Warehouse system for storing and retrieving goods from containers

Abstract

We provide a product order fulfillment system for mixed product units. [Solution] A product order fulfillment system for mixed product units, the system comprising a storage array, an automated transport system having at least one asynchronous transport system for level transport, and a lift between level transports that is communicatively connected to the storage array to automatically retrieve and transport product units to be distributed into cases at the transport outlet of the storage array in a common part of the storage array. The at least one asynchronous transport system and the lift are configured to form two or more transport echelons, each echelon being communicatively connected to a common part and an transport outlet, each resulting in an orthogonal classification of product units to be distributed to the common part, corresponding to the transport echelon, thereby the mixed transport product units of the classified corresponding transport echelons are in a predetermined sequence.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications This application is a non - provisional application of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 044,721, filed on Jun. 26, 2020, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference and for which priority is claimed.

[0002] The disclosed embodiments generally relate to material handling systems, and more particularly, to the conveyance and storage of articles within a material handling system.

Background Art

[0003] Brief Description of Related Developments It is well recognized that the integration of automated storage and retrieval systems into the logistics chain, particularly goods - to - man systems, is highly advantageous across the efficiency and overall cost of the logistics chain. Conventional systems generally operate by storing product (e.g., supply) containers, where the supply containers contain cases, packs, etc. that include common types of merchandise (also called products). The product containers may arrive on a pallet (e.g., a common supply container) or as a truck load, are depalletized or unloaded from the truck, stored in a logistics facility, and distributed throughout the storage volume of the logistics facility (e.g., in a three - dimensional array of storage racks) by an automated storage and retrieval system.

[0004] In particular, when combined product containers are desired (for example, here, any given order container may have combined / different products or product types held in a common container, such as in the case of direct to consumer fulfillment, or in the case of indirect fulfillment to consumers via a retail order collection point, the combination of ordered products in the order container is generated at least partially at the logistics facility before being shipped out of the logistics facility), order fulfillment from the logistics facility, conventionally, the creation of combined product containers is done by goods-to-person (GTP) systems of automated storage and retrieval. Using a person-to-person configuration, an automated storage and retrieval system is brought out from storage locations across a three-dimensional array of storage racks to workstations by product / supply containers (each containing one or more product items of a common product type, i.e., each product item in a product container is the same or substantially similar), and manually or automatically, in accordance with a given performance (or filling) order, products are picked and removed from various product / supply containers supplied to a given workstation by the automated storage and retrieval system, and various picked products (common when a given order that is combined or included is filled in this way) are placed into an order container. Such workstations may be called breakpack stations, where product containers are "disassembled" and their contents, in whole or in part, may be placed in order containers or in what are called breakpack storage containers (e.g., tote bags), for example, where the product container is not suitable for continuously holding the remaining product items after the breakpack operation, and such remaining products (i.e., the remaining products in the "disassembled" product container) should be returned to their storage location in a three-dimensional array of storage racks by an automated storage and retrieval system.To increase efficiency, order containers may be placed in a three-dimensional array of storage racks, and in some cases, in storage locations on storage racks where product containers are stored. Subsequently, when order retrieval is desired, both the inflow and outflow from the three-dimensional array of storage racks are brought about by other automated storage and retrieval systems.

[0005] Traditionally, breakpack stations are located at a single common level (e.g., ground level, or a level common to or adjacent to the filling and loading exit of a logistics facility) to facilitate the unloading of order containers and the filling of orders from the breakpack station to the exit, or are distributed at various levels around or within a three-dimensional array of storage racks to facilitate the transfer of product containers between storage locations and breakpack stations by automated storage and retrieval systems, and the in-loading / re-in-loading of order containers and breakpack storage containers (collectively referred to herein as breakpack product containers) from breakpack stations to storage locations by automated storage and retrieval systems. An example of a conventional system and method of order fulfillment by preparing storage units at a pick station is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 9,988,212, issued June 5, 2018. U.S. Patent No. 9,988,212 describes a method of order fulfillment by making order units and / or product units available from a storage facility in a desired arrangement at a pick station. The storage facility may include multiple multi-tier storage racks where order units and / or product units are stored, automated storage and retrieval equipment such as shuttles for retrieving and storing order units and / or product units, and lifts used to transport order units and / or product units to at least one storage-out conveyor, where each lift is directly connected to a pick-level pick station by a storage-in and storage-out conveyor. Conventional systems such as the one described above are constrained by a limited exchange interface (effectively defined by the footprint of the break-pack station) between supply containers and break-pack product containers. This limits the throughput through the pick station to the throughput that can be performed in the space immediately adjacent to the break-pack operator. An improved system is desired. [Overview of the project]

[0006] The aforementioned aspects and other features of the disclosed embodiments are described in the following description made in relation to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of an automated storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 1A] This is a schematic diagram of an automated storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 1B] This is a schematic diagram of a portion of an automated storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 1C] This is a schematic diagram of a portion of an automated storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 1D] This is a schematic diagram of a portion of an automated storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 1E] This is a schematic diagram of a mixed pallet load formed by an automated storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 1F] This is a schematic diagram of a portion of an automated storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 2A] This is a schematic diagram of a portion of an automated storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 2B] This is a schematic diagram of a portion of an automated storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 2C] This is a schematic diagram of a portion of an automated storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 2D] This is a schematic diagram of a portion of an automated storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 2E] This is a schematic diagram of a portion of an automated storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 3A]This is a schematic diagram of a portion of an automated storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 3B] This is a schematic diagram of a portion of an automated storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 4A] This is a schematic diagram of a transport vehicle according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 4B] This is a schematic diagram of a transport vehicle according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram of a portion of a transport vehicle according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 6A] This is a schematic diagram of a portion of a transport vehicle according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 6B] This is a schematic diagram of a portion of a transport vehicle according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 6C] This is a schematic diagram of a portion of a transport vehicle according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 6D] This is a schematic diagram of a portion of a transport vehicle according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 6E] This is a schematic diagram of a portion of a transport vehicle according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 6F] This is a schematic diagram of a portion of a transport vehicle according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 7] This is an exemplary flowchart according to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment. [Figure 8] This is an exemplary flowchart according to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment. [Figure 9] This is an exemplary flowchart according to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment. [Figure 10] This is an exemplary flowchart according to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a schematic diagram of a portion of an automated storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the disclosed model. [Figure 12] This is an exemplary flowchart according to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment. [Figure 13]Schematic diagram of an operator station of a storage and retrieval system according to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment. [Figure 14] Exemplary flowchart according to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment. [Figure 15] Schematic block diagram of orthogonal sortation echelons of an automated storage and retrieval system of FIGS. 1 and 1A according to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment. [Figure 16A] Exemplary diagram illustrating an exemplary classification brought about by the orthogonal sortation echelon of FIG. 15. [Figure 16B] Exemplary diagram illustrating an exemplary classification brought about by the orthogonal sortation echelon of FIG. 15. [Figure 16C] Exemplary diagram illustrating an exemplary classification brought about by the orthogonal sortation echelon of FIG. 15. [Figure 16D] Exemplary diagram illustrating an exemplary classification brought about by the orthogonal sortation echelon of FIG. 15. [Figure 16E] Exemplary diagram illustrating an exemplary classification brought about by the orthogonal sortation echelon of FIG. 15. [Figure 17A] Schematic diagram showing the structural configuration of the orthogonal sortation echelon of an automated storage and retrieval system and the controller structure of the automated storage and retrieval system according to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment. [Figure 17B] Exemplary flowchart according to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0008] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an automated storage and retrieval system (also referred to herein as a warehouse system or product order fulfillment system) 100 according to an embodiment of the disclosed embodiment. While the embodiments of the disclosed embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings, it should be understood that the embodiments of the disclosed embodiment can be embodied in many forms. Furthermore, elements or materials of any suitable size, shape, or type may be used.

[0009] In some aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 may operate in a retail distribution center, warehouse, or the back of a retail store. The automated storage and retrieval system may operate to fill orders received from retailers for case units, such as those described in U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,674, filed December 15, 2011, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. For example, a case unit is a case or unit of goods that are not stored (e.g., not included) on a tray, on a tote, or on a pallet. In other examples, a case unit is a case or unit of goods that are included in any suitable way on a tray, on a tote, in a container (such as a container for leftover goods after break packing where the case unit structure to be disassembled is not suitable for transporting leftover goods as a unit), on a pallet, etc. In yet another example, a case unit is a combination of included and not included articles. It should be noted that a case unit may include, for example, a unit of goods in a case (e.g., a case of soup cans, a box of cereal, etc.) or individual goods that are adapted to be taken off a pallet or placed on a pallet. According to aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the transport case for the case unit (e.g., a carton, barrel, box, crate, jug, or any other suitable device for holding the case unit) may have a variable size, may be used to hold the case unit during transport, and may be configured to be palletized for transport or to be sent without palletization to a downstream logistics process (e.g., goods-to-person automation). In one or more embodiments, the case unit is a segmented case unit (e.g., a segmented tote) containing multiple order profiles in a single case unit, where any segmented case unit may increase the product density in the case unit and in downstream logistics (e.g., downstream packaging solutions such as goods-to-person automation).For example, when a bundle of case units or a pallet arrives at the storage and retrieval system, the contents of each pallet may be uniform (for example, each pallet holds a predetermined number of the same items; i.e., one pallet holds soup and another pallet holds cereal), and when the pallet leaves the storage and retrieval system, the pallet may contain any appropriate number and combination of various case units (for example, a mixed pallet where each mixed pallet holds different types of case units; i.e., a pallet holds a combination of soup and cereal), and it should be noted that these are provided to a palletizer in a sorted arrangement for forming a mixed pallet, for example. In aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the storage and retrieval system 100 described herein may be applied to any environment in which the units are stored and retrieved.

[0010] Referring to Figures 1, 15, and 17A, according to aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 includes orthogonal classification transport echelons 15000, 15100, 15200 (also referred to herein as classification echelons) that identify the classification of goods (e.g., pallets, cases, containers, product packages, individual (unpacked) goods (referred herein to be units or eachs)). The identification of the classification of goods results in or otherwise creates distinct and different classifications of goods from the transport of goods via the automated storage and retrieval system 100 (e.g., resulting in further identification of the classification of goods). The orthogonal classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200 provide a recursive classification of goods such that classification is achieved by breaking down goods components (e.g., pallets, cases, packs, units) into the smallest required goods components, and then reassembling (one or more) of the smallest required goods components into larger groups (e.g., reassembling into one or more pallets, cases, or packs). Each of these reassembled larger groups is classified with each iteration of reassembly. As an example, referring to Figure 17A, if the smallest required goods component is a unit (also referred to herein as an individual), an incoming pallet is broken down into a case, a case containing a unit is broken down into a pack, and a pack is broken down into units. A desired number of units are classified at the unit level and reassembled into classified packs. A desired number of classified packs are classified at the pack level and reassembled into classified cases. A desired number of classified cases are classified at the case level and reassembled into classified pallet loads (PALs). Here, the classification is drilled down to the desired classification level, and the items to be classified are reassembled and classified again in a recursive manner, resulting in the construction of a pallet load (PAL).

[0011] In some aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the order of articles to be filled (e.g., pallets, cases, containers, product packages, individual (unpacked) products, etc.) may be probabilistic (e.g., substantially random in terms of the articles ordered and the time the orders are received) and may be carried out by an automated storage and retrieval system 100 in accordance with time (e.g., sorting of ordered products at a predetermined scheduled time prior to the time the orders are issued / fulfilled, or sorting of products just in time). These probabilistic orders determine the picking order of articles to be sorted, such as for constructing a pallet load or pallet PAL, as described herein with respect to Figure 1E (see, for example, U.S. Patent No. 8,965,559, issued February 24, 2015, titled “Pallet Building System,” the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference). While the pallet in Figure 1E is illustrated and described as a mixed case pallet, such examples also represent pallet loads having mixed cases, mixed totes, mixed packs, mixed units (or individual units) per tote, etc. Here, the items to be classified are picked from a common storage array (for example, a storage array formed by the storage space 130S of the storage structure 130). The automated storage and retrieval system 100 brings the given order from the common storage array (for example, received for processing by the automated storage and retrieval system 100) to the required classification level, or otherwise, through one or more of the orthogonal classification echelons 15000, 15100, 15200, independently of the order type (e.g., pallet order, case order, pack order, mixed order, etc.), order order sequence, and order time, thereby bringing the goods to the maximum throughput for each order (for example, the controller 120 drills down / drives down the orthogonal classification echelon to bring the desired level of classification required for a given order, i.e., case-level classification, pack-level classification, unit / individual-level classification, or a combination thereof).

[0012] The orthogonal classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200 are controlled by the controller 120 to provide maximum flexibility in order fulfillment by identifying the classification of goods at various levels of classification from goods transport, thereby providing maximum throughput of goods through the automated storage and retrieval system 100. Accordingly, the orthogonal classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200 result in minimized filling costs for each order processed through the automated storage and retrieval system 100.

[0013] According to aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 includes one or more breakpack modules 266 (see Figure 2C). The breakpack modules 266 may form one or more orthogonal classification echelons 15100, 15200 as described herein. The breakpack modules 266 are configured to break product containers or case units CU into breakpack goods containers for order fulfillment, as further described herein. The breakpack modules 266 may operate as automated decanting processes for downstream logistics, such as goods-to-person automation. One or more breakpack modules 266 may be located at a common level 130L of the automated storage and retrieval system, where one or more levels of the automated storage and retrieval system 100 include at least one breakpack module 266. The (one or more) breakpack modules 266 may be plug-and-play modules that can be connected to any suitable part of the structure of the automated storage and retrieval system 100. For example, one or more breakpack modules may be connected to the container transfer deck 130DC or one or more picking passages 130A of the automated storage and retrieval system 100, as described in more detail below. One or more breakpack modules 266 may be located at any suitable number of stacked storage levels of the automated storage and retrieval system 100. Here, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 may be configured via any suitable controller (e.g., control server 120) to have selectable operating modes. In one operating mode, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 is configured to unload product cases, containers, and / or case units into a palletizer.In other operating modes, such as when one or more breakpack modules 266 are used, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 is configured to disassemble product cases, product containers, and / or case units and load the breakpack product containers, product cases, containers, and / or case units into a palletizer, or, in other embodiments, load the remaining (one or more) breakpack (order) containers and / or product cases, containers, and / or case units into a palletizer (for example, after disassembly) for later retrieval.

[0014] The controller 120 is configured to bring about the operation of container bots 110 and product bots 262 (both forming at least part of an asynchronous transport system) for assembling orders of breakpack goods BPGs from supply containers 265 into breakpack goods containers 264 (see also, for example, Figure 2C), and the unloading of breakpack goods containers 264 via a container unloading station TS as described herein. For example, the controller 120 is configured to bring about the operation of (one or more) container bots 110 between the container storage position 130S, the breakpack operation station 140, and the breakpack goods containers 264 located along the breakpack goods transport deck 130DG. As another example, the controller 120 is configured to bring about the operation of (one or more) product bots 262 to sort the breakpack goods BPGs into the corresponding breakpack goods containers 264, for example, by unit / individual level classification, by transporting the breakpack goods BPGs by the product bots 262 across the goods transport deck 130DG. As a further example, the controller 120 is configured to cause the operation of the container bots 110 (one or more) to cause the container bots 110 to access the corresponding breakpack merchandise container 264 on the merchandise transfer deck 130DG and to transport the breakpack merchandise container 264 across the container transfer deck 130DC to at least one of the container unloading / transfer station TS and the corresponding container storage position 130SB on the storage rack at the corresponding level 130L of the multi-level storage array.

[0015] Controller 120 is also configured to bring about the operation of container bots 110 and lift 150 (for example, to form a container supply system) to introduce empty breakpack product containers 264 into an automated storage and retrieval system, and into a breakpack module 266 for placement at one or more breakpack product interface positions 263L of one or more breakpack product interfaces 263 for the transfer of breakpack product BPGs to breakpack product containers 264, so that container bots 110 transport empty breakpack product containers 264 along the transport loops 233, 233A of one or more container transport decks 130DC. In other embodiments, empty breakpack containers 264 may be transported (in a manner similar to the methods described above with respect to the lift and container bot) to storage spaces 130SB, 130S of rack module RM and stored therein, or buffered at an infeed station, where controller 120 is configured to bring about the transport of empty breakpack product containers 264 from storage spaces 130SB, 130S or buffer location to breakpack product interface 263 in a manner similar to the above. In one or more embodiments, the controller 120 is configured to bring about the operation of the container bots 110 and lifts 150 (for example, to form a container supply system) to introduce empty supply containers 265 or normalized containers 265S (as described herein) into an automated storage and retrieval system, so that the container bots 110 (one or more) transport the empty supply containers 265 or normalized containers 265S (as described herein) to a breakpack operation station 140 of a breakpack, or directly or indirectly to a downstream logistics process such as a goods-to-person process, along the transport loops 233, 233A of one or more container transport decks 130DC to a breakpack operation station 140 of a breakpack, or directly or indirectly to a downstream logistics process such as a goods-to-person process.

