US 12,454,411 B2
Apparatus and method for charging a robotic load handling device
Alex Davidson, Hatfield Herts (GB); Robin Sim, Hatfield Herts (GB); James Benfold, Hatfield Herts (GB); and Benjamin Thurnell, Hatfield Herts (GB)
Assigned to OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED, Herts (GB)
Filed by Ocado Innovation Limited, Hatfield (GB)
Filed on Apr. 30, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/650,649.
Application 18/650,649 is a continuation of application No. 17/053,937, granted, now 12,006,150, previously published as PCT/EP2019/061808, filed on May 8, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 1807562 (GB), filed on May 9, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0278990 A1, Aug. 22, 2024
Int. Cl. B65G 1/06 (2006.01); B60L 53/16 (2019.01); B60L 53/35 (2019.01); B65G 1/04 (2006.01); H02J 7/00 (2006.01); H02J 13/00 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 1/065 (2013.01) [B60L 53/16 (2019.02); B60L 53/35 (2019.02); B65G 1/0464 (2013.01); H02J 7/00036 (2020.01); H02J 13/0005 (2020.01); B65G 2201/0235 (2013.01); Y02T 10/70 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a housing, including a charge unit for a robotic load handling device operative on top of a grid framework, said charge unit including:
a power transfer means arranged to transfer power to the robotic load handling device, said power transfer comprising an inductive power transfer means; and
a supporting structure fixedly attached to a grid framework, the supporting structure arranged to position the housing over the grid framework.
 
16. A storage system comprising:
a first set of parallel rails or tracks extending in an X-direction, and a second set of parallel rails or tracks extending in a Y-direction transverse to the first set in a substantially horizontal plane to form a grid pattern comprising a plurality of grid spaces;
a plurality of stacks of containers located beneath the rails, and arranged such that each stack is located within a footprint of a single grid space;
at least one transporting device, the at least one transporting device being arranged to selectively move laterally in the X and Y directions, above the stacks on the rails; and
a system including a housing having a charge unit for the at least one transporting device, said charge unit including:
a power transfer means arranged to transfer power to the at least one transporting device, said power transfer comprising an inductive power transfer means; and
a supporting structure fixedly attached to the grid pattern, the supporting structure arranged to position the housing over the grid pattern.
 
18. A method of charging a robotic load handling device using a charge unit, the robotic load handling device operative on top of a grid framework, the charge unit including a power transfer means arranged to transfer power to the robotic load handling device, said power transfer means including an inductive power transfer means, the method comprising the step of:
inductively coupling the robotic load handling device to the charge unit.