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US-12619223-B2 - Parcel and article sorting system and method

US12619223B2US 12619223 B2US12619223 B2US 12619223B2US-12619223-B2

Abstract

A system includes an article supply location, wherein the article supply location includes a plurality of articles to be sorted, first and second transport vehicles, each having a first position in which an article is stowed about the vehicle and a second position in which the article is deposited into a proximal container. And a control system. The control system is configured to receive an order for a plurality of disparate articles, determine one destination container of a plurality of destination containers to direct the transport vehicle to deposit a selected article, direct the first transport vehicle to transport a selected article to the destination container and deposit the article by manipulation of the first transport vehicle from the first position to the second position for deposit of the selected article in the destination container.

Inventors

  • Jianqiang ZHU
  • Juejing XU
  • John C. Spain
  • Michael C. Futch
  • James M. Serstad
  • Richard C. Kaminska, III
  • Selden W. McKnight, JR.

Assignees

  • TOMPKINS ROBOTICS, INC.
  • ZHEJIANG LIBIAO ROBOT CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20240716
Priority Date
20150722

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A system comprising: a container; an article delivery device; a transfer device; and a control system that directs the transfer device to transfer the container from a first location to a second location after the article delivery device has delivered an article to the container.
  2. 2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system further directs the transfer device to place an empty container at the first location.
  3. 3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system further determines when the container is full.
  4. 4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the article delivery device delivers a plurality of identical articles to the container.
  5. 5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the transfer device comprises one of: an intelligent robot, and an auto-navigating vehicle.
  6. 6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the container is mounted on the transfer device.
  7. 7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system further directs the transfer device to replace the container that is full or that contains a complete order with an empty container.
  8. 8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the control system further directs the article delivery device to resume delivery of articles to the empty container.
  9. 9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the article delivery device delivers a plurality of disparate articles to the container.
  10. 10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the control system further batches a plurality of orders.
  11. 11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the article delivery device is a computer-controlled transport vehicle, and wherein an automated machine positions the article onto the computer-controlled transport vehicle.
  12. 12 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising a platform elevated from a surface, wherein the container is positioned about the surface, wherein the article delivery device comprises a transport vehicle configured for traversing the platform.
  13. 13 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an article deposition mechanism that loads an article about the article delivery device.
  14. 14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the article deposition mechanism is configured for manual loading of the article about the article delivery device by an operator.
  15. 15 . The system of claim 13 wherein the article deposition mechanism is configured for automated loading of the article about the article delivery device.
  16. 16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the article delivery device is a computer-controlled transport vehicle, and wherein the container is positioned on a same surface as the computer-controlled transport vehicle.
  17. 17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the transfer device comprises one of: an intelligent robot, and an auto-navigating vehicle.
  18. 18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the container is mounted on the transfer device, wherein an article is unloaded from the container at the second location.
  19. 19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the article delivery device is a computer-controlled transport vehicle, and wherein the container is positioned on a same surface as the computer-controlled transport vehicle.
  20. 20 . A system comprising: a container; an article delivery device; a transfer device; and a control system that directs the transfer device to transfer the container to a second location after the article delivery device has delivered all articles associated with an order to the container.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/421,450 filed on Jan. 24, 2024, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/344,350 filed on Jun. 29, 2023 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,892,825 on Feb. 6, 2024, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/930,519 filed on Sep. 8, 2022 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,714,401 on Aug. 1, 2023, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/190,812 filed on Mar. 3, 2021 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,630,448 on Apr. 18, 2023, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/353,250 filed on Mar. 14, 2019 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,968,087 on Apr. 6, 2021, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/984,757 filed on May 21, 2018 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,248,112 on Apr. 2, 2019, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/455,094 filed on Mar. 9, 2017 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,975,148 on May 22, 2018, which claims priority to PCT Patent Application No. PCT/CN2016/090684 filed on Jul. 20, 2016, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. CN201510433995.5, filed on Jul. 22, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to sorting technology, and specifically to a parcel and article sorting system and method. BACKGROUND ART Parcel sorting includes dispensing packages going to different destinations to different exits through a delivery device, so as to realize unified transport of packages going to the same destination. This is especially advantageous in a order fulfillment center or shipping facility. Generally, a parcel containing articles for shipment will have a UPC, barcode, SKU, or similar that allows for identification of the parcel identity and destination. Article sorting includes dispensing articles that come from a plurality of warehouse locations to different exits through a delivery device, so as to realize unified consolidation at a single exit or destination point of all articles in a single order going to a destination in a single package or parcel. This is especially advantageous in any type of parcel fulfillment center. The process is very labor intensive, which increases cost, errors in processing, and increases the time for packages to arrive, all lessening the end customer experience. Additionally, packages may be damaged, mispackaged, and the like, reducing efficiency for all involved parties. Automated sorting equipment may be useful for addressing these issues, however, sorting equipment is expensive, requires significant capital investment, takes up large portions of warehouse space, is limited in the volume of packages that can be sorted, is significantly underutilized at less than peak periods, and has a long payback in most cases due to the above factors. Accordingly, a need exists for a solution to these problems. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention clearer and easier to understand, in the following contents, preferable examples are particularly enumerated and described in details with reference to the accompanying figures. According to one or more embodiments, a system includes an article supply location. The article supply location includes a plurality of articles to be sorted. The system includes first and second transport vehicles, each having a first position in which an article is stowed about the vehicle and a second position in which the article is deposited into a proximal container. The system includes a control system configured to receive an order for a plurality of disparate articles; determine one destination container of a plurality of destination containers to direct the transport vehicle to deposit a selected article; direct the first transport vehicle to transport a selected article to the destination container and deposit the article by manipulation of the first transport vehicle from the first position to the second position for deposit of the selected article in the destination container; direct the second transport vehicle to transport a disparate article to the destination container and deposit the disparate article by manipulation of the second transport vehicle from the first position to the second position for deposit of the disparate article in the destination container; and determine when the order has been completed. According to one or more embodiments, the system includes an information acquisition device that is configured to interact with the articles. According to one or more embodiments, the control system is further configured to determine a characteristic of the article by interacting with the article with the information acquisition device. According to one or more embodiments, the control system is furt