GOODS TO ROBOT FOR ORDER FULFILLMENT

• US 20140244026A1
• Filed: 02/24/2014
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligrated Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intelligrated Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Neiser, Raymond R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,481,518 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/216
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1373 for fulfilling orders in warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1378 the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas

Abstract

An order fulfillment system and method uses a robotic arm having an end effector for grasping an object. An arcuate structure is moveable within reach of the robotic arm. A conveyor system brings inventory to the arcuate structure and takes a container that holds picked inventory away from the arcuate structure. A control system fulfills an order by directing the conveyor system to bring inventory to the arcuate structure, positioning the inventory on the arcuate structure relative to the robotic arm, determining a selected inventory item for an order, commanding the robotic arm to move the selected inventory item from a pick location of the selected inventory item to a container location for the order, and directing the conveyor system to take the container from the arcuate structure.

Claims

1. An order fulfillment system, comprising:

a robotic arm having an end effector for grasping an object;

an arcuate structure moveable within reach of the robotic arm;

a conveyor system to bring inventory to the arcuate structure and to take a container that holds picked inventory away from the arcuate structure; and

a control system for fulfilling an order by

directing the conveyor system to bring inventory to the arcuate structure,

positioning the inventory on the arcuate structure relative to the robotic arm,

determining a selected inventory item for an order,

commanding the robotic arm to move the selected inventory item from a pick location of the selected inventory item to a container location for the order, and

directing the conveyor system to take the container from the arcuate structure.

2. The order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein the arcuate structure comprises an upper arcuate structure and a lower arcuate structure.

3. The order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein the inventory and the container for the order are on different ones of the upper and lower arcuate structures.

4. The order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein the arcuate structure comprises a ring turntable.

5. The order fulfillment system of claim 4, wherein the ring turntable comprises a cross belt loop sorter.

6. The order fulfillment system of claim 1, further comprising a second robotic arm, each of robotic arms position to reach a respective portion of the arcuate structure.

7. The order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein the robotic arm and the arcuate structure comprise a first picking station, the order fulfillment system further comprising a second picking station, wherein the control system is for fulfilling the order by picking another selected inventory item from the second picking station, and wherein the conveyance system further conveys a selected one of the container and the another selected inventory item between the first and second picking stations.

9. The order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein the control system is further to position the inventory on the arcuate structure by rotating the arcuate structure to align a selected position to a conveyor.

10. The order fulfillment system of claim 9, wherein the control system is further to simultaneously move the arcuate structure while commanding the robotic arm to move the selected inventory item from the pick location of the selected inventory item to a container location for the order.

8. The order fulfillment system of claim 8, further comprising an automated storage and retrieval system attached to the conveyor system.

11. A method for order fulfillment, comprising:

directing a conveyor system to bring inventory to an arcuate structure that is moveable within reach of a robotic arm having an end effector for grasping an object;

positioning the inventory on the arcuate structure relative to the robotic arm;

determining a selected inventory item for an order;

commanding the robotic arm to move the selected inventory item from a pick location of the selected inventory item to a container location for the order; and

directing the conveyor system to take the container from the arcuate structure.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the arcuate structure comprises an upper arcuate structure and a lower arcuate structure.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the inventory and the container for the order are on different ones of the upper and lower arcuate structures.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the arcuate structure comprises a ring turntable.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the ring turntable comprises a cross belt loop sorter.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising a second robotic arm, each of robotic arms position to reach a respective portion of the arcuate structure.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the robotic arm and the arcuate structure comprise a first picking station, the order fulfillment system further comprising a second picking station, wherein fulfilling the order by picking another selected inventory item from the second picking station, and conveying a selected one of the container and the another selected inventory item between the first and second picking stations.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising conveying inventory from an automated storage and retrieval system attached to the conveyor system.

19. The method of claim 11, further positioning the inventory on the arcuate structure by rotating the arcuate structure to align a selected position to a conveyor.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising simultaneously moving the arcuate structure while commanding the robotic arm to move the selected inventory item from the pick location of the selected inventory item to a container location for the order.