Patent
Public accessible automated robotic warehouse for mails, parcels and packages
| العنوان: | Public accessible automated robotic warehouse for mails, parcels and packages |
|---|---|
| Patent Number: | 10472,173 |
| تاريخ النشر: | November 12, 2019 |
| Appl. No: | 15/928080 |
| Application Filed: | March 21, 2018 |
| مستخلص: | A robotic warehouse includes a housing, a plurality of pallets, a plurality of bins, a rack assembly, a plurality of robots, a locker assembly and a centralized control system. A customer drops off a first package on a first pallet or in a first bin in a first locker of the locker assembly. A robot picks up the first package on the first pallet or in the first bin in the first locker of the locker assembly. The robot moves the first package on the first pallet or in the first bin to a first unit of the rack assembly. The robot moves a second package on a second pallet or in a second bin from a second unit of the rack assembly to a second locker of the locker assembly. Another customer picks up the second package from the second locker of the locker assembly. |
| Inventors: | Guo, Ching Qing (Bellevue, WA, US); Guo, ViVien Z S (Bellevue, WA, US); Zhang, Tiffany Tong (Bellevue, WA, US) |
| Claim: | 1. A robotic warehouse comprising: a housing having an enclosed space, the housing comprising: a ceiling; a plurality of walls comprising a first wall; and a floor; a plurality of pallets; each of the plurality of pallets having a first size; a plurality of bins; each of the plurality of bins having a second size; the second size being smaller than the first size; a rack assembly disposed in the enclosed space of the housing; the rack assembly having a first plurality of units and a second plurality of units; each of the first plurality of units being configured to receive one of the plurality of pallets; each of the second plurality of units being configured to receive one of the plurality of bins; a plurality of robots movable in the enclosed space of the housing; and a locker assembly comprising a first plurality of lockers, each locker of the first plurality of lockers having a front door. |
| Claim: | 2. The robotic warehouse of claim 1 , wherein the locker assembly further comprises a second plurality of lockers; each locker of the second plurality of lockers has a front door; each of the first plurality of lockers is configured to receive a selected one of the plurality of pallets; each of the second plurality of lockers is configured to receive a selected one of the plurality of bins; wherein the first wall of the plurality of walls has an opening to receive a front end of the locker assembly so that the front door of each locker of the first plurality of lockers and the second plurality of lockers is accessible from an exterior of the housing and a back end of the locker assembly is disposed in the enclosed space of the housing; and wherein the robotic warehouse is characterized by: a first condition in which a customer drops off a first package on a first pallet in a first locker of the first plurality of lockers; and the plurality of robots move the first package on the first pallet from the first locker to a first unit of the first plurality of units of the rack assembly; a second condition in which the customer drops off a second package in a first bin in a second locker of the second plurality of lockers; and the plurality of robots move the second package in the first bin from the second locker to a second unit of the second plurality of units of the rack assembly; a third condition in which the plurality of robots move a third package on a second pallet from a third unit of the first plurality of units of the rack assembly to a third locker of the first plurality of lockers; and the customer picks up the third package on the second pallet from the third locker of the first plurality of lockers; and a fourth condition in which the plurality of robots move a fourth package in a second bin from a fourth unit of the second plurality of units of the rack assembly to a fourth locker of the second plurality of lockers; and the customer picks up the fourth package in the second bin from the fourth locker of the second plurality of lockers. |
| Claim: | 3. The robotic warehouse of claim 2 , wherein the robotic warehouse excludes a container other than the first size and the second size so that a package of the customer not fitting into the first size will be rejected. |
| Claim: | 4. The robotic warehouse of claim 2 further comprising a centralized control system comprising a processor processing data; memory storing the data; an artificial intelligence engine specifying a plurality of routes of the plurality of robots and avoiding collisions of the plurality of robots; and an interface engine communicating with a plurality of users and the plurality of robots. |
| Claim: | 5. The robotic warehouse of claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of robots is equipped with a sensor assembly comprising a plurality of scanners, a plurality of image sensors and a plurality of diodes to receive magnetic, laser, sound and infrared signals so as to transfer sensor data to the centralized control system through the interface engine. |
| Claim: | 6. The robotic warehouse of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of robots has a fork-shaped lifter and a plurality of wheels; wherein a height of the fork-shaped lifter is adjustable; wherein a bottom portion of each of the plurality of pallets is of a character π-shape; wherein a bottom portion of each of the plurality of bins is of the character π-shape; wherein an opening of the character π-shape is configured to receive the fork-shaped lifter; and wherein a respective label of radio-frequency identification (RFID) number is directly attached to a middle portion of a flat top portion of the character π-shape of each of the plurality of pallets and each of the plurality of bins. |
