Climbing robot with compliant pinion drive
AssigneeSymbotic LLC
InventorsWilliam J. Fosnight, John G. Lert, JR., Michael Duquette, Martin R. Elliott, Julian D. Warhurst, Charles W. Su, Alan J. Grant
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automated order fulfillment system and mobile robot are disclosed, where the mobile robot includes a compliant drive for moving between levels of a multilevel storage structure.
Claims20
A mobile robot configured to travel in a vertical or inclined passage within an automated retrieval and storage system, the passage comprising a rack having gear teeth, the mobile robot comprising:
- a pinion gear having gear teeth and configured to rotate on a shaft about an axis of rotation, the shaft configured to extend axially along the axis of rotation to position the pinion gear in meshing engagement with the rack when the mobile robot is to travel in the passage,
- wherein both the gear teeth of the rack and the gear teeth of the pinion gear comprise complementary chamfered lead in portions configured to facilitate a jam free mesh engagement between the gear teeth of the pinion gear and the gear teeth of the rack upon axial extension of the shaft.
A mobile robot configured to travel in a vertical or inclined passage within an automated retrieval and storage system, the passage comprising a linear drive mount, the mobile robot comprising:
- a drive assembly for moving the mobile robot in the passage, the drive assembly having:
- a shaft configured to be rotated about an axis of rotation by a motor and to be extended axially along the axis of rotation;
- a drive gear mounted on an end of the shaft, the drive gear configured to move into engagement with the linear drive mount upon extension of the shaft;
- a hub for supporting a wheel and mounted on the shaft;
- wherein:
- the hub is permitted to move axially along the shaft between a first position and a second position;
- wherein in the first position, the hub and the shaft are substantially fixed rotationally with respect to each other, and
- wherein in the second position, the hub and the shaft have rotational play therebetween allowing a degree of free rotation of the drive gear relative to the linear drive mount.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.