US 12,421,037 B2
System having workstation with tote retention and release mechanism
William J. Fosnight, Windham, NH (US); Devin Lert, Wakefield, MA (US); John G. Lert, Jr., Wakefield, MA (US); Stephanie Waite, Burlington, MA (US); Julian Warhurst, Portsmouth, RI (US); and David Hartnett, Tewksbury, MA (US)
Assigned to Symbotic LLC, Wilmington, MA (US)
Filed by Symbotic LLC, Wilmington, MA (US)
Filed on Mar. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/689,690.
Application 17/689,690 is a continuation of application No. 16/742,119, filed on Jan. 14, 2020, granted, now 11,267,651, issued on Mar. 8, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/792,793, filed on Jan. 15, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0194704 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. B65G 1/06 (2006.01); B65G 1/04 (2006.01); B65G 1/12 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 1/065 (2013.01) [B65G 1/0464 (2013.01); B65G 1/12 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An automatic storage and retrieval system, comprising:
a vehicle interface defining a first bot access side and a second bot access side opposing the first bot access side;
storage positions on the first bot access side for storing containers;
a first group of mobile robots configured to travel on the first bot access side to transfer containers to and from the storage positions;
a second group of mobile robots configured to transport containers to and from the second bot access side;
a tote support supported on one of the second group of mobile robots, or one or more of the second group of mobile robots and a tote support positioned at the vehicle inerface;
wherein one or more of the first group of mobile robots and the tote support comprise tote transfer mechanisms configured to transfer the containers to and from the first group of mobile robots and a stationary surface at the vehicle interface;
wherein the first group of mobile robots is positioned directly adjacent the first bot access side, the first and second groups of mobile robots being synchronously coordinated together to transfer containers directly between the first group of mobile robots and the tote support.