[0016] Referring also to Figure 1E, it is noted that, for example, when incoming bundles or pallets (e.g., from a manufacturer or supplier of case units) arrive at the storage and retrieval system 100 for replenishment, the contents of each pallet may be uniform (for example, each pallet may hold a predetermined number of the same items; i.e., one pallet holds soup and another pallet holds cereal). As can be understood, the cases of such pallet loads may be substantially similar, or in other words, homogeneous cases (e.g., similar dimensions) and may have the same SKU (otherwise, as previously stated, the pallet may be a “rainbow” pallet with layers formed of homogeneous cases). When the pallet PAL leaves the storage and retrieval system 100, with the cases filled with replenishment orders, the pallet PAL may contain any appropriate number and combination of various case units CU (for example, each pallet may hold different types of case units; i.e., the pallet may hold combinations of canned soup, cereal, beverage packs, cosmetics, and household detergents). The cases assembled on a single pallet may have a variety of dimensions and / or a variety of SKUs. In one aspect of the disclosed embodiment, the storage and retrieval system 100 may generally be configured to include an infeed section, a storage and sorting section (where, in one aspect, storage of goods is optional), and an unloading section, as will be described in more detail below. As can be understood, in one aspect of the disclosed embodiment, the system 100, operating, for example, as a retail distribution center, may be responsible for receiving a uniform pallet load of cases, unpacking the pallet goods, or separating the cases from the uniform pallet load into independent case units that are processed individually by the system, retrieving the various cases required by each order, sorting them into corresponding groups, and transporting the corresponding groups of cases to assemble into what is called a mixed case pallet load (MPL).As can also be understood, in one aspect of the disclosed embodiments, for example, a system 100 operating as a retail distribution center may play a role in receiving uniform pallet loads of cases, disassembling pallet goods, or separating cases from uniform pallet loads into independent case units to be processed individually by the system, taking out various cases required by each order and sorting them into corresponding groups, and transporting and ordering the corresponding groups of cases in the manner described in U.S. Patent No. 9,856,083, issued 2 January 2018, U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 997,920, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0017] The storage and sorting section includes a multilevel automated storage system having an automated transport system that sequentially receives individual cases and supplies them to a multilevel storage array for storage in a storage area (such as storage space 130S of storage structure 130), as described in more detail below. The storage and sorting section also defines the outbound transport of case units from the multilevel storage array so that desired case units are individually retrieved in response to commands generated in response to orders brought into a warehouse management system, such as a warehouse management system 2500, for transport to the outbound section. In other embodiments, the storage and sorting section receives individual cases, sorts the individual cases (for example, utilizing buffer stations and interface stations as described herein), sorts them by case-level classification, and transports the individual cases to the outbound section in response to orders brought into the warehouse management system. The sorting and grouping of cases in response to orders (e.g., order-out sequences) may be carried out entirely or partially by either the storage and retrieval section or the outbound section, or both, with the boundary between them being one of simplicity of type and the fact that sorting and grouping can be carried out in any number of ways. The intended result is that the unloading section assembles a suitable group of ordered cases, which may differ in SKU, dimensions, etc., into a mixed case pallet load, in a manner such as that described in U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 654,293 (currently U.S. Patent No. 8,965,559), filed on 17 October 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0018] In the embodiments disclosed, the unloading section generates a pallet load with what may be called a structured architecture of mixed case stacks. The structured architecture of the pallet load described herein is representative, and in other embodiments, the pallet load may have any other suitable configuration. For example, the structured architecture may be any suitable predetermined configuration such as a truck bay load or other suitable container or load container envelope that holds structural loads. The structured architecture of the pallet load may be characterized by having several flat case layers L121-L125, L12T, as described in U.S. Patent No. 9,856,083, which is incorporated herein by reference in whole previously.

[0019] According to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment, and again referring to Figure 1, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 includes a storage array (e.g., a storage structure 130 having storage space 130S) having at least one elevated storage level 130L. Although the storage array is described as a three-dimensional storage array, in other embodiments the storage array may be a two-dimensional storage array (e.g., a single-level floor), the rear of a truck, or any other suitable storage array, where it should be noted that case units may be transported by the storage and retrieval system 100 (e.g., by a container bot 110) directly or indirectly (e.g., by a forklift or other vehicle / operator arranging the case units on a conveyor in a predetermined order (grouped inventory holding units or other categorical sequencing)) to the breakpack module 266. If the storage array is a single level (i.e., a single-level floor), the breakpack module 266 is located at the floor level of the storage array. Mixed product units (e.g., pack PCK and individual unit UNT (see Figures 16A-16E)) are brought in and distributed into a storage array in the case CU of common type product units (each case brought into system 100 holds a common type of stock retention unit (SKU)). For example, automated storage and retrieval system 100 includes a receiving station 160IN (including a depalletizer 160PA and / or conveyor 160CA for transporting goods (e.g., receiving supply containers) to a lift module 150A to place them into storage level 130L of storage structure 130).

[0020] As described herein, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 includes an automated transport system (e.g., bots, breakpack modules, and other suitable level transports as described herein) with at least one asynchronous transport system for transporting cases / products at a given storage structure level 130L (e.g., level transport). Herein, as described, the storage and retrieval system 100 includes nondeterministic container bots 110 that move along one or more physical paths of the storage and retrieval system to provide at least one level of asynchronousness. For example, at least another level of asynchronousness is provided (as described herein) such that the number of positions holding cases / products is greater than the number of bots transporting cases / products. To transport cases / products between storage levels (e.g., between level transports), at least one lift 150 is provided, or the cases / products may be pre-sorted at a predetermined level before the container bots 110 retrieve the cases / products (e.g., so that the lifts do not transport the cases / products between levels for retrieval by the container bots 110). At least one lift 150B is communicably connected to the storage array as described herein to automatically retrieve and unload product units from the storage array to be distributed into cases in a common area of ​​at least one elevated storage level 130L of the storage array (e.g., storage position 130S of each storage level 130L). The unloaded product units are one or more product units in a group to be mixed and packed, and in a mixed case as described herein (see Figures 16A-16E). As an example, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 includes unloading stations 160UT, 160EC (including a palletizer 160PB, operator station 160EP and / or conveyor 160CB) for transporting goods (e.g., outbound supply containers and filled break-pack goods (order) containers) from the lift module 150B for removal from the storage area (e.g., to a palletizer (for palletizer loads) or to a truck (for truck loads)).Here, the unloading station 160EC is an individual fulfillment (or e-commerce) unloading station, where, for example, filled break-pack goods (order) containers containing single goods and / or small bundles of goods are transported to fulfill individual fulfillment orders (such as orders placed by consumers over the internet). The unloading station 160UT is generally a commercial unloading station where a large number of goods are delivered on pallets to fulfill orders from commercial entities (e.g., retail stores, warehouse clubs, restaurants, etc.). As can be understood, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 includes both the commercial unloading station 160UT and the individual fulfillment unloading station 160EC, while in other embodiments it includes one or more of the commercial unloading station 160UT and the individual fulfillment unloading station 160EC.

[0021] The automated storage and retrieval system 100 also includes an inbound vertical lift module 150A and an outbound vertical lift module 150B (generally referred to as the lift module 150; although an inbound lift module and an outbound lift module are shown, it should be noted that a single lift module may be used to bring case units in and out of the storage structure), a storage structure 130 (which may have at least one elevated storage level as described above and, in some embodiments, form a multi-level storage array), and at least one autonomous container transport vehicle 110 (referred to herein as a “container bot” and for at least part of an asynchronous transport system for level transport), which may be constrained to each storage level and separate from the transport deck 130DC on which they move. The lift module 150 includes any suitable transport means configured to raise and lower case units vertically, including reciprocating elevator-type lifts, forklift trucks, and the like. It should be noted that the depalletizer 160PA may be configured to remove case units from pallets so that the receiving station 160IN can transport the goods to the lift module 150 for transport into the storage structure 130. The palletizer 160PB may be configured to place the goods removed from the storage structure 130 onto a pallet PAL (Figure 1E) for transport. As used herein, the lift module 150, the storage structure 130, and the container bot 110 can be collectively referred herein as the above-described multilevel automated storage system (storage and sorting section) which serves a three-dimensional multilevel automated storage system having essential "on-the-fly" sorting (e.g., sorting of case units while they are being transported) on each throughput axis, so as to serve a three-dimensional multilevel automated storage system which has essential "on-the-fly" sorting (e.g., sorting of case units while they are being transported) without a dedicated sorting machine as described herein in whole earlier by reference, such as U.S. Patent No. 9,856,083.

[0022] See also Figure 1A, as an example of throughput for case units or breakpack containers related to classification, the storage and retrieval system 100 includes several areas or regions of throughput. For example, there is a multi-level case unit storage throughput of 130 LTP (e.g., placement of case units into storage), a horizontal case unit transport throughput of 110 TP (e.g., transport of (one or more) case units from storage, transport decks, and breakpack product interfaces along picking aisles), a breakpack station throughput of 266 TP (e.g., disassembly of supply cases at breakpack operation stations), a horizontal product transport throughput of 262 TP (e.g., transport of breakpack products from breakpack operation stations to breakpack product interfaces), a case buffer throughput of BTSTP (e.g., buffering of case units to facilitate transport of case units between storage / breakpack and vertical transport), a vertical transport throughput of 150 TP (e.g., transport of case units by vertical lifts), and a throughput at an outbound station 160 TP including transport by conveyor 160 CB and palletizing by palletizer 160 PB. In one embodiment, the classification of case units is provided (e.g., "on the fly") to substantially coincide with the throughputs of the case units 130LTP, 110TP, 266TP, 262TP, BTSTP, and 150TP along each throughput axis (e.g., the X, Y, and Z axes relative to the reference frames of the container bots 110 and / or lifts 150), as described herein, and the classification along each axis can be independently selected to be provided along one or more X, Y, and Z axes.

[0023] Referring also to Figures 1, 1F, 2A, and 2C, the storage structure 130 may include (one or more) container autonomous transport and moving loops 233, 233A (formed, for example, on and along the container transport deck 130DC) located at each level of the storage structure 130. It should be noted that lifts 150 are connected to the container transport deck 130DC via transport stations TS (also referred herein as container receiving stations when lift 150 is an inbound lift 150A or container unloading stations when lift 150 is an outbound lift 150B), and each lift is configured to lift one or both of supply containers 265 (empty or filled) (see Figure 2C) and break-pack goods containers 264 (empty or filled) (see Figure 2C) to and from at least one elevated storage level 130L of the storage structure 130. Container storage locations (or spaces) 130S are arranged circumferentially along the container transport deck 130DC. For example, multiple storage rack modules RM, which constitute a high-density three-dimensional rack array RMA, are accessible by the storage level or deck level 130L. As used herein, the term “high-density three-dimensional rack array” means a three-dimensional rack array RMA having non-deterministic open shelves distributed along a picking aisle 130A, where, in some embodiments, multiple stacked shelves, as described in U.S. Patent No. 9,856,083, which is incorporated herein by reference in whole previously, are accessible from the moving surface of a common picking aisle or the picking aisle level.

[0024] Each storage level 130L includes pick-face storage / hand-off spaces 130S (hereinafter referred to as storage spaces 130S or container storage locations 130S) arranged circumferentially along the container transfer deck 130DC. At least one of the storage locations 130S is a supply container storage location 130SS, and another of the container storage locations is a break-pack goods (or order) container storage location 130SB. In one embodiment, the storage spaces 130S are formed by rack modules RM, where the rack modules include shelves arranged along a storage area or picking passage 130A (connected to the container transfer deck 130DC) that extend linearly through, for example, a rack module array RMA and provide access for container bots 110 to the storage spaces 130S and the transfer deck 130B. In one embodiment, the shelves of the rack modules RM are arranged as multi-level shelves distributed along the picking passage 130A. To be understood, the container bot 110 moves along the picking passage 130A and the container transfer deck 130DC to transfer case units between any of the storage spaces 130S of the storage structure 130 and any of the lift modules 150 (for example, at the level in which the container bot 110 is positioned) at each storage level 130L (for example, each container bot 110 has access to each storage space 130S at each level and each lift module 150 at each storage level 130L). The transfer decks 130B are arranged at various levels (corresponding to each level 130L of the storage and retrieval system) that can be stacked on top of each other or staggered horizontally, for example, having one container transfer deck 130DC at one end or side RMAE1 of the storage rack array RMA, or at several ends or sides RMAE1, RMAE2 of the storage rack array RMA, as described in U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,674 filed December 15, 2011, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0025] The container transfer deck 130DC is substantially open and configured for non-deterministic traverses of container bots 110 along multiple travel lanes that cross and traverse the transfer deck 130B (for example, along the X throughput axis relative to the reference frame REF of the bot as illustrated in Figure 4A). As described in more detail below (and as described in U.S. Patent No. 10,556,743, issued February 11, 2020, in the name of U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 671,591, the entire disclosure is incorporated herein by reference), the multiple travel lanes may be configured to provide multiple access routes or paths to each storage location 130S (for example, a pick face, case unit, container, or other article stored on a storage shelf of a rack module RM) so that the container bots 110 can reach each storage location using a secondary route, for example, if the primary route to the storage location is blocked. To make it clear, one or more transfer decks 130B at each storage level 130L communicate with each of the picking passages 130A at each storage level 130L. The container bot 110 moves along the picking aisle (for example, along the X throughput axis relative to the reference frame REF of the bot as illustrated in Figure 4), traversing bidirectionally between the (one or more) container transfer decks 130DC and the picking aisles 130A at each storage level 130L, and accessing the storage spaces 130S arranged on rack shelves along each of the picking aisles 130A (for example, the container bot 110 may have different faces when traversing each picking aisle 130A, for example, with drive wheels 202 leading in the direction of movement or drive wheels following in the direction of movement, along the Y throughput axis, and accessing the storage spaces 130S distributed on both sides of each aisle). As can be understood, the throughput of retrieval from a storage array in the horizontal plane corresponding to a given storage or deck level 130L is brought about by combined or integrated throughput along both the X and Y throughput axes, as is evident therein.As described above, the (one or more) container transfer decks 130DC also provide container bots 110 to each of the lifts 150 at each storage level 130L, where the lifts 150 feed and remove case units to and from each storage level 130L (for example, along the Z throughput axis), and the container bots 110 bring about the transfer of case units between the lifts 150 and the storage space 130S.

[0026] As described above, and also with reference to Figure 2A, in one embodiment, the storage structure 130 includes a plurality of storage rack modules RM, which consist of a three-dimensional array RMA in which racks are arranged in a passage 130A, and the passage 130A is configured for the movement of container bots 110 within the passage 130A. The container transport deck 130DC has a non-deterministic transport surface on which the container bots 110 move, where the non-deterministic transport surface (also referred to herein as the deck surface) 130BS has a plurality of movement lanes (e.g., two or more juxtaposed movement lanes (e.g., high-speed bot movement path HSTP)) for the movement of container bots 110 along (one or more) container autonomous transport movement loops 233, 233A formed by the container transport deck 130DC, where the plurality of movement lanes connect the passage 130A. The container autonomous transport movement loop 233A provides the container bot 110 with random access to any and each picking passage 130A at each level 130L of the storage structure 130, and random access to any and each lift 150A, 150B. At least one of the multiple movement lanes has a direction of movement opposite to the direction of another movement lane of the multiple movement lanes (to form the container autonomous transport movement loop 233).

[0027] As can be understood, any suitable controller of the storage and retrieval system 100, such as a control server 120, may be configured to create any number of suitable alternative routes for retrieving one or more case units (and / or break pack containers) from their respective storage locations 130S if the passages providing access to these case units are restricted or otherwise blocked. For example, the control server 120 may include suitable programming, memory, and other structures for analyzing information sent by the container 110, lifts 150A, 150B, and inbound / outbound stations 160IN, 160UT, 160EC to plan the primary or preferred route of the container bot 110 to a given article in the storage structure. The preferred route may be the fastest and / or most direct route that the container bot 110 can take to retrieve the case unit / pick face. In other embodiments, the preferred route may be any suitable route. The control server 120 may also be configured to analyze information transmitted by the container bots 110, lifts 150A, 150B, and loading / unloading stations 160IN, 160UT, 160EC to determine whether there are obstacles along the preferred route. If there are obstacles along the preferred route, the control server 120 may determine one or more secondary or alternative routes for retrieving the case unit so that the obstacles are avoided and the case unit can be retrieved without significant delay, for example, when fulfilling an order. It should be understood that the planning of the container bot route may also be performed by the container bot 110 itself by any appropriate control system, such as a controller (system) 110C mounted on the container bot 110. As an example, the bot control system may be configured to communicate with the control server 120 to access information from other container bots 110, lifts 150A, 150B, and loading / unloading stations 160IN, 160UT, 160EC to determine preferred and / or alternative routes for accessing the goods in a manner substantially similar to that described above.It should be noted that the controller 110C of the container bot 110 may include any appropriate programming, memory, and / or other structures to determine the preferred and / or alternative route.

[0028] Referring to Figure 2A, in a non-limiting example, in the order fulfillment process, a container bot 110A traversing container transport deck 130DC may be instructed to pick up item 499 from picking passage 131. However, there may be a blocked passage 131 for bot 110B that would be disabled, preventing bot 110A from taking a preferred (e.g., the most direct and / or fastest) route to case unit 499. In this example, the control server 120 may instruct container bot 110A to traverse an alternative route, such as through an unrestricted picking passage (e.g., a passage without container bots or a passage that is not otherwise blocked), so that container bot 110A can move along another container transport deck 130DC2 that is substantially similar to container transport deck 130DC. Container bot 110A can then enter the end of picking 131 from the other container transport deck 130DC2, on the other side of the obstruction, to access item 499, thus avoiding the disablement of container bot 110B. In another embodiment, the storage and retrieval system 100 may include one or more bypass passages 132 that run substantially across the picking passages 130 to allow container bots 110 to move between the picking passages 130 instead of traversing the container transport decks 130DC, 130DC2. The bypass passages 132 may be substantially similar to the movement lanes of the container transport decks 130DC, 130DC2 as described herein, and may allow bidirectional or unidirectional movement of container bots through the bypass passages 132. The bypass passages 132 may provide one or more lanes for container bot movement, where each lane has a floor and appropriate guides for guiding the bots along the bypass passages 132 in a manner similar to that described herein with respect to the transport decks 130DC, 130DC2. In another embodiment, the bypass passages 132 may have any suitable configuration to allow container bots 110 to traverse between the picking passages 130.While the bypass passage 132 is shown in relation to a storage and retrieval system having transfer decks 130DC, 130DC2 located at opposite ends of a storage structure, it should be noted that in other embodiments, a storage and retrieval system 100 having only one transfer deck may also include one or more bypass passages 132.

[0029] In another embodiment, the breakpack module 266AL may be positioned on the side of the container transport deck 130DC where the picking passages 130 are located, and one or more picking passages 130 extend into the breakpack module 266AL to form one or more mounting surfaces 266RS of a container bot. Here, the container bot 110A is for delivering the supply container 265 to the breakpack module 266AL, and the picking passages 133 extending into the breakpack module are blocked by the container bot 110D. In this embodiment, the control server 120 and / or the container bot's controller 110C determine the secondary or bypass route for the container bot 110A to access the breakpack station (moving along the other container transport deck 130DC2 and / or bypass passage 132) in a manner substantially similar to the method described above with respect to the article 499.

