Grid-Rail Shuttle Tracks for Continuous Direction Changes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing automated storage and retrieval systems face challenges in optimizing robot movement across rail systems, leading to inefficiencies in route planning, power consumption, and system downtime due to the need for human operators to perform maintenance tasks on the grid.

Innovation Solution

The use of vehicles with continuous tracks that propel by pulling along perpendicular rails, allowing for direct routes, including diagonal movements, and enabling flexible direction changes without stopping, thus reducing journey time and power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If traditional wheeled vehicles are used on the rail system, then the vehicle can follow rails for movement, but the vehicle must stop to change direction and align with different rails, increasing journey time and reducing speed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle speedVSAvoidroute planning complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional wheeled mechanical system that follows rails with a continuous track system using protrusions that engage with perpendicular rails. This substitution allows the vehicle to move in any direction across the grid without being constrained to rectilinear paths along predefined rails, eliminating the need to stop and realign when changing direction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces movement in an additional dimensional freedom by allowing the vehicle to travel diagonally across grid cells and change direction continuously. The continuous tracks with protrusions engaging perpendicular rails enable motion in any direction, not just along the two primary rail directions, effectively adding a third dimension of movement freedom to the two-dimensional grid.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Loss of time

If vehicles stop to change direction on the rail system, then direction changes can be made accurately, but journey time increases and system efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvejourney timeVSAvoiddirection control

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables continuous movement of the vehicle across the grid without interruptions for direction changes. The continuous track system with protrusions that engage perpendicular rails allows the vehicle to maintain its motion continuously, changing direction smoothly by engaging different perpendicular rails rather than stopping and restarting, thus eliminating dead time in the journey.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Reliability

If human operators perform maintenance tasks on the grid, then maintenance can be conducted, but system downtime increases due to the time required for operators to travel to and from problem locations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem availabilityVSAvoidmaintenance downtime

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables maintenance personnel to use the same continuous track vehicle system that the robots use for their operations. This allows maintenance personnel to quickly and efficiently travel to any location on the grid using the existing infrastructure, significantly reducing the time required to reach problem locations and perform maintenance tasks, thereby minimizing system downtime.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Productivity

If vehicles follow rectilinear paths along rails, then movement is constrained to predefined routes, but travel distance increases and efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransport efficiencyVSAvoidtravel distance

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent allows curved and diagonal paths of movement by replacing the rectilinear rail-following constraint with a continuous track system. The vehicle can travel in straight lines diagonally across grid cells and along curved trajectories by continuously engaging different perpendicular rails, rather than being forced to follow the angular, rectilinear paths imposed by the rail intersections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentEP4703293A1A vehicle for a container storage and retrieval system

Publication Date: 2026.03.04 AUTOSTORE TECH AS

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AI summary

A vehicle (802) for a container storage and retrieval system, the vehicle configured to traverse a grid of rails having rails arranged perpendicular to a first direction and rails arranged perpendicular to a second direction, and corresponding systems and methods. The vehicle comprises a vehicle body (300). The vehicle also comprises a first set of continuous tracks (808) for propelling the vehicle in the first direction, wherein each continuous track of the first set comprises a tread and one or more first protrusion (834) for engaging rails arranged perpendicular to the first direction, such that the first set of continuous tracks is configured to have least two points of contact with the rails arranged perpendicular to the first direction when traversing the grid of rails. The vehicle also comprises a second set of continuous tracks (810) for propelling the vehicle in the second direction, wherein each continuous track of the second set comprises a tread and one or more second protrusion (834) for engaging rails arranged perpendicular to the second direction, such that the second set of continuous tracks is configured to have least two points of contact with the rails arranged perpendicular to the second direction when traversing the grid of rails.