Patent · US11562321B2 · B2 · US

Storage and retrieval system

(11) Publication number

US11562321B2

(21) Application number

16/950,383

(22) Filing date

2020-11-17

(30) Priority date

2015-01-16

(43) Publication date

2023-01-24

(45) Date of grant

2023-01-24

(51) IPC

B65G 1/04; B65G 1/06; G06Q 10/08

(52) CPC

G06Q Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes; systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not otherwise provided for: 10/087
B65G Transport or storage devices, e.g. conveyors for loading or tipping, shop conveyor systems or pneumatic tube conveyors: 1/04, 1/0485, 1/0492, 1/06, 1/1373

(73) Assignee

Symbotic Inc

(72) Inventors

Kirill K. Pankratov; Juergen D. Conrad; Robert HSIUNG; Larry M. Sweet

(54) Title

Storage and retrieval system

(57) Abstract

A product order fulfillment system includes multiple decks arrayed at different levels and defining multilevel decks, at least one autonomous transport vehicle on each of the decks, and configured for holding and transporting a pickface on each deck, at least one lift, traversing and connecting more than one level of the decks, and arranged for lifting and lowering the pickface from the decks, and at least one pickface transfer station on each deck interfacing between the transport vehicle and the at least one lift to effect transfer of the pickface between the transport vehicle and the at least one lift, the at least one lift defines a fulfillment stream of mixed case pickfaces outbound from the multilevel decks to a load fill, at least one stream of the fulfillment stream has an ordered sequence of streaming pickfaces wherein the ordered sequence of streaming pickfaces is based on another fulfilment stream.

Full text

View on Google Patents

Claims (16)

