SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ORDER PROCESSING

• US 20160129587A1
• Filed: 06/12/2014
• Published: 05/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ocado Innovation Limited (Ocado Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Ocado Innovation Limited (Ocado Group PLC)
• Inventors: LINDBO, Lars Sverker Ture, INGRAM-TEDD, Andrew John, NORTH, Stuart Richard
• Granted Patent: US 9,796,080 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0093 co-operating with conveyor means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0096 co-operating with a working support, e.g. work-table
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/02 Containers specially shaped, or provided with fittings or attachments, to facilitate nesting, stacking, or joining together stackable containers of polygonal cross-section formed by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/001
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0209 stackable or joined together one-upon-the-other in the upright or upside-down position B65D21/0234, B65D21/0235 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0233 Nestable containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0464 with access from above
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/065 with self propelled cars
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1378 the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4189 characterised by the transport system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/02 Arm motion controller

Abstract

Systems 1000, methods, and machine-executable coded instruction sets for the fully- and/or partly automated handling of goods. In particular, the disclosure provides improvements in the storage and retrieval of storage and delivery containers in order processing systems.

Claims

10-1. The system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one mechanism includes a suction device.

12. A method of operating an order processing system comprising a goods storage and retrieval system, the method comprising:

storing, via at least one robotic load handler, in at least one of a plurality of storage locations in the storage and retrieval system a plurality of storage containers containing stored items;

storing, via the at least one robotic load handler, in at least one of the plurality of adjacent stacks a plurality of delivery containers; and

retrieving, via the at least one robotic load handler, from at least one of a plurality of storage locations a plurality of containers containing at least one of the delivery containers, and delivering the retrieved containers to an order picking station.

13. The method according to claim 12, comprising:

storing each of the plurality of delivery containers into a storage container for storage in at least one of the plurality of storage locations.

14. The method according to claim 12, comprising:

storing, via the at least one robotic load handler, in at least one of the plurality of adjacent stacks at least one delivery containers containing at least one picked item.

15. The method according to claim 12, comprising:

storing, via the at least one robotic load handler, in at least one of the plurality of adjacent stacks at least one partially or fully-picked delivery containers.

16. The method according to claim 15, comprising:

retrieving, via the at least one robotic load handler, from at least one of a plurality of storage locations at least one of the delivery containers for dispatch.

17. The method according to claim 16 comprising:

removing, with at least one lifter mechanism, the at least one delivery container received for dispatch from at least one storage container.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the at least one storage container from which the delivery container is removed includes one or more apertures or cutouts, and removing the delivery container comprises:

at least initiating removal, via the apertures or cutouts, the respective at least one delivery container.

19. The method according to claim 12, comprising:

placing an empty delivery container in a storage container after a delivery container containing items has been removed from the storage container.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of delivery containers is nestable with at least one other delivery container.

21. (canceled)