[0030] It should be noted that the storage and retrieval systems shown and described herein have only exemplary configurations, and in other embodiments, any suitable configurations and components may be used for storing and retrieving the articles described herein. For example, in other embodiments, the storage and retrieval system may have any suitable number of storage sections, any suitable number of transport decks, any suitable number of breakpack modules, and corresponding loading / unloading stations.

[0031] As can be understood, the juxtaposed moving lanes are juxtaposed along a common non-deterministic transport surface 130BS between opposing sides 130BD1, 130BD2 of the container transport deck 130DC. As illustrated in Figure 2A, in one embodiment, the passage 130A is joined to the container transport deck 130DC at one side 130BD2 of the container transport deck 130DC, but in other embodiments, the passage is joined to two or more sides 130BD1, 130BD2 of the container transport deck 130DC in a manner substantially similar to the method described in U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,674 filed December 15, 2011, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. As will be described in more detail below, the other side 130BD1 of the container transfer deck 130DC may include deck storage racks (e.g., interface station (also called transfer station) TS and buffer station BS) distributed along the other side 130BD1 of the container transfer deck 130DC so that at least one portion of the transfer deck is interposed between the deck storage racks (e.g., buffer station BS or transfer station TS) and the passage 130A. The deck storage racks are arranged along the other side 130BD1 of the container transfer deck 130DC so as to communicate with the container bots 110 from the container transfer deck 130DC and the lift module 150 (for example, the deck storage racks are accessed by the container bots 110 from the container transfer deck 130DC and are accessed by the lift 150 for picking and positioning pick faces so that pick faces are transferred between the container bots 110 and the deck storage racks and between the deck storage racks and the lift 150, and thus between the container bots 110 and the lift 150).

[0032] Referring again to Figure 1, each storage level 130L may also include a charging station 130C for charging the onboard power supply of the container bot 110 in that storage level 130L, as described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 209,086 filed March 13, 2014 and No. 13 / 326,823 filed December 15, 2011 (currently U.S. Patent No. 9,082,112), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0033] Referring to Figures 1, 2A, and 2C, as described above, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 includes one or more breakpack modules 266. In one embodiment, each breakpack module 266 has a container bot mounting surface 266RS that forms a portion 130DCP of the container transfer deck 130DC, where the mounting surface 2666RS is substantially similar to a portion of the container transfer deck 130DC; in other embodiments, the container bot mounting surface 266RS may be substantially similar to a portion of the picking aisle 130A. For simplicity of explanation, embodiments of the disclosed embodiments refer to the container bot mounting surface 266RS within the breakpack module 266 as part of the container transfer deck 130DC. In embodiments where the bot loading surface 266RS is formed by (or an extension thereof) a portion of the container transport deck 130DC, the container transport deck 130D is exemplified in Figure 2C as a single-path transport loop; however, it should be noted that in other embodiments, the transport loop of the breakpack module 266 may be a multi-lane transport loop substantially similar to the container transport deck exemplified in Figure 2A. For example, referring to Figure 2E, the container bot moving surface 266RS is an open, non-deterministic moving surface having multiple moving in and out lanes. For example, there may be multiple inbound moving lanes TL1, TL2, where moving lane TL2 is a bypass lane for moving around obstacles on moving lane TL1 (or vice versa). Multiple outbound moving lanes TL3, TL4, TL5 may also be present. Here, the moving lane TL5 defines a column lane 130QL (Figure 2C) for the container bot 110 at the Breakpack product interface 263, although moving lanes TL4 and TL5 may also be used as exits from the Breakpack module 266, with moving lane TL5 being a bypass for moving around obstacles on moving lane TL4 (or vice versa). In other embodiments, case units may be transported indirectly between the storage array and the Breakpack module 266 by conveyors and / or fork trucks, etc.In one or more embodiments, a container bot 110 or fork truck may transport case units to a breakpack station and deliver the case units from the breakpack station to a conveyor that transports them to a storage array or a downstream logistics process.

[0034] Each Breakpack module 266 includes a Breakpack autonomous transport loop 234 (see exemplary Breakpack autonomous transport loops 234A-234E formed on and along the product deck or product transfer deck 130DG), at least one Breakpack operating station 140, and a Breakpack product interface 263 located between the product transfer deck 130DG and the container transfer deck 130DC, interface them together. Referring to Figures 1 and 2A, a Breakpack product module 266 may include one or more belt sorters BSTs (such as cross-belt sorters) configured as interfaces between a product bot 262 (operating on the product deck 130DG) and a container bot 110 (operating on the container transfer deck 130DC), between the container bot 110 and the Breakpack operating station 140, and / or between the Breakpack operating station 140 and the product bot 262. For illustrative purposes only, the product deck 130DG is illustrated as having three moving lanes that form (variable-length) moving loops 234A-234E, but in other embodiments, the product deck may have any number of moving lanes that form any number of suitable breakpack product autonomous transport moving loops 234. Each breakpack module 266 may be nondeterministically connected to the automated storage and retrieval system 100 in any suitable way (for example, to form part thereof) (for example, a breakpack module 266 may be connected to the automated storage and retrieval system 100 at any suitable location on one or more ends 130BE1, 130BE2, etc., or may be positioned in the middle between two ends 130BE1, 130BE2 in place of a picking passage 130 (and storage location), etc., or at any other suitable location).The Break Pack Module 266 is nondeterministically linked to the structure of the automated storage and retrieval system 100, but each component of the Break Pack Module 166 is independent of the components of the automated storage and retrieval system (e.g., self-contained as a unit) and / or is independently automated in the guidance and movement of bots (e.g., product bot 262), thereby the interface between the components of the Break Pack Module 266 and the components of the automated storage and retrieval system 100 is nondeterministic.

[0035] One or more breakpack modules 266 can be coupled to the structure of the automated storage and retrieval system 100 at any suitable position and at any suitable level 130L. For example, as described above, the breakpack modules 266 can be positioned at one or more ends 130BE1, 130BE2 of the container transfer deck 130DC (for example, in place of the storage rack module RM / picking aisle 130A or lifts 150A, 150B, or as extensions of one or more picking aisles 130A), or at one or more sides 130BD1, 130BD2 of the container transfer deck 130DC. Each of the breakpack modules 266 is a plug-and-play module that integrates with (or is otherwise connected to) the container transfer deck 130DC so that the container transfer deck 130DC is communicably coupled to the container bot loading surface 266RS. In one embodiment, the container transfer deck 130DC extends into the breakpack module to form a container bot mounting surface 266RS (for example, the breakpack module forms a modular portion of the container transfer deck 130DC) so that the container bot 110 moves across the breakpack module 266 along the non-deterministic container transfer deck 130DC or in and out of it, and at least one of the multiple travel lanes of the container transfer deck 130DC defines a column lane 130QL (Figure 2C) for the container bot 110 at the breakpack product interface 263. In another embodiment, the container bot mounting surface 266RS includes a rail 1200S (see Figure 1D) extending from the container transport deck 130DC in a manner similar to that of the picking aisle 130A, thereby allowing the container bot 110 to move across or in and out of the breakpack module 266 along the rail 1200S, and the rail 1200S defines a column lane 130QL (Figure 2C) for the container bot 110 at the breakpack goods interface 263.It should be noted that if the container bot mounting surface 266RS is formed by rails 1200S, the mounting surface may include a non-deterministic turning area 1200UTA (similar to an open, non-deterministic container transfer deck 130DC) where the container bot 110 changes direction and moves between different moving sections (e.g., inbound and outbound) of the breakpack goods autonomous transport movement loop 234. As shown in Figure 2C, the container bot moving surface 266RS of the breakpack module 266 forms a moving loop 233, around which the container bot 110 moves along the moving loop 233 of the container bot moving surface 266RS, transporting supply containers (e.g., case units, pick faces, remaining containers, etc.) between the storage position 130S and the breakpack operation station 140 (and / or vice versa), and breakpack product containers (also called breakpack containers) 264 between the breakpack product interface 263 and the breakpack product container storage position 130SB or lift 150A (and / or vice versa). The moving loop 233 provides the container bot 110 with random access to any and each breakpack product interface position 263L along the bot moving surface 266RS, where the breakpack product interface positions 263L form an asynchronous product distribution system.

[0036] The product transfer deck 130DG forms a product autonomous transport movement loop 234 located at storage level 130L. The product transfer deck 130DG is separate from the movement loop 233 formed by the container bot movement surface 266RS and has a breakpack product interface 263 that connects the respective edges of the container autonomous transport movement loop 233 of the container transfer deck 130DC and the breakpack product autonomous transport movement loop 234 of the product transfer deck 130DG. The autonomous merchandise transport movement loops 234 formed by the merchandise transport deck 130DG are located on the deck surface 130DGS of the deck (e.g., merchandise transport deck 130DG) at each storage level 130L, and the (one or more) breakpack merchandise autonomous transport movement loops 234 of the merchandise transport deck 130DG are located on different deck surfaces 130DGS of the deck (e.g., merchandise transport deck 130DG), separate from the deck surface 130BS of the container bot movement surface 266RS (formed by the container transport deck 130DC and / or rail 1200S) where the container autonomous transport movement loops 233 are located. The breakpack merchandise autonomous transport movement loops 234 formed by the merchandise transport deck 130DG (and therefore merchandise transport deck 130DG) are located to constrain at least one autonomous breakpack merchandise transport vehicle (also called merchandise bot or merchandise transport vehicle) 262 at each storage level 130L. At least one product bot 262 is positioned or otherwise configured to transport one or more breakpack product BPGs (e.g., packs or units unpacked from supply containers in pack level classification / units unpacked from packs in individual level classification) between the breakpack operation station 140 and the breakpack product interface 263 along a breakpack product autonomous transport movement loop 234 formed by the product transport deck 130DG. One or more container bots 110 are also configured to autonomously pick and place breakpack product containers 264 at the breakpack product interface 263, as described herein.The breakpack product interface 263 may be substantially similar to one or more of the transfer stations TS and buffer stations BS described herein, and may include a non-deterministic surface (similar to the non-deterministic surface of the rack storage space 130S described herein), on which a breakpack product container 264 is placed to form a non-deterministic interface between the product transfer deck 130DG and the container transfer deck 130DC.

[0037] In one embodiment, the goods transfer deck 130DG facilitates a decanting process where goods are picked from one container (such as a supply container 265 or any other suitable normalized container 265S) at the breakpack operation station 140 and integrated with goods (generally of the same type) in another supply container 265 or normalized container 265S (e.g., outgoing as described below) at the breakpack goods interface 263, where the other supply container 265 or normalized container 265S is returned to storage. Generally, the incoming supply container 265 of the breakpack module 266 is picked until empty, but only some (but not all) of the goods from the incoming supply container may be decanted. Here, what is called an outbound container 265 or normalized container 265S (tote, tray, etc.) (i.e., outbound from breakpack module 266) may also be positioned on the breakpack product interface 263 by (one or more) container bots 110 in a manner similar to the method described herein with respect to the breakpack product container 264, in order to facilitate the decanting process. In the decanting process, the goods are removed from the supply container 265 (which may be the original product / (one or more) product case packaging) at the breakpack operation station 140 and integrated into an outbound supply container 265 or normalized container 265S (for example, having the same type of goods as those removed at the breakpack operation station 140) located on the breakpack product interface 263. The storage density of the automated storage and retrieval system 100 can be increased if the supply containers 265 stored in the storage racks can be kept substantially "full" (rather than having multiple containers that are not full with the same type of goods) by consolidating the same type of goods from multiple supply containers 265 into fewer supply containers 265 (which are then returned to the storage by one or more container bots 110).In some embodiments, goods to be decanted (in a normalized container or outbound supply container) are unloaded from a storage and retrieval system 100 via a lift 150 and palletized as part of a pallet load (at an outbound station 160UT, etc.) or individually outbound (at an outbound station 160EC, etc.).

[0038] The product bot 262 may be any suitable type of autonomously guided bot having a payload configured to hold breakpack goods rather than product containers (e.g., case units, pick faces, etc.). Each product bot 262 has a payload holder configured dissimilar to the payload holder of the container bot 110. The product bots 262 are configured to move autonomously and unconstrained along and across the breakpack goods autonomous transport movement loop 234 formed by the product deck 130DG. The product bots 262 are configured to automatically retrieve one or more breakpack goods BPGs (retrieved from the breakpack operation station 140) from the product bot 262 to the breakpack goods container 264 at the breakpack goods interface 263. A suitable example of a product bot 262 is manufactured by Tompkins International of Raleigh, North Carolina (USA) (see, for example, U.S. Patent No. 10,248,112 issued 2 April 2019). The (one or more) Breakpack Merchandise Autonomous Transport Movement Loops 234 formed by the Merchandise Deck 130DG have a plurality of movement lanes (see Figure 2C) for the movement of Merchandise Bots 262 along the (one or more) Breakpack Merchandise Autonomous Transport Movement Loops 234 formed by the Merchandise Deck 130DG (see, for example, movement loops 234A to 234E). As stated herein, the three movement lanes are illustrated for illustrative purposes only, and in other embodiments, there may be more or fewer than three movement lanes. At least one of the plurality of movement lanes is an overtaking lane for the movement of Merchandise Bots 262 to pass an obstacle on another movement lane of the plurality of movement lanes, in a manner similar to the method described herein with respect to the plurality of movement lanes of the Container Transport Deck 130DC. The (one or more) Breakpack Merchandise Autonomous Transport Movement Loops 234 provide Merchandise Bots 262 with arbitrary and random access to each of the Breakpack Merchandise Interface Positions 263L of the Breakpack Merchandise Interface 263.In other embodiments, one or more breakpack product autonomous transport movement loops 234 provide access for product bots 262 to a belt sorter BST, where the belt sorter BST sorts breakpack products into a breakpack product interface 263 (and in some embodiments, configured as a sorting buffer). Here, the belt sorter BST acts as an interface between product bots 262 and container bots 110.

[0039] One or more portions of the goods transfer deck 130DG (such as adjacent to the breakpack goods interface position 263L) can be ensured in one or more embodiments to provide an exit (or off) ramp or an inlet (or on) ramp between the transfer loops 234A-234E to facilitate the transfer of breakpack goods BPG to and from (one or more) breakpack goods containers 264 (or supply containers 265, 265S) at the breakpack goods interface position 263L. The exit ramps (referred to herein as ramps 222, 222C, 222R) are described herein, but it should be understood that the inlet ramps are substantially opposite in direction to the exit ramps 222, 222C, 222R (for example, providing access to the transfer loops rather than access from them). For example, depending on the kinematics (velocity, direction, etc.) and location (e.g., near a corner of the product transfer deck 130DG, away from a corner of the product transfer deck 130DG, etc.) of the bot 110 at the (specified) breakpack product interface location 263L accessed by the product bot 262, one or more ramps 222, 222C, 333R are provided. For illustrative purposes only, ramp 222 is a general description of an on / off ramp that may be located anywhere on the product transfer deck 130DG and may have any suitable length. Ramp 222C is located at a corner of the product transfer deck 130DG. Ramp 222R is a “rolling” ramp that moves according to the path of the product bot 262 moving along ramp 222R.

[0040] Ramps 222, 222C, and 222R (both on-ramps and off-ramps) can be temporarily “closed” from general access by product bots 262 (for example, only certain product bots delivering breakpack goods to and from breakpack goods interface locations 263L within the areas designated by ramps 222, 222C, and 222R may have access to their respective on-ramps and off-ramps). Generally, ramps 222, 222C, and 222R provide passages between overtaking lanes to designated breakpack goods interface locations 263L. Each ramp 222, 222C, and 222R can be bidirectional (for example, if an item bot 2662 enters the ramp, moves in one direction along the ramp to pick or place breakpack goods BPGs, and then moves in the opposite direction along the ramp to exit the ramp). In another embodiment, a ramp may be a “counter-flow ramp” where movement along ramps 222, 222C, and 222R is generally in the opposite direction to the direction of movement around one or more movement loops 234 (for example, a product bot 262 exits a movement loop and moves substantially in the opposite direction along ramps 222, 222C, and 222R). If ramps 222, 222C, and 222R are off ramps, they may terminate at a designated breakpack product interface position 263L. Similarly, if ramps 222, 222C, and 222R are on ramps, they may begin at a designated breakpack product interface position 263L. As described above, ramps 222, 222C, and 222R can be positioned anywhere on the merchandise transport deck 130DG, such that the ramp entry position varies in what is called a parking lane (for example, a lane or part of a transport loop where a merchandise bot stops to pick or place breakpack merchandise BPGs), based on one or more of the bot's kinematics and positions at the available breakpack merchandise interface positions 263L.While the reversals of the product bots 262 to and from ramps 222, 222C, and 222R are exemplified as substantially 90° reversals, it should be noted that in other embodiments, the reversals may have an S-shape similar to that described in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 144,668, filed September 27, 2018, entitled “Storage and Retrieval System,” the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0041] Ramps 222, 222C, and 222R may be dynamically created and brought to a dynamic state such that the ramp "rolls" as it progresses with an initial ramp length generated from the entry of a product bot with an appropriate clearance to avoid collisions with the product bot (e.g., a "rolling" ramp such as ramp 222R). In one or more embodiments, ramps 222, 222C, and 222R are initiated (at bot entry) considering that the ramp to a designated breakpack product interface position 263L is "blocked" (or otherwise obstructed) by an active product bot 262 / active breakpack product interface position 263L, but the blockage is expected to be cleared before the product bot 262 moving along the ramp reaches the obstruction. In one or more embodiments, if the blockage to ramps 222, 222C, and 222R is cleared, ramps 222, 222C, and 222R are extended to the designated breakpack product interface position 263L; however, if the blockage is not cleared, product bots 262 moving along ramps 222, 222C, and 222R are reoriented, for example, to the overtaking lane, and a new ramp is calculated / determined so that product bots 262 can position breakpack product BPGs at the designated breakpack product interface position 263L or another designated breakpack product interface position 263L.