A product order fulfillment system comprising: at least one elevated deck with an array of product storage locations distributed along the at least one elevated deck; at least one autonomous transport vehicle disposed on each of the at least one elevated deck, and configured for holding and transporting a pickface on each deck; at least one lift, traversing and connecting the at least one elevated deck and a base level, and arranged for lifting and lowering the pickface from the at least one elevated deck; and at least one pickface buffer station on each deck interfacing the at least one lift to effect transfer of the pickface between the buffer station on and off a selected lift of the at least one lift; wherein the selected lift defines a fulfillment stream of mixed case pickfaces streaming outbound at the base level from the selected lift and from the at least one elevated deck to a load fill, and wherein the at least one pickface buffer station, of the at least one elevated deck at the selected lift, supports one of the mixed case pickfaces so that the transfer of the pickface between the buffer station on and off the at least one lift defines a portion of the streaming pickfaces in an ordered sequence of streaming pickfaces based on a predetermined sequence of the load fill.
The product order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein the at least one pickface buffer station forms a common pickface transfer interface at each deck for the fulfillment stream defined by the at least one lift, so that the pickfaces are transferred on and off the at least one lift within the fulfillment stream.
The product order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein the at least one pickface buffer station on each of the at least one elevated deck each supports one or more of the mixed case pickfaces so that the transfer of the pickface between the buffer station on and off the selected lift of the at least one lift defines a portion of the streaming pickfaces in an ordered sequence of streaming pickfaces based on the predetermined sequence of the load fill.
The product order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein transfer of the mixed case pickfaces between the buffer station on and off the at least one lift defining the portion of the streaming pickfaces in the ordered sequence is based on an ordered sequence of pickfaces on another buffer station of another fulfillment stream.
The product order fulfillment system of claim 1, further comprising a controller in communication with the at least one autonomous transport vehicle, the controller being configured to effect placement of pickfaces on the at least one pickface buffer station based on the ordered sequence of streaming pickfaces.
The product order fulfillment system of claim 1, further comprising a storage array with storage racks having pickface storage locations arranged in multiple levels corresponding to the different levels of the at least one elevated deck.
The product order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein transfer of the mixed case pickfaces between the buffer station on and off the selected lift changes a buffered order of pickfaces supported at the buffer station at the selected lift of the at least one elevated deck to the ordered sequence of the portion of streaming pickfaces.
The product order fulfillment system of claim 7, further comprising a controller configured to effect placement of pickfaces on the at least one pickface buffer station based on the buffered order.
A method for product order fulfillment, the method comprising: providing at least one deck with an array of product storage locations distributed along the at least one elevated deck; disposing at least one autonomous transport vehicle on each of the at least one elevated deck and holding and transporting, with the at least one autonomous transport vehicle, a pickface on each deck; lifting and lowering the pickface from the at least one elevated deck with at least one lift that traverses and connects the at least one elevated deck and a base level; effecting transfer of the pickface between at least one pickface buffer station on and off a selected lift of the at least one lift; and defining, with the selected lift, a fulfillment stream of mixed case pickfaces outbound at the base level from the selected lift and from the at least one elevated deck to a load fill, where the at least one pickface buffer station, of the at least one elevated deck at the selected lift, supports at least the mixed case pickfaces so that the transfer of the pickface between the buffer station on and off the lift defines a portion of the streaming pickfaces in an ordered sequence of streaming pickfaces based on a predetermined sequence of the load fill.
The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one pickface buffer station forms a common pickface transfer interface at each deck for the fulfillment stream defined by the at least one lift, so that the pickfaces are transferred on and off the at least one lift within the fulfillment stream.
The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one pickface buffer station on each of the at least one elevated deck each supports one or more of the mixed case pickfaces so that the transfer of the pickface between the buffer station on and off the at least one lift defines a portion of the streaming pickfaces in an ordered sequence of streaming pickfaces based on the predetermined sequence of the load fill.
The method of claim 11, wherein the transfer of the mixed case pickfaces between the buffer station on and off the at least one lift defining the portion of the streaming pickfaces in the ordered sequence is based on an ordered sequence of pickfaces on another buffer station of another fulfillment stream.
The method of claim 9, further comprising effecting, with a controller in communication with the at least one autonomous transport vehicle, placement of pickfaces on the at least one pickface buffer station based on the ordered sequence of streaming pickfaces.
The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a storage array with storage racks having pickface storage locations arranged in multiple levels corresponding to the different levels of the at least one elevated deck.
The method of claim 9, wherein transfer of the mixed case pickfaces between the buffer station on and off the selected lift changes a buffered order of pickfaces supported at the buffer station at the selected lift of the at least one elevated deck to the ordered sequence of the portion of streaming pickfaces.
The method of claim 15, further comprising effecting, with a controller, placement of pickfaces on the at least one pickface buffer station based on the buffered order.

Description

The exemplary embodiments generally relate to material handling systems and, more particularly, to transport and storage of items within the material handling system.

Multilevel storage and retrieval systems may be used in warehouses for the storage and retrieval of goods. Generally the transportation of goods into and out of the storage structure is done with lifts for transfer to a vehicle on a storage level, vehicles travelling up ramps to a predetermined storage level, or with vehicles that include lifts traveling along guide ways. Goods stored within the storage and retrieval system are generally stored in storage spaces on each storage level such that a transport vehicle disposed on that level has access to one level of storage spaces. Generally, the lifts that transfer items to and from the storage spaces carry the vehicles between different storage levels, are incorporated into the vehicles (such as with a gantry crane) or have a paternoster configuration where the lift payload shelves continually circulate around a frame at a predetermined rate.

Generally sequencing of items picked from storage is performed by the vehicles picking the items or by a dedicated sorter that sorts the items during an outbound flow after being transported by the gantry crane or paternoster lift. The sorting of outbound items in this manner may result in the lifts performing multiple lift strokes to pick the items needed for a load-out or additional sorting steps thereby decreasing throughput of the storage and retrieval system.

