Method and system for assembling pallets for stock orders

• US 7,877,164 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2007
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dematic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Dematic Corporation
• Inventors: Ferrigni, Max Francis, Grunbach, Adrian Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford; Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): BURGESS, RAMYA PRAKASAM
• Application Number:
  US11/881,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20080199297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 700/217, 700/213, 700/216, 700/214, 414/404, 414/413.05, 414/266, 414/799, 414/331.05, 414/800, 414/801, 414/810
• US Class Current: 700/217
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1378 the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A method of assembling pallets 14, 20, 28 containing first stock units 50 for use in the fulfillment of stock orders, the method comprising the steps of providing a plurality of first pallets 14 each containing a quantity of the first stock units 50 and moving a portion of the first stock units 50 from at least one of the first pallets 14 onto one or more second pallets 20 in establishing desired quantities of the first stock units 50 in the first and second pallets 14, 20 for use in the fulfillment of the stock orders. In one form, the sequence of order fulfillment is controlled to increase the quantity of first stock units on the first pallets used in fulfilling the stock orders. A distribution system and control system is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of assembling pallets containing first and second stock units for use in the fulfillment of stock orders, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of first pallets each containing a quantity of the first stock units;

providing a plurality of second pallets arranged to receive the first stock units;

issuing instructions with a control system on the fulfillment of stock orders;

moving in response to an instruction from said control system a portion of the first stock units from at least one of the first pallets onto one or more second pallets in establishing desired quantities of the first stock units in the first and second pallets for use in the fulfillment of the stock orders; and

loading in response to an instruction from said control system at least one second stock unit onto both the first and second pallets to form a plurality of assembled mixed stock unit pallets.

2. A method according to claim 1, further moving a portion of the first stock units from the plurality of the first pallets onto at least one of the second pallets.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the control system establishes a desired quantity of the first stock units in the first and second pallets in a predetermined sequence.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said control system controls the predetermined sequence to increase the quantity of first stock units on the first pallets used in fulfilling the stock orders.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein said control system controls the predetermined sequence by arranging the stock orders into sub groups where the combined quantity of the first stock units in the sub groups is close to a predetermined value.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the predetermined value is the initial quantity of first stock units on the first pallets.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the assembled mixed stock unit pallets each have a required quantity of first and second stock units.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the required quantities of first stock units are substantially greater than any one of the required quantities of the at least one second stock units.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first pallets are provided as full pallets.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the second pallet is provided initially in an empty state.

11. A distribution system, comprising:

a plurality of first pallets each containing a quantity of first stock units;

a plurality of second pallets arranged to receive the first stock units; and

a control system operative to issue instructions on the transfer of first stock units from the first pallets to the second pallets so as to establish desired quantities of the first stock units in the first and second pallets for use in the fulfillment of stock orders, wherein said control system issues an instruction to transfer a portion of the first stock units from at least one of the first pallets onto one or more second pallets in establishing desired quantities of the first stock units in the first and second pallets for use in the fulfillment of the stock orders and wherein said control system issues an instruction for loading at least one second stock unit onto both the first and second pallets to form a plurality of assembled mixed stock unit pallets.

12. A distribution system according to claim 11, wherein the control system is arranged to issue instructions by any one or more of paper pick slips, voice commands and/or by indicators.

13. A distribution system according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined sequence is created by arranging the stock orders into sub groups where the combined quantity of the first stock units in the sub groups is close to a predetermined value.

14. A distribution system according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined value is the initial quantity of first stock units on the first pallets.

15. A distribution system according to claim 11, wherein the control system creates a predetermined sequence to establish the desired quantity of the first stock units in the first and second pallets.

16. A distribution system according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined sequence is created to increase the quantity of first stock units on the first pallets used in fulfilling the stock orders.