Picking systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12291398-B2
Application number	US-202318336361-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2023
Priority date	Nov 11, 2015
Publication date	May 6, 2025
Grant date	May 6, 2025

Abstract

A system for picking items from a containerised storage system is described. The items are stored in storage bins in stacks within a framework comprising a grid system disposed above the stacks of bins. Robotic devices are disposed on the grid, the devices acting so as to pick containers from the stacks of bins. The storage system is provided with at least one picking device for picking items from bins and depositing them directly in delivery containers DT.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A storage system in combination with a picking system, the combination comprising:
a first set of parallel rails or tracks and a second set of parallel rails or tracks extending substantially perpendicularly to the first set in a substantially horizontal plane to form a grid pattern with a plurality of grid spaces;
a set of uprights, the uprights supporting the first and second sets of rails or tracks, the uprights and the rails or tracks together defining a framework;
a plurality of bins located beneath the first and second sets of rails or tracks and within the framework, a portion of the bins occupying a space below a grid space; and
a robotic picking device being movably mounted at one edge of the storage system including a picker disposed above at least a portion of the bins, the picker configured to pick at least one inventory item from at least one bin of the plurality of bins and deposit the at least one inventory item into at least one delivery container.

2. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein the robotic picking device is movably mounted on a track.

3. The combination according to claim 2 , wherein the robotic picking device is fixedly mounted to a mount.

4. The combination according to claim 3 , wherein the mount includes at least one of structural members of a building containing the storage system, structural members of an installation containing the storage system, or a purpose built mount including at least one of cross beams or RSJ beams.

5. The combination according to claim 2 , wherein the robotic picking device is configured to be moved along the track under control of a central utility.

6. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein the robotic picking device is suspended from a gantry crane.

7. The combination according to claim 6 , wherein the robotic picking device is suspended around a periphery of the grid pattern.

8. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein the robotic picking device is powered directly from a fixed power supply.

9. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein the robotic picking device is arranged to pick an inventory item within a portion of the storage system and deposit the inventory item within a delivery container located in the storage system.

10. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein the robotic picking device is movably mounted above the storage system.

11. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein the robotic picking device is movable to positions above any bin or delivery container within the storage system.

12. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein the robotic picking device is configured to pick from any of the bins or delivery containers located on a top of stacks of bins beneath the grid pattern.

13. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein an entirety of the grid pattern can be accessed by the robotic picking device.

14. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein a depth of a robotic picking area or a robotic picking portion is only one bin deep.

15. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein the robotic picking device comprises a sensor to ensure the at least one picked inventory item is delivered to a correct delivery container.

16. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one delivery container includes a plurality of bags and a sensor used to ensure correct positioning of inventory items within the bags in the at least one delivery container.

17. A method of picking inventory items from a storage system, the storage system including a first set of parallel rails or tracks and a second set of parallel rails or tracks extending substantially perpendicularly to the first set in a substantially horizontal plane to form a grid pattern with a plurality of grid spaces, a set of uprights, the uprights supporting the first and second sets of rails or tracks, the uprights and the rails or tracks together defining a framework, a plurality of bins located beneath the first and second sets of rails or tracks and within the framework, a portion of the bins occupying a space below a grid space, and a robotic picking device being movably mounted at one edge of the storage system including a picker disposed above at least a portion of the bins, the picker configured to pick at least one inventory item from at least one bin of the plurality of bins and deposit the at least one inventory item into at least one delivery container, the method comprising:
picking an inventory item from a bin using the picker and placing the inventory item in a target delivery container under control of a centralized control utility.

18. The method according to claim 17 , the system further including a plurality of load handling devices, wherein the method comprises:
preliminarily, using the load handling devices to position first bins of the plurality of bins, the first bins containing inventory items to be picked, and using the load handling devices to position delivery containers to place the inventory items in the first bins, adjacent to the robotic picking device.

19. The method according to claim 18 , further comprising:
moving delivery containers to a dispatch area or a storage part of a main grid, when the delivery container has been serviced and does not require further inventory items, using the load handling.

20. The method according to claim 17 , wherein when removal of an inventory item from a delivery container results in the delivery container becoming empty, the delivery container becomes a delivery container for a different customer order, or the delivery container is returned to storage or to goods inbound to have further inventory items located therein.

Assignees

• Ocado Innovation Ltd

Inventors

• Lindbo Lars Sverker Ture
• Ingram-Tedd Andrew John

Classifications

• B25J15/08

  having finger members (B25J15/02, B25J15/04 take precedence) · CPC title

• B25J5/007

  mounted on wheels · CPC title

• B65G1/065

  with self propelled cars · CPC title

• B65G1/0478

  for matrix-arrangements · CPC title

• B65G2201/0235

  Containers · CPC title