[0042] See also Figure 13, the breakpack operation station 140 is configured so that one or more breakpack goods BPGs are unpacked from the supply container 265 at the breakpack operation station 140, and at least one goods bot 262 is configured so that one or more breakpack goods BPGs are loaded at the breakpack operation station 140. In one or more embodiments, an operator at the breakpack operation station 140 places the breakpack goods BPGs into at least one goods bot 262 for transfer to the breakpack goods interface 263. In other embodiments, seeing Figures 1 and 2A, a belt sorter BST is positioned between the breakpack operation station 140 and the goods bot 262, forming an interface between them. Here, an operator at the breakpack operation station places the breakpack goods BPGs into the belt sorter BST, where the belt sorter BST sorts the breakpack goods BPGs into goods bot 262 (and in some embodiments, acts as a sorting buffer). The breakpack operating station 140 includes a support surface 140S for any suitable supply container 265. In one embodiment, the support surface 140S is a non-deterministic surface substantially similar to that of a storage rack described herein and includes slats 1210S forming the support surface 140S. In other embodiments, the support surface 140S may be a non-deterministic roller conveyor (powered or unpowered) having rollers 140RL having a configuration similar to the rollers 110RL of the container bot 110 described herein (see Figures 4A and 4B), so that the tines 273A-273E of the pick head 270 of the container bot 110 (Figures 4A and 4B) engage with the rollers of the roller conveyor to place (or pick) the supply container 265 on (or off) the support surface 140S. Here, the container bot 110 is configured to autonomously transfer (one or more) supply containers 265 from the container bot 110 to the break pack operation station 140 (to a support surface 140S, etc.) in the manner described herein.In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1 and 2A, the container bot 110 delivers the supply container 265 to a belt sorter BST, which is configured as an interface between the container bot 110 and the breakpack operation station 140. Here, the container bot 110 places the supply container 265 into the belt sorter BST, which sorts the supply container 265 into the support surface 140S of the breakpack operation station 140 (and in some embodiments, acts as a sorting buffer). The support surface 140S may be configured such that, once the supply container 265 is positioned by the container bot 110 or belt sorting machine BST, the supply container 265 moves along the support surface 140S toward the operator 141 (e.g., a human operator or any suitable robotic operator (e.g., articulated arm, gantry, etc.)) for picking breakpack goods BPG from the supply container 265 in any suitable way that results in one or more pack-level classification of goods or unit / individual-level classification of goods, and for positioning the picked breakpack goods into one or more normalized containers 265S (tote, tray, etc.) and breakpack goods containers 264 positioned in the goods bot 262 or in the operator staging area 140A. The supply container 265 may also move along the support surface 140S toward the respective operator staging area 140A, where the operator 141 picks breakpack goods BPG from the supply container 265 for positioning in the goods bot 262 or one or more of another containers 265S, 264. In one embodiment, the operator staging area 140A may be adjacent to and / or formed by the support surface 140S. As described herein, the supply case 265 with goods remaining after break packing is performed may be picked from the support surface 140S or the staging area 140A by the container bot 110 and returned to the storage area or lift 150.Empty supply containers 265 may be removed by the operator 141 from the support surface 140S or staging area 140A, or stored in the breakpack operation station 140, and later removed by any suitable method. In one or more embodiments, a container bot 110 may transport empty containers from the storage and retrieval system via a lift 150. In one or more embodiments, the breakpack operation station 140 includes any suitable waste removal system 223 for removing waste (or rubbish, e.g., shrink wrap, packaging, boxes, etc.) from the storage and retrieval system. In one or more embodiments, the waste removal system 223 includes one or more chutes, conveyors, lifts, or any other suitable conveying devices configured to move waste to a designated location, but in other embodiments, waste may be placed in containers and removed from the storage and retrieval system by the container bot 110 via the lift 150. As seen in Figures 2C and 13, the Break Pack Merchandise Transfer Deck 130DG merges with the Break Pack Operation Station 140 and the Container Transfer Deck 130DC at separate locations (e.g., Break Pack Merchandise Interface location 263L) from each access point of the Container Transfer Deck 130DC to the Break Pack Operation Station 140 for the Container Bots 110 (e.g., on a common support surface 140S).

[0043] In one embodiment, also with reference to Figure 2D, one or more breakpack modules 266 include two or more (i.e., multiple levels) of goods transfer decks 130DG1 to 130DG3 stacked vertically, while in other embodiments, one or more breakpack modules may have a single level where the raised level of at least one breakpack module is connected to a container transfer deck level. Here, the breakpack goods interface 263 may be substantially similar to a rack as shown in Figure 1B and may include multi-level levels 130DGL1 to 130DGL3, each accessible from a common (level) container transfer deck 130DC. See also Figure 14, according to an aspect of the disclosed embodiment, a breakpack product interface position 263L is provided and is arranged on at least one level of the breakpack product interface 263 along one or more edges of the product transfer deck 130DG in a manner substantially similar to the method described herein (Figure 14, block 1600) (where the breakpack station is again illustrated with three levels, but in other embodiments, at least one elevated level is provided). At least one elevated level of the product transfer decks 130DG1 to 130DG3 is also provided (Figure 14, block 1610), and the (one or more) elevated level decks define rolling surfaces for product bots 262 on each level of the multi-level product transfer decks 130DG1 to 130DG3. As described above, the breakpack product interface position 263L of at least one of the elevated levels 130DGL1 to 130DGL3 of the breakpack product interface 263 is accessed from the respective rolling surfaces of the container transfer deck 130DC (or the container transfer deck corresponding to at least one elevated level) common to the multiple levels 130DGL1 to 130DGL3 (Figure 14, block 1620), where the breakpack product interface position 263L is located along at least the edge of the product transfer deck 130DG at each level 130DGL1 to 130DGL3 of the multiple levels of product transfer decks 130DG1 to 130DG3.

[0044] The container bot 110 can be any suitable independently operated autonomous transport vehicle that transports and transfers case units along the X and Y throughput axes throughout the storage and retrieval system 100. In one embodiment, the container bot 110 is an automated, independent (e.g., free-riding) autonomous transport vehicle. Appropriate examples of bots are, for illustrative purposes only, U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,674 filed December 15, 2011, U.S. Patent Application No. 12 / 757,312 filed April 9, 2010 (now U.S. Patent No. 8,425,173), U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,423 filed December 15, 2011, U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,447 filed December 15, 2011 (now U.S. Patent No. 8,965,619), and U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,447 filed December 15, 2011, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. This can be seen in U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,505 (now U.S. Patent No. 8,696,010), U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 327,040 (now U.S. Patent No. 9,187,244) filed on 15 December 2011, U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,952 filed on 15 December 2011, U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,993 filed on 15 December 2011, U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 486,008 filed on 15 September 2014, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 107,135 filed on 23 January 2015. The container bot 110 (described in more detail below) may be configured to place case units such as the above-mentioned retail goods into a pick stock at one or more levels of the storage structure 130, and then selectively retrieve the ordered case units. As can be understood, in one embodiment, the throughput axes X and Y of the storage array (e.g., the pick-face transport axis) are defined by the picking passage 130A (as described herein) of the container bot 110, at least one container transport deck 130DC, the container bot 110, and the extendable end effector (and in other embodiments, the extendable end effector of the lift 150 also defines, at least partially, the Y throughput axis).

[0045] In one embodiment, a pick face (which may include a supply container 265) is transported between the receiving section of the storage and retrieval system 100 (e.g., receiving station 160IN) where pick faces entering the array are created, and the loading filling section of the storage and retrieval system 100 (e.g., unloading station 160UT or unloading station 160EC), where the pick faces exiting the array are arranged to fill loads according to a predetermined loading filling order sequence, or to fill (one or more) individual fulfillment orders according to a predetermined individual fulfillment order sequence. In another embodiment, a pick face (e.g., of a supply container 265) is transported between the storage space 130S and the loading filling section of the storage and retrieval system 100 (e.g., unloading station 160UT or unloading station 160EC) to fill loads according to a predetermined loading filling order sequence, or to fill (one or more) individual fulfillment orders according to a predetermined individual fulfillment order sequence. In yet another embodiment, (in one embodiment, multiple breakpack goods containers may be arranged as pick faces and transported) the breakpack goods containers 264 are transported between the storage space 130S and the load filling section, and / or between the breakpack goods interface 263 of (one or more) breakpack modules 266 and the load filling section of the storage and retrieval system 100 (e.g., unloading station 160UT or unloading station 160EC) to fill loads according to a predetermined load filling order sequence, or to fill (one or more) individual fulfillment orders according to a predetermined individual fulfillment order sequence.The control server 120 may operate the automated storage and retrieval system 100 in various operating modes so that the pick faces and break pack goods containers 264 (for example, of the supply container 265) are transported to a load filling section, according to the embodiments disclosed herein, to load filling with goods in one or more of the pick faces and break pack goods containers 264 (for example, of the supply container 265) that have goods classified via one or more orthogonal classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200.

[0046] In one embodiment, the storage rack module RM and container bot 110 are combined to result in on-the-fly sorting of pick faces of mixed cases simultaneously with transport on at least one of the throughput axes (or, in other embodiments, at least one of each of two or more) so that two or more pick faces are picked from one or more storage spaces and placed in one or more pick face holding positions (e.g., buffer and transfer stations BS, TS, etc.) different from the storage space 130S, according to a predetermined load filling order sequence.

[0047] The container bot 110, the lift module 150, and other suitable features of the storage and retrieval system 100 are controlled in any suitable manner, for example, via any suitable network 180, by, for example, one or more central system control computers (e.g., control servers) 120. In one embodiment, the network 180 is a wired network, a wireless network, or a combination of wireless and wired networks, using any suitable type and / or number of communication protocols. In one embodiment, the control server 120 includes a set of programs (e.g., system management software) that run substantially simultaneously for substantially automated control of the automated storage and retrieval system 100. A set of programs running substantially simultaneously is configured to manage the storage and retrieval system 100, including, for illustrative purposes only, controlling, scheduling, and monitoring the activities of all active system components; managing inventory (e.g., which case units are brought in and removed, the order in which cases are removed, and where the case units are stored) and pick faces (e.g., one or more case units that are movable as units and are handled as units by the components of the storage and retrieval system); and interface with the warehouse management system 2500. In one embodiment, the control server 120 may be configured to control the features of the storage and retrieval system in the manner described herein. For simplicity and ease of explanation, the term “(one or more) case units” is used herein to generally refer to both individual case units and pick faces (a pick face is formed by multiple case units that are moved as units).See also Figure 17A, with respect to the recursive classification of goods via the orthogonal classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200, the configuration of the controller 120 (for example, the non-temporary computer program code within it) mimics the physical structure of the orthogonal classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200 so that the controller 120 approaches the solution for recursive classification in the same way that the solution is brought about by the physical components of the orthogonal classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200. For example, the controller 120 includes a case-level classification echelon control module 120M1, a pack-level classification echelon control module 120M2, and a unit / individual-level classification echelon control module 120M3, which, as described herein, bring about the decomposition of one or more larger product units into smaller product units, and the subsequent recursive classification assembly of the smaller product units to be classified into larger product units to be classified, either alone or in combination (for example, depending on the level of classification that needs to result in order fulfillment).

[0048] See also Figures 1B and 1C, the rack module array RMA of the storage structure 130 includes vertical support members 1212 and horizontal support members 1200 that define a high-density automated storage array, as will be described in more detail below. Rails 1200S may be attached, for example, to one or more of the vertical support members 1212 and horizontal support members 1200 in the picking aisle 130A, and container bots 110 may be configured to ride along the rails 1200S through the picking aisle 130A. At least one side of at least one of the picking aisles 130A of at least one storage level 130L may have one or more storage shelves (formed, for example, by rails 1210, 1200 and slats 1210S). In one embodiment, one or more shelves may be provided at various heights to form a plurality of shelf levels 130LS1 to 130LS3 between storage or deck levels 130L defined by the transport deck 130B (and rails 1200S forming the aisle deck). Therefore, there are multiple rack shelf levels 130LS1 to 130LS3 corresponding to each storage level 130L, extending along one or more picking passages 130A that communicate with the container transfer deck 130DC of each storage level 130L. As can be understood, the multiple rack shelf levels 130LS1 to 130LS3 bring about each storage level 130L having stacks of stored case units / supply containers 265 (or case layers) and / or stacks of stored breakpack merchandise containers 264 (or breakpack layers) accessible from a common deck 1200S of each storage level 130L (for example, stacks of stored cases are located between the storage levels).

[0049] As can be understood, a container bot 110 traversing the picking aisle 130A at the corresponding storage level 130L has access to each storage space 130S available at each shelf level 130LS1-130LS3 (for example, for picking and placing case units and / or break-pack merchandise containers), where each shelf level 130LS1-130LS3 is located between adjacent vertically stacked storage levels 130L on one or more sides PAS1, PAS2 (see, for example, Figure 2A) of the picking aisle 130A. As described above, each of the storage shelf levels 130LS1-130LS3 is accessible by the container bot 110 from the rail 1200 (for example, from the common picking aisle deck 1200S corresponding to the container transfer deck 130DC at each storage level 130L). As can be seen in Figures 1B and 1C, there are one or more intermediate shelf rails 1210B, 1210C spaced perpendicularly (for example, in the Z direction) to one another (and from the rail 1200) to each other (and from the rail 1200) to form a plurality of stacked storage spaces 130S, each accessible by the container bot 110 from a common rail 1200S. As can be understood, the horizontal support member 1200 also forms a shelf rail on which the case units are placed (in addition to the shelf rail 1210).

[0050] Each stacked shelf level 130LS1 to 130LS3 (and / or each single shelf level described below) of the corresponding storage level 130L defines an open and non-deterministic two-dimensional storage surface (for example, having a case unit / break pack merchandise container CUSP as shown in Figure 1C) that facilitates the dynamic allocation of pick faces (e.g., supply containers 265) and / or break pack merchandise containers 264, longitudinally (e.g., along the length of the aisle or in accordance with the path of bot movement defined by the picking aisle) and transversely (e.g., across the aisle or path of bot movement, relative to the rack depth). The dynamic allocation of pick faces and the case units constituting the pick faces is provided, for example, in the manner described in U.S. Patent No. 8,594,835, issued November 26, 2013, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Figure 1B illustrates that the supply container 265 is stored on side PAS2 of the picking aisle 130A, and the breakpack merchandise container 264 is stored on side PAS1 of the picking aisle 130A. In other embodiments, there may be combinations of supply containers 265 and breakpack merchandise containers 264 stored on common sides PAS1, PAS2 (for example, one or both sides PAS1, PAS2) of the picking aisle 130A, and / or combinations of supply containers 265 and breakpack merchandise containers 264 stored on a common shelf surface.

[0051] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 1D and 4B, each of the storage levels 130L includes a single level of storage shelves for storing a single level of case units (for example, each storage level includes a single case unit support surface CUSP), and the container bot 110 is configured to transport case units between the storage shelves of each storage level 130L. For example, the container bot 110' illustrated in Figure 4B is substantially similar to the container bot 110 described herein, but the container bot 110' does not provide sufficient Z-movement of the transport arm 110PA for positioning case units on multiple storage shelf levels 130LS1 to 130LS3 as described above (for example, accessible from a common rail 1200S). Here, the transfer arm drive 250 (which may substantially resemble one or more of drives 250A, 250B) includes only sufficient Z movement to lift a case unit from a single-level case unit support surface CUSP of the storage rack, to transfer the case unit to and from the payload area 110PL, and to transfer the case unit between the fingers 273 of the transfer arm 110PA and the payload bed 110PB. A suitable example of the container bot 110' can be found, for example, in U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,993, filed December 15, 2011, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0052] Referring again to Figure 2A, each container transfer deck 130D or storage level 130L includes one or more lift pick face interface / handoff stations TS (hereinafter referred to as interface stations TS), where (one or more) case units (e.g., individual case units, pick faces, supply containers, etc.), totes and / or break-pack goods containers 264 are transferred between the lift load handling device LHD and the container bot 110 on the container transfer deck 130DC. The interface stations TS are located on the side of the container transfer deck 130DC opposite to the picking aisle 130A and rack module RM, thereby interposing the container transfer deck 130DC between the picking aisle and each interface station TS. As described above, each container bot 110 at each pick level 130L has access (via its respective container transfer deck 130DC) to each storage position 130S, each picking aisle 130A, and each lift 150 at its respective storage level 130L, so that each container bot 110 also has access to each interface station TS at its respective level 130L. In one embodiment, the interface station is offset from the high-speed bot movement path HSTP along the container transfer deck 130DC such that the container bot 110's access to the interface station TS is nondeterministic with respect to the bot speed on the high-speed bot movement path HSTP. Thus, each container bot 110 can move (one or more) case units (e.g., individual case units, pick faces (constructed by the bot), supply containers, etc.), totes, and / or break-pack merchandise containers 264 from any interface station TS to any storage space 130S corresponding to deck level 130L (and vice versa).

