System for the storage and retrieval of parcels
AssigneeUnited Parcel Service of America, Inc.
InventorsJulio GIL, Julian Leland BELL, Youngjun CHOI
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automatic storage and retrieval system is provided that is usable to sort, store and retrieve parcels for delivery. The system provides a multi-layered rail system allowing a high-density storage system for parcels. In some aspects, the parcels may be sorted between parcel containers in different layers, and in some aspects parcel containers may be transferred between layers, allowing individual parcels to be logically sorted and placed within a parcel container according to a delivery destination. Once at a delivery destination, the system may be used to load an unmanned delivery device, such as a robot, with a parcel container associated with the delivery destination.
Claims20
A container comprising:
- a frame;
- a first panel;
- a second panel;
- at least one gear;
- and
- at least one motor, wherein:
- the frame comprises an open bottom face and supports the first panel and the second panel,
- the first panel and the second panel are slidably coupled to the frame and comprise outer edges that comprise at least one of a series of teeth constructed as a gear rack to mate with the at least one gear or a series of holes configured to interact with the at least one gear,
- each of the first panel and the second panel comprises a terminal end that is configured to be positioned such that the terminal end of the first panel abuts the terminal end of the second panel to completely cover the open bottom face, and
- the at least one motor is configured to rotate the at least one gear to cause at least one of the first panel or the second panel to move relative to the frame and follow a contour of the frame to expose an area of the open bottom face below an object to dispense the object from the container.
A container comprising:
- an open bottom face;
- a first panel;
- a second panel;
- at least one gear;
- and
- at least one motor, wherein:
- the first panel and the second panel are slidable and comprise outer edges that comprise at least one of a series of teeth constructed as a gear rack to mate with the at least one gear or a series of holes configured to interact with the at least one gear,
- each of the first panel and the second panel comprises a terminal end that is configured to be positioned such that the terminal end of the first panel abuts the terminal end of the second panel to completely cover the open bottom face, and
- the at least one motor is configured to rotate the at least one gear to cause at least one of the first panel or the second panel to move to expose an area of the open bottom face below an object to dispense the object from the container.
A container comprising:
- a first side;
- a second side;
- and
- a series of dividers, wherein:
- each of the first side and the second side comprises an upper groove and a lower groove below the upper groove,
- the lower groove comprises a series of slots that are formed by spaced protrusions,
- the series of dividers are supported by, and configured to slide along, the upper groove and the lower groove,
- the series of dividers are configured to be positioned along the first side and the second side to create compartments of varying sizes, and
- each of the series of dividers comprises a tab configured to hold the corresponding divider at a desired location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.