Autonomous transport vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12398029-B2
Application number	US-202217664944-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 25, 2022
Priority date	Aug 24, 2021
Publication date	Aug 26, 2025
Grant date	Aug 26, 2025

Abstract

An autonomous transport vehicle includes a frame forming a transport payload area of the vehicle. The payload area includes a payload contact support surface that defines a payload support plane that supports the payload. The payload area further includes an articulated underpick end effector that engages and underpicks the payload with respect to the support plane, and extends and retracts with respect to the payload area effecting payload transfer. Payload registration facets are mounted to the frame to engage the payload. The registration facets are disposed to provide, upon engagement with the payload, at least two degrees of registration capturing and securing the payload in a predetermined position in the payload area, and are configured to effect payload engagement with the at least two degrees of registration registering the payload substantially coincident with seating of the payload on the payload support plane of the payload area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An autonomous transport vehicle for transporting a payload comprising:
a frame forming a transport payload area of the vehicle, the payload area includes a payload contact support surface that defines a payload support plane that supports the payload held in the payload area with vehicle traverse;
the payload area further includes an articulated underpick end effector configured to engage and underpick the payload with respect to the payload support plane, and extend and retract with respect to the payload area effecting payload transfer to and from the payload area unloading and loading the payload area; and
payload registration facets mounted to the frame so as to engage the payload held in the payload area;
wherein the registration facets are disposed to provide, upon engagement with the payload, at least two degrees of registration capturing and securing the payload in a predetermined position in the payload area where the at least two degrees of registration are effected substantially coincident so that registration in each of the at least two degrees of registration is substantially coincident with registration in each other of the at least two degrees of registration, and the registration facets are configured to effect payload engagement with the effected at least two degrees of registration registering the payload substantially coincident with seating of the payload on the payload support plane of the payload area.

2. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the articulated underpick end effector extends and retracts loading the payload at each predetermined pick height of the articulated underpick end effector, and each pick height is selectable from different predetermined pick heights, and the payload support plane is disposed so that seating of the payload is substantially constant and independent of the pick height of the articulated underpick end effector loading the payload.

3. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the articulated underpick end effector extends and retracts loading the payload at each predetermined pick height of the articulated underpick end effector, and each pick height is selectable from different predetermined pick heights, and the registration facets register the payload loaded independent or decoupled from the pick height of the articulated underpick end effector loading the payload.

4. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the articulated underpick end effector extends and retracts loading the payload at each payload storage shelf height in a vertical array of storage shelves at different heights, and the registration facets register the payload loaded independent or decoupled from the payload storage shelf height.

5. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the payload support plane is movable relative to the frame in at least one degree of freedom commensurate with motion of the articulated underpick end effector with respect to the frame.

6. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the payload support plane is movable relative to the frame in at least one degree of freedom and movable relative to a pick height, in a direction of the pick height, of the articulated underpick end effector.

7. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the registration facets are configured to effect payload engagement with the at least two degrees of registration registering the payload substantially coincident with the end effector positioning the payload on the payload contact support surface loading the payload area.

8. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the articulated underpick end effector seating the payload on the payload support plane effects registration of the payload and the registration facets in at least one degree of registration of the at least two degrees of registration of the payload relative to the frame.

9. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the articulated underpick end effector seating the payload on the payload contact support surface effects registration of the payload and the registration facets in at least one degree of registration of the at least two degrees of registration of the payload relative to the frame.

10. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the articulated underpick end effector seating of the payload on the payload support plane is substantially immediately proximate to the articulated underpick end effector positioning the payload within the payload area loading the payload area.

11. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1 , wherein effecting at least two degrees of registration of the payload substantially coincident with loading the payload area with the payload enables initiation of vehicle travel substantially coincident with seating of the payload on the payload support plane of the vehicle for each payload loaded on the vehicle.

12. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the articulated underpick end effector is configured to engage an underside of the payload and pick up the payload therefrom effecting transfer of the payload by the autonomous transport vehicle.

13. An autonomous transport vehicle for transporting a payload comprising:
a frame forming a transport payload area of the vehicle, the payload area includes a payload contact support surface that defines a payload support plane of the vehicle that supports the payload held in the payload area with vehicle traverse;
the payload area further includes an underpick end effector configured to engage and underpick the payload with respect to a support plane of a storage space and effect payload transfer to and from the support plane of the storage space unloading and loading the payload area; and
payload registration facets mounted to the frame so as to engage the payload held in the payload area;
wherein the registration facets are disposed to provide, upon engagement with the payload, at least two degrees of registration capturing and securing the payload in a predetermined position in the payload area where the at least two degrees of registration are effected substantially coincident so that registration in each of the at least two degrees of registration is substantially coincident with registration in each other of the at least two degrees of registration, and the registration facets are configured to effect payload engagement with the effected at least two degrees of registration registering the payload substantially coincident with seating of the payload, on the payload support plane of the payload area, effected with a common seating motion of and between the underpick end effector and payload support plane for each pick of the end effector from each different support plane height of the storage space.

14. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the common seating motion is a minimum motion closing a clearance air gap between the payload support plane and the underpick end effector at a payload pick height of the underpick end effector for each different support plane height of the storage space.

15. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the underpick end effector extends and retracts loading the payload at each predetermined pick height of the underpick end effector, and each pick height is selectable from different predetermined pick heights, and the payload support plane is disposed so that seating of the payload is substantially constant and independent of the pick height of the underpick end effector loading the payload.

16. The autonomous transport vehicle of cl

Assignees

• Symbotic Llc

Inventors

• Zahdeh Akram
• Kepple Todd

Classifications

• B66F9/18 Primary

  Load gripping or retaining means · CPC title

• B65G1/0492

  with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles · CPC title

• B66F9/143

  Movements of forks relative to each other - symmetric · CPC title

• B66F9/10

  movable in a horizontal direction relative to truck · CPC title

• B66F9/063 Primary

  Automatically guided · CPC title