System and method for maneuvering a mobile drive unit
First Claim
1. A method of rotating an inventory holder, comprising:
- moving an inventory holder towards a rotation area along a straight segment of a path with a first face of the inventory holder facing a first direction, wherein the rotation area comprises a portion of a workspace designated for rotation of inventory holders;
moving, by a mobile drive unit, the inventory holder into the rotation area along a first arced segment of a curved path with an orientation of the first face facing the direction of movement of the inventory holder;
executing a rotation maneuver within the rotation area, wherein executing the rotation maneuver comprises selectively rotating, by the mobile drive unit, the inventory holder while the mobile drive unit is on the curved path; and
moving, by the mobile drive unit, the inventory holder out of the rotation area along a second arced segment of the curved path with a second face facing the direction of movement of the inventory holder as a result of executing the rotation maneuver.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of rotating an inventory holder includes moving an inventory holder towards a rotation area along a straight segment of a path with a first face of the inventory holder facing a first direction. The rotation area includes a portion of a workspace designated for rotation of inventory holders. The method further includes moving the inventory holder into the rotation area along a first arced segment with an orientation of the first face perpendicular to the first arced segment. The method additionally includes executing a rotation maneuver within the rotation area and moving the inventory holder out of the rotation area along a second arced segment with a second face facing the first direction.
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Citations
65 Claims
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1. A method of rotating an inventory holder, comprising:
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moving an inventory holder towards a rotation area along a straight segment of a path with a first face of the inventory holder facing a first direction, wherein the rotation area comprises a portion of a workspace designated for rotation of inventory holders; moving, by a mobile drive unit, the inventory holder into the rotation area along a first arced segment of a curved path with an orientation of the first face facing the direction of movement of the inventory holder; executing a rotation maneuver within the rotation area, wherein executing the rotation maneuver comprises selectively rotating, by the mobile drive unit, the inventory holder while the mobile drive unit is on the curved path; and moving, by the mobile drive unit, the inventory holder out of the rotation area along a second arced segment of the curved path with a second face facing the direction of movement of the inventory holder as a result of executing the rotation maneuver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for transporting inventory items, comprising:
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a plurality of inventory holders operable to store inventory items; a workspace comprising a plurality of workspace cells and one or more rotation areas; a plurality of mobile drive units, each mobile drive unit operable to transport an inventory holder without rotating the inventory holder while moving through one or more workspace cells and to selectively rotate the inventory holder while moving through a reserved one of the rotation areas, wherein the inventory holder selectively rotates independently of translational movement of the mobile drive unit. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A mobile drive unit for transporting an inventory holder, operable to:
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move an inventory holder towards a rotation area along a straight segment of a path with a first face of the inventory holder facing a first direction, wherein the rotation area comprises a portion of a workspace designated for rotation of inventory holders; move the inventory holder into the rotation area along a first arced segment of a curved path with an orientation of the first face facing the direction of movement of the mobile drive unit; execute a rotation maneuver within the rotation area, wherein executing the rotation maneuver comprises selectively rotating, by the mobile drive unit, the inventory holder while the mobile drive unit is on the curved path; and move the inventory holder out of the rotation area along a second arced segment of a curved path with a. second face facing the direction of movement of the mobile drive unit as a result of executing the rotation maneuver.
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29. A system for transporting inventory items, comprising:
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means for moving an inventory holder towards a rotation area along a straight segment of a path with a first face of the inventory holder facing a first direction, wherein the rotation area comprises a portion of a workspace designated for rotation of inventory holders; means for moving, by a mobile drive unit, the inventory holder into the rotation area along a first arced segment of a curved path with an orientation of the first face facing the direction of movement of the mobile drive unit; means for executing a rotation maneuver within the rotation area, wherein the means for executing the rotation maneuver comprises means for selectively rotating, by the mobile drive unit, the inventory holder while the mobile drive unit is on the curved path; and means for moving, by the mobile drive unit, the inventory holder out of the rotation area along a second arced segment of the curved path with a second face facing the direction of movement of the mobile drive unit as a result of executing the rotation maneuver.
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30. A method for moving inventory items, comprising:
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docking a mobile drive unit to an inventory holder; moving the mobile drive unit and the inventory holder in a first direction; while the mobile drive unit is docked with the inventory holder, disengaging a rotation lock, wherein the rotation lock prevents the mobile drive unit from rotating independently from the inventory holder when engaged; after disengaging the rotation lock and while still docked with the inventory holder, rotating the mobile drive unit without rotating the inventory holder using an actuator that applies torque to cause the inventory holder to continue to face the first direction while the mobile drive unit rotates to a second direction beneath the inventory holder; and moving the mobile drive unit and the inventory holder in the second direction. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. A mobile drive unit for moving inventory items, the mobile drive unit comprising a rotation lock operable to prevent the mobile drive unit from rotating independently from the inventory holder when engaged the mobile drive unit operable to:
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dock with an inventory holder; move the inventory holder in a first direction; while docked with the inventory holder, disengage the rotation lock; after disengaging the rotation lock and while still docked with the inventory holder, rotate the mobile drive without rotating the inventory holder using an actuator that applies torque to cause the inventory bolder to continue to face the first direction while the mobile drive unit rotates to a second direction beneath the inventory holder; and move the inventory holder in the second direction. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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38. A mobile drive unit for transporting an inventory holder, the mobile drive unit operable to:
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dock with an inventory holder; move the inventory holder towards a destination; while docked with the inventory holder, selectively rotate the inventory holder in response to a determination that the mobile drive unit is moving through a reserved rotation area, wherein the inventory holder selectively rotates independently of translational movement of the mobile drive unit; and continue moving the inventory holder towards the destination. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method for transporting inventory holders, comprising:
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docking with an inventory holder; moving the inventory holder towards a destination; while docked with the inventory holder, selectively rotating the inventory holder while moving through a reserved rotation area, wherein the inventory holder selectively rotates independently of translational movement of the mobile drive unit; and continuing to move the inventory holder towards the destination, - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A system for transporting inventory holders, comprising:
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a plurality of inventory holders; and a plurality of mobile drive units, each of the mobile drive units operable to; dock with an inventory holder; move the inventory holder towards a destination; while docked with the inventory holder, selectively rotate the inventory holder while moving through a reserved rotation area, wherein the inventory holder selectively rotates independently of translational movement of the mobile drive unit; and continue moving the inventory holder towards the destination. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A mobile drive unit for transporting an inventory holder, the mobile drive unit operable to:
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dock with the inventory holder; move the inventory holder towards a destination; execute a first rotation maneuver while docked with the inventory holder and in response to a determination that the mobile drive unit is moving through a reserved rotation area, the first rotation maneuver comprising selectively rotating the inventory holder around a first vertical axis passing substantially through a first center of gravity of the inventory holder, wherein the inventory holder selectively rotates independently of movement of the mobile drive unit; and execute a second rotation maneuver while docked with the inventory holder in which the mobile drive unit rotates the inventory holder about the first vertical axis by rotating the mobile drive unit about a second vertical axis passing substantially through a second center of gravity of the mobile drive unit, wherein the first vertical axis is substantially aligned with the second vertical axis.
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65. A mobile drive unit for transporting an inventory holder, the mobile drive unit comprising:
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a first actuator that selectively rotates the inventory holder in response to a determination that the mobile drive unit is moving through one or more reserved rotation areas; and a second actuator that moves the mobile drive unit, wherein the first and second actuators are different.
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Specification