US 12,448,233 B2
Robotic stack mover
Alberto Leyva Arvayo, Palo Alto, CA (US); Charles Richard Bieler, Los Angeles, CA (US); Matthew Rodolfo Molina, San Francisco, CA (US); Andrew Lovett, Burlingame, CA (US); Robert Holmberg, Mountain View, CA (US); and Cuthbert Sun, San Francisco, CA (US)
Assigned to Dexterity, Inc., Redwood City, CA (US)
Filed by Dexterity, Inc., Redwood City, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/713,077.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/175,792, filed on Apr. 16, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0332509 A1, Oct. 20, 2022
Int. Cl. B65G 61/00 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 61/00 (2013.01) [B65G 2201/0258 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A robotic stack mover system, comprising:
a driving unit comprising a motor;
a drive chain;
a tensioning unit that enforces tension of the drive chain; and
a guide rail traversing a distance between the driving unit and the tensioning unit; wherein:
the motor is operatively coupled to the drive chain, and the motor is configured to drive the drive chain when the motor is driven;
the guide rail comprises a channel configured to guide and support the drive chain;
the driving chain comprises a set of pusher units; and
the pusher units are respectively configured to engage one or more vehicles inserted to the system, and to cause one or more vehicles to traverse a path having a same direction as a longitudinal direction of the guide rail when the driving chain is driven in response to a control signal from a robotic control system configured to operate the robotic stack mover system under robotic control to position said one or more vehicles within reach of a robotic instrumentality to enable the robotic instrumentality to perform a task with respect to the one or more vehicles.