20 In the illustrated trimming die 201, the flash is trimmed to form a flange 182 having a predetermined width D. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a stamping or drawing process produces a tray-shaped preform having a depth of approximately 70 mm. To provide a container with a depth of 93 mm, the flange has a predetermined width of 20 mm. The depth of the tray-shaped preform is not limited to 70 mm, but can be any depth that reaches the breaking point of the metal sheet within the limitations of the stamping or drawing process, such as 50 mm, 60 mm, 80 mm, 90 mm, or 100 mm. Similarly, the width of the flange is not limited to 20 mm, but can be any width depending on the desired depth of the final container, such as 10 mm, 15 mm, 25 mm, or 30 mm. In certain embodiments of the present invention, the sheet metal blank is formed into a shallow container. However, the flange width D can be greater than the width and / or length of the preform so that when the flange is inverted, the resulting container is formed into a deep container.

[0097] Through Figure 20 As shown, the tray-shaped preform 178 is held between the backing plate 202 and the positioning mold member 204 so that the flash 196 protrudes from the positioning mold member 204 and the backing plate 202, thereby trimming the flash 196. Figure 20 As shown, the flash 196 can be trimmed by sliding the trimming punch 206 along the surface of the positioning die member 204 and the backing plate 202. The spacing between the trimming punch 206 and the surface of the positioning die member 204 and the backing plate 202 determines the width of the final flange 182. Figure 20 The flash trimming operation may be preceded by an optional shaping operation. Figure 17 As described above, near the corners of the tray-shaped preform 178, the flash 196 has an irregular shape due to the excessive plastic deformation that the metal sheet undergoes in the blank holder.

[0098] In addition to the above references Figure 20 The flash edge is trimmed to a predetermined width by removing excess sheet metal around the corners of the flash edge 196. Thus, once the stamping process or the drawing process is completed, the tray-shaped preform 178 can be removed from the drawing die and transferred to a process such as Figure 21 The corner trimming die 208 is shown. By holding the tray-shaped preform between the backing plate 210 and the positioning die member 212 so that the flash 196 protrudes from the positioning die member 212 and the backing plate 210, the corners of the flash 196 can be trimmed. Figure 21 As shown, the corners of the flash edge 196 can be trimmed by sliding the trimming punch 214 along the face of the positioning die member 212 and the backing plate 210. The surface area of ​​the flange 182 provides a connecting surface 226, as further described below, for attachment to the side walls and / or end walls in the upper portion of the storage container. By ensuring that a substantially flat surface is attached to the side walls and / or end walls in the upper portion of the storage container, a maximum contact surface area can be achieved. Ideally, the height H of the connecting surface 226 extending around the periphery of the container 170 is substantially equal to the width of the flange (see Figure 22 (b)). However, a problem with trimming and then turning over the flange 182 is the risk of wrinkling the flange (particularly at the corners of the flange), which can result in an uneven surface that limits the contact surface area when connected to the side walls and / or end walls in the upper portion of the storage container. Figure 22 (d) and Figure 22 This is best explained by the schematic diagram of the corner 194 of the flange 182 shown in (e). Figure 22 (d), the corner 194 of the flange has a profile that is substantially 90°. When the flange is turned over to increase the depth of the container 170 in the lower portion of the storage container, the metal sheet undergoes Figure 22 The compression shown by the dotted arrow in (d). The compression of the metal sheet at the corner of the flange is alleviated by the wrinkling of the metal sheet and the plastic flow of the material. A notch 195 can be cut into the corner 194 of the flange to prevent the flange from wrinkling at the corner when the flange is turned over or raised by the flanging die. Figure 22 (e) The notches 195 at the corners of the flange provide space for material flow due to metal compression when the flange is turned over. The notches provide space or area for the metal to flow when it is turned over, thereby avoiding wrinkling at the corners of the container. Figure 22 As shown by the dotted lines in (e), as the material flows outward during the flange flipping, the contour of the container at the corner is restored so that the height H of the connection surface around the periphery of the container of the tray-shaped preform 170 is substantially uniform, as shown in FIG. Figure 22 (b) and Figure 22 (c) shown.

