# US 2018/0025410 A1 · Order fulfillment system and method with sortation at induct

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- Number: US 2018/0025410 A1
- Document ID: US20180025410A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/652,555
- Filed: 2017-07-18
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-20
- Assignees: Dematic Corp.
- Applicants: Dematic Corp.
- Inventors: Michael J. Kasper; Jennifer Gonzales
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180025410A1

## CPC

- B65G 1/1376: {the orders being assembled on a commissioning conveyor}
- B65G 1/137: with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
- B65G 1/1371: {with data records}
- B65G 1/1373: {for fulfilling orders in warehouses}
- B65G 1/1378: {the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas}
- B65G 17/485: {the load carriers being suspended}
- B65G 47/61: for articles
- G06Q 10/0875: Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
- G06Q 30/0635: {replenishment orders; recurring orders}
- B65G 2201/0238: Bags
- B65G 2201/06: Articles and bulk
- B65G 2203/046: RFID
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

An order fulfillment system and method includes storing a plurality of inventory items in a warehouse and a plurality of customer orders in a data base, wherein the inventory items make up the customer orders. Some of the orders being a single item order having only one inventory item assigned to that order and other of the orders being multiple item orders having multiple inventory items assigned to that order. Inventory items withdrawn from the warehouse are identified with an identifier and the identity of each withdrawn inventory item applied to the data base and matched item with a customer order. Inventory items are combined together that make up an order with a sortation system. The sortation system has an induct subsystem and the induction subsystem has an input. Inventory items are transported from the warehouse to the induction subsystem input with a transportation system. Inventory items assigned to multiple-item orders are forwarded to the sortation system with the induct subsystem responsive to the data base. Inventory items assigned to single item orders are forwarded to a packing station bypassing the sortation system responsive to the data base.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An order fulfillment system, comprising:
a warehouse that is adapted to store of plurality of inventory items and a data base adapted to store a plurality of customer orders and the inventory items making up the customer orders, wherein some of the orders being a single item order having only one inventory item assigned to that order and other of the orders being multiple item orders having multiple inventory items assigned to that order;
an identifier adapted to identity of inventory items withdrawn from the warehouse and to apply the identity of that inventory item to the data base for matching of that inventory item with an order;
a sortation system that is adapted to combine inventory items together that make up an order said sortation system having an induct subsystem, said induction subsystem having an input;
a transportation system adapted to transport inventory items from the warehouse to said input;
said induct subsystem being responsive to said data base to forward inventory items assigned to multiple-item orders to said sorter; and
said induct subsystem being response to said data base to forward inventory items assigned to single item orders to a packing station.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The order fulfillment system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transportation system transports inventory items to said input in bulk.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The order fulfillment system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said identifier identifies inventory items when picked from said inventory storage area and placed in a pick cart.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The order fulfillment system as claimed in claim 2 wherein inventory items are supplied from said pick cart to said bulk flow conveyor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The order fulfillment system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said induct subsystem includes another bulk flow conveyor and wherein said induct subsystem sends inventory items assigned to a single-item order to said another bulk flow conveyor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The order fulfillment system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said sortation system comprises a pouch sorter having individual pouches connected with an overhead conveyor, said overhead conveyor adapted to route pouches and wherein said induct subsystem supplies inventory items making up portion of a multiple item order in a pouch and supplies inventory items making up a single-item order to said another bulk flow conveyor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The order fulfillment system as claimed in claim 6 wherein said induct subsystem includes an automated pouch opener and wherein said pouch opener is responsive to said data base to open a pouch to receive an inventory item of a multiple item order and is responsive to said data base to not open a pouch for an inventory item of a single-item order.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The order fulfillment system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said another bulk flow conveyor is subjacent said pouch opener wherein an inventory item supplied to a non-opened pouch falls to the another bulk flow conveyor.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The order fulfillment system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sortation system comprises a pouch sorter having individual pouches connected with an overhead conveyor, said overhead conveyor adapted to route pouches and wherein said induct subsystem supplies inventory items making up portion of a multiple item order in a pouch.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The order fulfillment system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said pouch sorter comprises a buffer that is adapted to accumulate pouches with inventory items therein and an accumulator that is adapted to receive inventory items from said buffer when all or a portion of inventory items that make up a multiple item order are in said buffer.

### Claim 11

An order fulfillment method, comprising:
storing of plurality of inventory items in a warehouse and a plurality of customer orders in a data base, wherein the inventory items make up the customer orders, wherein some of the orders being a single item order having only one inventory item assigned to that order and other of the orders being multiple item orders having multiple inventory items assigned to that order;
identifying inventory items withdrawn from the warehouse with an identifier and applying the identity of each withdrawn inventory item to the data base and matching that inventory item with a customer order;
combining inventory items together that make up an order with a sortation system, said sortation system having an induct subsystem, said induction subsystem having an input;
transporting inventory items from the warehouse to said input with a transportation system;
forwarding inventory items assigned to multiple-item orders to said sortation system with said induct subsystem responsive to said data base; and
forwarding inventory items assigned to single item orders to a packing station bypassing said sortation system responsive to said data base.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The order fulfillment method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the forwarding of inventory items assigned to single item orders to a packing station occurs with said induct subsystem.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The order fulfillment method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said transportation system transports inventory items to said input in bulk.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The order fulfillment method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said identifier identifies inventory items when picked from said inventory storage area and placed to a pick cart.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The order fulfillment method as claimed in claim 14 wherein inventory items are supplied from said pick cart to said bulk flow conveyor.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The order fulfillment method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said induct subsystem includes another bulk flow conveyor and wherein said induct subsystem forwards inventory items assigned to a single-item order to said another bulk flow conveyor.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The order fulfillment method as claimed in claim 16 wherein said sortation system comprises a pouch sorter having individual pouches connected with an overhead conveyor, said overhead conveyor adapted to route pouches and wherein said induct subsystem supplies inventory items making up portion of a multiple item order in a pouch and supplies inventory items making up a single-item order to said another bulk flow conveyor.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The order fulfillment method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said induct subsystem includes an automated pouch opener and wherein said pouch opener is responsive to said data base to open a pouch to receive an inventory item of a multiple item order and is responsive to said data base to not open a pouch for an inventory item of a single-item order.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The order fulfillment method as claimed in claim 18 wherein said another bulk flow conveyor is subjacent said pouch opener wherein an inventory item supplied to a non-opened pouch falls to the another bulk flow conveyor.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The order fulfillment method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said sortation system comprises a pouch sorter having individual pouches connected with an overhead conveyor, said overhead conveyor adapted to route pouches and wherein said induct subsystem supplies inventory items making up portion of a multiple item order in a pouch.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The order fulfillment method as claimed in claim 20 wherein said pouch sorter comprises a buffer that is adapted to accumulate pouches with inventory items therein and an accumulator that is adapted to receive inventory items from said buffer when all or a portion of inventory items that make up a multiple item order are in said buffer.