| Claim: | 7. The robotic warehouse of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of robots has a fork-shaped lifter; wherein the fork-shaped lifter has a first prong and a second prong; wherein a distance between the first prong and the second prong is adjustable; wherein a bottom portion of each of the plurality of pallets is of a letter M-shape; wherein a bottom portion of each of the plurality of bins is of the letter M-shape; wherein the letter M-shape comprises a first side leg, a central leg and a second side leg; wherein a first space between the first side leg and the central leg is configured to receive the first prong of the fork-shaped lifter; wherein a second space between the second side leg and the central leg is configured to receive the second prong of the fork-shaped lifter; and wherein a respective label of radio-frequency identification (RFID) number is directly attached to an end surface of the central leg of the letter M-shape of each of the plurality of pallets and each of the plurality of bins. |
| Claim: | 8. The robotic warehouse of claim 7 , wherein a top portion of each of the plurality of bins is of a hollow rectangular prism shape; wherein the top portion of each of the plurality of bins comprises a first bin wall; a second bin wall; a third bin wall; a fourth bin wall; and a top opening; and wherein the first bin wall has a letter U-shape cutout. |
| Claim: | 9. The robotic warehouse of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of pallets and the plurality of bins are made of plastic, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), wood or metal. |
| Claim: | 10. The robotic warehouse of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of robots has a first fork-shaped lifter and a second fork-shaped lifter. |
| Claim: | 11. The robotic warehouse of claim 10 , wherein the robotic warehouse is characterized by: the first condition in which after the customer dropping off the first package on the first pallet in the first locker of the first plurality of lockers, the second fork-shaped lifter of a first selected robot of the plurality of robots picks up an empty pallet; the first fork-shaped lifter of the first selected robot of the plurality of robots picks up the first package on the first pallet from the first locker of the first plurality of lockers; and the second fork-shaped lifter of the first selected robot of the plurality of robots drops off the empty pallet in the first locker of the first plurality of lockers; and the second condition in which after the customer dropping off the second package in the first bin in the second locker of the second plurality of lockers, the second fork-shaped lifter of a second selected robot of the plurality of robots picks up an empty bin; the first fork-shaped lifter of the second selected robot of the plurality of robots picks up the second package in the first bin from the second locker of the second plurality of lockers; and the second fork-shaped lifter of the second selected robot of the plurality of robots drops off the empty bin in the second locker of the second plurality of lockers. |
| Claim: | 12. The robotic warehouse of claim 2 , wherein the front door of each locker of the first plurality of lockers and the second plurality of lockers is equipped with a lock openable by a hardware key; by a software personal identification (PIN) number; or by scanning a quick response (QR) code. |
| Claim: | 13. The robotic warehouse of claim 2 further comprising a plurality of guiding tracks on the floor so that the plurality of robots move along the plurality of guiding tracks on the floor. |
| Claim: | 14. The robotic warehouse of claim 2 further comprising a plurality of conveyers directly attached to a back side of the locker assembly; wherein the locker assembly further comprises a plurality of hinged slides comprising a first hinged slide; wherein the first hinged slide comprises a first hinge and a first slide rotatable about the first hinge; wherein the plurality of conveyers comprises a first conveyor and a second conveyor directly above the first conveyor; and wherein the first slide is characterized by: an upper position in which the first slide is configured to receive a first selected package from the second conveyor; and a lower position in which the first slide is configured to deliver a second selected package from a selected locker of the locker assembly to the first conveyor. |
| Claim: | 15. A method of using the robotic warehouse of claim 2 , wherein under the first condition in which the customer drops off the first package on the first pallet in the first locker of the first plurality of lockers; and the plurality of robots move the first package on the first pallet from the first locker to the first unit of the first plurality of units of the rack assembly; under the second condition in which the customer drops off the second package in the first bin in the second locker of the second plurality of lockers; and the plurality of robots move the second package in the first bin from the second locker to the second unit of the second plurality of units of the rack assembly; under the third condition in which the plurality of robots move the third package on the second pallet from the third unit of the first plurality of units of the rack assembly to the third locker of the first plurality of lockers; and the customer picks up the third package on the second pallet from the third locker of the first plurality of lockers; and under the fourth condition in which the plurality of robots move the fourth package in the second bin from the fourth unit of the second plurality of units of the rack assembly to the fourth locker of the second plurality of lockers; and the customer picks up the fourth package in the second bin from the fourth locker of the second plurality of lockers. |
| Claim: | 16. The method of claim 15 , wherein under the first condition in which before the customer dropping off the first package on the first pallet in the first locker of the first plurality of lockers, the customer sends a request to a centralized control system to drop off the first package; the centralized control system informs the customer a first identification number of the first locker of the first plurality of lockers and a first software personal identification (PIN) number; or a first quick response (QR) code; and the customer uses the first software PIN number or scans the first QR code to unlock the front door of the first locker of the first plurality of lockers; and under the second condition in which before the customer dropping off the second package in the first bin in the second locker of the second plurality of lockers, the customer sends another request to the centralized control system to drop off the second package; the centralized control system informs the customer a second identification number of the second locker of the second plurality of lockers and a second software PIN number; or a second QR code; and the customer uses the second software PIN number or scans the second QR code to unlock the front door of the second locker of the second plurality of lockers. |
