Automated modular system for sorting items

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11123771-B2
Application number	US-201916398006-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2019
Priority date	Apr 29, 2019
Publication date	Sep 21, 2021
Grant date	Sep 21, 2021

Abstract

A sortation system uses short conveyors or transporter units on a lift to move products or packages to totes in a storage rack. The lift may be a carousel. Automated components remove the totes from the rack and place them on outfeed conveyors. The system to remove the totes can include a transfer vehicle. The sortation system may be modular.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sortation and inventory storage system, comprising:
a sortation system comprising:
a plurality of transporter units, the transporter units being adapted for receiving items at a first position, and each transporter unit including a conveyor; and
a lift adapted for moving the transporter units vertically from the first position to second positions, wherein the conveyors of the transporter units are adapted to eject the items from the conveyors at the second positions;

an infeed conveyor adapted for loading the items onto the transporter units;
at least one inventory storage structure that supports a plurality of storage positions arranged in at least one vertical column, each one of the storage positions having a tote; and
an inventory conveyance system comprising:
at least one vertical track that corresponds to the at least one vertical column; and
an inventory transfer vehicle coupled to the at least one vertical track, the inventory transfer vehicle comprising a vehicle body and an end effector supported by the vehicle body, the end effector having a pair of prongs that are offset from one another so as to define a fork that is configured to receive a tote between the pair of prongs,

wherein the sortation and inventory storage system is configured such that the items move from the infeed conveyor sequentially onto the transporter units, the lift moves the transporter units to desired second positions where the conveyor ejects the item into the tote, and the inventory transfer vehicle receives the tote having the item and delivers the tote to an outfeed conveyor.

2. The sortation and inventory storage system of claim 1 , wherein the lift is a carousel having a continuous loop track, the carousel including carriers adapted for carrying the transporter units.

3. The sortation and inventory storage system of claim 2 , wherein the carriers are adapted to move via the continuous loop track on trolleys, and wherein the carriers and the transporter units are horizontal throughout moving through the continuous loop track.

4. The sortation and inventory storage system of claim 2 , wherein the system has two or more transporter units on each carrier, and two or more infeed conveyors adapted for loading items onto the transporter units.

5. The sortation and inventory storage system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one inventory storage structure includes first and second inventory storage structures, the first inventory storage structure located on a first side of the lift, and the second inventory storage structure located on a second side of the lift.

6. The sortation and inventory storage system of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor is a belt conveyor.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to be modular.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one inventory storage structure comprises a plurality of shelves.

9. A system for sorting items, the system comprising:
two or more infeed conveyors adapted for loading items onto two or more transporter units;
the two or more transporter units adapted for receiving the items from the two or more infeed conveyors at a first position, each transporter unit including a conveyor; and
a lift comprising carriers, the two or more transporter units being mounted to one of the carriers, the lift adapted for moving the two or more transporter units vertically from the first position to second positions,
wherein the conveyors of the two or more transporter units are adapted to eject the items from the conveyors at the second positions.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the lift is a carousel having a continuous loop track.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the carriers and the two or more transporter units are horizontal throughout moving through the continuous loop track.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the conveyor is a belt conveyor.

13. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of totes, and a storage structure for holding the plurality of totes.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the storage structure comprises a plurality of shelves.

15. A method of sorting items, the method comprising:
sequentially loading items onto conveyors of transporter units at a first location;
lifting the transporter units to second locations;
engaging each one of the conveyors to eject the items into totes at a corresponding second location;
moving the totes onto transfer vehicles;
moving the transfer vehicles to at least one outfeed conveyor; and
loading the totes onto the at least one outfeed conveyor.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein lifting the transporter units to the second locations includes moving the transporter units in a continuous loop of a carousel.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Kalm William Scott
• Landry Joshua David
• Hoffman Brian Stuart
• Grant Peter A
• Mahadevan Dinesh

Classifications

• B65G1/137

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

• B65G1/065

  with self propelled cars · CPC title

• B65G2207/30

  Modular constructions · CPC title

• B65G65/42

  using belt or chain conveyors · CPC title

• B65G17/12

  comprising a series of individual load-carriers fixed, or normally fixed, relative to traction element · CPC title