Patents by Inventor Nathan Ulrich
Nathan Ulrich 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: 11939158Abstract: 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 impassable.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2021Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: Symbotic LLCInventors: John Lert, Stephen C Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
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Publication number: 20230303329Abstract: 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: May 30, 2023Publication date: September 28, 2023Inventors: Robert SULLIVAN, John LERT, Stephen C. TOEBES, Foster HINSHAW, Nathan ULRICH
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Publication number: 20230219755Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2023Publication date: July 13, 2023Inventors: John LERT, Stephen Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster D. Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich, Eric Peters
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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: 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: 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: 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: 20220002083Abstract: 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 impassable.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2021Publication date: January 6, 2022Inventors: John LERT, Stephen C. TOEBES, Robert SULLIVAN, Foster HINSHAW, Nathan ULRICH
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Patent number: 11124361Abstract: 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 impassable.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2019Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: SYMBOTIC LLCInventors: John Lert, Stephen C. Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
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Publication number: 20200399064Abstract: 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: September 1, 2020Publication date: December 24, 2020Inventors: Robert Sullivan, John Lert, Stephen C. Toebes, Foster Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
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Publication number: 20200346866Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2020Publication date: November 5, 2020Inventors: John Lert, Stephen Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster D. Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich, Eric Peters
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Patent number: 10759600Abstract: 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: February 14, 2019Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: Symbotic LLCInventors: Robert Sullivan, John Lert, Stephen C. Toebes, Foster Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
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Patent number: 10717599Abstract: 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: October 15, 2019Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: Symbotic, LLCInventors: John Lert, Stephen Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster D. Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich, Eric Peters
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Publication number: 20200039744Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2019Publication date: February 6, 2020Inventors: John Lert, Stephen Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster D. Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich, Eric Peters
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Patent number: 10442622Abstract: 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 31, 2018Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: Symbotic, LLCInventors: John Lert, Stephen Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster D. Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich, Eric Peters
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Publication number: 20190177088Abstract: 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: February 14, 2019Publication date: June 13, 2019Inventors: Robert SULLIVAN, John LERT, Stephen C. TOEBES, Foster HINSHAW, Nathan ULRICH
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Patent number: 10239691Abstract: 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 impassable.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2015Date of Patent: March 26, 2019Assignee: Symbotic, LLCInventors: John Lert, Stephen C. Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
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Patent number: 10207870Abstract: 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: April 25, 2016Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: Symbotic, LLCInventors: Robert Sullivan, John Lert, Stephen C. Toebes, Foster Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
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Publication number: 20180334325Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2018Publication date: November 22, 2018Inventors: John Lert, Stephen Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster D. Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich, Eric Peters
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Patent number: 10035649Abstract: 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: September 26, 2017Date of Patent: July 31, 2018Assignee: Symbotic LLCInventors: John Lert, Stephen Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster D. Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich, Eric Peters