Bot payload alignment and sensing

• US 9,862,543 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2017
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbotic, Llc
• Original Assignee: Symbotic, Llc
• Inventors: Toebes, Stephen C., Sullivan, Robert, Buzan, Forrest
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMBESS, YOLANDA RENEE
• Application Number:
  US15/605,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20170259998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 229 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1674 characterised by safety, monitoring, diagnostic
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0492 with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/02 Arm motion controller
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/09 Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement

Abstract

An autonomous transport robot for transporting a payload, the autonomous transport robot includes a payload bed having at least one reference datum surface and at least one payload justification device, the at least one payload justification device being configured to position a payload on the payload bed in substantial contact with the at least one reference datum surface to place the payload in a predetermined position on the payload bed.

Claims

1. A method for transporting a payload, the method comprising:

providing an autonomous transport robot having a payload bed, the payload bed having at least one reference datum surface with respect to a payload storage location;

providing the autonomous transport robot with at least one payload justification device; and

positioning, with the at least one payload justification device, a payload on the payload bed in substantial contact with the at least one reference datum surface that is arranged relative the payload bed to place each payload so that a payload side is at a repeatable predetermined longitudinal position, independent of a payload size, on the payload bed relative to at least a longitudinal axis of the autonomous transport robot.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one reference datum surface includes a first and second reference datum surfaces disposed substantially perpendicular to one another and one of the first and second reference datum surfaces is substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the autonomous transport robot.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one justification device includes a first justification device and a second justification device, the method further comprising moving, with the first justification device, the payload in a first direction to substantially contact the first reference datum surface, and moving, with the second justification device, the payload in a second direction, substantially perpendicular to the first direction, to contact the second reference datum surface.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first justification device includes driven rollers that form a payload support surface of the payload bed.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the second justification device includes a driven pusher bar.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising detecting, with at least sensor of the autonomous transport robot, the substantial contact between the payload and at least one of the first and second reference datum surfaces.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the autonomous transport robot includes a retaining fence disposed at an opening of the payload bed and a driven pusher bar movably disposed at least partly above the payload bed, the method further comprising actively gripping, with the retaining fence and the driven pusher bar, the payload during transport of the payload on the autonomous transport robot.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting, with at least one sensor of the autonomous transport robot, at least one dimension of the payload.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising transferring the payload between a payload holding area and the payload bed with a retractable effector of the autonomous transport robot, and guiding, with guide surfaces of the payload bed, the payload into an area of the payload bed during transfer of the payload onto the autonomous transport robot.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising

raising the retractable effector from below the payload bed to a position at least partially above a retaining fence disposed at an opening of the payload bed, and

retaining at least in part, with the retaining fence extending above the payload bed, the payload on the payload bed.

11. A method for transporting a payload, the method comprising:

providing an autonomous transport robot having a payload bed, the payload bed having at least one reference datum surface with respect to a payload storage location;

providing the autonomous transport robot with at least one payload justification device; and

positioning, with the at least one payload justification device, a payload on the payload bed in substantial contact with the at least one reference datum surface that is arranged relative the payload bed to place each payload so that a payload side is at a repeatable predetermined longitudinal position, independent of a payload size, on the payload bed relative to at least a longitudinal axis of the autonomous transport robot;

wherein the at least one reference datum surface includes a first and second reference datum surfaces disposed substantially perpendicular to one another and one of the first and second reference datum surfaces is substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the autonomous transport robot, and

wherein the payload bed effects, raising the payload from the payload bed and placing the payload on a support rack in a rack position with respect to a first rack direction determined by the repeatable predetermined longitudinal position on the payload bed set by the first reference datum and with respect to a second rack direction determined by the second reference datum so that the payload is placed in the rack position as determined by the second reference datum.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the autonomous transport robot includes a retaining fence disposed at an opening of the payload bed and a driven pusher bar movably disposed at least partly above the payload bed, the method further comprising actively gripping, with the retaining fence and the driven pusher bar, the payload during transport of the payload on the autonomous transport robot.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising detecting, with at least one sensor of the autonomous transport robot, at least one dimension of the payload.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising transferring the payload between a payload holding area and the payload bed with a retractable effector of the autonomous transport robot, and guiding, with guide surfaces of the payload bed, the payload into an area of the payload bed during transfer of the payload onto the autonomous transport robot.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising

raising the retractable effector from below the payload bed to a position at least partially above a retaining fence disposed at an opening of the payload bed, and

retaining at least in part, with the retaining fence extending above the payload bed, the payload on the payload bed.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one justification device includes a first justification device and a second justification device, the method further comprising moving, with the first justification device, the payload in a first direction to substantially contact the first reference datum surface, and moving, with the second justification device, the payload in a second direction, substantially perpendicular to the first direction, to contact the second reference datum surface.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first justification device includes driven rollers that form a payload support surface of the payload bed.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the second justification device includes a driven pusher bar.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising detecting, with at least sensor of the autonomous transport robot, the substantial contact between the payload and at least one of the first and second reference datum surfaces.