[0053] In one embodiment, the interface station TS is configured for the passive transfer (e.g., handoff) of case units (e.g., individual case units, pick faces, supply containers, etc.), totes, and / or break-pack goods containers 264 between the container bot 110 and the load handling device LHD of the lift 150, which are described in more detail below (e.g., the interface station TS does not have any moving parts for transporting the case units). For example, also referring to Figure 2B, the interface station TS and / or buffer station BS include, in one embodiment, one or more stacked levels TL1, TL2 of transport rack shelves (each formed by rails 1210, 1200 and slats 1210S) substantially similar to the above-described storage shelves (for example, taking advantage of the lifting capacity of the container bot 110 over stacked rack shelves RTS), such that the handoff (e.g., picking and placement) of the container bot 110 is performed in a passive manner substantially similar to the method between the container bot 110 and the storage space 130S (as described herein) in which case units or totes are transported between shelves. In one embodiment, the buffer station BS on one or more of the stacked levels TL1, TL2 also functions as a handoff / interface station to the load handling device LHD of the lift 150. In one embodiment, if a bot such as a container bot 110' is configured for the transfer of case units (e.g., individual case units, pick faces, supply containers, etc.), totes, and / or break-pack merchandise containers 264 to a single level 130L of storage shelves, the interface station TS and / or buffer station BS also include a single level of transfer rack shelves (much like the storage rack shelves of storage level 130L described above with respect to Figure 1C, for example). As can be understood, the operation of the storage and retrieval system in which the container bot 110' works on a single level of storage and transfer shelves is substantially similar to the operation described herein.As can also be understood, the handoff (e.g., picking and positioning) of case units (e.g., individual case units, pick faces, supply containers, etc.), totes, and / or breakpack merchandise containers 264 from the loading handling device LHD (or lift) to the stacked rack shelves RTS (and / or single-level rack shelves) is carried out in a passive manner substantially similar to the method between the container bot 110 (as described herein) and the storage space 130S to which the case units, totes, and / or breakpack merchandise containers 264 are transported to and from the shelves. In other embodiments, the shelves may include a transport arm (substantially similar to the transport arm 110PA of the container bot 110 shown in Figure 4A, although movement in the Z direction may be omitted if the transport arm is incorporated into the interface station TS shelf) for picking and positioning case units, totes, and / or breakpack merchandise containers 264 from one or more loading handling device LHDs of the container bot 110 and the lift 150. A suitable example of an interface station using an active transport arm is described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application No. 12 / 757,354, filed April 9, 2010, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0054] In one embodiment, the position of the container bot 110 relative to the interface station TS occurs in substantially similar manner to the position of the bot relative to the storage space 130S. For example, in one embodiment, the position of the container bot 110 relative to the storage space 130S and the interface station TS occurs in substantially similar manner to the method described in U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 327,035 (now U.S. Patent No. 9,008,884) filed December 15, 2011, and U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 608,877 (now U.S. Patent No. 8,954,188) filed September 10, 2012, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. For example, referring to Figures 1 and 1C, the container bot 110 includes one or more sensors 110S that detect slats 1210S or positioning features 130F (such as openings, reflective surfaces, RFID tags) disposed on / within the rail 1200. The slats and / or positioning feature units 130F are arranged to identify the location of the container bot 110 in the storage and retrieval system, for example, relative to the storage space and / or interface station TS. In one embodiment, the container bot 110 includes a controller 110C that, for example, counts the slats 1210S to determine at least partially the location of the container bot 110 in the storage and retrieval system 100. In other embodiments, the positioning feature units 130F may be arranged to form an absolute or incremental encoder that provides location determination of the container bot 110 in the storage and retrieval system 100 when detected by the container bot 110.

[0055] As can be understood, referring to Figure 2B, the transport rack shelf RTS at each interface / handoff station TS defines a multi-load station on a common transport rack shelf RS (for example, having one or more storage case unit holding positions for holding a corresponding number of case units or totes). As described above, each load at the multi-load station is a single case unit / tote / breakpack container or multi-case pick face (for example, having multiple case unit / tote / breakpack product containers that are moved as a single unit) that is picked and placed by either the container bot 110 or the load handling device LHD. Also as can be understood, the position of the bot described above allows the container bot 110 to position itself relative to the multi-load station for picking and placing case units / totes and pick faces from a given position in the holding positions of the multi-load station. The interface / handoff station TS defines multi-place buffers (for example, buffers having one or more case holding positions positioned along the X-axis of the container bot 110 when the container bot 110 interfaces with the interface station TS (see Figure 4B)), where incoming and / or outgoing case units / totes / breakpack merchandise containers and pick faces are temporarily stored when they are transferred between the container bot 110 and the load handling device LHD of the lift 150.

[0056] In one embodiment, one or more peripheral buffer / handoff stations BS (which are substantially similar to interface stations TS and referred to herein as buffer stations BS) are also located on the side of the container transport deck 130DC opposite the picking aisle 130A and rack module RM, thereby interposing the container transport deck 130DC between the picking aisle and each buffer station BS. The peripheral buffer stations BS are scattered between interface stations TS or, otherwise, in one embodiment, lined with them as shown in Figures 2A and 2B. In one embodiment, the peripheral buffer stations BS are formed by rails 1210, 1200 and slats 1210S and are a continuation (but a separate section) of the interface stations TS (for example, the interface stations and peripheral buffer stations are formed by common rails 1210, 1200). Thus, in one embodiment, the peripheral buffer stations BS also include one or more stacked levels TL1, TL2 of transport rack shelves RTS as described above with respect to interface stations TS; in other embodiments, the buffer station includes a single level of transport rack shelves. The peripheral buffer station BS defines a buffer where case units / tote / break pack merchandise containers and / or pick faces are temporarily stored when they are transferred to a different container bot 110, separate from one container bot 110, on the same storage level 130L, as will be described in more detail below. As can be understood, in one embodiment, the peripheral buffer station is located at any suitable location in the storage and retrieval system, including any location within the picking passage 130A and along the container transfer deck 130DC.

[0057] Still referring to Figures 2A and 2B, in one embodiment, at least the interface station TS is located on an extension portion or pier 130BD extending from the container transport deck 130DC, while in other embodiments, the length of the interface station TS may be arranged along the container transport deck and extended. In one embodiment, the pier 130BD is similar to a picking passage where container bots 110 move along rails 1200S to which horizontal support members 1200 are fixed (in a manner substantially similar to the method described above). In other embodiments, the moving surface of the pier 130BD may substantially resemble the moving surface of the container transport deck 130DC. Each pier 130BD is located on the side of the container transport deck 130DC, such as on the opposite side from the picking passage 130A and rack module RM, thereby interposing the container transport deck 130DC between the picking passage and each pier 130BD. One or more piers 130BD extend from the transport deck at a non-zero angle with respect to at least a portion of the high-speed bot transport path HSTP. In other embodiments, one or more peers 130BD extend from any suitable portion of the container transport deck 130DC, including the ends 130BE1, 130BE2 of the container transport deck 130DCD. As can be understood, a peripheral buffer station BSD (much similar to the peripheral buffer station BS described above) may also be positioned along at least a portion of peer 130BD.

[0058] Referring here to Figures 3A, 3B, 4B, and 5, as described above, in one embodiment, the interface station TS is a passive station, and therefore the load transfer device LHD of the lifts 150A, 150B has an active transfer arm or pick head 4000A. In one embodiment, the incoming lift module 150A and the outgoing lift module 150B have different types of pick heads (as described in U.S. Patent No. 9,856,083, which is incorporated herein by reference in whole earlier), but in other embodiments, the incoming lift module 150A and the outgoing lift module 150B have the same type of pick head similar to the pick head 4000A. The pick heads of the lifts 150A, 150B may define the Y throughput axis, at least in part, as described herein. In one embodiment, both the inbound lift module 150A and the outbound lift module 150B have a vertical mast 4002 along which a slide 4001 moves under the power of any suitable lift drive unit (e.g., connected to a control server 120) configured to move the slide (and the pick head 4000A attached thereto) up and down. One or more inbound lift modules 150A include a pick head 4000A attached to the slide 4001 such that when the slide moves vertically, the pick head 4000A moves perpendicular to the slide 4001. In this embodiment, the pick head 4000A includes one or more tines or fingers 4273 attached to a base member 4272. The base member 4272 is movably mounted to one or more rails 4360S of a frame 4200, and the frame 4200 is subsequently mounted to the slide 4001. Any suitable drive unit 4005 (which is substantially similar in shape to drive 4002D but not similar in capacity to drive 4002D, as drive 4005 is smaller than drive 4002D), such as a belt drive, chain drive, screw drive, or gear drive, is mounted on frame 4200 and connected to base member 4272 to drive base member 4272 in the direction of arrow 4050 (for example, extension direction 4050A and contraction direction 4050B) (by one or more fingers).One or more outbound lift modules 150B may be substantially similar to one or more inbound lift modules 150A.

[0059] As can be understood, the lift modules 150A, 150B are under the control of any appropriate controller, such as a control server 120, so that when picking and placing (one or more) case units and / or break-pack product containers, the pick head 4000A is raised and / or lowered to a predetermined height corresponding to the interface station TS at a predetermined storage level 130L. As can be understood, the lift modules 150A, 150B provide a Z-throughput axis (relative to both the bot reference frame REF and the rack reference frame REF2) of the storage and retrieval system in a manner substantially similar to the method described herein and / or substantially similar to the method described in U.S. Patent No. 10,947,060, issued March 16, 2021, entitled "Vertical Sequencer for Product Order Fulfillment," where the entire disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, and the unloading lift module 150B is configured to form part of a case-level classification echelon 15000 and to classify case units on the fly for delivery to the unloading station 160US. At the interface station TS, a pick head 4000A or an individual part of it (e.g., an effector or load handling device LHD) corresponding to the holding position of one or more case units at the interface station TS where one or more case units are picked extends so that the fingers 4273 interlock between the slats 1210S (as illustrated in Figure 4B) beneath the (one or more) case units being picked. Lifts 150A, 150B raise the pick head 4000A to lift the (one or more) case units from the slats 1210S and retract the pick head 4000A for transporting the (one or more) case units and / or breakpack containers to another level of the storage and retrieval system, such as transporting the (one or more) case units to one or more unloading stations 160UT, 160EC.Similarly, to position one or more case units, the pick head 4000A or its individual parts (e.g., effector or load handling device LHD) corresponding to the one or more case unit holding positions of the interface station TS where the one or more case units are positioned extends so that the fingers 4273 are above the slats. The lifts 150A, 150B lower the pick head 4000A to position the (one or more) case units onto the slats 1210S, thereby causing the fingers 4273 to interlock between the slats 1210S below the (one or more) case units to be picked.

[0060] Referring here to Figure 4A, as described above, the container bot 110 includes a stacked storage space 130S, an interface station TS, and a transport arm 110PA that brings about the picking and placement of case units from peripheral buffer stations BS, BSD, which are at least partially defined in the Z direction by one or more rails 1210A-1210C, 1200 (for example, the storage space, interface station, and / or peripheral buffer station may be further defined in the X and Y directions with respect to either the rack's reference frame REF2 or the bot's reference frame REF via the dynamic allocation of case units as described above). As can be understood, the bot defines the X throughput axis and at least partially the Y throughput axis (for example, relative to the bot's reference frame REF), as will be further described below.

[0061] The container bot 110 transports case units between each lift module 150 and each storage space 130S at their respective storage levels 130L, as described above. The container bot 110 includes a frame 110F having a drive section 110DR and a payload section 110PL. The drive section 110DR includes one or more drive wheel motors, each connected to one or more drive wheels 202, to propel the container bot 110 along the X direction (relative to the bot's reference frame REF to define the X throughput axis). As can be understood, the X axis of the bot's movement coincides with the storage position as the container bot 110 moves through the picking passage 130A. In this embodiment, the container bot 110 includes two drive wheels 202 positioned on opposing sides of the container bot 110 at the end 110E1 of the container bot 110 (e.g., the first longitudinal end) to support the container bot 110 on a suitable drive surface, but in other embodiments, any suitable number of drive wheels may be provided on the container bot 110. In one embodiment, each drive wheel 202 is independently controlled so that the container bot 110 can be steered by the differential rotation of the drive wheels 202; however, in another embodiment, the rotations of the drive wheels 202 may be coupled to rotate at substantially the same speed. Any suitable wheel 201 is attached to the opposing frames on both sides of the container bot 110 at the ends 110E2 of the container bot 110 (e.g., the second longitudinal end) to support the container bot 110 on the drive surface. In one embodiment, the wheel 201 is a caster wheel that rotates freely to change the direction of movement of the container bot 110, allowing the container bot 110 to pivot by the differential rotation of the drive wheels 202. In another embodiment, the wheel 201 is a steerable wheel that changes direction to change the direction of movement of the container bot 110, for example under the control of a bot controller 110C (configured to provide control of the container bot 110 as described herein). In one embodiment, the container bot 110 includes, for example, one or more guide wheels 110GW positioned at one or more corners of the frame 110F.The guide wheel 110GW may interface with a storage structure 130, such as a guide rail (not shown) in a picking passage 130A, on the container transfer deck 130DC and / or at an interface or transfer station for interface with a lift module 150, for guiding the container bot 110 and / or positioning the container bot 110 at a predetermined distance from the position where one or more case units are placed and / or picked, as described in, for example, U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,423 filed December 15, 2011, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0062] As described above, the container bot 110 can enter the picking passage 130A having different facing directions for accessing the storage spaces 130S located on both sides of the picking passage 130A. For example, the container bot 110 can enter the picking passage 130A with its end 110E2 leading in the direction of movement, or the bot can enter the picking passage 130A with its end 110E1 leading in the direction of movement.

[0063] The payload section 110PL of the container bot 110 includes a payload bed 110PB, a fence or datum member 110PF, a transport arm 110PA, and a pusher bar or member 110PR. In one embodiment, the payload bed 110PB includes one or more rollers 110RL mounted laterally to the frame 110F (for example, with respect to the longitudinal axis LX of the container bot 110) so that one or more case units and / or breakpack product containers carried into the payload section 110PL can be moved longitudinally along the longitudinal axis of the bot (for example, aligned with respect to the frame / payload section and / or datum reference of one or more case units) to position the case units and / or breakpack product containers in a predetermined position within the payload section 110PL and / or relative to other case units and / or breakpack product containers within the payload section 110PL (for example, longitudinal forward / backward positioning of the case units). In one embodiment, the roller 110RL may be driven by any suitable motor (for example, it may be rotated around its respective axis) to move the case unit and / or breakpack product container into the payload section 110PL. In another embodiment, the container bot 110 includes one or more longitudinally movable pusher bars (not shown) for pressing the case unit and / or breakpack product container onto the roller 110RL to move the case unit and / or breakpack product container into a predetermined position within the payload section 110PL. The longitudinally movable pusher bars may be substantially similar to those described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 326,952 filed December 15, 2011, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.The pusher bar 110PR is movable in the Y direction relative to the reference frame REF of the container bot 110, along the pick head 270 of the fence 110PF and / or transport arm 110PA, in the manner described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 107,135 filed January 23, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety previously, to bring about lateral positioning of one or more case units and / or one or more breakpack containers within the payload area 110PL.

[0064] Still referring to Figure 4A, the case units and / or breakpack merchandise containers are positioned on the payload bed 110PB and removed from the payload bed 110PB by a transfer arm 110PA along the Y throughput axis. The transfer arm 110PA includes a lift mechanism or unit 200 that is substantially positioned within the payload section 110PL, as described, for example, in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 107,135 filed January 23, 2015, which has been incorporated herein by reference in whole earlier. The lift mechanism 200 provides both rough and precise positioning of pick faces (which may include either case units or breakpack merchandise containers, or both) carried by the container bot 110, which is lifted vertically to its position in the storage structure 130, for picking and / or positioning the pick faces and / or individual case units into the storage space 130S (for example, at each storage level 130L where the container bot 110 is positioned). For example, the lift mechanism 200 picks and places case units on multiple raised storage shelf levels 130LS1-130LS3, TL1, TL2, accessible from a common picking aisle or interface station deck 1200S (see, for example, Figures 1B, 2B, and 2B).

[0065] The lift mechanism 200 is configured to perform combined robot axis movements (for example, substantially simultaneous combined movements of the pusher bar 110PR, the lift mechanism 200, the pick head extension, and (one or more) forward / backward position adjustment mechanisms, such as the longitudinally movable pusher bar described above) so that different / multi-SKU or multi-pick payloads are processed by the container bot 110. In one embodiment, the operation of the lift mechanism 200 is independent of the operation of the pusher bar 110PR, as described below. Decoupling the axes of the lift mechanism 200 and the pusher bar 110PR provides a combined picking / placement sequence, as described above, resulting in reduced picking / placement cycle time, increased throughput of the storage and retrieval system, and / or storage density of the storage and retrieval system. For example, the lift mechanism 200 picks and places case units at multiple raised storage shelf levels accessible from a common picking aisle and / or interface station deck 1200S, as described above.

[0066] The lift mechanism can be configured in any suitable way so that the pick head 270 of the container bot 110 moves bidirectionally along the Z axis (for example, reciprocating in the Z direction (see Figure 4A)). In one embodiment, the lift mechanism includes a mast 200M, and the pick head 270 is movably mounted on the mast 200M in any suitable way. The mast is movably mounted on a frame in any suitable way so that it is movable along the transverse axis LT of the container bot 110 (for example, in the Y direction so as to define the Y throughput axis). In one embodiment, the frame includes guide rails 210A, 210B, and the mast 200 is slidably mounted on the guide rails 210A, 210B. Transfer arm drives 250A, 250B may be mounted on the frame to provide at least movement of the transfer arm 110PA along the transverse axis LT (for example, the Y axis) and the Z axis. In one embodiment, the transfer arm drives 250A, 250B include an extension motor 301 and a lift motor 302. The extension motor 301 may be mounted to the frame 110F and connected to the mast 200M by any suitable method, such as a belt and pulley transmission 260A, a screw-driven transmission (not shown), and / or a gear-driven transmission (not shown). The lift motor 302 may be mounted to the mast 200M and connected to the pick head 270 by any suitable transmission, such as a belt and pulley transmission 271, a screw-driven transmission (not shown), and / or a gear-driven transmission (not shown). As an example, the mast 200M includes guides such as guide rails 280A, 280B, and along them, the pick head 270 is mounted for guided movement in the Z direction along the guide rails 280A, 280B. In other embodiments, the pick head is mounted to the mast in any suitable method for guided movement in the Z direction.With respect to the transmission 271, the belt 271B of the belt and pulley transmission 271 is fixedly coupled to the pick head 270 such that when the belt 271 moves (for example, driven by the motor 302), the pick head 270 moves with the belt 271 and is driven bidirectionally along the guide rails 280A, 280B in the Z direction. As can be understood, if a screw drive is used to drive the pick head 270 in the Z direction, a nut may be attached to the pick head 270 such that when the screw is rotated by the motor 302, the engagement between the nut and the screw moves the pick head 270. Similarly, if a gear-driven transmission is used, a rack and pinion or any other suitable gear drive may drive the pick head 270 in the Z direction. In other embodiments, any suitable linear actuator is used to move the pick head in the Z direction. The transmission 260A for the extension motor 301 is substantially similar to that described herein with respect to the transmission 271.

[0067] Still referring to Figure 4A, the pick head 270 of the container bot 110 transports the case unit between the container bot 110 and pick / placement locations for the case unit and / or breakpack product container, such as the storage space 130S, peripheral buffer stations BS, BSD, interface station TS (see Figures 2A-2B), breakpack operation station 140 (see Figures 1 and 2C), and / or breakpack product interface 263 (see Figures 1 and 2C), and in other embodiments, substantially directly between the container bot 110 and (one or more) lift modules 150. In one embodiment, the pick head 270 includes a base member 272, one or more tines or fingers 273A-273E, and one or more actuators 274A, 274B. The base member 272 is mounted on the mast 200M as described above so as to ride along guide rails 280A, 280B. One or more tines 273A-273E are attached to the base member 272 at their proximal ends such that the distal ends (e.g., free ends) of the tines 273A-273E are cantilevered from the base member 272. Referring again to Figure 1C, the tines 273A-273E are configured to be inserted between the slats 1210S (and similar slats of the peripheral buffer stations BS, BSD, interface station TS, breakpack operation station 140, and / or breakpack merchandise interface 263) that form the case unit support surface CUSP of the storage rack.

