US 12,103,796 B2
Autonomous multi-tier racking and retrieval system for delivery vehicle
Samuel M. Felton, Belmont, MA (US); Benjamin D. Bixby, Newton Highlands, MA (US); Wilson J. Mefford, Somerville, MA (US); Stuart E. Schechter, Newton, MA (US); Jesse Sielaff, Norfolk, MA (US); and Madeline R. Hickman, Arlington, MA (US)
Assigned to MONOTONY.AI, INC., Watertown, MA (US)
Filed by Monotony.ai, Inc., Newton, MA (US)
Filed on Oct. 19, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/504,988.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/191,012, filed on May 20, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/093,785, filed on Oct. 19, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0119210 A1, Apr. 21, 2022
Int. Cl. B65G 67/24 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 67/24 (2013.01) 34 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An autonomous racking system for use with a mobile delivery vehicle, comprising an array of a plurality of flow racks comprising:
a plurality of rows each comprising two or more side-by-side flow racks and a plurality of columns each comprising two or more stacked flow racks, each one of the flow racks of the array of flow racks configured to receive thereon a plurality of containers each one of which is associated with a household,
a plurality of unloading pushers, each one of the plurality of unloading pushers being disposed at a back end of one or more of the plurality of containers disposed on each of the flow racks the array and being configured to push each one of the plurality of containers past a front end of the array of flow racks, and
a plurality of unloading pusher drives, each one of the unloading pusher drives being in operable communication with one of the plurality of unloading pushers for moving a corresponding one of the unloading pushers toward the front end of the array of flow racks;
a plurality of rollers disposed continuously along a length of each one of the flow racks in the array of flow racks, the plurality of rollers being configured to roll one or more of the plurality of containers disposed thereon toward the front end;
an elevator abutting the front end of the array and configured to receive one or more containers from at least one or more of the plurality of flow racks and a vehicle side access orifice, and deliver one or more containers to one or more of the plurality of flow racks, the elevator comprising
a movable carriage, the movable carriage extending across the plurality of columns and being in operable communication with an elevator drive motor configured to move the carriage up and down to align a carriage support surface with at least of one of the plurality of rows and a lower edge of the vehicle side access orifice disposed in a range of between about 0.25 to 2.25 meters from a ground upon which the delivery vehicle is disposed,
one or more elevator position sensors configured to detect a vertical location of the movable carriage and output a position signal,
a plurality of loading pushers, each one of the plurality of pushers being aligned with one of the plurality of columns and being configured to push a container off of the movable carriage and onto one of the aligned plurality of columns, and
a plurality of loading pusher drives, each one of the loading pusher drives being in operable communication with one of the plurality of loading pushers for moving the corresponding one of the loading pushers toward the front end of the array of flow racks; and
a controller in operable communication with plurality of unloading pusher drives, the plurality of loading pusher drives, the drive motor of the movable carriage, and the one or more elevator position sensors, wherein the controller is configured to
instruct the drive motor to move the movable carriage to align the carriage support surface with one of the plurality of rows,
receive the position signal, and
determine the carriage support surface is aligned with the one of the plurality of rows.