[0099] As mentioned above Figure 18 and Figure 19 As described above, the flange is turned inward or raised using a flanging die or edge bending die 198 so that the flange lies in a substantially vertical plane. Once the flash 196 has been trimmed to form a flange of a predetermined width, the trimmed tray-shaped preform can be removed from the positioning die member of the trimming die 201 and transferred to a tray such as a Figure 23 In the flanging die 198 shown, which includes a positioning die member 215 and a flanging die member 218, the flange 182 is bent inward to increase the depth of the tray-shaped preform. The flanging die bending can be performed by supporting the sheet metal blank on the positioning die member 215 so that the flange 182 protrudes from the positioning die member 215. Figure 23 As shown, the flange 182 can be turned or bent by sliding the flanging die member 218 along the face of the positioning die member 215 to turn the protruding flange inward. The reverse is also applicable, that is, the positioning die member 215 supporting the tray-shaped preform acts as a punch and moves toward the flanging die member 218 to turn the flange 182 protruding from the positioning die member 215.

[0100] Although separate molds are used for the different manufacturing steps of the container for the lower portion of the storage container described above, one or more manufacturing steps of the lower portion 160 of the storage container may be performed using the same tool or mold. For example, one or more manufacturing steps of the lower portion of the storage container may share the same tool or mold. In order to share the same tool among the multiple manufacturing steps of the lower portion of the storage container, one or more molds may be integrated into the drawing die 184, but share the same positioning die member 192 to support the tray-shaped preform 178 when performing the stamping operation. The one or more molds may be a flanging die member 218 and / or a trimming punch 206 and / or a corner trimming die 208. In Figure 24 In the particular embodiment of the invention shown, the flanging die member 218 and the trimming punch 206 are integrated into the flanging die 184 , ie, into the wall portion of the upper die member 188 that includes the die cavity 190 . Figure 242 is a schematic diagram of a portion of a drawing die 184 including a flanging die member 218 and a trimming punch 206. To share the same drawing die 184, the punch 192 of the drawing die 184 can serve as a locating die member for supporting the tray-shaped preform 178 during subsequent operations. This eliminates the need to transfer the tray-shaped preform to another die between different stamping operations. The problem with repeatedly transferring the tray-shaped preform between different stamping operations is the need to repeatedly remove the tray-shaped preform from the locating die member. Each time the tray-shaped preform is removed from the locating die member, there is a risk of deforming the tray-shaped preform, thereby reducing the structural integrity of the tray-shaped preform (particularly the bottom wall of the tray-shaped preform). In certain embodiments of the present invention, the tray-shaped preform 178 formed by the drawing process remains on the punch 192 after the drawing operation. Because the flanging die member 218 is integrated into the drawing die 184, the flange 182 can then be flipped by moving the upper die member 188 toward the punch 192. The flash or excess sheet metal can then be trimmed using the trimming punch 206 integrated into the die cavity 190. Thus, the container 170 can be formed through a series of punching operations with the punch 196 and / or upper die member 188, each punching operation completing a different step of the container. In both cases, the tray-shaped preform 178 is retained within the blanking die member 186 of the drawing die 184.

[0101] In such Figure 23 In the particular embodiment of the invention shown, the flanging die member 218 is shaped to incorporate a step 222 into the flange in addition to the inverted flange. This is shown in FIG. Figure 20 b is a schematic diagram of a shallow container. As described above, the separate side wall portions 164 and end wall portions 166 of the upper portion 162 of the storage container are assembled with the lower portion to form a box-like structure of the metal container body. Stamping out the step 224 while turning the flange inward provides a connecting surface 226 in the container for attaching the upper portion of the storage container to the lower portion. In addition to the above reference Figure 10 and Figure 11 In addition to the respective connecting flanges 150, 152 connecting the side walls 164 and end walls 166 in the upper portion 162 of the storage container, the upper portion 162 of the storage container can also be connected to the storage container by the following methods: Figure 8 and Figure 9The respective connecting surfaces 226 shown connect the side walls and end walls to the inverted flange, thereby assembling the separate side walls 164 and end walls 166 to the container. The inverted flange provides an area in the lower portion of the storage container for connecting the side walls and end walls to the container. The side walls and end walls in the upper portion of the storage container can be formed with corresponding connecting surfaces or connecting surfaces 228 for connecting to the inverted flange in the lower portion of the storage container (see Figure 10 ). The step 224 in the flange 182 also provides a surface that supports the edges of the side walls 164 and end walls 166 when the side walls and end walls are provided to the lower portion of the storage container. Various fasteners can be used to connect the side walls and end walls of the upper portion of the storage container to the inward-turned flange of the shallow container. This includes, but is not limited to, welding (e.g., spot welding), riveting, and / or the use of adhesives. The side walls 164 and end walls 166 can be inclined outwardly relative to the raised rim 180 of the container, so that the walls of the storage container gradually widen outward.

