Edward L Macdonald

US Patent:

20220402736, Dec 22, 2022

Filed:

May 25, 2022

Appl. No.:

17/664948

Inventors:

- Wilmington MA, US
Todd KEPPLE - Wilmington MA, US
Edward MACDONALD - Wilmington MA, US

International Classification:

B66F 9/075
B66F 9/06
B25J 19/00
B25J 5/00
B62D 21/11
B62D 21/18

Abstract:

An autonomous transport robot for transporting a payload is provided and includes a frame with an integral payload support, a transfer arm connected to the frame for autonomous transfer of payload to and from the frame, and a drive section with at least a pair of traction drive wheels astride the drive section, the drive section being connected to the frame. The at least the pair of traction drive wheels have a fully independent suspension coupling each traction drive wheel of the at least the pair of traction drive wheels to the frame, with at least one intervening pivot link between at least one traction drive wheel and the frame configured to maintain a substantially steady state traction contact patch between the at least one traction drive wheel and a rolling surface over rolling surface transients throughout traverse of the at least one traction drive wheel over the rolling surface.

US Patent:

20220380126, Dec 1, 2022

Filed:

May 24, 2022

Appl. No.:

17/664838

Inventors:

- Wilmington MA, US
Edward A. MACDONALD - Wilmington MA, US

International Classification:

B65G 1/04
B60B 33/00
G05D 1/00

Abstract:

An autonomous transport vehicle, for transporting items in a storage and retrieval system, includes a frame, a controller, at least two independently driven drive wheels mounted to the frame, and at least one caster wheel mounted to the frame and having a castering assistance motor that engages the at least one caster wheel so as to impart castering assistance torque to the at least one caster wheel assisting castering of the at least one caster wheel. The controller is communicably connected to the castering assistance motor and configured to effect via a combination of vehicle yaw, generated by differential torque from the at least two independently driven drive wheels, and castering assistance torque from the castering assistance motor, castering of the at least one caster wheel with the autonomous transport vehicle in motion with a predetermined kinematic state.

US Patent:

20140277692, Sep 18, 2014

Filed:

Mar 17, 2014

Appl. No.:

14/215310

Inventors:

- Wilmington MA, US
Michael Cyrulik - Hollis NH, US
Aria Reynolds - Cambridge MA, US
Jason S. Sirois - Atkinson NH, US
Larry Sweet - Wenham MA, US
Edward A. MacDonald - Somerville MA, US
Taylor A. Apgar - Boston MA, US
Timothy Perrault - Ipswich MA, US
Stephen C. Toebes - Sunderland MA, US

Assignee:

Symbotic, LLC - Wilmington MA

International Classification:

B65G 1/137

US Classification:

700216, 700218

Abstract:

An autonomous rover including a frame having a first end and a second end longitudinally spaced from the first end and forming a payload bay, the payload bay being sized to support a pickface, a common active registration surface configured to engage the pickface, and a drive section connected to the common active registration surface, the drive section being configured to variably position the common active registration surface relative to at least one storage shelf of an automated storage and retrieval system to effect placement of the pickface on the storage shelf so that pickfaces are substantially continuously arranged along the at least one storage shelf with a predetermined storage spacing between the pickfaces.