| Claim: | 17. The method of claim 16 , wherein under the third condition in which before the plurality of robots moving the third package on the second pallet from the third unit of the first plurality of units of the rack assembly to the third locker of the first plurality of lockers, the customer sends the centralized control system a predetermined time period to pick up; the centralized control system informs the customer a third identification number of the third locker of the first plurality of lockers and a third software PIN number; or a third QR code; and before the customer picking up the third package on the second pallet from the third locker of the first plurality of lockers, the customer uses the third software PIN number or scans the third QR code to unlock the front door of the third locker of the first plurality of lockers; and under the fourth condition in which before the plurality of robots move the fourth package in the second bin from the fourth unit of the second plurality of units of the rack assembly to the fourth locker of the second plurality of lockers, the customer sends the centralized control system another predetermined time period to pick up; the centralized control system informs the customer a fourth identification number of the fourth locker of the second plurality of lockers and a fourth software PIN number; or a fourth QR code; and before the customer picks up the fourth package in the second bin from the fourth locker of the second plurality of lockers, the customer uses the fourth software PIN number or scans the fourth QR code to unlock the front door of the fourth locker of the second plurality of lockers. |
| Claim: | 18. The method of claim 17 , wherein a first user uses a first code or identification (ID) to open a front door of a designated locker of the first plurality of lockers of the locker assembly and picks up a first item; wherein a second user uses a second CODE OR ID to open the front door of the designated locker of the first plurality of lockers of the locker assembly and picks up a second item; wherein a third user uses a third CODE OR ID to open the front door of the designated locker of the first plurality of lockers of the locker assembly and picks up a third item; wherein the first user is different from the second user; wherein the second user is different from the third user; wherein the first CODE OR ID is different from the second CODE OR ID; wherein the second CODE OR ID is different from the third CODE OR ID; and wherein a duration between the first user opened the front door of the designated locker and the second user opened the front door of the designated locker is less than one hour. |
| Claim: | 19. A system comprising: a front-end access area comprising a plurality of front-end access units; a back-end storage area comprising a plurality of back-end storage units; a plurality of robots transporting a plurality of mails, a plurality of parcels, a plurality of packages and a plurality of cartons between the front-end access area and the back-end storage area or between a first sub-storage area of the back-end storage area and a second sub-storage area of the back-end storage area; wherein a number of the plurality of front-end access units is less than a number of the plurality of back-end storage units; wherein the plurality of front-end access units are accessed by a plurality of customers from front sides of the plurality of front-end access units; wherein a selected front-end access unit of the plurality of front-end access units is accessed by a first customer at a first predetermined time and is accessed by a second customer at a second predetermined time; wherein a first duration that the selected front-end access unit containing a mail, a parcel, a package or a carton is shorter than a second duration that the selected front-end access unit not containing the mail, the parcel, the package or the carton; wherein the plurality of back-end storage units are configured to store the plurality of mails, the plurality of parcels, the plurality of packages and the plurality of cartons; wherein the back-end storage area is not accessible to the plurality of customers; wherein the plurality of robots deliver the plurality of mails, the plurality of parcels, the plurality of packages and the plurality of cartons to the plurality of front-end access units; wherein the plurality of mails, the plurality of parcels, the plurality of packages and the plurality of cartons will be picked up by the plurality of customers within thirty minutes; and wherein the plurality of robots will transport the plurality of mails, the plurality of parcels, the plurality of packages and the plurality of cartons from the plurality of front-end access units to the plurality of back-end storage units if the plurality of customers do not pick up the plurality of mails, the plurality of parcels, the plurality of packages and the plurality of cartons within thirty minutes. |
| Claim: | 20. A robotic warehouse comprising: a housing having an enclosed space, the housing comprising: a ceiling; a plurality of walls comprising a first wall; and a floor; a plurality of pallets; a plurality of bins; a rack assembly disposed in the enclosed space of the housing; the rack assembly having a plurality of units; each of the plurality of units being configured to receive one of the plurality of pallets or one of the plurality of bins; a plurality of robots movable in the enclosed space of the housing; and a locker assembly comprising a plurality of lockers, each locker of the plurality of lockers having a front door. |
| Patent References Cited: | 2017/0357893 December 2017 Dexter et al. 2017/0357910 December 2017 Sommer 2018/0096299 April 2018 Jarvis 2018/0127212 May 2018 Jarvis 2018/0253805 September 2018 Kelly |
| Primary Examiner: | Cumbess, Yolanda R |
| Attorney, Agent or Firm: | Lin, Chen-Chi |
| رقم الانضمام: | edspgr.10472173 |
| قاعدة البيانات: | USPTO Patent Grants |
| الوصف غير متاح. |