Opportunistic charging system for an automated storage and retrieval system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019245366-A1
Application number	US-201916269900-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 7, 2019
Priority date	Feb 8, 2018
Publication date	Aug 8, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

An opportunistic rail charging system is disclosed for recharging power supplies on mobile robots transporting goods within an automated order fulfillment system. Individual chargers may be incorporated into each mobile robot for converting a facility line voltage from the charge rail to a voltage for which the rechargeable power supplies on each mobile robot are rated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A power supply system for a plurality of mobile robots in a facility, comprising:
a charge rail mounted in a track system along which the plurality of mobile robots travel, the charge rail configured to provide a first voltage; a plurality of chargers comprising a charger on each of the plurality of mobile robots, the charger on each of the plurality of mobile robots converting the first voltage from the charge rail to a second voltage smaller than the first voltage; a plurality of rechargeable energy storage devices comprising a rechargeable energy storage device on each of the plurality of mobile robots, the rechargeable energy storage device on each of the plurality of mobile robots being charged using the second voltage.

2 . The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of mobile robots are charged by being connected to the charge rail simultaneously.

3 . The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein the charge rail is mounted in a vertical portion of the track system.

4 . The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein the charge rail is mounted in a horizontal portion of the track system.

5 . The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein the first voltage is the line voltage from the facility.

6 . The power supply system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to implement a hibernate function in a mobile robot of the plurality of mobile robots, the hibernate function disconnecting power loads from the rechargeable energy storage device when the mobile robot is forced to wait for an extended period away from the charge rail.

7 . The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein the rechargeable energy storage device is a supercapacitor.

8 . The power supply system of claim 7 , wherein the supercapacitor is one of a regular electric double layer capacitor, a lithium supercapacitor and an ultra-low impedance capacitor.

9 . The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein at least five mobile robots of the plurality of mobile robots may simultaneously charge their rechargeable energy storage devices at a maximum rate for which the chargers and/or rechargeable energy storage devices of the at least five mobile robots are rated.

10 . The power supply system of claim 1 , wherein the charge rail is mounted in a vertical rail of the track system, the vertical rail further comprising a gear rack to enable vertical travel of the plurality of mobile robots while charging on the charge rail.

11 . A power supply system for a plurality of mobile robots in a facility, the mobile robots configured to travel on a track system to transport containers to and from storage locations within the facility, the power supply system comprising:
a charge rail mounted in the track system, the charge rail configured to provide a first voltage; a plurality of chargers comprising a charger on each of the plurality of mobile robots, the charger on each of the plurality of mobile robots converting the first voltage from the charge rail to a second voltage smaller than the first voltage; a plurality of rechargeable energy storage devices comprising a rechargeable energy storage device on each of the plurality of mobile robots, the rechargeable energy storage device on each of the plurality of mobile robots being opportunistically charged using the second voltage as each mobile robot of the plurality of mobile robots travels on the track system to transport containers to and from storage locations within the facility.

12 . The power supply system of claim 11 , wherein the charge rail is mounted in a vertical portion of the track system.

13 . The power supply system of claim 12 , wherein a predefined maximum number of mobile robots of the plurality of mobile robots travel within the vertical portion of the track system at a given time during transport of the containers to and from storage locations within the facility, wherein the predefined maximum number of mobile robots may charge at their maximum rate while each is traveling in the vertical portion of the track system.

14 . The power supply system of claim 11 , further comprising a material control system (MCS) executing instructions to control the navigation of the plurality of mobile robots and to divert a mobile robot from transferring containers to and from storage locations to connection with the charge rail where it is determined by the MCS that the mobile robot requires more charge to continue transferring containers to and from storage locations.

15 . The power supply system of claim 14 , wherein the MCS communicates with the charger on each of the plurality of mobile robots to independently control the charging of each of the plurality of mobile robots.

16 . The power supply system of claim 14 , wherein the charge rail is mounted in a vertical portion of the track system and wherein the MCS controls a number of mobile robots in the vertical portion of the track system at a given time so that all mobile robots in the vertical track system may charge at a maximum rate of the mobile robots.

17 . The power supply system of claim 14 , wherein the charge rail is mounted in a vertical portion of the track system and wherein the MCS positions the plurality of mobile robots on in the vertical portion of the track system to charge at a rate slower than a maximum charge rate of the mobile robots at idle periods of the facility.

18 . The power supply system of claim 11 , wherein the first voltage is the line voltage from the facility.

19 . A method of charging the rechargeable energy storage devices of a plurality of mobile robots in an automated storage and retrieval system facility, comprising:
(a) delivering a line voltage for the facility to a charge rail; (b) directing a mobile robot of the plurality of mobile robots to connect with a track comprising a charge rail; (c) upon connection of the mobile robot with the charge rail, converting the line voltage from the facility to a lower voltage usable to charge a rechargeable energy storage device of the mobile robot via a charger on the mobile robot; and (d) charging the rechargeable energy storage device of the mobile robot with the voltage converted in said step (c).

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein said step (b) of directing a mobile robot of the plurality of mobile robots to connect with a track is performed for a purpose independent of charging the mobile robot.

21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein said step (d) of charging the rechargeable energy storage device of the mobile robot comprising the step of charging the rechargeable energy storage device of the mobile robot at a maximum rate for which the charger and/or the rechargeable energy storage device are rated where a plurality of mobile robots are connected to the charge rail.

Assignees

• Alert Innovation Inc

Inventors

• Coady Matthew W
• Fosnight William J
• Lachance David A
• Eiselen David

Classifications

• H02J7/751

  concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries · CPC title

• H02J7/731

  specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• H02J7/50 Primary

  acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• B65G1/065

  with self propelled cars · CPC title