Patent ID: 9630774
Date: 2017-04-25
CPC Classifications: B65G

Claim:
1. An automated warehouse, comprising: at least one main path identified between parallel, mutually facing primary guides; a plurality of secondary paths, perpendicular to the main path and identified by pairs of parallel, mutually facing secondary guides, along which storage stations are defined, each station being adapted to receive at least one cargo unit; at least one self-propelled apparatus for handling the cargo units, the apparatus comprising a main self-propelled vehicle, movable along the guides of the main path, said main self-propelled vehicle having at least one seat for accommodating at least one auxiliary self-propelled vehicle movable along the guides of the secondary paths; wherein a first location data representation, readable by at least a first optical sensor, is provided along at least one face of at least one of said primary guides of the main path; a second location data representation, readable by at least a second optical sensor, is provided along at least one face of at least one of said secondary guides of the secondary path; the main self-propelled vehicle comprises at least one first optical reading device, configured to read the first data representation; the auxiliary self-propelled vehicle comprises at least one second optical reading device, configured to read the second data representation; and wherein the data representations identify absolute positions of reference points or ranges along the main and secondary paths within the automated warehouse.