Maintenance systems for use in systems and methods for processing objects including mobile matrix carrier systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10988323-B2
Application number	US-201816172339-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 26, 2018
Priority date	Oct 27, 2017
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

A maintenance system is disclosed for assisting in maintaining an automated carrier system for moving objects to be processed. The maintenance system includes a plurality of automated carriers that are adapted to move on an array of discontinuous standard track sections, each said automated carrier including a carrier body that is no larger in either a length or width direction that a standard track section, and an automated maintenance carrier that is adapted to move on the array of discontinuous track sections, said automated maintenance system including a maintenance body that is larger in at least one of a length or width direction than the standard track section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A maintenance system for assisting in maintaining an automated carrier system for moving objects to be processed, said maintenance system comprising:
an array of disconnected track sections mounted on a floor, each track section being rectangular in shape;
a plurality of automated carriers, each said automated carrier comprising a carrier body and a plurality of wheels mounted to the carrier body for moving the automated carrier along the array of disconnected track sections; and
an automated maintenance carrier comprising a substantially planar maintenance body and a plurality of wheels mounted to the substantially planar maintenance body for moving the automated maintenance carrier along the array of disconnected track sections, wherein the substantially planar maintenance body is larger in at least one of a length direction and a width direction than any of the rectangular track sections,
wherein the automated maintenance carrier further comprises an articulated robotic arm mounted on the substantially planar maintenance body, wherein the articulated robotic arm has an extendable end effector that extends to grasp a disabled automated carrier on the array and retracts to tow the disabled automated carrier onto the substantially planar maintenance body of the automated maintenance carrier.

2. The maintenance system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each said automated carrier includes four wheels.

3. The maintenance system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of wheels is remotely controlled to pivot between a first position and a second position by a linkage mechanism that is rotated to move the wheels at the same time.

4. The maintenance system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wheels of said automated maintenance carrier includes at least two sets of four pivotable wheels.

5. The maintenance system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wheels of said automated maintenance carrier includes at least three sets of four pivotable wheels.

6. The maintenance system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wheels of said automated maintenance carrier includes at least four sets of four pivotable wheels.

7. The maintenance system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of said disconnected track sections includes identifiable indicia that is capable of being detected by the plurality of automated carriers.

8. The maintenance system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the automated maintenance carrier further comprises a vacuum source for vacuuming the array of disconnected track sections.

9. The maintenance system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the automated maintenance carrier includes a retrieval system for retrieving objects from the array of disconnected track sections.

10. The maintenance system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the automated maintenance carrier includes at least one camera.

11. A maintenance system for assisting in maintaining an automated carrier system for moving objects to be processed, said maintenance system comprising:
an array of disconnected track sections mounted on a plurality of floor modules, each track section being rectangular in shape; and
an automated maintenance carrier comprising a substantially planar maintenance body and a plurality of swivel mounted wheel assemblies that are remotely controlled to move the automated maintenance carrier about the array of disconnected track sections, wherein the substantially planar maintenance body is larger in at least one of a length direction or a width direction than any of the disconnected track sections,
the automated maintenance carrier further comprising a vacuum assembly mounted on the substantially planar maintenance body and coupled to a plurality of vacuum openings that extend through an underside of the substantially planar maintenance body.

12. The maintenance system as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of automated carriers, each said automated carrier comprises a carrier body and a plurality of swivel mounted wheel assemblies that are remotely controlled to move the automated carrier about the array of disconnected track sections, wherein the carrier body is no larger than any of the rectangular track sections.

13. The maintenance system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the automated maintenance carrier includes a retrieval system for retrieving objects from the array of disconnected track sections.

14. The maintenance system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the retrieval system includes at least one camera and an articulated robotic arm for retrieving the objects.

15. The maintenance system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the automated maintenance carrier includes a carrier retrieval system for retrieving a disable automated carrier from the array of disconnected track sections.

16. The maintenance system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the carrier retrieval system includes a towing system on a programmable motion device.

17. A method of providing maintenance of an automated carrier system for moving objects to be processed, comprising:
moving a plurality of automated carriers on an array of disconnected track sections spaced apart on a floor structure, each track section being rectangular in shape, each said automated carrier including a carrier body that is no larger in either a length direction or a width direction than any of the disconnected track sections;
moving an automated maintenance carrier on the array of disconnected track sections towards a disabled automated carrier, said automated maintenance carrier including a substantially planar maintenance body that is larger in at least one of a length direction or a width direction than any of the disconnected track sections, wherein the automated maintenance carrier further includes an articulated robotic arm having an extendable end effector mounted on the substantially planar maintenance body;
extending the extendable end effector of the articulated robotic arm to grasp the disabled automated carrier on the array; and
retracting the extendable end effector to tow the disabled automated carrier onto the substantially planar maintenance body of the automated maintenance carrier.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 , further comprising retrieving objects from the array of disconnected track sections.

19. The method as claimed in claim 17 , further comprising:
applying a vacuum from a vacuum assembly mounted on the substantially planar maintenance body of the automated maintenance carrier through a plurality of vacuum openings that extend through an underside of the substantially planar maintenance body towards the array of disconnected track sections.

Assignees

• Berkshire Grey Inc

Inventors

• Wagner Thomas
• Ahearn Kevin
• Amend Jr John Richard
• Cohen Benjamin
• DAWSON-HAGGERTY Michael
• Fort William Hartman
• GEYER Christopher
• King Jennifer Eileen
• Koletschka Thomas
• Koval Michael Cap
• MARONEY Kyle
• Mason Matthew T
• McMahan William Chu-Hyon
• Price Gene Temple
• Romano Joseph
• Smith Daniel
• SRINIVASA Siddhartha
• Velagapudi Prasanna
• Allen Thomas

Classifications

• B65G35/00

  Mechanical conveyors not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B65G1/0492

  with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles · CPC title

• B65G1/04 Primary

  mechanical · CPC title

• G05B2219/40252

  Robot on track, rail moves only back and forth · CPC title

• G05B2219/40078

  Sort objects, workpieces · CPC title