Opportunistic charging system for an automated storage and retrieval system
AssigneeAlert Innovation Inc.
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.
Claims21
A power supply system for a plurality of mobile robots in a facility, comprising:
- a charge rail mounted in a track system along which the plurality of mobile robots travel, the charge rail configured to provide a first voltage;
- 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 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 mounted in the track system, the charge rail configured to provide a first voltage;
- 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.
A method of charging the rechargeable energy storage devices of a plurality of mobile robots in an automated storage and retrieval system facility, comprising:
- (a) delivering a line voltage for the facility to a charge rail;
- (b) directing a mobile robot of the plurality of mobile robots to connect with a track comprising a charge rail;
- (c) upon connection of the mobile robot with the charge rail, converting the line voltage from the 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 voltage converted in said step (c).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.