Patents Assigned to Symbotic LLC
  • Patent number: 9371183
    Abstract: A multilevel vertical conveyor system for transporting uncontained case units to and from a multilevel storage structure having an array of vertically stacked storage levels is provided and includes a frame having platform guide members, a drive member connected to the frame, and support platforms coupled to the drive member. The drive member is configured to move the support platforms relative to the frame in a substantially continuous vertical loop, each of the support platforms being configured to support multiple uncontained case units where each of the multiple uncontained case units is disposed at a respective predetermined area of a respective support platform, the support platforms have support members that are guided by guide members substantially throughout a path of the substantially continuous vertical loop, where the support members are guided in three point contact by the guide members substantially throughout the path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Symbotic, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen C. Toebes, Robert Sullivan
  • Patent number: 9321591
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Symbotic, LLC
    Inventors: John Lert, Stephen Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster D. Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
  • Patent number: 9309050
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Symbotic, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen C. Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Michael Cyrulik
  • Patent number: 9242800
    Abstract: 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 non-deterministic 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: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Symbotic, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Sullivan, Stephen C. Toebes
  • Patent number: 9187244
    Abstract: An autonomous transport robot for transporting a payload, the autonomous transport robot includes a payload bed having at least one reference datum surface and at least one payload justification device, the at least one payload justification device being configured to position a payload on the payload bed in substantial contact with the at least one reference datum surface to place the payload in a predetermined position on the payload bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Symbotic, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen C. Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Forrest Buzan
  • Patent number: 9156394
    Abstract: An autonomous transport robot for transporting a payload, the autonomous transport robot including a drive section assembly having at least one motor and a pair of drive wheels coupled to the motor, a frame configured to support a payload, a transfer arm connected to the frame and configured for the autonomous transfer of payload to and from the frame, and a suspension system movably connecting the drive section assembly and the frame allowing relative movement between the frame and the drive section assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Symbotic, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen C. Toebes, Robert Sullivan
  • Patent number: 9096375
    Abstract: A storage and retrieval system including a vertical array of storage levels, each storage level having, picking aisles, storage locations, disposed within the picking aisles, and at least one transfer deck providing access to the picking aisles, 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 located on each storage level for transporting the uncontained case units between respective storage locations and the multilevel vertical conveyor system, and a controller configured to create a primary access path through the transfer decks and picking aisles to a predetermined one of the storage locations and at least one secondary access path to the predetermined one of the storage locations when the primary path is impassible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Symbotic, LLC
    Inventors: John Lert, Stephen Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster D Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
  • Publication number: 20150203296
    Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system including at least one autonomous rover for transferring payload within the system and including a communicator, a multilevel storage structure, each level allowing traversal of the at least one autonomous rover, at least one registration station disposed at predetermined locations on each level and being configured to communicate with the communicator to at least receive rover identification information, and a controller in communication with the at least one registration station and configured to receive the at least rover identification information and at least one of register the at least one autonomous rover as being on a level corresponding to a respective one of the at least one registration station or deregister the at least one autonomous rover from the system, where the controller effects induction of the at least one autonomous rover into a predetermined rover space on the level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Applicant: Symbotic, LLC
    Inventors: Forrest Buzan, Edward A. MacDonald, Taylor A. Apgar, Thomas A. Schaefer, Melanie Ziegler, Russell G. Barbour
  • Patent number: 9082112
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Symbotic, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Sullivan, Dmitry Vasilyev
  • Patent number: 9051120
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Symbotic LLC
    Inventors: John Lert, Stephen Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster D. Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich, Eric Peters
  • Patent number: 9037286
    Abstract: A warehousing system for storing and retrieving goods disposed in containers is provided. The system includes a multilevel storage array including an array of storage shelves for holding containers thereon, at least one substantially continuous lift for transporting containers to and from at least one level of the storage array, at least one transport vehicle located on the at least one level and configured to traverse a transport area transporting containers between the at least one continuous lift and container storage locations so that the at least one continuous lift communicates non-deterministically, via the transport vehicle, with storage locations of each of the storage shelves on the at least one level, an infeed transport system linked to the at least one continuous lift, and an order fulfillment station for generating order containers corresponding to customer orders where the order containers are entered onto the storage shelves of the storage array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Symbotic LLC
