US 11,939,164 B1
Automated item handling systems and methods
Larry Joe Robb, Miramar Beach, FL (US); Emily R. Parrish, Seattle, WA (US); Justin Stone, Frisco, TX (US); Jose Luis De La Rosa, Seattle, WA (US); Joshua Martin Middleton, Seattle, WA (US); Roland J. Menassa, Renton, WA (US); Eli Douglas Girod, Seattle, WA (US); Maxim P. Hoffman, Bothell, WA (US); Mohammad Mosa, Seattle, WA (US); and Vatsal Mehta, Renton, WA (US)
Assigned to Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US)
Filed by Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US)
Filed on Jun. 23, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/909,282.
Int. Cl. B65G 1/137 (2006.01); B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B65G 47/14 (2006.01); B65G 47/24 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 1/1376 (2013.01) [B25J 9/0093 (2013.01); B25J 9/1687 (2013.01); B65G 47/1492 (2013.01); B65G 47/24 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for automated handling of items, comprising:
receiving a plurality of items by an item singulation system;
singulating, using the item singulation system and with no manual handling of the plurality of items, the plurality of items to generate a plurality of singulated items, wherein singulating the plurality of items includes:
separating each of the plurality of items to include a gap between each of the plurality of items; and
arranging each of the plurality of items in a substantially straight line;
transferring, without manual handling, the plurality of singulated items from the item singulation system to an item sortation system;
sorting, using the item sortation system and with no manual handling of the plurality of singulated items, the plurality of singulated items into a plurality of containers;
determining, using a container handling system, that a first container from the plurality of containers is full;
retrieving, using a first robotic arm of the container handling system and with no manual handling of the first container, the first container from the item sortation system;
transferring, using the first robotic arm of the container handling system and with no manual handling of the first container, the first container to an item packing system;
receiving the first container at the item packing system; and
packing, using a second robotic arm of the item packing system and with no manual handling of the first container, the first container.