Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Dinesh Mahadevan

Benjamin Douglas Garcia

Vahideh Kamranzadeh

William Scott Kalm

Jon Stuart Battles

Martin Peter Aalund

Timothy Alan Talda

Seshachalamgupta Motamarri

Tyson Wittrock

Jon David DeFant

George Davies

Steven Eric Nuetzman

Peter A Grant

Brian Hoffman

Kent Belden Meiswinkel

Kevin Senh Ly

Bob Samac

Joshua David Landry

Vahida Kamranzadeh

A loading system (e.g., in a warehouse or other item-fulfillment environment) can include a rotary hub that supports one or more chambers. In a first orientation of the rotary hub, one of the chambers may be in a first position aligned for item receipt (e.g., through an open top of the chamber by feeding from a conveyor belt or other feeding system). The rotary hub can rotate to a second orientation in which the chamber is in a second position aligned for item discharge (e.g., through an open end of the chamber and into a receiving zone of a packaging machine or other system).

Automatic rotary inserting machine

In one embodiment, an inventory storage module has a plurality of conveyor segments that define a movement path that is elongate along a longitudinal direction from a first end of the storage to a second end of the module. The module has a plurality of container carriers that are supported by the conveyor segments. Each container carrier supports at least one inventory storage container that supports at least one inventory item therein. The storage module can transfer the container carriers around the movement path until a desired one of the container carriers is presented at one of the first and second module ends. In another embodiment, a plurality of instances of the storage module are arranged in a vertical stack of independently controllable storage modules.

Stackable inventory storage modules, storage systems, and methods of using the same

In one embodiment, an inventory storage module has a first conveyor segment, a second conveyor segments offset from the first segment along a vertical direction, a first vertical lift at a first end of the module, and a second vertical lift at a second end of the module, which together define a movement path that is elongate along a longitudinal direction between the first and second ends. The storage module can translate inventory storage containers around the movement path until a desired one of the inventory storage containers is presented at one of the first end and the second end. In another embodiment, a plurality of instances of the storage module are arranged in a vertical stack of independently controllable storage modules.

A sortation system uses short conveyors or transporter units on a lift to move products or packages to totes in a storage rack. The lift may be a carousel. Automated components remove the totes from the rack and place them on outfeed conveyors. The system to remove the totes can include a transfer vehicle. The sortation system may be modular.

Automated modular system for sorting items

In one embodiment, an inventory storage module has a first conveyor segment, a second conveyor segment spaced below the first conveyor segment, a first vertical lift disposed at a first end of the module, and a second vertical lift disposed at a second end of the module. The first and second lifts each transfer inventory carriers between the first and second conveyor segments. The first conveyor segment, the second conveyor segment, the first vertical lift, and the second vertical lift together define a conveying loop in a vertical plane, and the storage module translates inventory carriers around the conveying loop until a desired one of the inventory carriers is presented at one of the first and second module ends. An inventory item can be retrieved from, or stowed in, the desired one of the inventory carriers at the one of the first and second module ends.

Inventory storage module having a conveying loop with vertical lift

In one embodiment, an inventory storage module has first to fourth conveyor segments that define a conveying loop. The module translates storage totes around the conveying loop using, at least in part, first and second actuator assemblies. The first actuator assembly has a first actuator and a first crossbar connected to the first actuator. The first actuator assembly moves the first crossbar in a first direction such that the first crossbar engages and pushes totes along the first conveyor segment in the first direction. The second actuator assembly has a second actuator and a second crossbar connected to the second actuator. The second actuator assembly moves the second crossbar in a second direction, opposite the first direction, such that the second crossbar engages and pushes totes along the second segment in the second direction. The third and fourth segments transfer totes between the first and second segments.

Inventory storage module having actuators that move storage totes around a conveyor loop

In one embodiment, an inventory storage module has a pair of upper tracks and a pair of lower tracks that are connected to one another so as to define a closed movement path in a vertical plane. The module has a plurality of carriers arranged end-to-end along the upper and lower tracks. Each carrier is elongate along a direction that extends between a pair of the upper or lower tracks so as to carry a set of the storage containers that are arranged side-by-side. Each carrier has first and second first wheel assemblies that couple the carrier to the pairs of upper tracks and lower tracks when supported by the pairs of upper tracks and lower tracks, respectively. The storage module can move the inventory carriers around the movement path until a desired one of the inventory carriers is presented at one of the first and second ends.

Storage module having inventory carriers that are elongate along a lateral direction to carry a plurality of storage containers

In one embodiment, an storage module has first and second guide rails that are spaced from one another along a lateral direction. Each guiderail has an upper track and a lower track spaced from one another along a vertical direction, and first and second connecting tracks that connect the upper track to the lower track at first and second ends, respectively. A plurality of inventory carriers that are supported between the guiderails and are arranged end-to-end along the upper and lower tracks. A drivetrain drives the carriers to translate along the upper and lower tracks at a first speed, and drives the carriers to translate along the connecting tracks at a second speed, faster than the first speed. Increasing the speed of the carriers at the connecting tracks can prevent the carriers from colliding with one another when transitioning between the upper track and the lower track.

Storage module configured to accelerate transition of inventory carriers between upper and lower tracks

In one embodiment, an inventory storage module has first and second guiderails that are spaced from one another along a lateral direction. Each guiderail has an upper track and a lower track, and first and second connecting tracks that connect the upper track to the lower track at first and second ends of the storage module, respectively. The module has a plurality of inventory carriers that are supported between the first and second guiderails, are arranged end-to-end along the upper and lower tracks along a longitudinal direction, and are elongate along the lateral direction. The module can also have a plurality of storage containers carried by each inventory carrier in a side-by-side relation along the lateral direction, where the plurality of storage containers carry a plurality of inventory items.

In one embodiment, an inventory storage system has a vertical stack of storage modules that extend from a first stack end to a second stack end, and are stacked on top of one another. Each storage module defines a path that forms a loop in a vertical plane, and each storage module has a plurality of inventory carriers that translate around the loop. The vertical stack has a first end section that extends from the first stack end towards the second stack end, and that includes a first end of each loop of the stack. The vertical stack also has a second end section that extends from the second stack end towards the first stack end, and that includes a second end of each loop of the stack. The sections can be transported separately by a truck or container and then coupled together at the destination.

Modular storage system having segments that couple to one another to define closed loop tracks that move inventory

In one embodiment, an inventory storage module has first to fourth conveyor segments that define a closed conveying loop in a horizontal plane. The storage module can translate inventory carriers around the closed loop until a desired one of the inventory carriers is presented at one end of the module. The first conveyor segment translates inventory carriers along a first longitudinal direction. The second conveyor segment is offset from the first segment along a first lateral direction and translates inventory carriers along a second longitudinal direction, opposite the first longitudinal direction. The third conveyor segment translates inventory carriers from the first conveyor to the second segment along a first lateral direction at a second end of the module. The fourth conveyor segment translates inventory carriers from the second segment to the first segment along a second lateral direction, opposite the first lateral direction, at a first end of the module.

Growing community of inventors

Lynnwood, WA, United States of America

Dinesh Mahadevan