Inventory system with vertically mobile drive units and movable panels

• US 10,364,099 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2017
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brazeau, Jeremiah David
• Primary Examiner(s): Hageman, Mark C
• Application Number:
  US15/474,990
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0492 with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/06 with means for presenting articles for removal at predetermined position or level B65G1/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/10 with relatively movable racks to facilitate insertion or removal of articles cabinets with means for moving compartments up and down A47B51/00; cabinet system, e.g. consisting of cabinets arranged in a row with means to open or close passages between adjacent cabinets A47B53/02
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1373 for fulfilling orders in warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0291 Fleet control monitoring fleets in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/127, G08G1/127
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room

Abstract

Disclosed inventory systems, methods, and devices can be used to retrieve and transport resources from one location to another. Specifically, a vertically mobile drive unit including a vertical element retention mechanism can be controlled by a management component to retrieve a resource, transport the resource from one floor to a different floor in an inventory system, and deposit the resource at a destination. The vertically mobile drive unit can transit vertically along a vertically disposed element in an inventory system, such as a structural pole or column. The vertically mobile drive unit can ascend to or descend from an upper level by passing through an opening made by a movable panel.

Claims

1. An inventory management system, comprising:

an inventory system comprising;

a first level;

a second level above the first level;

a vertical element extending upward from the first level and passing through or adjacent to the second level; and

a movable panel in the second level proximate to the vertical element, the movable panel defining a transitable opening when the movable panel is in an open position;

a drive unit comprising;

a body;

a horizontal drive mechanism connected with the body;

a vertical element grasping mechanism connected with the body; and

a vertical drive mechanism connected with the vertical element grasping mechanism; and

a management component configured with executable instructions, in order to, at least;

receive information relating to a resource in the inventory system;

instruct the drive unit to retrieve the resource at a first location using the horizontal drive mechanism;

instruct the drive unit to grasp the vertical element using the vertical element grasping mechanism;

instruct the drive unit to ascend or descend the vertical element using the vertical drive mechanism and pass through the transitable opening defined by the movable panel; and

instruct the drive unit to move the resource to a second location on the second floor using the horizontal drive mechanism.

2. The inventory management system of claim 1,

wherein the drive unit mechanically interacts with the movable panel to displace the movable panel to the open position when the drive unit passes through the transitable opening.

3. The inventory management system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one sensor associated with the movable panel;

wherein the management component is further configured to;

detect that the drive unit is ascending or descending the vertical element by the at least one sensor; and

instruct an actuator connected with the movable panel to actuate to open the movable panel in response to the detecting.

4. The inventory management system of claim 1, wherein the movable panel comprises a hinged platform attached with a side of the second level adjacent to the vertical element, the movable panel being operable to fold upward to form the transitable opening.

5. A computer-implemented method of managing a resource, the method comprising:

selecting a drive unit from a plurality of drive units, each drive unit comprising a body, a horizontal drive mechanism connected with the body, a vertical element grasping mechanism connected with the body; and

a vertical drive mechanism connected with the vertical element grasping mechanism;

instructing the drive unit to transit a first level of a multi-level facility to a vertical element using the horizontal drive mechanism;

instructing the drive unit to engage with the vertical element via the vertical element grasping mechanism;

instructing the drive unit to ascend or descend, using the vertical drive mechanism, to a second level in a multi-level facility through a transitable opening defined by a movable panel in the first or second level of the multi-level facility, the movable panel defining the transitable opening when in an open position; and

instructing the drive unit to detach from the vertical element at the second level.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein:

the second level is above the first level; and

wherein the drive unit causes the movable panel to open by mechanically interfering with the movable panel as the drive unit ascends through the transitable opening.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the second level is above the first level, and comprising:

causing an actuator connected with the movable panel to close the movable panel after the drive unit has ascended through the transitable opening such that the movable panel is aligned with the second level; and

instructing the drive unit to disengage the vertical element grasping mechanism from the vertical element when the body of the drive unit is on top of the movable panel.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein:

causing the actuator to close the movable panel further comprises;

detecting, via a sensor, a position of the drive unit; and

instructing the actuator to close the movable panel when the sensor senses that the drive unit is clear of the movable panel.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein:

the second level is below the first level, and comprising;

instructing the drive unit to ascend, using the vertical drive mechanism, along the vertical element above the movable panel by a predetermined distance above the movable panel;

