Automated warehouse fulfillment system and method of operation

An apparatus for order fulfillment from stored items in a plurality of bins located along at least a first side of a first aisle, the apparatus comprising:

• a first guided vehicle configured to move horizontally along the first aisle;
• a first horizontal tote-conveyor system positioned along a first horizontal tote path that runs parallel to the first side of the first aisle, wherein the horizontal tote-conveyor system sequentially moves each individual tote of a first sequence of totes to the first guided vehicle;
• a first vertical tote-conveyor system operatively coupled to the first guided vehicle and configured to convey vertically each tote of the first sequence of totes to a plurality of vertical locations, wherein each of the plurality of vertical locations of the first vertical tote-conveyor system is at a different height relative to the first guided vehicle, wherein the first sequence of totes includes a first tote and a second tote, wherein the first vertical tote-conveyor system is further configured to move the second tote from a first vertical location of the plurality of vertical locations to a second vertical location of the plurality of vertical locations while the first tote remains stationary;
• and
• a first picker platform operatively coupled to the first guided vehicle and configured to moves to one of a plurality of vertical positions to facilitate the movement of picked items from the plurality of bins to stow in the first sequence of totes wherein the first horizontal tote-conveyor system moves the first sequence of totes away from the first guided vehicle to a first end of the first aisle.

An apparatus for order fulfillment from stored items in a plurality of bins located along at least a first side of a first aisle, the apparatus comprising:

• a first guided vehicle configured to move horizontally along the first aisle;
• a first horizontal tote-conveyor system positioned along a first horizontal tote path that runs parallel to the first side of the first aisle, wherein the horizontal tote-conveyor system moves a first sequence of totes to the first guided vehicle;
• a first vertical tote-conveyor system operatively coupled to the first guided vehicle and configured to convey vertically each tote of the first sequence of totes to a plurality of vertical locations, wherein each of the plurality of locations of the first vertical tote-conveyor system is at a different height relative to the first guided vehicle;
• a first picker platform operatively coupled to the first guided vehicle and configured to moves to one of a plurality of vertical positions to facilitate the movement of picked items from the plurality of bins to stow in the first sequence of totes;
• wherein the first horizontal tote-conveyor system moves the first sequence of totes away from the first guided vehicle to a first end of the first aisle;
• a second vertical tote-conveyor system operatively coupled to the first guided vehicle and configured to convey vertically each tote of the first sequence of totes to a plurality of vertical locations, wherein each of the plurality of locations of the second vertical tote-conveyor system is at a different height relative to the first guided vehicle;
• and
• a horizontal tote-transfer mechanism operatively coupled to the first guided vehicle and configured to move each tote of the first sequence of totes between the first vertical tote-conveyor system and the second vertical tote-conveyor system, wherein the first sequence of totes includes a first tote and a second tote, wherein the first vertical tote-conveyor system is further configured to move the second tote from a first vertical location of the plurality of vertical locations to a second vertical location of the plurality of vertical locations while the first tote remains vertically stationary at a third vertical location on the second vertical tote-conveyor system.