System and method for overhead warehousing
First Claim
1. An overhead warehousing system for use in a warehouse having a ceiling and a plurality of storage racks supported by a floor of said warehouse, said overhead warehousing system comprising:
- a plurality of drawers each configured to contain a parcel, said each drawer being positioned at a designated parcel retrieval location of one of a plurality of individual cells in each of said plurality of storage racks and adapted to be opened and closed relative to said one individual cell;
a plurality of flight corridors defined along said storage racks adjacent to said plurality of individual cells;
at least one drone having a gripper head translatable relative to an opened one of said drawers at said designated parcel retrieval location of said respective one individual cell for retrieving a parcel from said opened one of said drawers; and
a communication subsystem in communication with said at least one drone for plotting a flight trajectory for said at least one drone and controlling flying of said drone on said flight trajectory along at least one of said flight corridors and between a designated docking station, a selected one of designated parcel retrieval locations and a selected one of designated parcel drop locations, said communication subsystem also in communication with said at least one drone for controlling translation of said gripper head relative to said opened one of said drawers and with said individual cells for opening and closing said drawer of a selected one of said individual cells as said at least one drone approaches and departs said selected one individual cell.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An overhead warehousing system for use in a warehouse having a ceiling and storage racks supported by the floor of a warehouse includes drawers configured to contain parcels at designated locations of individual cells in the storage racks and adapted to be opened and closed, flight corridors defined along the storage racks adjacent to the individual cells, drones having gripper heads translatable relative to opened drawers to retrieve parcels therefrom, and a communication subsystem communicating with the drones to control their flying on the flight trajectories along the flight corridors and between a designated docking station, selected ones of designated parcel retrieval locations and selected ones of designated parcel drop locations and also communicating with the drones to control their gripper heads relative to opened drawers and communicating with individual cells for opening and closing drawers as drones approach and depart the selected individual cells.
28 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An overhead warehousing system for use in a warehouse having a ceiling and a plurality of storage racks supported by a floor of said warehouse, said overhead warehousing system comprising:
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a plurality of drawers each configured to contain a parcel, said each drawer being positioned at a designated parcel retrieval location of one of a plurality of individual cells in each of said plurality of storage racks and adapted to be opened and closed relative to said one individual cell; a plurality of flight corridors defined along said storage racks adjacent to said plurality of individual cells; at least one drone having a gripper head translatable relative to an opened one of said drawers at said designated parcel retrieval location of said respective one individual cell for retrieving a parcel from said opened one of said drawers; and a communication subsystem in communication with said at least one drone for plotting a flight trajectory for said at least one drone and controlling flying of said drone on said flight trajectory along at least one of said flight corridors and between a designated docking station, a selected one of designated parcel retrieval locations and a selected one of designated parcel drop locations, said communication subsystem also in communication with said at least one drone for controlling translation of said gripper head relative to said opened one of said drawers and with said individual cells for opening and closing said drawer of a selected one of said individual cells as said at least one drone approaches and departs said selected one individual cell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An overhead warehousing system for use in a warehouse having a ceiling and a plurality of storage racks supported by a floor of a warehouse, said overhead warehousing system comprising:
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a plurality of drawers each configured to contain a parcel, said each drawer being positioned at a designated parcel retrieval location of one of a plurality of individual cells in each of said plurality of storage racks and adapted to be opened and closed relative to said one individual cell; a plurality of flight corridors defined along the storage racks adjacent to said plurality of individual cells; a plurality of drones each having a gripper head translatable relative to an opened one of said drawers at said designated parcel retrieval location of said respective one individual cell for retrieving a parcel from said opened one of said drawers; and a communication subsystem in communication with said drones for plotting flight trajectories for said drones and controlling flying of said drones on said flight trajectories along said flight corridors so as to monitor locations of each of said drones to prevent collisions between said drones as they fly from and to a designated docking station and selected ones of designated parcel retrieval locations and selected ones of designated parcel drop locations, said communication subsystem also in communication with said drones for controlling translation of said gripper heads relative to said opened ones of said drawers and further in communication with said individual cells for opening and closing said drawers of selected ones of said individual cells as said drones approach and depart said selected ones of individual cells. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An overhead warehousing method for use in a warehouse having a ceiling and a plurality of storage racks supported by a floor of the warehouse, said overhead warehousing method comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of drawers each configured to contain a parcel, with each drawer being positioned at a designated parcel retrieval location of one of a plurality of individual cells in each of the plurality of storage racks and adapted to be opened and closed relative to the one individual cell; providing a plurality of flight corridors defined along the storage racks adjacent to the plurality of individual cells; providing a plurality of drones each having a gripper head translatable relative to an opened one of the drawers at the designated parcel retrieval location of the respective one of the individual cells for retrieving a parcel from the opened one of the drawers; communicating with the drones to plot flight trajectories for the drones; communicating with the drones to control flying of the drones on the flight trajectories along the flight corridors and from and to a designated docking station and selected ones of designated parcel retrieval locations and selected ones of designated parcel drop locations; communicating with the drones to control translation of gripper heads relative to opened ones of the drawers; and communicating with the individual cells to open and close drawers of selected ones of the individual cells as the drones approach and depart the selected ones of the individual cells. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification