US 11,858,740 B2
Storage and retrieval system
Robert Sullivan, Wilmington, MA (US); John Lert, Wakefield, MA (US); and Stephen C. Toebes, Chelmsford, MA (US)
Assigned to Symbotic LLC, Wilmington, MA (US)
Filed by SYMBOTIC LLC, Wilmington, MA (US)
Filed on Feb. 22, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/652,041.
Application 17/652,041 is a continuation of application No. 16/783,483, filed on Feb. 6, 2020, granted, now 11,254,501.
Application 16/783,483 is a continuation of application No. 15/671,591, filed on Aug. 8, 2017, granted, now 10,556,743, issued on Feb. 11, 2020.
Application 15/671,591 is a continuation of application No. 14/293,556, filed on Jun. 2, 2014, granted, now 9,725,239, issued on Aug. 8, 2017.
Application 14/293,556 is a continuation of application No. 12/757,381, filed on Apr. 9, 2010, granted, now 8,740,538, issued on Jun. 3, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/168,349, filed on Apr. 10, 2009.
Prior Publication US 2022/0177226 A1, Jun. 9, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B65G 1/04 (2006.01); B65G 1/06 (2006.01); B65G 1/137 (2006.01); B65G 1/10 (2006.01); B65G 1/127 (2006.01); B65G 47/57 (2006.01); G06Q 10/087 (2023.01)
CPC B65G 1/0492 (2013.01) [B65G 1/065 (2013.01); B65G 1/1373 (2013.01); B65G 1/1378 (2013.01); B65G 1/045 (2013.01); B65G 1/10 (2013.01); B65G 1/127 (2013.01); B65G 1/137 (2013.01); B65G 1/1371 (2013.01); B65G 47/57 (2013.01); G06Q 10/087 (2013.01); Y10S 901/01 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A storage and retrieval system comprising:
at least one elevated storage level having an autonomous transport travel loop disposed at the at least one elevated storage level and having storage locations arranged along edges of the autonomous transport travel loop with a longitudinal axis arranged substantially transverse to the storage locations;
an inbound/outbound conveyor system configured to transport uncontained goods units to and from the at least one elevated storage level, the at least one elevated storage level having infeed and outfeed stations being configured to respectively receive and deliver uncontained goods units from and to corresponding inbound and outbound conveyors of the inbound/outbound conveyor system;
at least one autonomous transport confined to the at least one elevated storage level, the at least one autonomous transport being configured to transport the uncontained goods units between the infeed and outfeed stations of the inbound/outbound conveyor system, the autonomous transport travel loop being configured to provide the at least one autonomous transport access to each of the infeed and outfeed stations along the autonomous transport travel loop; and
a controller configured to effect operation of the infeed and outfeed stations with the at least one autonomous transport for assembling orders of uncontained goods units of different types without moving bundles of the same uncontained goods unit type throughout the storage and retrieval system.