US 12,214,959 B2
Automated bot with transfer arm
Stephen C. Toebes, Sunderland, MA (US); and Robert T. Sullivan, Wilmington, MA (US)
Assigned to Symbotic LLC, Wilmington, MA (US)
Filed by Symbotic LLC, Wilmington, MA (US)
Filed on Aug. 3, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/393,221.
Application 17/393,221 is a continuation of application No. 13/326,952, filed on Dec. 15, 2011, granted, now 11,078,017.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/423,365, filed on Dec. 15, 2010.
Prior Publication US 2021/0380337 A1, Dec. 9, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B65G 1/04 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 1/0492 (2013.01) 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for transporting a payload pickface, the method comprising:
providing an autonomous transport vehicle payload bed of an autonomous guided transport vehicle; and
providing a transfer arm disposed in the autonomous transport vehicle payload bed and defining at least a portion of the autonomous transport vehicle payload bed so that a payload pickface is seated on and stably held in the autonomous transport vehicle payload bed by at least a portion of the transfer arm for autonomous guided transport vehicle travel, the transfer arm including fingers configured to extend along a first axis to transfer the payload pickface to and from the autonomous transport vehicle payload bed, and
effecting picking and placing of the payload pickface with the fingers of the transfer arm, the fingers define a payload bed support surface of the autonomous transport vehicle payload bed, the fingers facing and defining an engagement interface against the payload pickface so as to uphold weight generated by the payload pickface seated on over the payload bed support surface defined by the fingers and stably held in the autonomous transport vehicle payload bed, at least one of the fingers moves independently relative to another linearly along a second axis, substantially perpendicular to the first axis for effecting the picking and placing the payload pickface.