Abstract: A package delivery apparatus uses an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to deliver a package containing a product to a delivery destination area. The UAV uses GPS signals to guide it to the delivery destination area and an altimeter to determine its height above the delivery destination area. The UAV then adjusts its height to a preferred drop or release height for that package and product and releases the package. An optional camera allows a human operator to view the delivery destination area. An expandable foam package surrounds the product to protect the product from impact and moisture. The package may be streamlined to reduce air resistance and increase the range of the UAV. The package characteristics, such as its thickness, are determined based one or more of the weight and fragile nature of the product, and the drop height.

Abstract: A package delivery apparatus uses an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to deliver a package containing a product to a delivery destination area. The UAV uses GPS signals to guide it to the delivery destination area and an altimeter to determine its height above the delivery destination area. The UAV then adjusts its height to a preferred drop or release height for that package and product and releases the package. An optional camera allows a human operator to view the delivery destination area. An expandable foam package surrounds the product to protect the product from impact and moisture. The package may be streamlined to reduce air resistance and increase the range of the UAV. The package characteristics, such as its thickness, are determined based one or more of the weight and fragile nature of the product, and the drop height.

Abstract: Containers can be exchanged between container holders and container shuttles using an inventory conveyance system within a workspace. The container holders are configured to hold one or more containers having consolidated inventory items in high density storage. The container shuttles are also configured to hold one or more containers for performing other operations with respect to inventory items in the one or more containers. The containers are configured to hold inventory items while the inventory items move for various operations throughout the workspace and while the inventory items are stowed in high density storage in the workspace.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for robotic item sortation and optimization along the vertical axis in a conveyor-based system. A robotic system may be mounted above or adjacent to a conveyor system that moves items along a conveyor belt or similar device. Once an item is laterally diverted from the conveyor system, the robotic system may collect the item at a respective holding station and move the item along a vertical axis for placement in one of a plurality of vertically-configured item handling devices.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for using air pressure to increase or decrease the force of static friction between an item and the surface of a conveyance system. The conveyance system can include a track and a conveyor segment affixed to the track. The conveyor segment can include an air permeable surface on which an item can be placed. Mounted underneath the air permeable surface is an air displacement device.

Abstract: A product to be shipped is placed on a platform. A conveyor belt moves the product and platform toward a packaging station where mold forms at least define a space which encloses the product. Expanding foam is then injected via injector lines into the space. Once the expanding foam has at least partially hardened, the mold forms may be retracted and the package is moved to a next station for at least one of finishing, loading, or storing. The foam thus becomes the shipping package for the product. This eliminates the need to store shipping containers of multiple standardized sizes and shapes, and to fill the standardized shipping containers with dunnage. The mold forms also provide for customized exterior shapes for the shipping package.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automated shipping optimization are described herein. In some embodiments, items may be loaded into a receptacle. As items are loaded into a receptacle, a imaging device monitors the items in order to determine if a package is inefficiently oriented in a receptacle. If a package is inefficiently oriented in a receptacle, in some embodiments, the imaging device may send instructions to a robotic device to re-orient the inefficiently oriented item. The imaging device and robotic device, in some embodiments, can monitor multiple receptacles.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for robotic item sortation and optimization along the vertical axis in a conveyor-based system. A robotic system may be mounted above or adjacent to a conveyor system that moves items along a conveyor belt or similar device. Once an item is laterally diverted from the conveyor system, the robotic system may collect the item at a respective holding station and move the item along a vertical axis for placement in one of a plurality of vertically-configured item handling devices.

Abstract: A container exchange station is provided in connection with a workspace of an inventory system. At the container exchange station, containers are exchanged between container holders and container shuttles. The container holders are configured to hold one or more containers having consolidated inventory items in high density storage. The container shuttles are also configured to hold one or more containers for performing other operations with respect to inventory items in the one or more containers. The containers are configured to hold inventory items while the inventory items move for various operations throughout the workspace and while the inventory items are stowed in high density storage in the workspace.

Abstract: A package delivery apparatus uses an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to deliver a package containing a product to a delivery destination area. The UAV uses GPS signals to guide it to the delivery destination area and an altimeter to determine its height above the delivery destination area. The UAV then adjusts its height to a preferred drop or release height for that package and product and releases the package. An optional camera allows a human operator to view the delivery destination area. An expandable foam package surrounds the product to protect the product from impact and moisture. The package may be streamlined to reduce air resistance and increase the range of the UAV. The package characteristics, such as its thickness, are determined based one or more of the weight and fragile nature of the product, and the drop height.

Abstract: Conveying systems for transporting sealed containers, such as boxes, may be provided with one or more delta robots configured to cut one or more adhesive tapes or other layers provided on the sealed containers. The delta robots may include one or more blades or other cutting implements on end effectors, which may be repositioned by the delta robots in response to instructions. Such instructions may be generated based on images or imaging data captured from the sealed containers, which may be analyzed to recognize features, locations and orientations of the adhesive tapes or other layers applied across faces, seams or edges of the sealed containers. Using such robots, the sealed containers may be partially or completely opened prior to reaching one or more workers, who may quickly and efficiently access the internal contents of such containers with limited effort.

Abstract: A container exchange station is provided in connection with a workspace of an inventory system. At the container exchange station, containers are exchanged between container holders and container shuttles. The container holders are configured to hold one or more containers having consolidated inventory items in high density storage. The container shuttles are also configured to hold one or more containers for performing other operations with respect to inventory items in the one or more containers. The containers are configured to hold inventory items while the inventory items move for various operations throughout the workspace and while the inventory items are stowed in high density storage in the workspace.