Ecommerce picking and packaging cart

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11267498-B2
Application number	US-201916684636-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2019
Priority date	Dec 3, 2018
Publication date	Mar 8, 2022
Grant date	Mar 8, 2022

Abstract

Various configurations of picking and packaging carts are disclosed that can be advantageously employed in Ecommerce and retail settings to improve operational efficiency. Examples can preclude the need for a detour from the item retrieval location to a packaging area, prior to delivery to a shipping area, such as a drop-off point. Some examples include a frame; a shelf rack; accessory support units including a printer holder; multiple shipping container support units configured to hold a plurality of shipping containers of a plurality of sizes; and a packaging shelf arrangement comprising a top shelf providing a flat packaging surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A picking and packaging cart comprising:
a frame;
a shelf rack attached to the frame, the shelf rack comprising at least two pairs of vertical members, a shelf rack top shelf, and a plurality of shelf divisions;
a first handle attached to the frame;
at least two accessory support units attached to the shelf rack, the two accessory support units comprising at least two different configurations;
a first shipping container support unit attached to the shelf rack, the first shipping container support unit configured to hold a plurality of shipping containers of a first size;
at least four wheels attached to the frame, each of the at least four wheels disposed nearby a corner of the frame, wherein at least two wheels of the at least four wheels comprise swivel casters;
a packaging shelf arrangement attached to the frame, the packaging shelf arrangement comprising at least two pairs of vertical members and a packaging shelf arrangement top shelf, wherein at least one pair of the vertical members of the packaging shelf arrangement are shared with the shelf rack, wherein the packaging shelf arrangement top shelf provides a first flat packaging surface, wherein the shelf rack top shelf is provided between the first handle and the packaging shelf arrangement top shelf, and wherein the shelf rack top shelf provides a second flat packaging surface further away from the at least four wheels than the packaging shelf arrangement top shelf; and
a second shipping container support unit attached to the packaging shelf arrangement.

2. The cart of claim 1 wherein the frame is comprised of aluminum.

3. The cart of claim 1 wherein the plurality of shelf divisions comprises at least three vertical shelf divisions.

4. The cart of claim 3 wherein the at least three vertical shelf divisions are disposed below the shelf rack top shelf.

5. The cart of claim 1 wherein the first handle comprises two separate mirrored portions.

6. The cart of claim 1 wherein the first handle is curved in at least two dimensions.

7. The cart of claim 1 further comprising:
a pair of secondary handles, each of the secondary handles disposed on one of the shared vertical members, wherein each of the secondary handles is curved in at least one dimension.

8. The cart of claim 1 wherein at least one of the accessory support units comprises a printer holder and another accessory support unit of the at least one of the accessory support units comprises a handheld scanner holder.

9. The cart of claim 1 wherein the first shipping container support unit comprises a pair of bag hooks.

10. The cart of claim 1 wherein the first shipping container support unit is repositionable laterally upon a support rail.

11. The cart of claim 1 wherein the second shipping container support unit is disposed beneath the packaging shelf arrangement top shelf.

12. The cart of claim 1 wherein the second shipping container support unit comprises two pairs of bag hooks.

13. The cart of claim 1 wherein the second shipping container support unit is repositionable by sliding.

14. The cart of claim 1 wherein the second shipping container support unit is configured to hold a plurality of shipping containers of a second size different than the first size.

15. The cart of claim 14 wherein the second shipping container support unit is further configured to hold a plurality of shipping containers of a third size different than the first size and the second size.

16. The cart of claim 1 further comprising:
a weight scale coupled to a wireless communication module.

17. The cart of claim 16 wherein the weight scale is integrated into the packaging shelf arrangement top shelf.

18. A picking and packaging cart comprising:
a frame comprised of aluminum;
a shelf rack attached to the frame, the shelf rack comprising:
at least two pairs of vertical members,
a shelf rack top shelf providing a flat surface, and
at least three vertical shelf divisions disposed below the shelf rack top shelf;

a first handle attached to the frame, wherein the first handle comprises two separate mirrored portions, and wherein the first handle is curved in at least two dimensions;
at least two accessory support units attached to the shelf rack, the two accessory support units comprising at least two different configurations, wherein at least one of the accessory support units comprises a printer holder;
a first shipping container support unit attached to the shelf rack, the first shipping container support unit configured to hold a plurality of shipping containers of a first size, wherein the first shipping container support unit comprises a pair of bag hooks;
at least four wheels attached to the frame, each of the at least four wheels disposed nearby a corner of the frame, wherein at least two wheels of the at least four wheels comprise swivel casters;
a packaging shelf arrangement attached to the frame, the packaging shelf arrangement comprising at least two pairs of vertical members and a packaging shelf arrangement top shelf, wherein at least one pair of the vertical members of the packaging shelf arrangement are shared with the shelf rack, wherein the packaging shelf arrangement top shelf provides a first flat packaging surface, wherein the shelf rack top shelf is provided between the first handle and the packaging shelf arrangement top shelf, and wherein the shelf rack top shelf provides a second flat packaging surface further away from the at least four wheels than the packaging shelf arrangement top shelf;
a second shipping container support unit attached to the packaging shelf arrangement, wherein the second shipping container support unit is disposed beneath the packaging shelf arrangement top shelf, wherein the second shipping container support unit is repositionable by sliding, wherein the second shipping container support unit comprises two pairs of bag hooks, and wherein the second shipping container support unit is configured to hold a plurality of shipping containers of a second size different than the first size; and
a pair of secondary handles, each of the secondary handles disposed on one of the shared vertical members, wherein each of the secondary handles is curved in at least one dimension.

19. The cart of claim 18 further comprising:
a weight scale coupled to a wireless communication module, wherein the weight scale is integrated into the packaging shelf arrangement top shelf.

20. A picking and packaging cart comprising:
a frame comprised of aluminum;
a shelf rack attached to the frame, the shelf rack comprising:
at least two pairs of vertical members,
a shelf rack top shelf providing a flat surface, wherein the shelf rack top shelf is perforated, and
at least three vertical shelf divisions disposed below the shelf rack top shelf;

a first handle attached to the frame, wherein the first handle comprises two separate mirrored portions, and wherein the first handle is curved in at least two dimensions;
at least two accessory support units attached to the shelf rack, the two accessory support units comprising at least two different configurations, wherein at least one of the accessory support units comprises a printer holder;
a first shipping container support unit attached to the shelf rack, the first shipping container support unit configured to hold a plurality of shipping containers of a first size, wherein the first shipping container support unit comprises a pair of bag hooks, and wherein the first shipping container support unit is repos

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Tolson Andrew
• Phillips Abe

Classifications

• B62B5/06

  Hand moving equipment, e.g. handle bars (for cycles B62K11/14, B62K21/12) · CPC title

• G01G19/52

  Weighing apparatus combined with other objects, e.g. furniture (with walking sticks A45B3/08) · CPC title

• G01G23/3735

  using a digital network · CPC title

• B62B3/106

  the objects being bags · CPC title

• G01G19/005

  with electric or electronic computing means · CPC title