[0102] Forming the storage container according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention by separately manufacturing the container as a shallow container and subsequently assembling the side walls and end walls to the shallow container facilitates automation of the assembly of the storage container according to the present invention. Figure 25 Combine Figure 26 The manufacturing process 270 of the storage container according to the present invention can be automated. Various assembly stations can be used to assemble the different parts of the storage container. Figure 25 Not shown, but the process begins at a drawing station, which is used to draw or stamp out shallow containers. Figure 26 The two-step process of first drawing the tray-shaped preform and then turning or bending the flange inward can be automated to mass-produce a plurality of shallow containers 170 that form the lower portion of the storage container. The shallow containers formed are fed into Figure 25 An assembly area 274 is shown including a plurality of assembly stations for assembling the side walls 164 and end walls 166 of the storage container to the shallow container 170. Figure 25 In the particular embodiment of the automated process shown, shallow containers 170 are sequentially fed into different assembly stations in an assembly area 274 via a conveyor system 276. When assembling storage containers according to the present invention, the robotic arms at the different assembly stations can be instructed to perform Figure 26 One or more tasks detailed in the flowchart shown. Figure 25 As shown, the first assembly station 278 includes a first robotic arm 280 that is directed to assemble the end wall 166 to the shallow container 170 in a first pre-forming stage of the storage container to form a pre-formed storage container 282. Figure 26In the first assembly station 278, the second robot 284 may be instructed to connect the end wall to the shallow container, such as by spot welding. Figure 26 Once the end wall 166 is connected to the shallow container 170, the preformed storage container 282 is sent to the second assembly station 286 where the third robotic arm 288 can be instructed to assemble the side wall 164 to the end wall 166 and the shallow container 170. Figure 26 302. The step of turning over the flange 182 of the shallow container 170 to define the connection surface 226 enables the wall portions (side walls and end walls) of the storage container to be easily assembled to the shallow container 170. At the second assembly station 286, the fourth robot 290 can be instructed to connect the side wall 164 to the shallow container 170 via the connection surface of the turned flange 182. Figure 25 304. The first station 278 and the second station 286 may share the same robotic arm to connect the end wall 166 and the side wall 164, respectively, to the shallow container 170, or alternatively, the first station 278 and the second station 286 may each include a separate robotic arm for connecting the end wall 166 and the side wall 164 to the shallow container 170. An additional third assembly station 292 includes a fifth robotic arm 294 that may be instructed to assemble the rim portion 168 to the side wall 164 and the end wall 166 to complete the assembly of the storage container. Figure 26 This is shown as step 306 .

[0103] Compared to current plastic storage containers used for storing goods, storage containers formed from an assembly of stamped or drawn sheet metal blanks not only meet the flame retardancy requirements outlined in point E above, but also possess a leak-resistant lower portion with sharp corner radius, meeting the requirements outlined in points A through D above. The ability to form the container in a two-step process (first stamping or drawing a single sheet metal blank to form a tray-shaped preform, then inverting the flange so that it extends in the same direction as the raised edge of the tray-shaped preform) allows for containers with sharp corner radius, suitable for stacking in storage columns, and a predetermined depth to provide the desired leak-proof capacity. The sharp corner radius meets the stacking requirement outlined in point D, while the increased depth of the shallow container meets the requirement outlined in point C: providing sufficient leak-proof capacity to absorb spills without contaminating the contents of other storage containers in the stack. Another advantage of forming the lower or bottom portion separately from the upper portion of the storage container is that it allows the use of sheet metal of a different thickness in the lower portion than in the upper portion, thereby improving the structural integrity of the assembled storage container. For example, when forming a container (or shallow container), a thicker sheet metal blank can be used in the lower portion of the storage container than in the upper portion of the storage container. While galvanized steel is the preferred metal type for the above-described storage container manufacturing, the present invention is not limited to manufacturing storage containers using galvanized steel. The above-described two-step process can be used to increase the container depth in the lower portion of the storage container, enabling the use of other corrosion-resistant metal types, such as stainless steel, in the manufacture of the storage container. Alternatively, different corrosion-resistant metals can be used in the upper and lower portions of the storage container, for example, using galvanized steel in the lower portion due to its formability, while using stainless steel in the upper portion of the storage container.

