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Mechanical tipping assembly for mobile drive unit of inventory system

  • US 9,890,025 B2
  • Filed: 11/24/2015
  • Issued: 02/13/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2015
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An inventory system comprising:

  • a mobile drive unit configured to carry an inventory holder within a facility, the inventory holder comprising one or more compartments holding one or more inventory items, the mobile drive unit comprising;

    a frame;

    a wheel coupled with the frame and rotatable about a wheel axis of rotation to move the frame and cause acceleration or deceleration of the mobile drive unit;

    a docking head assembly comprising a platform configured to engage the inventory holder and support the inventory holder over the frame of the mobile drive unit when the inventory holder is carried by the mobile drive unit;

    a base supporting the docking head assembly from underneath, at least one of the base or the docking head assembly subject to a reaction force oriented toward a first direction in response to acceleration or deceleration of the mobile drive unit when the inventory holder is carried by the mobile drive unit; and

    a pivot assembly suspending the base from the frame so that the docking head and base are each moveable relative to the frame and such that a top of the inventory holder will tip away from the first direction in response to movement of the base or the docking head assembly caused by the reaction force, the pivot assembly comprising;

    a first link pivotally coupled with the frame at a first location and pivotally coupled with the base downward from the first location; and

    a second link pivotally coupled with the frame at a second location and pivotally coupled with the base downward from the second location, the base being coupled with the first link at a third location and with the second link at a fourth location such that a distance between the third location and the fourth location is greater than a distance between the first location and the second location, wherein the first link and the second link are each pivotally coupled to the base and frame for rotation about axes of rotation that are substantially parallel to the wheel axis of rotation.

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