Systems and methods for managing inventory

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12129121-B2
Application number	US-202318460752-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2023
Priority date	Aug 14, 2019
Publication date	Oct 29, 2024
Grant date	Oct 29, 2024

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 first drive system is operable to drive the vehicle along a horizontal surface. In a second mode of operation, the second drive system is operable to drive the vehicle vertically. In a third mode of operation, the second drive system is operable to lift a module vertically to lift the module off the horizontal surface so that actuating the first drive system drives the vehicle and the module along the horizontal surface.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for handling materials, comprising the steps of:
providing a vehicle having a first drive system for driving the vehicle in a horizontal direction and a second drive system cooperable with a vertical guide to drive the vehicle vertically up the vertical guide;
providing a material handling module having an opening configured to receive a portion of the vehicle;
actuating the first drive system to drive the vehicle along a horizontal surface to a position adjacent the module;
aligning the vehicle with the opening in the module;
driving at least a portion of the vehicle into the opening;
actuating the second drive system to raise the module vertically to lift the module off the horizontal surface;
actuating the first drive system to drive the vehicle with the module along the horizontal surface; and
placing an item onto the module or removing an item from the module after the step of actuating the first drive system to drive the vehicle with the module.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of driving at least a portion of the vehicle into the opening comprises the step of driving the second drive system into operative engagement with a drive surface on the module.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the drive surface comprises a plurality of teeth cooperable with the second drive system and the step of driving the second drive system into operative engagement with the drive surface comprises meshing the second drive system with the plurality of teeth.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of placing an item onto the module comprises displacing the module into engagement with a rack or shelf.

5. The method of claim 1 comprising the step of actuating the first drive system to drive the vehicle horizontally while the vehicle is in the module and the item is placed on the module.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the module comprises a support surface and the step of placing an item onto the module comprises placing the item onto the support surface.

7. A material handling system storing or retrieving a plurality of items, comprising:
a vehicle for delivering or retrieving items, comprising:
a horizontal drive for driving the vehicle in a horizontal direction; and
a vertical drive cooperable with a vertical guide to drive the vehicle vertically up the vertical guide;
a power source for powering the horizontal drive and the vertical drive;

a material handling module having an opening configured to receive a portion of the vehicle wherein the module comprises a drive surface cooperable with the vertical drive;
wherein the vehicle is configured to extend into the module so that the vertical drive engages the drive surface of the module and: (a) the vertical drive is driveable in a first direction to raise the module off the horizontal surface and (b) the horizontal drive is operable to drive the vehicle along the horizontal surface while the module is raised off the horizontal surface.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the drive surface of the module comprises a plurality of drive elements configured to mesh with the vertical drive.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the material handling module comprises a bin, shelf or surface for receiving one or more items to be stored or retrieved.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the module is cooperable with a shelving rack to lift the shelving rack.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the vertical drive projects outwardly from the vehicle and the drive surface of the module comprises gaps configured to align with the vertical drive to facilitate the vehicle driving into the module.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein the vertical drive comprises a plurality of rotatable elements each having a plurality of engagement elements.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the engagement elements comprise gear teeth.

14. The system of claim 7 wherein the horizontal drive comprises a plurality of rotatable elements configured to engage the horizontal surface.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the rotatable elements comprise wheels or rollers.

Assignees

• Opex Corp

Inventors

• Stevens Alex
• Valinsky Joseph

Classifications

• G05D1/69

  Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles · CPC title

• G05D1/692

  involving a plurality of disparate vehicles · CPC title

• B65G1/1376

  the orders being assembled on a commissioning conveyor · CPC title

• B65G1/1371

  with data records · CPC title

• B25J9/1687

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