# US 12,759,794 B2 · System and method for navigating in 3D from any cell to any cell with a single material handling robot > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,759,794 B2 - Document ID: US12759794B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/493,278 - Filed: 2023-10-24 - Published: 2024-05-02 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2022-10-26 - Assignees: Mytra, Inc. - Applicants: Mytra, Inc. - Inventors: Christopher Walti; Stefan Ozog; Gagan Thable; Emre Kalayci; Nathan Power; Daniel Livingston - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759794B2 ## CPC - B65G 1/1373: {for fulfilling orders in warehouses} - B65G 1/04: mechanical - B65G 1/0478: {for matrix-arrangements} - B65G 1/0492: {with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles} - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) ## Abstract An automated storage and retrieval system includes a multi-level storage rack and a material handling robot, where the multi-level storage rack includes a plurality of cuboid cells and the material handling robot is configured to navigate along a vertical direction or a horizontal direction from a first cuboid cell to a second cuboid cell. When the navigation from the first cuboid cell to the second cuboid cell is along a vertical direction, a set of second engagement structures disposed at corners of the material handling robot are mated with a set of first engagement structures disposed along structural columns of the first cuboid cell. A rotation of the second engagement structures drives the material handling robot to vertically move along the structural columns of the first cuboid cell. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An automated storage and retrieval system, comprising: a multi-level storage rack comprising a plurality of cuboid cells comprising a 3D grid of cuboid cells defining at least: a horizontal traversal path linking a set of laterally-adjacent cells within the 3D grid of cuboid cells, a vertical traversal path linking a set of vertically-adjacent cells within the 3D grid of cuboid cells, wherein the vertical traversal path extends through a first set of cells above the horizontal traversal path and through a second set of cells below the horizontal traversal path; and a material handling robot configured to navigate along the vertical traversal path and along the horizontal traversal path from a first cuboid cell to a second cuboid cell of the multi-level storage rack, wherein, when the navigation from the first cuboid cell to the second cuboid cell is along a vertical direction, the material handling robot is driven to move along structural columns of the first cuboid cell. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein a cuboid cell, of the plurality of cuboid cells, comprises a number of structural columns and a number of beam assemblies connecting bottom portions of the structural columns to form a cuboid structure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 2, wherein a structural column comprises a first engagement structure for setting up engagement with a second engagement structure disposed on the material handling robot for facilitating a vertical navigation of the material handling robot from the first cuboid cell to the second cuboid cell. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 3, wherein the first engagement structure is a chain aligned along the structural column, and the second engagement structure is a sprocket gear disposed at a corner of the material handling robot. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 3, wherein the first engagement structure is a plurality of perforations aligned along the structural column, and the second engagement structure is a sprocket gear disposed at a corner of the material handling robot. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 3, wherein the first engagement structure is a vertical, static helical rack aligned along the structural column, and the second engagement structure is a worm gear disposed at a corner of the material handling robot. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 3, wherein the structural column comprises a number of first engagement structures each aligned along different sides of the structural column, and the material handling robot comprises a number of second engagement structures each disposed at a different corner of the material handling robot. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 3, wherein the structural column further comprises a fixing member disposed at a predefined distance from a beam assembly of the number of beam assemblies, the beam assembly in a direction parallel to the structural column, the fixing member being configured to secure a payload in the cuboid cell. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 8, wherein the predefined distance is greater than an overall height of the material handling robot in a first state and smaller than an overall height of the material handling robot in a second state. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 9, wherein the first state of the material handling robot is a state when the material handling robot does not carry a payload or a state when the material handling robot carries a payload but is not in action to secure the payload to or release the payload from the fixing member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 9, wherein the second state of the material handling robot is a state when the material handling robot is in an action to secure the payload to or release the payload from the fixing member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 2, wherein a beam assembly comprises one or more structural beams and a rail built into a structural beam of the one or more structural beams. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 12, wherein, when the navigation from the first cuboid cell to the second cuboid cell is along the horizontal traversal path, the material handling robot is configured to navigate along rails built into structural beams of the first cuboid cell. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 12, wherein the material handling robot comprises a number of first wheel sets that are actuated to an engaged position and a number of second wheel sets that are actuated to a disengaged position when the navigation from the first cuboid cell to the second cuboid cell is along the horizontal direction. ### Claim 15 A multi-level storage rack, comprising: a plurality of cuboid cells arranged in a three-dimensional array, wherein a cuboid cell comprises: a number of vertically aligned structural columns comprising a first structural column and a second structural column directly below the first structural column, wherein the first structural column and second structural column define a vertical traversal path; and a number of horizontally aligned beam assemblies comprising a beam assembly, the number of horizontally aligned beam assemblies connecting bottom portions of the structural columns to form a cuboid structure, wherein: the first structural column further comprises a first engagement structure, disposed along the first structural column for engaging with a second engagement structure of the material handling robot to allow the material handling robot to move vertically; the beam assembly comprises one or more beams with a rail built into a beam included in the beam assembly, wherein the rail defines a horizontal traversal path, to allow the material handling robot to move horizontally, wherein the rail extends through an intermediate portion of the vertical traversal path. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The multi-level storage rack of claim 15, wherein the first structural column further comprises a fixing member for securing a payload for storing in the cuboid cell. ### Claim 17 A material handling robot, comprising: a payload holding unit comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, and a number of side surfaces; a number of wheel sets, a wheel set being disposed along one of the side surfaces and actuated to be in an engaged position or a disengaged position; and a set of second engagement structures, disposed at corners of the payload holding unit, for securing a payload through engaging with a set of first engagement structures disposed along structural columns included in a cuboid cell within the multi-level storage rack, wherein each of the set of second engagement structures is disposed on a respective arm extending outwardly from a respective corner of the material handling robot. ### Claim 18 (depends on 6) The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 6, wherein the cuboid cell comprises four structural columns, wherein each structural column of the four structural column comprises a respective vertical, static helical rack aligned along the respective structural column. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the 3D grid of cuboid cells further defines a second horizontal traversal path through the first set of cells and a third horizontal traversal path through the second set of cells.