Automated three dimensional warehouse

Abstract

Provided is a multistory parking garage comprising first and second laminated racks arranged to face each other in parallel, first and second warehousing stations arranged adjacent to one end side of each of those laminated racks and having waiting conveyors of the same number of stages as that of the shelves of the laminated racks, transfer shuttles interposed between the first and second laminated racks and between the first and second warehousing stations, a lifting system having first and second lifts for transferring cargoes to and from standby conveyors in the first and second warehousing stations, and a conveyor system for transferring cargoes to and from the first and second lifts. At the same level, the conveying direction of the standby conveyors of the first warehousing station and the conveying direction of the standby conveyors of the second warehousing station are opposite to each other. The conveying direction of some of the standby conveyors in the first warehousing station is opposite to the conveying direction of the remaining standby conveyors in the first warehousing station.

1 . A three dimensional automated warehouse comprising:
 first and second stacked racks that are oriented parallel to each other and that each include a plurality of levels of shelves;   first and second shipping-and-receiving stations placed next to each other at the same end of the first and the second stacked racks, said stations each possessing a plurality of stand-by conveyors;   a plurality of transfer shuttles that operate between the first and the second stacks of racks, and between the first and the second shipping-and-receiving stations, said shuttles adapted to move in a horizontal direction and transfer packages between said shelves and said stand-by conveyors;   an elevator located next to the first and the second shipping-and-receiving stations on a side away from the stacked racks, said elevator including first and the second elevator platforms which transfer packages to and from said stand-by conveyors; and   a transfer system adapted to transfer packages to and from said first and second elevator platforms;   wherein a direction of motion of a first stand-by conveyor pertaining to the first shipping-and-receiving station and a direction of motion of a second stand-by conveyor pertaining to the second shipping-and-receiving station on the same level of said rack are opposite; and   wherein the direction of motion of the first stand-by conveyor pertaining to the first shipping-and-receiving station is opposite of that of at least one other stand-by conveyor pertaining to the first shipping-and-receiving station on a different level of said rack.   
     
     
         2 . The warehouse of  claim 1  wherein the directions of motion of said stand-by conveyors pertaining to the first shipping-and-receiving station alternate every level. 
     
     
         3 . The warehouse of  claim 1  wherein the directions of motion of said stand-by conveyors pertaining to the first shipping-and-receiving station alternate every few levels. 
     
     
         4 . The warehouse of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a first receiving conveyor which transfers the packages to said first elevator platform; 
 a first shipping conveyor located above or below said first receiving conveyor which transfers the packages from said first elevator platform; 
 a second receiving conveyor which transfers the packages to said second elevator platform; and 
 a second shipping conveyor located above or below said second receiving conveyor which transfers the packages from said second elevator platform. 
 
     
     
         5 . The warehouse of  claim 1  wherein the first and the second elevator platforms are double-deckers. 
     
     
         6 . The warehouse of  claim 1  wherein the first and the second elevator platforms are adapted to carry two or more packages. 
     
     
         7 . The warehouse of  claim 1  wherein the stand-by conveyors are operable in both forward and reverse directions. 
     
     
         8 . The warehouse of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a first receiving conveyor which transfers the packages to said first elevator platform; 
 a first shipping conveyor located at the same height level as the first receiving conveyor and which transfers the packages from said first elevator platform; 
 a second receiving conveyor which transfers the packages to said second elevator platform; and 
 a second shipping conveyor located at the same height level as the second receiving conveyor and which transfers the packages from said first elevator platform. 
 
     
     
         9 . The warehouse of  claim 1  further comprising additional stacked racks and additional shipping-and-receiving stations which are placed across from said elevator on a side opposite said first stacked rack, the first shipping-and-receiving station, the second stacked rack, and the second shipping-and-receiving station. 
     
     
         10 . A three dimensional automated warehouse comprising:
 first and second stacked racks that are parallel to each other and that are made of multiple layers of shelves;   first and second shipping-and-receiving stations positioned next to each other at a common end of the first and the second stacked racks, said first and second shipping and receiving stations including a plurality of stand-by conveyors equal in number to said layers of shelves;   a plurality of transfer shuttles that operate between the first and the second stacks of racks and between the first and the second shipping-and-receiving stations, said shuttles adapted to move in a horizontal direction and to transfer the packages between said shelves and said stand-by conveyors;   an elevator located next to the first and the second shipping-and-receiving stations on a side away from the stacked racks, said elevator including first and second elevator platforms which transfer the packages to and from said stand-by conveyors of said first and second shipping-and-receiving stations;   a transfer system which transfers the packages to and from said first and second elevator platforms; and   wherein a stand-by conveyor at a particular layer of the first shipping-and-receiving station is a receiving conveyor while another stand-by conveyor of the second shipping-and-receiving station is a shipping conveyor at said particular layer, and wherein yet another stand-by conveyor above or below said particular layer is also a shipping conveyor.