US 11,745,358 B2
Robotic apparatus for operating on fixed frames
Shubhabrata Biswas, Cupertino, CA (US); Samuel Gardner Garrett, Seattle, WA (US); and Dhruv Dipak Gajaria, Campbell, CA (US)
Assigned to Google LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed by Google LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 12, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/400,639.
Application 17/400,639 is a continuation of application No. 16/542,935, filed on Aug. 16, 2019, granted, now 11,117,267.
Prior Publication US 2021/0370521 A1, Dec. 2, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 13/08 (2006.01); B25J 9/06 (2006.01); B25J 17/02 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 13/089 (2013.01) [B25J 9/009 (2013.01); B25J 9/0087 (2013.01); B25J 9/065 (2013.01); B25J 9/1612 (2013.01); B25J 17/0283 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A data center system, comprising:
a fixed frame comprising a plurality of shelves, and within each shelf is a server rack that includes a plurality of servers;
a bus bar attached to the fixed frame; and
a robotic apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of rigid body sections, each rigid body section having a pair of first and second distal portions that are oppositely disposed from each other along the rigid body section, and each rigid body section defining a longitudinal axis that runs a length of the rigid body section and intercepts each of the first distal portion and second distal portion, each rigid body section directly connected to another rigid body section by a multi-degree of freedom joint forming a respective pair of rigid body sections so that the respective pair of rigid body sections move relative to each other by the multi-degree of freedom joint;
a first end effector connected to a first distal portion of a first rigid body section, wherein a second distal portion of the first rigid body section is connected to a multi-degree of freedom joint; and
a second end effector connected to a first distal portion of a second rigid body section, wherein a second distal portion of the second rigid body section is connected to a multi-degree of freedom joint;
wherein:
each of the first and second end effectors is configured to attach to a fixed frame, and is also configured to attach to a server; and
a control system that generates control signals and in response cooperatively operates the one or more multi-degree of freedom joints and the first and second end effectors to cause the robotic apparatus to traverse the fixed frame by alternating attachment to the fixed frame by the first and second end effectors, and to pick and place the servers at target positions relative to the fixed frame; and
at least one of the first and second end effectors includes an electrical coupling that is configured to electrically couple to the bus bar attached to the fixed frame of the storage facility, wherein when so electrically coupled to the bus bar, the robotic apparatus receives power from the bus bar.