Citations (190)

US583341A
US2945604A
US2996621A
US3455468A
US3554390A
JPS5231548B1
US3677421A
US3737056A
US3802580A
US3970840A
US4001139A
US4406570A
US4428708A
JPS612603B2
US4492504A
US4595329A
US4679149A
US4716530A
EP0169156A1
CA1252430A
US4692876A
US5601395A
US5472309A
US5273392A
US4678390A
US4786229A
US5380139A
US5135344A
US4811229A
US4936738A
US5179329A
US5134940A
US5134353A
US5425612A
DE4104527A1
US5333982A
US5403147A
US5370492A
US5379229A
JPH0672512A
US5801506A
US5718551A
US5839872A
JP3102245B2
WO1995034491A1
US5525884A
FR2730715A1
EP0737630A1
US5529165A
US5764014A
US6036427A
US5908283A
US6061607A
US5988306A
US6272406B2
US6929440B1
US6341269B1
US6325586B1
JP2001220002A
US6345217B1
US7025191B2
US20020076307A1
DE20011661U1
US20020029719A1
DE10142395A1
US6721638B2
US20030033217A1
JP2003012119A
US20050158154A1
US20040197171A1
US20060257236A1
US20030185656A1
US6923612B2
US20030200129A1
US7329081B2
US6748292B2
US20040093116A1
US6950722B2
US7008164B2
JP2004123240A
US20040238326A1
US7931431B2
WO2004103883A1
US20060245862A1
JP4723489B2
WO2005009324A2
US20090074545A1
GB2407565A
US20080131241A1
WO2005056943A1
US20070177011A1
US20090114115A1
US7266422B1
EP1598291A2
EP1627830A1
US7402018B2
WO2006095047A1
US20070021864A1
US20090185884A1
US20070068700A1
EP1775240A2
US20070288123A1
US20070290040A1
US20080001372A1
US20070293978A1
US7495561B2
US20080166217A1
US8480347B2
US20080215180A1
JP5231548B2
US8740542B2
US20100272546A1
AT506221A4
US8596952B2
US20090308000A1
WO2009150684A1
US8894344B2
US8790061B2
US20100222915A1
US8594835B2
US8425173B2
US20100322747A1
US20100316469A1
US9321591B2
US20100316468A1
US20120141236A1
US20130209202A1
US8974168B2
CN102822073A
US20120328397A1
US20120101627A1
US9037286B2
US8956009B2
JP2014503440A
US20120186942A1
US9499338B2
US20120185082A1
US20120189416A1
US20120186192A1
US20120185122A1
US20120195720A1
US9008884B2
US20120189409A1
JP2014508082A
US20120200259A1
US20120197431A1
US20140056672A1
US20140044506A1
US20140088748A1
WO2012156355A1
US20120330458A1
DE102011106677A1
WO2013004695A1
US8954188B2
US20130245810A1
TW201328951A
US20140124462A1
US8956099B2
JP2013086891A
US20130129453A1
CN102887319A
US20140100999A1
JP2014091698A
US20140197171A1
WO2014145450A1
US20140277692A1
CN203294644U
US20140350717A1
JP6102603B2
US20150098775A1
US20150225187A1
CN203794044U
US9555967B2
US20160016731A1
US9315323B2
US9505556B2
US9409728B2
US20160167880A1
US20160207711A1
WO2016115565A1
US20160207710A1
US20160207709A1
US20160214797A1
EP3245145A1
US9856083B2
US10155623B2
US10850921B2
US20160214808A1
US20180111770A1
US10377585B2

