Granted Patent B2

US 12,391,480 · App. 18/389,068 · Granted Aug 19, 2025

Inventor: Simon Kalouche (San Francisco, CA)

Assignee: Nimble Robotics, Inc.

B65G1/1376B25J9/026B60P3/007B65G67/24B25J15/00B60P1/36B60P1/43B60W60/00256

Abstract

Claims (37)

1. A system, comprising:

shelving and a plurality of containers arranged on the shelving, each of the containers having an open top; and

a piece picking robot, including:

a base moveable relative to the shelving in a horizontal direction;

a vertical post extending from the base;

a platform linearly moveable along the vertical post;

a suction system arranged to secure and move a select one of the containers from the shelving to expose the open top of the select one of the containers; and

a picking arm configured to pick an item from the select one of the containers after the open top has been exposed.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the piece picking robot includes rollers for moving the base in the horizontal direction.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the suction system is part of an extendable and retractable engagement device.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein a component of the suction system is configured to be secured to a side of the select one of the containers to pull the select one of the containers onto the platform.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the picking arm includes a suction cup.

6. A piece picking robot, comprising:

a base moveable in a horizontal direction;

a vertical post extending from the base;

a platform linearly moveable along the vertical post;

an extendable engagement system arranged to engage a container located on shelving and move the container toward the platform; and

a picking arm configured to pick an item from the container after the container has been moved.

7. The piece picking robot of claim 6 , wherein the engagement system comprises at least one engagement arm.

8. The piece picking robot of claim 7 , wherein the at least one engagement arm comprises a pair of engagement arms.

9. The piece picking robot of claim 6 , wherein the engagement system includes a suction system configured to be secured to a side of the container to pull the container towards the platform.

10. The piece picking robot of claim 6 , further comprising rollers for moving the base in the horizontal direction.

11. The piece picking robot of claim 6 , wherein the platform is slidable along the vertical post.

12. The piece picking robot of claim 6 , wherein the picking arm includes a suction cup.

13. A method of operating a piece picking robot including a base, a vertical post extending from the base, a platform, an engagement system, and a picking arm, the method comprising the steps of:

moving the base in a horizontal direction;

moving the platform linearly along the vertical post in a vertical direction;

extending the engagement system;

securing the engagement system to a container disposed on shelving;

retracting the engagement system and the container away from the shelving to expose an open top of the container;

picking an item located within the container using the picking arm; and

returning the container to the shelving after the item has been picked.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the engagement system includes a suction system and the securing step includes securing a component of the suction system to a side of the container.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the retracting step further comprises retracting the container onto the platform.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the picking step includes actuating a suction cup.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the moving the base step comprises actuating rollers.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the moving the platform step includes sliding the platform along the vertical post.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (4)

References Cited (66)