Picker with integrated lifting mechanism for package retrieval and transfer

1 . A picker apparatus for retrieving a frozen container from a cold storage environment, the apparatus comprising:

a picker positioned in front of a selected container stored on a palletized shelf within the cold storage environment, the picker having a picker housing;

a displacement mechanism associated with the picker that imparts a displacement force to the selected container sufficient to separate the container from a frozen adhesion associated when the container is located on the palletized shelf, wherein the displacement mechanism includes a pair of opposing clamping belts that engage opposite sides of the selected container and impart a lateral displacement that shears the container from the frozen adhesion;

a retraction assembly coupled to the displacement mechanism, the retraction assembly retracting the displaced container into a pickup region;

a transport assembly that moves the picker from the selected container location to a transfer location adjacent to a receiving window; and

an ejection assembly that ejects the container from the picker housing into the receiving window.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the clamping belts are driven synchronously to maintain container orientation during the lateral displacement.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ejection assembly includes a rotation mechanism configured to rotate the picker housing approximately ninety degrees to deliver the container into the receiving window.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the displacement mechanism includes a telescopic board extendable into a gap between the palletized shelf and the container, and a vertical actuator coupled to the telescopic board, in which the vertical actuator imparts a vertical force that separates the container from the frozen adhesion.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the vertical actuator includes a solenoid actuator configured to raise the container between 1 mm and 10 mm.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ejection assembly includes a motorized push board configured to eject the container from the pickup region into the receiving window.

7 . A method of retrieving a frozen container from a cold storage environment, the method comprising:

positioning a picker mechanism in front of a selected container stored on a palletized shelf within a cold storage environment;

engaging opposing sides of the selected container with a pair of clamping belts associated with the picker mechanism;

actuating the clamping belts to impart a lateral displacement to the selected container relative to the palletized shelf, wherein the lateral displacement separates the container from a frozen adhesion associated with the container resting on the palletized shelf in the cold storage environment;

retracting the clamping belts and the displaced container into a pickup region associated with the picker mechanism;

moving the picker mechanism from the selected container location to a transfer location adjacent to a receiving window; and

ejecting the container from the picker mechanism into the receiving window.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the clamping belts are driven synchronously to maintain container orientation during lateral displacement.

9 . The method of claim 7 further comprising a rotation mechanism configured to rotate the picker mechanism approximately ninety degrees to deliver the container into the receiving window.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the frozen container ejected by the picker mechanism is received by a fork assembly located within a heated chamber.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further includes coordinating the timing of the push mechanism and the position of the fork to enable passive handoff of the frozen container from the picker mechanism to the fork.

12 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the positioning of the picker mechanism, actuating of the clamping belts, retracting of the container, and ejection are controlled by a centralized software control system that also coordinates gantry positioning, lateral displacement, retraction, and ejection based on a container identifier.

13 . A method of retrieving a frozen container from a cold storage environment, the method comprising:

positioning a picker mechanism in front of a selected container stored on a palletized shelf within a cold storage environment;

extending a telescopic board from the picker mechanism into a gap between the palletized shelf such that the telescopic board is inserted underneath the selected container;

actuating a vertical displacement mechanism associated with the telescopic board, wherein the vertical displacement separates the container from a frozen adhesion associated with the container resting on the palletized shelf in the cold storage environment;

retracting the telescopic board and the displaced container into a pickup region associated with the picker mechanism;

moving the picker mechanism from the selected container location to a transfer location adjacent to a receiving window; and

activating a push mechanism that includes a motorized push board to eject the container from the picker mechanism into the receiving window, wherein the frozen container ejected by the picker mechanism is received by a fork assembly located within a heated chamber, and wherein the method further includes coordinating a timing of the push mechanism and a position of the fork assembly to enable passive handoff of the frozen container from the picker mechanism to the fork assembly.

14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the vertical displacement mechanism imparts a vertical displacement to the selected container to generate a displaced container.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the vertical displacement mechanism includes a vertical actuator configured to apply a vertical lift force that separates the selected container from the palletized shelf.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the positioning of the picker mechanism, extending the picker mechanism vertical displacement mechanism, retracting the telescopic board is controlled by a centralized software control system that also coordinates gantry positioning, retraction, and ejection based on a container identifier.