Record as JSON

{
  "publication_number": "US11562321B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Storage and retrieval system",
  "abstract": "A product order fulfillment system includes multiple decks arrayed at different levels and defining multilevel decks, at least one autonomous transport vehicle on each of the decks, and configured for holding and transporting a pickface on each deck, at least one lift, traversing and connecting more than one level of the decks, and arranged for lifting and lowering the pickface from the decks, and at least one pickface transfer station on each deck interfacing between the transport vehicle and the at least one lift to effect transfer of the pickface between the transport vehicle and the at least one lift, the at least one lift defines a fulfillment stream of mixed case pickfaces outbound from the multilevel decks to a load fill, at least one stream of the fulfillment stream has an ordered sequence of streaming pickfaces wherein the ordered sequence of streaming pickfaces is based on another fulfilment stream.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A product order fulfillment system comprising: at least one elevated deck with an array of product storage locations distributed along the at least one elevated deck; at least one autonomous transport vehicle disposed on each of the at least one elevated deck, and configured for holding and transporting a pickface on each deck; at least one lift, traversing and connecting the at least one elevated deck and a base level, and arranged for lifting and lowering the pickface from the at least one elevated deck; and at least one pickface buffer station on each deck interfacing the at least one lift to effect transfer of the pickface between the buffer station on and off a selected lift of the at least one lift; wherein the selected lift defines a fulfillment stream of mixed case pickfaces streaming outbound at the base level from the selected lift and from the at least one elevated deck to a load fill, and wherein the at least one pickface buffer station, of the at least one elevated deck at the selected lift, supports one of the mixed case pickfaces so that the transfer of the pickface between the buffer station on and off the at least one lift defines a portion of the streaming pickfaces in an ordered sequence of streaming pickfaces based on a predetermined sequence of the load fill.",
    "2. The product order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein the at least one pickface buffer station forms a common pickface transfer interface at each deck for the fulfillment stream defined by the at least one lift, so that the pickfaces are transferred on and off the at least one lift within the fulfillment stream.",
    "3. The product order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein the at least one pickface buffer station on each of the at least one elevated deck each supports one or more of the mixed case pickfaces so that the transfer of the pickface between the buffer station on and off the selected lift of the at least one lift defines a portion of the streaming pickfaces in an ordered sequence of streaming pickfaces based on the predetermined sequence of the load fill.",
    "4. The product order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein transfer of the mixed case pickfaces between the buffer station on and off the at least one lift defining the portion of the streaming pickfaces in the ordered sequence is based on an ordered sequence of pickfaces on another buffer station of another fulfillment stream.",
    "5. The product order fulfillment system of claim 1, further comprising a controller in communication with the at least one autonomous transport vehicle, the controller being configured to effect placement of pickfaces on the at least one pickface buffer station based on the ordered sequence of streaming pickfaces.",
    "6. The product order fulfillment system of claim 1, further comprising a storage array with storage racks having pickface storage locations arranged in multiple levels corresponding to the different levels of the at least one elevated deck.",
    "7. The product order fulfillment system of claim 1, wherein transfer of the mixed case pickfaces between the buffer station on and off the selected lift changes a buffered order of pickfaces supported at the buffer station at the selected lift of the at least one elevated deck to the ordered sequence of the portion of streaming pickfaces.",
    "8. The product order fulfillment system of claim 7, further comprising a controller configured to effect placement of pickfaces on the at least one pickface buffer station based on the buffered order.",