[0104] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail above, it should be understood that various modifications of the above-mentioned storage container containing different features and different combinations of features described for different embodiments are also applicable to the present invention within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing storage containers for storage in stacks in a lattice frame structure, the lattice frame structure comprising a plurality of storage columns, each storage column of the plurality of storage columns being configured to store a stack of storage containers, the method comprising the steps of: A) forming the lower portion of the storage container by the following steps: i) stamping or drawing a sheet metal blank into a drawing die to form a tray-shaped preform comprising a base with a raised rim and a flange; ii) inverting the flange to define a connecting surface extending in the same direction as the raised rim of the tray-shaped preform to form a container having a predefined depth; B) forming the upper portion of the storage container by the following steps: iii) stamping the side walls and / or end walls from one or more separate sheet metal blanks; C) attaching the upper portion to the lower portion by attaching the side walls and the end walls to the connecting surface of the container.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein The drawing die includes a blanking die member, an upper die member, and a lower die member, at least one of the upper die member and the lower die member includes a punch, and the other includes a die cavity.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein: The method further includes the step of using the blank die member with the punch to control the amount the sheet metal blank is drawn into the die cavity.

4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The flange is turned by a flanging die comprising a positioning die member and a flanging die member, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of: i) retaining a pre-formed preform in the positioning mold member such that the flange extends outwardly from the positioning mold member; ii) moving the flanging mould member relative to the positioning mould member to flip the flange.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein: The flanging mold component is annular.

6. The method according to claim 4 or 5, wherein: The flanging mold member is substantially rectangular.

7. The method according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein: The flanging die member and the drawing die are integrally formed.

8. The method according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein: The tray-shaped preform includes a flash extending from the raised edge of the tray-shaped preform, and the method further includes the step of trimming the flash by a trimming die to form the flange, the trimming die including a trimming punch and a positioning die member for supporting the tray-shaped preform, wherein the flash is trimmed by moving the trimming punch relative to the positioning die member to form the flange.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein: The trimming punch and the drawing die are integrally formed.

10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein The method further includes the step of trimming the corner of the flash by a corner trimming die, the corner trimming die including a corner trimming punch and a positioning die member for supporting the tray-shaped preform, wherein the corner of the flash is trimmed by moving the corner trimming punch relative to the positioning die member.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The step of trimming the corner of the flash by a corner trimming die includes the step of forming a notch in the corner of the flash.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein: The corner trimming punch is integrally formed with the drawing die.

13. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein The flange extends outwardly around an open edge of the periphery of the raised rim, and the flange is inverted by inverting the flange inwardly so that the flange extends in the same direction as the raised rim of the tray-shaped preform.

14. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein The container in the lower portion of the storage container is a shallow container.

15. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising the step of stamping a step into the flange.

16. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein The side walls and the end walls are attached to the connection surface by welding.

17. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein The side walls are connected to the end walls by respective edges to form corners of the storage container.

18. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein Each of the side walls and / or the end walls of the upper portion of the storage container comprises one or more openings or recesses for engagement with a gripper device of a load handling device.

19. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein The tray-shaped preform is stamped or drawn from the sheet metal blank comprising galvanized steel.

20. A storage container for storing one or more items in a storage and retrieval system, the storage and retrieval system comprising a track system and a stack of a plurality of storage containers located below the track system, the track system comprising a first set of parallel tracks or rails and a second set of parallel tracks or rails, the second set of parallel tracks or rails extending transversely to the first set of parallel tracks in a substantially horizontal plane to form a grid pattern comprising a plurality of grid spaces or grid cells, and wherein Each stack of the plurality of storage containers occupies a single grid space or grid cell, the storage containers comprising metal container bodies made by the method as defined in any one of claims 1 to 24 .

21. The storage container of claim 20, wherein: The storage container includes an inner liner made of a food-grade material.

22. A storage and retrieval system comprising: i) a grid frame structure comprising a plurality of storage columns for storing stacks of one or more storage containers and a rail system comprising a plurality of rails arranged in a grid pattern comprising a plurality of grid cells, the rail system being arranged above the plurality of storage columns such that each of the plurality of storage columns is arranged below a respective grid cell of the rail system; ii) a stack of one or more storage containers, wherein at least one of the storage containers in the stack of one or more storage containers is produced by the method as defined in any one of claims 1 to 19; iii) a plurality of load handling devices for lifting and moving storage containers stacked in the one or more stacks, the plurality of load handling devices being remotely operated to move laterally on the rail system above the storage columns to access the storage containers through the grid cells, each of the plurality of load handling devices comprising: a) a wheel assembly for guiding the load handling equipment on the track system; b) a container receiving space located above the rail system; and c) A lifting device arranged to lift a storage container from a stack into the container receiving space.

Images