OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION
OT-2026-000001994

Systems and methods for exchanging and selectively buffering containers of items in a material handling apparatus

Published: 2026-09-15T19:10:03.347470Z
Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000001994
Categories: Material Handling > Conveying Systems

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ABSTRACT

A container exchange station for a material handling system. The system may
include a plurality of vehicles for retrieving items from a first plurality of
storage locations located in one or more racks. In an embodiment, the
container exchange station is configured to accommodate the vehicles so that
the vehicles drive into the container exchange station and drive upwardly
along a track in the container exchange station. A transfer mechanism on the
vehicle cooperates with a transfer mechanism on the container exchange station
to displace an item from the vehicle to a conveyor. In an embodiment, the
container exchange station includes an elevator having a plurality of elevator
platforms movable vertically within columns and a plurality of elevated buffer
storage locations to and from which items are inserted and retrieved by a
transfer mechanism of each elevator platform, for release of containers from
storage to a workstation when required.

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OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000001994
Published 2026-09-15T19:10:03.347470Z
https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000001994