Warehouse shuttle devices, and systems and methods incorporating the same

{
  "publication_number": "US9315322B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Warehouse shuttle devices, and systems and methods incorporating the same",
  "abstract": "A system for moving pallets can include a rectangular grid, pallets, a shuttle device, a motive assembly, and one or more processors. The pallets can be arranged upon a matrix of cells of the rectangular grid. The one or more processors can be communicatively coupled to the shuttle device and the motive assembly. The one or more processors can execute machine readable instructions to activate a vertical actuator to urge the pallet engagement member of the shuttle device into engagement with a shuttle engagement member of a selected pallet of the pallets. The motive assembly can be actuated to slide the selected pallet along the rectangular grid, while the pallet engagement member of the shuttle device and the shuttle engagement member of the selected pallet are engaged.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A system for moving pallets comprising: a rectangular grid comprising lateral rails oriented along an x-axis and orthogonal rails oriented along a y-axis, wherein the lateral rails and the orthogonal rails intersect to demarcate a matrix of cells; pallets arranged upon the matrix of cells of the rectangular grid, wherein each of the pallets comprises an underside that faces the rectangular grid and a shuttle engagement member located on the underside, and wherein the shuttle engagement member comprises latching features that are each arranged at a corner of a rectangular pattern; a shuttle device suspended beneath the pallets and the rectangular grid, wherein the shuttle device comprises a vertical actuator that urges a pallet engagement member vertically; a motive assembly suspended beneath the pallets and the rectangular grid, wherein the motive assembly moves the shuttle device; and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the shuttle device and the motive assembly, wherein the one or more processors execute machine readable instructions to: activate the vertical actuator to urge the pallet engagement member of the shuttle device into engagement with the shuttle engagement member of a selected pallet of the pallets; and actuate the motive assembly to slide the selected pallet along the rectangular grid, while the pallet engagement member of the shuttle device and the shuttle engagement member of the selected pallet are engaged.",
    "2. The system of claim 1, wherein the rectangular grid comprises pallet tracks that constrain the pallets in sliding engagement with the rectangular grid.",
    "3. The system of claim 2, wherein the pallet tracks comprises a first lateral track and a second lateral track located on one of the lateral rails, and wherein the first lateral track and the second lateral track demarcate different cells of the matrix of cells.",
    "4. The system of claim 2, wherein the pallet tracks comprises a first orthogonal track and a second orthogonal track located on one of the orthogonal rails, and wherein the first orthogonal track and the second orthogonal track demarcate different cells of the matrix of cells.",
    "5. The system of claim 2, wherein each of the pallets comprises a sliding member located on the underside, and wherein the sliding member of each of the pallets is constrained by one of the pallet tracks.",
    "6. The system of claim 5, wherein the sliding member comprises a ball bearing.",
    "7. The system of claim 1, wherein: the matrix of cells comprises an unoccupied cell that is unobstructed by the pallets; the selected pallet is positioned in a cell of the matrix of cells that is adjacent to the unoccupied cell, before the pallet engagement member of the shuttle device and the shuttle engagement member of the selected pallet are engaged; and wherein the selected pallet slides towards the unoccupied cell, while the pallet engagement member of the shuttle device and the shuttle engagement member of the selected pallet are engaged.",
    "8. The system of claim 1, wherein the motive assembly comprises a lateral dimension actuator that moves the shuttle device along the x-axis and an orthogonal dimension actuator that moves the shuttle device along the y-axis.",
    "9. The system of claim 8, wherein the lateral dimension actuator, the orthogonal dimension actuator, or both comprise a linear bearing.",
    "10. The system of claim 1, wherein the vertical actuator is a hydraulic actuator.",
    "11. The system of claim 1, wherein the rectangular grid is provided as a floor of a warehouse.",
    "12. The system of claim 1, wherein the underside of each of the pallets is rectangular and comprises identification device that is positioned centrally.",
    "13. The system of claim 1, wherein the pallets comprise a flat-bed shelf, a box-style shelf, a cabinet-style shelf, or a combination thereof.",
