SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WEIGHING CONTAINERS
System for weighing containers in a rotatable container carousel rotating about a central axis and comprising a central hub with at least one carousel arm attached at one end to the central hub and at the other end attached to a container handling mechanism, at a radial distance between the central axis of the rotatable container carousel, allowing rotation from at least a container loading position and a container accessing position, wherein the container handling mechanism comprising a container holding tray mounted on top of the support structure which is attached to at least one wheel resting on a base and wherein the carousel arm can rotate around an axis going through the center of each attachment point of the carousel arm to the central hub and the container handling mechanism, and that when the carousel arm with the container handling mechanism comprising a container holding tray mounted on top of the support structure which is attached to at least one wheel is in the container accessing position, the at least one wheel is resting on a load cell.
1 . A carousel port comprising:
a rotatable container carousel for conveying containers between a container loading position and a container accessing position, the rotatable container carousel being rotatable about a central axis and comprising:
a base;
a hub; and
at least one carousel arm attached at one end to the hub and at another end attached to a support structure which carries a container tray at a radial distance from the central axis of the rotatable container carousel supported on top of the support structure,
wherein load from the support structure, the container tray and any container carried on the container tray is carried by at least one wheel mounted to the support structure of each carousel arm of the at least one carousel arm as the at least one wheel rotates over a surface of the base of the carousel port, and
wherein each carousel arm of the at least one carousel arm is able to pivot about a horizontal axis extending through a center of an attachment point of the carousel arm to the hub, and
wherein the base is provided with a load cell which is positioned so that when the at least one carousel arm is in the container accessing position, the at least one wheel is resting on the load cell to register a weight applied by the at least one wheel.
2 . The carousel port according to claim 1 wherein the at least one carousel arm is comprised of an upper arm and a lower arm which extend parallel to each other.
3 . The carousel port according to claim 1 wherein each attachment point of the at least one carousel arm has bearings in order to allow a distal end of the at least one carousel arm to move freely up and down in a vertical direction.
4 . The carousel port according to claim 2 wherein the upper arm and the lower arm are attached to each other at a first end via a first vertical member and at a second end via a second vertical member.
5 . The carousel port according to claim 4 wherein the upper arm, the lower arm, the first vertical member, and the second vertical member can rotate around horizontal axes going through a center of each attachment point.
6 . The carousel port according to claim 1 , wherein the support structure of each carousel arm of the at least one carousel arm is carried by two wheels spaced either side of a center point of the support structure, wherein each wheel of the two wheels is resting on separate load cells when the at least one carousel arm is in the container accessing position.
7 . The carousel port according to claim 1 , wherein the carousel port comprises three carousel arms each with their own tray.
8 . The carousel port according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one wheel is a driven wheel.
9 . The carousel port according to claim 1 , further comprising adjustable legs positioned at each corner and provided to support and assist levelling of the carousel port.
10 . A method for weighing containers in a carousel port comprising a rotatable container carousel for conveying containers between a container loading position and a container accessing position, the rotatable container carousel being rotatable about a central axis and comprising a hub with at least one carousel arm attached at one end to the hub and at another end attached to a support structure which carries a container tray at a radial distance from the central axis of the rotatable container carousel supported on top of the support structure, wherein load from the support structure, the container tray and any container carried on the container tray is carried by at least one wheel mounted to the support structure of each carousel arm of the at least one carousel arm as the at least one wheel rotates over a surface of a base of the carousel port, the method comprising the following steps:
loading a container onto a container tray supported by a carousel arm of the at least one carousel arm of the carousel port,
rotating the carousel arm with the container tray with the container loaded onto it to the container accessing position,
arranging the at least one wheel attached to the carousel arm rotated to the container accessing positioned to rest on a load cell,
registering a weight measurement output from the load cell, and
subtracting from the weight measurement a weight measurement taken by the load cell when the container tray is empty.
11 . A system for weighing containers in a carousel port in an automated storage and retrieval system comprising:
a plurality of container handling vehicles; and
a framework structure forming a three-dimensional storage grid structure for storing storage containers for storing items, and where the framework structure comprises a rail system, the rail system providing available routes for the container handling vehicles handling and transferring the storage containers to and from storage columns of the automated storage and retrieval system, and
wherein the carousel port can receive a container lowered by a container handling vehicle operating on the rail system of the automated storage and retrieval system,
wherein the automated storage and retrieval system comprises a rotatable container carousel for conveying containers between a container loading position and a container accessing position, the rotatable container carousel being rotatable about a central axis and comprising:
a base;
a hub; and
at least one carousel arm attached at one end to the hub and at another end attached to a support structure which carries a container tray at a radial distance from the central axis of the rotatable container carousel supported on top of the support structure,
wherein load from the support structure, the container tray and any container carried on the container tray is carried by at least one wheel mounted to the support structure of each carousel arm of the at least one carousel arm as the at least one wheel rotates over a surface of the base of the carousel port, and
wherein each carousel arm of the at least one carousel arm is able to pivot about a horizontal axis extending through a center of an attachment point of the carousel arm to the hub, and
wherein the base is provided with a load cell which is positioned so that when the at least one carousel arm is in the container accessing position, the at least one wheel is resting on the load cell to register a weight applied by the at least one wheel.