Rover charging system

Abstract

A charging system for an autonomous rover includes a charging interface with contacts that interface with the autonomous rover, a rover power source for the autonomous rover, and circuitry operated by the autonomous rover for controlling charging of the rover power source.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A charging system for a storage and retrieval system autonomous rover of a storage and retrieval system, where the storage and retrieval system includes travel surfaces on which the storage and retrieval system autonomous rover travels and storage spaces to and from which the storage and retrieval system autonomous rover transfers storage consumer products, the charging system comprises:
 one or more charging stations disposed adjacent the travel surfaces and configured to engage the storage and retrieval system autonomous rover travelling on the travel surface for transport of the storage consumer products, each of the charging stations comprising a charging supply; and   a power source for the autonomous rover;   wherein autonomous rover entry to a charging station and control of an output of the one or more charging stations by the storage and retrieval system autonomous rover is disunited and independent from a predetermined charging station output energization status existing when the autonomous rover accesses the charging station so that there is no charging control loop between the storage and retrieval system autonomous rover and the one or more charging stations and the predetermined charging station output energization status remains upon access of the autonomous rover to the charging station and through charging of the autonomous rover.   
     
     
         2 . The charging system of  claim 1 , wherein an output of the charging supply is enabled when the rover accesses and de-accesses a respective charging station. 
     
     
         3 . The charging system of  claim 1 , wherein the charging supply is configured to switch between one or more of a constant current output mode, a constant voltage output mode, and a constant power output mode. 
     
     
         4 . The charging system of  claim 3 , wherein switching between different output modes is automatically effected by one or more of the charging supply and by commands received from the circuitry operated by the autonomous rover. 
     
     
         5 . The charging system of  claim 1 , further comprising circuitry on-board and operated by the storage and retrieval system autonomous rover, the circuitry being configured to turn charging of the autonomous rover on and off disunited and independent of the charging station output energization status when the autonomous rover accesses and de-accesses the contacts. 
     
     
         6 . The charging system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more charging stations includes at least one charging pad, and each charging pad of the at least one charging pad of a respective charging station is disposed in a floor on which the storage and retrieval system autonomous rover travels, the at least one charging pad being configured to interface with an autonomous rover charging pad that is mounted to an underside of the autonomous rover and faces the floor. 
     
     
         7 . A charging system for an autonomous rover, the charging system comprises:
 a charging station having contacts configured to engage the autonomous rover;   a power source for the autonomous rover; and   circuitry operated by the autonomous rover, the circuitry being configured to cause an output of the charging station to change between a safe and unsafe state to effect a hot swap entry and departure of the autonomous rover with respect to the charging station.   
     
     
         8 . The charging system of  claim 7 , wherein an output of the charging station is enabled when the rover accesses and de-accesses the contacts. 
     
     
         9 . The charging system of  claim 7 , wherein the charging supply is configured to switch between one or more of a constant current output mode, a constant voltage output mode, and a constant power output mode. 
     
     
         10 . The charging system of  claim 9 , wherein switching between different output modes may be effected by one or more of automatically by the charging supply and by commands received from the circuitry operated by the autonomous rover. 
     
     
         11 . A charging system for an autonomous rover, the charging system comprises:
 a system controller; and   a charging station with one or more charging interfaces configured to engage the autonomous rover for charging;   wherein entry to the charging station is under control of the autonomous rover and independent of the system controller.   
     
     
         12 . The charging system of  claim 11 , wherein an output of the charging interface is energized when the autonomous rover accesses and de-accesses the contacts. 
     
     
         13 . The charging system of  claim 11 , wherein entry to the charging station is independent of communication between the autonomous rover and the system controller. 
     
     
         14 . A charging system for a storage and retrieval system autonomous rover, the charging system comprising:
 a system controller; and   a charging station with one or more charging interfaces configured to engage the storage and retrieval system autonomous rover for charging;   wherein the charging station is configured so that the storage and retrieval system autonomous rover independently controls both an output and a mode of charging of the charging station after autonomous rover contact is made with the one or more charging interfaces, and where an energization of contacts of the one or more charging interfaces at autonomous rover entry to the charging station is disunited from a predetermined charging station output energization status existing when the autonomous rover accesses the charging station and the predetermined charging station output energization status remains upon access of the autonomous rover to the charging station and through charging of the autonomous rover.   
     
     
         15 . The charging system of  claim 14 , wherein an output of the charging interface is energized when the autonomous rover accesses and de-accesses contacts of the one or more charging interfaces. 
     
     
         16 . The charging system of  claim 14 , wherein entry to the charging station is independent of communication between the autonomous rover and the system controller. 
     
     
         17 . A method for charging a storage and retrieval system autonomous rover, the method comprising:
 providing a charging station with one or more charging interfaces configured to engage the storage and retrieval system autonomous rover for charging;   independently controlling, with the storage and retrieval system autonomous rover, both an output of the charging station and a mode of charging the storage and retrieval system autonomous rover by the charging station, after autonomous rover contact is made with the one or more charging interfaces, and where an energization of contacts of the one or more charging interfaces at autonomous rover entry to the charging station is disunited from a predetermined charging station output energization status existing when the autonomous rover accesses the charging station and the predetermined charging station output energization status remains upon access of the autonomous rover to the charging station and through charging of the autonomous rover.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein an output of the charging interface is energized when the storage and retrieval system autonomous rover accesses and de-accesses contacts of the one or more charging interfaces. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein entry to the charging station is independent of communication between the autonomous rover and a charging system controller.