    Inventor: John Lert
  • Patent number: 9008884
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Symbotic LLC
    Inventors: Stephen C. Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Michael Cyrulik
  • Patent number: 8998554
    Abstract: A multilevel vertical conveyor system for transporting uncontained case units to and from a multilevel storage structure having an array of vertically stacked storage levels is provided and includes a frame having platform guide members, a drive member connected to the frame, and support platforms coupled to the drive member. The drive member is configured to move the support platforms relative to the frame in a substantially continuous vertical loop, each of the support platforms being configured to support multiple uncontained case units where each of the multiple uncontained case units is disposed at a respective predetermined area of a respective support platform, the support platforms have support members that are guided by guide members substantially throughout a path of the substantially continuous vertical loop, where the support members are guided in three point contact by the guide members substantially throughout the path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Symbotic LLC
    Inventors: Stephen C. Toebes, Robert Sullivan
  • Patent number: 8965559
    Abstract: An automated palletizer includes an automated package pick device capable of moving packages from a package deposit section to a pallet to form a pallet load from packages. A controller is operably connected to the automated pick device, the controller having a pallet load generator configured to determine a pallet load structure of mixed packages. The pallet load generator is programmed so that it determines the load structure from mixed package layers overlaid over each other at least one of the mixed package layers being formed of stacks of mixed packages. Top and bottom surfaces of the stacks corresponding to the at least one mixed package layer respectively form top and bottom surfaces of the at least one mixed package layer that are substantially flat. The controller generates commands for the pick device to build the pallet load from the load structure determined by the pallet load generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Symbotic, LLC
    Inventors: Kirill K. Pankratov, David Ehrenberg, Larry M. Sweet
  • Patent number: 8965619
    Abstract: An autonomous transport vehicle for transporting items in a storage and retrieval system is provided. The autonomous transport vehicle includes at least two drive wheels and a controller, where each drive wheel is independently driven and a drive wheel encoder is disposed adjacent each drive wheel. The controller, in communication with the drive wheel encoders, is configured to determine a kinematic state of the autonomous transport vehicle within the storage and retrieval system based on incremental data from the drive wheel encoders only and independent of drive wheel slippage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Symbotic, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Sullivan, Stephen C. Toebes, Forrest Buzan, Andrew Eccles
  • Patent number: 8954188
    Abstract: 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 non-deterministic 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: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Symbotic, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Sullivan, Stephen C. Toebes
  • Patent number: 8919801
    Abstract: An autonomous transport robot for transporting a payload, the autonomous transport robot including a drive section assembly having at least one motor and a pair of drive wheels coupled to the motor, a frame configured to support a payload, a transfer arm connected to the frame and configured for the autonomous transfer of payload to and from the frame, and a suspension system movably connecting the drive section assembly and the frame allowing relative movement between the frame and the drive section assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Symbotic, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen C. Toebes, Robert Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20140343717
    Abstract: A transportation system having a transportation space including destinations distributed in the transportation space, multiple independent automated vehicles configured for free roving through the transportation space to and between the destinations so that the vehicles are dynamically distributed through the transportation space, a control system communicably connected via a remote communication link to each of the vehicles and having a system controller that addresses each vehicle to different destinations, and the control system having a vehicle accountant controller separate and distinct from the system controller and configured to independently register a dynamic location of at least one of the vehicles, selected from the multiple vehicles in the transportation space, and command shutdown, via the remote communication link, to only the selected at least one vehicle at the registered location if the registered location corresponds to a predetermined location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: Symbotic, LLC
    Inventors: Rick K. Dorval, Todd Comins
  • Publication number: 20140343713
    Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system includes a storage space with storage locations defined therein, an automated transport system connected to the storage space and configured to transport store units for storage in the storage locations and retrieval from the storage locations, and a control system disposed for managing throughput performance of the automated storage and retrieval system, the control system being operably coupled to the automated transport system and having more than one separate and distinct control sections each configured for managing throughput performance with respect to a common group of the storage locations, wherein at least one of the control sections manages aspects of throughput performance of the common group independent of another of the control sections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: Symbotic, LLC
    Inventors: Melanie Ziegler, Russell G. Barbour, Matt Earl
  • Publication number: 20140312838
    Abstract: A charging system for an autonomous rover includes a charging interface with contacts that interface with the autonomous rover, a rover power source for the autonomous rover, and circuitry operated by the autonomous rover for controlling charging of the rover power source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: Symbotic, LLC
    Inventors: Rick K. Dorval, Predrag Puskarevic, John Matthews