Walmart Apollo, LLC

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Jessica L Solana

Mustafa Ali Harcar

Jason Scott Coyle

Nicholas O Thomas

Jeremy C Ramirez

Andrew Joseph Rizkallah

Craig J Stevens

Bryan Rogers

Shayne Wahlmeier

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to automatically balance and buffer the return of empty containers or other totes to a plurality of areas. In some embodiments, a control circuit employs a logic system in which empty totes are directed along primary, secondary, or tertiary paths depending on information gathered from sensors regarding the availability of space for empty totes at a plurality of potential destinations. In this way, the return of empty totes to one or more points of origin may be buffered to balance the number of empty totes in one or more areas.

Conveyor and logic systems to return, balance, and buffer processed or empty totes

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for improved warehouse operations are provided. A consolidation processor (manual or automatic) establishes a connection to a warehouse management system. The current collection location of the consolidation processor may maybe established either manually or by automatically transmitting their current physical location in a facility to the warehouse management system. The warehouse management system may then direct the consolidation processor to a consolidation location to package orders for shipment. This direction may be given based on one or more parameters.

System and method for order packing

Methods and systems are provided herein for operation of a sortation system. The methods and systems include a first conveyor configured to transport a receptacle to a sortation station. The methods and systems also include a sorter including a plurality of vessels. Each vessel can be configured to receive at least one product of a plurality of products from the receptacle at the sortation station. Each vessel includes an ejection mechanism for ejecting the at least one product at a sortation delivery station. The sortation delivery station corresponds to the at least one product based on at least one identifier assigned to the product. The methods and systems also include an order consolidation station including a plurality of order-specific portions, each order-specific portion configured to receive the product from the sortation delivery station based on the at least one identifier.

Systems and methods for product sortation

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for improved warehouse operations are provided. A consolidation processor (manual or automatic) establishes a connection to a warehouse management system. The current collection location of the consolidation processor may maybe established either manually or by automatically transmitting their current physical location in a facility to the warehouse management system. The warehouse management system may then direct the consolidation processor to a collection location to collect items for consolidation. This direction may be given based on one or more parameters.

System and method for item consolidation

Systems and methods for sorting products using conveyors having multiple inputs and multiple outputs include first product conveyors vertically stacked relative to one another, second product conveyors vertically stacked relative to one another, and transfer conveyors connecting the first and second product conveyors. The transfer conveyors permit products travelling on the first product conveyors to be transferred from the first product conveyors onto the second product conveyors by way of the products being first transferred from the first product conveyors onto the transfer conveyors and then from the transfer conveyors onto the second product conveyors.

Growing community of inventors

Bentonville, AR, United States of America

Jessica L Solana