Warehouse automation system methods and apparatus
US11345546B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 29, 2019 |
| Grant date | May 31, 2022 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 16, 2040 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG05B2219/32392
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for efficiently fulfilling product orders corresponding are described. Order items are divided into those which are to be automatically picked using an automated pick cell including a loader, such as a robotic arm, storage buffers and an apparatus for transferring the automatically picked items onto a robotic cart. The manually picked items are picked by a human picker guided by the robotic cart. The manual pick can occur before or after the automatic pick of items. In some embodiments whether items are to be automatically picked before or after the manual pick portion of an order depends on which ordering will allow for packing of the items corresponding to an order into the least number of receptacles, e.g., totes which are transported by the robotic pick carts.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.