Variable speed pick carts for use at product storage facilities

Abstract

A system for transporting a plurality of items at a product storage facility is provided. The system includes: a cart having a frame, wheels mounted to and supporting the frame, and at least one storage member configured to store at least one of the items. The cart is configured to: move about the product storage facility at a first speed in a first area of the product storage facility accessible only by the cart and other carts; and move about the product storage facility at a second speed in a second area of the product storage facility accessible by both the cart and the other carts and workers or customers of the product storage facility, the second speed being slower than the first speed.

Description

VARIABLE SPEED PICK CARTS FOR USE AT PRODUCT STORAGE FACILITIESCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a non-provisional of, and claims the benefit of, United States provisional patent application number 63 / 674,968 filed on July 24, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUNDFIELD

[0002] This disclosure relates generally to transporting products at a product storage facility, and more specifically, to product-transporting carts configured for traveling at variable speeds.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0003] The foregoing aspects and other features of the present disclosure are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0004] Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustration of an exemplary cart for transporting products in a product storage facility in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0005] Fig. 2 is a schematic side view illustration of a portion of the exemplary cart of Fig. 1 in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0006] Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view illustration of an exemplary cart for transporting products in a product storage facility in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0007] Fig. 4 is a schematic side view illustration of a portion of the exemplary cart of Fig. 3 in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0008] Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a system that may be implemented in whole or in part at the product storage facility of Figs. 1 and 3 in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0009] Fig. 6 is a schematic block diagram of a computer system configured for employment with the systems and methods described herein in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0010] Fig. 7 is a schematic block diagram of a robotic transport unit in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0011] Fig. 8 is a schematic perspective view illustration of a portion of the product storage facility of Figs 1, 3, and 5 in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0012] Fig. 9 is a schematic perspective view illustration of a portion of the product storage facility of Figs 1, 3, and 5 in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0013] Figs. 10-12 are exemplary schematic illustrations of portions of the robotic transport unit in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0014] Fig. 13 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method in accordance with the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] The following detailed description is meant to assist the understanding of one skilled in the art, and is not intended in any way to unduly limit claims connected or related to the present disclosure.

[0016] The following detailed description references various figures, where like reference numbers refer to like components and features across various figures, whether specific figures are referenced, or not.

[0017] The present disclosure will now be described with reference to the figures, which in general relate to carts (also referred to herein as “pick carts”) for transporting products (e.g., bagged or unbagged products), which may be used with an automatic storage and retrieval system. As will be described in more detail below, the carts described herein may enable efficient automated product transportation at a product storage facility and / or a retail store.

[0018] It is understood that the features of the present disclosure described herein may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to those features set forth herein. Rather, the description herein is provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the invention to those skilled in the art. Indeed, the present disclosure is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents of the features described herein, which are included within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, in the following description, specific details are set forth in order to provide an understanding of the present disclosure.

[0019] Reference throughout this specification to “one aspect,” “an aspect,” “some aspects”, “an implementation”, “some implementations”, “some applications”, or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one aspect,” “in an aspect,” “in some aspects”, “in some implementations”, and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same aspect of the present disclosure.

[0020] The word “each” as used herein refers to a single object (i.e., the object) in the case of a single object or each object in the case of multiple objects. The words “a,” “an,” and “the” as used herein are inclusive of “at least one” and “one or more” so as not to limit the object being referred to as being in its “singular” form.

[0021] The terms “top” and “bottom,” “upper” and “lower” and “vertical” and “horizontal” as may be used herein are by way of example and illustrative purposes only and are not meant to limit the description of the aspects inasmuch as the referenced item can be exchanged in position and orientation.

[0022] As used herein, the terms “substantially” and / or “about” mean that the specified dimension or parameter may be varied within an acceptable manufacturing tolerance for a given application. In one non-limiting aspect, the acceptable manufacturing tolerance is ± .25%. For purposes of this disclosure, a connection may be a direct connection or an indirect connection (e.g., via one or more other parts). In some cases, when a first element is referred to as being connected, affixed or coupled to a second element, the first and second elements may be directly connected, affixed or coupled to each other or indirectly connected, affixed, or coupled to each other. When a first element is referred to as being directly connected, affixed, or coupled to a second element, then there are no intervening elements between the first and second elements (other than possibly an adhesive or weld used to connect, affix, or couple the first and second elements).

[0023] Fig. 1 shows an exemplary cart 100 (which may be also referred to herein as a “pick cart’) for transporting (bagged or bagless) products at a product storage facility. The cart 100 includes a frame 102 and wheels 104a-104d mounted to and supporting the frame 102. The cart 100 includes support members 106a-106c (e.g., a top support member 106a, a middle support member 106b, and a bottom support member 106c as shown in Fig. 1) mounted relative to the frame 102. The support members 106a- 106c may be shelves, trays, compartments, or the like having a support surface that supports various items (which may be bagged or not bagged) thereon. A support member 106a-106c may be sized and shaped to support one or more (e.g., two, three, four, etc.) vertically oriented bags 320 containing one or more items therein (see, e.g., Figs. 8-9).

[0024] Each tray of shelf 106a- 106c may be sized and shaped to support more or less than four bags 320 and / or bagless products thereon. The cart 100 may include at least one temperature- controlled storage compartment (e.g., refrigerator, cooler, freezer, etc.), which enables the cart 100to transport products that require an ambient, chilled, refrigerated, and / or frozen storage temperatures. Examples of such carts are disclosed in co-pending U.S. App. No. 63 / 671,437, filed July 15, 2024 and entitled “Multi-Purpose Pick Carts for Use at Product Storage Facilities,” incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0025] The cart 100 may include less than three (e.g., one or two) or more than three (four, five, six, etc.) support members 106a-106c. The support members 106a-106c may be movably (e.g., pivotally) coupled relative to the frame 102, such that each of the support members 106a-106c is permitted to independently pivot upwardly and / or downwardly relative to the frame 102 of the cart 100. For example, each of the support members 106a-106c may be permitted to fold up relative to the frame 102 from a horizontal position shown in Fig. 1 to a vertical position, and to fold back down relative to the frame 102 from the vertical position back to the horizontal position shown in Fig. 1. Such shelf configurations of pick carts are described, for example, in U.S. Provisional Patent App. No. 63 / 602,225, filed November 22, 2023, and entitled “Direct to Bag Pick Carts for Use at Product Storage Facilities,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The support members 106a- 106c may be fixedly coupled relative to the frame 102, such that the support members 106a- 106c are not permitted to move relative to the frame 102.

[0026] The pick cart 100 has four wheels 104a-104d although, the cart 100 may have more or fewer than four wheels. To improve the maneuverability of the pick cart 100, the two rear wheels 104a and 104b may be swivel casters that permit the cart 100 to complete a full 360-degree rotation of the rear wheels 104a-104b. On the other hand, the two front wheels 104c and 104d may be directional lock casters, which include a locking mechanism (e.g., a stopper, a latch, etc.) that enables the cart 100 to lock the front wheels 104c-104d in any desired position (e.g., straight along the axis of movement of the cart 100), preventing the front wheels 104c and 104d from swiveling while locked.

[0027] The cart 100 may include one or more indicators 131 (illustrated as one or more lights in Fig. 1 for exemplary purposes although, any suitable aural and / or visual indicators may beprovided) coupled to the frame 102 of the cart 100 and configured to turn on to indicate various types of information. For exemplary purposes only, the light 131 of the cart 100 may turn on (e.g., in a red color) to indicate a problem with one or more of the bags 320 or the items on the cart 100. The light 131 of the cart 100 may turn on (e.g., in a yellow color) to instruct a worker to place a bag 320 or an item onto this cart 100 (instead of onto another cart 100 not having a yellow light 131 on at that time). The light 131 of the cart 100 may light up (e.g., in a green color) to instruct a worker (or a customer who came to the product storage facility 300 to pick up an order) to remove a bag 320 or an item from this cart 100 (as opposed to another cart 100 not having a green light 131 on at that time). As may be realized, any lights having any suitable colors may be employed.

[0028] Notably, the cart 100 does not have to include one or more lights 131 to instruct the worker as to which of the carts 100 to place a bag 320 of items thereon. For example, each of the carts 100 may have a unique identifier (e.g., a number, a color, etc.), and the worker may be instructed (e.g., via an audible or visible instruction) to place a bag 320 (or remove the bag 320 from) a cart 100 associated with a specific unique identifier. The unique identifier may be employed with the lights or in lieu of the indicator(s) 131.

[0029] The cart 100 may include indicators (e.g., lights) 133a-133c, with light 133a being positioned adjacent a first support member 106a (i.e., top shelf), light 133b being positioned adjacent the second support member 106b (i.e., the middle shelf), and light 133c being positioned adjacent the third support member 106c (i.e., the bottom shelf). These lights 133a-133c may be configured to be independently and selectively turned on (e.g., by a control signal via a local or remote-control circuit) to indicate to a worker of the product storage facility 300 a specific location on the cart 100 where to place a bag 320. For example, when the light 133a located adjacent the top support member 106a lights up, this serves as an instruction to the worker to place a bag 320 (or unbagged item) onto the top shelf 106a of the cart 100. On the other hand, when the light 133c located adjacent to the third support member 106c lights up, this serves as an instruction to the worker to place a bag 320 (or an unbagged item) onto the bottom shelf 106c of the cart 100.

[0030] The cart 100 may include additional indicators (e.g., lights) 135 positioned along each of the support members 106a-106c adjacent to each physical location where a bag 320 may be placed. For example, if each of the support members 106a-106c is sized and shaped to accommodate four item-containing bags 320 thereon, the support members 106a-106c may include four lights 135, each of which is located adjacent to (e.g., below) the physical location where each one of the four bags 320 may be placed on a support member 106a- 106c. For example, when the right-most light 135 on the top shelf 106a lights up, that may serve as an instruction to a worker to place a bag 320 onto the top shelf 106a in a location (i.e., right-most position) indicated by the illuminated light 135. On the other hand, when the right-most light 135 of shelf 106a lights up, that may serve as an instruction to a worker (or a customer who came to pick up an order) to remove a bag 320 located on the top shelf 106a adjacent to the illuminated light 135.

[0031] The cart 100 may include one or more sensors 137 (e.g., weight sensors, cameras, etc.) to detect the placement of a bag 320 (or an unbagged item - see Figs. 5, 8, and 9)) onto a support member 106a-106c. By the same token, the sensors 137 may detect when a bag 320 (or an unbagged item) is removed from a support member 106a-106c.

[0032] As will be discussed in more detail below, the cart 100 may be configured to move about the product storage facility 300 at a first (faster) speed in a first area 301a (see Fig. 9) of the product storage facility 300 accessible only by carts 100, and to move about the product storage facility 300 at a second (slower) speed in a second area 301b, 301c (see Fig. 9) of the product storage facility 201 accessible by both carts 100 and workers or customers of the product storage facility 300. In other words, the cart 100 is configured to move at a higher rate of speed in the first area 301a of the product storage facility 300 where only carts 100 and no humans are present, and to move at a lower rate of speed in second areas 301b-301c of the product storage facility 300 where both carts 100 and humans are present. Generally, limiting the maximum speed of the carts 100 to a slower speed in the second areas 301b-301c where people are present advantageously reduces the potential for undesired interaction between a person and a cart 100.

