US 11,939,161 B2
Automated storage and retrieval system
Forrest Buzan, Dunstable, MA (US); Michael Cyrulik, Sudbury, MA (US); Aria Reynolds, Cambridge, MA (US); Jason S. Sirois, Atkinson, NH (US); Larry Sweet, Atlanta, GA (US); Edward A. MacDonald, Somerville, MA (US); Taylor A. Apgar, Boston, MA (US); Timothy Perrault, Ipswich, 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 Aug. 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/820,088.
Application 17/820,088 is a continuation of application No. 16/903,180, filed on Jun. 16, 2020, granted, now 11,414,271.
Application 16/903,180 is a continuation of application No. 16/667,656, filed on Oct. 29, 2019, granted, now 10,683,170, issued on Jun. 16, 2020.
Application 16/667,656 is a continuation of application No. 16/000,749, filed on Jun. 5, 2018, granted, now 10,457,484, issued on Oct. 29, 2019.
Application 16/000,749 is a continuation of application No. 15/798,216, filed on Oct. 30, 2017, granted, now 9,988,213, issued on Jun. 5, 2018.
Application 15/798,216 is a continuation of application No. 14/215,310, filed on Mar. 17, 2014, granted, now 9,802,761, issued on Oct. 31, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/790,801, filed on Mar. 15, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2022/0388776 A1, Dec. 8, 2022
Int. Cl. G06F 7/00 (2006.01); B65G 1/04 (2006.01); B65G 1/137 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 1/1373 (2013.01) [B65G 1/0492 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An autonomous rover comprising:
a frame forming a payload bay, the payload bay being sized to support at least one case unit;
a first movable telescoping member disposed at least partly within the payload bay;
a second movable telescoping member disposed at least partly within the payload bay, the second movable telescoping member being opposingly positioned relative to the first movable telescoping member;
a drive section connected to the frame and including a respective drive motor for each of first and second movable telescoping members, the drive section being configured to extend and retract the first and second movable telescoping members between a retracted and deployed positions for engaging the at least one case unit; and
a controller configured to at least control the drive section for effecting movement of the first and second movable telescoping members;
wherein the first and second movable telescoping members are configured to hold and transport the at least one case unit to and from a distal case shelf position on at least one storage shelf, which case shelf position being disposed, in a telescoping direction, distally from the payload bay past more than one other case shelf position on the at least one storage shelf so that the more than one other case shelf position is interposed between the distal case shelf position and the payload bay.
 
13. An automated storage and retrieval system comprising:
an array of case storage shelf positions arranged on least one storage shelf; and
at least one autonomous rover in communication with the array of case storage shelf positions, the at least one autonomous rover including:
a frame forming a payload bay, the payload bay being sized to support at least one case unit;
a first movable telescoping member disposed at least partly within the payload bay;
a second movable telescoping member disposed at least partly within the payload bay, the second movable telescoping member being opposingly positioned relative to the first movable telescoping member;
a drive section connected to the frame and including a respective drive motor for each of first and second movable telescoping members, the drive section being configured to extend and retract the first and second movable telescoping members between a retracted and deployed positions for engaging the at least one case unit; and
a controller configured to at least control the drive section for effecting movement of the first and second movable telescoping members;
wherein the first and second movable telescoping members are configured to hold and transport the at least one case unit to and from a distal case shelf position on the at least one storage shelf, which case shelf position being disposed, in a telescoping direction, distally from the payload bay past more than one other case shelf position on the at least one storage shelf so that the more than one other case shelf position is interposed between the distal case shelf position and the payload bay.