US-12617613-B1 - Systems and methods for a high throughput sortation system

US12617613B1US 12617613 B1US12617613 B1US 12617613B1US-12617613-B1

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for a shuttle track system for efficiently sorting items and packages by increasing a throughput of shuttles loaded with items. To increase item shuttle throughput, a shuttle track designated for shuttles that transport items (e.g., item track) may be positioned between on either side of a tote track designed for shuttles that transport totes (e.g., tote tracks). Tote receiving areas which may support totes for receiving the items may be positioned between each item track and the tote track. Shuttles designed to transport items (e.g., item shuttles) may deliver items to the totes in the tote receiving areas via the item tracks and shuttles designed to retrieve and/or receive totes (e.g., tote shuttles) may retrieve and/or receive totes via the tote track. Multiple sortation levels may be stacked and interconnected via ramps and/or shuttle lift systems to maximize and/or optimize item shuttle throughput.

Inventors

Michael Alan Bray
Ganesh Krishnamoorthy
Vivek S. Narayanan
Max Alfonso Bruccoleri

Assignees

AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20230626

Claims (20)

1 . A system comprising: a first item shuttle configured to support and eject a first item; a second item shuttle configured to support and eject a second item; a first item track, the first item track configured to support the first item shuttle; a second item track, the second item track configured to support the second item shuttle a first tote receiving area configured to receive first totes including a first tote and positioned adjacent to the first item track; a second tote receiving area configured to receive second totes including a second tote and positioned adjacent to the second item track; a first tote shuttle configured to receive and support the first tote; a second tote configured to receive and support the second tote; a tote track adjacent to and between the first tote receiving area and the second tote receiving area, the tote track configured to support the first tote shuttle and the second tote shuttle; memory configured to store computer-executable instructions; and at least one computer processor configured to access the memory and execute computer-executable instructions to: cause the first item shuttle loaded with the first item to move to a first location on the first item track adjacent to the first tote in the first tote receiving area; cause the first item shuttle to eject the first item into the first tote; cause the second item shuttle loaded with the second item to move to a second location on the second item track adjacent to the second tote in the second in the tote receiving area; cause the second item shuttle to eject the second item into the second tote; cause the first tote shuttle to move to a third location on the tote track adjacent to the first tote in the first tote receiving area; cause the first tote shuttle to receive the first tote from the first tote receiving area; and cause the first tote shuttle to move to a third location on the tote track.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to access the memory and execute computer executable instructions to: cause the second tote shuttle to move to a fourth location on the tote track adjacent to the second tote in the second tote receiving area; cause the second tote shuttle to receive the second tote from the second tote receiving area; and cause the second tote shuttle to move to a fifth location on the tote track.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first item shuttle has a magnetic portion and the first item track has a linear synchronous motor configured to interface with the magnetic portion to cause the first item shuttle to move along the first item track.
4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a tote shuttle lift positioned at an end of the tote track and configured to move the first tote shuttle from a first height to a second height of the tote track; and a ramp positioned at an end of the first item track and configured to move the first item shuttle from a third height to a fourth height of the first item track.
5 . A system comprising: a first item track configured to support a first shuttle configured to transport and eject a first item; a second item track configured to support a second shuttle configured to transport and eject a second item; a first tote receiving area configured to receive a set of first totes including a first tote and positioned adjacent to the first item track; a second tote receiving area configured to receive a set of second totes including a second tote and positioned adjacent to the second item track; a tote track adjacent to and between the first tote receiving area and the second tote receiving area, the tote track configured to support a third shuttle configured to receive and transport totes; memory configured to store computer-executable instructions; and at least one computer processor configured to access the memory and execute computer-executable instructions to: cause the first shuttle loaded with the first item to move to a first location on the first item track adjacent the first tote and eject the first item into the first tote; and cause the third shuttle to move to a second location on the tote track adjacent the first tote and receive the first tote.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to: cause the second shuttle loaded with the second item to move to a third location on the second item track adjacent to a second tote in the second tote receiving area; and cause the second shuttle to eject the second item into the second tote.
7 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to: determine the first tote is fully loaded; cause the third shuttle loaded with the first tote to move to a third location on the tote track.
8 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to: determine the second tote is fully loaded; cause a fourth shuttle to move to a fourth location on the tote track adjacent to the second tote in the second tote receiving area; cause the fourth shuttle to receive the second tote from the second tote receiving area; and cause the fourth shuttle loaded with the second tote to move to a fifth location on the tote track.
9 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the first shuttle has a magnetic portion and the first item track has a linear synchronous motor configured to interface with the magnetic portion to cause the first shuttle move along the first item track.
10 . The system of claim 5 , further comprising: a third item track configured to support the first shuttle and positioned above the item track; a fourth item track configured to support the second shuttle and positioned above the second item track; a third tote receiving area configured to receive a set of third totes, the third tote receiving area positioned above the first tote receiving area; a fourth tote receiving area configured to receive a set of fourth totes, the fourth tote receiving area positioned above the second tote receiving area; and a second tote track configured to support the third shuttle and positioned above the tote track.
11 . The system of claim 5 , further comprising: a third item track configured to support the first shuttle and positioned below the item track; a fourth item track configured to support the second shuttle and positioned below the second item track; a third tote receiving area configured to receive a set of third totes, the third tote receiving area positioned below the first tote receiving area; a fourth tote receiving area configured to receive a set of fourth totes, the fourth tote receiving area positioned below the second tote receiving area; and a second tote track configured to support the third shuttle and positioned below the tote track.
12 . The system of claim 5 , further comprising: a tote shuttle lift positioned at an end of the tote track and configured to move the third shuttle from a first height to a second height of the tote track; and a ramp positioned at an end of the first item track and configured to move the first shuttle from a third height to a fourth height of the first item track.
13 . A method comprising: causing, by a controller, a first shuttle loaded with a first item to move to a first location on a first item track adjacent to a first tote in a first tote receiving area adjacent the first item track; causing the first shuttle to eject the first item into the first tote; causing a second shuttle loaded with a second item to move to a second location on a second item track adjacent to a second tote in a second tote receiving area adjacent the second item track; causing the second shuttle to eject the second item into second first tote; causing a third shuttle to move to a third location on a tote track between the first tote receiving area and the second tote receiving area, the third location adjacent the first tote; causing the third shuttle to receive the first tote from the first tote receiving area; and causing the third shuttle to move to a third location on the tote track after the first tote is received by the third shuttle.
14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising: causing a fourth shuttle loaded with a third item to move to the first location on the first item track adjacent to the first tote in a first tote receiving area; causing the third shuttle to eject a third item into first tote.
15 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising: causing a fourth shuttle to move to a fourth location on the tote track adjacent to the second tote in the second tote receiving area; causing the fourth shuttle to receive the second tote from the second tote receiving area; and causing the fourth shuttle to move to a fifth location on the tote track after the second tote is received by fourth shuttle.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the second tote receiving area is positioned between the second item track and the tote track.
17 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining the first tote is fully loaded before causing the third shuttle to receive the first tote from the first tote receiving area.
18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the first shuttle has a magnetic portion and the first item track has a linear synchronous motor configured to interface with the magnetic portion to cause the first shuttle move along the first item track.
19 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising causing a shuttle lift at a first end of the tote track to move the third shuttle from a first height to a second height of the tote track.
20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising causing the first shuttle to traverse a ramp connected to an end of the first item track and extending between a first height to a second height of the first item track.

