Order fulfillment system
AssigneeAlert Innovation Inc.
InventorsJohn G. Lert, JR., William J. Fosnight, Julian Warhurst, Mark Solomon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An order fulfillment system is disclosed including a multi-level tote storage structure, one or more autonomous mobile robots configured to pick, transport and place one or more tote; one or more workstations configured to accommodate a picker that transports one or more eaches from a tote on one of the autonomous mobile robots to a “put” location, wherein the autonomous mobile robots are configured to move from level to level in the order fulfillment apparatus.
Claims20
A tote configured to be transferred by a tote transfer mechanism of a mobile robot between the mobile robot and first and second storage shelves on opposed sides of the mobile robot, the tote comprising a center of gravity, the tote comprising:
- a first surface configured to be engaged by a first finger to exert a first pulling force on tote in a direction away from the center of gravity of the tote, the first pulling force affecting transfer of the tote from first storage shelf to the mobile robot, and
- wherein the first surface is configured to be engaged by the first finger to exert a second pulling force on the tote in a direction away from a center of gravity of the tote, the second pulling force affecting movement of the tote from the mobile robot toward the second storage shelf and
- a second surface configured to be engaged by a second finger to exert a first pushing force on the tote in a direction toward the center of gravity of the tote, the first pushing force completing transfer of the tote from the mobile robot to the second storage shelf.
A tote configured to be transferred by a tote transfer mechanism of a mobile robot between the mobile robot and first and second storage shelves on a same side of the mobile robot, the tote comprising a center of gravity, the tote comprising:
- a first surface configured to be engaged by a first finger to exert a first pulling force on the tote in a direction away from the center of gravity of the tote, the first pulling force affecting transfer of the tote from first storage shelf to the mobile robot;
- a second surface configured to be engaged by the first finger to exert a first pushing force on the tote in a direction toward the center of gravity, the first pushing force moving the tote toward the second storage shelf;
- and
- a third surface configured to be engaged by a second finger to exert a second pushing force in the direction toward the center of gravity, the third force completing movement of the tote onto the second storage shelf
A tote configured to be transferred by a tote transfer mechanism of a mobile robot between the mobile robot and first and second storage shelves on opposed sides of the mobile robot, the tote comprising a center of gravity, the tote comprising:
- a flat surface configured to be engaged by a first finger to exert a first pulling force on tote in a direction away from the center of gravity of the tote, the first pulling force affecting transfer of the tote from first storage shelf to the mobile robot, and
- wherein the flat surface is configured to be engaged by the first finger to exert a second pulling force on the tote in a direction away from a center of gravity of the tote, the second pulling force affecting movement of the tote from the mobile robot toward the second storage shelf, and
- a concave surface configured to be engaged by a second finger to exert a first pushing force on the tote in a direction toward the center of gravity of the tote, the first pushing force completing transfer of the tote from the mobile robot to the second storage shelf.
A tote configured to be transferred by a tote transfer mechanism of a mobile robot between the mobile robot and first and second storage shelves on a same side of the mobile robot, the tote comprising a center of gravity, the tote comprising:
- a flat surface configured to be engaged by a first finger to exert a first pulling force on the tote in a direction away from the center of gravity of the tote, the first pulling force affecting transfer of the tote from first storage shelf to the mobile robot;
- a first concave surface configured to be engaged by the first finger to exert a first pushing force on the tote in a direction toward the center of gravity, the first pushing force moving the tote toward the second storage shelf;
- and
- a second concave surface configured to be engaged by a second finger to exert a second pushing force in the direction toward the center of gravity, the third force completing movement of the tote onto the second storage shelf
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.