Shelf with integrated electronics

• US 10,064,502 B1
• Filed: 06/19/2015
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gyori, Benjamin Jozef, Medrano, Ismael, Frenkel, Alexander Michael, Java, Punit Narendra
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodden, Joshua E
• Application Number:
  US14/745,105
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/16 Platform-type show stands with flat, inclined, or curved upper surface
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/52 Weighing apparatus combined with other objects, e.g. furniture with walking sticks A45B3/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 21/23 Support or suspension of weighing platforms G01G21/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 21/28 Frames, Housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Inventory locations such as shelves in a materials handling facility may be used to store items of various shapes and sizes. Described is an inventory location that houses onboard electronics such as sensors to acquire sensor data and computing devices to process the sensor data. The sensors may include one or more weight sensors, position encoders for auto-facing units, and so forth. The inventory location includes features to protect the onboard electronics and facilitate physical reconfiguration to support products of different shapes and sizes.

Claims

1. A platform comprising:

a flat shelf base with a front and a back at a first elevation;

a cable recess arranged proximate to the front of the flat shelf base and with a second elevation below the first elevation;

a plurality of electrical connectors arranged within the cable recess;

the flat shelf base further including a front lip arranged in front of the cable recess and at the first elevation;

a plurality of front engagement slots within the front lip arranged at a first predetermined spacing relative to one another;

a plurality of back engagement slots arranged proximate to the back of the flat shelf base and at a second predetermined spacing relative to one another;

a plurality of weight sensors supporting the flat shelf base to generate weight data indicative of a load on the flat shelf base; and

an internal electronics bay beneath the flat shelf base.

2. The platform of claim 1, each of the plurality of weight sensors further comprising:

a load cell having a first end and a second end; and

a spacer arranged at the first end of the load cell between an upper surface of the load cell and a lower surface of one or more of the flat shelf base or an internal support structure coupled to the flat shelf base, wherein a thickness of the spacer is configured to prevent excess travel of the load cell in the event the load exceeds a threshold value.

3. The platform of claim 1, further comprising:

a back wall extending vertically from a back portion of the flat shelf base, wherein an angle between the back wall and the flat shelf base is approximately equal to a right angle;

wherein the plurality of back engagement slots are arranged within the back wall; and

wherein the plurality of front engagement slots are arranged within the flat shelf base proximate to the front.

4. The platform of claim 1, the internal electronics bay further comprising:

a plurality of bay walls with an opening, the plurality of bay walls encompassing a volume;

a removable access panel to close the opening; and

a seal at an interface between the plurality of bay walls and the removable access panel.

5. An apparatus comprising:

a flat shelf base with a front and a back at a first elevation;

a cable recess arranged between the front and the back and at a second elevation below the first elevation;

a plurality of data connectors within the cable recess;

a spill diverter arranged at an elevation above at least one of the plurality of data connectors; and

a plurality of weight sensors, supporting the flat shelf base, to generate weight data indicative of a load on the flat shelf base.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a front stop retainer that is removable and coupled, using one or more fasteners, proximate to the front of the flat shelf base; and

a removable front stop comprising a plate arranged between a portion of the flat shelf base and the front stop retainer.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a platform base upon which the plurality of weight sensors rest; and

one or more platform base supports coupled to the platform base, wherein each of the one or more platform base supports includes one or more mechanical features to couple to a support member.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the spill diverter comprises an overhang extending away from a face to which the plurality of data connectors are mounted.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of weight sensors comprises:

a load cell having a plurality of load support areas; and

a spacer arranged between at least one of the plurality of load support areas and the load.

10. The apparatus of claim 5, the flat shelf base further comprising a front lip including one or more of a ferrous material or a magnetic material.

11. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a plurality of front engagement features within a front lip arranged at a predetermined spacing relative to one another, the plurality of front engagement features comprising one or more of a slot, a tab, a hook, a ferrous material, or a magnet.

12. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a plurality of back engagement features arranged proximate to the back of the flat shelf base and at a predetermined spacing relative to one another, the plurality of back engagement features comprising one or more of a slot, a tab, a hook, a ferrous material, or a magnet.

13. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

beneath the flat shelf base, a plurality of bay walls to form an internal bay having an opening on an underside that is opposite the flat shelf base;

a removable access panel to close the opening; and

a seal at an interface between at least a portion of the plurality of bay walls and the removable access panel.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a shelf base with a front and a back;

a cable recess inset to the shelf base and accessible from above;

one or more connectors within the cable recess;

a plurality of weight sensors to support the shelf base;

a platform base supporting the plurality of weight sensors; and

one or more platform base supports coupled to the platform base, the one or more platform base supports including mechanical features to couple to an external support.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a front lip of one or more of a ferrous material or a magnetic material;

a first plurality of slots accessible from above, the first plurality of slots within the front lip arranged at a first predetermined spacing relative to one another; and

a second plurality of slots arranged within a back wall of the shelf base and at a second predetermined spacing relative to one another.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a plurality of back engagement features arranged proximate to the back of the shelf base and at a predetermined spacing relative to one another, the plurality of back engagement features comprising one or more of a slot, a tab, a hook, a ferrous material, or a magnet.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a front lip proximate to the front of the shelf base;

a removable front stop retainer coupled proximate to the front lip; and

a removable front stop arranged between a portion of the shelf base and the front stop retainer.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of weight sensors comprises:

a load cell having a plurality of load support areas; and

a spacer arranged between at least one of the plurality of load support areas and a load.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

an internal electronics bay including;

a plurality of bay walls;

a removable access panel; and

one or more seals.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a spill diverter extending at least partially over at least a portion of the one or more connectors.