A system includes an article supply location, wherein the article supply location includes a plurality of articles to be sorted, first and second transport vehicles, each having a first position in which an article is stowed about the vehicle and a second position in which the article is deposited into a proximal container. And a control system. The control system is configured to receive an order for a plurality of disparate articles, determine one destination container of a plurality of destination containers to direct the transport vehicle to deposit a selected article, direct the first transport vehicle to transport a selected article to the destination container and deposit the article by manipulation of the first transport vehicle from the first position to the second position for deposit of the selected article in the destination container.

The disclosure relates to a method for picking articles into order loading aids in a storage and picking system in which articles of a first order part and articles of a second order part are provided in different subsystems of the storage and picking system and are transported from there to a picking station. A control device defines a target article sequence in which the articles of the second order part are provided at the picking station. From that, a target order sequence is derived in which the articles of the second order part are provided at the picking station. The control device calculates a start time for the retrieval of the articles of the first order part before the articles of the second order part are sorted according to the target article sequence. A storage and picking system for the performance of the method is provided.

Robotic vehicle-based package completion includes determining, using computer hardware, a number of packages required to fulfill a plurality of orders based on items included in the respective plurality of orders. Packages of the plurality of orders are assigned to a plurality of apertures of a packaging platform using the computer hardware. Routes for a plurality of robotic vehicles carrying items of the orders and configured to traverse a surface of the packaging platform are generated using the computer hardware. The plurality of robotic vehicles, in traversing the packaging platform based on the routes, are configured to deposit items of the orders into respective ones of the plurality of apertures assigned a package of the orders.

The invention relates to E-commerce in consumable goods, such as groceries, which is intended to supplement or substitute for diversified retail stores, such as supermarkets. In a first aspect, the invention is of a portable rack, mountable on a load pallet and structured to comprise one or more compartments, arranged one above the other. Each compartment is configured to hold one or more containers, containing goods, and includes a plurality of carry rails, disposed to collectively carry the containers so as to enable lifting each container horizontally out of the compartment. In a second aspect, the invention is of an E-commerce system, for supplying fast moving consumer goods in response to customers' orders, that utilizes an integrated computer network and portable racks in order to increase operating efficiency, reduce required inventory size of each product, shorten supply time and enable offering of a larger variety of products.

A system includes an article supply location, wherein the article supply location includes a plurality of articles to be sorted, first and second transport vehicles, each having a first position in which an article is stowed about the vehicle and a second position in which the article is deposited into a proximal container. And a control system. The control system is configured to receive an order for a plurality of disparate articles, determine one destination container of a plurality of destination containers to direct the transport vehicle to deposit a selected article, direct the first transport vehicle to transport a selected article to the destination container and deposit the article by manipulation of the first transport vehicle from the first position to the second position for deposit of the selected article in the destination container.

A system and method for a picking station operation, provides switched flexibly between single-step- and dual-step-picking into various types of order containers. The task is solved by the provision of a second order container conveyor technique for transporting second order containers, in particular boxes, for receiving articles into order container bays, arranged also in the arrangement row, of the picking station.

A system for picking articles from storage containers into containers by using a computer for handling and processing picking orders and a picking station according to the good-to-person-principle. Selected articles by the computer are picked from the storage containers into conveyor bags, and a suspension conveyor transports the conveyor bags to a packing location for packing the articles assigned to a picking order, and retrieves the conveyor bags into the order container assigned to the picking order. An order container conveyor transports order containers (boxes), and the computer processes a first picking order to determine the number of article to be picked at the picking station such that the number of articles required for picking the first picking order is picked into the order container assigned to the first picking order with later articles matched/picked to a conveyor bag for later picking of further picking orders at the packing location.

Disclosed are various embodiments for a multiple speed, multiple conveyor storage system for items in a materials handling facility such as a fulfillment center. In one embodiment, the item storage system includes a first conveyor configured to operate at one speed, a second conveyor configured to operate at a different speed, and a transfer device configured to transfer items between the conveyors. The conveyors are each configured to store items in motion in a circuit arrangement.

Systems and methods for order fulfilment and product handling are described. The system includes an application configured to identify products included in an order from a pharmacy to a wholesaler that can be bundled based on one or more criteria. Those products are retrieved from stock by the wholesaler and packaged together for shipment to the pharmacy. Operators at the pharmacy directly induct the bundled products into a product-handling system which accumulates and collates the products and other non-bundled products with respect to a patient order. The product-handling system may apply labels to the products and places the products associated with the patient order into a single package for shipment to the patient. The bundled products are directly inducted into the product-handling system without being placed in stock at the pharmacy.

A system includes an article supply location, wherein the article supply location includes a plurality of articles to be sorted, first and second transport vehicles, each having a first position in which an article is stowed about the vehicle and a second position in which the article is deposited into a proximal container. And a control system. The control system is configured to receive an order for a plurality of disparate articles, determine one destination container of a plurality of destination containers to direct the transport vehicle to deposit a selected article, direct the first transport vehicle to transport a selected article to the destination container and deposit the article by manipulation of the first transport vehicle from the first position to the second position for deposit of the selected article in the destination container.