[0068] One or more of the tines 273A to 273E are movably mounted on the base member 272 (on a slide / guide rail similar to the one described above) so as to be movable in the Z direction. In one embodiment, any number of tines are mounted on the base member 272, but in the embodiment illustrated in the figure, for example, five tines 273A to 273E are mounted on the base member 272. Any number of tines 273A to 273E are movably mounted on the base member 272, but in the embodiment illustrated in the figure, for example, the outermost tines 273A, 273E (relative to the center line CL of the pick head 270) are movably mounted on the base member 272, while the remaining tines 273B to 273D are fixed relative to the base member 272.

[0069] In this embodiment, the pick head 270 utilizes only three tines 273B-273D to transport smaller case units (and / or groups of case units) to and from the container bot 110, and utilizes as many as five tines 273A-273E to transport larger case units (and / or groups of case units) to and from the container bot 110. In other embodiments, fewer than three tines are used to transport smaller case units (for example, when more than two tines are movably mounted on the base member 272). For example, in one embodiment, only one tine 273A-273E is movably mounted on the base member such that the smallest case unit being transported to and from the container bot 110 has a width of approximately the distance X1 between the slats 1210S (see Figure 1C) without interfering with other case units on the storage rack.

[0070] The stationary tines 373B-373D define the pick plane SP of the pick head 270 and are used when transporting case units, break pack merchandise containers (and / or pick faces of case units and / or break pack merchandise containers) of all sizes, while the movable tines 373A, 373E are selectively moved up and down relative to the stationary tines 373B-373D (for example, in the Z direction by actuators 274A, 274B) to transport larger case units (and / or pick faces). Referring still to Figure 4A, an example is shown in which all of the tines 273A-273E are positioned such that the case unit support surface SF of each tine 273A-273E coincides with the pick plane SP of the pick head 270. However, as can be understood, the two end tines 273A, 273E are movable to be positioned lower (for example, in the Z direction) relative to the other tines 273B-273D, thereby offsetting the case unit support surface SF of the tines 273A, 273E from (for example, below) the pick plane SP so that the tines 273A, 273E do not come into contact with one or more case units or breakpack product containers (and / or the pick faces of the case units and / or breakpack product containers) carried by the pick head 270 and do not interfere with any unpicked case units or breakpack product containers positioned in the storage space 130S on the storage shelf or any other suitable case unit / breakpack product container holding position.

[0071] The movement of the tines 273A to 273E in the Z direction is brought about by one or more actuators 274A, 274B mounted at any suitable position on the transport arm 110PA. In one embodiment, one or more actuators 274A, 274B are mounted on the base member 272 of the pick head 270. The one or more actuators are any suitable actuators, such as linear actuators, that can move one or more tines 273A to 273E in the Z direction. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4A, there is one actuator 274A, 274B for each of the movable tines 273A, 273E so that each movable tine is movable independently in the Z direction. In other embodiments, one actuator may be connected to two or more movable tines so that two or more movable tines move as a unit in the Z direction.

[0072] As can be understood, by movably mounting one or more tines 273A-273E on the base member 272 of the pick head 270, sufficient support for large case units, breakpack product containers, and / or (e.g., the pick faces of case units and / or breakpack product containers) is provided on the pick head 270, while also providing the ability to pick and place smaller case units or breakpack product containers without interfering with other case units or breakpack product containers positioned on / at the storage space, interface station, peripheral buffer station, breakpack operation station, and / or breakpack product interface. The ability to pick and place variable-sized case units without interfering with other case units on / at the storage space, interface station, peripheral buffer station, breakpack operation station, and / or breakpack product interface reduces the size of the gap GP between case units on the storage shelf (see Figure 1B). As can be understood, since the tines 273B-273D are fixed to the base member 272, there is no overlapping motion when picking / positioning the case unit, as the raising and lowering of the case unit and / or pick face between the case unit holding position is brought about solely by the lift motors 301, 301A.

[0073] Referring again to Figure 4A, it is noted that the pusher bar 110PR is movable independently of the transport arm 110PA. The pusher bar 110PR is movable to the frame in any suitable way, such as by a guide rod and slide configuration, and is actuated along the Y direction (for example, in a direction substantially parallel to the extension / retraction direction of the transport arm 110PA). In one embodiment, at least one guide rod 360 is mounted in the payload section 110PL so as to extend laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis LX of the frame 110F. The pusher bar 110PR may include at least one slide member 360S configured to engage and slide along each guide rod 360. In one embodiment, at least the guide rod / slide configuration captures and holds the pusher bar 110PR within the payload section 110PL. The pusher bar 110PR is actuated by any suitable motor and transmission, such as a motor 303 and transmission 303T. In one embodiment, the motor 303 is a rotary motor, and the transmission 303T is a belt and pulley transmission. In another embodiment, the pusher bar 110PR may be actuated by a linear actuator that has substantially no rotating components.

[0074] The pusher bar 110PR is positioned within the payload section 110PL so as to be substantially perpendicular to the roller 110RL and so as not to interfere with the pick head 270. As seen in Figure 6C, the container bot 110 is in a transport configuration in which at least one case unit is supported on the roller 110RL (for example, the rollers collectively form a payload bed). In the transport configuration, the tines 273A-273E of the pick head 270 are engaged with the roller 110RL and positioned (along the Z direction) below the case unit support surface RSP (see Figure 6A) of the roller 110RL. The pusher bar 110PR is configured with a slot 351 (Figure 6D) through which the tines 273A-273E pass, with sufficient clearance within the slot 351 allowing the tines to move below the case unit support surface RSP and allowing the pusher bar 110PR to move freely without interference from the tines 273A-273E. The pusher bar 110PR also includes one or more openings through which the roller 110RL passes, where the openings are sized to allow the roller to rotate freely around their respective axes. As can be understood, the independently operable pusher bar 110PR does not interfere with the lateral extension (e.g., Y-direction) of the roller 110PR, the transfer arm 110PA, and the raising / lowering of the pick head 270.

[0075] As described above, the pusher bar 110PR is a separate, standalone axis of the container bot 110, operating without interference from the extension and lift axes of the pick head 270, and can therefore be operated almost simultaneously with the extension and / or lift of the transfer arm 110PA. The combined movement of the axes (e.g., simultaneous movement of the pusher bar 110PR due to the extension and / or lift axis of the transfer arm 110PA) results in an increase in payload processing throughput along the Y throughput axis, resulting in multi-picks 140 ordered (e.g., following a break-pack sequence, which may be at least partially based on a predetermined unloading sequence) of two or more case units and / or break-pack product containers from a common picking passage in one common path of the picking passage for transfer to the break-pack operation station. For example, referring to Figures 6A-6B, during the multi-pick / placement sequence of the transfer arm 110PA, the pusher bar 110PR is pre-positioned at a predetermined distance X2 from the contact depth X3 (e.g., the depth of the tine occupied by (one or more) case units, (one or more) breakpack product containers, and / or pick faces CU when picking / placement from storage space or other holding positions) (when (one or more) case units, (one or more) breakpack product containers, and / or pick faces are picked and transferred to the payload section 110PL) (Figure 7, block 1100). The distance X2 is the minimum distance that allows only sufficient clearance between the pusher bar 110PR and the (one or more) case units / (one or more) breakpack product containers, enabling the (one or more) case units / (one or more) breakpack product containers to seat on the roller 110RL.When one or more case units CU and / or one or more breakpack goods containers 264 are lowered onto the roller 110RL (Figure 7, block 1110), the distance the pusher bar 110PR travels to make contact with the case units CU and / or one or more breakpack goods containers 264 is a shorter distance X2 compared to when it moves from the rear 402 of the payload section 110PL (relative to the lateral and access side 401 of the payload section 110PL), by only X4. When one or more case units CU and / or one or more breakpack merchandise containers 264 are lowered by the transfer arm 110PA and transferred to the roller 110RL so that they are supported solely by the roller 110RL, the pusher bar 110PR is actuated (relative to the lateral and access side 401 of the payload section 110PL) to reposition the one or more case units CU and / or one or more breakpack merchandise containers 264 forward (Figure 7, block 1120). For example, the pusher bar 110PR may push the one or more case units CU and / or one or more breakpack merchandise containers 264 laterally in the Y direction so that the one or more case units contact the fence 110PF (located on the access side 401 of the payload section 110PL such that a case unit reference datum may be formed by contact between the one or more case units CU / (one or more) breakpack merchandise containers 264 and the fence 110PF).In one embodiment, the pusher bar 110PR may engage with (one or more) case unit CU and / or (one or more) breakpack product containers 264 during transport of the case unit / breakpack product containers (for example, to hold (one or more) case unit and / or (one or more) breakpack product containers 264 against the fence 110PF) or otherwise grip them (Figure 7, block 1130) in order to maintain (one or more) case unit CU and / or (one or more) breakpack product containers 264 in a predetermined spatial relationship with each other and with respect to the reference frame REF of the container bot 110 (Figure 4A). When positioning one or more case units and / or one or more breakpack product containers 264, the pusher bar 110PR aligns the case units CU and / or the breakpack product containers 264 relative to the fence 110PF, and then pulls away from contact with the case units CU and / or the breakpack product containers 264 (for example, in the Y direction) (Figure 7, block 1140). Substantially immediately after the pusher bar 110PR has disengaged from the case units CU and / or the breakpack product containers 264, one or more of the lift axis (for example, in the Z direction) and extension axis (for example, in the Y direction) of the transfer arm 110PA are actuated substantially simultaneously with the pulling motion of the pusher bar 110PR (Figure 7, block 1150). In one embodiment, both the lift axis and the extension axis are actuated when the pusher bar is pulled away from contact with (one or more) case units CU and / or (one or more) break pack product containers 264, while in other embodiments, only one of the lift axis and the extension axis is actuated.As can be understood, in addition to the simultaneous movement of the lift axis and / or extension axis of the transfer arm 110PA due to the pulling away of the pusher bar 110PR, the reduction in the distance the pusher travels to reposition the (one or more) case unit CU and / or (one or more) break pack product containers 264 reduces the time required to transfer the (one or more) case unit CU and / or (one or more) break pack product containers 264 to and from the container bot 110, thereby increasing the throughput of the storage and retrieval system 100.

[0076] As an example of case operation on the container bot 110, also refer to Figures 6C-6F, one or more container CUA (which may be a supply container 265 (e.g., a pick face, one or more case units, etc.) or a break pack goods container 264) may be picked from a holding position (e.g., a storage space 130S in a common picking aisle for bringing in ordered multi-picks, and in other embodiments, a lift interface station TS, and / or a case unit buffer station BS located in the picking aisle or on the transport deck) and transported to the payload section 110PL. Once one or more container CUA are transported to the payload section 110PL, the pusher bar 110PR may be pre-positioned adjacent to the fence 110PF so as to be positioned between one or more container CUA and the fence 110PF when the container CUA are lowered for transport to the roller 110RL. The pusher bar 110PR is operated to push (one or more) containers CUA (which are stationary on the roller 110RL) toward the rear (e.g., rear) 402 of the payload section 110PL in the Y direction so that (one or more) containers CUA come into contact with the positioning surfaces 273JS (Figure 6A) of tines 273A-273E and are positioned toward the rear 402 of the payload section 110PL.

[0077] In one embodiment, the container bot 110 continues to traverse a common picking passage in the same direction XC (for example, so that the container bot 110 moves in one direction and all case units in the ordered multipick are picked in a common path of the picking passage) and stops in another predetermined storage space 130S according to a predetermined break pack sequence (which can be determined at least in part by the order-out sequence of goods from the automated storage and retrieval system 100 for order fulfillment). As described above, the pusher bar 110PR remains in contact with (e.g., grips) (one or more) container CUA during the transport of (one or more) case units between case unit holding positions so that the container CUA remains in a predetermined position (and / or longitudinally in a predetermined position) on the back 402 of the payload section 110PL relative to the reference frame REF of the container bot 110. For example, to pick a container coming from another storage space in a common picking aisle, the pusher bar 110PR is moved in the Y direction to disengage one or more containers CUA, and the lift and extension axes of the transfer arm 110PA are actuated to retrieve one or more other containers CUB from another storage space 130S2 (or in other embodiments, for example, from the lift / handoff interface station TS and / or buffer / handoff station BS as described above). While one or more containers CUB are being picked, the pusher bar 110PR is positioned in the Y direction adjacent to the rear surface 402 of the payload section 110PL so that it is positioned between one or more containers CUA and the positioning surfaces 273JS of tines 273A-273E. One or more containers CUB are transferred to the payload section and lowered / positioned onto the roller 110RL so that containers CUA and CUB are aligned with each other along the Y axis.The pusher bar 110PR is actuated in the Y direction, pushing containers CUA and CUB toward the fence 110PF to reposition containers CUA and CUB forward and to grip / hold containers CUA and CUB for transport to the breakpack module 266. As can be understood, in one embodiment, containers CUA and CUB are placed together as a unit in a holding position, but in other embodiments, containers CUA and CUB are transported and placed in separate positions of a common holding position or different case unit holding positions, such as the common support surface 140S of the breakpack operating station 140, for example, the placement of container CUB at the breakpack operating station 140 and the placement of container CUA at the lift 150B or other holding position (such as another breakpack operating station 140 at another breakpack module 266). For example, also see Figures 2A, 2C, and 5, the container bot 110 carrying the multi-pick payload transports the containers CUA and CUB of the multi-pick payload to one or more interface stations TS (including buffer racks) corresponding to the unloading lift 150B.

[0078] As can be understood, in one embodiment in which a container bot 110 turns towards peer 130BD (Figure 5), the spacing between bots moving along the high-speed bot movement path HSTP of the container transport deck 130DC (Figure 2A) is such that a bot interface-connecting with an interface station TS can decelerate and / or be turned towards the interface station TS without interference from and / or interference from another container bot 110 moving substantially along the container transport deck 130DC. In another embodiment, a container bot 110 moving on the container transport deck 130DC can be driven around and turned towards the interface station TS because the container transport deck 130DC is substantially open and configured for non-deterministic traverses of the container bot 110 across and along the container transport deck 130DC as described above. If the multi-pick containers CUA and CUB are to be placed, for example, at different locations on the common buffer shelf BS of the interface / handoff stations 7000A and 7000B of lifts 150B1 and 150B2, the container bot 110 places the first container of container CUB at the first location on buffer shelf 7000A and the second container of container CUA at the second location on buffer shelf 7000A. If the multi-pick containers are to be placed at a common container holding location, the container bot 110 places both containers CUA and CUB as a unit (e.g., a pick face) at the common location on buffer shelf 7000A.

[0079] If containers CUA and CUB are classified for arrangement in separate or different holding positions of a common holding position (such as that described in U.S. Patent No. 9,856,083, which is entirely incorporated herein by reference), then containers CUA and CUB are separated from each other in the payload section 110PL. For example, referring to Figures 4A, 4B, and 6A-6F, the pick head 270 of the transfer arm 110PA moves in the Z direction to lift containers CUA and CUB from the roller 110RL by an amount sufficient to allow the pusher bar 110PR to pass under the containers (Figure 8, block 1250A). Once containers CUA and CUB are lifted, the pusher bar 110PR is positioned along the Y direction so as to be positioned between containers CUA and CUB (see Figure 6F) (Figure 8, block 1250B). The pick head 270 is lowered so that containers CUA and CUB are transferred to roller 110RL and a pusher bar is inserted between containers CUA and CUB (Figure 8, block 1250C). The pusher bar 110PR is moved in the Y direction (for example to separate the containers) to move container CUA toward the rear 402 of payload section 110PL (for example toward the positioning surface 273JS of tines 273A-273E or any other suitable position), while container CUB remains in front of payload section 110PL adjacent to fence 110PF (for example as shown in Figure 6D) (Figure 8, block 1250D). As can be understood, when the container is held against the tine's positioning surface 273JS during transport, the pusher bar is moved in the Y direction (for example, to separate the container) to move the container CUB toward the front 401 of the payload section 110PL (for example, toward the fence 110PF or any other suitable position), while the container CUA remains on the rear of the payload section 110PL adjacent to the positioning surface 273JS.The pusher bar 110PR can be moved in the Y direction to reposition container CUB relative to fence 110PF so that it is positioned on tines 273A-273E to place the container in the container holding position (Figure 8, block 1250E). As can be understood, once container CUA is positioned substantially relative to the repositioning surface 273JS of tines 273A-273E (e.g., pick head 270), the container can place CUB in the container holding position substantially without interference from container CUA (Figure 8, block 1250F), for example, container CUA does not come into contact with other containers placed in the container holding position. Container CUA is lowered / transported back to payload section 110PL (e.g., by retracting and lowering the transport arm 110PA) (Figure 8, block 1250G). A pre-positioned pusher bar 110PR between the positioning surface 273JS and container CUA presses container CUA, which is positioned on roller 110RL, against fence 110PF, repositioning container CUA forward to position it in another container holding position (different from the holding position where container CUB is positioned, for example) (Figure 8, block 1250H). The pusher bar 110PR remains pressed against container CUA to grip the container (for example, with the fence) during transport to the other container holding position (Figure 8, block 12501). The pusher bar 110PR moves away from container CUA, and the transport arm is activated to lift and extend the pick head 270, positioning container CUA in the other container holding position (Figure 8, block 1250J).

