Systems and methods for processing objects including mobile matrix carrier systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11117760-B2
Application number	US-201816171303-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2018
Priority date	Oct 27, 2017
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

An object processing system is disclosed that includes a plurality of track sections, and a plurality of remotely actuatable carriers for controlled movement along at least portions of the plurality of track sections, wherein each of the remotely controllable carriers is adapted to support and transport an object processing bin.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An object processing system comprising:
a plurality of track sections;
a fixed rack unit comprising a plurality of forks; and
a plurality of remotely controllable carriers for controlled movement along at least portions of the plurality of track sections towards the fixed rack unit, at least one of the remotely controllable carriers comprising a loading paddle movably mounted on a raised bin support,
wherein the at least one of the remotely controllable carriers is configured to load a bin from the raised bin support onto the forks of the fixed rack unit by actuating the loading paddle in an upward direction and driving the at least one of the remotely controllable carriers under the fixed rack unit such that the bin is pushed by the loading paddle onto the plurality of forks of the fixed rack unit as the at least one of the remotely controllable carriers moves under the fixed rack unit.

2. The object processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of track sections are not connected with each other.

3. The object processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of track sections are provided in an array.

4. The object processing system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the at least one of the remotely controllable carriers includes a plurality of powered wheels that are mounted for pivotal movement with respect to the at least one of the remotely controllable carriers.

5. The object processing system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the at least one of the remotely controllable carriers is movable in two mutually orthogonal directions.

6. The object processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the object processing system includes a processing programmable motion device with an articulated arm, and wherein the articulated arm is positioned adjacent a portion of the plurality of track sections.

7. The object processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the system includes a plurality of storage bins for providing storage of objects pre-processing, and a plurality of destination bins containing processed objects.

8. The object processing system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the destination bins are cardboard boxes.

9. The object processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein one or more track sections among the plurality of track sections are provided in a generally square shape.

10. The object processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the object processing system includes a manual processing station at which a plurality of bins is provided to a human operator for processing.

11. The object processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the loading paddle is actuatable in an upward direction by rotating the loading paddle in the upward direction.

12. The object processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the loading paddle is actuatable in an upward direction by moving the loading paddle linearly in the upward direction.

13. The object processing system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an unloading paddle movably mounted on the raised bin support,
wherein the at least one of the remotely controllable carriers is configured to unload a bin from the fixed rack unit onto the raised bin support of the at least one of the remotely controllable carriers by driving the at least one of the remotely controllable carriers under the fixed rack unit, actuating the unloading paddle in an upward direction, and driving the at least one of the remotely controllable carriers away from the fixed rack unit such that the bin is pushed off the forks of the fixed rack unit and onto the raised bin support by the unloading paddle as the at least one of the remotely controllable carriers moves away from the fixed rack unit.

14. The object processing system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the unloading paddle is actutable in an upward direction by rotating the unloading paddle in the upward direction.

15. The object processing system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the unloading paddle is actuatable in an upward direction by moving the unloading paddle linearly in the upward direction.

16. The object processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the remotely controllable carriers is driven under the fixed rack unit such that the raised bin support is aligned between the forks of the fixed rack unit.

17. The object processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fixed rack unit is communicatively coupled to a conveyor.

18. The object processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the system further includes a plurality of fixed rack units onto which a plurality of bins are placed by the at least one of the remotely controllable carriers.

19. An object processing system comprising:
an array of track sections that are not mutually connected;
a fixed rack unit comprising a plurality of forks; and
at least one remotely controllable carrier for automated movement along the array of track sections towards the fixed rack unit, the at least one remotely controllable carrier comprising one or more raised bin supports and a first paddle movably mounted on an end of at least one of the one or more raised bin supports,
wherein the at least one remotely controllable carrier is driven under the fixed rack unit to load or unload a bin such that the one or more raised bin supports are aligned between the forks of the fixed rack unit, and
wherein the at least one remotely controllable carrier is configured to load a bin from the one or more raised bin supports onto the forks of the fixed rack unit by actuating the first paddle in an upward direction and driving the at least one remotely controllable carrier under the fixed rack unit such that the bin is pushed by the first paddle onto the plurality of forks of the fixed rack unit as the at least one remotely controllable carrier moves under the fixed rack unit.

20. The object processing system as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the at least one remotely controllable carrier includes a plurality of powered wheels that are mounted for pivotal movement with respect to the at least one remotely controllable carrier.

21. The object processing system as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the at least one remotely controllable carrier is movable in two mutually orthogonal directions.

22. The object processing system as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the object processing system includes a processing programmable motion device with an articulated arm at an automated processing station, and wherein the articulated arm is positioned adjacent a portion of the array of track sections.

23. The object processing system as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the object processing system includes a manual processing station at which a plurality of bins is provided to a human operator for processing.

24. The object processing system as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the system includes a plurality of storage bins for providing storage of objects pre-processing, and a plurality of destination bins containing processed objects.

25. The object processing system as claimed in claim 24 , wherein the destination bins are cardboard boxes.

26. The object processing system as claimed in claim 19 , wherein one or more track sections among the array of track sections are provided in a generally square shape.

27. The object processing system as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the system furt

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