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 remotely operated vehicle for moving on a rail system includes a first set of wheels, a second set of wheels, a wheel displacement assembly, and a wheel drive assembly. The rail system includes a first set of parallel rails and a second set of parallel rails arranged perpendicular to the first set of rails. The first set of wheels includes a first pair of wheels and a second pair of wheels, the first and second pairs of wheels arranged on opposite sides of a vehicle frame, allowing movement of the vehicle along a first direction on the rail system during use. The second set of wheels includes a third pair of wheels and a fourth pair of wheels, the third and fourth pairs of wheels arranged on opposite sides of the vehicle frame, allowing movement of the vehicle along a second direction on the rail system during use. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The wheel displacement assembly is mounted to the vehicle frame and arranged to move the second set of wheels in a vertical direction relative to the vehicle frame between a first position. The first set of wheels allows movement of the vehicle along the first direction, and a second position. The second set of wheels allows movement of the vehicle along the second direction. The wheel drive assembly includes a first motor, a drive band, and a band drive wheel. The first motor is operatively connected to rotate the band drive wheel. The drive band interconnects the band drive wheel and the third pair of wheels. The third pair of wheels and the first motor are mounted to a cross-plate which extends horizontally and is arranged to move vertically as part of the wheel displacement assembly. The third pair of wheels and the band drive wheel are attached to the cross-plate such that the cross-plate supports the third pair of wheels and the band drive wheel are in a fixed spatial configuration where each wheel of the third pair of wheels is located at an end portion of the cross-plate and the band drive wheel is positioned at a central portion of the cross-plate.

A picking system includes a multi-tier sorting device having ports in a plurality of tiers at different levels in a top-bottom direction, and sorts and discharges each of articles to one of the ports in the plurality of tiers; a plurality of first transport devices respectively corresponding to the ports in the plurality of tiers; and a second transport device configured to receive the articles from the first transport device and transport the articles. The second transport device has a second transport surface movable upward and downward, and, in a state where the second transport surface is located at a height corresponding to a terminal end portion of the first transport surface of one of the plurality of first transport devices, the second transport device receives the articles discharged from the terminal end portion of the first transport surface and transports the articles, with use of the second transport surface.

A system and method for picking items from storage containers located in stacks within a grid-based storage system are described. The system can include a movable structural member, movable from a first position to a second position such that when in the second position it is possible for an operative to access at least one row of storage containers such that items can be manually picked therefrom.

An article supply device includes a holding unit that holds an article supply tray having a storage section, an opening that is provided in the holding unit, a shutter that is provided in the opening, the shutter being configured to be opened and closed, a drive unit that drives the shutter, and an article reception portion that is provided below the opening. The holding unit holds the article supply tray such that an article stored in the storage section of the article supply tray is discharged to the article reception portion through the opening when the shutter is opened, and the drive unit controls opening and closing of the shutter based on a size of the storage section storing therein the article in the article supply tray.

An automation apparatus for dispensing groups of individually packaged products, the apparatus including a storage arrangement adapted to store a plurality of products each contained in an individual package. The storage arrangement includes a first module and a second module, where the first module is adapted to store products having a first frequency demand threshold and the second module is adapted to store products having a second frequency demand threshold that is lower than the first frequency demand threshold. The apparatus further includes a plurality of fixed first discharge assemblies adapted to move selected ones of the individual packages from the first module of the storage arrangement and a second discharge assembly comprising a moveable pick device adapted to move selected ones of the individual packages out of the second module of the storage arrangement.

An automation apparatus for dispensing groups of individually packaged products, the apparatus including a storage arrangement adapted to store a plurality of products each contained in an individual package. The storage arrangement includes a first module and a second module, where the first module is adapted to store products having a first frequency demand threshold and the second module is adapted to store products having a second frequency demand threshold that is lower than the first frequency demand threshold. The apparatus further includes a plurality of fixed first discharge assemblies adapted to move selected ones of the individual packages from the first module of the storage arrangement and a second discharge assembly comprising a moveable pick device adapted to move selected ones of the individual packages out of the second module of the storage arrangement.

A product order fulfillment system includes multiple decks arrayed at different levels and defining multilevel decks, at least one autonomous transport vehicle on each of the decks, and configured for holding and transporting a pickface on each deck, at least one lift, traversing and connecting more than one level of the decks, and arranged for lifting and lowering the pickface from the decks, and at least one pickface transfer station on each deck interfacing between the transport vehicle and the at least one lift to effect transfer of the pickface between the transport vehicle and the at least one lift, the at least one lift defines a fulfillment stream of mixed case pickfaces outbound from the multilevel decks to a load fill, at least one stream of the fulfillment stream has an ordered sequence of streaming pickfaces wherein the ordered sequence of streaming pickfaces is based on another fulfilment stream.

A product order fulfillment system includes multiple decks arrayed at different levels and defining multilevel decks, at least one autonomous transport vehicle on each of the decks, and configured for holding and transporting a pickface on each deck, at least one lift, traversing and connecting more than one level of the decks, and arranged for lifting and lowering the pickface from the decks, and at least one pickface transfer station on each deck interfacing between the transport vehicle and the at least one lift to effect transfer of the pickface between the transport vehicle and the at least one lift, the at least one lift defines a fulfillment stream of mixed case pickfaces outbound from the multilevel decks to a load fill, at least one stream of the fulfillment stream has an ordered sequence of streaming pickfaces wherein the ordered sequence of streaming pickfaces is based on another fulfilment stream.

A storage system for storing product items includes a grid structure and a number of first storage bins configured to be stored in vertical stacks in the grid structure. Each first storage bin is configured to contain at least one product item. A vehicle is arranged to move horizontally at the top level of the grid structure, and further arranged to pick up, carry, and place the first storage bins at desired locations within the grid structure. The storage system further includes a robot device that includes a movable arm with a picking mechanism in one end thereof. The robot device is configured to move a storage item between a first location and a second location by means of its picking mechanism. The first location is the location of a first storage bin stored in the storage grid.