Storage system, use and method with robotic parcel retrieval and loading onto a delivery vehicle

• US 10,343,286 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2017
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starship Technologies Ou (Starship Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Starship Technologies Ou (Starship Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vain, Lauri, Valdek, Viljar, Liivik, Mart, Lend, Henri, Liivik, Tiit, Herranen, Henrik, Heinla, Ahti, Evard, Veigo, Biene, Tommy
• Primary Examiner(s): Snelting, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US15/828,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20190168392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/00 Manipulators not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/008 Manipulators for service tasks
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/04 mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0407 using stacker cranes constructional features of stacker cranes B66F9/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

A storage system (100) is adapted to store a plurality of items and to load a delivery robot (2) with an item. The storage system (100) includes a delivery robot level (110), at least one storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) for storing the items, and a loading robot (130) adapted to grip the items and to load the items from a storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) to a delivery robot (2) located on the delivery robot level (110). The storage system (100) is adapted to move the items within a storage level (112, 114, 116, 118). The storage system may be provided with wheels and thus be mobile. It may be loaded onto a vehicle for transport from a loading area where the storage system is loaded with items for delivery, to a delivery area where the items are to be delivered by one or more delivery robots.

Claims

1. A storage system (100) adapted to store a plurality of items and to load a delivery robot (2) with any one of said plurality of items for delivery to a destination, wherein the storage system (100) comprises:

a delivery robot level (110),

at least one storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) for storing the items, the at least one storage level being different from the delivery robot level (110), and

a loading robot (130) adapted to retrieve a given item from a storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) and then load the retrieved item to a delivery robot (2) located on the delivery robot level (110),

wherein the storage system (100) is adapted to move the given item within said storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) towards a pre-loading location in which the given item is accessible to the loading robot (130);

wherein the loading robot (130) comprises a base (130a), a vertically extending body (130b) connected to the base (130a), and a gripping mechanism (140) extending outwardly from the vertically extending body and having at least two orthogonal axes of movement;

wherein the delivery robot (2) is a mobile delivery robot comprising a motion component (320); and

wherein the delivery robot (2) is configured to operate in an outdoor environment and deliver the retrieved item to a delivery recipient at a delivery address.

2. The storage system (100) according to claim 1, wherein the storage system (100) comprises a plurality of storage levels (112, 114, 116, 118) for storing items.

3. The storage system (100) according to claim 2, wherein:

the delivery robot level (110) is a ground level; and

all of said plurality of storage levels (112, 114, 116) are above the delivery robot level.

4. The storage system (100) according to claim 3, comprising only a single delivery robot level (110).

5. The storage system (100) according to claim 1, further comprising at least one port (104) through which the delivery robot (2) enters and/or exits the storage system (100).

6. The storage system (100) according to claim 5, comprising:

an entry port (104) through which the delivery robot (2) enters the storage system (100) to be loaded with an item for delivery; and

an exit port (104) through which the delivery robot (2) exits the storage system (100) after being loaded with said item for delivery, the exit port (104) being separate from the entry port (104).

7. The storage system (100) according to claim 5, wherein, after entering through the port (104), the delivery robot is located within a footprint of the storage system (100).

8. The storage system (100) according to claim 1, wherein the loading robot (130) comprises three axes of movement (132, 134, 136).

9. The storage system (100) according to claim 8, wherein:

the storage system (100) comprises a sensor (170) for sensing a location of an object to be gripped by the gripping mechanism (140), and

the sensor (170) is mounted on the loading robot (130).

10. The storage system (100) according to claim 1, wherein:

the loading robot (130) is adapted to grip the given item and load the gripped item to the delivery robot (2).

11. The storage system (100) according to claim 1, wherein:

the items are stored in boxes (120);

the loading robot (130) is adapted to grip a box (120) and load the gripped box (120) to the delivery robot (2); and

the storage system (100) is adapted to move any one of the boxes (120) within a storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) towards said pre-loading location, such that said box is accessible to the loading robot (130).

12. The storage system (100) according to claim 1, further comprising at least one shuffle robot (150) adapted to move an object within a storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) to said pre-loading location, such that the object is accessible to the loading robot (130).

13. The storage system (100) according to claim 12, wherein:

the items are stored in boxes (120);

the at least one storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) comprises a plurality of supports (160) for supporting the boxes (120);

the shuffle robot (150) comprises an actuator (154) that is adapted to assume a retracted configuration and an extended configuration for lifting a box (120); and

the shuffle robot (150) has a first height in the retracted configuration and a second height in the extended configuration, the first height being smaller than a height of the supports (160) and the second height being greater than the height of the supports (160), and

a difference between the second height and the first height is in the range of 5 mm to 100 mm.

14. The storage system (100) according to claim 1, comprising:

a plurality of storage levels (112, 114, 116, 118) for storing items;

at least one shuffle robot (150) adapted to move an object within a storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) to said pre-loading location;

an entry port (104) through which the delivery robot (2) enters the storage system (100) to be loaded with an item for delivery; and

an exit port (104) through which the delivery robot (2) exits the storage system (100) after being loaded with said item for delivery, the exit port (104) being separate from the entry port (104).

15. The storage system (100) according to claim 14, wherein the loading robot (130) comprises:

three axes of movement (132, 134, 136); and

a sensor (170) for sensing a location of an object to be gripped by the gripping mechanism (140).

16. The storage system (100) according to claim 15, wherein:

the items are stored in boxes (120);

the loading robot (130) is adapted to grip a box (120) and load the gripped box (120) to the delivery robot (2).

