Patents by Inventor Robert Sullivan
Robert Sullivan has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11661279Abstract: An autonomous transport vehicle for transferring case units to and from predefined storage areas in an automated case unit storage system, the automated case unit storage system including an array of multilevel storage racks with picking aisles passing therebetween and at least one multilevel vertical conveyor having movable shelves, the autonomous transport vehicle including a frame configured to traverse the picking aisles and a transfer deck connecting the picking aisles to the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor for transferring case units between the predefined storage areas and the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor, and a controller connected to the frame, the controller being configured to effect movement of the autonomous transport vehicle through the picking aisles for accessing each storage area within a respective level of the array of multilevel storage racks and each shelf of the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2022Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: SYMBOTIC LLCInventors: Robert Sullivan, John Lert, Stephen C. Toebes, Foster Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
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Patent number: 11629015Abstract: A maintenance access system for a storage and retrieval system having a storage and retrieval space and automated transport vehicles disposed in the space. The system includes at least one maintenance access control unit associated with a portion of the space, at least one barrier in the space and defining a boundary of the portion of the space and configured to substantially prevent the passage of the vehicles past the at least one barrier, and a controller connected to the control unit, the controller being configured to receive a signal from the at least one control unit for isolating the portion of the space associated with the at least one control unit, where the controller in response to the signal closes the at least one barrier isolating the portion of the space and effects the removal from or shutting down of vehicles within the portion of the space.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2021Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Assignee: Symbotic LLCInventors: Michael Cyrulik, Robert Sullivan
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Patent number: 11623822Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system including at least one autonomous transport vehicle, a transfer deck that defines a transport surface for the vehicle, at least one reciprocating lift, a first and second pickface interface station connected to the deck and spaced apart from each other, each station forming a pickface transfer interfacing between the vehicle on the deck and the lift at each station so that a pickface is transferred between the lift and the vehicle at each station, wherein the vehicle is configured to pick a first pickface at the first station, traverse the deck and buffer the first pickface, or at least a portion thereof, at the second station so that the second station has multiple pickfaces buffered on a common support in an order sequence of pickfaces according to a predetermined case out order sequence of mixed case pickfaces.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2022Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: Symbotic LLCInventors: Juergen D. Conrad, Robert Hsiung, Kirill K. Pankratov, Robert Sullivan, Larry M. Sweet
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Patent number: 11608228Abstract: A warehouse storage and retrieval system including an array of multilevel storage racks having at least one transfer deck, picking isles and storage areas disposed along picking isles, the storage areas being configured to hold differing loads, and a controller including a management module configured to variably size the storage areas of the array of multilevel storage rack modules and assign each of the variably sized storage areas to a corresponding one of the differing loads, wherein the storage and retrieval system is arranged to transport the differing loads for placement in the variably sized storage areas assigned by the controller.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2020Date of Patent: March 21, 2023Assignee: Symbotic LLCInventors: John Lert, Stephen Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster D. Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich, Eric Peters
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Publication number: 20230073500Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system includes a storage array of storage locations for case units. An in-out case conveyor is capable of bi-directionally transporting case units to and from the storage array, and an in-out loaded pallet conveyor is capable of bi-directionally transporting loaded pallets towards and away from the storage array. A palletizer-depalletizer cell includes a bi-directional pallet transport system with more than one independently driven pallet transports, each with a different pallet holder independently movable relative to a cell frame. Placement of case units commissioning a pallet layer loading a pallet, and removal of case units decommissioning a pallet layer unloading another pallet are both effected at the common pallet layer interface at a predetermined level of the cell frame. The pallet transports independently index a first and a second of the different pallet holders, each independently holding the pallet loading at the common pallet layer interface.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2022Publication date: March 9, 2023Inventors: Robert SULLIVAN, Gregory THRONSON, Christopher KILEY, Todd E. KEPPLE, Jared PLOSS
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Patent number: 11565602Abstract: A charging system for autonomous transport vehicles including at least one charging contact disposed on each pick floor level of a storage and retrieval system, each of the at least one charging contact being located at a transfer station, at least one power supply configured to supply power to the at least one charging contact, and a controller in communication with the transfer station and being configured to communicate information relating to a transfer of items between the transfer station and a predetermined one of the autonomous transport vehicles and to apply power from the power supply to the at least one charging contact for charging the predetermined autonomous transport vehicle corresponding to the transfer and located at the transfer station, wherein the controller is configured to supply power to the charging contacts simultaneously with the predetermined autonomous transport vehicle exchanging items related to the transfer at the transfer station.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2021Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: SYMBOLIC LLCInventors: Robert Sullivan, Dmitry Vasilyev
