An evolving mobile Unit for controlled product storage and dispensing, with
modular construction and multiple
upgrade possibilities, to the capacity and storing / picking
system that can evolve from manual, up to
fully automatic operation. The Unit is easy to transport and maneuver, by crane or forklift, using the provided pick up points (6) and pockets (7), either in standard or
heavy duty / all-weather form. The Unit can be autonomous, with an integrated
power unit (49) and internal climate control (19). The products are stored inside, within Unit Loads (UL) (8) that can hold any kind of materials, either
solid or liquid, at ambient or controlled temperature and
humidity. The ULs are stored in a modular shelving
system (9), adjustable to accommodate mixes of UL sizes.
Access control is provided by lock (11), drawer (16) and
software systems together with a picking / replenishment method. The
software controls the ULs multiple locations (12), and manages the picking method, either in manual, manual assisted, Basic Semi-Automatic, Semi-automatic or Fully-automatic versions, using Cartesian coordinate robots (14) for storing / picking the desired products. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become clearer with the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings.