US 12,252,340 B2
Movement systems and method for processing objects including mobile matrix carrier systems
Thomas Wagner, Concord, MA (US); Kevin Ahearn, Fort Mill, SC (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 Sep. 17, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/478,149.
Application 17/478,149 is a continuation of application No. 16/172,231, filed on Oct. 26, 2018, granted, now 11,161,689.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/681,409, filed on Jun. 6, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/641,640, filed on Mar. 12, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/578,030, filed on Oct. 27, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0002078 A1, Jan. 6, 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 67/02 (2006.01); B07C 5/36 (2006.01); B07C 5/38 (2006.01); B25J 9/10 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B61B 13/00 (2006.01); B61D 3/00 (2006.01); B61D 9/00 (2006.01); B65G 1/00 (2006.01); B65G 1/02 (2006.01); B65G 1/08 (2006.01); B65G 9/00 (2006.01); B65G 35/00 (2006.01); B65G 37/00 (2006.01); B65G 41/02 (2006.01); B65G 47/48 (2006.01); B65G 47/90 (2006.01); B65G 47/96 (2006.01); B65G 65/00 (2006.01); B65G 65/23 (2006.01); G05B 19/042 (2006.01); G05B 19/418 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 1/0478 (2013.01) [B65G 1/0471 (2013.01); B65G 1/0492 (2013.01); B65G 1/065 (2013.01); B65G 1/1375 (2013.01); B65G 67/02 (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 1/00 (2013.01); B65G 1/026 (2013.01); B65G 1/04 (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 35/00 (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)] 48 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of processing objects on a plurality of remotely controllable carriers, said method comprising:
providing the plurality of remotely controllable carriers on a floor structure having a plurality of mutually non-connected track elements, each track element having a track element width and a track element length, and each of the remotely controllable carriers including a carrier width and a carrier length, wherein both the carrier width and the carrier length are larger than both the track element width and the track element length;
instructing each of the plurality of remotely controllable carriers to move over a limited number of track elements, the limited number of track elements being the same of each of the plurality of remotely controllable carriers and being less than a total number of track elements in any direction;
moving each of the plurality of remotely controllable carriers over the limited number of track elements; and
actuating a plurality of wheel assemblies on the each of the remotely controlled carriers to pivot to change to a direction of movement of each remotely controlled carrier when instructed to move over the limited number of track elements, wherein each of the plurality of wheel assemblies includes at least one associated guide wheel that contacts an outside surface of an associated track element under the respective remotely controllable carrier when moving each of the plurality of remotely controllable carriers over the limited number of track elements.