Robotic shuttle system
AssigneeBastian Solutions, LLC
InventorWilliam A. Bastian, II
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A robotic shuttle system includes a rack system and one or more shuttles. The rack system includes a rack and a shuttle frame. The rack has storage locations for containers containing items. The shuttle frame has rails disposed along the rack. The shuttle includes a powertrain, container transfer mechanism, and a robot arm. The power train is configured to move the shuttle along the rails of the rack and on a surface outside of the rack system. The container transfer mechanism is configured to transfer the containers between the rack and the shuttle. The robot arm extends from the shuttle to transfer the items between one of the containers on the shuttle and a container in a container holder of the shuttle.
Claims43
A robotic shuttle system, comprising:
- a rack system including one or more racks configured to store one or more items;
- a shuttle configured to move along the racks in the rack system;
- wherein the shuttle includes a robot arm configured to move the items between the racks and the shuttle;
- wherein the robot arm includes an End of Arm Tool (EoAT) with a shark fin finger to grip the items;
- wherein the shark fin finger includes flange members joined together at an acute angle;
- wherein the flange members are connected together by a series of spaced apart cross beams;
- wherein the shark fin finger is at least in part made of a deformable material;
- and
- wherein the shark fin finger is configured to bend around the items when gripped.
A method, comprising:
- moving a shuttle on a floor, wherein the shuttle includes a robot arm, wherein the robot arm includes an End of Arm Tool (EoAT) with a shark fin finger to grip one or more items, wherein the shark fin finger includes flange members joined together at an acute angle;
- entering a rack system that includes one or more racks configured to store the items at a storage location with the shuttle, wherein the rack system includes a shuttle frame;
- moving the shuttle along the shuttle frame within the rack system to the storage location;
- gripping the items stored at the storage location by bending the shark fin finger around the items;
- and
- conveying the items between the storage location and the shuttle with the robot arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.