Abstract: A delivery system may include a pallet wrapper system having a turntable, a camera directed toward an area above the turntable, and a stretch wrap dispenser adjacent the turntable. A computer receives images from the camera of multiple sides of a pallet loaded with packages on the turntable. The computer stitches images from different sides of the stack of packages that correspond to the same package. At least one machine learning model may be used to infer SKUs of each package. Optical character recognition may be performed in parallel on the images. The determination of the SKU of each package may be based upon the inferred SKUs and on the OCR.

Abstract: A container includes a base. A plurality of walls extends upward from the base. At least one handle is located on one of the plurality of walls. A slot is in one of the base, the plurality of walls or the at least one handle. The slot is at least partially defined by a pair of opposing walls with at least one retention projection extending from each of the pair of opposing walls.

Abstract: A delivery portal, which may be at a loading dock, includes a sensor configured to detect a pallet, platform or stack of goods as it passes through the portal. A computer is programmed to receive information from the sensor and to identify the pallet based upon the information. The computer is further programmed to compare the identified pallet to a database to determine if the identified pallet should be passing through the portal. For example, the computer determines whether the pallet is being loaded onto the wrong truck or onto the right truck but in the wrong sequence. The sensor for detecting the pallet may be an RFID sensor reading an RFID tag on the pallets. The portal may be a loading dock. The database may indicate a sequence for loading a plurality of pallets including the identified pallet onto a truck at the loading dock.

Abstract: In multiple embodiments, a collapsible container includes a base and a plurality of walls pivotably connected to edges of the base and collapsible onto the base. The plurality of walls include a retractable first wall. The first wall includes a frame having a lower horizontal portion and a pair of upstanding vertical portions extending upward from the lower horizontal portion to define an access opening therebetween. An upper beam is slidably coupled to the vertical portions and movable between a first position away from the lower horizontal portion of the frame and a second position proximate the lower horizontal portion of the frame. In some embodiments, the first wall includes a mid-beam coupled to the upper beam. The mid-beam is spaced away from the upper beam and spaced away from the lower horizontal portion of the frame when the upper beam is in the first position.

Abstract: A pallet lift includes a base and a deck extending forward of the base. Load wheels support the deck. A platform above the deck is pivotable relative to the base. The platform has an upper support surface for supporting objects thereon. The platform may be pivoted as the pallet lift travels on an inclined surface, such as a truck ramp, in order to keep the platform relatively level relative to gravity to increase stability.

Abstract: A pallet sled includes a pair of tines extending forward from a base. A load wheel supports each of the pair of tines. The load wheels are each configured to move away from the respective tine to lift the respective tine upward relative to a support surface on which the load wheel is supported. A processor on the pallet sled records usage of the sled, such as lift cycles, location over time, battery condition, lift height, weight lifted, distance traveled, and the like. A communication circuit may be configured to send data from the pallet sled to a remote server. An identification reader may be configured to read an identification tag of an object supported on the pair of tines, such as an rfid tag on a pallet.

Abstract: A collapsible container having a base, an upper frame, and a pair of opposed side walls pivotably connected to side edges of the upper frame. Each of the side walls including an upper panel hingeably connected to a lower panel. The lower panel is hingeably connected to the base. A pair of opposed end walls are pivotably connected to end edges of the upper frame. The end walls are pivotable between an upright position extending from the upper frame to the base between the side walls and a retracted position within the upper frame. A lid is pivotably secured to the upper frame. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: An imaging system and method uses grouping and elimination to label images of unknown items. The items may be stacked together with known or unknown items. The items may be packages, such as packages of beverage containers. A machine learning model may be used to infer skus of the packages. The machine learning model is trained on known skus but is not trained on unknown skus. Multiple images of the same unknown sku are grouped using the machine learning model. Elimination based upon lists of expected skus is used to label each group of unknown skus.

Abstract: A pallet wrapper and imaging system a pallet loaded with containers to calculate a sustainability based upon a type of the pallet and the containers on the pallet. The system also determines the stability of the pallet and containers, a speed at which the pallet and containers can be wrapped, and an amount of stretch film needed to secure the load for transport. After validation by the imaging system (with or without a wrapper), a QC bot assists a QC worker in remedying or checking any detected errors or potential errors.