[0080] Similarly, referring to Figures 1, 2A, and 2C, in one embodiment in which a container bot 110 turns around from the transport deck (see Figure 2A) to the breakpack module 266, the spacing between bots moving along the high-speed bot movement path HSTP of the container transport deck 130DC (Figure 2A) is such that a bot interface-connecting with the interface station TS can decelerate and turn around to the interface station TS without interference from and / or interference from another container bot 110 moving substantially along the container transport deck 130DC. In another embodiment, a container bot 110 moving on the container transport deck 130DC can be driven around and turned around to the breakpack module 266, since the container transport deck 130DC is substantially open and configured for non-deterministic traverses of container bots 110 across and along the container transport deck 130DC as described above. If the multi-pick containers CUA and CUB are to be placed, for example, at various positions on a common support surface 140S of the break-pack operation station 140, the container bot 110 places the first container of container CUB at a first position on the support surface 140S and the second container of container CUA at a second position on the support surface 140S. If the multi-pick containers are to be placed at a common container holding position, the container bot 110 places both containers CUA and CUB as a unit (e.g., a pick face) at a common position on the support surface 140S.

[0081] If containers CUA and CUB are classified for arrangement in separate or different holding positions of a common holding position (such as that described in U.S. Patent No. 9,856,083, which is entirely incorporated herein by reference), then containers CUA and CUB are separated from each other in the payload section 110PL. For example, referring to Figures 4A, 4B, and 6A-6F, the pick head 270 of the transfer arm 110PA moves in the Z direction to lift containers CUA and CUB from the roller 110RL by a sufficient amount to allow the pusher bar 110PR to pass under the containers (Figure 8, block 1250A). Once containers CUA and CUB are lifted, the pusher bar 110PR is positioned along the Y direction to be positioned between containers CUA and CUB (see Figure 6F) (Figure 8, block 1250B). The pick head 270 is lowered so that containers CUA and CUB are transferred to roller 110RL and a pusher bar is inserted between containers CUA and CUB (Figure 8, block 1250C). The pusher bar 110PR is moved in the Y direction (for example to separate the containers) to move container CUA toward the rear 402 of payload section 110PL (for example toward the positioning surface 273JS of tines 273A-273E or any other suitable position), while container CUB remains in front of payload section 110PL adjacent to fence 110PF (for example as shown in Figure 6D) (Figure 8, block 1250D). As can be understood, when the container is held against the tine's positioning surface 273JS during transport, the pusher bar is moved in the Y direction (for example, to separate the container) to move the container CUB toward the front 401 of the payload section 110PL (for example, toward the fence 110PF or any other suitable position), while the container CUA remains on the rear of the payload section 110PL adjacent to the positioning surface 273JS.The pusher bar 110PR can be moved in the Y direction to reposition container CUB relative to fence 110PF so that it is positioned on tines 273A-273E to place the container in a container holding position (Figure 8, block 1250E). As can be understood, once container CUA is positioned substantially relative to the repositioning surface 273JS of tines 273A-273E (e.g., pick head 270), the container can place CUB in a container holding position on support surface 140S of breakpack operation station 140 substantially without interference from container CUA (Figure 8, block 1250F), for example, container CUA does not come into contact with other containers positioned on support surface 140S. Container CUA is lowered / transported back to payload section 110PL (e.g., by retracting and lowering the transport arm 110PA) (Figure 8, block 1250G). A pre-positioned pusher bar 110PR between the positioning surface 273JS and container CUA presses container CUA, which is positioned on roller 110RL, against fence 110PF, repositioning container CUA forward to position it at another container holding position (different from the holding position where container CUB is placed) on support surface 140S of the same breakpack operation station 140 or on another support surface 140S of another breakpack operation station 140 (Figure 8, block 1250H). The pusher bar 110PR remains pressed against container CUA to grip the container (e.g., with the fence) during transport to the other container holding position (Figure 8, block 12501). The pusher bar 110PR moves away from container CUA, and the transport arm is activated to lift and extend the pick head 270, positioning container CUA at the other container holding position (Figure 8, block 1250J).

[0082] As can be seen in Figure 2C, the breakpack product interface 263 has two or more breakpack product interface positions 263L arranged along substantially the entire edge of at least one or more breakpack product autonomous transport movement loops 234 (for example, of product deck 130DG), where each breakpack product interface position 263L is configured to hold its respective breakpack product container 264. When the container bot 110 transports one or more (supply) containers to the breakpack operation station 140, the container bot 110 may pick up the breakpack product container 264 from each breakpack product interface position 263L in a timely manner (i.e., the container bot 110 was not planning to pick up the breakpack product container 264, but was moved by the breakpack product container 264 by chance, and for efficiency, the control server 120 may send a command to the container bot 110 to pick up the breakpack product container 264 in a timely manner). In another embodiment, the stored breakpack merchandise container 264 may be located in the same picking lane 130A as the supply container 265, where both the breakpack merchandise container 264 and the supply container 265 are designated (for example, by the control server 120) to be moved to the same breakpack module 266. A container bot 110 that has been previously commanded to pick the supply container 265 may be commanded by the control server 120 to pick the breakpack merchandise container 264 in a timely manner while moving along the same picking lane (for example, if the breakpack merchandise container 264 is designated to be moved after the initial command has been issued to the container bot 110).Here, the container bot 110 moves with both the breakpack goods container 264 and the supply container 265, and can transport the supply container 265 to the breakpack operation station 140 of the breakpack module 266, and then transport the breakpack goods container 264 to a predetermined breakpack goods interface position 263L of the same breakpack module 266.

[0083] Examples of transactions for the transfer of (one or more) case units of the container bot 110, including multi-pick and placement operations of (one or more) case units with on-the-fly sorting of case units to create mixed pallet loads (as shown in Figure 1E) and / or to fill a predetermined order sequence of goods to be picked in one or more bags, tote bags, or other containers (e.g., supply container 265) according to a predetermined order out sequence, are described with reference to Figures 9 and 11, depending on the aspects of the disclosed embodiments. For example, referring to Figure 11, a customer order may require (one or more) case units 5 to be delivered from an inbound lift 150A to an outbound lift 150B or a breakpack module 266 (e.g., bypassing a warehouse), and (one or more) breakpack goods containers 7 to be delivered from a warehouse or breakpack module 266 to an outbound lift 150B. In other embodiments, a customer order may require that case units / breakpack product containers carried by a common container bot 110 be delivered to any suitable combination of various locations, including, but not limited to, various unloading lifts 150, unloading lifts 150 and breakpack modules 266, unloading lifts 150 and storage locations 130S, storage locations 130S and breakpack modules 266, and between various breakpack modules 266, thereby ensuring that the transfer of case units carried by the common container bot 110 to various locations is carried out in a manner substantially similar to that described herein.

[0084] In aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein, the discharge lift 150B (for example, each of the discharge lifts 150B of the automated storage and retrieval system / order fulfillment system 100) defines a fulfillment course or route (also called a stream) of mixed case pick faces that are coming out of the fulfillment course for load filling, with mixed case pick faces coming out of the fulfillment course in substantially the same order from the storage array. As can be understood, although the in-lift lift 150A and the discharge lift 150B are described as lifts that reciprocate vertically, in other embodiments, the in-lift lift 150A and the discharge lift 150B are any suitable transport modules for transporting case pick faces and / or break-pack goods containers to and from the storage structure 130 (for example, to each pick face interface station such as a transfer station TS or buffer station BS, and to each of the in-load station 160IN, e.g., an in-load cell, and the discharge stations 160UT, 160EC, e.g., load filling sections / cells), and / or between different storage levels 130L. For example, in other embodiments, the lift modules 150A, 150B are one or more of the following: vertically reciprocating lifts, any suitable automated material handling system, conveyors, bots, turntables, roller beds, and multi-level vertical conveyors (e.g., Patanosta conveyors), operating synchronously or asynchronously.

[0085] In one embodiment, one or more container bots 110 are configured to transport breakpack product containers 264 from the breakpack product interface 263 to a container unloading station TS for unloading, and to transport other breakpack product containers 264 from the breakpack product interface 263 to a container storage location 130S, which is a breakpack product container storage location 130SB, for storage. In one embodiment, one or more breakpack product containers and one or more other breakpack product containers are transported simultaneously by the container bot 110, while in another embodiment, one or more breakpack product containers and one or more other containers are transported separately by the container bot 110. The container bot 110 is also configured to transport supply containers 265 between the supply container storage location 130S and the container unloading station TS. As an example above, the container bot 110 uses a common transfer arm 110PA to pick a first breakpack product container 7 from the storage space 130S from the breakpack product interface 263 (see Figure 2C) or from any suitable holding position (Figure 9, block 1400). The container bot 110 positions the first breakpack container 7 on the bot in a manner substantially similar to the method described herein as preparation for positioning the first breakpack container 7 at a holding position using the common transfer arm 110PA or for subsequent picking of the container (Figure 9, block 1405). In one embodiment, the container bot 110 uses a common transfer arm 110PA to pick a second breakpack product container 8 from the same or a different position from where the first breakpack product container 7 was picked (Figure 9, block 1410).If the second breakpack goods container 8 is picked from a different location, the container bot 110 grasps the first breakpack goods container 7 and moves it to the location of the second breakpack goods container 8, which may be another storage location 130S, another location on the breakpack goods interface 263, or any other suitable location. Here, both the first breakpack goods container 7 and the second breakpack goods container 8 are held by a common transfer arm 110PA.

[0086] In another embodiment, after picking the first breakpack goods container 7, the container bot 110 uses a common transfer arm 110PA to pick (one or more) outbound case units 5 from the same or a different location as where the first breakpack goods container 7 was picked (Figure 9, block 1410). If (one or more) outbound case units are picked from a different location, the container bot 110 grasps the first breakpack goods container 7 and moves it to the location of (one or more) outbound case units, which may be another storage location 130S, an inbound lift 150A, or any other suitable location.

[0087] In yet another embodiment, the first breakpack merchandise container 7 and / or the second breakpack merchandise container 8 may be held on a common transfer arm 110PA with (one or more) receiving case units 9. For example, the container bot 110 may pick (one or more) receiving case units on the common transfer arm 110PA before the first breakpack merchandise container 7 and / or the second breakpack merchandise container 8 are picked on the common transfer arm 110PA (Figure 9, block 1415) (Figure 9, block 1400A). In yet another embodiment, the container bot 110 may pick (one or more) receiving case units on the common transfer arm 110PA while the first breakpack merchandise container 7 and / or the second breakpack merchandise container 8 are held on the common transfer arm 110PA (Figure 9, block 1400A).

[0088] With any suitable combination of breakpack product containers and / or case units held on a common transport arm 110PA, the container bot 110 grasps (one or more) breakpack product containers and / or (one or more) case units (Figure 9, block 1420) and transports (one or more) breakpack product containers and / or (one or more) case units to a designated location / holding position (e.g., buffer station BS, transport station TS, unloading lift 150B, breakpack operation station 140, breakpack product interface 263, etc.) (Figure 9, block 1421). For the placement of one or more breakpack product containers and / or case units in a predetermined holding position, the container bot 110 separates or repositions one or more of the breakpack product containers and / or case units in a manner described herein so that they can be placed in the predetermined holding position using the common transport arm 110PA without interference from the breakpack product containers and / or case units remaining on the common transport arm 110PA (Figure 9, block 1425). The container bot 110 extends the common transport arm 110PA to transport one or more of the breakpack product containers and / or case units to the predetermined holding position (Figure 9, block 1430). For example, the first breakpack product container 7 and case unit 5 are held on (or otherwise supported by) a common transport arm 110PA, where the case unit (supply container) 5 is positioned on the support surface 140S of the breakpack operation station 140 in the breakpack module 266 (see Figures 2C and 11), and the first breakpack product container 7 is positioned at the breakpack product interface position 263L of the breakpack product interface 263.The container bot 110 moves along the container transfer deck 130DC so that it is positioned relative to the holding position on the support surface 140S. The first breakpack merchandise container 7 and case unit 5 are repositioned so that the first breakpack merchandise container 7 faces the rear 402 of the payload area of ​​the container bot 110 (Figure 6A) and the case unit 5 is positioned adjacent to the fence 110PF (Figures 4A and 4B). The container bot 110 extends its common transfer arm 110PA to place the case unit 5 on the support surface 140S, and after the case unit 5 is placed, retracts the common transfer arm 110PA to return the untransported (one or more) breakpack merchandise containers and / or (one or more) case units (in this example, the first breakpack merchandise container 7) to the payload section of the container bot 110 (Figure 9, block 1435). The first breakpack product container 7 is grasped (Figure 9, block 1420) and transported to a predetermined breakpack product interface position 263L (Figure 9, block 1421), where the first breakpack product container 7 is transported to the predetermined breakpack product interface position 263L using a common transport arm 110PA (Figure 9, block 1430).

[0089] In the examples described herein, the transfer of case units between the container bot 110 and the lift 150 is performed passively via the interface station TS as described above. Also in the examples described herein, referring to Figures 2C, 10, and 13, the transfer of what are called breakpack product containers 264, supply containers 265, and breakpack residual containers 264S between the breakpack operation station 140 and the breakpack product interface 263 is performed passively in a manner similar to that described herein. As an example of a transfer performed in one or more breakpack modules 266, the container bot 110 (carrying one or more supply containers 265) is positioned with respect to the slats 1210S and / or positioning feature section 130F in a manner similar to that described above (Figure 10, block 1800). The transport arm 110PA (e.g., end effector) of the container bot 110 extends to transport the supply container 265 to the support surface 140S, where the fingers or tines 273A-273E of the transport arm 110PA interface with, for example, the slats 1210S (or rollers 140RL) of the support surface 140S in a manner substantially similar to that described herein (Figure 10, block 1801).

[0090] In another embodiment, when the breakpack product BPG is removed from the supply container 265 as described above, a breakpack residual container 264S may be created at the breakpack operation station 140. When the breakpack residual container 264S is created, the container bot 110 may position itself in a manner similar to that described above with respect to the operator staging area 140A of the breakpack operation station (Figure 10, block 1800) (wherein the operator staging area 140A may include a container support portion substantially similar to the support surface 140S). The transport arm 110PA (e.g., end effector) of the container bot 110 extends to transport the breakpack residual container 264S into the payload area of ​​the container bot 110, where the fingers or tines 273A-273E of the transport arm 110PA interface with, for example, the slats 1210S (or rollers 140RL) of the operator staging area 140A in a manner substantially similar to that described herein (Figure 10, block 1802). With the breakpack residual container 264S held by the container bot 110, the container bot 110 may transport (one or more) residual containers 264S to a storage location at the same level to which the container bot 110 is constrained (Figure 10, block 1803). In another embodiment, (one or more) breakpack residual containers 264S may be transported by a container bot 110 to a lift for storage at another level 130L of the automated storage and retrieval system 100, or for transfer to an unloading station 160US (Figure 1) for order fulfillment (Figure 10, block 1804).

[0091] In another embodiment, the container bot 110 may position itself with respect to the slat 1210S and / or positioning feature 130F in a manner similar to that described above for arranging (one or more) breakpack product containers 264 to be taken out of storage, so that additional breakpack product BPGs can be placed in the breakpack product container 264 by the product bot 262 for order fulfillment (Figure 10, block 1810). Here, the breakpack merchandise container 264 is transported to a predetermined breakpack merchandise interface position 263L via the extension of the transport arm 110PA (e.g., end effector) of the container bot 110, thereby positioning the breakpack merchandise container 264 at the predetermined breakpack merchandise interface position 263L, where the fingers or tines 273A-273E of the transport arm 110PA interface with, for example, the slats 1210S (or rollers 140RL) of the operator staging area 140A in a manner substantially similar to that described herein (Figure 10, block 1802).

[0092] In another embodiment, the container bot 110 may position itself to a predetermined position among the breakpack product interface positions 163L of the breakpack product interface 263 in a manner similar to that described above with respect to the slat 1210S and / or positioning feature 130F for picking (one or more) breakpack product containers 264 that are filled with breakpack product BPG from the breakpack operation station 140 by the product bot 262 (Figure 10, block 1810) (i.e., the product bot 262 retrieves breakpack product BPG from the breakpack product operation station 140 and transfers the breakpack product BPG to one or more predetermined breakpack product containers 264 at the breakpack product interface 263 in accordance with a predetermined order filling instruction). The transport arm 110PA (e.g., end effector) of the container bot 110 extends to transport (one or more) breakpack merchandise containers 264 into the payload area of ​​the container bot 110, where the fingers or tines 273A-273E of the transport arm 110PA interface with, for example, the slats 1210S in a manner substantially similar to that described herein (Figure 10, block 1812). With (one or more) breakpack merchandise containers 264 held by the container bot 110, the container bot 110 may transport (one or more) containers 264 to a storage position at the same level to which the container bot 110 is constrained (Figure 10, block 1813). In another embodiment, (one or more) breakpack goods containers 264 may be transported by a container bot 110 to a lift for storage at another level 130L of the automated storage and retrieval system 100, or for transfer to an unloading station 160US (Figure 1) for order fulfillment (Figure 10, block 1814).

[0093] As can be understood, one or more of the pick / placement transfers described above with respect to Figure 10 may be timely in the sense that the container bot 110 traverses to the breakpack module 266 for a single transfer operation, and the same container bot 110 has an opportunity to pick breakpack merchandise containers that it was not planning to pick (including breakpack residual containers) (for example, after a placement command has been issued to a container, a desire arises to pick a breakpack merchandise container, and here a picking command is subsequently issued to the nearest container bot that has the capability to pick the breakpack merchandise container, for example). For example, after transferring the supply container 265 to the breakpack operation station 140, the container bot 110 may timely pick one or more of the breakpack residual containers 264S and breakpack merchandise containers 264 for transfer to a storage area or lift as described above at the same level.

[0094] To passively transfer the breakpack merchandise container 264 and the breakpack residual container 264S to one or more lifts 150, the lifts 150 are moved so that the load handling device LHD is positioned adjacent to the interface station TS, where the breakpack merchandise container 264 and / or the breakpack residual container 264S are transferred by the container bot 110. The load handling device LHD is lifted from the interface station TS and extended to transfer the breakpack merchandise container 264 and / or the breakpack residual container 264S to the lift 150, where the fingers 4273 of the load handling device LHD interface with the slats 1210S of the interface station TS in the manner described above. As can be understood, the interface station TS has no moving parts, and the transfer of the breakpack merchandise container 264 and / or breakpack residual container 264S between the container bot 110 and the lift 150 via the interface station TS is a passive transfer. Also as can be understood, the transfer of the pick face from the lift 150 to the container bot 110 can be carried out in a manner substantially opposite to the transfer described above with respect to Figure 10.

