Order fulfillment system and method with sortation at induct

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10329089-B2
Application number	US-201715652555-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2017
Priority date	Jul 20, 2016
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

An order fulfillment system and method includes storing a plurality of inventory items in a warehouse and a plurality of customer orders in a data base, wherein the inventory items make up the customer orders. Some of the orders being a single item order having only one inventory item assigned to that order and other of the orders being multiple item orders having multiple inventory items assigned to that order. Inventory items withdrawn from the warehouse are identified with an identifier and the identity of each withdrawn inventory item applied to the data base and matched item with a customer order. Inventory items are combined together that make up an order with a sortation system. The sortation system has an induct subsystem and the induction subsystem has an input. Inventory items are transported from the warehouse to the induction subsystem input with a transportation system. Inventory items assigned to multiple-item orders are forwarded to the sortation system with the induct subsystem responsive to the data base. Inventory items assigned to single item orders are forwarded to a packing station bypassing the sortation system responsive to the data base.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An order fulfillment system, comprising:
a warehouse that is adapted to store of plurality of inventory items and a data base adapted to store a plurality of customer orders and the inventory items making up the customer orders,
wherein some of the orders being a single item order having only one inventory item assigned to that order and other of the orders being multiple item orders having multiple inventory items assigned to that order;
an identifier adapted to identify inventory items withdrawn from the warehouse and to apply the identity of that inventory item to the data base for matching of that inventory item with an order;
a sortation system that is responsive to the data base to combine inventory items together that make up an order;
an induct subsystem having an input;
a transportation system adapted to transport inventory items from the warehouse to said input;
said induct subsystem being responsive to said data base to separate inventory items into individual inventory items and forward individual inventory items assigned to multiple-item orders individually to said sortation system,
said sortation system comprising a buffer that is adapted to accumulate individual inventory items and an accumulator that is adapted to receive inventory items from said buffer when all or a portion of the inventory items that make up a multiple item order are in said buffer, wherein said sortation system comprises a pouch sorter having individual pouches connected with an overhead conveyor, said overhead conveyor adapted to route pouches, wherein said induct subsystem supplies individual inventory items making up a portion of a multiple item order to a pouch; and
said induct subsystem being responsive to said data base to forward inventory items assigned to single item orders to a packing station bypassing said sortation system, wherein said induct subsystem includes a bulk flow conveyor and, wherein said induct subsystem sends inventory items assigned to a single-item order to said bulk flow conveyor;
wherein said induct subsystem includes an automated pouch opener and wherein said pouch opener is responsive to said data base to open a pouch to receive an individual inventory item of a multiple item order and is responsive to said data base to not open a pouch for an inventory item of a single-item order wherein said bulk flow conveyor is subjacent said pouch opener, wherein an inventory item supplied to a non-opened pouch falls to the bulk flow conveyor.

2. The order fulfillment system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said identifier identifies inventory items when picked from said inventory storage area and placed in a pick cart.

3. The order fulfillment system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transportation system transports inventory items to said input in bulk.

4. The order fulfillment system as claimed in claim 2 wherein inventory items are supplied from said pick cart to another bulk flow conveyor.

5. An order fulfillment method, comprising:
storing of plurality of inventory items in a warehouse and a plurality of customer orders in a data base, wherein the inventory items make up the customer orders, wherein some of the orders being a single item order having only one inventory item assigned to that order and other of the orders being multiple item orders having multiple inventory items assigned to that order;
identifying inventory items withdrawn from the warehouse with an identifier and applying the identity of each withdrawn inventory item to the data base and matching that inventory item with a customer order;
combining inventory items together that make up an order with a sortation system, said sortation system having a buffer that is adapted to accumulate individual inventory items and an accumulator that is adapted to receive individual inventory items from said buffer when all or a portion of the inventory items that make up a multiple item order are in said buffer;
transporting inventory items with a transportation system from the warehouse to an input of an induction subsystem having an input;
separating inventory items into individual inventory items with said induction subsystem system and forwarding individual inventory items assigned to multiple-item orders individually to said sortation system with said induct subsystem responsive to said data base wherein said sortation system comprises a pouch sorter having individual pouches connected with an overhead conveyor, said overhead conveyor adapted to route pouches and wherein said induct subsystem supplies individual inventory items making up portion of a multiple item order in a pouch;
and
wherein said induct subsystem in response to said data base forwarding inventory items assigned to single item orders to a packing station bypassing said sortation system with a bulk flow conveyor, wherein said induct subsystem includes an automated pouch opener and wherein said pouch opener is responsive to said data base to open a pouch to receive an individual inventory item of a multiple item order and is responsive to said data base to not open a pouch for an inventory item of a single-item order wherein said bulk flow conveyor is subjacent said pouch opener wherein an inventory item supplied to a non-opened pouch falls to the bulk flow conveyor.

6. The order fulfillment method as claimed in claim 5 wherein said transportation system transports inventory items to said input in bulk.

7. The order fulfillment method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said identifier identifies inventory items when picked from said inventory storage area and placed to a pick cart.

8. The order fulfillment method as claimed in claim 7 wherein inventory items are supplied from said pick cart to another bulk flow conveyor.

Assignees

• Dematic Corp

Inventors

• Kasper Michael J
• Gonzales Jennifer

Classifications

• B65G2201/06

  Articles and bulk · CPC title

• B65G2203/046

  RFID · CPC title

• B65G2201/0238

  Bags · CPC title

• B65G1/1373

  for fulfilling orders in warehouses · CPC title

• B65G17/485

  the load carriers being suspended · CPC title