Wireless powering and control of conveyors on shuttles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12420643-B1
Application number	US-202318165410-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 7, 2023
Priority date	Aug 17, 2021
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for wireless powering and control of conveyors on shuttles. An example system may include a track, and a shuttle configured to move along the track, the shuttle having a conveyor, and a first induction coil. The system may include a second induction coil disposed at a first location along the track, where the second induction coil is configured to interact with the first induction coil to power the conveyor. The shuttle may not have an onboard power source coupled to the conveyor.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A system configured to transport items, the system comprising:
a track;
a first data transmitter module disposed along the track, the first data transmitter module configured to transmit command data;
a shuttle configured to move along the track, the shuttle comprising:
a conveyor; and
a first induction coil;

a second induction coil disposed at a first location along the track, wherein the second induction coil is configured to interact with the first induction coil to power the conveyor; and
a controller configured to:
determine that the shuttle is positioned near the first location;
determine that the shuttle is not positioned at an optimal inductive coupling location near the first location;
cause the shuttle to move incrementally in a forward direction;
determine that the shuttle is not positioned at the optimal inductive coupling location after completing the incremental movement; and
cause the shuttle to move incrementally in a reverse direction.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine that the shuttle is at the optimal inductive coupling location; and
cause the shuttle to pause.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the shuttle further comprises a data receiver module to receive the command data.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the shuttle does not comprise an onboard power source coupled to the conveyor.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor is inoperable along the track between the first location and a second location due to a lack of power.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is onboard the shuttle.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is in remote communication with the shuttle.

8. A system configured to transport items, the system comprising:
a track;
a first data transmitter module disposed along the track, the first data transmitter module configured to transmit command data;
a shuttle configured to move along the track, the shuttle comprising:
a conveyor; and
a first induction coil;

a second induction coil disposed at a first location along the track, wherein the second induction coil is configured to interact with the first induction coil to power the conveyor; and
a controller configured to:
determine that the shuttle is positioned near the first location;
determine that the shuttle is not positioned at an optimal inductive coupling location near the first location; and
cause the shuttle to move incrementally in a forward or reverse direction.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine that the shuttle is not positioned at the optimal inductive coupling location after completing the incremental movement;
cause the shuttle to move incrementally in the forward or reverse direction.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine that the shuttle is at the optimal inductive coupling location; and
cause the shuttle to pause.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the shuttle further comprises a data receiver module to receive the command data.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the shuttle does not comprise an onboard power source coupled to the conveyor.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the conveyor is inoperable along the track between the first location and a second location due to a lack of power.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is onboard the shuttle.

15. A system configured to transport items, the system comprising:
a track;
a first data transmitter module disposed along the track, the first data transmitter module configured to transmit command data;
a shuttle configured to move along the track, the shuttle comprising:
a conveyor, wherein the shuttle does not comprise an onboard power source coupled to the conveyor; and
a first induction coil;

a second induction coil disposed at a first location along the track, wherein the second induction coil is configured to interact with the first induction coil to power the conveyor; and
a controller configured to:
determine that the shuttle is positioned near the first location;
determine that the shuttle is not positioned at an optimal inductive coupling location near the first location; and
cause the shuttle to move incrementally in a forward or reverse direction.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine that the shuttle is not positioned at the optimal inductive coupling location after completing the incremental movement;
cause the shuttle to move incrementally in the forward or reverse direction.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine that the shuttle is at the optimal inductive coupling location; and
cause the shuttle to pause.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the shuttle further comprises a data receiver module to receive the command data.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the conveyor is inoperable along the track between the first location and a second location due to a lack of power.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Narayanan Vivek S
• Krishnamoorthy Ganesh
• Bray Michael Alan
• Dwivedi Rajeev
• Malik Mohit
• Azad Shahid

Classifications

• H02J50/10

  using inductive coupling · CPC title

• B65G1/00

  Storing articles, individually or in orderly arrangement, in warehouses or magazines (conveyor combinations in warehouses, magazines or workshops B65G37/00; stacking of articles B65G57/00; removing articles from stacks B65G59/00; loading machines B65G65/02) · CPC title

• B65G54/02

  electrostatic, electric, or magnetic · CPC title

• B65G47/50

  according to destination signals stored in separate systems · CPC title

• B65G1/133

  the circuit being confined in a horizontal plane · CPC title