Inventory system with climate-controlled inventory

• US 9,185,998 B1
• Filed: 03/02/2015
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dwarakanath, Samvid Hariram, Blakey, Sean William, Cooper, Bruce John, Casteel, Bryant Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMBESS, YOLANDA RENEE
• Application Number:
  US14/635,645
• Time in Patent Office: 260 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0482 Details common to both closed and open types
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/063 Automatically guided
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 27/00 Machines, plants or systems, using particular sources of energy F25B30/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 11/003 Transport containers
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A system includes a climate-controlled inventory holder, a mobile drive unit, and a management module. The climate-controlled inventory holder is configured to control a climate of one or more inventory items stored by the inventory holder. The mobile drive unit is operable to transport the climate-controlled inventory holder from a first location to a second location based at least in part upon one or more instructions received from a management module. The management module is operable to receive an order for an inventory item, determine that the inventory holder stores the inventory item, and instruct the mobile drive unit to transport the climate-controlled inventory holder from the first location to the second location.

Claims

1. A system for transporting refrigerated inventory comprising:

a refrigerated inventory holder comprising;

an electric refrigeration unit;

a plurality of legs; and

one or more shelves configured to store one or more inventory items; and

wherein at least one of the plurality of legs includes an electrical contact configured route power from an electrical source contact disposed on a surface of a workspace to the electric refrigeration unit;

a mobile drive unit operable to;

move beneath the refrigerated inventory holder via one of a plurality of openings formed by the plurality of legs of the refrigerated inventory holder;

lift the refrigerated inventory holder by raising a docking head against a lower surface of the refrigerated inventory holder, thereby disconnecting the electrical contact from the electrical source contact; and

transport the refrigerated inventory holder while lifted.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical source contact comprises a first electrical source contact and the mobile drive unit is further operable to:

after transporting the refrigerated inventory holder while lifted, align the electrical contact with a second electrical source contact disposed on the surface of the workspace; and

lower the refrigerated inventory holder while the electrical contact is in alignment with the second electrical source contact, such that contact is made and power is routed from the second electrical source contact to the electric refrigeration unit.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the refrigerated inventory holder further comprises a battery backup operable to provide power to the electric refrigeration unit during periods in which the electrical contact does not make contact with an electrical source contact.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical contact comprises flat, elongated conductive material.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical contact is disposed on a lower surface of one or more of the plurality of legs.

6. A method comprising:

identifying, by a management module, an inventory holder having an on-board refrigeration unit operable to electrically couple with a plurality of electrical source contacts disposed on a surface of a workspace; and

selectively instructing, via a wireless transmission from the management module, a mobile drive unit to dock or undock with the inventory holder, wherein the refrigeration unit of the inventory holder is disconnected from a first electrical source contact while docked with the mobile drive unit and the refrigeration unit of the inventory holder is connected to a second electrical source contact while undocked from the mobile drive unit.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

transmitting, by the management module, one or more wireless instructions that cause the mobile drive unit to move to the inventory holder, lift the inventory holder, and transport the inventory holder to an inventory station.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

assigning, by a management module, a priority to the mobile drive unit that is higher than other priorities of other mobile drive units based on a determination that the mobile drive unit transports the inventory holder having the on-board refrigeration unit.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the inventory holder comprises a plurality of legs and transfers power to the on-board refrigeration unit via at least one electrical contact on one or more legs of the plurality of legs.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the mobile drive unit comprises a docking head operable to lift the inventory holder and thereby disconnect the inventory holder from the first electrical source contact.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the mobile drive unit is a self-powered robotic device and comprises a processing unit configured to respond to instructions transmitted wirelessly by the management module.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the second electrical source contact is proximate to a work station and the mobile drive unit is operable to transport the inventory holder to the work station and connect the refrigeration unit to the second electrical source contact.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the inventory holder comprises a plurality of legs and the mobile drive unit connects the refrigeration unit to the second electrical source contact by:

aligning one or more electrical contacts, which are mounted on a surface of one or more of the plurality of legs, to the second electrical source contact; and

moving such that the one or more electrical contacts make contact with the second electrical source contact.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of legs, one or more of the plurality of legs having one or more electrical contacts configured to receive power via a surface of a workspace;

a lower docking surface; and

an on-board electrical device configured to receive power via the one or more electrical contacts;

wherein the plurality of legs form openings operable to receive a mobile drive unit, the mobile drive unit configured to move beneath the lower docking surface via one of the openings and raise a docking head against the lower docking surface, thereby lifting the plurality of legs off the surface of the workspace and disconnecting power from the on-board electrical device.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein one or more of the plurality of legs include an electrical conduit operable to conduct power received via the surface of the workspace to the on-board electrical device.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the on-board electrical device is a refrigeration unit and the apparatus further comprises a battery operable to provide power to the refrigeration unit in response to detecting that power received via the surface of the workspace is disconnected.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the mobile drive unit is operable to raise the docking head in response to instructions received wirelessly from a management module.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

one or more shelves operable to store one or more inventory items.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

insulated material configured to facilitate maintenance of a temperature associated with inventory items stored by the one or more shelves.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the apparatus comprises an inventory holder, and the mobile drive unit is configured to transport a plurality of inventory holders within an automated inventory system.