AUTOMATED ITEM HANDLING WITH RECONFIGURABLE TOTES

• US 20170036798A1
• Filed: 10/21/2016
• Published: 02/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grabit LLC
• Original Assignee: Grabit, Inc.
• Inventors: LEETTOLA, Matthew, ANNEN, Steven J., DUNCHEON, Charlie S., WINGER, Eric, ROY, Robert, BOURNES, Pat, WANG, Patrick, PRAHLAD, Harsha, KIM, Susan
• Granted Patent: US 10,745,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 59/00 Arrangements to enable machines to handle articles of different sizes, to produce packages of different sizes, to vary the contents of packages , to handle different types of packaging material, or to give access for cleaning or maintenance purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 59/001 Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the product to be packaged
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 59/003 Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the packaging material
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0233 Nestable containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/137 with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1373 for fulfilling orders in warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 65/00 Loading or unloading of vehicles B65G67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders

Abstract

Provided herein are solutions to automated material handling comprising systems that allow automated “each pick handling” without requiring the complexity of robotic grasping. Numerous examples of pre-configurable and reconfigurable transport containers, partitioning devices, and automated container configuration stations are described in addition to methods of use and associated material handling systems that utilize such containers. Further described are containers that are individually configured or customized according to specific lot sizes to more efficiently and optimally contain, store and distribute articles as a component of a picking system. Configurable containers or “totes” may be customized on a per-order basis to create optimally configured containers that maximize the use of space in a container, on a single-item-per-space basis, regardless of item quantity, size or volume, by customizing the size of each space within a container or tote. Still further, each containment area comprises a releasable surface that allows for picking of an item by utilizing gravity in lieu of a robotic gripper.

Claims

1-38. -38. (canceled)

39. A system for configuring a reconfigurable container the system comprising:

a container configuration station comprising an automated assembly device; and

configurable partitioning units;

wherein the configurable partitioning units are positioned or assembled by the automated assembly device to form the reconfigurable container, the reconfigurable container comprising optimized containment areas based on the number, sizes, and volumes of one or more items for which the reconfigurable container is configured.

40. The system of claim 39, further comprising a partition removal station, wherein the configurable partitioning units disassemble when a reconfigurable container fulfills a task.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the configurable partitioning units return to a storage inventory for a future reconfiguration.

42. The system of claim 39, wherein each of the optimized containment areas holds at least a first item.

43. The system of claim 39, wherein each of the optimized containment areas further comprises an addressable release surface.

44. The system of claim 39, wherein the reconfigurable container is assigned a unique identification for each configuration of the reconfigurable container.

45. The system of claim 39, wherein the reconfigurable container further comprises a release surface addressable to each of the optimized containment areas.

46. A method of using a system for configuring a reconfigurable container, the method comprising:

providing a container configuration station comprising an automated assembly device; and

providing configurable partitioning units to the container configuration station;

wherein the configurable partitioning units are positioned and assembled by the automated assembly device to form the reconfigurable container, the reconfigurable container comprising optimized containment areas based on the number, size and volume of one or more items for which the reconfigurable container is configured.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

providing a partition removal station, wherein the configurable partitioning units disassemble when the reconfigurable container fulfills a task.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the configurable partitioning units return to a storage inventory for reconfiguration.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the reconfigurable container is assembled for an inventory storage application.

50. The method of claim 46, wherein the reconfigurable container is assembled for an order.

51. The method of claim 46, wherein each of the optimized containment areas holds at least a first item.

52. The method of claim 46, wherein each of the optimized containment areas further comprises an addressable release surface.

53. The method of claim 46, wherein the reconfigurable container further comprises an addressable release surface.

54. The method of claim 46, wherein the reconfigurable container is assigned a unique identification for each configuration of the reconfigurable container.

55-98. -98. (canceled)

99. A reconfigurable container adapted for automated picking systems with an ordering system, the reconfigurable container comprising:

the reconfigurable container;

sub-units, smaller than the reconfigurable container, and configured to hold at least a first item,

wherein the sub-units assemble to each other create optimized containment areas within a transport container to fulfill an order provided by the ordering system,

wherein the sub-units are optimally configured and positioned based on the number, size, and volume of one or more items in an order to create the optimized containment areas within the transport container to receive and retain optimized numbers of the one or more items to fulfill the order; and

wherein each transport container comprises a containment surface comprising releasably lockable openings configured to have movable sections matching the size of each of the sub-units;

wherein the one or more items held within each of the sub-units is picked during automated order picking operations to release a first item contained therein when one of the releasably lockable openings of a first sub-unit is released.

100. The reconfigurable container of claim 99, wherein the sub-units divide the volume of the transport container into two sections along a first plane.

101. The reconfigurable container of claim 100, wherein the two sections are not equal in size or volume.

102. The reconfigurable container of claim 100, wherein the sub-units divide the two sections into one or more additional sections along at least a second intersecting plane.

103. The reconfigurable container of claim 102, wherein the at least second intersecting plane comprises:

a horizontal plane;

a transverse plane;

an oblique plane;

or

a diagonal plane.

104. (canceled)