detecting, via a sensor, a position of the drive unit; and

causing an actuator to open the movable panel when the sensor senses that the drive unit is clear of the movable panel.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein:

the second level is below the first level, and comprising;

instructing the drive unit to ascend along the vertical element, using the vertical drive mechanism, above the movable panel by a predetermined distance; and

instructing the drive unit to open the movable panel by interfering with a mechanical linkage connected with the movable panel as the drive unit ascends.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising instructing an actuator connected with the movable panel to actuate in order to open the movable panel when the drive unit is ascending the vertical element.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving information identifying a resource to be retrieved;

instructing the drive unit to retrieve the resource on the first level of the multi-level facility using the horizontal drive mechanism; and

instructing the drive unit to move the resource to a destination on the second level via the horizontal drive mechanism.

13. A vertically mobile drive unit, comprising:

a drive unit comprising;

a body;

a horizontal drive mechanism connected with the body;

a vertical element grasping mechanism connected with the body and operable to grasp a vertical element in an inventory system; and

a vertical drive mechanism connected with the vertical element grasping mechanism and operable to cause the drive unit to ascend or descend the vertical element between a first level and second level of the inventory system; and

a management component configured with executable instructions, in order to, at least;

instruct the drive unit to transit horizontally via the horizontal drive mechanism;

instruct the drive unit to grasp the vertical element via the vertical element grasping mechanism; and

instruct the drive unit to ascend or descend the vertical element via the vertical drive unit, through a transitable opening defined by a movable panel in the first or second level of the inventory system.

14. The vertically mobile drive unit of claim 13, wherein executing the instructions that instruct the drive unit to ascend or descend the vertical element via the vertical drive unit through the transitable opening defined by the movable panel causes the drive unit to open the movable panel by mechanically interfering with the movable panel as the drive unit ascends or descends.

15. The vertically mobile drive unit of claim 13, wherein:

the second level comprises a void in the second level at a side of the second level adjacent to the vertical element; and

the management component is further configured with executable instructions, in order to;

cause an actuator connected with the movable panel to close the movable panel such that the movable panel can support the drive unit while the drive unit is grasping the vertical element by the vertical element grasping mechanism.

16. The vertically mobile drive unit of claim 13, wherein:

the second level comprises a void;

the vertical element passes through the void;

the movable panel is positioned in the void such that, when the movable panel is in the closed position, the vertical element passes through a gap in the movable panel; and

the management component is further configured to instruct an actuator connected with the movable panel to open or close the movable panel in response to the drive unit ascending or descending the vertical element.

17. The vertically mobile drive unit of claim 13, wherein the second level is above the first level,

wherein the drive unit further comprises a first sensor positioned below the second level configured to detect a position of the drive unit, and

wherein the management component is configured to instruct an actuator connected with the movable panel to open the movable panel when the first sensor detects the drive unit below the movable panel.

18. The vertically mobile drive unit of claim 17, further comprising:

a second sensor positioned above the second level configured to detect the position of the drive unit; and

wherein the management component is configured to instruct the actuator to close the movable panel when the second sensor detects the drive unit above the movable panel.

19. The vertically mobile drive unit of claim 13, wherein the management component is further configured to instruct the drive unit to mechanically engage with a portion of the movable panel to cause the movable panel to move from the closed position to the open position.

20. The vertically mobile drive unit of claim 19, wherein the movable panel further comprises an elastic element that reduces a force required to open the movable panel.

21. The vertically mobile drive unit of claim 13, wherein

the second level is below the first level;

the movable panel comprises a mechanical linkage configured to interact with the drive unit; and

the management component is further configured to;

instruct the drive unit to ascend above the movable panel by a predetermined distance while mechanically interacting with the mechanical linkage to open the movable panel; and

instruct the drive unit to disengage from the mechanical linkage.

22. The vertically mobile drive unit of claim 13, wherein the management component is further configured to:

receive a request to open a movable panel; and

cause an actuator connected with the movable panel to actuate in response to receiving the request.

23. The vertically mobile drive unit of claim 22, wherein the drive unit further comprises a sensor operable to sense an environment of the drive unit;

and wherein the management component is further configured to;

detect, by the sensor, that the movable panel is closed; and

generate the request to open the movable panel in response to detecting that the movable panel is closed.