[0033] As will be also discussed in more detail below, the cart 100 may be coupled to a robotic transport unit 160, which, when coupled to the cart 100, enables the cart 100 to move about the product storage facility 300. The robotic transport unit 160 may be detachably coupled to the cart 100 (i.e., such that the robotic transport unit 160 couples to the cart 100 to move the cart 100 while coupled thereto, and detaches from the cart 100 and moves independently from the cart 100 when no further movement of the cart 100 is needed). On the other hand, the robotic transport unit 160 may be non-detachably coupled to the cart 100 (i.e., the robotic transport unit 160 may be integrated into the cart 100 so as to form a single unitary structure with the cart 100 and not intended to move about the product storage facility 300 independently of the cart 100).

[0034] The cart 100 and / or the robotic transport unit 160 may include one or more couplings, connectors, guide members, hooks, and / or apertures that may facilitate the detachable (or non- detachable) coupling of the robotic transport unit 160 to the cart 100. Examples of detachable and non-detachable attachments of a robotic transport unit 160 to a cart 100 are shown in U.S. Provisional App. No. 63 / 602,225, filed November 22, 2023, and entitled “Direct to Bag Pick Carts for Use at Product Storage Facilities,” incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0035] Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate an exemplary robotic transport unit 160 that may be coupled (i.e., detachably or non-detachably) to a cart 100 to move the cart 100 about the product storage facility 300. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the exemplary robotic transport unit 160 takes the form of a generally rectangular-shaped robotic device. However, the robotic transport unit 160 may have other shapes or configurations. For example, the robotic transport unit 160 may be disc-shaped, cubic, octagonal, triangular, or other shapes, may have two, three four, or more wheels, and may be dependent on the configuration of the pick cart 100 with which the robotic transport unit 160 is intended to couple.

[0036] The exemplary robotic transport unit 160 may include one or more sensors 162 that indicate the physical location of the robotic transport unit 160 and / or facilitate the docking of the robotic transport unit 160 to the cart 100 (such as where the robotic transport unit 160 detachably couplesto the cart 100). The robotic transport unit 160 may include one or more sensors 164 configured to receive a light source (or sound waves) emitted from light sources (or sound sources) around the product storage facility 300, and thus facilitate the determination of the location of the robotic transport unit 160 (e.g., via a location detection system 520) by a computer system 540. Instead of or in addition to one or more of the location / docking sensors 162 and 164, the robotic transport unit 160 may include a beacon 166 that facilitates the determination of the location of the robotic transport unit 160 via the location detection system 520 by the computer system 540 (see Fig. 5).

[0037] The sensor 162 of the robotic transport unit 160 may be configured to not just detect a physical location of the robotic transport unit 160 at the product storage facility 300, but to detect whether the robotic transport unit 160 is located in a first area 301a or in a second area 301b, 301c (see Fig. 9) of the product storage facility 300. A determination of whether the robotic transport unit 160 is located in a first area 301a or second area 301b or 301c of the product storage facility 300 may be made in response to the sensor 162 scanning a marker (e.g., light, beacon, bar code, floor markings, physical structure such as a rail, etc.) that is specific to the first area 301a (which would indicate that the robotic transport unit 160 is located in the first area 301a), or in response to the sensor 162 scanning a marker (e.g., light, beacon, bar code, floor markings, physical structure such as a rail, etc.) that is specific to the second area 301b or 301c (which would indicate that the robotic transport unit 160 is located in the second area 301b or 301c).

[0038] The robotic transport unit 160 may include a guide member (e.g., rail) coupling structure 165 that enables the robotic transport unit 160 couple to a guide member 170 (e.g., a rail, track, etc. - see Figs. 10-12), such that the robotic transport unit 160 may be guided in a desired (e.g., forward, rearward, etc.) direction along the guide member 170 while being coupled to a cart 100 and / or while moving independently of the cart 100 (e.g., while not coupled to the cart 100). In Figs. 1-2, the guide member coupling structure 165 is illustrated as including three wheels 167a, 167b, and 167c, which are located such that the first wheel 167a is positioned above the other two wheels 167b and 167c and arranged to engage atop guide member 172a (e.g., a top rail - see Figs. 10-12), and the second and third wheels 167b and 167c are positioned below the first wheel 167aand arranged generally side-by-side (e.g., on a common, generally horizontal axle) to engage a bottom guide member 172b (a bottom rail - see Figs. 10-12). It will be appreciated that the guide member coupling structure 165 is shown by way of example only and may have any other suitable configuration for engaging a guide rail(s), and that the guide member coupling structure 165 is an optional feature of the robotic transport unit 160, such that, in some aspects, the robotic transport unit 160 does not include the guide member coupling structure 165, and is not intended to couple to a guide member such as a rail 170.

[0039] As mentioned above, with the robotic transport unit 160 located in the first area 201 of the product storage facility 300, the robotic transport unit 160 may be programmed to move (independently or together with the cart 100) at a first (faster) speed (while coupled to or not coupled to a guide member such as a rail 170), since the first area 301a is reserved for carts 100 only, and the possibility of a undesired interaction with a human is negligible. On the other hand, with the robotic transport unit 160 located in the second area 301c of the product storage facility 300, the robotic transport unit 160 may be programmed to move (independently or together with the cart 100) at a second (slower) speed (while coupled to or not coupled to a guide member such as a rail 170), since the second area 301c is accessible by both carts 100, humans (workers, customers, etc.), and cars 390, and the slower speed of the robotic transport units 160 and the carts 100 lowers the potential for undesired interaction with people and property (e.g., a car).

[0040] With the robotic transport unit 160 and the cart 100 securely coupled to each other, the robotic transport unit 160 may receive movement-guiding signals from the computer system 540 (Fig. 5) and move, in response to these movement-guiding signals about the product storage facility 300 with the wheels 104a-104d of the cart 100 and the wheels (or other locomotory devices) of the robotic transport unit 160 all remaining on the floor of the product storage facility. The robotic transport unit 160 may not bear the full weight of the pick cart 100, since the wheels of the pick cart 100 rest on the floor. It will be appreciated that the robotic transport unit 160 and the cart 100 may be detachably or non-detachably coupled to each other.

[0041] With the robotic transport unit 160 in the correct and properly aligned position underneath the cart 100 (e.g., the correct position of the robotic transport unit 160 may be determined, for example, via the sensors 162 and 164 of the robotic transport unit 160), the robotic transport unit 160 may lift up or otherwise expand (e.g., via hydraulics, expandable members, or the like) such that the robotic transport unit 160 rises to a greater height relative to the floor on which the wheels 104a-104d of the cart 100 are located. As such, the wheels 104a-104d of the cart 100 are lifted up off the floor by the robotic transport unit 160, with the wheels (or other locomotory devices) of the robotic transport unit 160 remaining on the ground. The robotic transport unit 160 is able to bear the full weight of the cart 100 and move the cart 100 throughout the space of the product storage facility 300 with the wheels 104a-104d of the cart 100 being off the floor, while the wheels of the robotic transport unit 160 are in contact with the floor. It will be appreciated that the robotic transport unit 160 and the cart 100 may be detachably or non-detachably coupled to each other.

[0042] Figs. 3-4 show an exemplary cart 200 (which may be also referred to herein as a “pick cart’) for transporting (bagged or bagless) products at a product storage facility. Similarly to the cart 100, the cart 200 includes a frame 202, wheels 204a-204d mounted to and supporting the frame 202, and support members 206a-206c (e.g., a top support member 206a, a middle support member 206b, and a bottom support member 206c as shown in Fig. 3) mounted relative to the frame 202. Generally, the cart 200 may be otherwise identical to the cart 100, with the one difference being that, unlike the cart 100 that has a robotic transport unit 160 that is detachably coupled thereto, the cart 200 has a robotic transport unit 260 that is non-detachably attached (e.g., integrated into the structure of the cart 200 to form a unitary structure therewith) to the cart 200.

[0043] In Figs. 3-4, the pick cart 200 has four wheels 204a-204d that are akin to the wheels 104a- 104d of the pick cart 100. The pick cart 200 includes two additional wheels 262a and 262b, which are the wheels of the integrated robotic transport unit 260. While the robotic transport unit 260 is shown with two wheels 262a-262b, it will be appreciated that the robotic transport unit 260 may include one wheel or more than two (e.g., three, four, etc.) wheels. The exemplary cart 200 includesan optional handle 208, which permits a worker of the product storage facility 300 to grasp the handle 208 and manually move the cart 200.

[0044] The cart 200 may include an indicator 231 (e.g., one or more lights or any suitable visual and / or aural indicator(s)) akin to the indicator 131 of the cart 100 that is coupled to the frame 202 of the cart 200 and configured to turn on to indicate various types of information to a worker or a customer as discussed in more detail above. Notably, while the exemplary cart 200 is shown in Fig. 3 as not including indicators akin to the indicators 133a-133c of the cart 100, or indicators akin to the indicators 135 of the cart 100, or sensors akin to the sensors 137 of the cart 100, it will be appreciated that the cart 200 may include one or more of such indicators and / or sensors.

[0045] Similarly to the cart 100, the cart 200 may be configured to move about the product storage facility 300 at a first (faster) speed in a first area 301a accessible only by carts 100, and to move about the product storage facility 300 at a second (slower) speed in a second area 301b or 301c accessible by both carts 100 and workers or customers. This movement of the cart 200 about the product storage facility 300 is facilitated by the robotic transport unit 260, which is attached to the cart 200 non-detachably, i.e., with no intention of being detached during operation and not intended to move about the product storage facility 300 independently of the cart 200.

[0046] The cart 200 and / or the robotic transport unit 260 may include one or more couplings, connectors, guide members, hooks, and / or apertures that may facilitate the non-detachable coupling of the robotic transport unit 260 to the cart 200. Examples of non-detachable attachments of a robotic transport unit 260 to a cart 200 are shown in U.S. Provisional App. No. 63 / 602,225, filed November 22, 2023, and entitled “Direct to Bag Pick Carts for Use at Product Storage Facilities,” incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0047] The exemplary robotic transport unit 260 shown in Figs. 3-4 has a mounting plate 264, which permits the robotic transport unit 260 to be non-detachably attached to the cart 200 via a plurality of fasteners 266 (e.g., bolts and / or screws). The mounting plate 264 is shown as beingattached to the top surface of the bottom support member 206c (i.e., shelf) of the cart 200, but it will be appreciated that the mounting plate 264 may be attached to the bottom surface of the bottom support member 206c. Notably, the configuration of the robotic transport unit 260 is shown in Fig. 3 by way of example only and, the robotic transport unit 260 may have any other suitable shapes or configurations (e.g., may be disc-shaped, cubic, octagonal, triangular, or other shapes, may have any suitable number of wheels, and may be dependent on the configuration of the pick cart 200 with which the robotic transport unit 260 is intended to attach.

