Palletizing mobile drive units

摘要

An inventory system includes a pallet and a base for palletizing or unpalletizing a mobile drive unit. The pallet has a set of openings corresponding with features of the mobile drive unit. The mobile drive unit features may extend into the pallet openings. The base includes protrusions corresponding to the pallet openings. Engaging the pallet and base can position the base protrusions in the pallet openings. Positioning the base protrusions in the pallet openings can displace the mobile drive unit features from the pallet openings and/or provide a surface upon which the mobile drive unit can navigate.

主权项

1. An inventory system, comprising:
a mobile drive unit comprising a body having a bottom surface and a plurality of features extending below the bottom surface; a base comprising a plurality of protrusions; and a pallet comprising a support surface and a plurality of openings extending through the support surface, the plurality of openings arranged such that, (1) in an engaged configuration, the plurality of protrusions on the base project into the plurality of openings in the pallet such that the plurality of protrusions and the support surface together form a combined surface navigable by the mobile drive unit, and (2) in a separate configuration, when the base is disengaged from the pallet so that the protrusions are no longer within the openings and the mobile drive unit is positioned on the pallet, the plurality of features of the mobile drive unit are positioned within the plurality of openings.