NZ771303B2 - Article sorting system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

Article sorting includes dispensing items going to different destinations to different exits through a delivery device in a manner that realizes subsequent transport of items and packages going to various destinations in a resource-effective manner. This is especially advantageous in an order fulfillment center or a shipping facility. Generally, an article or a parcel containing articles for shipment will have a UPC, barcode, SKU, or similar that allows for identification of the article and its destination. Article sorting includes dispensing articles that come from a plurality of locations to different exits through a delivery device, so as to realize unified consolidation at a single exit or destination point whether a given order includes a single article or is in the form of an order, a parcel, a carton, a tote, etc. containing two or more articles. This is especially advantageous in any type of article or parcel fulfillment center. However, the order fulfillment process can be very labor intensive, which increases cost, introduces errors in processing, and increases the time for the order items to reach the ultimate customer. Additionally, order items may be damaged, mispackaged, and the like, reducing efficiency for all involved parties. Automated sorting equipment may be useful for addressing these issues. However, automated sorting equipment can be expensive, require significant capital investment, take up large portions of warehouse space, be limited in the item size that it can sort, be significantly underutilized during off-peak periods, and have long payback on the investment made in most cases. In accordance with the current disclosure a control system for sorting receives a first order and assigns a first destination container of a plurality of destination containers to the first order to direct a computer-controlled mobile transport device to deposit a first and a second article into the destination container based on a product type of each article. The first and second articles are selected from the plurality of disparate articles. The first and second articles from the article supply location are both deposited at a same instant onto the computer-controlled mobile transport device. The control system directs the computer-controlled mobile transport device to transport and deposit both the first and second articles in the destination container in a single trip by manipulation of the computer-controlled mobile transport device from a first position to a second position. The control system determines when the order has been completed and directs removal of the completed order.

Claims (18)

1. A system for sorting articles to one or more destinations, the system comprising: an article supply location, wherein the article supply location includes a plurality of articles to be sorted; a first computer-controlled mobile transport device having a first position in which an article is stowed about the device and a second position in which the article is deposited into a proximal destination container; a platform elevated from a first surface, wherein the first computer-controlled mobile transport device traverses the platform and the stowed articles are deposited into a destination container positioned proximal the platform, the platform comprising a plurality of fingers extending laterally from a longitudinally extending highway; a control system configured to: receive a first order for a plurality of disparate articles found within the article supply location; associate a disparate article selected from the plurality of disparate articles with the first order based on a product type of the disparate article; determine that the disparate article is not a first article in the first order; determine a first destination container of a plurality of destination containers that has previously been assigned to the first order to direct the first computer- controlled mobile transport device to deposit the disparate article thereinto based on a product type of the disparate article; direct the first computer-controlled mobile transport device to transport and deposit the disparate article in the first destination container by manipulation of the first computer-controlled mobile transport device from the first position to the second position; electronically update a status of the first destination container to include the disparate article; determine the first order has been completed; and direct removal of the first destination container.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein an order-removing equipment performs removal of the first destination container.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the order-removing equipment comprises one or more of: a rail-based equipment, an autonomous mobile robot (AMR), an automated guided vehicle (AGV), a conveyorized device, and a self-propelled first destination container.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the articles are pulled from an article storage location of an article sorting center, wherein the article sorting center comprises one or more of: a distribution center, a retail store, a shipping facility, or a micro fulfillment center.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the platform comprises a first panel and a second panel wherein the first panel is elevated compared to the second panel.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the platform includes wheels to provide mobility.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of destination containers includes wheels to provide mobility.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of destination containers are positioned proximal an edge of the platform.

9. The control system of claim 1, wherein the first computer-controlled mobile transport device traverses a platform proximal an opening in the platform, then manipulates from the first position to the second position to deposit the disparate article into the destination container through the opening in the platform.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of destination containers comprise one or more of a tote, a carton, a bag, a shipping container, an accumulation device, and a chute.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to direct an automated deposition of the disparate article onto the first computer-controlled mobile transport device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the disparate article is deposited onto the first computer- controlled mobile transport device manually.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first order further comprises a fifth article, wherein the control system is further configured to update a status of the first order after deposition of the disparate article in the first destination container but before the deposition of the fifth article in the first destination container.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the control system is further configured to determine an identity of the fifth article before it is deposited in the first destination container to complete the first order.

15. The system of claim 2, wherein the control system is further configured to direct transport of the first destination container to a shipment processing location.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to direct one or more of: packaging, labelling, gift wrapping, quality control checking of the first order after it is completed.

17. A system for sorting articles to one or more destinations, the system comprising: an article supply location, wherein the article supply location includes a plurality of articles to be sorted; a first computer-controlled mobile transport device having a first position in which an article is stowed about the device and a second position in which the article is deposited into a proximal destination container; a platform elevated from a first surface, wherein the first computer-controlled mobile transport device traverses the platform and the stowed articles are deposited into a destination container positioned proximal the platform, the platform comprising a plurality of fingers extending laterally from a longitudinally extending highway; a control system configured to: receive a first order for a plurality of disparate articles found within the article supply location; associate a disparate article selected from the plurality of disparate articles with the first order based on a product type of the disparate article; determine that the disparate article is not a first article in the first order; determine a first destination container of a plurality of destination containers that has previously been assigned to the first order to direct the first computer- controlled mobile transport device to deposit the disparate article thereinto based on a product type of the disparate article; direct the first computer-controlled mobile transport device to transport and deposit the disparate article in the first destination container by manipulation of the first computer-controlled mobile transport device from the first position to the second position; electronically update a status of the first destination container to include the disparate article; determine the first order has been completed; receive a second order for a plurality of disparate articles found within the article supply location; associate a disparate article selected from the plurality of disparate articles with the second order based on a product type of the disparate article; determine that the disparate article is not a first article in the second order; determine a second destination container of the plurality of destination containers that has previously been assigned to the second order to direct a second computer-controlled mobile transport device to deposit the disparate article thereinto based on a product type of the disparate article; wherein the second computer-controlled mobile transport device has a first position in which an article is stowed about the device and a second position in which the article is deposited into a proximal destination container, wherein the second computer-controlled mobile transport device traverses the platform, direct the second computer-controlled mobile transport device to transport and deposit the disparate article in the second destination container by manipulation of the second computer-controlled mobile transport device from the first position to the second position; electronically update a status of the second destination container to include the disparate article; and determine the second order has been completed.

18. A control system configured for use with sorting of a plurality of disparate articles, the control system comprising a memory and a processor, the control system configured to: receive a first order for a plurality of disparate articles found within an article supply location; associate a disparate article selected from the plurality of disparate articles with the first order based on a product type of the disparate article; determine that the disparate article is not a first article in the first order; determine a first destination container of a plurality of destination containers that has previously been assigned to the first order to direct a first computer- controlled mobile transport device to deposit the disparate article thereinto based on a product type of the disparate article, wherein the first computer-controlled mobile transport device traverses a platform elevated from a first surface, the platform comprising a plurality of fingers extending laterally from a longitudinally extending highway, wherein the first destination container is positioned proximal the platform; direct the first computer-controlled mobile transport device to transport and deposit the disparate article in the first destination container by manipulation of the first computer-controlled mobile transport device from a first position to a second position; electronically update a status of the first destination container to include the disparate article; and determine the first order has been completed.