    "9. A method for product order fulfillment, the method comprising: providing at least one deck with an array of product storage locations distributed along the at least one elevated deck; disposing at least one autonomous transport vehicle on each of the at least one elevated deck and holding and transporting, with the at least one autonomous transport vehicle, a pickface on each deck; lifting and lowering the pickface from the at least one elevated deck with at least one lift that traverses and connects the at least one elevated deck and a base level; effecting transfer of the pickface between at least one pickface buffer station on and off a selected lift of the at least one lift; and defining, with the selected lift, a fulfillment stream of mixed case pickfaces outbound at the base level from the selected lift and from the at least one elevated deck to a load fill, where the at least one pickface buffer station, of the at least one elevated deck at the selected lift, supports at least the mixed case pickfaces so that the transfer of the pickface between the buffer station on and off the lift defines a portion of the streaming pickfaces in an ordered sequence of streaming pickfaces based on a predetermined sequence of the load fill.",
    "10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one pickface buffer station forms a common pickface transfer interface at each deck for the fulfillment stream defined by the at least one lift, so that the pickfaces are transferred on and off the at least one lift within the fulfillment stream.",
    "11. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one pickface buffer station on each of the at least one elevated deck each supports one or more of the mixed case pickfaces so that the transfer of the pickface between the buffer station on and off the at least one lift defines a portion of the streaming pickfaces in an ordered sequence of streaming pickfaces based on the predetermined sequence of the load fill.",
    "12. The method of claim 11, wherein the transfer of the mixed case pickfaces between the buffer station on and off the at least one lift defining the portion of the streaming pickfaces in the ordered sequence is based on an ordered sequence of pickfaces on another buffer station of another fulfillment stream.",
    "13. The method of claim 9, further comprising effecting, with a controller in communication with the at least one autonomous transport vehicle, placement of pickfaces on the at least one pickface buffer station based on the ordered sequence of streaming pickfaces.",
    "14. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a storage array with storage racks having pickface storage locations arranged in multiple levels corresponding to the different levels of the at least one elevated deck.",
    "15. The method of claim 9, wherein transfer of the mixed case pickfaces between the buffer station on and off the selected lift changes a buffered order of pickfaces supported at the buffer station at the selected lift of the at least one elevated deck to the ordered sequence of the portion of streaming pickfaces.",
    "16. The method of claim 15, further comprising effecting, with a controller, placement of pickfaces on the at least one pickface buffer station based on the buffered order."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The exemplary embodiments generally relate to material handling systems and, more particularly, to transport and storage of items within the material handling system.\n\nMultilevel storage and retrieval systems may be used in warehouses for the storage and retrieval of goods. Generally the transportation of goods into and out of the storage structure is done with lifts for transfer to a vehicle on a storage level, vehicles travelling up ramps to a predetermined storage level, or with vehicles that include lifts traveling along guide ways. Goods stored within the storage and retrieval system are generally stored in storage spaces on each storage level such that a transport vehicle disposed on that level has access to one level of storage spaces. Generally, the lifts that transfer items to and from the storage spaces carry the vehicles between different storage levels, are incorporated into the vehicles (such as with a gantry crane) or have a paternoster configuration where the lift payload shelves continually circulate around a frame at a predetermined rate.\n\nGenerally sequencing of items picked from storage is performed by the vehicles picking the items or by a dedicated sorter that sorts the items during an outbound flow after being transported by the gantry crane or paternoster lift. The sorting of outbound items in this manner may result in the lifts performing multiple lift strokes to pick the items needed for a load-out or additional sorting steps thereby decreasing throughput of the storage and retrieval system.",
