Storage module having inventory carriers that are elongate along a lateral direction to carry a plurality of storage containers

US10322878B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC. · US

Inventors

• Dinesh Mahadevan · Lynnwood, US
• Martin Peter Aalund · Seattle, US
• Jon Stuart Battles · North Bend, US
• Jon David DeFant · Seattle, US
• Benjamin Douglas Garcia · Seattle, US
• Vahideh Kamranzadeh · Seattle, US
• George T. Davies · Brigham City, US
• Steven Eric Nuetzman · Syracuse, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 21, 2017
• Grant date: Jun 18, 2019
• Expiry date: Jul 21, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B65G1/0485
• WIPO field: Handling
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

In one embodiment, an inventory storage module has first and second guiderails that are spaced from one another along a lateral direction. Each guiderail has an upper track and a lower track, and first and second connecting tracks that connect the upper track to the lower track at first and second ends of the storage module, respectively. The module has a plurality of inventory carriers that are supported between the first and second guiderails, are arranged end-to-end along the upper and lower tracks along a longitudinal direction, and are elongate along the lateral direction. The module can also have a plurality of storage containers carried by each inventory carrier in a side-by-side relation along the lateral direction, where the plurality of storage containers carry a plurality of inventory items.