US 11,673,742 B2
Systems and methods for processing objects including mobile matrix carrier systems
Thomas Wagner, Concord, MA (US); Kevin Ahearn, Nebo, NC (US); John Richard Amend, Jr., Belmont, MA (US); Benjamin Cohen, Somerville, MA (US); Michael Dawson-Haggerty, Pittsburgh, PA (US); William Hartman Fort, Stratham, NH (US); Christopher Geyer, Arlington, MA (US); Jennifer Eileen King, Oakmont, PA (US); Thomas Koletschka, Cambridge, MA (US); Michael Cap Koval, Mountain View, CA (US); Kyle Maroney, North Attleboro, MA (US); Matthew T. Mason, Pittsburgh, PA (US); William Chu-Hyon McMahan, Cambridge, MA (US); Gene Temple Price, Cambridge, MA (US); Joseph Romano, Arlington, MA (US); Daniel Smith, Canonsburg, PA (US); Siddhartha Srinivasa, Seattle, WA (US); Prasanna Velagapudi, Pittsburgh, PA (US); and Thomas Allen, Reading, MA (US)
Assigned to Berkshire Grey Operating Company, Inc., Bedford, MA (US)
Filed by Berkshire Grey Operating Company, Inc., Bedford, MA (US)
Filed on Jul. 28, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/387,764.
Application 17/387,764 is a continuation of application No. 16/171,303, filed on Oct. 25, 2018, granted, now 11,117,760, issued on Sep. 14, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/578,030, filed on Oct. 27, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/641,640, filed on Mar. 12, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/681,409, filed on Jun. 6, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0362968 A1, Nov. 25, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B65G 1/04 (2006.01); B65G 1/137 (2006.01); B65G 1/06 (2006.01); B25J 9/10 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); G05B 19/042 (2006.01); G05B 19/418 (2006.01); B61B 13/00 (2006.01); B61D 3/00 (2006.01); B61D 9/00 (2006.01); B65G 1/02 (2006.01); B65G 1/08 (2006.01); B65G 37/00 (2006.01); B65G 47/90 (2006.01); B07C 5/36 (2006.01); B07C 5/38 (2006.01); B65G 9/00 (2006.01); B65G 41/02 (2006.01); B65G 47/48 (2006.01); B65G 47/96 (2006.01); B65G 65/00 (2006.01); B65G 65/23 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 1/0471 (2013.01) [B65G 1/0492 (2013.01); B65G 1/065 (2013.01); B65G 1/1375 (2013.01); B07C 5/361 (2013.01); B07C 5/38 (2013.01); B07C 2301/0091 (2013.01); B25J 9/106 (2013.01); B25J 9/162 (2013.01); B25J 9/1687 (2013.01); B61B 13/00 (2013.01); B61D 3/00 (2013.01); B61D 9/00 (2013.01); B65G 1/026 (2013.01); B65G 1/0478 (2013.01); B65G 1/0485 (2013.01); B65G 1/08 (2013.01); B65G 1/1371 (2013.01); B65G 1/1373 (2013.01); B65G 1/1378 (2013.01); B65G 9/002 (2013.01); B65G 9/008 (2013.01); B65G 37/00 (2013.01); B65G 41/02 (2013.01); B65G 47/48 (2013.01); B65G 47/902 (2013.01); B65G 47/904 (2013.01); B65G 47/96 (2013.01); B65G 65/005 (2013.01); B65G 65/23 (2013.01); B65G 2201/0258 (2013.01); B65G 2203/0216 (2013.01); B65G 2203/044 (2013.01); B65G 2811/0678 (2013.01); B65G 2814/0346 (2013.01); G05B 19/0428 (2013.01); G05B 19/41815 (2013.01); G05B 19/41895 (2013.01); G05B 2219/24001 (2013.01); G05B 2219/40078 (2013.01); G05B 2219/40252 (2013.01); G05D 2201/0216 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An object processing system comprising:
an array of track sections that are not mutually connected;
a fixed rack unit including a plurality of protrusions extending over at least a portion of a track section of the array of track sections;
at least one remotely controllable carrier for automated movement along the array of track sections towards the fixed rack unit, the at least one remotely controllable carrier including a plurality of raised bin supports, each raised bin support including a bin support surface, each of the plurality of raised bin supports being mutually separated from one another by at least one recessed surface that is lower than each bin support surface, each recessed surface being low enough to accommodate and receive a protrusion of the plurality of protrusions of the fixed rack unit as the at least one remotely controllable carrier is driven under the fixed rack unit; and
at least one paddle movably mounted on a first end of at least one of the at least one remotely controlled carrier, said at least one paddle being actuatable to facilitate at least one of:
loading an object from the plurality of raised bin supports onto the plurality of protrusions of the fixed rack unit while the at least one remotely controllable carrier is moved under the fixed rack unit; and unloading the object from the plurality of protrusions of the fixed rack unit to the plurality of raised bin supports while the at least one remotely controllable carrier is moved under the fixed rack unit.