Abstract: A method, a palletizing sleeve, and a hand truck are provided for preparing a plurality of shipments of goods and transporting each shipment to one of a plurality of delivery destinations. The method includes determining the goods for the shipment, virtually building an optimized stacking configuration of those goods, physically building the stack based on the optimized configuration, transporting the shipment to a pre-determined delivery destination, and unloading the shipment at the delivery destination. The palletizing sleeve includes a base and a vertical wall that cooperate to support and stabilize a stack of goods that make up a portion of the shipment. Standoffs on the sleeve base provide openings to accept forks from the hand truck so that the hand truck can engage the sleeve from underneath the base. A fork height adjustment system selectively adjusts the fork height relative to the bottom of the hand truck.

Abstract: An automated warehouse system and method are provided for controlling internal microclimates of totes within a warehouse or order fulfilment facility. The system provides independent environmental condition monitoring and regulation for each tote. The system enables individual totes to be maintained at adequate or substantially ideal conditions, independent of its position within a storage system or the environmental conditions of adjacent totes. The storage system includes environmental control inputs at individual storage locations to adjust or maintain environmental conditions within a tote at a particular storage location. The totes engage the environmental control inputs when they are stored at a storage location. The system may utilize standard or commercially available totes. The system is operable to monitor and control the microclimate of a tote while it is stored at a storage location and may be operable to monitor the totes while they travel throughout the system.

Abstract: An automated warehouse system and method are provided for controlling the internal microclimate of receptacles within a warehouse or order fulfilment facility. The system provides independent environmental condition monitoring and regulation for each tote. The system enables individual totes to be maintained at adequate or substantially ideal conditions, independent of its position within a storage system or the environmental conditions of adjacent totes in the storage system. The totes may include self-contained environmental control systems and/or the storage system may include environmental control inputs to adjust or maintain the environmental conditions within a particular tote. The system is operable to monitor and control the microclimate of a tote while it is stored at a storage location within the storage system or in a buffer, and may be operable to monitor and/or control the microclimates of the totes while they travel throughout the system.

Abstract: An RFID enabled system and method for tracking, directing, verifying, and validating item level order picking functions within order fulfilment and warehouse facilities having different SKUs sharing an inventory tote. RFID tags are coupled to each inventory item to be read by one or more RFID reader(s) in the facility. The system and method verify that a required item is picked and transferred correctly by the picker. The system provides feedback to the picker without requiring additional verification steps and preferably without any visual inspection by the picker. The picker may be guided to the required item and later directed to a location to place the retrieved item. The verification system may be adapted for use in a material handling system to monitor and direct material handling functions based on relative positions of RFID tags on individual items relative to RFID readers positioned throughout the facility.

Abstract: A system and methods for utilizing a grid storage array for high rate picking in a micro-fulfilment facility. The system includes a grid storage array and multiple transfer ports that are dedicated to a particular directional function, i.e. discharge ports and intake ports. The system includes a multi-function workstation that can operate as either a picking station or a decant station. A conveyor loop is provided and includes right-angle-transfers (RATs) and accumulators to transport and sequence the flow of storage bins and order totes. The combination and configuration of the grid storage array, conveyor loop, and multi-function workstation optimizes space utilization which is particularly beneficial in micro-fulfilment facilities where space is at a premium.

Abstract: A contactless order dispensing system is provided for dispensing e-commerce orders to customers at a store without a person-to-person interaction. The dispensing system includes a customer access portal for presenting orders to the customer, preferably at an exterior location. A transportation system (e.g. conveyer system) transports orders from a storage buffer system to the customer access portal. The storage buffer holds customer orders until the customer arrives to retrieve them and may store portions of orders at different temperatures. The dispensing system includes a confirmation sensor system to verify whether a customer has retrieved their entire order or whether the customer has rejected one or more of the order items. The dispensing system provides the order to the customer within about two minutes of the customer indicating that they are at the access portal and ready for their order.

Abstract: A method, a palletizing sleeve, and a hand truck are provided for preparing a plurality of shipments of goods and transporting each shipment to one of a plurality of delivery destinations. The method includes determining the goods for the shipment, virtually building an optimized stacking configuration of those goods, physically building the stack based on the optimized configuration, transporting the shipment to a pre-determined delivery destination, and unloading the shipment at the delivery destination. The palletizing sleeve includes a base and a vertical wall that cooperate to support and stabilize a stack of goods that make up a portion of the shipment. Standoffs on the sleeve base provide openings to accept forks from the hand truck so that the hand truck can engage the sleeve from underneath the base. A fork height adjustment system selectively adjusts the fork height relative to the bottom of the hand truck.

Abstract: A multiple temperature automated storage system includes a rack with multiple levels of shelves defining item storage positions, an aisle at each level, and a plurality of shuttles adapted to operate in the aisles for storing items to and retrieving items from the storage positions. A thermally insulated enclosure encloses some of the levels of the rack to define a low temperature zone with the remaining levels of the rack defining a higher temperature zone. A method of storing items at two different temperatures in a common automated storage system includes having a first portion of the automated storage system enclosed in a thermally insulated enclosure and a second portion of the automated storage system outside of the thermally insulated enclosure. A lift is provided in the second portion for supplying items to and retrieving items from both of the first and second portions, without entering the first portion.

Abstract: A multiple temperature automated storage system includes a rack with multiple levels of shelves defining item storage positions, an aisle at each level, and a plurality of shuttles adapted to operate in the aisles for storing items to and retrieving items from the storage positions. A thermally insulated enclosure encloses some of the levels of the rack to define a low temperature zone with the remaining levels of the rack defining a higher temperature zone. A method of storing items at two different temperatures in a common automated storage system includes having a first portion of the automated storage system enclosed in a thermally insulated enclosure and a second portion of the automated storage system outside of the thermally insulated enclosure. A lift is provided in the second portion for supplying items to and retrieving items from both of the first and second portions, without entering the first portion.

Abstract: A material handling system and method of arranging articles, includes storing articles in an automated storage and retrieval system having a rack system with multiple levels, some of the multiple levels defining storage shelves and an aisle between storage shelves at the level. Articles are stored to and retrieved from the storage shelve at opposite sides of an aisle with a plurality of shuttles, each at the aisle at one of the levels. Elevation of an article is changed to one of the levels with a first of a plurality of article lifts supported by the rack system for storage by one of the shuttles. Elevation of an article that is retrieved by one of said shuttles at one of the levels is changed with the first of a plurality of article lifts. Articles are retrieved from the first of the article lifts in a first sequence of articles with a sequencer. The sequencer includes at least a second of the article lifts, a third of the article lifts, and a conveying surface supported by the rack system.

Abstract: A method of fulfilling orders and order fulfillment system includes a mobile assembly cart having a plurality of order assembly positions and a pointer assembly. The pointer assembly generates a beam and directs the beam to at least one of said assembly positions for selectively identifying at least one of the assembly positions for putting an item to or retrieving an order from each identified position. The assembly cart can be positioned with respect to the pointer assembly for the picking or putting and moved away from the pointer assembly after the picking or putting.

Abstract: A method of fulfilling orders and order fulfillment system includes a mobile assembly cart having a plurality of order assembly positions and a pointer assembly. The pointer assembly generates a beam and directs the beam to at least one of said assembly positions for selectively identifying at least one of the assembly positions for putting an item to or retrieving an order from each identified position. The assembly cart can be positioned with respect to the pointer assembly for the picking or putting and moved away from the pointer assembly after the picking or putting.