17. The storage system (100) according to claim 16, wherein:

the loading robot (130) is configured to grip and release the shuffle robot (150) to bring the shuffle robot (150) from one storage level to another, when the shuffle robot initially is in the pre-loading location of said one storage level.

18. The storage system (100) according to claim 1, further comprising wheels to facilitate transporting the storage system from a loading area where the storage system is loaded with items for delivery, to a delivery area where the items are to be delivered.

19. The storage system (100) according to claim 1, wherein:

the delivery robot level (110) is a ground level; and

the at least one storage level (112, 114, 116) is above the delivery robot level.

20. The storage system (100) according to claim 19, comprising only a single delivery robot level (110).

21. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

the delivery robot level (110) and the at least one storage level (112, 114, 116) are located within a housing (102), with the delivery robot level (110) being below the at least one storage level (112, 114, 116, 118);

the housing has at least one port (104) through which the delivery robot (2) is configured to enter within a footprint of the housing (102) at the delivery robot level (110) to be loaded with the retrieved item by the loading robot (130); and

the delivery robot (12) is configured to leave the footprint of the housing to deliver the retrieved item to the delivery recipient at the delivery address.

22. The storage system according to claim 21, wherein:

a plurality of delivery robots (2) are housed on the delivery robot level (110), under the at least one storage level (112, 114, 116, 118).

23. The storage system according to claim 21, wherein:

the loading robot (130) is a vertical loading robot configured to move items vertically; and

the loading robot (130) remains in position relative to the housing (102).

24. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein the delivery robot (2) comprises:

a body (200) having an item compartment into which the retrieved item is loaded;

a flagpole (330) to increase the visibility of the delivery robot (2); and

a plurality of cameras, including front stereo cameras (220, 230), side stereo cameras (240, 250), and back stereo cameras (290) that are generally backward facing.

25. A storage and transport system comprising, in combination:

the storage system (100) according to claim 18;

a vehicle into which said storage system is loaded for transport to a delivery area; and

at least one additional delivery robot (2) also loaded onto the vehicle, for performing deliveries when the vehicle arrives at the delivery area.

26. The storage and transport system according to claim 25, wherein:

the plurality of delivery robots (2) are also loaded onto the vehicle and are located within a footprint of the storage system (100).

27. The storage and transport system according to claim 25, wherein the vehicle is a truck allowed on roads.

28. A method of loading an item to a delivery robot (2), the item being located on a storage level of a storage system according to claim 1, the method comprising:

the delivery robot (2) entering the storage system (100) and traveling to a designated location on the delivery robot level where the delivery robot is positioned to be loaded by the loading robot (130);

moving the item within the storage level, to a pre-loading location in which the item is accessible to the loading robot (130);

retrieving the item from said pre-loading location with the loading robot (130) and loading the delivery robot (2) with the retrieved item; and

the delivery robot (2) leaving the designated location and exiting the storage system (100).

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein:

the item is located in a box which is supported by supports; and

moving the item within the storage level comprises lifting the box off of the supports, and transporting the lifted box to the pre-loading location.

30. The method according to claim 29, comprising:

bringing a shuffle robot underneath the box prior to lifting the box, the shuffle robot having a retracted configuration and an extended configuration;

wherein;

the shuffle robot is brought underneath the box, when the shuffle robot is in the retracted configuration, and

the shuffle robot transports the box to the pre-loading position, when the shuffle robot is in the extended position.

31. A storage system (100) adapted to store a plurality of items and to load a delivery robot (2) with any one of said plurality of items for delivery to a destination, wherein the storage system (100) comprises:

a delivery robot level (110);

at least one storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) for storing the items, the at least one storage level being different from the delivery robot level (110); and

a loading robot (130) adapted to retrieve a given item from a storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) and then load the retrieved item to a delivery robot (2) located on the delivery robot level (110);

wherein the storage system (100) is adapted to move the given item within said storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) towards a pre-loading location in which the given item is accessible to the loading robot (130);

wherein the delivery robot (2) is a mobile delivery robot comprising a motion component (320);

wherein the delivery robot (2) is configured to operate in an outdoor environment and deliver the retrieved item to a delivery recipient at a delivery address;

wherein the system further comprises at least one shuffle robot (150) adapted to move an object within a storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) to said pre-loading location, such that the object is accessible to the loading robot (130); and

the loading robot (130) is configured to grip and release the shuffle robot (150) to bring the shuffle robot (150) from one storage level to another, when the shuffle robot initially is in the pre-loading location of said one storage level.

32. A storage system (100) adapted to store a plurality of items and to load a delivery robot (2) with any one of said plurality of items for delivery to a destination, wherein the storage system (100) comprises:

a delivery robot level (110),

at least one storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) for storing the items, the at least one storage level being different from the delivery robot level (110), and

a loading robot (130) adapted to retrieve a given item from a storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) and then load the retrieved item to a delivery robot (2) located on the delivery robot level (110),

wherein the storage system (100) is adapted to move the given item within said storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) towards a pre-loading location in which the given item is accessible to the loading robot (130);

wherein the delivery robot (2) is a mobile delivery robot comprising;

a motion component (320);

a body (200) having an item compartment into which the retrieved item is loaded;

a flagpole (330) to increase the visibility of the delivery robot (2); and

a plurality of cameras, including front stereo cameras (220, 230), side stereo cameras (240, 250), and back stereo cameras (290) that are generally backward facing; and

wherein the delivery robot (2) is configured to operate in an outdoor environment and deliver the retrieved item to a delivery recipient at a delivery address.