Vehicle for container transport

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11427121-B2
Application number	US-201916669811-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2019
Priority date	Jan 7, 2019
Publication date	Aug 30, 2022
Grant date	Aug 30, 2022

Abstract

A vehicle can include a base assembly, a rack assembly, and a processing system. The base assembly can include a platform, a plurality of wheels and a motor for driving at least one of the plurality of wheels. The rack assembly can include a storage shelf connected to the base assembly through a coupling, which includes a bearing assembly enabling the storage shelf to rotate with respect to the platform. The processing system can be configured to communicatively couple with the rack assembly and include one or more processors configured to: determine a location of a target good; cause the storage shelf to move based on the determined location.

First claim

We claim:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a base assembly comprising a platform, a plurality of wheels and a motor for driving at least one of the plurality of wheels;
a rack assembly comprising a storage shelf connected to the base assembly through a coupling, which comprises a bearing assembly enabling the storage shelf to rotate with respect to the platform; and
a processing system configured to communicatively couple with the rack assembly, the processing system comprising one or more processors configured to:
determine a location of a target good;
cause the storage shelf to move based on the determined location.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said bearing assembly comprises an inner race, an outer race, and a plurality of roller elements disposed between the inner race and the outer race.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 wherein said rack assembly further comprises an elevator configured to vertically translate with respect to the platform.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 wherein said rack assembly further comprises an actuator configured to rotate the storage shelf with respect to the platform.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein said actuator comprises a piston.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising:
an illumination assembly coupled to the platform and comprising a light projector configured to illuminate a floor on which the vehicle drives; and
wherein the processing system is configured to communicatively couple with the illumination assembly and to:
determine at least one route for the vehicle;
instruct the light projector to produce and cast a graphic with a shape reflecting the determined vehicle route.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 wherein the processing system is further configured to:
determine a location of a target good;
cause the light projector to cast a graphic identifying the determined item location.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising:
a rail assembly comprising a beam defining a groove, the beam being affixed to the base assembly;
wherein the rack assembly comprises a storage shelf joined with an elevator coupling, the elevator coupling being configured to translate within the groove and comprising a bearing assembly enabling the storage shelf to rotate with respect to the platform.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the base assembly is configured to perform a zero radius 360° turn.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the base assembly is configured to move in a plurality of directions without turning.

11. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein each wheel of the plurality of wheels comprises a Mecanum wheel.

12. A vehicle comprising:
a base assembly comprising a platform, a plurality of wheels and a motor for driving at least one of the plurality of wheels;
a rack assembly comprising a storage shelf connected to the base assembly through a coupling assembly, the coupling assembly comprising a bearing assembly enabling the storage shelf to rotate with respect to the platform; and
a processing system configured to communicatively couple with the rack assembly, the processing system comprising one or more processors configured to:
determine at least one dimension of an item to be loaded onto the storage shelf;
cause the storage shelf to move based on the at least one determined dimension.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 further comprising:
an illumination assembly coupled to the platform and comprising a light projector configured to illuminate a floor on which the vehicle drives; and
wherein the processing system is configured to communicatively couple with the illumination assembly and to:
determine at least one route for the vehicle;
instruct the light projector to produce and cast a graphic with a shape reflecting the determined vehicle route.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the processing system is further configured to:
determine a location of a target good;
cause the light projector to cast a graphic identifying the determined item location.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 further comprising:
a rail assembly comprising a beam defining a groove, the beam being affixed to the base assembly;
wherein the rack assembly comprises a storage shelf joined with an elevator coupling, the elevator coupling being configured to translate within the groove and comprising a bearing assembly enabling the storage shelf to rotate with respect to the platform.

16. The vehicle of claim 12 wherein said rack assembly further comprises:
an elevator configured to vertically translate with respect to the platform; and
an actuator configured to rotate the storage shelf with respect to the platform.

17. A vehicle comprising:
a base assembly comprising a platform, a plurality of wheels and a motor for driving at least one of the plurality of wheels;
a rack assembly comprising a storage shelf connected to the base assembly through a coupling assembly, the coupling assembly comprising a bearing assembly enabling the storage shelf to rotate with respect to the platform; and
a processing system configured to communicatively couple with the rack assembly, the processing system comprising one or more processors configured to:
determine a location of a user;
determine at least one dimension of an item to be loaded onto the storage shelf; and
cause the storage shelf to rotate within the bearing assembly toward the determined user location at an angle based on the at least one determined item dimension.

18. The vehicle of claim 17 further comprising:
an illumination assembly coupled to the platform and comprising a light projector configured to illuminate a floor on which the vehicle drives; and
wherein the processing system is configured to communicatively couple with the illumination assembly and to:
determine at least one route for the vehicle;
instruct the light projector to produce and cast a graphic with a shape reflecting the determined vehicle route.

19. The vehicle of claim 18 wherein the processing system is further configured to:
determine a location of a target good;
cause the light projector to cast a graphic identifying the determined item location.

20. The vehicle of claim 17 further comprising:
a rail assembly comprising a beam defining a groove, the beam being affixed to the base assembly;
wherein the rack assembly comprises a storage shelf joined with an elevator coupling, the elevator coupling being configured to translate within the groove and comprising a bearing assembly enabling the storage shelf to rotate with respect to the platform.

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Aljallis Elias
• Miele Jeremiah Bruno
• Gopalakrishnan Vikranth
• Gunter Jr Walter
• Benham Brooke Anne
• Greenhill Ryan Christopher
• Hemani Haaris

Classifications

• B60B19/003

  Multidirectional wheels · CPC title

• B60Q2800/20

  Utility vehicles, e.g. for agriculture, construction work · CPC title

• B60Q2400/50

  Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body · CPC title

• B62B5/0033

  Electric motors · CPC title

• B62B2202/12

  Boxes, Crates · CPC title