Robotic stack mover

A method, comprising:

• determining to move one or more vehicles inserted into a robotic stack mover system, including determining to move the one or more vehicles to along a path having a same direction as a longitudinal direction of a guide rail of the robotic mover system;
• and
• controlling to drive a motor of the robotic stack mover system in connection with driving a drive chain of the robotic stack mover system to engage the one or more vehicles with at least one pusher unit of a plurality of pusher units,
• wherein:
• the robotic stack mover system comprises:
• a driving unit comprising a motor;
• a drive chain;
• a tensioning unit that enforces tension of the drive chain;
• and
• a guide rail traversing a distance between the driving unit and the tensioning unit;
• and
• the motor is operatively coupled to the drive chain, and the motor is configured to drive the drive chain when the motor is driven;
• the guide rail comprises a channel configured to guide and support the drive chain;
• the driving chain comprises a set of pusher units;
• and
• the pusher units are respectively configured to engage one or more vehicles inserted to the system, and to cause one or more vehicles to traverse a path having a same direction as a longitudinal direction of the guide rail when the driving chain is driven in response to a control signal from a robotic control system configured to operate the robotic stack mover system under robotic control to position said one or more vehicles within reach of a robotic instrumentality to enable the robotic instrumentality to perform a task with respect to the one or more vehicles.

A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

• determining to move one or more vehicles inserted into a robotic stack mover system, including determining to move the one or more vehicles to along a path having a same direction as a longitudinal direction of a guide rail of the robotic mover system;
• and
• controlling to drive a motor of the robotic stack mover system in connection with driving a drive chain of the robotic stack mover system to engage the one or more vehicles with at least one pusher unit of a plurality of pusher units;
• wherein:
• the robotic stack mover system comprises:
• a driving unit comprising a motor;
• a drive chain;
• a tensioning unit that enforces tension of the drive chain;
• and
• a guide rail traversing a distance between the driving unit and the tensioning unit;
• and
• the motor is operatively coupled to the drive chain, and the motor is configured to drive the drive chain when the motor is driven;
• the guide rail comprises a channel configured to guide and support the drive chain;
• the driving chain comprises a set of pusher units;
• and
• the pusher units are respectively configured to engage one or more vehicles inserted to the system, and to cause one or more vehicles to traverse a path having a same direction as a longitudinal direction of the guide rail when the driving chain is driven in response to a control signal from a robotic control system configured to operate the robotic stack mover system under robotic control to position said one or more vehicles within reach of a robotic instrumentality to enable the robotic instrumentality to perform a task with respect to the one or more vehicles.