Rotating storage systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10246257-B1
Application number	US-201715408772-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 18, 2017
Priority date	Jan 18, 2017
Publication date	Apr 2, 2019
Grant date	Apr 2, 2019

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices are described herein for managing item storage using rotating platforms. In some examples, an item can be loaded on to a material conveyance device. The item then can be unloaded from the material conveyance device to a rotating platform. The rotating platform can include a sloped surface. Sensor data that identifies the item can be received. A robotic manipulator can be used to manipulate the item based at least in part on the sensor data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a conical platform defining a center axis, and comprising:
a sloped, annular upper surface;
an inner circumferential edge;
an outer circumferential edge spaced radially outward from the inner circumferential edge; and
a side wall extending upward from the sloped, annular upper surface along the outer circumferential edge, the conical platform being supported on a frame for rotation about the center axis;
a material conveyance device disposed adjacent to the conical platform and configured to move items between a loading location and the sloped, annular upper surface;
a robotic manipulator disposed adjacent to the conical platform and configured to manipulate the items disposed on the sloped, annular upper surface;
a sensor disposed adjacent to the conical platform and configured to sense the items disposed on the sloped, annular upper surface; and
a computer system in communication with at least the material conveyance device, the robotic manipulator, and the sensor, and configured to:
receive sensor data from the sensor, the sensor data identifying an item disposed on the sloped, annular upper surface, the item moved to the sloped, annular upper surface by the material conveyance device;
determine an item position on the sloped, annular upper surface based at least in part on the sensor data, the item position corresponding to the item; and
instruct the robotic manipulator to remove the item from the sloped, annular upper surface at the item position.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is further configured to:
receive other sensor data from the sensor, the other sensor data identifying an area on the sloped, annular upper surface that is devoid of other items;
determine that the area is sufficient for receiving the item based at least in part on the other sensor data and an item characteristic corresponding to the item; and
instruct the robotic manipulator to place the item in the area.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the item is a first item, the item position is a first item position, and the sensor data identifies a second item disposed adjacent to the first item; and
the computer system is further configured to:
determine a second item position on the sloped, annular upper surface corresponding to the second item;
determine that at least one of the first item position or the second item position at least partially overlaps the other; and
after instructing the robotic manipulator to remove the first item, instruct the robotic manipulator to place the second item at a different position on the sloped, annular upper surface.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the item is moved to the sloped, annular upper surface and removed from the sloped, annular upper surface while the conical platform is rotating.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the material conveyance device comprises a spiral structure coaxially aligned with the center axis and extending through an opening of the conical platform; and
the sloped, annular upper surface slopes downwardly away from the center axis towards the outer circumferential edge.

6. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
causing, by a computing device, loading of an item on to a material conveyance device;
causing, by the computing device, removal of the item from the material conveyance device to an upper surface of a rotating platform, the rotating platform disposed proximate to the material conveyance device, the upper surface comprising a sloped, annular surface;
receiving, by the computing device, sensor data from a sensor configured to sense items disposed on the upper surface, the sensor data at least identifying a position of the item with respect to the rotating platform; and
causing, by the computing device, manipulation of the item based at least in part on the sensor data.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein:
the rotating platform is a first rotating platform of a plurality of rotating platforms, individual rotating platforms of the plurality of rotating platforms being coaxially aligned; and
the material conveyance device is configured to deliver the items to each of the plurality of rotating platforms.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , further comprising:
receiving item data identifying one or more characteristics of the item; and
identifying the first rotating platform from among the plurality of rotating platforms based at least in part on the item data, the first rotating platform disposed adjacent to the material conveyance device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of rotating platforms rotate at a constant velocity.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the sensor is coupled to an underside of a second rotating platform of the plurality of rotating platforms, the first rotating platform disposed below the second rotating platform.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of an optical sensor or a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein:
the material conveyance device is a spiral elevator; and
causing removal of the item from the material conveyance device to the rotating platform comprises causing a moveable diversion structure of the spiral elevator to divert the item from the spiral elevator to the rotating platform.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising:
receiving other sensor data from the sensor, the other sensor data identifying other items disposed on the upper surface;
determining, based at least in part on the other sensor data, position data identifying individual positions of the other items with respect to the rotating platform; and
associating the position data with the respective items in a database, the position data usable to manipulate the other items.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein:
the material conveyance device is a first material conveyance device; and
causing manipulation of the item comprises causing manipulation of the item by a robotic manipulator, the manipulation comprising at least one of:
removal of the item from the upper surface and placement of the item on a second material conveyance device; or
movement of the item from a first location on the upper surface to a second location on the upper surface.

15. A system, comprising:
a support frame;
a conical platform supported by the support frame and defining a center axis, the conical platform comprising:
an annular upper surface extending about the center axis;
a side wall extending around an outer circumferential edge of the conical platform; and
a drive configured to rotate the conical platform about the center axis;
a sensor configured to sense items disposed on the annular upper surface; and
a computer system in communication with the sensor, and configured to:
receive sensor data from the sensor, the sensor data identifying an item disposed on the annular upper surface; and
determine an item position on the annular upper surface based at least in part on the sensor data, the item position corresponding to the item.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the annular upper surface is a frustoconical surface.

17. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a conveyance device configured to present the items at the annular upper surface, and a spiral structure coaxially aligned with the center axis of the conical platform and extending throug

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Battles Jon Stuart
• Aalund Martin Peter
• Darrow John Elias
• Talda Timothy Alan

Classifications

• B65G1/137 Primary

  with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed · CPC title

• B65G47/90

  Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials · CPC title

• B65G33/04

  conveyed between a single screw and guiding means · CPC title

• B65G2207/24

  Helical or spiral conveying path · CPC title

• B65G29/00

  Rotary conveyors, e.g. rotating discs, arms, star-wheels or cones (mechanical projectors B65G31/00; screw or rotary spiral conveyors B65G33/00) · CPC title