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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12098027-B2
Application number	US-202318134456-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 13, 2023
Priority date	Oct 27, 2017
Publication date	Sep 24, 2024
Grant date	Sep 24, 2024

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 method of maintaining an object processing system, said method comprising:
moving a plurality of automated carriers about a work environment, each automated carrier including a carrier body for supporting any of a tote or bin or box thereon, and a carrier base including a plurality of wheels that are mutually spaced apart, said carrier base defining a base unit area;
moving a maintenance body supported by a plurality of carrier bases about the work environment, each carrier base of the maintenance body being mutually spaced from each other by at least two base unit areas;
determining that maintenance is needed at a maintenance location in the work environment;
moving the maintenance body to the maintenance location;
grasping debris at the maintenance location using an articulated arm on the maintenance body; and
depositing the debris using the articulated arm into a receiving area on the maintenance body.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of automated carriers includes four wheels.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein each of the four wheels is remotely controlled to pivot between a first position and a second position by a linkage mechanism that is rotated to move the four wheels at the same time.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carrier base of each of the plurality of automated carriers includes at least two sets of four pivotable wheels.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carrier base of each of the plurality of automated carriers includes at least three sets of four pivotable wheels.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carrier base of each of the plurality of automated carriers includes at least four sets of four pivotable wheels.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the automated carriers move along a plurality of disconnected track sections.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein each of said plurality of disconnected track sections includes identifiable indicia that is capable of being detected by the plurality of automated carriers.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the maintenance body further includes a camera.

10. A method of maintaining an object processing system, said method comprising:
moving a plurality of automated carriers about a work environment, each automated carrier including a carrier body for supporting any of a tote or bin or box thereon, and a carrier base including a plurality of wheels that are mutually spaced apart, said carrier base defining a base unit area;
moving a maintenance body supported by a plurality of carrier bases about the work environment, each carrier base of the maintenance body being mutually spaced from each other by at least two base unit areas;
determining that maintenance is needed at a maintenance location in the work environment;
moving the maintenance body to the maintenance location; and
employing an extendable end-effector that extends to grasp a disabled automated carrier of the plurality of automated carriers at the maintenance location.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of automated carriers includes four wheels.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein each of the four wheels is remotely controlled to pivot between a first position and a second position by a linkage mechanism that is rotated to move the four wheels at the same time.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the carrier base of each of the plurality of automated carriers includes at least two sets of four pivotable wheels.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the carrier base of each of the plurality of automated carriers includes at least three sets of four pivotable wheels.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the carrier base of each of the plurality of automated carriers includes at least four sets of four pivotable wheels.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of automated carriers move along a plurality of disconnected track sections.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein each of said plurality of disconnected track sections includes identifiable indicia that is capable of being detected by the plurality of automated carriers.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the maintenance body further includes a camera.

19. A method of maintaining an object processing system, said method comprising:
moving a plurality of automated carriers about a work environment, each automated carrier including a carrier body for supporting any of a tote or bin or box thereon, and a carrier base including a plurality of wheels that are mutually spaced apart, said carrier base defining a base unit area;
moving a maintenance body supported by a plurality of carrier bases about the work environment, each carrier base of the maintenance body being mutually spaced from each other by at least two base unit areas;
determining that maintenance is needed at a maintenance location in the work environment;
moving the maintenance body to the maintenance location; and
employing a vacuum assembly on the maintenance body that provides at least one vacuum opening on an underside of the maintenance body.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of automated carriers includes four wheels.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein each of the four wheels is remotely controlled to pivot between a first position and a second position by a linkage mechanism that is rotated to move the four wheels at the same time.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the carrier base of each of the plurality of automated carriers includes at least two sets of four pivotable wheels.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein the carrier base of each of the plurality of automated carriers includes at least three sets of four pivotable wheels.

24. The method of claim 19 , wherein the carrier base of each of the plurality of automated carriers includes at least four sets of four pivotable wheels.

25. The method of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of automated carriers move along a plurality of disconnected track sections.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein each of said plurality of disconnected track sections includes identifiable indicia that is capable of being detected by the plurality of automated carriers.

27. The method of claim 19 , wherein the maintenance body further includes a camera.

Assignees

• Berkshire Grey Operating Company 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

• G05B2219/40252

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

• G05B2219/40078

  Sort objects, workpieces · CPC title

• G05B2219/24001

  Maintenance, repair · CPC title

• G05B19/41815

  characterised by the cooperation between machine tools, manipulators and conveyor or other workpiece supply system, workcell · CPC title

• G05B19/0428

  Safety, monitoring (G05B19/0423 takes precedence) · CPC title