Automated order sequencing method and system
First Claim
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1. An automated case order preparation system for cases, including means for providing the system with at least partial production pallets of cases of products, means for depalletizing cases from said pallets, means for palletizing a stream of sequenced said cases from an output sequencing conveyor to form a client pallet, and computerized means to control the operation of said system, the system comprising:
- means for forming handling units from depalletized said cases, said handling units comprising at least one linear grouping of said cases of one said products wherein a length of each linear grouping includes between two and a predetermined amount of individual said cases depending on the length and width of each said case of a corresponding said product;
a crane transporting at least one handling unit from a handling-unit forming area to at least one receiving case guide;
a crane attachment mounting on said crane to load and unload handling units from said forming means and to said case guide;
at least one removal apparatus, each said removal apparatus connecting to one said case guide being designated to contain said cases of said corresponding said products;
the sequencing conveyor at least temporarily connecting to a downstream end of each said removal apparatus, wherein an output of said conveyor being the stream of said cases in a predetermined sequence.
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Abstract
An automated case order preparation system including a crane for transporting groups of depalletized product cases to temporary storage on shelving, and to a plurality of gravity-powered case guides, for accumulating and dispensing cases to fulfill client order pallets.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An automated case order preparation system for cases, including means for providing the system with at least partial production pallets of cases of products, means for depalletizing cases from said pallets, means for palletizing a stream of sequenced said cases from an output sequencing conveyor to form a client pallet, and computerized means to control the operation of said system, the system comprising:
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means for forming handling units from depalletized said cases, said handling units comprising at least one linear grouping of said cases of one said products wherein a length of each linear grouping includes between two and a predetermined amount of individual said cases depending on the length and width of each said case of a corresponding said product; a crane transporting at least one handling unit from a handling-unit forming area to at least one receiving case guide; a crane attachment mounting on said crane to load and unload handling units from said forming means and to said case guide; at least one removal apparatus, each said removal apparatus connecting to one said case guide being designated to contain said cases of said corresponding said products; the sequencing conveyor at least temporarily connecting to a downstream end of each said removal apparatus, wherein an output of said conveyor being the stream of said cases in a predetermined sequence. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An automated case order preparation method for cases, including the steps of providing at least partial production pallets of cases of products, depalletizing cases from said pallets, palletizing a stream of sequenced cases from an output sequencing conveyor to form a client pallet and directing the operation with a computerized control system, the method further comprising the following steps of:
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a) forming handling units from the depalletized cases, said handling units comprising at least one linear grouping of one of said products wherein a length of each said linear grouping includes between two and a predetermined amount of individual said cases depending on the length and width of each said case of said one of said products; b) loading at least one of said handling units onto an attachment mounted on a crane, transporting said at least one handling unit, using said crane, to at least one of a plurality of receiving case guides and unloading said at least one handling unit from said crane-mounted attachment onto at least one of said case guides; c) forming a stream of a predetermined sequence of cases on one said output sequencing conveyor wherein said conveyor is at least temporarily connected to at least one removal apparatus at least temporarily connected to one said case guide, wherein said one said case guide is designated to contain cases of one of said products and wherein said control system directs the operation of the removal apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification