Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Ennio Claretti

Andrew Stubbs

Andrew Dominic Marchese

Jude R Jonas

Nicolas Guillaume Hostein

Nicolas Kurczewski

Matthew David Verminski

Parris S Wellman

Robert Michael Shydo, Jr

Brett Allen Skaloud

John Gregory Longtine

Boris Aronchik

Justin Thomas Juranovits

Michael James O'Connor

Emily Dunne

Ryan Frederick Anderson

Samuel Rubin Barrett

Ying Xu

Matthew Michael Budnick

Don Frank Ruffatto

Christopher C Jones

Sean Michael Scott

Scott M Waters

Robert Brian Curtis

Gregory Coleman

Aaron Joseph Parness

Gregory Katz

Benjamin Bedard

Joseph C Hager

Emanuel Moshouris

Kyle Michael Washabaugh

Jeffrey Joseph Gorges

Peter Johnson

Timothy James Ong

Suvesha Chandrasekaran

Rachel Lynn Muhlbauer

Nikhil Bole

Mike Hector

Item consolidation tools are described. In one example, an item consolidator includes first and second bay doors, a door displacement system, and a controller. The door displacement system includes first and second drive systems secured to the undersides of the first and second bay doors. The drive systems provide angular and a lateral degrees of freedom, to move the first and second bay doors. The controller is configured to direct the door displacement system to form a bay door vertex between leading edges of the bay doors. Items can be placed on the doors and will rest at the vertex between the doors. The controller can also determine drop locations for the items. The controller can then direct the door displacement system to reposition the bay door vertex based on the drop locations and drop the items by opening or retracting the doors.

Item consolidator

Tray flipper automation tools are described. In one example, a tray flipper includes a flip arm positioned along a conveyor, a tamper arm, a drive system, and a controller. The controller is configured to detect alignment of a tray on the conveyor with the flip arm, direct the drive system to rotate the tamper arm to a position over the tray, and actuate a tamper plate of the tamper arm to secure contents in the tray. The controller is also configured to rotate the tamper arm and the flip arm, with the tray secured between them, to an inverted position off of the conveyor. Items positioned within the tray can be flipped over when the tamper arm and the flip arm rotate away from the conveyor. The flip arm and tray can then be rotated back, leaving the items resting on the tamper plate for inspection and materials handling steps.

Tray flipper

A mechanical design for a braking system of a delivery device is described. The braking system includes one or more brake modules. Each brake module is configured to engage a different wheel of the delivery device to stop movement of the wheel when power to the brake module is less than a threshold. Each brake module includes: an electromagnet; a magnetic plate; a pawl configured to engage a wheel to stop movement of the wheel; a solenoid comprising a solenoid pin, the solenoid pin having a first end coupled to the magnetic plate and having a second end coupled to the pawl, and a manual override mechanism that is configured to allow movement of the wheel when the power to the brake module is less than the threshold. The brake module is configured to disable the manual override mechanism when the power to the brake module is greater than or equal to a threshold.

High efficiency mechanical emergency brake with manual override

A skid-steer delivery autonomous ground vehicle has a drive train and suspension that aids in maneuverability. The AGV has six wheels, each of which is powered by its own motor. The AGV has features that diminish the dragging effect on the wheels, either by choice of wheel features or by taking weight off the front wheels during turning.

Autonomous ground vehicle

Embodiments herein describe a pick or stow system that uses a mechanical system to stow an item into a container, retrieve an item from the container, or both. In one embodiment, the mechanical system includes a gantry or a robotic arm that permits various sensors, tools, or end effectors to interact with a plurality of containers. For example, the plurality of containers may be supported by a rack where each container may have any number of types of items. The gantry or robotic arm can move the sensors, tools, or end effectors to a particular container to either stow an item into the container or pick an item from the container.

Interacting with and inspecting of movable inventory systems

An example apparatus of the present disclosure may include an end effector. The end effector may include a pair of actuator-driven fingers that each include a compliant tip. The compliant tips may be used to scoop underneath items as part of item manipulation.

Compliant finger tip for item manipulation

A chassis and skin of a delivery Autonomous Ground Vehicle include discrete upper and lower thermal management systems. The lower thermal management system is indirect, as is moves air through a closed duct that is in contact with high-heat dissipating components via heat sinks. The upper thermal management system is direct, as it moves air into the interior cavity of the AGV to cool sensors and other electronic equipment.

Thermal management for a delivery autonomous ground vehicle

A multiple suction cup apparatus for lifting an object includes the capability of exchanging a large and small suction cup. At least one interlock enables the large or small suction cup to be deployed. The interlocks include passive interlocks, such as ball detents and conventional magnets, and active interlocks, such as a twist lock and electronic actuated magnets.

Mechanism for exchanging concentric suction cups

Drive train and suspension for an autonomous ground vehicle

A delivery AGV has a hybrid braking system. An emergency electrical brake shorts between motor contacts to stop the AGV quickly, but it doesn't work well to keep the AGV stopped, such as when on a hill. A mechanical parking brake is electrically actuated to lock the wheels. Both systems can be used at once for stopping the AGV.

Braking systems for an autonomous ground vehicle

Delivery autonomous ground vehicle

A chassis and skin of a delivery Autonomous Ground Vehicle include an aluminum structure and polymer panels affixed to the AGV by fasteners. The panels are mutually overlapping. A method of assembly includes hooks and clips to put and hold the panels in place during assembly.

Chassis assembly for autonomous ground vehicle

Finger assemblies at the end of a robotic arm end effector includes talon that are retractable. Retraction may be accomplished by a vertical or horizontal barrel cam, a paddle and spin assembly, and/or a resilient plate. A method includes contacting a portion of a finger body against a datum.

Finger assembly having a talon and spin paddle actuation

Finger assemblies at the end of a robotic arm end effector includes talon that are retractable. Retraction may be accomplished by a vertical or horizontal barrel cam, a paddle and spin assembly, and/or a resilient plate.

Finger assembly having a spring-biased talon

Growing community of inventors

Somerville, MA, United States of America

Ennio Claretti