[0048] While not illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 for the sake of simplicity, it will be appreciated that the robotic transport unit 260 may include one or more sensors akin to the sensors 162 of the robotic transport unit 160 that indicate the physical location of the robotic transport unit 260. The robotic transport unit 260 may include one or more sensors akin to the sensors 164 of the robotic transport unit 160 that receive a light source (or sound waves) emitted from light sources (or sound sources) around the product storage facility 300, and thus facilitate the determination of the location of the robotic transport unit 260 (e.g., via a location detection system 520) by a computer system 540 (see Fig. 5). The robotic transport unit 260 may include one or more sensors akin to the sensors 166 of the robotic transport unit 160 that facilitate the determination of the location of the robotic transport unit 160 via the location detection system 520 by the computer system 540 (see Fig. 5). In other words, just like the robotic transport unit 160, the robotic transport unit 260 may be equipped with one or more sensors that permit the robotic transport unit 260 and / or the computer system 540 to determine a physical location of the robotic transport unit 260 and to control the speed of the robotic transport unit 260 at variable speeds while it moves through the cart-only access first area 301a of the product storage facility 300 and through the cart-and-human access second area 301b, 301c of the product storage facility 300.

[0049] Like the robotic transport unit 160, the exemplary robotic transport unit 260 illustrated in Figs. 3-4 includes a guide member (e.g., rail) coupling structure 265 that enables the robotic transport unit 260 couple to a guide member 170 (e.g., a rail, track, etc.), such that the robotic transport unit 260 may be guided in a desired (e.g., forward, rearward, etc.) direction along theguide member 170 while being coupled to the cart 200 and / or while moving independently while not being coupled to the cart 200. In the aspect illustrated in Figs. 3-4, the exemplary guide member coupling structure 265 includes three wheels 267a, 267b, and 267c, which are arranged such that the first wheel 267a is positioned above the other two wheels 267b and 267c.

[0050] As shown in Figs. 10-12, the wheels 267a-267c of the exemplary robotic transport unit 260 are arranged such that the top wheel 267a engages a top guide member 172a (e.g., a top rail), and the second and third wheels 267b and 267c are positioned below the first wheel 167a and generally side-by-side (e.g., on a common, generally horizontal, movable axle) to engage a bottom guide member 172b (a bottom rail). The top wheel 267a and the bottom wheels 267b-267c are arranged such that the top wheel 267a and the bottom wheels 267b-267c may move toward one another and away from one another. For example, the top wheel 267a is located further away (in a vertical direction) from the bottom wheels 267b-267c in Fig. 10 as compared to the relative locations of the top wheel 367a and the bottom wheels 267b-267c in Figs. 11-12.

[0051] Fig. 10 shows an initial engagement of the wheels 267a-267c of the robotic transport unit 260 of the cart 200 (only a portion of which is shown in Fig. 10) with the top and bottom rails 172a- 172b of an exemplary guide member 170. The top and bottom rails 172a- 172b of the guide member 170 are arranged relative to each other such that the middle sections 174a- 174b of the top and bottom rails 172a- 172b are oriented in parallel to each other and include substantially parallel portions 175a-175b, while the end sections 176a-176b of the top and bottom rails 172a-172b are arranged in a diverging orientation to each other and include non-parallel portions 177a-177b. As shown in Fig. 10, during the initial engagement of the guide member coupling structure 265 and the guide member 170, the top wheel 267a of the guide member coupling structure 265 engages the top non-parallel portion 177a of the top rail 172a of the guide member 170, while the bottom wheels 267b-267c of the coupling structure 265 engage the bottom non-parallel portion 177b of the bottom rail 172b of the guide member 170. Notably, at the time when the wheels 267a-267c of the guide member coupling structure 265 initially engage the top and bottom rails 172a-172b of the guide member 170, the vertical distance between the top wheel 267a and the bottom wheels267b-267c is the largest, due to the diverging orientation of the end sections 176a-176b of the top and bottom rails 172a-172b.

[0052] Fig. 11 shows the engagement of the wheels 267a-267c of the robotic transport unit 260 with the top and bottom rails 172a- 172b of the guide member 170 after the cart 200 (only a portion of which is shown in Fig. 11) has been moved further into the guide member 170 by the robotic transport unit 260 such that the wheels 267a-267c of the robotic transport unit 260 no longer engage the diverging portions 177a- 177b of the end sections 176a- 176b of the guide member 170, but instead engage the parallel portions 175a-175b of the middle sections 174a-174b of the guide member 170. As shown in Fig. 11, after the cart 200 is advanced further into the guide member 170, the top wheel 267a of the guide member coupling structure 265 engages the portion 175a of the top rail 172a of the guide member 170, while the bottom wheels 267b-267c of the coupling structure 265 engage the parallel portion 175b of the bottom rail 172b of the guide member 170. Notably, when the wheels 267a-267c of the guide member coupling structure 265 engage the substantially parallel portions 175a-175b of the middle sections 174a-174b of the top and bottom rails 172a-172b of the guide member 170 as shown in Fig. 11, the vertical distance between the top wheel 267a and the bottom wheels 267b-267c is less than the corresponding distance (shown in Fig. 10) between the top wheel 267a and the bottom wheels 267b-267c during the initial engagement of the wheels 267a-267c and the diverging portions 177a- 177b of the end sections 176a- 176b of the guide member 170.

[0053] Fig. 12 shows the robotic transport unit 260 moving the cart 200 (which is shown in its entirety in Fig. 12) along the guide member 170 while the wheels 267a-267c are engaged to the top and bottom rails 172a- 172b of the guide member 170. As mentioned above, depending on whether the cart 200 is located in a cart access only area 301a or a cart-and-human access area 301b-301c of the product storage facility 300, the robotic transport unit 260 may move the cart 200 at a higher rate of speed (e.g., at least 2 meters / second) or at a lower rate of speed (e.g., 0.5- 1.5 meters / second). As also mentioned above, the robotic transport unit 260 moves at the higher rate of speed in the cart access only area 301a and at the lower rate of speed in the cart-and-humanaccess areas 301b-301c. It will be appreciated that the guide member coupling structure 265 is shown in Figs. 3-4 and 10-12 by way of example only, and the guide member coupling structure 265 is an optional feature of the robotic transport unit 260, such that, the robotic transport unit 260 may not include the guide member coupling structure 265, and may not be intended to couple to a guide member such as a rail 170, but to move independently of a rail 170.

[0054] Fig. 5 shows an exemplary system 500 implemented in whole or in part at the product storage facility 300 for facilitating the movement of carts 599 that store product-containing bags 320 thereon (e g., on one or more storage members 106a-106c thereof). Generally, as shown in Fig. 5, the system 500 includes pick carts 599 (which generally represent carts 100 and / or 200) configured to store and move products (in bags 320 or bagless), as well as one or more robotic transport units 560 (which is generally representative of robotic transport units 160 and / or 260) detachably or non-detachably engaged (e.g., see robotic transport units 160 in Figs. 1-2 and robotic transport units 260 in Figs. 3-4) to a respective pick cart 500 (which may be a cart 100 of Figs. 1- 2, a cart 200 of Figs. 3-4, etc.). The system 500 further includes a computer system 540 in two- way communication with the robotic transport units 560, a database 570, and a network 525. It will be understood that the system 500 is shown in Fig. 5 by way of example only, and that more or fewer of such components may be included in the system 500. For example, the system 500 may include a location detection system 520 configured to detect the physical location of each cart 599 at the product storage facility 300 at any given time.

[0055] The product storage facility 300 may be any facility (e.g., warehouse, stock room of a store, product sorting facility, product distribution facility, or the like) where products are stored and / or sold. While the present disclosure refers to bags 320 in the context of the objects being moved around on the carts 599, it will be appreciated that the objects moved on the carts 599 do not necessarily have to be in bags 320 and may be moved around on a cart 599 while in containers other than bags 320 (e.g., boxes, bins, packages, or the like) or while bagless. The carts 599 may be moved around the product storage facility 300 for general order fulfillment purposes, and / or loading / unloading purposes.

[0056] As mentioned above, the robotic transport units 560 are located at the product storage facility 300 and are configured to move throughout the space of the product storage facility 300 while engaged to the carts 599 and while not engaged to (i.e., independently of) the carts 599. A robotic transport unit 560 may be configured to selectively and detachably couple to a cart 599 that is configured to support one or more bags 320 thereon. The robotic transport units 560 may not require the presence of, or physical operation by, a human operator and wirelessly communicate with, and are wholly or largely controlled by, the computer system 540.

[0057] The computer system 540 may be configured to control the movement of the robotic transport units 560 through the product storage facility 300 (e g., toward or away from a workstation 315, toward or away from a car 390 of a customer, etc.) based on a variety of inputs, control signals, etc. For example, the computer system 540 communicates with each robotic transport unit 560 via the network 525, which may be one or more wireless networks of one or more wireless network types (such as a wireless local area network, a wireless personal area network, a wireless mesh network, a wireless star network, a wireless wide area network, a cellular network, and so on), capable of providing wireless coverage of the desired range of the robotic transport units 560 according to any known wireless protocols, including but not limited to a cellular, Wi-Fi, Zigbee or Bluetooth network.

[0058] The exemplary computer system 540 is in two-way communication with the robotic transport unit 560 via the network 525. The computer system 540 may be configured to transmit at least one signal to one or more robotic transport units 560 to cause the robotic transport units 560 to move toward, engage with, control, disengage from, and / or move away from their respective carts 599 to facilitate the transport of bagless products or products in bags 320 on the carts 599 throughout the product storage facility 300. The computer system 540 may be configured to transmit at least one signal to a cart 599 to cause one or more lights 131, 133, and / or 135 to light up to provide a visible instruction / indication to a worker or a customer (e.g., to remove a bag 320 from the cart 599 or place a bag 320 on the cart 599) as described above.

[0059] The exemplary computer system 540 may be a stationary or portable electronic device, for example, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet, a mobile phone, or any other electronic device including a processor-based control circuit. As illustrated in Fig. 5, the computer system 540 may be configured for data entry and processing as well as for communication with other devices (e.g., robotic transport units 560) of the system 500 via the network 525 which may be a wide-area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), a personal area network (PAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN), or any other internet or intranet network, or combinations of such networks. The computer system 540 may be located at the same location as the robotic transport units 560 (i.e., at the product storage facility 300), or at a location remote to the robotic transport units 560 (e.g., a central or regional data storage facility).

