Systems and methods for managing inventory

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11780676-B2
Application number	US-202016992703-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2020
Priority date	Aug 14, 2019
Publication date	Oct 10, 2023
Grant date	Oct 10, 2023

Abstract

A vehicle configured to perform inventory management tasks comprises first and second drive systems respectively actuated by a controller. In a first mode of operation, the controller is configured to control rotation of drive elements of the second drive system to align drive elements of the first drive system with a guide system and to control rotation of the drive elements of the first drive system to displace the vehicle vertically, relative to an underlying support surface, to reach a storage location. In a second mode of operation, the controller is configured to control rotation of the drive elements of the second drive system to cause the vehicle to enter an accessory module and to displace the accessory module horizontally and to control rotation of the first plurality of drive elements of the first drive system to displace the accessory module vertically.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. For use in an inventory management system by which items of inventory are transported to and from selectable destinations, an article transport system comprising:
an autonomous vehicle including a controller, a power source, at least one motor, a first drive system having a plurality of drive elements and a second drive system having a plurality of drive elements;
a first accessory module including a base defining an interior volume dimensioned and arranged to accommodate the autonomous vehicle and further defining a lateral entry opening dimensioned and arranged to receive the autonomous vehicle into the interior volume, the first accessory module further including a lift system disposed within the interior volume and engageable by the first drive system to lift the first accessory module from a position of contact with an underlying support surface; and
a second accessory module including a plurality of vertically spaced storage locations and defining a cavity dimensioned and arranged to receive the first accessory module and the vehicle, the vertically spaced storage locations being dimensioned and arranged to support items of inventory;
wherein the controller is configured for controlling rotation of the drive elements of the first drive system and drive elements of the second drive system according to a first mode of operation, wherein the controller is configured
to control rotation of a first plurality of drive elements of the second drive system to align drive elements of the first drive system with engagement surfaces of the lift system,
and to control rotation of the second plurality of drive elements of the second drive system to cause the vehicle to enter the lateral opening of the first accessory module,
to control rotation of the drive elements of the first drive system to thereby actuate the lift system and cause lifting of the first accessory module to an elevated position above the underlying support surface, and
to control rotation of the drive elements of the second drive system to cause rotation of a plurality of drive wheels upon the underlying support surface to thereby transport the accessory module and any object carried thereby from an initial location along the underlying support surface to a destination.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the drive elements of the first drive system are drive wheels mounted at a fixed spacing relative to one another.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the lift system is a plurality of teeth disposed within the interior volume of the first accessory module and wherein the drive wheels of the first drive system are gear wheels dimensioned and arranged to interact with the teeth to cause, when rotated in a first direction, lifting of the first accessory module above the underlying support surface.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured, at the destination, to
control rotation of drive elements of the second drive system to cause the vehicle, while carrying the first accessory module, to enter the cavity of the second accessory module;
control rotation of drive elements of the first drive system to further actuate the lift system and thereby cause lifting of the second accessory module and further lifting of the first accessory module;
control rotation of drive elements of the second drive system to transport the first and second accessory module to a next destination;
at the next destination, control rotation of the drive elements of the first drive system to lower the second accessory module into a position supported solely by the underlying support surface; and
control rotation of drive elements of the second drive system to cause exit of the vehicle and first accessory module from beneath the second accessory module.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of drive elements of the second drive system includes a first plurality of drive wheels and wherein in a third mode of operation, the controller operates the first plurality of drive wheels to cause the vehicle to move along a first path of motion over the underlying support surface and further operates the drive elements of the first drive system to cause the vehicle to move vertically along a second path of motion along a guide system of a vertical rack structure defining an array of storage locations, the second path of motion being vertically displaced from the underlying support surface.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of drive elements of the second drive system further includes a second plurality of drive wheels, wherein surfaces of the first and second plurality of drive wheels of the second drive system engage the underlying support surface during movement of the vehicle along the first path of motion and the surfaces of the first and second plurality of drive wheels of the second drive system are disposed above the underlying support surface during movement of the vehicle along the second path of motion.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the first plurality of drive wheels are roller wheels and the second plurality of drive wheels are omni wheels, the vehicle further including an actuator mechanism dimensioned and arranged to selectively urge contact surfaces of the roller wheels downwardly relative to contact surfaces of the omniwheels.

8. The system of claim 4 , wherein the lift system is a jack and wherein the controller is further configured to operate the at least one motor to cause rotation of drive elements of the first drive system in a first direction to operate the jack to lift the first accessory module until no portion of the first accessory module contacts the underlying support surface, and to further lift the first accessory module until no portion of the second accessory module rests upon the underlying support surface, whereby operating the jack initiates lifting of the second accessory module to accommodate transport, by movements the vehicle upon the underlying support surface, of the first accessory module, the second accessory module, and any items of inventory stored at the storage locations of the second accessory module.

9. The system of claim 4 , wherein the lift system is defined by a plurality of teeth disposed within the interior volume of the first accessory module and wherein the controller is further configured to operate the at least one motor to cause rotation of drive elements of the first drive system in a first direction to engage the teeth and to thereby lift the first accessory module until no portion of the first accessory module contacts the underlying support surface, and to further lift the first accessory module until no portion of the second accessory module rests upon the underlying support surface, whereby movements of the vehicle upon the underlying support surface, transports the first accessory module, the second accessory module, and any items of inventory stored at the storage locations of the second accessory module from a first destination to a next destination.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle further comprises a platform dimensioned and arranged to receive an item of inventory to be at least one of transferred to or received from one of a plurality of storage locations of the inventory management system.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the vehicle further includes a transfer mechanism for transferring an item from the platform to one of the plurality of storage locations and for retrieving an item from one of the plurality of storage locations.

12. The system of claim 5 , wherein the controller includes a processor and a memory containing instructions executable by the processor to operate the veh

Assignees

• Opex Corp

Inventors

• Stevens Alex
• Valinsky Joseph

Classifications

• G05D2107/70

  Industrial sites, e.g. warehouses or factories · CPC title

• G05D2105/28

  of freight · CPC title

• B65G1/1375 Primary

  the orders being assembled on a commissioning stacker-crane or truck · CPC title

• B25J9/1687

  Assembly, peg and hole, palletising, straight line, weaving pattern movement · CPC title

• B65G1/0471

  with access from beneath · CPC title