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Patent number: 11498784Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system includes a storage array of storage locations for case units. An in-out case conveyor is capable of bi-directionally transporting case units to and from the storage array, and an in-out loaded pallet conveyor is capable of bi-directionally transporting loaded pallets towards and away from the storage array. A palletizer-depalletizer cell includes a bi-directional pallet transport system with more than one independently driven pallet transports, each with a different pallet holder independently movable relative to a cell frame. Placement of case units commissioning a pallet layer loading a pallet, and removal of case units decommissioning a pallet layer unloading another pallet are both effected at the common pallet layer interface at a predetermined level of the cell frame. The pallet transports independently index a first and a second of the different pallet holders, each independently holding the pallet loading at the common pallet layer interface.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2021Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: Symbotic LLCInventors: Robert Sullivan, Gregory Thronson, Christopher Kiley, Todd E. Kepple, Jared Ploss
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Publication number: 20220356018Abstract: An autonomous transport vehicle for transferring case units to and from predefined storage areas in an automated case unit storage system, the automated case unit storage system including an array of multilevel storage racks with picking aisles passing therebetween and at least one multilevel vertical conveyor having movable shelves, the autonomous transport vehicle including a frame configured to traverse the picking aisles and a transfer deck connecting the picking aisles to the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor for transferring case units between the predefined storage areas and the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor, and a controller connected to the frame, the controller being configured to effect movement of the autonomous transport vehicle through the picking aisles for accessing each storage area within a respective level of the array of multilevel storage racks and each shelf of the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2022Publication date: November 10, 2022Inventors: Robert SULLIVAN, John LERT, Stephen C. TOEBES, Foster HINSHAW, Nathan ULRICH
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Patent number: 11402830Abstract: A collaborative logistic facility management system for a logistic facility includes multiple robot autonomous guided vehicles and a system controller. The vehicles transport logistics goods or pallets between truck portals and storage locations and are configured for autonomous guidance travel, in autonomous mode and include a collaborating operator input for collaborative autonomous guided vehicle navigation and guidance. The system controller commands each vehicle to transfer the logistic goods or pallets between the truck portals and the storage locations, identifies a predetermined truck portal of a corresponding truck to be loaded or to be unloaded, and generates a collaborative zone. The controller generates a queue of robot autonomous guided vehicles on a side of the collaborative zone and commands the multiple robot autonomous guided vehicles disposed to load or unload the corresponding truck to move in autonomous mode into the queue.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2019Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: Teradyne, Inc.Inventors: Robert Sullivan, Justin Holwell
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Patent number: 11396427Abstract: An autonomous transport vehicle for transferring case units to and from predefined storage areas in an automated case unit storage system, the automated case unit storage system including an array of multilevel storage racks with picking aisles passing therebetween and at least one multilevel vertical conveyor having movable shelves, the autonomous transport vehicle including a frame configured to traverse the picking aisles and a transfer deck connecting the picking aisles to the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor for transferring case units between the predefined storage areas and the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor, and a controller connected to the frame, the controller being configured to effect movement of the autonomous transport vehicle through the picking aisles for accessing each storage area within a respective level of the array of multilevel storage racks and each shelf of the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2020Date of Patent: July 26, 2022Assignee: Symbotic LLCInventors: Robert Sullivan, John Lert, Stephen C. Toebes, Foster Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
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Publication number: 20220219909Abstract: A pickface builder for a storage and retrieval system for storing goods units and having an in-feed conveyor and a picking device, each goods unit holding at least one product package therein, the pickface builder including a frame, a pusher member movably coupled to the frame, and a snugger member movably coupled to the frame, wherein the pickface builder is configured to receive goods units from the in-feed conveyor and the pusher member and snugger member are movable at least in a direction transverse to a direction of goods unit travel on the in-feed conveyor and configured to form the goods units into a pickface picked by the picking device as a unit and having a predetermined reference datum relating the pickface to a placement position of goods units forming the pickface along a storage surface of the storage and retrieval system.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2022Publication date: July 14, 2022Inventors: Robert SULLIVAN, Stephen C. TOEBES
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Publication number: 20220212869Abstract: A storage and retrieval system including a storage structure having storage shelves, each storage shelf having slats for supporting stored items where the slats are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, an autonomous transport vehicle including at least one sensor configured to sense each of the slats and output a signal indicating when a slat is sensed, and a controller for verifying a location of the autonomous transport vehicle within the storage structure based on at least the output signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2022Publication date: July 7, 2022Inventors: Robert Sullivan, Michael Cyrulik, Stephen C. Toebes
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Publication number: 20220204264Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system including a storage structure with storage racks having a seating surface configured to support case units where a position of each case unit is nondeterministic for each storage location on the storage racks, each case unit has a predetermined storage position and a controller is configured to determine the predetermined storage position, a picking aisle configured to provide access to the case units within the storage structure, and a seismic disturbance restorative system including seismic disturbance motions sensors disposed on the storage racks, a seismic disturbance control module in communication with the seismic disturbance sensors and configured to identify a seismic disturbance, and an automated case mapper configured to traverse the picking aisle, the automated case mapper being in communication with and initialized by the seismic disturbance control module to identify a seated position of at least one case unit within the storage structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2022Publication date: June 30, 2022Inventors: Robert SULLIVAN, Stephen C. TOEBES