[0060] With reference to Fig. 6, the computer system 540 configured for use with exemplary systems and methods described herein may include a control circuit 610 including a processor (e.g., a microprocessor or a microcontroller or any other suitable controller) electrically coupled via a connection 615 to a memory 620 and via a connection 625 to a power supply 630. The control circuit 610 can comprise a fixed-purpose hard-wired platform or can comprise a partially or wholly programmable platform, such as a microcontroller, an application specification integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array, and so on. These architectural options are well known and understood in the art and require no further description here.

[0061] This control circuit 610 can be configured (for example, by using corresponding programming stored in the memory 620 as will be well understood by those skilled in the art) to carry out one or more of the steps, actions, and / or functions described herein. The memory 620 may be integral to the processor-based control circuit 610 or can be physically discrete (in whole or in part) from the control circuit 610 and is configured to non-transitorily store the computer instructions that, when executed by the control circuit 610, cause the control circuit 610 to behave as described herein. As used herein, this reference to “non-transitorily” will be understood to refer to a non-ephemeral state for the stored contents (and hence excludes when the stored contents merely constitute signals or waves) rather than volatility of the storage media itself and henceincludes both non-volatile memory (such as read-only memory (ROM)) as well as volatile memory (such as an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM)). Accordingly, the memory and / or the control circuit may be referred to as a non-transitory medium or non-transitory computer readable medium.

[0062] The control circuit 610 of the computer system 540 is also electrically coupled via a connection 635 to an input / output 640 (e.g., wireless interface) that can receive wired or wireless signals from one or more of the robotic transport units 560. Also, the input / output 640 of the computer system 540 can send signals to the robotic transport units 560 indicating which location at the product storage facility 300 and / or which worker at the product storage facility 300 to move toward and / or which cart 599 to move toward and / or couple to, where to move the cart 599, and / or where to drop off the cart 599.

[0063] Still referring to Fig. 6, an exemplary computer system 540 may include a processor-based control circuit 610 electrically coupled via a connection 645 to a user interface 650, which may include a visual display or display screen 660 (e.g., LED screen) and / or any suitable input 670 that provide the user interface 650 with the ability to permit an operator of the computer system 540, such as a worker at the product storage facility 300 where the system 500 is implemented, to manually control the computer system 540 by inputting commands via touch-screen and / or button operation and / or voice commands to, for example, to send a signal to a robotic transport unit 560.

[0064] Such a signal sent by the computer system 540 may instruct the robotic transport unit 560 to one or more of: move toward and adjacent to a specific cart 599 selected by the computer system 540 and to couple to the cart 599; uncouple from and move away from a pick cart 599; and control movement of a cart 599 by virtue of controlling the movement of a robotic transport unit 560 (detachably or non-detachably) coupled to the cart 599 to cause the cart 599 to move toward a specific physical location (e.g., see Fig. 3, workstation 315, car 390 of a customer, etc.) and / or toward a specific worker at the product storage facility 300. Such a signal sent by the computer system 540 may control movement of a pick cart 599 that is not coupled to a detachable robotictransport unit 560 (i.e., a cart 599 which may have its own wireless transceiver, processor-based control circuit, and built-in locomotion system). It will be appreciated that the performance of such functions by the processor-based control circuit 610 of the computer system 540 is not dependent on actions of a human operator, and that the control circuit 610 may be programmed to perform such functions without being actively controlled by a human operator. The user interface 650 may include a speaker 680.

[0065] With continued reference to Fig. 6, the display screen 660 of the computer system 540 is configured to display various graphical interface-based menus, options, and / or alerts that may be transmitted from and / or to the computer system 540 in connection with various aspects of moving the carts 599 around the product storage facility 300. The inputs 670 of the computer system 540 may be configured to permit an operator to navigate through the on-screen menus on the computer system 540 and make changes and / or updates to the routes and destinations of the robotic transport units 560 and / or carts 599 at the product storage facility 300. It will be appreciated that the display screen 660 may be configured as both a display screen and an input 670 (e.g., a touch-screen that permits an operator to press on the display screen 660 to enter text and / or execute commands).

[0066] The computer system 640 may be configured to automatically generate a travel route for one or more carts 599 and / or robotic transport units 560 through the space of the product storage facility 300. This route may be based on a location of a robotic transport unit 560 and / or a pick cart 599 and / or the intended destination of robotic transport unit 560 and / or cart 599 and / or locations of structures / obstacles at the product storage facility 300. The computer system 540 may calculate multiple possible optimum routes.

[0067] The system 500 may correlate 2D and 3D maps of the product storage facility 300 with physical locations of objects at the product storage facility 300. Once the computer system 540 maps all objects to specific locations using algorithms, measurements and geo-location, grids may be applied to a map to designate access ways and blocked paths for the carts 599. Robotic transportunits 560 may use these grids for navigation and object recognition. In some aspects, such grids may be applied to 2D maps along with 3D models.

[0068] Referring again to Fig. 5, the computer system 540 may be configured to access at least one database 570 over a network 525. The computer system 540 and the database 570 may be implemented as separate physical devices as shown in Fig. 5 (which may be at one physical location or two separate physical locations) or may be implemented as a single device at the product storage facility 300 (or at a location remote to the product storage facility 300). The database 570 may be stored, for example, on non-volatile storage media (e.g., a hard drive, flash drive, or removable optical disk) internal or external to the computer system 540, or internal or external to computing devices distinct from the computer system 540. The database 570 may be cloud-based.

[0069] The exemplary database 570 of Fig. 5 is configured to store electronic data including, but not limited to: data associated with the products stored at the product storage facility 300, for example, location of origin of a product, destination of the product, storage requirements for the product (e.g., an indication whether a product is a product that requires storage at ambient, refrigerated / cooled, or freezer temperature), special instructions for the product, orders associated with the product, etc.; data associated with the pick carts 599 being used to store and / or move the products (e.g., location of a pick cart 599, destination of the pick cart 599, destination of a robotic transport unit 560 coupled to, moving toward, or moving away from a pick cart 599, identification of bags 320 and / or products on pick cart 599, etc.); data associated with the robotic transport units 560 being used to control movement of the pick carts 599 (e.g., location of each robotic transport unit 560, identification of the cart 599 being controlled by the robotic transport unit 560, route assigned to the robotic transport unit 560, etc.); and / or data associated with the computer system 540 (e.g., data transmitted by or to the computer system 540, data relating to the tracking and / or routing of movement of the robotic transport units 560 and / or pick carts 599, etc.).

[0070] As mentioned above, the system 500 may optionally include a location detection system 520 for purposes of providing input to the computer system 540 to enable the computer system 540 to determine the location of one or more of the robotic transport units 560 within the space of the product storage facility 300. For example, a location detection system may include a series of light sources (e.g., LEDs (light-emitting diodes)) that are mounted at known positions (e.g., in the ceiling) throughout the space of the product storage facility 300 and that each encodes data in the emitted light that identifies the source of the light (and thus, the location of the light). As a given robotic transport unit 560 or a pick cart 599 moves through the space of the product storage facility 300, light sensors (or light receivers) on the robotic transport unit 560 and / or on the pick cart 599 being transported by the robotic transport unit 560 may receive the light and can decode the data. This data may be sent back to the computer system 540, which can determine the position of the robotic transport unit 560 and / or of the pick cart 599 by the data it receives in real-time, since the computer system 540 is able to relate the light data to a mapping of the light sources to known locations at the product storage facility 300.

[0071] The optional location detection system 520 may include a series of radio beacons (e.g., Bluetooth low energy beacons) at known positions throughout the space of the product storage facility 300 that encode data in the emitted radio signal that identifies the beacon (and thus, the location of the beacon). In some aspects, as a robotic transport unit 560 and / or pick cart 599 moves through the space of the product storage facility 300, low energy receivers of the robotic transport unit 560 and / or of the pick cart 500 being transported by the robotic transport unit 560 receive the radio signal and decode the data. This data is sent back to the computer system 540 which determines the position of the robotic transport unit 560 and / or pick cart 599 by the location encoded in this radio signal, since the computer system 540 is able to relate the received location data to a mapping of the radio beacons to locations at the product storage facility 300.

[0072] The optional location detection system 520 may include a series of audio beacons at known positions throughout the space of the product storage facility 300 that encode data in the emitted audio signal that identifies the beacon (and thus, the location of the beacon). As a given robotictransport unit 560 and / or pick cart 599 moves through the space, microphones on the robotic transport unit 560 and / or pick cart 599 being transported by the robotic transport unit 560 receive the audio signal and can decode the data. This data is sent back to the computer system 540, which can determine the position of the robotic transport unit 560 and / or pick cart 599 by the location encoded in the audio signal it receives in real-time, since the computer system 540 can relate the location data to a mapping of the audio beacons to known locations at the product storage facility 300.

[0073] Each of the robotic transport units 560 and / or the pick carts 599 may include a global positioning system (GPS) tracking devices that permit a GPS-based identification of the location of the robotic transport units 560 and / or the pick carts 599 in real-time by the computer system 540. The optional location detection system 520 of the system 500 may include one or more video cameras, and video imagery captured by the video cameras may be provided to the computer system 540. This information may serve, for example, to help the computer system 540 determine the present location of one or more of the robotic transport units 560 and / or determine issues or concerns regarding the movement of the robotic transport units 560 at the product storage facility 300. For example, such information may permit the computer system 540 to detect an object in a path of movement of a robotic transport unit 560.

[0074] Fig. 7 presents a detailed schematic example of an exemplary robotic transport unit 560 of Fig. 5 (which may be, for example, a robotic transport unit 160 configured to detachably attach to and detach from the cart 100, or a robotic transport unit 260 configured to be non-detachably attached (e.g., integrated as a single unitary structure) to the cart 200). In the example shown in Fig. 7, the robotic transport unit 560 has a housing 702 that contains (partially or fully) or at least supports and carries a number of components. These components include, but may not be limited to, a control circuit 704 that includes a processor 706 that, like the control circuit 610 of the computer system 540, may control the general operations of the robotic transport unit 560. The control circuit 704 may include a memory 708 coupled to the processor 706 and that stores, for example, operating instructions and / or useful data.

[0075] The control circuit 704 is operably coupled to a motorized wheel system 710. This motorized wheel system 710 functions as a locomotion system to permit the robotic transport unit 560 to move within the product storage facility 300 (thus, the motorized wheel system 710 may more generically be referred to as a locomotion system). Generally, this motorized wheel system 710 will include at least one drive wheel (i.e., a wheel that rotates (around a horizontal axis) under power to thereby cause the robotic transport unit 560 to move through interaction with, for example, the floor of the product storage facility 300). The motorized wheel system 710 can include any number of rotating wheels and / or other floor-contacting mechanisms as may be desired and / or appropriate to the application setting. The motorized wheel system 710 may include a steering mechanism of choice. One simple example may include one or more wheels that can swivel about a vertical axis to thereby cause the moving robotic transport unit 560 to turn as well. Various examples of motorized wheel systems are known in the art. Further elaboration in these regards is not provided here for the sake of brevity save to note that the aforementioned control circuit 704 is configured to control the various operating states of the motorized wheel system 710 to thereby control when and how the motorized wheel system 710 operates.

