Mobile drive unit charging

摘要

Some examples include charging an onboard power source of a mobile drive unit (MDU) of an inventory system while the MDU is operating in the inventory system, rather than removing the MDU from service for recharging. As an example, the MDU may receive instructions to retrieve an inventory holder, and an onboard power source of the MDU may be charged while the MDU and the inventory holder are located at the charging station.

主权项

1. A mobile drive unit comprising:
one or more onboard power sources; a communication module to receive instructions, from a management module of an inventory system, to retrieve an inventory holder from a particular location in the inventory system; a drive module to propel the mobile drive unit to at least the particular location of the inventory system using power from the one or more onboard power sources; and a charging interface to couple at least one of the one or more onboard power sources to a charging station associated with an inventory station to charge the at least one onboard power source while (i) the mobile drive unit and the inventory holder are located at the inventory station and (ii) the mobile drive unit is expected to remain stationary for an amount of time associated with completion of a user task associated with the inventory holder; wherein the user task associated with the inventory holder comprises at least one of removal or restocking of one or more inventory items from the inventory holder.