Storage rack with multi-direction shuttle

1. An automated warehouse storage system comprising:

a storage track for accessing storage space; and

an aisle track comprising a track crossing for accessing said storage track; and

a multi-directional load carrying shuttle adapted to ride on both said storage track and said aisle track;

wherein said aisle track is decoupled from said storage track by a discontinuity between said track crossing and said storage track; and

wherein said shuttle comprises at least four wheel treads per side for driving said shuttle along a direction of said storage track; and

wherein said four wheel treads are configured such that, when riding from said crossing onto said storage track:

a first tread engages with said storage track before a second tread disengages with said track crossing thereby overcoming said discontinuity; and

a third tread engages with said storage track before a fourth tread disengages with said track crossing; and

wherein said track crossing bends downwards towards said discontinuity for engaging said first and third tread with said storage track in a continuous manner and/or wherein said storage track bends downwards towards said discontinuity for engaging said first and third tread with said storage track in a continuous manner.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein said shuttle comprises at least four wheels per side each comprising a respective tread of said four wheel treads; and

wherein said four wheels are configured in line such that said shuttle rides on said four wheels on both a rail of said track crossing and a rail of said storage track.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein said shuttle is configured to ride on said storage track by said first tread and said third tread; and

wherein said shuttle is configured to ride on said rail crossing by said second tread and said fourth tread.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein said track crossing and said storage track are overlapping along a direction of said storage track.

5. The system according to claim 3 wherein said shuttle comprises at least four wheels per side each comprising a respective tread of said four wheel treads; and

wherein a first and third wheel comprising respectively said first and third tread are positioned higher on said shuttle than a second and fourth wheel comprising respectively said second and fourth tread.

6. The system according to claim 3 wherein said shuttle comprises two wheel axes each comprising one or more wheels; and

wherein said first and said second tread are on said one or more wheels of a first wheel axis; and

wherein said third and fourth tread are on said one or more wheels of a second wheel axis.

7. The system according to claim 6 wherein said axes comprise each two wheels; and

wherein a first wheel of said two wheels comprises respectively said first tread or third tread; and

wherein a second wheel of said two wheels comprises respectively said second tread or fourth tread.

8. The system according to claim 6 wherein said axes comprise each one wheel; and

wherein said wheel comprises each respectively said first and second tread or said third and fourth tread.

9. A method for driving a multi-directional load carrying shuttle in an automated warehouse storage system from a track crossing of an aisle track onto a storage track for accessing storage space;

wherein said aisle track is decoupled from said storage track by a discontinuity between said track crossing and said storage track; and

wherein said track crossing bends downwards towards said discontinuity for engaging said first and third tread with said storage track in a continuous manner and/or wherein said storage track bends downwards towards said discontinuity for engaging said first and third tread with said storage track in a continuous manner;

said method comprising the following steps:

driving said shuttle on said aisle track to said track crossing; and

driving said shuttle onto said track crossing towards said discontinuity by a second and fourth wheel tread on each side of said shuttle; and

at said discontinuity, engaging a first wheel tread with said storage track before said second tread disengages with said track crossing thereby overcoming said discontinuity; and

subsequently, engaging a third wheel tread with said storage track before said fourth tread disengages with said track crossing;

driving said shuttle towards said storage space on said storage track by said first and third wheel tread.

10. A storage rack for an automated warehouse storage system comprising:

a storage track for accessing storage space by a multi-directional load carrying shuttle; and

an aisle track comprising a track crossing for accessing said storage track by said multi-directional load carrying shuttle; and

wherein said aisle track is decoupled from said storage track by a discontinuity between said track crossing and said storage track; and

wherein said track crossing bends downwards towards said discontinuity for engaging a first and third tread of said multi-directional load carrying shuttle with said storage track in a continuous manner and/or wherein said storage track bends downwards towards said discontinuity for engaging said first and third tread with said storage track in a continuous manner.