[0076] In Fig. 7, the control circuit 704 is operably coupled to at least one wireless transceiver 712 that operates according to any known wireless protocol. This wireless transceiver 712 can comprise, for example, a Wi-Fi-compatible and / or Bluetooth-compatible transceiver that can wirelessly communicate with the computer system 540 via the network 525 as shown in Fig. 5. So configured, the control circuit 704 of the robotic transport unit 560 can provide information to the computer system 540 (e.g., via the network 525) and can receive information and / or movement instructions from the computer system 540.

[0077] For example, the control circuit 704 can receive instructions from the computer system 540 regarding directional movement (e.g., specific predetermined routes of movement) of the robotic transport unit 560 when coupled (or not coupled) to a pick cart 599 throughout the space of the product storage facility 300. These teachings will accommodate using any of a wide variety of wireless technologies as desired and / or as may be appropriate in a given application setting. Theseteachings will also accommodate employing two or more different wireless transceivers 712, if desired.

[0078] In Fig. 7, the control circuit 704 may be coupled to one or more on-board sensors 714. These teachings will accommodate a wide variety of sensor technologies and form factors. By one approach, at least one such sensor 714 can comprise a light sensor or light receiver. For example, when the optional location detection system 520 mentioned above comprises a plurality of light emitters disposed at particular locations within the product storage facility 300, such a light sensor 714 can provide information that the control circuit 704 and / or the computer system 540 may employ to determine a present location and / or orientation of the robotic transport unit 560 within the space of the product storage facility 300.

[0079] As another example, such a sensor 714 can comprise a distance measurement unit configured to detect a distance between the robotic transport unit 560 and one or more objects or surfaces around the robotic transport unit 560 (such as an object that lies in a projected path of movement for the robotic transport unit 560 through the product storage facility 300). These teachings will accommodate any of a variety of distance measurement units including optical units and sound / ultrasound units. In one example, a sensor 714 comprises a laser distance sensor device that determines a distance to objects in proximity to the sensor. In other examples, a sensor 714 comprises an optical scanning device to sense / read optical patterns in proximity to the sensor 714.

[0080] The sensor 714 may comprise a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag reader capable of reading RFID tags in proximity to the sensor. Such sensors may be useful to determine proximity to nearby objects, avoid collisions, orient the robotic transport unit 560 at a proper alignment orientation to engage, for example, a pick cart 599 or the like. The foregoing examples are intended to be illustrative and are not intended to convey an exhaustive listing of all possible sensors. Instead, it will be understood that these teachings will accommodate sensing any of a wide variety of circumstances or phenomena to support the operating functionality of the robotictransport unit 560 in a given application setting. The sensor(s) 714 may include any one or more of the sensors noted above.

[0081] The robotic transport unit 560 may detect objects along its path of travel using, for example, sensors mounted on robotic transport unit 560 and / or video cameras or other sensors / readers installed at the product storage facility 300, and / or sensors installed on the robotic transport unit 560, and / or via communications with the computer system 540. The robotic transport unit 560 may attempt to avoid obstacles, and if unable to avoid, the robotic transport unit 560 will notify the computer system 540 of such a condition. Using sensors 714 (e.g., distance measurement unit such as laser or other optical-based distance measurement sensors), the robotic transport unit 560 may detect and avoid obstacle(s) in its path, move around the obstacle(s), or stop until the obstacle(s) is clear.

[0082] By one optional approach, an audio input 716 (such as a microphone) and / or an audio output 718 (such as a speaker) may be operably couple to the control circuit 704. So configured, the control circuit 704 can provide a variety of audible sounds to thereby communicate with a worker or a customer at the product storage facility 300, or with other robotic transport units 560 at the product storage facility 300. These audible sounds can include any of a variety of tones and other non-verbal sounds. Such audible sounds can also include, in lieu of the foregoing or in combination therewith, pre-recorded or synthesized speech.

[0083] The audio input 716, in turn, provides a mechanism whereby, for example, a worker and / or a customer may provide verbal input to the control circuit 704. That verbal input can comprise, for example, instructions, inquiries, or information. For example, a worker may direct an instruction and / or query to the robotic transport unit 560. The control circuit 704 can cause the verbalized question to be transmitted to the computer system 640 via the wireless transceiver 712 of the robotic transport unit 560. The computer system 540 can process the verbal input to recognize the speech content and then determine an appropriate response. Such a response may comprise, for example, transmitting back to the robotic transport unit 560 specific instructionsregarding how to move (i.e., a specific route calculated by the computer system 540) to the location in the product storage facility 300 where a given pick cart 599 is located.

[0084] In Fig. 7, the robotic transport unit 560 includes a rechargeable power source 720 such as one or more batteries. The power provided by the rechargeable power source 720 can be made available to whichever components of the robotic transport unit 560 require electrical energy. With the robotic transport unit 560 coupled to a pick cart 599, the power provided by the rechargeable power source 720 can be made available to the pick cart 599 (e.g., a refrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment, etc. of the pick cart 599). The robotic transport unit 560 may include a plug or other electrically conductive interface that the control circuit 704 can utilize to automatically connect to an external source of electrical energy to thereby recharge the rechargeable power source 720.

[0085] Where the robotic transport unit 560 is configured to detachably attach to and detach from a pick cart 599, the robotic transport unit 560 may include a pick cart coupling structure 722 configured to operably couple to a pick cart 599 such that the robotic transport unit 560 is enabled to control directional movements of the pick cart 599 while operably coupled to the pick cart 599 via the pick cart coupling structure 722. As mentioned above, the robotic transport unit 560 may be non-detachably attached to the pick cart 599 and comprise an integral part of the pick cart 599 that is not meant to be detached. As used herein, this reference to “integral” will be understood to refer to a non-temporary combination and joinder that is sufficiently complete so as to consider the combined elements to be as one. Such a joinder can be made in a number of ways including by securing the robotic transport unit housing 702 to the pick cart 599 using bolts or other threaded fasteners as versus, for example, a clip (see, e.g., Fig. 3).

[0086] Where the robotic transport unit 560 is configured to detachably couple to a guide member 170 (such as a rail - see Figs. 10-12) extending along a floor of the product storage facility 300, the robotic transport unit 560 may include a guide member (e g., rail) coupling structure 725 configured to permit a pick cart 599 to couple to and move along a guide member 170 such as arail. A guide member coupling structure 725 including a top wheel 167a / 267a and bottom wheels 167b-167c / 267b-267c is optional and may not be included in all aspects of the robotic transport unit 560, since, as mentioned above, the robotic transport unit 560 may be configured to freely move about the product storage facility 300 while not being coupled to a guide member 170.

[0087] The robotic transport unit 560 may include an input / output (I / O) device 730 that is coupled to the control circuit 704. The I / O device 730 may provide for an external device to couple to the control circuit 704. The function and purpose of connecting devices will depend on the application. In some examples, devices connecting to the I / O device 730 may add functionality to the control circuit 704, allow the exporting of data from the control circuit 704, allow the diagnosing of the robotic transport unit 560, and so on.

[0088] The robotic transport unit 560 includes a user interface 724 including, for example, user inputs and / or user outputs or displays depending on the intended interaction with the user (e.g., worker at product storage facility 300). For example, user inputs could include any input device such as buttons, knobs, switches, touch-sensitive surfaces or display screens, and so on. Example user outputs include lights, display screens, and so on. The user interface 724 may work together with or separate from any user interface implemented at a user interface unit (e.g., smartphone, tablet, etc.) used by a worker at the product storage facility 300.

[0089] The robotic transport unit 560 may be controlled by a user on-site, off-site, or anywhere in the world. This is due to the architecture of some aspects where the computer system 540 outputs the control signals to the robotic transport unit 560. These controls signals can originate at any electronic device in communication with the computer system 540. For example, the movement signals sent to the robotic transport unit 560 may be movement instructions determined by the computer system 540; commands received at a user interface unit (in communication with the control circuit 704) from a user; and commands received at the computer system 540 from a remote user not located at the product storage facility 300.

[0090] The control circuit 704 includes a memory 708 coupled to the processor 706 and storing, for example, operating instructions and / or useful data. The control circuit 704 can comprise a fixed-purpose hard-wired platform or can comprise a partially or wholly programmable platform. These architectural options are well known and understood in the art and require no further description here. This processor 706 is configured (for example, by using corresponding programming stored in the memory 708 as will be well understood by those skilled in the art) to carry out one or more of the steps, actions, and / or functions described herein.

[0091] The memory 708 may be integral to the control circuit 704 or can be physically discrete (in whole or in part) from the control circuit 704 as desired. This memory 708 can also be local with respect to the control circuit 704 (where, for example, both share a common circuit board, chassis, power supply, and / or housing) or can be partially or wholly remote with respect to the control circuit 704. This memory 708 can serve, for example, to non-transitorily store the computer instructions that, when executed by the processor 706 of the control circuit 704, cause the control circuit 704 to behave as described herein. Notably, not all components illustrated in Fig. 7 may be included in all aspects of the robotic transport unit 560. In other words, some components illustrated in Fig. 7 (for example, the guide member coupling structure 725) may be optional depending on the implementation of the robotic transport unit 560.

[0092] Fig.8 shows an exemplary perspective view of the automated product storage facility 300 including a product storage structure 302, mobile robots 335, and a workstation 315. The exemplary workstation 315 is an order processing station, where products are picked (by the hand of a human operator or an arm of a robot) from totes 332 and placed into containers or bags 320 and / or onto one or more pick carts 599 according to some aspects described herein.

[0093] In the example shown in Fig. 8, two carts 100 each including a robotic transport unit 160 detachably coupled thereto are shown positioned adjacent the human operator 325 at the workstation 315. These carts 100 may b wirelessly directed and / or guided by the robotic transport unit 160 and / or a computer system 540 (see Fig. 5) from an initial location (e.g., a workstationarea 375, cart storing corral 370, product pick up area 380, etc.) to move toward the workstation 315 and into the positions shown in Figs. 8 and 9. By the same token, the carts 100 may be wirelessly directed and / or guided by a computer system 540 (see Fig. 5) via the robotic transport unit 560 to move away from the workstation 315 toward the product storage structure 302 located in the workstation area 375, a cart storage area (also referred to herein as a corral) 370, or a product pick up area 380 adjacent a car 390 of a customer, as shown in Fig. 9.

[0094] As mentioned above, The robotic transport unit 560 may be programmed to move (when attached to the cart 100 and when moving independently of the cart 100) about the product storage facility 300 at a first (faster) speed in a first area 301a of the product storage facility 300 accessible only by carts 100, and to move about the product storage facility 300 at a second (slower) speed in a second area 301b, 301c of the product storage facility 201 accessible by both carts 100 and workers or customers of the product storage facility 300.

