Material handling apparatus for delivering or retrieving items
AssigneeOpex Corporation
InventorsGeorge Hayduchok, Robert R. DeWitt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for sorting or retrieving items to/from a plurality of destinations areas. The items are loaded onto one of a plurality of independently controlled delivery vehicles. The delivery vehicles follow a path to/from the destination areas, which are positioned along the path. Once at the appropriate destination area, an item is transferred between the delivery vehicle and the destination area.
Claims20
A method for sorting items into destination areas using a plurality of vehicles wherein a first group of the destination areas extend along a first side of an aisle and a second group of the destination areas extend along a second side of the aisle and the method comprises the steps of:
- loading the items onto the plurality of vehicles at a loading location, comprising the steps of:
- loading a first item onto a first of the plurality of vehicles while the first vehicle is positioned in the aisle;
- loading a second item onto a second of the plurality of vehicles while the second vehicle is positioned in the aisle;
- displacing the first vehicle within the aisle along a first path forming a first vertical loop;
- during the step of displacing the first vehicle, displacing the second vehicle along a second path forming a second vertical loop within the aisle;
- stopping the first vehicle within the aisle along the first vertical loop;
- stopping the second vehicle within the aisle along the second vertical loop;
- transferring the first item into a first of the destination areas during the step of stopping the first vehicle, comprising the step of driving a first conveyor belt of the first vehicle to displace the first item transverse the first vertical loop;
- transferring the second item into a second of the destination areas during the step of stopping the second vehicle, comprising the step of driving a second conveyor belt of the second vehicle to displace the second item transverse the second vertical loop;
- wherein the step of displacing the first vehicle along a first path forming a first vertical loop comprises displacing the first vehicle to the loading location along the first vertical loop after the step of transferring the first item so that another item can be loaded onto the first vehicle;
- and
- wherein the step of displacing the second vehicle along a second path forming a second vertical loop comprises displacing the second vehicle to the loading location along the second vertical loop after the step of transferring the second item so that another item can be loaded onto the second vehicle.
A method for sorting items using a plurality of vehicles operable within an aisle with a first group of sort locations located along a first side of the aisle and a second group of sort locations located along a second side of the aisle, comprising the steps of:
- loading a first item onto a first of the vehicles while the first vehicle is in the aisle at a loading location;
- loading a second item onto a second of the vehicles while the second vehicle is in the aisle at the loading location;
- displacing the first vehicle with the first item horizontally and vertically along a first path forming a first vertical loop within the aisle, comprising the steps of:
- displacing the first vehicle along the first vertical loop from the loading location to a first sort location that is one of either the first or second groups of sort locations;
- and
- displacing the first vehicle along the first vertical loop from the first sort location back to the loading location;
- stopping the first vehicle along the first vertical loop adjacent the first sort location;
- transferring the first item into the first sort location by displacing the first item in a horizontal direction that is transverse the first vertical loop;
- displacing the second vehicle with the second item along a second vertical loop within the aisle toward a second of the first and second sort locations during the step of displacing the first vehicle with the first item along a first vertical loop;
- transferring the second item into the second sort location;
- and
- displacing the second vehicle along the second vertical loop back to the loading location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.