Bot having high speed stability

• US 8,965,619 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbotic, Llc
• Original Assignee: Symbotic, Llc
• Inventors: Sullivan, Robert, Toebes, Stephen C., Buzan, Forrest, Eccles, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Algahaim, Helal A
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, JELANI A
• Application Number:
  US13/326,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20120185122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/255, 700/250, 701/23, 701/25, 701/26, 318/587, 180/169, 180/168, 153/20, 119/57.92, 280/124.11
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 51/36 collapsible or like thin-walled tubes, e.g. for toothpaste
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0492 with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00

Abstract

An autonomous transport vehicle for transporting items in a storage and retrieval system is provided. The autonomous transport vehicle includes at least two drive wheels and a controller, where each drive wheel is independently driven and a drive wheel encoder is disposed adjacent each drive wheel. The controller, in communication with the drive wheel encoders, is configured to determine a kinematic state of the autonomous transport vehicle within the storage and retrieval system based on incremental data from the drive wheel encoders only and independent of drive wheel slippage.

Claims

1. An autonomous transport vehicle for transporting items in a storage and retrieval system, the autonomous transport vehicle comprising:

a frame;

a controller;

at least two independently driven drive wheels mounted to the frame; and

at least one caster wheel mounted to the frame and having a releasably lockable swivel lock configured to selectively lock and unlock swiveling of the at least one caster wheel so that when unlocked the releasably lockable swivel lock allows swiveling of the at least one caster wheel relative to the frame and when locked prevents swiveling of the caster wheel relative to the frame;

wherein the controller is configured to effect locking and unlocking the releasably lockable swivel lock during a transport of items through the storage and retrieval system based on a predetermined kinematic state that correlates a speed of travel of the autonomous transport vehicle and a turn angle of the autonomous transport vehicle.

2. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to individually drive the independently driven drive wheels based on command logic generated from a determination of the predetermined kinematic state of the autonomous transport vehicle.

3. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to apply a differential torque to the independently driven drive wheels for effecting curvilinear travel of the autonomous transport vehicle.

4. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to maintain the releasably lockable swivel lock in a locked state when a lateral position and yaw angle of the autonomous transport vehicle are below a predetermined deviation value.

5. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to unlock the releasably lockable swivel lock substantially during an application of differential torque to the independently driven drive wheels.

6. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one caster wheel includes an actuator, a first locking member and a second locking member connected to a wheel of the at least one releasably lockable caster wheel, the actuator being configured for a pulse release of the first locking member from the second locking member for unlocking the releasably lockable swivel lock.

7. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 6, wherein the at least one caster wheel is configured such that the first locking member and second locking member are substantially aligned during substantially straight line travel of the autonomous transport vehicle and the first locking member is biased to automatically engage the second locking member for locking the releasably lockable swivel lock.

8. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 6, wherein the autonomous transport vehicle has a longitudinal axis substantially aligned with the straight line travel of the autonomous transport vehicle and a lateral axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis, the first locking member being configured to engage the second locking member in a lateral direction.

9. An autonomous transport vehicle comprising:

at least two independently driven drive wheels;

at least one releasably lockable caster wheel having a releasably lockable swivel lock configured to selectively lock and unlock swiveling of the at least one caster wheel so that when unlocked the releasably lockable swivel lock allows swiveling of the at least one caster wheel and when locked prevents swiveling of the caster wheel; and

a controller including a state estimator configured to estimate a kinematic state that correlates a speed of travel of the autonomous transport vehicle and a turn angle of the autonomous transport vehicle wherein the controller issues control commands to the at least two independently driven drive wheels and the releasably lockable swivel lock of the at least one releasably lockable caster wheel based on the estimated kinematic state of the autonomous transport vehicle.

10. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to estimate a state of the autonomous transport vehicle based on data obtained from one or more sensors of the autonomous transport vehicle.