Vehicle systems and methods to support the distribution of products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017225902-A1
Application number	US-201715421673-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 1, 2017
Priority date	Feb 4, 2016
Publication date	Aug 10, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Some embodiments provide vehicle systems comprising: a housing; a wheel system comprising at least one axle extending between at least two wheels positioned on opposite sides of the housing and supporting the housing; a mobile product distribution system comprising: a product movement system maintained within the housing; and multiple bay doors formed in the housing and with which inbound vehicles and outbound vehicles align while products are distributed from each of the inbound vehicles to at least one of the outbound vehicles; wherein the product movement system extends between the multiple bay doors and is configured transport the products from each of the inbound vehicles, through the housing and to at least one of the outbound vehicles.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle system, comprising:
a housing; a wheel system comprising at least one axle extending between at least two wheels positioned on opposite sides of the housing and supporting the housing; a mobile product distribution system comprising:
a product movement system maintained within the housing; and
multiple bay doors formed in the housing and with which inbound vehicles and outbound vehicles align while products are distributed from each of the inbound vehicles to at least one of the outbound vehicles;
wherein the product movement system extends between the multiple bay doors and is configured transport the products from each of the inbound vehicles, through the housing and to at least one of the outbound vehicles.

2 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the multiple bay doors are arranged in the housing enabling at least a first inbound vehicle to align with a first bay door of the multiple bay doors while at least a first outbound vehicle is simultaneously aligned with a second bay door of the multiple bay doors and a second outbound vehicle is simultaneously aligned with a third bay door of the multiple bay doors;
wherein the product movement system extends from the first bay door to each of the second bay door and the third bay door and is configured to transport the products from the first inbound vehicle to the first outbound vehicle and the second outbound vehicle.

3 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the product movement system comprises a conveyor system extending through the housing, wherein at least one conveyor of the conveyor system provides a conveyor path between two bay doors and along which products are transported from a first inbound vehicle of the inbound vehicles to a first outbound vehicle of the outbound vehicles.

4 . The vehicle system of claim 3 , wherein the product movement system comprises:
an automated routing system comprising:
a conveyor system controller;
at least one scanner system configured to detect a product identifier of a product traveling along a conveyor of the conveyor system and communicate the product identifier to the conveyor system controller, wherein the conveyor system controller is configured to identify an intended outbound vehicle and a corresponding first bay door where the intended outbound vehicle is located; and
a plurality of motorized product routers positioned to move relative to conveyors of the conveyor system and controlled to move, based on instructions from the conveyor system controller, to direct the identified product toward the first bay door and the intended outbound vehicle.

5 . The vehicle system of claim 4 , wherein the conveyor system controller is configured to communicate instructions to control the motorized product router to simultaneously direct each of multiple distinct and separate products, based on the product identifier of each of the products, from multiple of the inbound vehicles each aligned with one of the multiple bay doors to one of multiple of the outbound vehicles each aligned with one of the multiple bay doors while the multiple inbound vehicles are aligned with one of the multiple bay doors.

6 . The vehicle system of claim 3 , further comprising:
a pallet transport system; wherein the at least one conveyor is movable to open space between at least a first bay door and a second bay door to enable movement of the pallet transport system to cooperate with and transport at least a pallet loaded with products from the first inbound vehicle to the first outbound vehicle.

7 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a wireless transceiver; and a control circuit of the mobile product distribution system coupled with the wireless transceiver to receive inbound vehicle identifiers for each inbound vehicle that is within a first threshold distance of the mobile product distribution system, and outbound vehicle identifiers for each outbound vehicle that is within a second threshold distance of the mobile product distribution system, wherein the control circuit schedules when each of the inbound vehicles and the outbound vehicles is to align with one of the multiple bay doors, and communicates a notification to each of the inbound vehicles and the outbound vehicles specifying timing of when each of the inbound vehicles and the outbound vehicles is to align with one of the multiple bay doors and specifies a bay door identifier with which each of the inbound vehicles and the outbound vehicles is to align.

8 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a control circuit that receives identifiers of each of the inbound vehicles and the outbound vehicles aligned with one of the multiple bay doors and generates a distribution plan identifying a number of each product to be moved from each of the inbound vehicles and a number of each product to be moved into each of the outbound vehicles.

9 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile product distribution system further comprises:
a loading ramp associated with a first bay door of the multiple bay doors and configured to extend from the mobile product distribution system to cooperate with one of the inbound vehicles and the outbound vehicles while the products are transferred through the mobile product distribution system; and a height control system that enables adjustment of a height of a least a portion of the mobile product distribution system in allowing alignment with at least one of the inbound vehicles and the outbound vehicles.

10 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a scheduling control circuit; and memory storing computer instructions that when executed by the scheduling control circuit cause the scheduling control circuit to:
obtain, for each of the multiple inbound vehicles, a source location from which a corresponding one of the multiple of inbound vehicles is to transport at least one product of multiple products;
obtain multiple destination locations scheduled to receive at least one of the multiple products and to which at least one of the multiple outbound vehicles is to travel;
select a first temporary distribution location of the multiple different temporary distribution locations as a function of the multiple destination locations and at least one of the source locations; and
communicate instructions to cause the mobile product distribution system to be transported to the selected first temporary distribution location.

11 . A method of distributing products between vehicles, comprising:
causing a mobile product distribution system to be transported via a wheel system of the mobile product distribution system to a selected first temporary distribution location; providing each of multiple inbound vehicles and multiple outbound vehicles with access to align with one of multiple bay doors formed in a housing of the mobile product distribution system and with which inbound vehicles and outbound vehicles align; and distributing products from each of the inbound vehicles to at least one of the outbound vehicles while aligned with one of the multiple bay doors, wherein the distributing the products comprises transporting the products through the housing by a product movement system within the housing and extending between the multiple bay doors from each of the inbound vehicles to at least one of the outbound vehicles.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the providing the multiple inbound vehicles and the multiple outbound vehicles with access to align with one of the multiple bay doors comprises enabling at least a first inbound vehicle to align with a first bay door of the multiple bay doors while a

Assignees

• Wal Mart Stores Inc

Inventors

• Harper Thomas L
• Allen William R
• Blair Ii Richard M

Classifications

• B60P1/36 Primary

  using endless chains or belts thereon · CPC title

• B65G21/14

  to allow adjustment of length or configuration of load-carrier or traction element (varying speed of conveyance by adjusting configuration of load-carrier B65G23/00; {tensioning arrangements for belt or chain B65G23/44}) · CPC title

• B65G2203/0216

  Codes or marks on the article · CPC title

• B65G13/00

  Roller-ways (storage devices comprising roller-ways B65G1/02; endless-chain conveyors comprising load-supporting rollers B65G17/00; rollers or arrangements thereof B65G39/00) · CPC title

• B65G43/08 Primary

  Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged {(and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42)} · CPC title