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US 11,731,843 B1Granted
Conveyance constraint
AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.
InventorsRajeev Dwivedi, Ganesh Krishnamoorthy, Michael Alan Bray
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A conveyance device can include a conveyance surface and a conveyance constraint. The conveyance surface can receive a container and advance the container along the conveyance pathway. The conveyance constraint can be positioned across the conveyance pathway and include an opening. The conveyance constraint can block containers having a width or height larger than the respective width or height of the opening.
Claims16
A conveyance system, comprising:
- a plurality of containers, each of the plurality of containers defining a container length, a container height, and a container width of that respective container;
- and
- a conveyance device positionable in a warehouse environment, the conveyance device comprising:
- a chassis;
- a conveyance surface coupled with the chassis and comprising a low friction material, the conveyance surface configured to support a received container from the plurality of containers, the received container arranged with the container length being oriented along a direction of travel;
- a motor coupled with the chassis and configured to advance the conveyance surface to transport the received container from a first end of the conveyance device to a second end of the conveyance device along the direction of travel;
- a conveyance constraint coupled with the chassis and defining an opening having an opening height and an opening width, the conveyance constraint configured to (i) allow containers of the plurality of containers having a container height and a container width that are less than the respective opening height and opening width of the opening to advance through the opening and (ii) block containers of the plurality of containers having a container height or a container width greater than the respective opening height or opening width of the opening from advancing through the opening;
- a first sensor set comprising at least one first sensor configured to detect when a container has been blocked by the conveyance constraint along the opening height;
- a first actuator set comprising at least one first actuator configured to move at least a first portion of the conveyance constraint to change the opening height;
- a second sensor set comprising at least one second sensor configured to detect when a container has been blocked by the conveyance constraint along the opening width:
- and
- a second actuator set comprising at least one second actuator configured to move at least a second portion of the conveyance constraint to change the opening width.
9 more elements
A conveyance device, comprising:
- a conveyance surface coupled with a chassis, the conveyance surface configured to support a received container from a plurality of containers;
- a motor coupled with the chassis and configured to advance the conveyance surface to transport the received container from a first end of the conveyance device to a second end of the conveyance device along a conveyance direction;
- and
- a conveyance constraint defining an opening having an opening height and an opening width, the conveyance constraint configured to allow those containers of the plurality of containers having a container height and a container width that are less than the respective opening height and opening width to move through the opening and block those containers of the plurality of containers having a container height or a container width greater than the respective opening height or opening width from advancing through the opening;
- a first sensor set comprising at least one first sensor configured to detect when a container has been blocked by the conveyance constraint along the opening height;
- a first actuator set comprising at least one first actuator configured to move at least a first portion of the conveyance constraint to change the opening height;
- a second sensor set comprising at least one second sensor configured to detect when a container has been blocked by the conveyance constraint along the opening width;
- and
- a second actuator set comprising at least one second actuator configured to move at least a second portion of the conveyance constraint to change the opening width.
6 more elements
A conveyance device comprising:
- a conveyance constraint positionable across a conveyance pathway, the conveyance constraint comprising a frame cooperable with a conveyance surface to define an opening having an opening height and an opening width, the frame allowing containers positioned on the conveyance surface and having a container height and a container width less than the respective opening height and opening width of the opening to advance into the opening and blocking containers positioned on the conveyance surface and having a container height or container width that are greater than the respective opening height or opening width of the opening from advancing through the opening;
- a first sensor set comprising at least one first sensor configured to detect when a container has been blocked by the conveyance constraint along the opening height;
- a first actuator set comprising at least one first actuator configured to move at least a first portion of the conveyance constraint to change the opening height;
- a second sensor set comprising at least one second sensor configured to detect when a container has been blocked by the conveyance constraint along the opening width;
- a second actuator set comprising at least one second actuator configured to move at least a second portion of the conveyance constraint to change the opening width;
- and
- a removal device configured to move containers blocked by the conveyance constraint off of the conveyance surface.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.