Patent ID: 11858737
Assignee: OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. A load-handling device for lifting and moving containers stacked in stacks in a storage system, the system including a plurality of rails or tracks arranged in grid pattern above the stacks of containers, the grid pattern having a plurality of grid spaces, each stack being located within a footprint of only a single grid space, the load handling device being configured to move laterally on the rails or tracks above the stacks of containers, the load-handling device comprising:
a lifting mechanism, the lifting mechanism including a gripper device, the gripper device being configured to grip a container from above;
a vehicle having four sides forming a body, said body having an upper portion and a lower portion:
the upper portion for housing power components, and/or control components, and/or drive components and/or lifting components; and
the lower portion arranged directly beneath the upper portion, the lower portion including a cavity bounded by the four sides for accommodating a container and a wheel assembly, the wheel assembly having a first set of wheels for engaging with a first set of rails or tracks to guide movement of the device in a first direction and a second set of wheels for engaging with a second set of rails or tracks to guide movement of the device in a second direction, wherein the second direction is transverse to the first direction;

wherein:
the lifting mechanism is configured to raise and lower the gripper device relative to the cavity, the lifting mechanism being located above the cavity,
the wheel assembly further comprises a wheel positioning mechanism, the wheel positioning mechanism including means for selectively engaging either the first set of wheels with the first set of rails or tracks or the second set of wheels with the second set of rails or tracks thereby enabling the load handling device to selectively move in either the first or second direction across the grid,
the wheel positioning mechanism further including moveable side panels that comprise the sides of the load handling device, the wheels disposed on each side of the load handling device being rotatably attached to the moveable side panels,
each of the side panels being moveable by a pin and track mechanism disposed on an inner surface of the side panels, the pin and track mechanism having a pin and a track, a shape of the track on the inner surface of the panels and movement of the pins in the tracks causing the side panels to be displaced upwardly or downwardly depending on a direction of travel of the pin in the track.