A multi-level product sortation system includes sortation apparatuses interconnected on a conveyor and a station controlling loading and unloading thereof. Each apparatus includes a rack formed by a bottom wall, spaced-apart opposite side walls extending upright therefrom and a compartment above the bottom wall, between the side walls and being open at top and opposite ends. Each apparatus includes at least two carriers disposed in the compartment at different levels therein, and a product discharge control mechanism operable to selectively retain a product on and release a product from the respective carrier. One carrier is disposed above the other carrier and both extend longitudinally between open opposite ends of the compartment and laterally between opposite side walls of the rack. Each carrier is tiltable relative to the rack between a product support position and a product discharge position angularly displaced therefrom.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for product handling and dispensing. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a system comprising a tray comprising one or more lanes and one or more openings disposed on a bottom surface of the tray; one or more supports positioned within at least one of the one or more lanes, wherein the one or more supports are configured to support one or more items; and one or more dispensing units comprising one or more dispensing arms, wherein the one or more dispensing arms are configured to (i) couple to, engage with, or lift the one or more supports and (ii) transport (a) the one or more supports, (b) the one or more items on the one or more supports, or (c) both the one or more supports and the one or more items to one or more receiving areas or receiving units.

A multi-part tray for transporting a load in an order-picking system includes four side walls, a lower part and an upper part movable relative to the lower part from a transport configuration into a transferring configuration. The lower part provides two first side walls and the upper part provides two second side walls. Furthermore, with an unloading device and a method for unloading the tray, the upper part is moved relative to the lower part in order to move the tray from the transport configuration into the transferring configuration. Further, a computer-implemented method controls a position changing device in order to bring a load into a loading pose for loading a tray. In addition, a loading device carries out the method. Finally, an order-picking system has trays, an unloading device and/or a loading device.

A multi-level product sortation system includes sortation apparatuses interconnected on a conveyor and a station controlling loading and unloading thereof. Each apparatus includes a rack formed by a bottom wall, spaced-apart opposite side walls extending upright therefrom and a compartment above the bottom wall, between the side walls and being open at top and opposite ends. Each apparatus includes at least two carriers disposed in the compartment at different levels therein, and a product discharge control mechanism operable to selectively retain a product on and release a product from the respective carrier. One carrier is disposed above the other carrier and both extend longitudinally between open opposite ends of the compartment and laterally between opposite side walls of the rack. Each carrier is tiltable relative to the rack between a product support position and a product discharge position angularly displaced therefrom.

A multi-level product sortation system includes sortation apparatuses interconnected on a conveyor and a station controlling loading and unloading thereof. Each apparatus includes a rack formed by a bottom wall, spaced-apart opposite side walls extending upright therefrom and a compartment above the bottom wall, between the side walls and being open at top and opposite ends. Each apparatus includes at least two carriers disposed in the compartment at different levels therein, and a product discharge control mechanism operable to selectively retain a product on and release a product from the respective carrier. One carrier is disposed above the other carrier and both extend longitudinally between open opposite ends of the compartment and laterally between opposite side walls of the rack. Each carrier is tiltable relative to the rack between a product support position and a product discharge position angularly displaced therefrom.

This disclosure is directed to automated warehouse facilities that are configured to assemble mixed pallets. The warehouse facilities can include one or more layer handling devices that are configured to remove layers from pallets in a delayering operational mode, and to add layers to pallets in a palletizing operation mode. The warehouse facilities also may include one or more item retrieval devices that are configured to retrieve individual items from storage racks. The warehouse facilities can include other automated devices as well.

Embodiments of product handling systems facilitate transfer of individual product items from incoming bulk form into dedicated trays for inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging. Inspection may comprise interrogation of product items within a tray by electromagnetic (e.g., optical, hyperspectral) or other (e.g., physical, acoustic, gas sensing, etc.) techniques. Prior to packaging, product items disposed within the tray may be stored in a moveable carousel responsible for controlling environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, illumination, ambient gases, product-to-product interactions, and/or others. Movement of product items from a carousel's transfer station to an outside staging position may be accomplished using robots and/or conveyor belts. Embodiments may allow rapid, low-cost consumer selection of specific individual product items based upon their accompanying metadata (e.g., source, identifier), in combination with the results of inspection (e.g., visual appearance). Embodiments may receive product items pre-packaged in tray format to expedite inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for product handling and dispensing. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a system comprising a plurality of storage units for storing one or more trays comprising one or more items; one or more dispense conveyors for lifting and dispensing at least one of the one or more items into one or more receiving units; and a shuttle comprising one or more tray retrieval mechanisms, wherein the shuttle is (a) movable relative to the plurality of storage units and (b) configured to (i) pick at least one tray of the one or more trays using the one or more tray retrieval mechanisms and (ii) transport the at least one tray to the one or more dispense conveyors.

Method and device for moving goods, e.g., in an automated storage facility, where goods are moved onto a load carrier or tray, which are then moved over a conveyor section, and thereafter moved from/pushed off the load carrier by a pusher. The load carrier is moved to a first removal position, at which a first good is pushed off, after which the load carrier is moved either together with a second good back into the storage facility and the second good is moved from the load carrier at a later point in time, or to a second removal position at which the second good is moved from the load carrier. Device for the targeted movement of goods including a conveyor section on which load carriers are moved. At least one unit, e.g., a pusher, moves/pushes off goods from the load carrier transversely to the conveying direction of the conveyor section.

An automated system for transferring articles from a container. An item transfer system includes a frame configured to receive a first tray and a second tray, a movable paddle assembly, a frame, and a plurality of actuators. The system is configured to transfer articles from the first tray to the second tray by an automated process including securing the articles within the first tray with the paddle assembly, moving a lifting assembly or an item support platform such that the articles are in a slidable configuration relative to the first tray, moving the paddle assembly and/or the item support platform in one or more linear translations to remove the items from the first tray and place the items above the second tray, and releasing the items into the second tray.