    "14. A method for moving pallets, the method comprising: engaging a shuttle engagement member disposed on an underside of a pallet with pallet engagement members of a shuttle device, wherein the pallet is in sliding engagement with a rectangular grid that demarcates a matrix of cells, and wherein the underside of the pallet faces the rectangular grid; moving the shuttle device beneath the rectangular grid and along a direction of motion; sliding the pallet along rectangular grid, while the shuttle engagement member of the pallet is engaged with the pallet engagement members of the shuttle device; identifying, automatically with one or more processors, a leading set of pallet engagement members and a trailing set of pallet engagement members from the pallet engagement members based at least in part upon the direction of motion, wherein the one or more processors is communicatively coupled to a distance sensor of the shuttle device and a motive assembly; providing a mapped location of a selected cell of the matrix of cells; moving, automatically with the one or more processors, the shuttle device to the mapped location with the motive assembly; detecting a detected position of the shuttle device with the distance sensor; and comparing, automatically with the one or more processors, the mapped location and the detected position.",
    "15. The method of claim 14, wherein the rectangular grid comprises an intersecting rail that is orthogonal to the direction of motion, and the method further comprises: disengaging the leading set of pallet engagement members from the shuttle engagement member as the pallet slides over the intersecting rail and while the shuttle engagement member of the pallet is engaged with the trailing set of pallet engagement members.",
    "16. The method of claim 14, wherein the rectangular grid comprises an intersecting rail that is orthogonal to the direction of motion, and the method further comprises: disengaging the trailing set of pallet engagement members from the shuttle engagement member as the pallet slides over the intersecting rail and while the shuttle engagement member of the pallet is engaged with the leading set of pallet engagement members.",
    "17. The method of claim 14, comprising: detecting an identification device located on the underside of the pallet with an optical sensor of the shuttle device.",
    "18. A warehouse comprising one or more processors and multiple floors, wherein each of the floors of the warehouse comprises: a rectangular grid comprising lateral rails oriented along an x-axis and orthogonal rails oriented along a y-axis, wherein the lateral rails and the orthogonal rails intersect to demarcate a matrix of cells; pallets arranged upon the matrix of cells of the rectangular grid, wherein each of the pallets comprises an underside that faces the rectangular grid and a shuttle engagement member located on the underside, and wherein the shuttle engagement member comprises latching features that are each arranged at a corner of a rectangular pattern; a shuttle device communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and suspended beneath the pallets and the rectangular grid, wherein the shuttle device comprises a vertical actuator that urges a pallet engagement member vertically; a motive assembly communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and that moves the shuttle device, and wherein the one or more processors execute machine readable instructions to: activate the vertical actuator to urge the pallet engagement member of the shuttle device into engagement with the shuttle engagement member of a selected pallet of the pallets; and actuate the motive assembly to slide the selected pallet along the rectangular grid, while the pallet engagement member of the shuttle device and the shuttle engagement member of the selected pallet are engaged."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present specification generally relates to systems and methods for moving pallets and, more specifically, to systems and methods for moving pallets throughout a warehouse.\n\nTraditional warehouse facilities generally include a plurality of racks for storing goods. The racks can be separated by roads or aisles that provide access to the racks for loading or unloading goods from the racks. For example, a pair of racks can be separated by a road. The roads can be designed to accommodate forklift traffic. Accordingly, the road and the portion of the warehouse above the road cannot be utilized for storage. Moreover, the forklifts are frequently manually operated. Human operators can be prone to mistakes in material handling. In addition, manual operation can provide a direct payroll cost that can increase the cost to operate a warehouse.\n\nAccordingly, a need exists for alternative systems and methods for moving pallets to provide for efficient storage and retrieval of goods within a warehouse.\n\nIn one embodiment, a system for moving pallets can include a rectangular grid, pallets, a shuttle device, a motive assembly, and one or more processors. The rectangular grid can include lateral rails oriented along an x-axis and orthogonal rails oriented along a y-axis. The lateral rails and the orthogonal rails can intersect to demarcate a matrix of cells. The pallets can be arranged upon the matrix of cells of the rectangular grid. Each of the pallets can include an underside that faces the rectangular grid and a shuttle engagement member located on the underside.",
  "cpc": [
    "B65G 1/137",
    "B65G 1/0471",
    "B65G 1/0478",
    "B65G 1/065",
    "B65G 2203/0283",
    "B65G 25/02",
    "B65G 2812/12",
    "B65G 2814/0313",
    "B65G 65/005",
    "B65G 65/08"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B65G 1/04",
    "B65G 1/137",
    "B65G 65/00",
    "B65G 65/08"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Fadi Mohammad Majed Hussain Abdel Majied",
    "Eyad M. Yunis"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2015-05-21",
  "publication_date": "2016-04-19",
  "grant_date": "2016-04-19",
  "priority_date": "2015-05-21",
  "application_number": "US-201514718474-A",
  "family_id": "55487057",
  "cited_by_count": 13,
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}