Description

BACKGROUND As users increasingly make online purchases, fulfillment of such purchases become increasingly complicated. For example, a fulfillment center may have output of upwards of one million packages per day. With such demands, efficiency of logistics related to processing orders and distributing packages is of high importance. To achieve efficient distribution and sortation and ultimately fulfillment of such orders, often various conveyor, roller, chute, and/or shuttle systems are used throughout a fulfillment center to distribute items and/or packages. Recently, shuttles have been used move items and packages throughout such fulfillment centers. For example, shuttles have been used to perform sortation of packages and other items in the fulfillment centers. Shuttles may carry packages between locations in such centers and may deposit packages at desired area. Given the large volume of packages and other items that need to be sorted and ultimately delivered, a high volume of shuttles and a complex shuttle track are required. Current systems, such as shuttle track system 100 of FIG. 1, may involve a number of item tracks (e.g., item tracks 102) that guide shuttles holding items to a tote (e.g., tote 104) in tote receiving areas (e.g., tote receiving area 106). A tote track (e.g., tote track 108) may extend adjacent to such tote receiving area for loading loaded totes onto shuttles (e.g., shuttle 105) on the tote track. Other arrangements may also be used such as multiple tote tracks for loading totes. However, optimization challenges arise due to a difference in throughput between the item track and tote track due the number of shuttles it takes to load a single tote. Accordingly, improvements in shuttle track systems may be desired. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a shuttle track system with a shuttle track for delivering items, set of totes, and a track with shuttles for moving totes, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a shuttle track system including an first and second items tracks adjacent tote receiving areas and a tote track between the tote receiving areas, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration a multilevel shuttle track system, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 4 is a top down view of the multilevel shuttle track system, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration the multilevel shuttle track system including shuttle lifts, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 6 is a top down view of a schematic illustration of the multi-level shuttle track system including shuttle lifts, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration of an alternative multilevel shuttle track system including a tote track with lifts, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration a shuttle track system including alternating item tracks and tote tracks, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 9 is an exemplary process flow for achieving item throughput in a shuttle track system, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 10 schematically illustrates an example architecture of a controller for a shuttle track system, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings are provided for purposes of illustration only and merely depict example embodiments of the disclosure. The drawings are provided to facilitate understanding of the disclosure and shall not be deemed to limit the breadth, scope, or applicability of the disclosure. The use of the same reference numerals indicates similar, but not necessarily the same or identical components. Different reference numerals may be used to identify similar components. Various embodiments may utilize elements or components other than those illustrated in the drawings, and some elements and/or components may not be present in various embodiments. The use of singular terminology to describe a component or element may, depending on the context, encompass a plural number of such components or elements and vice versa. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Overview Fulfillment centers may be used to fulfill online purchases and other orders. For example, fulfillment centers may include product inventory that may be pulled when an order for a particular product or multiple products is placed. In some instances, the product(s) may be packed and shipped from the fulfillment center. However, the process of obtaining the product(s), packing the product(s), and shipping the product(s) may be complicated due to the amount of inventory, the number of orders to process, the size of the