Automated decant system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020039746-A1
Application number	US-201916530249-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 2, 2019
Priority date	Aug 2, 2018
Publication date	Feb 6, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An automated decant system is disclosed for processing pallets of cased goods received at a facility, extracting packaging for the cases and transferring eaches within the cases to totes, possibly organized by SKU in sub-totes within the tote.

First claim

We claim:

1 . An automated decant system for transferring eaches received at a facility into a tote, the automated decant system comprising:
a load-staging table configured to receive eaches, the load-staging table comprising a movable support surface configured to support eaches at the load-staging table; one or more dividers for organizing the eaches into one or more sets of eaches in predefined positions on the load-staging table; an actuator configured to withdraw the movable support surface from beneath the eaches at the load-staging table; and a mobile robot configured to support the tote as the mobile robot moves around the facility; wherein the actuator is configured to withdraw the movable support when the tote is positioned beneath the load-staging table to drop the one or more sets of eaches into the tote on, the mobile robot thereafter transferring the one or more sets of eaches in the tote away from the load-staging table.

2 . The automated decant system recited in claim 1 , wherein the eaches are received at the facility packaged in cases on pallets, and the automated decant system further comprises a robotic case de-palletizer module configured to convert pallets of packaged cases to individual, unwrapped cases.

3 . The automated decant system of claim 2 , wherein the robotic case de-palletizer module is configured to remove shrink wrap around the cases, isolate for transport multiple layers of cases having same SKU eaches, and/or isolate for transport a single case having the same SKU eaches.

4 . The automated decant system of claim 1 , wherein the eaches are received at the facility packaged in cases, and the automated decant system further comprises a case stripping machine configured to remove the case packaging materials from each case.

5 . The automated decant system of claim 1 , the mobile robot being one of a pair of mobile robots comprising totes for receiving eaches, the automated decant system working with the pair of mobile robots simultaneously such that a first mobile robot of the pair positions a tote beneath the load-staging table to receive eaches as a second mobile robot of the pair withdraws a tote from beneath the load-staging table having just received eaches.

6 . The automated decant system of claim 1 , the mobile robot being one of a plurality of mobile robots, the automated decant system comprising a pair of lanes below, and to either side of, the load-staging table, wherein a first mobile robot of the plurality of mobile robots in the first lane extends an empty tote inward under the load-staging table to receive eaches as a second mobile robot of the plurality of mobile robots in the second lane withdraws a tote having just received eaches from under the load-staging table.

7 . The automated decant system of claim 1 , wherein the movable support surface is configured to slide laterally or rotate about an axis downward from beneath the eaches at the load-staging table, at which point the eaches drop into the tote.

8 . The automated decant system of claim 7 , wherein the one or more dividers maintain the eaches in the one or more sets as the eaches drop into the tote.

9 . The automated decant system of claim 1 , wherein the movable support surface comprises first and second conveyor belts, the first belt supported on a first drive roller and a first driven roller, both configured for rotation and translation, and the second conveyor belt supported on a second drive roller and a second driven roller, both configured for rotation and translation, the first and second driven rollers positioned adjacent to each other for the first and second conveyors to support the eaches at the load-staging table.

10 . The automated decant system of claim 9 , translation of at least one of the first and second drive rollers creating a gap between the first and second driven rollers through which gap the eaches drop into the tote.

11 . The automated system of claim 10 , wherein the tote comprises first and second sub-totes, and wherein the eaches fall into the first sub-tote when the gap is created over the first sub-tote, and wherein the eaches fall into the second sub-tote when the gap is created over the second sub-tote.

12 . The automated system of claim 1 , wherein the tote comprises one or more sub-totes, the one or more dividers defining positions of the one or more sets of eaches corresponding to positions of the one or more sub-totes in the tote.

13 . An automated decant system for transferring eaches received at a facility into totes, the automated decant system comprising:
a load-staging table configured to receive eaches, the load-staging table comprising a movable support surface configured to support eaches at the load-staging table; and a plurality of mobile robots configured to support the totes as the mobile robots move around the facility, the plurality of mobile robots comprising:
inbound mobile robots configured to position totes beneath the load-staging table to receive eaches upon withdrawal of the movable support surface, and
outbound mobile robots configured to transfer totes from beneath the load-staging table away from the load staging table after having received eaches upon withdrawal of the movable support surface.

14 . The automated decant system recited in claim 13 , wherein the eaches are received at the facility packaged in cases on pallets, and the automated decant system further comprises a robotic case de-palletizer module configured to convert pallets of packaged cases to individual, unwrapped cases.

15 . The automated decant system of claim 14 , wherein the robotic case de-palletizer module is configured to remove shrink wrap around the cases, isolate for transport multiple layers of cases having same SKU eaches, and/or isolate for transport a single case having the same SKU eaches.

16 . The automated decant system of claim 13 , wherein the eaches are received at the facility packaged in cases, and the automated decant system further comprises a case stripping machine configured to remove the case packaging materials from each case.

17 . The automated decant system of claim 13 , wherein the automated decant system works with the pair of mobile robots simultaneously such that a first mobile robot of the pair positions a tote beneath the load-staging table to receive eaches as a second mobile robot of the pair withdraws a tote from beneath the load-staging table having just received eaches.

18 . The automated decant system of claim 13 , wherein the automated decant system comprises a pair of lanes below, and to either side of, the load-staging table, wherein a first mobile robot of the plurality of mobile robots in the first lane extends an empty tote inward under the load-staging table to receive eaches as a second mobile robot of the plurality of mobile robots in the second lane withdraws a tote having just received eaches from under the load-staging table.

19 . The automated decant system of claim 13 , wherein the movable support surface is configured to slide laterally or rotate about an axis downward from beneath the eaches at the load-staging table, at which point the eaches drop into one of the totes.

20 . The automated decant system of claim 13 , wherein the movable support surface comprises first and second conveyor belts, the first belt supported on a first drive roller and a first driven roller, both configured for rotation and translation, and the second conveyor belt supported on a second drive roller and a second driv

Assignees

• Alert Innovation Inc

Inventors

• Lert Jr John G
• Fosnight William J
• Su Charles W
• Hofmeister Christopher

Classifications

• B65B69/00

  Unpacking of articles or materials, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B65B69/0025

  Removing or cutting binding material, e.g. straps or bands · CPC title

• B65B21/00

  Packaging or unpacking of bottles (bundling bottles B65B27/04) · CPC title

• G06Q10/00

  Administration; Management · CPC title

• B65G1/1373 Primary

  for fulfilling orders in warehouses · CPC title