  "cpc": [
    "G06Q 10/087",
    "B65G 1/04",
    "B65G 1/0485",
    "B65G 1/0492",
    "B65G 1/06",
    "B65G 1/1373"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B65G 1/04",
    "B65G 1/06",
    "G06Q 10/08"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Symbotic Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Kirill K. Pankratov",
    "Juergen D. Conrad",
    "Robert HSIUNG",
    "Larry M. Sweet"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-11-17",
  "publication_date": "2023-01-24",
  "grant_date": "2023-01-24",
  "priority_date": "2015-01-16",
  "application_number": "US-202016950383-A",
  "family_id": "70458789",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "US583341A",
    "US2945604A",
    "US2996621A",
    "US3455468A",
    "US3554390A",
    "JPS5231548B1",
    "US3677421A",
    "US3737056A",
    "US3802580A",
    "US3970840A",
    "US4001139A",
    "US4406570A",
    "US4428708A",
    "JPS612603B2",
    "US4492504A",
    "US4595329A",
    "US4679149A",
    "US4716530A",
    "EP0169156A1",
    "CA1252430A",
    "US4692876A",
    "US5601395A",
    "US5472309A",
    "US5273392A",
    "US4678390A",
    "US4786229A",
    "US5380139A",
    "US5135344A",
    "US4811229A",
    "US4936738A",
    "US5179329A",
    "US5134940A",
    "US5134353A",
    "US5425612A",
    "DE4104527A1",
    "US5333982A",
    "US5403147A",
    "US5370492A",
    "US5379229A",
    "JPH0672512A",
    "US5801506A",
    "US5718551A",
    "US5839872A",
    "JP3102245B2",
    "WO1995034491A1",
    "US5525884A",
    "FR2730715A1",
    "EP0737630A1",
    "US5529165A",
    "US5764014A",
    "US6036427A",
    "US5908283A",
    "US6061607A",
    "US5988306A",
    "US6272406B2",
    "US6929440B1",
    "US6341269B1",
    "US6325586B1",
    "JP2001220002A",
    "US6345217B1",
    "US7025191B2",
    "US20020076307A1",
    "DE20011661U1",
    "US20020029719A1",
    "DE10142395A1",
    "US6721638B2",
    "US20030033217A1",
    "JP2003012119A",
    "US20050158154A1",
    "US20040197171A1",
    "US20060257236A1",
    "US20030185656A1",
    "US6923612B2",
    "US20030200129A1",
    "US7329081B2",
    "US6748292B2",
    "US20040093116A1",
    "US6950722B2",
    "US7008164B2",
    "JP2004123240A",
    "US20040238326A1",
    "US7931431B2",
    "WO2004103883A1",
    "US20060245862A1",
    "JP4723489B2",
    "WO2005009324A2",
    "US20090074545A1",
    "GB2407565A",
    "US20080131241A1",
    "WO2005056943A1",
    "US20070177011A1",
    "US20090114115A1",
    "US7266422B1",
    "EP1598291A2",
    "EP1627830A1",
    "US7402018B2",
    "WO2006095047A1",
    "US20070021864A1",
    "US20090185884A1",
    "US20070068700A1",
    "EP1775240A2",
    "US20070288123A1",
    "US20070290040A1",
    "US20080001372A1",
    "US20070293978A1",
    "US7495561B2",
    "US20080166217A1",
    "US8480347B2",
    "US20080215180A1",
    "JP5231548B2",
    "US8740542B2",
    "US20100272546A1",
    "AT506221A4",
    "US8596952B2",
    "US20090308000A1",
    "WO2009150684A1",
    "US8894344B2",
    "US8790061B2",
    "US20100222915A1",
    "US8594835B2",
    "US8425173B2",
    "US20100322747A1",
    "US20100316469A1",
    "US9321591B2",
    "US20100316468A1",
    "US20120141236A1",
    "US20130209202A1",
    "US8974168B2",
    "CN102822073A",
    "US20120328397A1",
    "US20120101627A1",
    "US9037286B2",
    "US8956009B2",
    "JP2014503440A",
    "US20120186942A1",
    "US9499338B2",
    "US20120185082A1",
    "US20120189416A1",
    "US20120186192A1",
    "US20120185122A1",
    "US20120195720A1",
    "US9008884B2",
    "US20120189409A1",
    "JP2014508082A",
    "US20120200259A1",
    "US20120197431A1",
    "US20140056672A1",
    "US20140044506A1",
    "US20140088748A1",
    "WO2012156355A1",
    "US20120330458A1",
    "DE102011106677A1",
    "WO2013004695A1",
    "US8954188B2",
    "US20130245810A1",
    "TW201328951A",
    "US20140124462A1",
    "US8956099B2",
    "JP2013086891A",
    "US20130129453A1",
    "CN102887319A",
    "US20140100999A1",
    "JP2014091698A",
    "US20140197171A1",
    "WO2014145450A1",
    "US20140277692A1",
    "CN203294644U",
    "US20140350717A1",
    "JP6102603B2",
    "US20150098775A1",
    "US20150225187A1",
    "CN203794044U",
    "US9555967B2",
    "US20160016731A1",
    "US9315323B2",
    "US9505556B2",
    "US9409728B2",
    "US20160167880A1",
    "US20160207711A1",
    "WO2016115565A1",
    "US20160207710A1",
    "US20160207709A1",
    "US20160214797A1",
    "EP3245145A1",
    "US9856083B2",
    "US10155623B2",
    "US10850921B2",
    "US20160214808A1",
    "US20180111770A1",
    "US10377585B2"
  ]
}

Record 866 of 8,000 in Patents full text (MLC-0201). Request the full dataset.