US 12,134,517 B2
Systems and methods for storing, retrieving and processing objects including stackable semicircular towers
Thomas Wagner, Concord, MA (US); Kevin Ahearn, Nebo, NC (US); John Richard Amend, Jr., Belmont, MA (US); Benjamin Cohen, Somerville, MA (US); Michael Dawson-Haggerty, Pittsburgh, PA (US); William Hartman Fort, Stratham, NH (US); Christopher Geyer, Arlington, MA (US); Jennifer Eileen King, Oakmont, PA (US); Thomas Koletschka, Cambridge, MA (US); Michael Cap Koval, Mountain View, CA (US); Kyle Maroney, North Attleboro, MA (US); Matthew T. Mason, Pittsburgh, PA (US); William Chu-Hyon McMahan, Cambridge, MA (US); Gene Temple Price, Cambridge, MA (US); Joseph Romano, Arlington, MA (US); Daniel Smith, Canonsburg, PA (US); Siddhartha Srinivasa, Seattle, WA (US); Prasanna Velagapudi, Pittsburgh, PA (US); and Thomas Allen, Reading, MA (US)
Assigned to Berkshire Grey Operating Company, Inc., Bedford, MA (US)
Filed by Berkshire Grey Operating Company, Inc., Bedford, MA (US)
Filed on Nov. 21, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/991,336.
Application 17/991,336 is a continuation of application No. 16/825,411, filed on Mar. 20, 2020, granted, now 11,554,916.
Application 16/825,411 is a continuation of application No. 15/922,310, filed on Mar. 15, 2018, granted, now 10,649,445, issued on May 12, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/471,656, filed on Mar. 15, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0088771 A1, Mar. 23, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B65G 1/06 (2006.01); B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B65G 1/04 (2006.01); B65G 1/137 (2006.01); B66F 9/06 (2006.01); G05B 19/418 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 1/06 (2013.01) [B25J 9/0093 (2013.01); B25J 9/1679 (2013.01); B65G 1/045 (2013.01); B65G 1/065 (2013.01); B65G 1/1373 (2013.01); B65G 1/1378 (2013.01); B66F 9/063 (2013.01); G05B 19/41895 (2013.01); B65G 2201/0258 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A storage, retrieval and processing system for processing objects, said storage, retrieval and processing system comprising:
a multi-level tower including a plurality of levels, each level including a plurality of source bins provided substantially around a central opening thereof, the central opening of each level being aligned with central openings of adjacent levels to form a central shaft; and
a movable platform coupled to a support structure from which the programmable motion device is suspended within the central shaft, said movable platform supporting at least one automated carrier for carrying a destination bin, wherein the programmable motion device and the at least one automated carrier on the movable platform are raised or lowered together within the central shaft by the support structure to any level of the multi-level tower, the programmable motion device including an end effector for grasping and moving objects from any of the plurality of source bins at a selected level of the plurality of levels to the destination bin.
 
10. A storage, retrieval and processing system for processing objects, said storage, retrieval and processing system comprising:
a multi-level tower, each level of the multi-level tower comprising a plurality of drawers provided substantially around a central opening thereof, the central opening of each level being aligned with central openings of adjacent levels to form a central shaft;
a movable platform for receiving at least one automated carrier through an open access area at a lowest level of the multi-level tower, said movable platform being adapted for movement vertically along the central shaft; and
a programmable motion device that is suspended above the movable platform and travels with the movable platform as the movable platform moves vertically along the central shaft, said programmable motion device including an end effector for grasping and moving objects from any of the plurality of drawers, wherein the movable platform and the programmable motion device are raised or lowered to any level of the multi-level tower, and wherein one or more of the plurality of drawers at a respective level of the tower automatically open in response to the movable platform being raised or lowered to the respective level, wherein the programmable motion device grasps and moves objects from the one or more drawers to a bin held by the at least one automated carrier on the movable platform.
 
17. A method of storing, retrieving and processing objects, said method comprising:
providing a multi-level tower, each level of the multi-level tower including a plurality of drawers provided substantially around a central opening;
moving an automated carrier that carries a destination bin through an opening of the multi-level tower onto a movable platform, wherein the movable platform is coupled to a support structure from which a programmable motion device is suspended, the programmable motion device including an end effector;
raising the movable platform and the programmable motion device to a level of the multi-level tower along the central shaft;
automatically opening at least one drawer among the plurality of drawers at the level to which the movable platform and the programmable motion device are raised;
grasping and moving an object from the at least one drawer to the destination bin on the automated carrier using the end effector of the programmable motion device;
lowering the movable platform and the programmable motion device along the central shaft to the opening of the multi-level tower; and
moving the automated carrier with the destination bin from the multi-level tower.