Amassing pick and/or storage task density for inter-floor transfer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- instructing retrieval of a first storage rack from a storage area of a storage floor to a consolidation area of the storage floor based on the first storage rack bearing a first container including a first inventory item designated for removal from the first container on a processing floor, the processing floor being separate from the storage floor;
instructing transfer of the first container including the first inventory item from the first storage rack to a transfer rack in the consolidation area;
instructing retrieval of a second storage rack from the storage area of the storage floor to the consolidation area of the storage floor based on the second storage rack bearing a second container including a second inventory item designated for removal from the second container on the processing floor;
instructing transfer of the second container including the second inventory item from the second storage rack to the transfer rack in the consolidation area;
instructing movement of the transfer rack to the processing floor;
instructing movement of the first container including the first inventory item from the transfer rack to a first shuttle rack to facilitate movement to a destination on the processing floor for removal of the first inventory item from the first container; and
instructing movement of the second container including the second inventory item from the transfer rack to a second shuttle rack to facilitate movement to a destination on the processing floor for removal of the second inventory item from the second container.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A transfer rack on one floor of an inventory system can receive multiple containers each carrying an inventory item designated for an operation on a different floor of the inventory system. A vertical lift can move the transfer rack carrying the multiple containers from the one floor to the different floor. On the different floor, the multiple containers may be swapped for different multiple containers each carrying an inventory item designated for an operation on the one floor. The vertical lift may return the transfer rack carrying the different multiple containers to the one floor.
12 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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instructing retrieval of a first storage rack from a storage area of a storage floor to a consolidation area of the storage floor based on the first storage rack bearing a first container including a first inventory item designated for removal from the first container on a processing floor, the processing floor being separate from the storage floor; instructing transfer of the first container including the first inventory item from the first storage rack to a transfer rack in the consolidation area; instructing retrieval of a second storage rack from the storage area of the storage floor to the consolidation area of the storage floor based on the second storage rack bearing a second container including a second inventory item designated for removal from the second container on the processing floor; instructing transfer of the second container including the second inventory item from the second storage rack to the transfer rack in the consolidation area; instructing movement of the transfer rack to the processing floor; instructing movement of the first container including the first inventory item from the transfer rack to a first shuttle rack to facilitate movement to a destination on the processing floor for removal of the first inventory item from the first container; and instructing movement of the second container including the second inventory item from the transfer rack to a second shuttle rack to facilitate movement to a destination on the processing floor for removal of the second inventory item from the second container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method comprising:
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instructing retrieval of a first shuttle rack from a processing floor to a distribution area of the processing floor based on the first shuttle rack bearing a first container including a first inventory item designated for storage within the first container on a storage floor; instructing transfer of the first container including the first inventory item from the first shuttle rack to a transfer rack in the distribution area; instructing retrieval of a second shuttle rack from the processing floor to the distribution area of the processing floor based on the second shuttle rack bearing a second container including a second inventory item designated for storage within the second container on the storage floor; instructing transfer of the second container including the second inventory item from the second shuttle rack to the transfer rack in the distribution area of the processing floor; instructing movement of the transfer rack from the processing floor to the storage floor; instructing movement of the first container including the first inventory item to a destination on the storage floor for storage of the first container including the first inventory item; and instructing movement of the second container including the second inventory item to a destination on the storage floor for storage of the second container including the second inventory item. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method, comprising:
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instructing retrieval of a first storage rack from a storage area of a storage floor to a consolidation area of the storage floor based on the first storage rack bearing a first container including a first inventory item designated for removal from the first container on a processing floor, the processing floor being separate from the storage floor; instructing transfer of the first container including the first inventory item from the first storage rack to a transfer rack in the consolidation area; instructing retrieval of a second storage rack from the storage area of the storage floor to the consolidation area of the storage floor based on the second storage rack bearing a second container including a second inventory item designated for removal from the second container on the processing floor; instructing transfer of the second container including the second inventory item from the second storage rack to the transfer rack in the consolidation area; instructing transfer of a third container onto the first storage rack into a berth vacated by the transfer of the first container to the transfer rack in the consolidation area, the third container including a third inventory item designated for storage within the third container on the storage floor; instructing movement of the transfer rack to the processing floor; instructing movement of the first container including the first inventory item from the transfer rack to a destination on the processing floor for removal of the first inventory item from the first container; and instructing movement of the second container including the second inventory item from the transfer rack to a destination on the processing floor for removal of the second inventory item from the second container. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification