Picking station with automated warehouse

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016009493-A1
Application number	US-201514797222-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 13, 2015
Priority date	Jul 11, 2014
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of filling orders and order fulfillment system includes storing inventory receptacles in an automated warehouse, some having a plurality of different types of inventory items. A queue of orders is maintained in a computer system, each including at least one inventory item. Each order is selected from the queue and assigned to a pick station. The computer system retrieves inventory receptacle(s) from the automated warehouse for the selected order and supplies the receptacle(s) to the pick station. The computer system identifies to an operator which inventory item is to be segregated with the selected order in at least one put receptacle. One or more of the put receptacles receives inventory items for at least one individual order and is directed to a secondary order processing station where items are separated into individual orders. The operator may be provided the capability to consolidate inventory items from inventory receptacles while picking orders to consolidate partially filled inventory receptacles in a consolidated inventory receptacle.

First claim

1 . A method of filing orders, comprising:
storing a plurality of inventory receptacles in an automated warehouse, at least some of said inventory receptacles having a plurality of different types of inventory items in that inventory receptacle; maintaining a queue of orders to be filled in a computer system, each of said orders including at least one inventory item, each of the orders comprising an individual order or group of individual orders; selecting at least one order from the queue with the computer system and assigning that at least one order to a pick station; said computer system retrieving at least one inventory receptacle from said automated warehouse having at least one inventory item for the selected order and supplying the at least one receptacle to the pick station; and said computer system identifying to an operator which inventory item in the retrieved inventory receptacle or receptacles is to be segregated with the selected order in at least one put receptacle; wherein said at least one put receptacle receives inventory items for at least one individual order and including directing the at least one put receptacle to a secondary order processing station and including separating items into individual orders at said secondary order processing station.

2 . The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said secondary order processing station comprises a put station.

3 . The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said computer system selects at least one of said put receptacles as a singles order receptacle to receive inventory items that each comprise an entire individual order and directing the singles order receptacle to a packing station where each of the items is individually packed as an individual order.

4 . The method as claimed in claim 1 including the operator consolidating inventory items from at least two said inventory receptacles while picking orders, wherein the operator consolidates partially filled inventory receptacles in at least one consolidated inventory receptacle.

5 . The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said queue of orders is made up of virtual orders, each destined for a common secondary process station or for packing.

6 . The method as claimed in claim 5 including assigning a plurality of said queue of orders as assigned orders to be completed at said pick station.

7 . The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein said queue of orders has a fulfilling sequence assigned to the orders and wherein said assigning orders includes nominally assigning orders in sequence from the filling sequence and further including assigning orders out of sequence for priority orders.

8 . The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said automated warehouse comprises at least two stacked longitudinally extending racks that are laterally separated by an aisle and an automated carriage that travels said aisle at some of the levels to store articles to and retrieve articles from each of the racks at that level.

9 . The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least some of said inventory receptacles are subdivided into compartments.

10 . The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein as least some of said inventory receptacles are subdivided into compartments of one size and other of said inventory receptacles are subdivided into compartments of a different size.

11 . The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein said computer system identifies to an operator which of the compartments has the inventory item to be picked.

12 . A method of fulfilling orders, comprising:
supplying a plurality of inventory receptacles from a supply of inventory receptacles to a pick station, each of said inventory receptacles carrying at least one inventory item; supplying a plurality of put receptacles to the pick station; issuing instructions with a computer system having a queue of orders to an operator at the pick station to pick an order by removing at least one inventory item from at least one said inventory receptacle and placing the at least one inventory in a put receptacle, each of the orders comprising an individual order or group of orders; and the operator consolidating inventory items from at least two said inventory receptacles while picking orders, wherein the operator consolidates partially filled inventory receptacles in at least one consolidated inventory receptacle.

13 . The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein said consolidating includes positioning a receptacle on a working surface that is accessible to the operator wherein the receptacle on the working surface receives at least one of said of the inventory receptacles for consolidation to become a consolidated inventory receptacle and including discharging the consolidated inventory receptacles to the inventory storage.

14 . The method as claimed in claim 12 including issuing instructions with said computer system to the operator that a particular inventory receptacle has a volume of inventory items that is below a threshold and therefore can be consolidated.

15 . The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein said computer system selects at least one of said put receptacles as a singles order receptacle to receive inventory items that each comprise an entire order and directs the singles order receptacle to a packing station where each of the items is packed as an order.

16 . The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein said computer system selects at least one of said put receptacles to receive inventory items for a plurality of orders and directs the put receptacles to a secondary order processing station and including separating items into separate orders at said secondary order processing station.

17 . The method as claimed in claim 16 wherein said secondary order processing station comprises a put station.

18 . The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein said supply of inventory receptacles comprises an automated warehouse.

19 . The method as claimed in claim 12 including another operator consolidating inventory items from multiple inventory receptacles into consolidated inventory receptacles.

20 . The order method as claimed in claim 19 wherein including discharging consolidated inventory receptacles consolidated by said another operation to said working surface.

21 . An order fulfillment system, comprising:
an automated warehouse storing a supply of inventory receptacles, at least some of said inventory receptacles having a plurality of different types of inventory items in that inventory receptacle, each of the orders comprising an individual order or group of individual orders; a supply of put receptacles; a pick station having a pick location receiving the inventory receptacles and put receptacles; said computer system retrieving at least one inventory receptacle from said automated warehouse having at least one inventory item for a particular order and supplying the at least one receptacle to the pick station; and a computer system having a queue of orders, said computer system issuing instructions to an operator at the pick location to pick an order by removing at least one inventory item from at least one said inventory receptacle and placing the at least one inventory in a put receptacle; wherein said computer system selects at least one of said put receptacles to receive inventory items for at least one individual order, each of the individual orders being separated from each other at a secondary order processing station.

22 . The order fulfillment system as claimed in cla

Assignees

• Dematic Corp

Inventors

• Stevens Criston S
• Schubilske Martin E

Classifications

• G05B19/41865

  characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow · CPC title

• B65G1/1373 Primary

  for fulfilling orders in warehouses · CPC title

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title

• G06Q10/087

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title

• B65G1/1378 Primary

  the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas · CPC title