Abstract: A delivery system may include a pallet wrapper system having a turntable, a camera directed toward an area above the turntable, and a stretch wrap dispenser adjacent the turntable. A computer receives images from the camera of multiple sides of a pallet loaded with packages on the turntable. The computer stitches images from different sides of the stack of packages that correspond to the same package. At least one machine learning model may be used to infer SKUs of each package. Optical character recognition may be performed in parallel on the images. The determination of the SKU of each package may be based upon the inferred SKUs and on the OCR.

Abstract: A container assembly includes a container body having a side wall extending upward from a base to define a mouth. A lid is pivotably secured to the container body and is pivotable between an open position and a closed position over the mouth of the container body. A collar is secured to an upper edge of the side wall of the container body. The collar reinforces the mouth of the container to prevent deformation thereof, such as by bears, and access between the lid and mouth of the container.

Abstract: A pallet lift includes a base and a plurality of wheels supporting the base. A pair of contact surfaces are proximate a distal end of the base. A handle projects upward proximate a proximal end of the base. A rear support surface support is on the base between the contact surfaces and the handle. The base may include a pair of spaced apart rails capable of receiving columns of a pallet therebetween. In one embodiment, the base includes a pair of four-bar linkages and the handle is a lift handle configured to selectively collapse and extend the four-bar linkages to raise and lower a pallet.

Abstract: An injection molded component includes a wall that has an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface. A sensor is molded into one of the inner wall surface and the outer wall surface. A channel is at least partially surrounding the sensor.

Abstract: A crate includes a base and a plurality of walls including a front wall. The front wall is movable between a retracted, open position and a closed position. In some embodiments, the front wall includes a frame, a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is hingeably connected to the frame and the second portion is hingeably connected to the first portion.

Abstract: A collapsible container includes a frame including a base and a plurality of walls hingeably connected to edges of the base. At least one wall of the plurality of walls has a large opening therethrough. The large opening occupies a majority of the area of the at least one wall. An insert is received in the frame. The insert at least substantially covers the large opening in the at least one wall.

Abstract: A pallet jack includes a base and a pair of tines extending from the base. The pair of tines including a first tine and a second tine. A load wheel supports an outer end of each of the pair of tines. Each load wheel is configured to move toward and away from the respective tine to raise the tine off a floor on which the load wheel is supported. The first tine including a support surface configured to selectively be a lowermost surface of the tine to facilitate lateral displacement of the first tine.

Abstract: A tier sheet includes a deck having a support surface. A plurality of walls extend downward to define lower recesses for receiving the upper ends of containers therebelow. In one embodiment, the tier sheet is a single thermoformed sheet and includes a plurality of upper recesses formed in the deck, each upper recess defined between an outer wall and a column. In another embodiment, the tier sheet is injection molded.

Abstract: A pallet sled includes an upper frame including spaced-apart arms adapted to receive feet of a pallet therebetween. A lower frame supports the upper frame. A plurality of pivotable arms connect the lower frame to the upper frame. A handle is pivotably connected to the lower frame and the upper frame, such that pivoting the handle selectively raises and lowers the upper frame relative to the lower frame.

Abstract: A beverage crate includes a base having opposed end edges and opposed side edges. A pair of end walls extending upward from the end edges of the base. A pair of side walls extend upward from the side edges of the base. Each of the side walls includes an upper band portion connected to the base by inwardly-offset columns. The upper band portions each include at least one upper peak protruding upwardly and at least one complementary recess aligned below the at least one upper peak. The upper band portions each include at least one lower peak protruding downwardly and at least one complementary recess aligned above the at least one lower peak.

Abstract: Several embodiments of turntable systems for loaded pallets are disclosed. In some embodiments, a first ramp leads up to the turntable and a second ramp leads down from the turntable on the opposite side. In other embodiments, at least two turntables are positioned adjacent one another, optionally with a bridge surface connecting them so that a pallet lift can be driven from one turntable to the other to place one pallet on one turntable and another pallet on the other turntable according to a method disclosed herein. A validation system without a turntable includes a plurality of cameras about a periphery of a platform weight sensor.