Transfer apparatus and fast, footprint optimized item transfer station
AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.
InventorsScott Hogan, Tait Stephen Carroll, Michael Andrew DeMalia
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A transfer apparatus can include a lateral frame extending in a first direction. An upright frame can be arranged to guide and support movement of the lateral frame in a second direction. A first rotatable head can be coupled to the lateral frame and configured to translate in the first direction. A second rotatable head can be coupled to the lateral frame and configured to translate in the first direction. The second rotatable head can be spaced from the first rotatable head. The second rotatable head can rotate and translate independently of the first rotatable head.
Claims20
An inventory handling system, comprising:
- a receiving station comprising:
- a first conveyor arranged for delivery of a first item at a first end;
- and
- a second conveyor arranged for receipt of a second item at a second end laterally opposite to the first end;
- an inventory holder comprising a rack sized to store at least the first item, the second item, or the first item and the second item;
- and
- a transfer apparatus disposed in an area between the receiving station and the inventory holder, the transfer apparatus operable to perform item transferring operation between the receiving station and the inventory holder, the transfer apparatus comprising:
- a lateral frame extending in a horizontal direction;
- an upright frame along which the lateral frame is moveable in a vertical direction;
- a first rotatable head coupled to the lateral frame, the first rotatable head being translatable in the horizontal direction and rotatable between the inventory holder and the receiving station, the first rotatable head comprising a first item receiving platform extending along a length of the first rotatable head and configured to support the first item or the second item from underneath;
- and
- a second rotatable head coupled to the lateral frame and spaced from the first rotatable head, the second rotatable head being translatable in the horizontal direction and rotatable between the inventory holder and the receiving station, the second rotatable head being translatable and rotatable independently of the first rotatable head, the second rotatable head comprising a second item receiving platform configured to extend along a length of the second rotatable head and support the first item or the second item from underneath,
- wherein the first rotatable head is configured to retrieve the first item from the first conveyor at the first end of the receiving station, and
- wherein the second rotatable head is configured to deliver the second item to the second conveyor at the second end of receiving station while the first rotatable head retrieves the first item to simultaneously transfer items relative to the receiving station.
A transfer apparatus, comprising:
- a lateral frame extending in a first direction;
- an upright frame arranged to guide and support movement of the lateral frame in a second direction;
- a first rotatable head coupled to the lateral frame and configured to translate in the first direction, the first rotatable head comprising an item receiving platform configured to extend along a length of the first rotatable head and to support at least an item from underneath;
- and
- a second rotatable head coupled to the lateral frame and configured to translate in the first direction, the second rotatable head being spaced from the first rotatable head, the second rotatable head being configured to rotate and translate independently of the first rotatable head.
A method for transferring items using a transfer apparatus comprising independently rotatable and translatable heads, the method comprising:
- moving a first head of the transfer apparatus towards a first area of a receiving station to align for receipt of a first item, the first head of the transfer apparatus comprising a first item receiving platform configured to extend along a length of the first head and to support the first item from underneath;
- moving a second head carrying a second item towards a second area of the receiving station, the second head of the transfer apparatus comprising a second item receiving platform configured to extend along a length of the second head and to support the second item from underneath;
- and
- receiving the first item onto the first head while simultaneously delivering the second item from the second head onto a second area of the receiving station.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.