Opportunistic charging system for an automated storage and retrieval system
AssigneeWalmart Apollo, LLC
InventorsMatthew W. Coady, William J. Fosnight, David A. Lachance, David Eiselen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An opportunistic rail charging system is disclosed for recharging power supplies on mobile robots transporting goods within an automated order fulfillment system. Individual chargers may be incorporated into each mobile robot for converting a facility line voltage from the charge rail to a voltage for which the rechargeable power supplies on each mobile robot are rated.
Claims20
A power supply system for a plurality of mobile robots in a facility, comprising:
- a charge rail mounted in a vertical track along which the plurality of mobile robots travel, the vertical track further comprising a gear rack to enable vertical travel of the plurality of mobile robots while charging on the charge rail;
- the charge rail configured to receive an alternating current (AC) charging voltage from the facility;
- a plurality of coupling mechanisms comprising a coupling mechanism on each of the plurality of mobile robots, the coupling mechanism on a mobile robot of the plurality of mobile robots configured to be biased horizontally against the charge rail mounted on the vertical track to contact the charge rail and transfer the AC charging voltage from the charge rail to the mobile robot;
- a plurality of chargers comprising a charger on each of the plurality of mobile robots, the charger on each of the plurality of mobile robots receiving the AC charging voltage and converting the AC charging voltage from the charge rail to a second voltage smaller than the AC charging voltage;
- and
- a plurality of rechargeable energy storage devices comprising a rechargeable energy storage device on each mobile robot of the plurality of mobile robots, the rechargeable energy storage device on each of the plurality of mobile robots receiving the second voltage from the charger on the mobile robot and being charged using the second voltage.
A power supply system for a plurality of mobile robots in a facility, the mobile robots configured to travel on a track system to transport containers to and from storage locations within the facility, the power supply system comprising:
- a charge rail vertically mounted in a vertical rail of a vertical portion of the track system, the charge rail configured to provide a first voltage, the vertical rail further comprising a gear rack to enable vertical travel of the plurality of mobile robots while charging on the charge rail;
- a plurality of chargers comprising a charger on each of the plurality of mobile robots, the charger on each of the plurality of mobile robots converting the first voltage from the charge rail to a second voltage smaller than the first voltage;
- a plurality of rechargeable energy storage devices comprising a rechargeable energy storage device on each of the plurality of mobile robots, the rechargeable energy storage device on each of the plurality of mobile robots being opportunistically charged using the second voltage as each mobile robot of the plurality of mobile robots travels on the track system to transport containers to and from storage locations within the facility;
- and
- a plurality of coupling mechanisms comprising a coupling mechanism on each of the plurality of mobile robots, the coupling mechanism on a mobile robot of the plurality of mobile robots configured to be biased horizontally against the charge rail mounted on the vertical rail to contact the charge rail and transfer the first voltage from the charge rail to the mobile robot.
A method of charging rechargeable energy storage devices of a plurality of mobile robots in an automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) facility, comprising:
- (a) delivering an AC line voltage for the (ASRS) facility to a charge rail;
- (b) propelling a mobile robot of the plurality of mobile robots along a vertical track comprising the charge rail, the mobile robot comprising a coupling mechanism configured to be biased horizontally against the charge rail mounted on the vertical track to contact the charge rail;
- (c) upon connection of the mobile robot with the charge rail, converting the AC line voltage from the (ASRS) facility to a lower voltage usable to charge a rechargeable energy storage device of the mobile robot via a charger on the mobile robot;
- and
- (d) charging the rechargeable energy storage device of the mobile robot with the lower voltage converted in said step (c) while the mobile robot is propelled along the vertical track in said step (b).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.