Bin-module based automated storage and retrieval system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10280001-B2
Application number	US-201214442027-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2012
Priority date	Nov 15, 2012
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

A bin-module based automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) includes a plurality of storage shelves, each removably supporting a plurality of bin modules. Each bin module includes multiple bins. The system also includes a collection shelf configured to removably support bin modules. The system further includes a dolly including: (a) a dolly frame, (b) a drive module configured to propel the dolly, and (c) an actuator configured to move a coupler to couple to the bin module supported in one of the plurality of storage shelves when the dolly is positioned adjacent to said storage shelf, the actuator being further configured to remove said bin module from said storage shelf to the dolly frame, and to move said bin module from the dolly frame to the collection shelf when the dolly is positioned adjacent to the collection shelf.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for transporting inventory, comprising:
a plurality of storage shelves positioned on a first level, each storage shelf including a frame and a plurality of bin modules that are supported in the frame and removable along a first horizontal axis, wherein each bin module includes a first coupler and a plurality of bins for storing inventory items;
a collection shelf positioned on the first level and including a frame configured to removably support multiple bin modules;
a dolly positioned on the first level and including: (a) a dolly frame, (b) a drive module configured to propel the dolly on the first level, (c) an arm having a first end and a second end with a longitudinal slot provided therebetween, (d) a second coupler configured to move along the longitudinal slot of the arm and to couple to the first coupler of a bin module in either a first direction of the first end of the arm or in a second direction of the second end of the arm, (e) an actuator configured to move the second coupler along the longitudinal slot to couple to the first coupler of a bin module removably supported in one of the plurality of storage shelves when the dolly is positioned adjacent to one of the plurality of storage shelves, the actuator being further configured to remove said bin module from the one storage shelf along the first horizontal axis to the dolly frame from either the first direction or the second direction, and to move said bin module from the dolly frame to the collection shelf along the first horizontal axis when the dolly is positioned adjacent to the collection shelf and to uncouple from the first coupler of said bin module, and (f) a control unit configured to control operation of the drive module and the actuator;
an elevator positioned on a second level that is arranged vertically different from the first level, the elevator including (I) an elevator frame, (II) a third coupler configured to extend horizontally to the collection shelf along a second horizontal axis that is perpendicular to the first horizontal axis and to couple with said bin module, (III) an actuator configured to move the third coupler along the second horizontal axis to couple to said bin module when the elevator is positioned adjacent to the collection shelf, the actuator being further configured to remove said bin module from the collection shelf along the second horizontal axis to the elevator frame, and (IV) a control unit configured to control operation of the actuator of the elevator;
memory configured to store: (i) correspondence between the inventory items and the bin modules that include bins storing said inventory items; (ii) correspondence between the bin modules and the storage shelves that removably include said bin modules and a position of each of said bin modules in the corresponding storage shelf; and (iii) positions of the storage shelves; and
one or more processors coupled to the memory, wherein the memory includes program instructions executable by the one or more processors to control operation of the dolly, for an inventory item in an order to be filled, by: (A) activating the drive module of the dolly to move the dolly to a position adjacent to one of the storage shelves that includes the bin module including the bin storing said inventory item; (B) controlling the actuator of the dolly to move the second coupler of the dolly along the longitudinal slot on the first horizontal axis to couple to the first coupler of said bin module including the bin storing said inventory item and to move said bin module from said storage shelf to the dolly frame; (C) activating the drive module to move the dolly to a position adjacent to the collection shelf; (D) controlling the actuator of the dolly to move the second coupler to move said bin module from the dolly frame to the collection shelf along the first horizontal axis; and (E) controlling the actuator of the elevator to extend the third coupler of the elevator along the second horizontal axis to couple to said bin module and move said bin module from the collection shelf to the elevator frame along the second horizontal axis.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit of the dolly configured to control operation of the drive module and the actuator of the dolly form part of said one or more processors of the system.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second coupler of the dolly has a T-shape that is parallel to the longitudinal slot.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the arm is configured to support the bin module from underneath.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein each of the bin modules has an elongate shape with an elongate bottom and two ends, to include the plurality of bins that are arranged adjacent to each other between the two ends, and the first coupler is provided on one of the two ends of the bin module.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the first coupler consists of at least a portion of the one end of the bin module.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the bin modules has an elongate shape with an elongate bottom and two ends, to include the plurality of bins that are arranged adjacent to each other between the two ends, and the first coupler is provided on at least one of the two ends and the second coupler of the dolly is configured to engage with the first coupler provided on said end of the bin module to pull and push the bin module into and out of the dolly frame.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first coupler consists of at least a portion of said end of the bin module itself.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bin modules removably supported in each storage shelf are vertically stacked, and the actuator is further configured to move the second coupler vertically relative to the dolly frame to position the second coupler adjacent to one of the vertically stacked bin modules.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the elevator comprises one or more arms configured to vertically move between the first level and the second level and to horizontally extend to and retract from said collection shelf on the second level when the one or more arms are positioned adjacent to said collection shelf.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein each of the bin modules has an elongate shape with an elongate bottom and two ends, to include the plurality of bins that are arranged adjacent to each other between the two ends, and the arms of the elevator are configured to engage with the two ends of the bin module to hold the bin module therebetween.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more arms of the elevator are configured to engage with a bottom of the bin module to support the bin module from underneath.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein each of the bin modules has an elongate shape with an elongate bottom, two sides, and two ends, to include the plurality of bins that are arranged adjacent to each other between the two ends, and the elevator includes one or more arms configured to engage with at least one of the sides of the bin module to move the bin module out of and into said collection shelf.

14. A method for transporting inventory, comprising:
receiving an order for an item;
controlling a dolly to move the dolly to a storage shelf that removably supports a bin module, the bin module including a first coupler and a plurality of bins with one of the plurality of bins containing the ordered item, the dolly and the storage shelf being on a first level;
controlling the dolly to retrieve the bin module from the storage shelf, wherein controlling the dolly to retrieve the bin module includes controlling an actuator of the dolly to m

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Oki Nobuaki
• Ataka Masayuki
• Sato Chie

Classifications

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title

• B65G1/137 Primary

  with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed · CPC title

• B65G2209/04

  Indication location means · CPC title

• B65G1/0407 Primary

  using stacker cranes (constructional features of stacker cranes B66F9/06) · CPC title

• B65G2201/02

  Articles · CPC title