[0095] The robotic transport unit 160 (and more generally robotic transport unit 560) is programmed to detect the area of the product storage facility 300 it is located in, and to autonomously control its speed of movement (independently of the cart 100 or together with the cart 100, or more generally cart 599) based on the area where it is located. For example, when the robotic transport unit 560 detects (e.g., via a sensor 162) that it is located in the first (cart-only) area 301a of the product storage facility 300, the robotic transport unit 560 is programmed to move through the first area 301a at a higher rate of speed (e.g., at least 2 meters / second). On the other hand, when the robotic transport unit 560 detects (e.g., via a sensor 162) that it is located in the second (cart-and-human access) area 301b or 301c of the product storage facility 300, the robotic transport unit 560 is programmed to move through the second area 301b or 301c at a lower rate of speed (e.g., 0.5-1.5 meters / second).

[0096] The computer system 540 may be programmed to obtain a location of the robotic transport unit 560 (e.g., via the location detection system 520) and to control the speed of movement of the robotic transport unit 560 (independently of the cart 599 or together with the cart 599) based onthe area where the robotic transport unit 560 was detected. For example, when the computer system 540 obtains data indicating that the robotic transport unit 560 is located in the first area 301a of the product storage facility 300 where only carts 599 and no humans are present, the computer system 540 is programmed to send a control signal to the robotic transport unit 560 to cause the robotic transport unit 560 to move through the first area 301a at a higher rate of speed (e g., at least 2 meters / second). On the other hand, when the computer system 540 obtains data indicating that the robotic transport unit 560 is located in a cart-and-human access area (e.g., 301c) of the product storage facility 300, the computer system 540 is programmed to send a control signal to the robotic transport unit 560 to cause the robotic transport unit 560 to move through the second area 301b at a lower rate of speed (e.g., 0.5-1.5 meters / second).

[0097] While Fig. 8 shows only two carts 100 at the workstation 315, optionally, less than two or more than two, such as three or more than three carts 100, may be located in proximity to the operator 325 at the workstation 315. Further, it should be noted that the carts 100 according to the exemplary aspects described herein do not necessarily have to be used in conjunction with the automated product storage facility 300 or the product storage structure 302, but may be used at any facility, where products are stored and / or transported from one location to another.

[0098] As noted above, instead of a human operator 325 picking the products / goods from the totes 332 and placing the products / goods into the containers / bags 320 at the workstation 315, the workstation 315 may include a robot with one or more robotic arms for picking the products / goods from the totes 332 and placing the picked products / goods into the bags 320, such as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent App. No. 17 / 338,814, filed June 4, 2021, and entitled “Robotic Each Picking in a Micro-Fulfillment Center,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. As used herein, a product or products that may be ordered by consumers may be referred to as “a good” or “goods”, an individual product or good may be referred to as an “each”, and individual ones of the products or goods may be referred to as “eaches.”

[0099] In the exemplary workstation 315 shown in Fig. 8, the bagging station (also referred to herein as a “bagging area”) 324 is shown as having three side-by-side containers / bags 320 (although it will be appreciated that more or less bags 320 may be located at the bagging station 324 of the workstation 315). Notably, the bagging station 324 does not necessarily have to be located between the picking areas 316 and 318, and may be located in another suitable location that is within reach of the operator 325. The container / bags 320 in the bagging station 324 may be made of cardboard, or of any other suitable material such as plastic, and may have sizes and shapes different from the exemplary containers / bags 320 shown in Fig. 8. As such, the bagging station 324 may store various types of bags 320 (e.g., plastic bags, paper bags, cloth bags, single use bags, multi-use bags, tote liners, etc.) instead of simply storing three identical bags 320 as illustrated in Fig. 8. Notably, while the exemplary bags 320 illustrated in Fig. 8 are not shown with handles, it will be appreciated that any of the bags 320 described herein may include handles that facilitate easier carrying of the bags 320 by the user.

[0100] In Fig. 8, the mobile robots 335 are shown as having brought the totes 332 to the picking areas 316 and 318, respectively of the workstation 315. The exemplary bagging area 324 of the workstation 315 is shown as being located between the tote presentation locati on s / pi eking areas 316 and 318, respectively, of workstation 315. The bags 320 may be automatically pre-loaded into the bagging area 324 at picking areas 316 and 318 via an optional container dispenser, for example, such as described in U.S. Patent App. No. 17 / 884,345, which is entitled “Container to Tote Dispense Integrated With Automated Storage and Retrieval System,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0101] Eaches (i.e., individual products) may be sequentially picked by the operator 325 from product tote(s) 332 on either or both picking areas 316, 318, after which the picked eaches are placed by the operator 325 into one or more bags 320 that are located at the bagging station 324 of the workstation 315. The operator 325 of the workstation 315 may be free to arbitrarily pick eaches from the product tote(s) 332 and / or to keep adding the eaches picked from the product tote(s) 332 to the container(s) / bag(s) 320 at the bagging station 324 in conjunction with orderfulfillment until the operator 325 deems the container(s) / bag(s) 320 to be full. The operator 325 may remove the container(s) / bag(s) 320 from the bagging station 324 and transfer such contained s) / bag(s) 320 onto a cart 100 arbitrarily chosen by the operator 325.

[0102] The determination of which bag 320 to place the product(s) removed from a tote 332 into may be made by a computer instead of the operator 325. For example, the bagging station 324 may include indicators (e.g., lights) 326 positioned adjacent each one of the bags 320 located in the bagging area 324, such that an indicator 326, when illuminated, indicates to the operator 325 the bag 320 into which to place the eaches picked by the operator 325 from a product tote 332 located in picking areas 316, 318. For example, when a light 326 located adjacent to (e.g., under) a bag 320 in the bagging area 324 lights up, that may serve as an instruction to the operator 325 to either place the item picked from a tote 332 into that bag 320, or to remove this bag 320 from the bagging station 324 and place this bag 320 on a cart 100. For example, if the indicator 326 located adjacent to a bag 320 in the bagging area 324 lights up yellow, that may serve as an instruction to the operator 325 to place the item picked from a tote 332 into that bag 320. On the other hand, if the indicator 326 located adjacent to a bag 320 in the bagging area 324 lights up green, that may serve as an instruction to the operator 325 to remove this bag 320 from the bagging station 324 and place this bag 320 on a cart 100.

[0103] One or more cameras or other suitable sensors may be positioned at the bagging area 324 (e g., above the bags 320), such that the determination of when a bag 320 at the bagging area 324 is sufficiently full of eaches is made not by the operator 325, but by a control circuit communicatively coupled to the camera(s) or sensor(s).

[0104] The loading of the carts 100 (and more generally carts 599) by the operator 325 may be controlled by a remote computing system (e.g., computing system 540 of Fig. 5). For example, as mentioned above, each cart 100 may include an indicator 131 (in the illustrated exemplary aspect, a light) coupled to the frame 102 of the cart 100 and configured to turn on in a pre-selected color (e.g., in response to a signal sent to the cart 100 by the computing system 540) to indicate that agiven one of the bags 320 filled with eaches at the bagging station 324 is to be loaded onto the cart 100. In other words, when a light 131 on one of the carts 100 located adjacent the workstation 315 lights up, this serves as an indication / instruction to the worker that the bag 320 located at the bagging station 324 is to be placed onto the cart 100 having its light 131 on at that time.

[0105] A cart 100 (and more generally cart 599) for placement of a full bag 320 therein is selected (e.g., by a control circuit of a computing device in communication with the cart 100) based on a first item of an order that arrives at the workstation 315, and the light 131 of the selected cart 100 is caused to light up (e g., responsive to a control signal sent by the control circuit of the computing device in communication with the cart 100). A control signal from a computing device in communication with the cart 100 may direct the cart 100 to a workstation 315.

[0106] Notably, the carts 100 (and more generally carts 599) do not have to include a light 131 to instruct the worker as to which of the carts 100 to place a bag 320 of items thereon. For example, each of the carts 100 may have a unique identifier (e.g., a number, a color, etc.), and the worker may be instructed (e.g., via an audible or visible instruction) to transfer a bag 320 from the bagging station 324 onto the cart 100 associated with a specific unique identifier.

[0107] After all bags 320 are transferred from the bagging station 324 onto their respective cart 100 (and more generally cart 599) and / or after the cart 100 has no space to store any more bags 320 or bagless products thereon, the full carts 100 containing the bags 320 filled with products (e.g., ambient products, chilled, frozen products) may be guided (e.g., via robotic transport units 560, the operator 325, another worker, a rail, etc.) to a cart storage area (e.g., a corral 370 or an order pickup area 380 where a car 390 of a customer may park). Then, at the order pickup area 380, a worker of the product storage facility 300 (or a customer who placed an order) may remove the bag(s) 320 containing the customer-ordered items from the cart 100 (or pick one or more of the customer-ordered products from the bag(s) 320 on the cart 100). As mentioned above, in some aspects, when a light 131 of a cart 100 lights up, this may serve as an instruction to a worker (or a customer picking up an order) to remove a bag 320 located on cart 100 with the lit-up light 131.

[0108] After the operator 325 picks the eaches from the product totes 332 on either or both picking areas 316 and 318 of the workstation 315, instead of placing the picked eaches into the bags 320 located at the bagging station 324 of the workstation 315, the operator 325 may place the picked eaches directly onto a cart 100 located adjacent the workstation 315. After the operator 325 picks the eaches from the product totes 332 on either or both picking areas 316 and 318 of the workstation 315, instead of placing the picked eaches into the bags 320 located at the bagging station 324 of the workstation 315, the operator 325 may place the picked eaches into bags 320 that are preloaded onto carts 100 located at the workstation 315.

[0109] Notably, instead of being placed onto the carts 100 by a worker 325 at the workstation 315, the bags 320 located on the carts 100 may be automatically pre-loaded into the carts 100 via a bag dispenser, such as disclosed in U.S. Patent App. No. 17 / 884,345, filed August 9, 2022, and entitled “Container to Tote Dispense Integrated With Automated Storage and Retrieval System,” incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Then, the carts 100 pre-loaded with bags 320 containing the products associated with the customer orders being picked up by the customers may move (e.g., via robotic transport units 560, the operator 325, another worker, a rail, etc.) to an order pickup area, where a worker or a customer may remove the bags 320 (or pick the products out of the bags 320) from the cart 100.

[0110] As mentioned above, the cart 100 (and more generally cart 599) may include a light 131. The light 131 may be configured to turn on (e.g., in response to a control signal sent by a control circuit 610 of a computing device 540) to indicate to a worker to place an unbagged item picked from the operator 325 into a bag 320 that has been pre-loaded onto the cart 100 (instead of into a bag 320 of another cart 100 not having a light 131 on at that time).[0U1] As mentioned above, the cart 100 (and more generally cart 599) may include lights 133a- 133c. These lights 133a-133c are configured to be independently and selectively turned on (e.g., by a control signal sent to the cart 100 by a control circuit 610 of the computing device 540) to indicate to a worker of the product storage facility 300 a location on the cart (e.g., top shelf 106a,middle shelf 106b, bottom shelf 106c, etc.) where a bag 320 into which the unbagged item should be placed is positioned. For example, when the light 133a located adjacent to the top shelf 106a lights up, this serves as an instruction to the worker that the bag 320 into which a given ambient storage item is to be placed is located on the top shelf 106a.

