Robotic order consolidation using modular actuated rotary put-wall

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11897692-B2
Application number	US-202117159651-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2021
Priority date	Jan 27, 2021
Publication date	Feb 13, 2024
Grant date	Feb 13, 2024

Abstract

The apparatus comprises a rotary put wall having a plurality of totes. The apparatus further comprises a vertical reciprocating conveyor (VRC) placed within the rotary put wall. The internal vertical reciprocating conveyor (VRC) comprises a plurality of chutes to receive one or more items from a robotic device. The internal vertical reciprocating conveyor (VRC) is further configured to be rotatable with respect to the rotary put wall and to convey the one or more items into one tote of the plurality of totes of the rotary put wall.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a rotary put wall comprising a plurality of totes; and
a first vertical reciprocating conveyor placed within the rotary put wall, wherein the first vertical reciprocating conveyor comprises a frame and one or more chutes mounted to the frame, the one or more chutes configured to receive an item from a robotic device, and wherein the first vertical reciprocating conveyor is configured to rotate within the rotary put wall and is configured to convey the item into one tote of the plurality of totes, wherein the one or more chutes remain attached to the frame during rotation of the first vertical reciprocating conveyor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a second vertical reciprocating conveyor, wherein the second vertical reciprocating conveyor is positioned external to the rotary put wall and wherein the second vertical reciprocating conveyor is configured to receive the item placed into the one tote of the plurality of totes and transport the item to an outfeed conveyor.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the second vertical reciprocating conveyor comprises two or more layers of shelves to receive the item.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the robotic device is a robotic manipulator.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising the rotary put wall, wherein the rotary put wall is a modular rotary put wall.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first vertical reciprocating conveyor has a collection chute mounted at a top portion of the first vertical reciprocating conveyor to receive the item from the robotic device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first vertical reciprocating conveyor has a dumper chute to transport the item to the one tote of the plurality of totes present in the rotary put wall.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first vertical reciprocating conveyor and the second vertical reciprocating conveyor have a plurality of sensors to detect a position of the item placed in the one tote of the plurality of totes of the rotary put wall.

9. An apparatus, comprising:
a rotatable put wall having an internal cavity, the rotatable put wall comprising a plurality of totes;
a first device configured to pick an item from a first tote and a second device, wherein
the second device is placed within the internal cavity of the rotatable put wall, and configured to:
rotate within the rotatable put wall, and
place the item into one tote of the plurality of totes, wherein the one or more chutes remain attached to the second device during rotation of the second device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein a third device configured to pick the item from the one tote of the plurality of totes and place the item on an outfeed conveyor.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the item is placed in an empty tote of a plurality of empty totes on an outfeed conveyor.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first device is a robotic manipulator.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the second device is one of a robotic manipulator and a vertical reciprocating conveyor.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the third device is one of a robotic manipulator and a vertical reciprocating conveyor.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first device is configured to pick the item from the first tote placed on an upper conveyor of a conveyor system, wherein the conveyor system comprises the upper conveyor and a lower conveyor.

16. A method of conveying items comprising the steps of:
receiving an item from a first robotic device;
conveying the received item into a chute of one or more chutes of a second robotic device, wherein the second robotic device rotates with respect to a rotary put wall, and wherein the rotary put wall is configured to rotate with respect to second the robotic device, and wherein the rotary put wall has a plurality of totes; and
placing the conveyed item from the chute of the one or more chutes into one tote of the plurality of totes, wherein the chute of the one or more chutes remain attached to the second robotic device during rotation of the second robotic device and during placing the conveyed item into the tote of the plurality of totes.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the second robotic device is a first vertical reciprocating conveyor.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first robotic device is a robotic manipulator.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein a second vertical reciprocating conveyor is positioned external to the rotary put wall and is further configured to receive the item placed into the one tote of the plurality of totes of the rotary put wall and transport the item to an outfeed conveyor.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the item is placed in an empty tote of a plurality of empty totes on the outfeed conveyor.

Assignees

• Intelligrated Headquarters Llc

Inventors

• Krishnamoorthy Sai Prasanth
• Wicks Matthew R
• Scott Darius M

Classifications

• B65G1/045 Primary

  in a circular arrangement, e.g. towers · CPC title

• B65G1/1373 Primary

  for fulfilling orders in warehouses · CPC title

• B65G25/06

  having carriers, e.g. belts · CPC title

• B65G47/914

  provided with drive systems incorporating rotary and rectilinear movements · CPC title

• B65G2811/0663

  Pick-up means · CPC title