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Publication number: 20220194703Abstract: An autonomous transport vehicle including a transfer arm including at least one finger and a movable finger support member, at least one sensor configured to detect movement of the at least one finger, the at least one sensor having a registration member and a detection member where one of the registration member and detection member is mounted to each of the at least one finger so as to be movable with a respective one of the at least one finger and the other one of the registration member and detection member is stationary relative to the at least one finger, and a controller in communication with the at least one sensor, the controller being configured to determine a position of the at least one finger along the second direction based on a proximity of the registration member relative to the detection member.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2022Publication date: June 23, 2022Inventors: Robert Sullivan, Stephen C. Toebes
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Publication number: 20220177226Abstract: A storage and retrieval system including a vertical array of storage levels, each storage level having storage locations, a multilevel vertical conveyor system configured to transport the uncontained case units to and from the vertical array of storage levels, each storage level being configured to receive uncontained case units from the multilevel vertical conveyor system, at least one autonomous transport confined to each storage level, the at least one autonomous transport being configured to transport the uncontained case units between respective storage locations and the multilevel vertical conveyor system, and a controller configured to effect operation of the multilevel vertical conveyor system and at least one autonomous transport for assembling orders of uncontained case units of different types without moving bundles of the same uncontained case unit type throughout the storage and retrieval system.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2022Publication date: June 9, 2022Inventors: Robert SULLIVAN, John LERT, Stephen C. TOEBES
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Publication number: 20220177225Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system including at least one autonomous transport vehicle, a transfer deck that defines a transport surface for the vehicle, at least one reciprocating lift, a first and second pickface interface station connected to the deck and spaced apart from each other, each station forming a pickface transfer interfacing between the vehicle on the deck and the lift at each station so that a pickface is transferred between the lift and the vehicle at each station, wherein the vehicle is configured to pick a first pickface at the first station, traverse the deck and buffer the first pickface, or at least a portion thereof, at the second station so that the second station has multiple pickfaces buffered on a common support in an order sequence of pickfaces according to a predetermined case out order sequence of mixed case pickfaces.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2022Publication date: June 9, 2022Inventors: Juergen D. CONRAD, Robert HSIUNG, Kirill K. PANKRATOV, Robert Sullivan, Larry M. Sweet
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Patent number: 11345712Abstract: The present disclosure provides compounds, for example, a compound of Formula (I), that modulate a protein function and/or restore protein homeostasis. The disclosure provides a method of modulating a protein-mediated disease, disorder, condition, or response. Compositions, including in combination with other therapeutic agents, are provided.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2020Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: BioTheryX, Inc.Inventors: Kyle W. H. Chan, Paul E. Erdman, Leah Fung, David Aaron Hecht, Imelda Lam, Robert Sullivan, Eduardo Torres
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Patent number: 11305936Abstract: A configurable modular robotic autonomous guided vehicle having an engine module and multiple different ones of selectably interchangeable logistic or material handling accessory modules. The engine module has motors, sensors and a control system integrated with each other for autonomous navigation freely throughout a travel area forming a logistic space. A module interface is located at one end of the engine module for modular coupling of the engine module with a handling accessory module of the vehicle. Each of the handling accessory modules has a different predetermined logistic or material handling characteristic that on integral coupling with the engine module define a different logistic or material handling autonomous guided vehicle type. Selectable coupling of the handling accessory module with the engine module configures the vehicle so as to change the vehicle type from a first vehicle type to a second vehicle type different than the first vehicle type.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2019Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: Autoguide, LLCInventors: Robert Sullivan, Justin Holwell, Paul Perry, William Fannin
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Patent number: 11286118Abstract: A pickface builder for a storage and retrieval system for storing goods units and having an in-feed conveyor and a picking device, each goods unit holding at least one product package therein, the pickface builder including a frame, a pusher member movably coupled to the frame, and a snugger member movably coupled to the frame, wherein the pickface builder is configured to receive goods units from the in-feed conveyor and the pusher member and snugger member are movable at least in a direction transverse to a direction of goods unit travel on the in-feed conveyor and configured to form the goods units into a pickface picked by the picking device as a unit and having a predetermined reference datum relating the pickface to a placement position of goods units forming the pickface along a storage surface of the storage and retrieval system.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2020Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: Symbotic LLCInventors: Robert Sullivan, Stephen C. Toebes
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Patent number: 11279558Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system including a storage structure with storage racks having a seating surface configured to support case units where a position of each case unit is nondeterministic for each storage location on the storage racks, each case unit has a predetermined storage position and a controller is configured to determine the predetermined storage position, a picking aisle configured to provide access to the case units within the storage structure, and a seismic disturbance restorative system including seismic disturbance motions sensors disposed on the storage racks, a seismic disturbance control module in communication with the seismic disturbance sensors and configured to identify a seismic disturbance, and an automated case mapper configured to traverse the picking aisle, the automated case mapper being in communication with and initialized by the seismic disturbance control module to identify a seated position of at least one case unit within the storage structure.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2020Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: Symbotic LLCInventors: Robert Sullivan, Stephen C. Toebes