[0112] As mentioned above, the cart 100 (and more generally cart 599) may include additional lights 135 positioned along the support members 106a-106c. In one aspect, when the support member 106b (e.g., middle shelf of cart 100) is sized and shaped to accommodate four pre-loaded bags 320 thereon, the support member 106b may include four lights 135, each of which is located adjacent (e g., below) the physical location where each one of the four pre-loaded bags 320 are located on the support member 106b. For example, when the left-most light 135 the middle shelf 106b lights up, that serves as an instruction to a worker to place an item into the left-most bag 320 located on the middle shelf 106b.

[0113] As mentioned above, in some aspects, the cart 100 (and more generally cart 599) may include one or more sensors 137 (e.g., weight sensors, cameras, etc.) to detect the placement of an unbagged item into a bag 320 preloaded onto the shelf 106a-106c of the cart 100. By the same token, the sensors 137 may detect when an item is removed from a bag 320 located on a shelf 106a- 106c.

[0114] After each bag 320 is filled with eaches picked from the totes 332, the operator 325 may remove the container(s) / bag(s) 320 from the bagging station 324 and transfer such container(s) / bag(s) 320 onto a cart 100 (and more generally cart 599) arbitrarily chosen by the operator 325. As will be discussed in more detail below, the cart 100 may be wirelessly directed and / or guided by a computer system 540 (see Fig. 5) via a robotic transport unit 560 (which may be detachably or non-detachably attached to the cart 100), to move toward the workstation 315 and into the position shown in Fig. 8. By the same token, the cart 100 may be wirelessly directed and / or guided by a computer system 540 (see Fig. 5) via the robotic transport unit 560 to move away from the workstation 315 toward the product storage structure 302 or toward a cart storagearea (e.g., corral 380) or a product pick up area adjacent a car 390 of a customer, as shown in Fig.9.

[0115] Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of an exemplary aspect of an automated product storage facility 300 including a product storage structure 302, mobile robots 335 configured to move about the product storage structure 302 while transporting totes 332 and to bring the totes 332 to one or more workstations 315. At the exemplary workstations 315, the products / goods may be picked (by the hand of a human operator 325 or by a movable component of a robotic device) from the totes 332 and placed into bags 320, which may be located at the workstations 315 and / or onto one or more pick carts 100 (and more generally cart 599), which may be located adjacent the workstations 315, or stored (if needed, in a nested condition to save storage space) nearby the workstations 315. In Fig. 9, one pick cart 100 (although more than one cart may be provided) is shown next to a vehicle 390 of a customer to show that the pick cart 100 may be moved by a robotic transport unit 160 (or a hand of the operator 325, or another suitable method) from the workstation 315 to another location (e.g., product pick up area 380) inside or outside of the product storage facility 300. Notably, while Fig. 9 shows only carts 100 and robotic transport units 160, it will be understood that the carts 200 and the robotic transport units 260 may be used just as well at the product storage facility 300 shown in Fig. 9.

[0116] Fig. 9 shows the cart storage area 370, in this example, a corral (which may be fully enclosed as shown in Fig. 9 or only partially enclosed). Notably, the size of the corral 370 in Fig. 9 is shown by way of example only, and, depending on the size of the product storage facility 300 where the corral 370 is located, the corral 370 may have a significantly larger length, width, and area to accommodate more carts 100 therein. In the illustrated aspect, the first area 301a located inside the corral 370 is accessible only by the carts 100 (and more generally cart 599), and is not accessible by the workers or customers of the product storage facility 300. On the other hand, the second areas 301b and 301c, which are located on opposite sides of the corral 370, are accessible by the workers of the product storage facility 300 and the carts 100.

[0117] In Fig. 9, the cart storage area 370 includes one or more guide members 170 (e.g., one or more rails) that enable the robotic transport unit 160 to couple thereto via a coupling structure 165 of the robotic transport unit 160, and to travel in a desired direction along the guide member 170 while coupled to a cart 100 (and more generally cart 599) or while moving independently of (i.e., not coupled to) the cart 100. In Fig. 9, the guide members 170 (in this example, rails) are shown to be present only within the cart storage area 370 and in the order pickup area 380, but it will be appreciated that the workstation area 375 may also include one or more guide members 170 that would enable the robotic transport units 160 to couple thereto and to travel along.

[0118] Notably, it will be appreciated that the guide members 170 are not necessary to facilitate the movement of the robotic transport units 160 and the carts 100 (and more generally cart 599) about the product storage facility 300. For example, in some aspects, the robotic transport units 160 are configured to move about the product storage facility 300 without the aid of any guide members 170 and without the aid of any guiding markings on the floor of the product storage facility 300 and without the aid of any guiding lights positioned on or above the floor of the product storage facility 300. In other words, the guide members 170 may be absent from the cart storage area 370 and the order pickup area 380, and the robotic transport units 160 are not mechanically coupled to or guided by a guide member 170 such as a rail, but still travel at faster speeds in the first area 301a inside the cart storage corral 370 and at slower speeds in the second areas 301b and 301c.

[0119] As mentioned above, the robotic transport units 160, 260, 560 are programmed to move faster through the first area 301a (located within the cart storage structure 370) and slower through the second area 301b (workstation area 375) and second area 301c (order pickup area 380). As also mentioned above, the speed of a robotic transport unit 160, 260, 560 may be controlled, based on a determined physical location of the robotic transport unit 160, 260, 560, by a control circuit 704 of the robotic transport unit 560, or by a control circuit 610 of the computing system 540.

[0120] In other words, with movement of the robotic transport unit 160 coupled to a cart 100, 200, 599 (but not being coupled to a guide member 170 such as a rail) through the cart-and-human access area 301b of the product storage facility 300 as shown in Fig. 9, the robotic transport unit 160, 260, 560 is caused (either by its own control circuit 704 or by the control circuit 610 of the computing device 540) to move at a slower speed, thereby lowering the potential for undesired interaction with a worker. On the other hand, with movement of the robotic transport unit 160, 260, 560 coupled to a cart 100, 200, 599 (but not being coupled to a guide member 170 such as a rail) through the cart-only access area 301a of the product storage facility 300, the robotic transport unit 160, 260, 560 is caused (either by its own control circuit 704 or by the control circuit 610 of the computing device 540) to move at a faster speed, since the first area 301a is reserved for carts 100 only and the possibility of a collision with a human is negligible.

[0121] As mentioned above, the sensor 162 of the robotic transport unit 160 may detect whether the robotic transport unit 160 is located in a first area 301a or a second area 301b or 301c of the product storage facility 300. For example, the sensor 162 may scan a marker (e.g., light, beacon, bar code, floor markings, physical structure such as a rail, etc.) that is specific to a given one of the areas 301a-301c, which may enable the control circuit 710 of the robotic transport unit 560 or the control circuit 610 of the computer system 540 to determine the physical location of the robotic transport unit 160. With reference to Fig. 9, when the robotic transport unit 160 (more generally robotic transport unit 560) of a cart 100 (and more generally cart 599) is coupled to the guide members 170 (in this example, rails) located in the cart-only area 301a within the cart storage corral 370 of the product storage facility 300, the robotic transport unit 160 is caused to move along the guide members 170 at a rate of speed (e.g., at least 2 meters / second) that is higher than the typical human walking speed (e.g., about 1 meter / second), which facilitates the cart 100 arriving from point A to point B faster than if the cart 100 were pushed by a worker.

[0122] As pointed out above, robotic transport unit 160 (and more generally robotic transport unit 560) may move the cart 100 at the faster rate of speed within the area 301a even when the robotic transport unit 160 is not coupled to the guide members 170. On the other hand, when the robotictransport unit 160 of a cart 100 is coupled to the guide members 170 located in the human-and- cart area 301c (i.e., the product pick up area 380) of the product storage facility 300, the robotic transport unit 160 moves along the guide members 170 at a rate of speed (e.g., about 1 meters / second) that is slower than the rate of speed of the robotic transport unit 160 through the cart-only area 301a and that is about the same as the typical human walking speed, thereby reducing the potential injury that may be caused by a possible collision of the cart 100 being moved by the robotic transport unit 160 with a person. As such, the robotic transport unit 160 is advantageously caused to move at one (faster) speed while coupled to the guide members 170 in the cart-only area 301a, and at another (slower) speed while coupled to the guide members 170 in the cart-and-human areas 301b, 301c.

[0123] In the example illustrated in Fig. 9, two carts 100 each including a robotic transport unit 160 are shown positioned adjacent the human operator 325 at the workstation 315. In addition, one cart 100 (associated with a directional arrow) is shown as being moved (at a lower rate of speed, for example, 1 meter / second) by a robotic transport unit 160 toward a workstation area 375- side door 172 of the cart storage structure 170. Further, two carts 100 are shown with their respective robotic transport units 160 coupled to a guiding member 170 such as a rail, and moving (at a high rate of speed, for example, 2 meters / second) in the directions indicated by their respective directional arrows.

[0124] Some of the carts 100 (and more generally cart 599) are shown as being stationary (i.e., “parked”) in the interior of the cart storage structure 170. While all of the parked carts 100 are shown in Fig. 9 as being coupled to their own respective robotic transport units 160, as mentioned above, in some aspects, the robotic transport units 160 detach from their respective carts 100 after moving the carts 100 into their intended parking positions, then move independently of a cart 100 to another cart 100 (e.g., a cart located at the workstation 315 near the operator 325) that needs to be moved from one point to another, detachably attach to that cart 100, and move that cart 100 into its intended position (e.g., a parking space within the corral 170). The robotic transport units 160 may include a sensor 162 that enables the robotic transport units 160 to distinguish betweenparking spaces within the corral 170 that are occupied by a cart 100 and parking spaces within the corral 170 that are not occupied by a cart 100 (i.e., available for parking), such that the robotic transport units guide their respective carts 100 only to the available cart parking spaces within the corral 170.

[0125] In Fig. 9, one cart 100 (associated with a directional arrow) is shown as having exited a order pickup area 380-side door 174 of the cart storage structure 170 and being moved while coupled to the rails 170 (at a lower rate of speed, for example, 1 meter / second) by a robotic transport unit 160 toward a car 390 of a customer who came to the product storage facility 300 to pick up the items the customer ordered from the retailer. Notably, while only one cart 100 is shown in Fig. 9 as having exited a order pickup area 380-side door 174 of the cart storage structure 170 and moving along a first set of rails 170 toward a first car 390 of a first customer, since the exemplary corral 170 shown in Fig. 9 includes two order pickup area 380-side doors 174, it is possible that a second car 390 of another customer may be parked in a second parking space at the order pickup area 380, and another cart 100 may be simultaneously moved by its respective robotic transport unit 160 toward this second car 390 along the second set of rails 170.

