US 12,450,645 B2
Goods to person order picking with discharge mechanism
Martin E. Schubilske, Brookfield, WI (US)
Assigned to Dematic Corp., Grand Rapids, MI (US)
Filed by Dematic Corp., Grand Rapids, MI (US)
Filed on Jan. 18, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/577,580.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/137,884, filed on Jan. 15, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0230229 A1, Jul. 21, 2022
Int. Cl. G06Q 30/0601 (2023.01); B65G 15/22 (2006.01); G06Q 10/0875 (2023.01)
CPC G06Q 30/0635 (2013.01) [B65G 15/22 (2013.01); G06Q 10/0875 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An order fulfillment system comprising:
an order management system comprising a computer adapted to control said order fulfilment system;
an order fulfilment workstation configured for picking inventory items into individual orders as directed by said order management system;
a takeaway device to transport orders and/or order containers containing the orders to and from said order fulfilment workstation; and
said order fulfilment workstation comprising:
a plurality of order consolidators disposed adjacent to said takeaway device and disposed between an operator and said takeaway device, each order consolidator configured to receive order items for a particular order as directed by said order management system; and
an order discharge mechanism at each of said order consolidators and configured to transfer the order items from a respective order consolidator of said order consolidators to an order reception location in one of said containers at said takeaway device that is adjacent to said respective order consolidator;
said order management system comprising a prioritization and tracking logic executed by said computer and adapted to track each of the order containers present on said takeaway device and at said reception order locations, wherein each order present on said takeaway device is tracked relative to a respective order reception location at which the order container is positioned, and
wherein said prioritization and tracking logic, as executed by said computer, controls said takeaway device to direct each of the order containers to a desired location within said order fulfilment system, said prioritization and tracking logic operable to prioritize movement of the order containers wherein said prioritization and tracking logic is operable to prioritize movement of completed or partially completed order containers on said takeaway device.