Method and apparatus for a mobile robotic unit

• US 10,242,399 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2017
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ocado Innovation Limited (Ocado Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Myrmex, Inc.
• Inventors: Kanellos, Ioannis, Fainekos, Eugenios, Fainekos, Orestis
• Primary Examiner(s): Randazzo, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US15/595,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20170330269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/006 for stacking objects like trays, bobbins, chains
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/065 with self propelled cars
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/137 with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1375 the orders being assembled on a commissioning stacker-crane or truck
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2209/06 Use of order trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/063 Automatically guided
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0836 Recipient pick-ups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A method for managing inventory carriers using mobile robotic units (MRUs) in a pod that is configured to receive online orders at a replenishment station for pickup by customers at a delivery station includes receiving, by an MRU, instructions that identify a first inventory carrier, moving the MRU to a location of the identified inventory carrier, and using the MRU to transport the identified inventory carrier to the replenishment station for pickup by a delivery vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for vehicle delivery of an order using a pod having a plurality of containers, one or more inventory carriers each having a plurality of wheels to permit motion thereof and each configured to support one or more containers, one or more carrier bases each configured to support an inventory carrier and each including a plurality of rails for entraining wheels of the supported inventory carrier, one or more mobile robotic units (MRUs) each configured to propel an inventory carrier, and one or more mini load stations for manipulating containers, the method comprising:

transporting a first inventory carrier supporting a first container containing a first portion of the order from a storage location in the pod to a mini load station;

using the mini load station to transfer the first container containing the first portion from the first inventory carrier to a second inventory carrier;

transporting the second inventory carrier supporting the first container containing the first portion from the mini load station to a replenishment station of the pod; and

loading, from the replenishment station, the first container containing the first portion into a delivery vehicle for delivery to a customer,

wherein said transporting includes disposing the inventory carrier on a carrier base having rails in which the wheels of the inventory carrier are locked in place, and propelling the inventory carrier and carrier base using the MRU.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein loading the first container containing the first portion into a delivery vehicle includes loading the second inventory carrier supporting the first container into the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage location in the pod is in one of multiple temperature zones, in which the first inventory carrier is disposed based on temperature requirements of the first portion of the order.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the rails include a cavity for securing a wheel of an inventory carrier in position.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the pod is one of multiple pods of a hub-and-spoke arrangement with a fulfillment center, the method further comprising:

fulfilling the order at the fulfillment center;

delivering the order from the fulfillment center to the replenishment station of the pod, said delivering including;

disposing the first portion of the order in the first container and supporting the first container on the first inventory carrier for transport from the fulfillment center to the replenishment station, and

rolling the first inventory carrier on the wheels thereof; and

transporting the first inventory carrier supporting the first container containing the first portion from the replenishment station to the storage location in the pod by guiding the wheels of the first inventory carrier onto rails provided on a carrier base associated with the first inventory carrier and locking the first inventory carrier in the rails.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein locking the first inventory carrier in the rails includes dropping a wheel thereof in a cavity in a rail of a carrier base.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

transporting a number of inbound inventory carriers into the pod including guiding wheels of each transported inbound inventory carrier onto rails provided on a carrier base associated with the inbound inventory carrier and locking the inbound inventory carrier in the rails, the inbound inventory carriers including the first inventory carrier supporting the first container containing the first portion of the order, said transporting a number of inbound inventory carriers comprising;

determining slot availability within the pod;

if the number of available slots within the pod is equal to or exceeds the number of inbound inventory carriers, transporting the number of inbound inventory carriers into the pod;

if the number of available slots within the pod is less than the number of inbound inventory carriers, creating additional available slots by removing outbound inventory carriers from the pod, and then transporting inbound inventory carriers into the pod.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein locking the inbound inventory carrier in the rails includes dropping a wheel thereof in a cavity in a rail of a carrier base.

9. A pod for delivery of an order from a fulfillment center to a customer, comprising:

a plurality of containers;

one or more inventory carriers each having a plurality of wheels to permit motion thereof and each configured to support one or more containers;

one or more carrier bases each configured to support an inventory carrier, the carrier bases each including a plurality of rails for entraining wheels of the supported inventory carrier;

one or more mobile robotic units (MRUs) each configured to propel an inventory carrier;

one or more mini load stations for manipulating containers;

a memory;

a replenishment station;

at least one processor configured to execute machine executable code stored in the memory for performance of a procedure comprising;

transporting a first inventory carrier supporting a first container containing a first portion of the order from a storage location in the pod to a mini load station;

using the mini load station to transfer the first container containing the first portion from the first inventory carrier to a second inventory carrier;

transporting the second inventory carrier supporting the first container containing the first portion from the mini load station to a replenishment station of the pod; and

loading, from the replenishment station, the first container containing the first portion into a delivery vehicle for delivery to a customer,

wherein said transporting includes disposing the inventory carrier on a carrier base having rails in which the wheels of the inventory carrier are locked in place, and propelling the inventory carrier and carrier base using the MRU.

10. The pod of claim 9, wherein loading the first container containing the first portion into a delivery vehicle includes loading the second inventory carrier supporting the first container into the vehicle.

11. The pod of claim 9, wherein the storage location in the pod is in one of multiple temperature zones, in which the first inventory carrier is disposed based on temperature requirements of the first portion of the order.

12. The pod of claim 9, wherein at least one rail of each carrier base includes a cavity for securing a wheel of an inventory carrier in position.

13. The pod of claim 9, wherein the pod is one of multiple pods of a hub-and-spoke arrangement with a fulfillment center, the procedure further comprising:

fulfilling the order at the fulfillment center;

delivering the order from the fulfillment center to the replenishment station of the pod, said delivering including;

disposing the first portion of the order in the first container and supporting the first container on the first inventory carrier for transport from the fulfillment center to the replenishment station, and

rolling the first inventory carrier on the wheels thereof; and

transporting the first inventory carrier supporting the first container containing the first portion from the replenishment station to the storage location in the pod by guiding the wheels of the first inventory carrier onto rails provided on a carrier base associated with the first inventory carrier and locking the first inventory carrier in the rails.

14. The pod of claim 13, the procedure further comprising:

transporting a number of inbound inventory carriers into the pod by guiding wheels of each transported inbound inventory carrier onto rails provided on a carrier base associated with the inbound inventory carrier and locking the inbound inventory carrier in the rails, the inbound inventory carriers including the first inventory carrier supporting the first container containing the first portion of the order, said transporting a number of inbound inventory carriers comprising;

determining slot availability within the pod;

if the number of available slots within the pod is equal to or exceeds the number of inbound inventory carriers, transporting the number of inbound inventory carriers into the pod;

if the number of available slots within the pod is less than the number of inbound inventory carriers, creating additional available slots by removing outbound inventory carriers from the pod, and then transporting inbound inventory carriers into the pod.