[0126] A non-transitory program storage device readable by a machine may be provided, such as memory, for example, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine for performing operations as described in connection with the various aspects disclosed herein. Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may be utilized as the memory. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a non-transitory computer readable storage medium.

[0127] A non-transitory computer readable storage medium does not include propagating signals and may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portablecomputer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0128] Fig. 13 shows an exemplary method 800 of transporting a plurality of items at a product storage facility 300 via a cart 100 or 200 (and more generally cart 599) that includes wheels 104a- 104d or 204a-204d mounted to and supporting a frame 102 or 202. The method includes supporting, on at least one storage member (e g., shelf, tray, compartment, etc.) 106a- 106c of a cart 100 or 200, one or more ambient-temperature items, which, as mentioned above, may be placed directly onto the shelf or tray 106a- 106c or 206a-206c or into bags 320 that are then placed directly on to the shelf or tray (step 810).

[0129] The method 800 includes causing the cart 100 or 200 to transport the bags 320 and / or bagless items stored on the cart 100 or 200 about the product storage facility 300 at a first speed in a first area 301a of the product storage facility 300 that is accessible only by carts 100 or 200 (step 820). The method 800 includes causing the cart 100 or 200 to transport the bags 320 and / or bagless items stored on the cart 100 or 200 about the product storage facility 300 at a second speed in a second area 301b, 301c of the product storage facility 300 that is accessible by carts 100 or 200 and humans (step 830).

[0130] As pointed out above, several aspects of carts for transporting a plurality of items at a product storage facility and associated methods are described herewith.

[0131] The following are provided in accordance with the present disclosure and may be employed individually, in any combination therof, and / or in any combination of the features described herein:

[0132] A system for transporting a plurality of items at a product storage facility comprises a cart that includes: a frame; wheels mounted to and supporting the frame; and at least one storage member configured to store at least one of the items. The cart is configured to: move about theproduct storage facility at a first speed in a first area of the product storage facility accessible only by the cart and other carts; and move about the product storage facility at a second speed in a second area of the product storage facility accessible by both the cart and the other carts and workers or customers of the product storage facility, the second speed being slower than the first speed.

[0133] The system may include one or more of the following, employed individually or in any combination thereof: the at least one storage member comprises at least one of a tray, a shelf, a refrigerator compartment, and a freezer compartment; a robotic transport unit that is detachably coupled to the cart or non-detachably coupled to the cart and configured to move the cart about the product storage facility when coupled to the cart; the robotic transport unit includes at least one sensor configured to: detect the first area of the product storage facility when the robotic transport unit enters the first area or is located in the first area, and detect the second area of the product storage facility when the robotic transport unit enters the second area or is located in the second area; at least one guide member extending along the first area of the product storage facility, and wherein the robotic transport unit is configured to: cause the cart to move at the first speed along the at least one guide member when the cart is mechanically engaged to the at least one guide member, and cause the cart to move at the second speed along the at least one guide member when the cart is not mechanically engaged to the at least one guide member; the robotic transport unit includes at least one sensor configured to detect whether the robotic transport unit is mechanically engaged to the at least one guide member or not; the robotic transport unit includes a transceiver configured to receive a control signal that causes the cart to travel to a destination indicated in the control signal; the robotic transport unit includes at least one sensor configured to detect a cart movement path on or along a surface that supports the wheels of the cart, and wherein the cart is caused to move along the cart movement path detected by the at least one sensor; the robotic transport unit includes at least one sensor configured to detect an available parking space for the cart in the second area of the product storage facility, and wherein the cart is caused to move into the available parking space detected by the at least one sensor; and the robotic transportunit is configured to uncouple from the cart and to move toward and detachably couple to a second cart for moving the second cart about the product storage facility.

[0134] A method is provided for transporting a plurality of items at a product storage facility via a cart that includes wheels mounted to and supporting a frame. The method includes: supporting, on at least one storage member, at least one of the items; causing the cart to transport the at least one of the items by moving about the product storage facility at a first speed in a first area of the product storage facility accessible only by the cart and other carts; and causing the cart to transport the at least one of the items by moving about the product storage facility at a second speed in a second area of the product storage facility accessible by both the cart and the other carts and workers or customers of the product storage facility, the second speed being slower than the first speed.

[0135] The method may include one or more of the following, individually or in any combination thereof: the at least one storage member comprises at least one of a tray, a shelf, a refrigerator compartment, and a freezer compartment; coupling a robotic transport unit to the cart, wherein the robotic transport unit is detachably coupled to the cart or non-detachably coupled to the cart, and causing the cart to move about the product storage facility when the robotic transport unit is coupled to the cart; providing the robotic transport unit with at least one sensor and, by the at least one sensor: detecting the first area of the product storage facility when the robotic transport unit enters the first area or is located in the first area, and detecting the second area of the product storage facility when the robotic transport unit enters the second area or is located in the second area; providing at least one guide member extending along the first area of the product storage facility and, by the robotic transport unit: causing the cart to move at the first speed along the at least one guide member when the cart is mechanically engaged to the at least one guide member, and causing the cart to move at the second speed along the at least one guide member when the cart is not mechanically engaged to the at least one guide member; providing the robotic transport unit with at least one sensor and, by the at least one sensor, detecting whether the robotic transport unit is mechanically engaged to the at least one guide member or not; providing the robotictransport unit with a transceiver, and receiving, by the transceiver, a control signal that causes the cart to travel to a destination indicated in the control signal; providing the robotic transport unit with at least one sensor, and by the at least one sensor, detecting a cart movement path on or along a surface that supports the wheels of the cart, and causing the cart to move along the cart movement path detected by the at least one sensor; providing the robotic transport unit with at least one sensor, and by the at least one sensor, detecting an available parking space for the cart in the second area of the product storage facility, and causing the cart to move into the available parking space detected by the at least one sensor; and by the robotic transport unit: uncoupling from the cart; and moving toward and detachably coupling to a second cart for moving the second cart about the product storage facility.

[0136] The foregoing detailed description has been presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the description to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The described aspects were chosen in order to best explain the principles of the claimed devices and systems and their practical applications to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the claimed devices and system in various aspects and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the method be defined by the claims appended hereto.

[0137] It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the present disclosure. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the present disclosure. Accordingly, the present disclosure is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances that fall within the scope of any claims appended hereto. Further, the mere fact that different features are recited in mutually different dependent or independent claims does not indicate that a combination of these features cannot be advantageously used, such a combination remaining within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0138] What is claimed is:

Claims

CLAIMS1. A system for transporting a plurality of items at a product storage facility, the system comprising: a cart including: a frame; wheels mounted to and supporting the frame; and at least one storage member configured to store at least one of the items; wherein the cart is configured to: move about the product storage facility at a first speed in a first area of the product storage facility accessible only by the cart and other carts; and move about the product storage facility at a second speed in a second area of the product storage facility accessible by both the cart and the other carts and workers or customers of the product storage facility, the second speed being slower than the first speed.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one storage member comprises at least one of a tray, a shelf, a refrigerator compartment, and a freezer compartment.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a robotic transport unit that is detachably coupled to the cart or non-detachably coupled to the cart and configured to move the cart about the product storage facility when coupled to the cart.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the robotic transport unit includes at least one sensor configured to:detect the first area of the product storage facility when the robotic transport unit enters the first area or is located in the first area; and detect the second area of the product storage facility when the robotic transport unit enters the second area or is located in the second area.

5. The system of claim 3, further comprising at least one guide member extending along the first area of the product storage facility, and wherein the robotic transport unit is configured to: cause the cart to move at the first speed along the at least one guide member when the cart is mechanically engaged to the at least one guide member; and cause the cart to move at the second speed along the at least one guide member when the cart is not mechanically engaged to the at least one guide member.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the robotic transport unit includes at least one sensor configured to detect whether the robotic transport unit is mechanically engaged to the at least one guide member or not.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the robotic transport unit includes a transceiver configured to receive a control signal that causes the cart to travel to a destination indicated in the control signal.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the robotic transport unit includes at least one sensor configured to detect a cart movement path on or along a surface that supports the wheels of the cart, and wherein the cart is caused to move along the cart movement path detected by the at least one sensor.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein the robotic transport unit includes at least one sensor configured to detect an available parking space for the cart in the second area of the product storagefacility, and wherein the cart is caused to move into the available parking space detected by the at least one sensor.

10. The system of claim 3, wherein the robotic transport unit is configured to uncouple from the cart and to move toward and detachably couple to a second cart for moving the second cart about the product storage facility.

11. A method for transporting a plurality of items at a product storage facility via a cart that includes wheels mounted to and supporting a frame, the method comprising: supporting, on at least one storage member, at least one of the items; causing the cart to transport the at least one of the items by moving about the product storage facility at a first speed in a first area of the product storage facility accessible only by the cart and other carts; and causing the cart to transport the at least one of the items by moving about the product storage facility at a second speed in a second area of the product storage facility accessible by both the cart and the other carts and workers or customers of the product storage facility, the second speed being slower than the first speed.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one storage member comprises at least one of a tray, a shelf, a refrigerator compartment, and a freezer compartment.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising: coupling a robotic transport unit to the cart, wherein the robotic transport unit is detachably coupled to the cart or non-detachably coupled to the cart; and causing the cart to move about the product storage facility when the robotic transport unit is coupled to the cart.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing the robotic transport unit with at least one sensor and, by the at least one sensor: detecting the first area of the product storage facility when the robotic transport unit enters the first area or is located in the first area; and detecting the second area of the product storage facility when the robotic transport unit enters the second area or is located in the second area.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing at least one guide member extending along the first area of the product storage facility and, by the robotic transport unit: causing the cart to move at the first speed along the at least one guide member when the cart is mechanically engaged to the at least one guide member; and causing the cart to move at the second speed along the at least one guide member when the cart is not mechanically engaged to the at least one guide member.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing the robotic transport unit with at least one sensor and, by the at least one sensor, detecting whether the robotic transport unit is mechanically engaged to the at least one guide member or not.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising: providing the robotic transport unit with a transceiver; and receiving, by the transceiver, a control signal that causes the cart to travel to a destination indicated in the control signal.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising: providing the robotic transport unit with at least one sensor;by the at least one sensor, detecting a cart movement path on or along a surface that supports the wheels of the cart; and causing the cart to move along the cart movement path detected by the at least one sensor.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising: providing the robotic transport unit with at least one sensor; by the at least one sensor, detecting an available parking space for the cart in the second area of the product storage facility; and causing the cart to move into the available parking space detected by the at least one sensor.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising, by the robotic transport unit: uncoupling from the cart; and moving toward and detachably coupling to a second cart for moving the second cart about the product storage facility.

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