Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Goodrich Corporation

Peter Thomas Colantonio

Dragan Pajevic

Parris S Wellman

Jude R Jonas

Kevin John Trenholme

David William Guerin

Stephen T Campbell

Allan Andrew Katz

Peter K Mansfield

Robert Michael Shydo, Jr

Gabriel Hebert

Erica Aduh

Oliver Christoph Purwin

Mark Anthony Messina

Benjamin Bedard

Barbara Maia Araujo Lima

Benjamin Fritz Schilling

Systems and methods are disclosed for robotic picking assemblies with highly damped suction cups. In one embodiment, an example suction cup for a picking assembly may include a shell formed of an elastomeric material, where the shell forms a first bellow. The suction cup may include a first fluid chamber disposed on an outer portion of the suction cup, a first opening, where fluid from the first fluid chamber passes through the first opening, and an optional second fluid chamber disposed on an inner portion of the suction cup. The suction cup may include an optional second opening formed in the shell, where fluid from the second fluid chamber passes through the second opening. The first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber may be configured to dampen movement of the suction cup.

Robotic picking assemblies with highly damped suction cups

A mobile drive unit includes a pivot between the front chassis unit and the rear chassis unit, thereby diminishing the total height of the unit.

Mobile drive unit having a split chassis

A mobile drive unit includes a pivot between the front chassis unit and the rear chassis unit, which both support a support structure that pivotally supports a payload housing. The mobile drive unit can have a sensor and control system.

Mobile drive unit having a conveyor module

A drive unit with a cleaning module for cleaning an inventory system includes a frame, a drive module, a blower module, and at least one cleaning module mounted to the frame. The drive module includes at least two drive wheels that can move the unit, and the blower module can generate negative pressure in a debris container for applying to one or more cleaning modules. A first cleaning module includes a rotating brush and spans a cleaning path at least as wide as the drive wheels of the drive module as the drive unit with a cleaning module operates. Some cleaning-enabled drive units can include a bifurcation of the first cleaning module to avoid damaging fiducial markings in the inventory system. Such units include a second cleaning module with a stationary brush positioned in line with the bifurcation to clean the fiducial markings along the cleaning path without causing damage.

Automated drive units with cleaning modules for inventory systems

A mobile drive unit includes a pivot between the front chassis unit and the rear chassis unit, which both support a support structure that pivotally supports a payload housing.

Mobile drive unit

Payload properties may be determined utilizing actuator parameter data. A mobile drive unit may transport a payload around a workspace in accordance with one or more safety. To comply with safety policies, a motion controller of the mobile drive unit may limit acceleration and deceleration to safe maximums for given payload characteristics such as payload mass and payload center of gravity. The motion controller may utilize actuators to cause various motions of the mobile drive unit, including motion across a surface, vertical movements of the payload and motion rotating the payload. To ameliorate worst case assumptions about payload characteristics, in accordance with at least one embodiment of the invention, a payload characterization module may obtain information about payload characteristics based on measurements of operational parameters of the actuators. Utilizing motor current data provides a relatively inexpensive mechanism for obtaining such information compared to special purpose sensors, enabling widespread adoption.

Determining payload properties using actuator parameter data

An inventory system includes an inventory holder and an actively balanced mobile drive unit. A control module of the mobile drive unit can receive sensing information about the inventory holder and/or the mobile drive unit and use the sensing information to control a drive module of the mobile drive unit so as to maintain the inventory holder and/or the mobile drive unit within a predetermined deviation amount from an equilibrium state.

Actively balanced mobile drive unit

A mobile drive unit for an inventory system includes a base suspended from a frame by a pivot assembly, such as a first link and a second link. The base supports a platform configured to engage an inventory holder of the inventory system. Movement of the base causes the platform to tip, such as away from a direction of a reaction force acting on the base due to acceleration or deceleration of the mobile drive unit.

Mechanical tipping assembly for mobile drive unit of inventory system

A mobile drive unit including a docking head assembly is provided. The docking head assembly is configured with a set of actuator assemblies to lift an holder structure and tilt the holder structure in at least one direction. The direction of tilt and an associated angle may be determined based on a location of a center of gravity of the holder structure relative to the mobile drive unit. The direction of tilt and the associated angle may also be determined based on information describing external forces acting on the holder structure.

Tilting platform for stability control

A mobile drive unit including a docking head assembly is provided. The docking head assembly is configured with two or more actuator assemblies to lift an inventory holder and tilt the inventory holder in two or more directions. The direction of tilt and an associated angle may be determined based on a location of a center of gravity of the inventory holder relative to the mobile drive unit. The direction of tilt and the associated angle may also be determined based on information describing external forces acting on the inventory holder.

A pod has a rotatable housing and a motor for driving the rotatable housing to rotate. The rotatable housing includes an image capture device for capturing an electromagnetic image and a radar transmitting and capturing device for capturing a radar image. The motor is operable to change an orientation of the rotatable housing relative to a pod housing, such that a desired one of the electromagnetic image capture device and the radar transmission and reception system faces an area that is to be studied. A method is also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

North Andover, MA, United States of America

Peter Thomas Colantonio