Stack pusher

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12583133-B2
Application number	US-202217963763-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 11, 2022
Priority date	Oct 12, 2021
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

The present application discloses a robotic stack pusher system, and a method and a computer system for controlling the robotic stack pusher system. The robotic stack pusher system includes an actuation device and a plurality of pusher structures that are substantially planar. At least one of the plurality of pusher structures is nested within one or more other pusher structures of the plurality of pusher structures. The actuation device is the actuation device is operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of pusher structures. The actuation device is configured to actuate a position of the plurality of pusher structures between a retracted state and an extended state in response to a control signal. Actuation of the actuation device causes the one of the plurality of structures that is nested to extend telescopically with sufficient force and to controllably push a payload.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A robotic stack pusher system, comprising:
an actuation device; and a plurality of pusher structures that are substantially planar, wherein at least one of the plurality of pusher structures is nested within one or more other pusher structures of the plurality of pusher structures; wherein: the actuation device is operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of pusher structures; the actuation device is configured to actuate a position of the plurality of pusher structures between a retracted state and an extended state in response to a control signal; and actuation of the actuation device causes the one of the plurality of structures that is nested to extend telescopically with a force to push a payload; the payload is a wheeled dolly on which one or more receptacles are stacked; and the plurality of pusher structures comprises a payload engagement pusher structure that engages the wheeled dolly and pushes the wheeled dolly to a robot workspace.

2 . The robotic stack pusher system of claim 1 , wherein the payload engagement pusher structure engages the wheeled dolly and does noes not engage the one or more receptacles stacked on the wheeled dolly.

3 . The robotic stack pusher system of claim 1 , wherein at least one pusher structure of the plurality of pusher structures is connected to one or more wheels that support the at least one pusher structure.

4 . The robotic stack pusher system of claim 1 , wherein the control signal is received from a robotic control system.

5 . The robotic stack pusher system of claim 4 , wherein the robotic control system is associated with a robot workspace, and the robotic control system uses information obtained from one or more sensors at the robot workspace in connection with generating the control signal.

6 . The robotic stack pusher system of claim 5 , wherein the robotic control system uses the information obtained from one or more sensors to detect a payload in a buffer zone that is ready to be pushed.

7 . The robotic stack pusher system of claim 6 , wherein the robotic control system determines to control the robotic stack pusher via the control signal in response to detecting that the payload is in the buffer zone ready to be pushed to the robot workspace.

8 . The robotic stack pusher system of claim 1 , wherein the robotic stack pusher system pushes the payload to insert the payload to a robot workspace, and the robot workspace comprises a robotic stack mover system that moves one or more payloads to within an operable range of one or more robots.

9 . The robotic stack pusher system of claim 8 , further comprising one or more processors that are configured to operate the robotic stack pusher system and the robotic stack mover system in coordination to move one or more payloads to and through the robot workspace.

10 . The robotic stack pusher system of claim 9 , wherein:
the one or more processors are further configured to control a buffer zone conveyance structure to move the payload to an engagement location at which the plurality of pusher structures engage the payload; and the one or more processors control the buffer zone in coordination with controlling the robotic stack pusher system and the robotic stack mover system.

11 . The robotic stack pusher system of claim 1 , wherein the actuation device comprises a linear shaft.

12 . The robotic stack pusher system of claim 11 , wherein the linear shaft is a pneumatic shaft or a hydraulic shaft.

13 . The robotic stack pusher system of claim 11 , wherein the linear shaft is configured to extend or retract along a direction in which the plurality of pusher structures travel between the retracted state and the extended state.

14 . The robotic stack pusher system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a gating structure that gates introduction of the payload to a robot workspace.

15 . The robotic stack pusher system of claim 14 , wherein the gating structure is configured to prevent the payload from entering the robot workspace until the control signal is received, the control signal being generated in response to a determination to load the payload to the robot workspace.

16 . The robotic stack pusher system of claim 14 , wherein in response to determining to load the payload to the robot workspace, the gating structure is actuated to move to an open state, and the actuation device is then controlled to actuate the position of the plurality of pusher structures to the extended state.

17 . The robotic stack pusher system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more processors configured to:
determine to load the payload to the robot workspace; and in response to determining to load the payload to the robot workspace, control the actuation device to actuate a linear shaft to move the plurality of pusher structures to the extended state.

18 . The robotic stack pusher system of claim 17 , wherein:
the plurality of pusher structures comprises at least a first pusher structure and a payload engagement pusher structure; the payload engagement pusher structure is configured to engage the payload and push the payload to a destination location in the robot workspace in response to the actuation device being actuated to move the plurality of pusher structures to the extended state; and in response to being controlled to actuate the position of the plurality of pusher structures, the actuation device causes the plurality of pusher structures to telescopically move to the extended state.

19 . The robotic stack pusher system of claim 18 , wherein in response to a determination that the payload has been loaded to the destination location, the one or more processors control the actuation device to actuate to move the position of the plurality of pusher structures to the retracted state.

20 . The robotic stack pusher system of claim 17 , wherein:
the plurality of pusher structures comprises at least a first pusher structure and a payload engagement pusher structure; and in response to being controlled to actuate the position of the plurality of pusher structures, the actuation device applies an actuating force to a linear shaft to cause the linear shaft to extend from the retracted state to the extended state, the linear shaft is coupled to the payload engagement pusher structure such that the actuating force causing the linear shaft to extend to the extended state causes the payload engagement pusher structure to move to an intermediate extended state relative to the first pusher structure.

21 . The robotic stack pusher system of claim 20 , wherein:
the payload engagement pusher structure and the first pusher structure are collectively coupled to a base plate; the payload engagement pusher structure is operatively coupled to the first pusher structure; and in response to the payload engagement pusher structure being extended past the intermediate extended state, the payload engagement pusher structure applies a pulling force to cause the first pusher structure to move from a first retracted state relative to the base plate to a first extended state.

22 . The robotic stack pusher system of claim 17 , wherein:
the plurality of pusher structures comprises a first pusher structure, one or more intermediate pusher structures, and a payload engagement pusher structure; when the first pusher structure, the one or more intermediate pusher structures, and the payload engagement pusher structure are collectively in the

Assignees

• Dexterity Inc

Inventors

• Molina Matthew Rodolfo
• Holmberg Robert
• Lagoy Matthew

Classifications

• B65G35/06 Primary

  comprising a load-carrier moving along a path, e.g. a closed path, and adapted to be engaged by any one of a series of traction elements spaced along the path (effecting drive at two or more points spaced along the length of an endless conveyor B65G23/32) · CPC title

• B25J5/02

  travelling along a guideway · CPC title

• B65G1/1373

  for fulfilling orders in warehouses · CPC title

• B65G1/1378

  the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas · CPC title

• B65G1/0435

  with pulling or pushing means on either stacking crane or stacking area · CPC title