US 12,071,303 B2
Materials-handling system using autonomous transfer and transport vehicles
John G. Lert, Jr., Wakefield, MA (US)
Assigned to Symbotic LLC, Wilmington, MA (US)
Filed by Symbotic LLC, Wilmington, MA (US)
Filed on Nov. 1, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/051,715.
Application 18/051,715 is a continuation of application No. 17/069,627, filed on Oct. 13, 2020, granted, now 11,485,576.
Application 17/069,627 is a continuation of application No. 15/799,648, filed on Oct. 31, 2017, granted, now 10,800,606, issued on Oct. 13, 2020.
Application 15/799,648 is a continuation of application No. 14/336,829, filed on Jul. 21, 2014, granted, now 9,802,759, issued on Oct. 31, 2017.
Application 14/336,829 is a continuation of application No. 12/563,940, filed on Sep. 21, 2009, granted, now 8,784,034, issued on Jul. 22, 2014.
Application 12/563,940 is a continuation of application No. 10/928,289, filed on Aug. 28, 2004, granted, now 7,591,630, issued on Sep. 22, 2009.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/498,688, filed on Aug. 29, 2003.
Prior Publication US 2023/0087079 A1, Mar. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. B65G 1/04 (2006.01); B65G 1/137 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 1/0492 (2013.01) [B65G 1/1378 (2013.01)] 29 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A storage and retrieval system comprising:
a storage structure with at least one elevated level including storage locations and branching vehicle support roadways disposed adjacent the storage locations, each storage location being configured to store at least one unpalletized product, forming a not palletized product payload, the branching vehicle support roadways having more than one roadway level so that each roadway level is at a different level;
at least one autonomous wheeled transport vehicle configured to traverse the branching vehicle support roadways, where the at least one autonomous wheeled transport vehicle includes a transfer mechanism for transferring the at least one unpalletized product from the at least one autonomous wheeled transport vehicle, and the branching vehicle support roadways include a substantially flat non-deterministic road surface configured for selecting one of the branching vehicle support roadways at a branch junction location via rotation of the at least one autonomous wheeled transport vehicle on the substantially flat non-deterministic road surface; and
at least one transfer station adjacent to at least one of the branching vehicle support roadways, the at least one transfer station and the at least one autonomous wheeled transport vehicle being configured to transfer the not palletized product payload from the at least one transfer station to the at least one autonomous wheeled transport vehicle;
wherein the at least one autonomous wheeled transport vehicle is configured to transfer the not palletized product payload between the at least one transfer station and the storage locations.