Remotely operated vehicle for a storage system

Abstract

A remotely-operated vehicle assembly for picking up storage bins from a storage system and a method for changing vehicle direction includes a body displaying a cavity, a lifting device connected to the body for lifting the bin into the cavity, a displacement arrangement including a displacement motor which provides power to displace one or both of first and second sets of vehicle wheels between a displaced state where the relevant vehicle wheels are displaced away from the underlying system during use, and a non-displaced state where the relevant vehicle wheels are in contact with the underlying system during use, and driving wheels coupled to the displacement arrangement. The driving wheels further includes first and second sets of vehicle wheels connected to the body allowing movement of the vehicle along first and second directions, respectively, within the system. The first and second directions are perpendicular.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A remotely operated vehicle for retrieving items from and/or placing items into a storage system comprising a framework structure having a track system at an upper level of the framework structure upon which the remotely operated vehicle travels, the track system comprising a plurality of double tracks arranged in a first direction and a plurality of double tracks arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, whereby intersecting double tracks define cells arranged in a grid pattern, the remotely operated vehicle comprising:
 a vehicle body or framework displaying a cavity arranged centrally within the vehicle body or framework for receiving and holding an item from the storage system;   a lifting device connected to the vehicle body to access items stored in the storage system through the cells;   two sets of wheels, a first set of wheels arranged to travel along the double tracks in the first direction and a second set of wheels arranged to travel along the double tracks in the second direction; and   a displacement motor connected to the vehicle body or framework and situated in a lateral plane above the cavity, wherein the displacement motor is configured to provide power or force to vertically displace at least one of the first set of wheels and the second set of wheels between a displaced state and a non-displaced state while the remotely operated vehicle is being operated, wherein the at least one of the first set of wheels and the second set of wheels is displaced away from the double tracks in the displaced state, and wherein the at least one of the first set of wheels and the second set of wheels is in contact with the tracks in the non-displaced state, thereby changing the direction of travel of the remotely operated vehicle,   wherein a lateral cross-sectional area of the remotely operated vehicle occupies exactly a lateral cross-sectional area of an underlying cell within a middle part of the double track rails both the first direction and the second direction to allow a second remotely operated vehicle to pass on any of four lateral sides of the remotely operated vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The remotely operated vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein when the remotely operated vehicle is arranged directly above one cell, the first set of wheels and the second set of wheels are arranged in an inner track of the corresponding double tracks on the four lateral sides. 
     
     
         3 . The remotely operated vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the cavity has a lateral area smaller than a lateral area of the underlying cell. 
     
     
         4 . The remotely operated vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein a lifting device motor of the lifting device lifts and lowers a lifting device plate of the lifting device to grab the items with lifting grips situated below the lifting device plate. 
     
     
         5 . The remotely operated vehicle according to  claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of first lifting device bars connected to lifting device sheaves on two lateral sides of remotely operated vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The remotely operated vehicle according to  claim 5 , wherein lifting device belts connect the lifting device sheaves and the plurality of first lifting device bars to one or more second lifting device bars, which is in rotary connection with the lifting device motor, and a rotation of the one or more second lifting device bars rotates of the plurality of first lifting device bars and the lifting device sheaves via the lifting device belts to lift and lower the lifting device plate. 
     
     
         7 . The remotely operated vehicle according to  claim 1 , further comprising a top cover disposed on the vehicle body. 
     
     
         8 . A system for a plurality of remotely operated vehicles for picking up storage bins from a storage system, the system comprising:
 a framework stricture having a track system at an upper level of the framework structure upon which the plurality of remotely operated vehicles travel,   the track system comprising a first plurality of tracks arranged in a first direction and a second plurality of tracks arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the first plurality of tracks intersect the second plurality of tracks to define cells arranged in a grid pattern,   wherein the plurality of remotely operated vehicles accesses the storage bins stored in the storage system via the cells,   
       wherein each remotely operated vehicle of the plurality of remotely operated vehicles comprising:
 a vehicle body having a cavity for receiving a first storage bin of the storage bins within the storage system; 
 a lifting device connected to the vehicle body for lifting the storage bin into the cavity; 
 a first set of wheels connected to the vehicle body allowing a first movement of the remotely operated vehicle assembly along the first direction; 
 a second set of wheels connected to the vehicle body allowing a second movement of the remotely operated vehicle assembly along the second direction; and 
 a displacement motor connected to the vehicle body and is situated in a lateral plane above the cavity, wherein the displacement motor to generate a power that is converted to a vertically directed pressure force acting on the first set of wheels or the second set of wheels to displace the first set of wheels and the second set of wheels between a displaced state and a non-displaced state, wherein in the displaced state, the first set of wheels and the second set of wheels are displaced away from the storage system, and wherein in the non-displaced state, the first set of wheels and the second set of wheels are in contact with the storage system, 
 
       wherein a lateral cross-sectional area of each remotely operated vehicle of the plurality of remotely operated vehicles occupies a lateral cross-sectional area of a corresponding underlying cell so as to allow the plurality of remotely operated vehicles to pass each other on any of four lateral sides of a corresponding remotely operated vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the first plurality of tracks comprises a first track rail and a second track rail running parallel to each other in the first direction, and wherein the second plurality of tracks comprises a third track rail and a fourth track rail running parallel to each other in the second direction. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the first set of wheels are arranged on the second track rail, and the second track rail is an inner track of a corresponding grid on which a corresponding remotely operated vehicle is traveling. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the second set of wheels are arranged on the fourth track rail, and the fourth track rail is an inner track of a corresponding grid on which a corresponding remotely operated vehicle is traveling. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the first and second track rails are separated by a first divider, and wherein the third and fourth track rails are separated by a second divider. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 12 , further comprising a cross where the first and second track rails cross the third and fourth track rails, wherein the first and second dividers are interrupted at the cross. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 8 , further comprising a wireless control system to control a movement of the plurality of remotely operated vehicles on the track system. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein, when a first of the plurality of remotely operated vehicles is positioned above a cell so as to access the storage bins stored in the storage system, others of the plurality of remotely operated vehicles are able to pass by the first of the plurality of remotely operated vehicles on all four lateral sides.