Random-access robotic inventory dispensary: multi-pick fulfillment

摘要

The present invention is a robotic system for maintaining product inventory and dispensing products upon request from a customer or other user. Product items are stored in an inventory storage unit (ISU), one item per bin. Controller logic allows items to be stored in, and retrieved from, arbitrarily-assigned storage locations. The bins hang on rails within drawers. Upon a request from a consumer (or other user) for a plurality of product items, the robot retrieves a bin holding the first item from the ISU, and places the bin onto a shelf that moves with the robot. The additional items are handled similarly. Once all the items are on the shelf, the robot transfers them to a dispensing chute to the consumer.

主权项

1. A method for retrieval of multiple product items from a robotic inventory dispensary using a robot, the method comprising:
controlling the robot to perform operations including:
translating a base section of an arm of the robot horizontally in a plane parallel to a face of the robotic inventory dispensary;translating a bin-holding receptacle, which is attached to the base section, horizontally together with the base section;translating the base section vertically in the plane; andtranslating the bin-holding receptacle, vertically together with the base section; receiving, by a computerized controller of a processing system through a user interface, a request to dispense multiple product items from the robotic inventory dispensary that fulfill a specification; determining, using a database system in computer-accessible storage, by the controller:
product items stored in the robotic inventory dispensary to fulfill the specification, the product items being identified by respective product item identifiers;unique bin identifiers corresponding to the product items, the unique bin identifiers being identified by the respective product item identifiers; andrespective locations of bins in the robotic inventory dispensary that store the product items, the respective locations of bins being identified by the unique bin identifiers; extracting, by the robot, bins associated with the product items from the respective locations of bins in the robotic inventory dispensary; transferring, by the robot, the bins associated with the product items to the bin-holding receptacle; and dispensing the product items with the robot at a dispensing location, the product items obtained from the bins transferred to the bin-holding receptacle.