Walmart Apollo, LLC

William Mark Propes

Jason D Bellar

Matthew David Alexander

Robert J Taylor

Jeffrey Scott Cruz

John C Crecelius, Jr

John Crecelius

Jesse Berry

Jeremy L Velten

Amy J Savaiinaea

Leigh Ann Marie Scobey

Leigh Ann Scobey

Chris Ford

Jason Bellar

There are provided systems and methods for use in arranging merchandise at shelving locations of retailer facilities. In one form, the system may include: a retailer facility with shelving locations for merchandise; a planogram or merchandise database indicating the correspondence of shelving locations to categories of merchandise items; and a pick database containing a first-time pick metric corresponding to each shelving location, the first-time pick metric indicating the frequency of locating the merchandise type at the shelving location. The system may also include a control circuit that determines a set of categories of merchandise items with low first-time pick metrics, determines a subset including certain core merchandise categories and including merchandise categories with the highest sales data, and transmits a notification regarding the subset of categories.

Systems and methods for arranging merchandise at shelving locations

There is provided a conveyor assembly for sorting merchandise items. In one form, the conveyor assembly includes: a merchandise identification module; sortation modules each comprising a multi-directional sorting portion with two sets of rollers, a first wing including a third set of rollers, a second wing including a fourth set of rollers, and a controller configured to receive an IP address; a first, disassembled state of the sortation modules; a second, assembled state of the sortation modules; a merchandise database; and a control circuit configured to receive identifying information about an unsorted merchandise item, assign a unique IP address to each sortation module corresponding to the position of the sortation module, determine a sortation destination for the unsorted merchandise item, determine the sortation module corresponding to the sortation destination; and instruct the controller of the corresponding sortation module to divert the unsorted merchandise item to the sortation destination.

Conveyor systems and methods for sorting merchandise using interchangeable and assignable sortation modules

Shipment receiving systems and methods are disclosed. Invoice and store inventory management data is provided to an invoice processor for assigning expected destinations to lanes of a material transporter having and a plurality of outlet lanes that each have an indicator. A scanner determines a case identifier for each case which is routed accordingly. One or more notifications is provided to the indicator of one or more of the plurality of outlet lanes. Received shipment data enables reconciliation of upstream supply change management systems and downstream store inventory systems.

Shipment receiving systems and methods including notification and reconciliation features

A disclosed system for transport asset monitoring, for example monitoring truck trailer unloading progress at large retail locations, includes an artificial intelligence (AI) solution for managing operations at a facility. The AI solution analyzes current load percentage and other data to predict availability for moving the transport asset and ability to accept a new incoming transport asset. Predictions of availability can reduce response times, resulting in higher utilization rates for assets, thereby improving efficiency. An exemplary system includes a sensor configured to sense operation progress parameter data for a transport asset; and logic to receive the operation progress parameter data from the sensor; determine, using the AI solution and based at least on the operation progress parameter data, a predicted milestone parameter; and report the predicted milestone parameter to a remote node.

Flexible automated sorting and transport arrangement (FAST) asset monitor

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to the sortation of products using a conveyor assembly. In some embodiments, there is provided a system for receiving and sorting products shipped to a shopping facility including: a delivery location at a shopping facility configured to receive a shipment of products; a conveyor assembly comprising: a product identification module configured to read identification data from an identification label disposed on a product; a plurality of sortation modules configured to move the product to one of a predetermined plurality of sortation destination areas; a control circuit operatively coupled to the product identification module and to each of the sortation modules, the control circuit configured to: receive the identification data from the product identification module; determine the sortation destination area for the product based at least on one of shopping facility data and shipping data regarding the product as sortation criteria; and cooperate with the plurality of sortation modules to move the product to the determined sortation destination area.

Systems and methods for sortation of products using a conveyor assembly

A folding wing for a conveyor is disclosed that can extend to facilitate sorting of items and providing additional space for docking locations. A first and second section each have a conveyor surface; and are coupled with a reverse-knee joint such that, in a folded configuration the conveyor surface of the first section and the conveyor surface of the second section are adjacent, and in an unfolded configuration, the first section conveyor surface and the second section conveyor surface form a contiguous conveyor surface. In some examples, the frame may be made of aluminum, and the rollers made of PVC, in order to reduce weight. In some examples, the folding section may measure approximately two feet by two feet. The folding assembly may drop down for even more space savings, when not in use, and be supported in an extended configuration with a second reverse knee joint.

Folding wing for a conveyor

Example item alignment tools for aligning items on a shelf are described. The item alignment tools include an elongated planar body defining a proximal end, a distal end, a bottom straight edge, a top edge, and first and second opposing sides extending between the bottom straight edge and the top edge. The item alignment tools include a handle coupled to the proximal end of the elongated planar body. The item alignment tools include a wrap positioned over and covering at least a portion of the bottom straight edge of the elongated planar body to provide a protective layer for sliding along a surface of a shelf to facilitate alignment of items on the shelf.

Item alignment tool

Embodiments of a conveyor system for separating cases of product are disclosed. An elongated, substantially horizontal frame extends from an entry point to an exit point and has a plurality of linear zones. A plurality of motivators is arranged along the frame, such that a case placed on one or more motivators will be moved forward toward the exit point by a coordinated movement of the motivators. A plurality of case sensors arranged along the frame detects the presence of one or more cases within each of the linear zones, and a controller activates the motivators such that a minimum time period elapses between cases delivered to the exit point. The system can include an AC/DC power supply configured to receive 110-120V alternating current power at 60 Hz and to provide direct current power to the controller, the plurality of case sensors, and the plurality of individually-controllable motivators.

Conveyor system that senses and separates product

In some embodiments, systems, apparatuses and methods are described herein useful to indicate the number of products on a merchandising unit. Counting devices as described herein maintain an accurate count of the number of products on a given merchandising unit and provides a display of the count.

Growing community of inventors

Bentonville, AR, United States of America

William Mark Propes