US 12,312,180 B2
System and method for automated sortation
Anthony J. Young, Louisville, KY (US); Jeffrey Paul Henley, Louisville, KY (US); Kevin Raney, Louisville, KY (US); Robert Browder, Louisville, KY (US); Marvin Gregory Whitlock, Louisville, KY (US); Scott Crance, Louisville, KY (US); Ken Ice, Louisville, KY (US); Michael Karaglanis, Louisville, KY (US); Brian Yount, Louisville, KY (US); Barry Sweatt, Louisville, KY (US); Thomas M. Phillips, Louisville, KY (US); and Logan Young, Louisville, KY (US)
Assigned to AEGIS SORTATION, LLC, Louisville, KY (US)
Filed by Aegis Sortation, LLC, Louisville, KY (US)
Filed on Dec. 28, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/399,000.
Application 18/399,000 is a continuation of application No. 18/092,226, filed on Dec. 31, 2022, granted, now 12,012,290.
Application 18/092,226 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/843,313, filed on Jun. 17, 2022, granted, now 11,969,759.
Application 17/843,313 is a continuation of application No. 17/566,527, filed on Dec. 30, 2021, granted, now 11,731,169, issued on Aug. 22, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/216,340, filed on Jun. 29, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0286849 A1, Aug. 29, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B65G 47/19 (2006.01); B65G 47/26 (2006.01); B65G 47/48 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 47/19 (2013.01) [B65G 47/268 (2013.01); B65G 47/48 (2013.01); B65G 2201/0285 (2013.01); B65G 2203/0241 (2013.01); B65G 2203/044 (2013.01)] 28 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A smart bin system comprising:
a smart bin comprising:
a plurality of walls and a bottom, together defining a cavity therewithin;
wherein the bottom comprises a gate moveable between a closed position configured to retain at least one item of a plurality of items within the cavity, and an open position configured to allow the at least one item to fall from within the cavity through the bottom;
a controller, functionally coupled to the gate and configured to move the gate between the closed position and the open position based on received data; and
an electromechanical system comprising a computer processor, a sensor and a robotic arm,
wherein, when the controller determines based on the received data that one or more of the plurality of items retained with the cavity is to be released from the cavity, the gate is moved to the open position and a slug consisting of the one or more of the plurality of items is released from the cavity, and
wherein, when the plurality of the packages of the slug are transferred into a container, the container is closed by the robotic arm controlled by the computer processor based on stored or communicated information or commands based on input from the sensor.