Automated storage and retrieval system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9988213-B2
Application number	US-201715798216-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2017
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

An autonomous rover including a frame having a first end and a second end longitudinally spaced from the first end and forming a payload bay, the payload bay being sized to support a pickface, a common active registration surface configured to engage the pickface, and a drive section connected to the common active registration surface, the drive section being configured to variably position the common active registration surface relative to at least one storage shelf of an automated storage and retrieval system to effect placement of the pickface on the storage shelf so that pickfaces are substantially continuously arranged along the at least one storage shelf with a predetermined storage spacing between the pickfaces.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An autonomous rover comprising:
a frame having a first end and a second end longitudinally spaced from the first end and forming a payload bay, the payload bay being sized to support a pickface;
at least a first common registration surface, a second common registration surface, and a third common registration surface, each of the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface being
configured to engage the pickface supported on payload supports in the payload bay, and
distinct and decoupled from the payload supports; and

a drive section being
connected to the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface, and
configured to variably position the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface relative to each other and at least one storage shelf of an automated storage and retrieval system so as to justify the pickface in three degrees of freedom to effect placement of the pickface on the at least one storage shelf;

wherein the autonomous rover is configured to pick one or more items from one or more storage locations of the at least one storage shelf to build the pickface.

2. The autonomous rover of claim 1 , wherein the variable positioning of the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface effects placement of the pickface on a storage shelf so that pickfaces, the placement of each being so effected, are substantially continuously arranged along the shelf with a predetermined storage spacing between the pickfaces.

3. The autonomous rover of claim 1 , further comprising a controller connected to the drive section to effect movement of one of the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface so that an average position of the one of the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface relative to the payload bay is substantially coincident with a predetermined position of the pickface within the payload bay.

4. The autonomous rover of claim 1 , further comprising a controller connected to the drive section to effect movement of one of the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface for engagement with the pickface, the controller being configured to monitor at least a current value of the drive section to control an engagement force of the one of the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface with the pickface wherein, the controller includes a Kalman filter configured to determine the engagement force.

5. The autonomous rover of claim 1 , wherein:
one of the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface includes
a first movable member disposed at least partly within the payload bay, and
a second movable member disposed at least partly within the payload bay, the second movable member being opposingly positioned relative to the first movable member; and

wherein the drive section is configured to move the first and second movable members towards and away from each other and together longitudinally as a unit.

6. The autonomous rover of claim 1 , wherein the drive section is configured to variably position the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface relative to a global automated storage and retrieval system reference frame.

7. The autonomous rover of claim 1 , wherein the variable positioning of the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface decouples placement of the pickface from the frame.

8. An automated storage and retrieval system comprising:
an array of storage locations arranged on at least one storage shelf; and
at least one autonomous rover in communication with the array of storage locations, the at least one autonomous rover including
a frame having a first end and a second end longitudinally spaced from the first end and forming a payload bay, the payload bay being sized to support a pickface;
at least a first common registration surface, a second common registration surface, and a third common registration surface, each of the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface being
configured to engage the pickface supported on payload supports in the payload bay, and
distinct and decoupled from the payload supports; and

a drive section being
connected to the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface, and
configured to variably position the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface relative to each other and the at least one storage shelf so as to justify the pickface in three degrees of freedom to effect placement of the pickface on the at least one storage shelf;

wherein the autonomous rover is configured to pick one or more items from the array of storage locations of the at least one storage shelf to build the pickface.

9. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 8 , wherein the variable positioning of the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface effects placement of the pickface on a storage shelf so that pickfaces, the placement of each being so effected, are substantially continuously arranged along the shelf with a predetermined storage spacing between the pickfaces.

10. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 8 , further comprising a controller connected to the drive section to effect movement of one of the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface so that an average position of the one of the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface relative to the payload bay is substantially coincident with a predetermined position of the pickface within the payload bay.

11. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 8 , further comprising a controller connected to the drive section to effect movement of one of the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface for engagement with the pickface, the controller being configured to monitor at least a current value of the drive section to control an engagement force of the one of the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface with the pickface wherein, the controller includes a Kalman filter configured to determine the engagement force.

12. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 8 , wherein:
one of the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface includes
a f

Assignees

• Symbotic Llc

Inventors

• Buzan Forrest
• Cyrulik Michael
• Reynolds Aria
• Sirois Jason S
• Sweet Larry
• Macdonald Edward A
• Apgar Taylor A
• Perrault Timothy
• Toebes Stephen C

Classifications

• B65G1/0492 Primary

  with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles · CPC title

• B65G1/1373 Primary

  for fulfilling orders in warehouses · CPC title