[0095] In one embodiment, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 described herein is provided by providing rack storage spaces 130S arranged on racks along a passage 130A to a storage array RMA (Figure 12, block 2500). There is also provided at least one container transfer deck 130DC that is communicably connected to each of the passages 130A (Figure 12, block 2505). There is also provided at least one autonomous transport vehicle or container bot 110 which is configured to hold at least one pick face and to traverse at least one container transfer deck 130DC and passage 130A and has an extendable effector or transfer arm 110PA for picking and positioning at least one pick face between one of the rack storage spaces 130S (Figure 12, block 2510). There is also provided at least one goods transfer deck 130DG (Figure 12, block 2511). At least one breakpack operation station 140 is provided to connect at least one commodity transfer deck 130DG to a container transfer deck 130DC in a communicative manner (Figure 12, block 2512). At least one commodity bot 262 is provided (Figure 12, block 2513), which is configured to hold at least one breakpack commodity BPG and to traverse at least one commodity transfer deck 130DG. Using a passage 130A, at least one container transfer deck 130DC, at least one autonomous transport vehicle 110 traversing over it, and an extendable effector 110PA, the pick face transport axes X and Y of the storage array are defined (Figure 25, block 2515), thereby generating inbound pick faces into the storage array, and the pick faces are transported along the pick face transport axes X and Y between the inbound section 160IN of the automated storage and retrieval system, where outbound pick faces from the storage array are arranged to fill loads according to a predetermined load filling order sequence or to fill individual fulfillment orders according to individual fulfillment order sequences.The pick face transport axes X, Y of the breakpack goods transport axis are also defined by at least one goods transfer deck 130DG and at least one goods bot 262 traversing the goods transfer deck 130DG (Figure 12, block 2516). The storage racks and autonomous transport vehicles 110 are combined to bring about on-the-fly sorting of pick faces of mixed cases, coinciding with transport on at least one of the pick face transport axes X, Y (Figure 12, block 2520), thereby, according to a predetermined load filling order sequence, two or more of at least one pick face are picked from one or more rack storage spaces 130S and placed in one or more pick face holding positions (e.g., transfer station TS or buffer station BS) different from one or more rack storage spaces 130S.

[0096] In one embodiment, a controller 120 (operably connected to at least one autonomous transport vehicle as described above) manages the pickface transport axes X, Y, and Z, where the pickface transport axes include multiple transport axes. As described above, the multiple pickface transport axes X, Y, and Z are oriented in at least two directions that are angled relative to each other. Also as described above, one of the multiple pickface transport axes Y is defined by the extension of an extendable effector 110PA and is in a different direction that is angled relative to another of the multiple pickface transport axes X, which is defined by the autonomous transport vehicle 110 traversing along the picking passage 130A. In one embodiment, as described above, the rack and at least one autonomous transport vehicle are combined to match transport on at least one of each of the multiple pickface transport axes to bring about on-the-fly sorting. In one embodiment, a lift 150 defines another pickface transport axis Z of the storage array. As described herein, on-the-fly sorting of pick faces in a mixed case is brought by the lift 150 in conjunction with transport on other pick face transport axes so that two or more pick faces are picked from one or more deck levels and transported to the load filling section, according to a predetermined load filling order sequence. A controller 120 (which may be operably connected to at least one goods transport vehicle 262), or any other suitable controller communicating with controller 120, manages the breakpack goods transport axes X, Y, where the pick face transport axes include multiple transport axes. The X, Y breakpack goods transport axes may be defined by the reference frame of each goods bot 262 and / or the reference frame of the goods transport deck 130DG, for example, when the X and Y axes define the direction of movement along the goods transport deck 130DG (see Figure 2C).

[0097] Referring to Figures 15 and 17A as described herein, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 comprises a plurality of classification (or transport) echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200 formed by an asynchronous transport system and at least one lift 150B. Each classification echelon 15000, 15100, and 15200 is communicably connected to a common part of the storage array (e.g., storage space 130S at each storage level 130L) and the unloading (e.g., unloading station 160UT). As described herein, the classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200 result in orthogonal classifications of product units distributed to the common part, corresponding to the classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200, thereby resulting in a predetermined sequence of mixed unloading product units classified by the corresponding classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200. The orthogonal classification of product units by each classification echelon 15000, 15100, and 15200 is such that each classification echelon 15000, 15100, and 15200 is used for mixed individualized product units (e.g., individualized packs (PCKs)) and mixed pack groups (e.g., packs PCKs placed in a common container). Two or more classification echelons 15000, 15100, 15200 are orthogonal classification echelons to each other, such that two

[0098] Referring to Figures 15 and 16B-16E, the case-level classification echelon 15000 includes at least a transport deck 130BC, 130DC, a container bot 110, a picking aisle 130A, a storage position 130A, and an unloading lift 150B. In some embodiments, the case-level classification echelon 15000 also includes an inloading lift 150A. As described herein, at least a portion 15010 of the case-level classification echelon 15000 forms a vertical sequencer that arranges the cases / containers SCU to be classified in a predetermined sequence, in a manner substantially similar to the method described in U.S. Patent No. 10,947,060, which is incorporated herein by reference in whole earlier, resulting in the construction of the pallets PAL to be classified. As illustrated in Figure 16B, the case-level classification echelon 15000 receives cases CU from a storage array formed by storage spaces 130S at each storage structure level 130L and classifies the cases into predetermined pallets PAL.

[0099] The pack-level classification echelon 15100 includes at least a container bot 110, a portion 130DCP of the container transfer deck 130DC, and a breakpack operation station 140. Here, as seen in Figures 16C and 16E, a case CU is transferred from the storage space 130S to the pick-level classification echelon 15100, broken down into packs, and classified at the pack level. The classified packs SPCK are transferred by the container bot 110 to portion 15010 of the case-level classification echelon 15000 for recursive classification to pallets PAL, and placed in a breakpack goods container 264 (this breakpack goods container is generally represented as a “case” in Figures 16C and 16E), or one of the other, to form a classified mixed pack group with other classified packs SPCK or classified units SUNT. The breakpack goods container 264 is transferred by the container bot 110 to portion 15010 of the case-level classification echelon 15000 for recursive classification to pallets PAL. The placement of pack PCKs into the breakpack product container 264, or, for example, on the support surface 140S of the staging area 140 (for picking by the container bot 110), is carried out by an operator 141 at the breakpack operation station in any suitable manner. The placement of pack PCKs into the breakpack product container 264 (such as at an interface position 263L for grouping with other pack PCKs or unit UNTs) may also be carried out by the product bot 262, thereby forming a portion of the pack-level classification echelon 15100.

[0100] The unit / individual level classification echelon 15200 includes at least a product deck 130DG, a product bot 262, and an interface position 263L. Here, as illustrated in Figures 16D and 16E, a case CU is transferred from storage space 130S to the unit / individual level classification echelon 15200, broken down to the unit level, and classified at the unit level by the product bot 262. The product bot 262 places the unit SUNTs to be classified together with other unit SUNTs (also generally represented as “cases” in Figures 16D and 16E) in a breakpack product container 264 to form mixed individualized product units (in the manner described herein) which are transferred in the breakpack product container 264 to a portion 15010 of the case-level classification echelon 15000 by the container bot 110 for recursive classification to pallet PAL (see Figure 17A).

[0101] Referring to Figure 15, the multiple classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200 are dynamic such that the temporary resources of one classification echelon can transition to form temporary resources of another classification echelon. For example, a container bot 110 that carries / transports cases / containers between echelons may transition from resources of a case-level classification echelon 15000 to resources of a pack-level classification echelon, and vice versa. A product bot 262 is configured to carry / transport both packs and units, such that any given product bot 262 may transition from resources of a pack-level classification echelon 15100 to resources of a unit-level classification echelon 15200, and vice versa, depending on the transport task assigned to that product bot 262.

[0102] Still referring to Figures 15 and 17, as well as Figures 16A-16E, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 provides classification of pallets PAL (for placement in transport vehicles, etc.) (Figure 16A), classification of cases CU for placement on the classified pallets PAL (Figure 16B), classification of packs PCK (e.g., removed from case CU) for placement in the classified containers SCU (Figures 16C and 16E), and classification of units / individuals UNT (e.g., removed from pack) for placement in the classified containers SCU (Figures 16D and 16E). Here, each of the classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200 provides orthogonal classifications indicated by the determination of recursive classification. For example, as illustrated in Figures 16B-16E, product classification by case-level classification echelons is indicated by classification carried out by one or more pack-level classification echelons 15100 and unit / individual-level classification echelons 15200, so that product components (e.g., pallets, cases, packs, units) are broken down into the smallest required product components, and the classification is brought about by classifying the smallest required product components individually, and then the smallest required product components (one or more) are reassembled into larger groups (e.g., reassembled into one or more pallets, cases, packs). Each of these reassembled larger groups is classified with each iteration of reassembly.

[0103] As described herein, the controller 120 is configured to determine recursive classifications that signal orthogonal classifications for each classification echelon 15000, 15100, 15200. Hereinafter, the controller 120 also includes a case-level classification echelon control module 120M1, a pack-level classification echelon control module 120M2, and a unit / individual-level classification echelon control module 120M3, which, as described herein, bring about the decomposition of one or more larger product units into smaller product units, and the subsequent recursively classified assembly of the classified smaller product units into the classified larger product units, either alone or in combination (for example, depending on the level of classification that needs to result in order fulfillment). For example, each classification echelon 15000, 15100, 15200 is configured to classify ordered goods at the respective level of classification required to result in order fulfillment (e.g., case level, pack level, unit / individual level). Multiple classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200 are configured to unload at least one of the following from an automated storage and retrieval system: a product unit / piece to be classified, one or more product packs to be classified, one or more cases to be classified, and one or more pallets to be classified. Each of the classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200 operates independently (i.e., isolated) from each other under the control of a controller 120. Here, the controller 120 is configured to isolate the throughput of cases CU from the classification of goods (e.g., pallets, cases, packs, units / pieces) via the automated storage and retrieval system 100. The controller 120 is configured to receive one or more product fulfillment orders and to determine the demand for cases commanded by the (one or more) product fulfillment orders.The controller 120 determines / decomposes the classification and classification levels of goods necessary to fill (one or more) product fulfillment orders through the use of one or more control modules 120M1 for case-level classification echelons, 120M2 for pack-level classification echelons, and 120M3 for unit / individual-level classification echelons. By decomposing the classification levels and goods classifications for one or more fulfillment orders, batch processing efficiency is increased, and the work performed by the automated storage and retrieval system 100 is minimized (extra movement is virtually eliminated) by batching / grouping the transfer of goods common to two or more fulfillment orders.

[0104] Controller 120 is communicatively connected to the asynchronous transport system as described herein and is configured to generate orthogonal classifications of each classification echelon 15000, 15100, and 15200 using classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200. Here, Controller 120 is configured to decompose the movement of goods, bots, lifts, etc. (collectively referred to as objects) within the automated storage and retrieval system 100, taking into account existing / available physical paths through the automated storage and retrieval system 100 along the physical paths to which goods may move. The decomposition of object movements is performed by Controller 120 in accordance with the time relative to a predetermined time when an order should be fulfilled. Here, the controller 120 (provided, for example, a physical route, (one or more) required product classification levels, and classified products combined from prior classifications) is configured to optimize the release of goods via the storage and retrieval system 100 (for example, between and within the classification echelons 15000, 15100, 15200) (for example, from a common storage array formed by the storage space 130) so that goods classified by the classification echelons 15000, 15100, 15200 (for example, pallets, cases, packs, units / each) are transported in temporal and spatial proximity to one another via the storage and retrieval system 100.

[0105] The controller 120 is also configured to manage the transport of goods along physical paths so that no single node (e.g., lift, breakpack station, bot, etc.) of the transport equipment in the autonomous storage and retrieval system is overloaded. Here, the passage of goods through the automated storage and retrieval system 100 is balanced along available physical paths to control production-wise and during production (e.g., the transfer of goods through the storage and retrieval system 100) and to minimize costs by sending goods along lower-cost paths.

[0106] The classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200 described herein are modular, where the modularity of the classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200 results in the addition of resources to the storage and retrieval system (e.g., transfer decks, bots, bot interface stations on the deck such as the Break Pack Module 266, or other suitable locations at a given storage level 130L). Referring as an example to Figures 2A, 2C, and 2D, the Break Pack Module 266 is configured such that additional goods transfer decks 130DGE1-130DGE3 can be stacked on top of the goods transfer decks 130DG1-130DG3 and is communicatively coupled to transfer deck 130B or picking passage 130A, where each of the goods transfer decks 130DG1-130DG3, 130DGE1-130DGE3 is accessible from the Break Pack Operation Station 140. The addition of product transfer decks 130DGE1 to 130DGE3 expands the capacity of product transfer deck 130DG by increasing the number of break pack product interface positions 263L and product bots 262 (for example, at each elevated level 130DGL1 to 130DGL3, 130DGLE1 to 130DGLE3). Similarly, additional container transfer decks 130DCE may be stacked on top of (or below) container transfer deck 130DC to provide container bots 110 with access to the additional product transfer decks 130DGE1 to 130DGE3. Ramp similar to ramps 222, 222C, and 222R are provided to facilitate the transfer of container dots 110 between stacked goods transfer decks 130DG and 130DGE, although in other embodiments, additional goods transfer decks 130DGE may be communicatively linked to decks of different (stacked) storage levels 130L so that they are accessible by container bots 110 of each different storage level 130L. The additional resources provided by the modularity of the classification echelon result in a scalable increase in throughput by increasing the number of physical paths through the storage and retrieval system 100 so as to minimize the cost of moving products through the storage and retrieval system 100 for any fulfillment order.

[0107] Referencing Figures 1, 2A–2E, 15, 16A–16E, 17A, and 17B, exemplary operation of orthogonal classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200 is illustrated. During operation, pallets are received into the automated storage and retrieval system 100 at the receiving station 160IN (Figure 17B, block 17000). The case CU of the pallet is depalletized by the depalletizer 160PA (Figure 17B, block 17005) and transported to a common storage array by the receiving lift module 150A and the container bot 110. The controller 120 is configured to command the resources of the automated storage and retrieval system 100 to fill an order, where, for example, the order may include one or more case CUs, packs PCKs, and units / individual UNTs (collectively referred to as products). Products are released from a common storage array by the controller 120 so as to move along one or more physical paths through the storage structure 130 of the automated storage and retrieval system 100, in proximity to each other in time and space. Here, orthogonal classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200 are used in parallel to classify the ordered products, where classification is distinct from the transport of products through the storage and retrieval system 100. As described herein, the controller 120 decomposes the classification of the ordered products so as to release the products in batches from the common storage and bring batch classification through the orthogonal classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200. Once the product classification is decomposed, the controller decomposes the movement of the products along the various physical paths of the automated storage and retrieval system, where ordered cases, packs, and units for any given order are released so as to be close to each other in time and space.

[0108] The ordered cases are transported by the container bot 110 to a case-level classification echelon 15000 and classified in a predetermined sequence by any appropriate method, such as the ordered placement at a buffer station BS or a transfer station TS (Figure 17B, block 17030), and / or arranged vertically by a lift 150B. The classified cases SCU are unloaded by the case-level classification echelon 15000 (Figure 17B, block 17035) and transported (as described herein) for placement on a pallet 17050 (Figure 17B, block 17050).

[0109] When a pack PCK is ordered, the case CU containing the pack PCK is transported by the container bot 110 to, for example, a break pack goods module 266 (forming at least a portion of a pack-level classification echelon 15100), where the pack PCK is removed from the case CU (e.g., taken out of the case) (Figure 17B, block 17010) and classified in the manner described herein (Figure 17B, block 17025). The classified pack SPCK is then unloaded into a break pack goods container 264 (Figure 17B, block 17040), or, in some embodiments, not included, and transported to a pallet PAL or a case-level classification echelon 15000 to be arranged in the case CU ordered for placement on the pallet PAL as described above.

[0110] When a unit UNT is ordered, the case CU containing the unit UNT is transported by the container bot 110 to, for example, a breakpack goods module 266 (forming at least part of a unit-level classification echelon 15200), where the unit UNT is removed from the case CU and any pack PCK, and the unit is placed in a pack (e.g., removed from the case and / or removed from the pack) (Figure 17B, block 17015) and classified in the manner described herein (Figure 17B, block 17020). The classified unit UNT is included in the pack PCK along with other units for classification by the pack-level classification echelon 15100 as described above, and is unloaded in a breakpack goods container 264, one or more of which are transported to a pallet PAL (Figure 17B, block 17045), and as described above, is transported to the case-level classification echelon 15000 and arranged in the case CU ordered for placement on the pallet PAL.

[0111] The multiple classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200 are each pallets (PALs) containing one or more mixed individualized product units, mixed packaging groups, and mixed cases, each classified in a predetermined sequence.

[0112] While the recursive classification of classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200 is described in relation to the transfer of products from the storage and retrieval system 100, it should be noted that in other embodiments, recursive classification may be performed for products brought into the storage and retrieval system 100. For example, a fulfillment order may be known to the controller 120 at any given time, but any given fulfillment order may not be scheduled to be fulfilled within a predetermined period. When products for a given fulfillment order are brought into the storage and retrieval system 100, the controller 120 may classify the products in a timely manner using classification echelons 15000, 15100, and 15200 in a manner substantially similar to that described herein, but the packs, units, and / or cases to be classified may remain in the storage array (rather than being removed from the system) until the time required for the products to be classified to fill the fulfillment order.

[0113] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, a warehouse system is provided for storing and retrieving goods in containers. The warehouse system is At least one storage level, A container autonomous transport and movement loop, located at least one storage level. And, A container storage location is arranged circumferentially along a container autonomous transport movement loop, wherein at least one of the container storage locations is a supply container storage location, and another of the container storage locations is a break pack product container storage location. At least one storage level has a breakpack product autonomous transport and transport loop located at at least one storage level, which is separate from the container autonomous transport and transport loop, and has a breakpack product interface connecting the respective edges of the container autonomous transport and transport loop and the breakpack product autonomous transport and transport loop, At least one autonomous container transport vehicle constrained to at least one storage level, configured to transport supply containers between a supply container storage location and a breakpack operation station, and breakpack product containers between a breakpack product interface and a breakpack product container storage location, along a container autonomous transport movement loop. A breakpack product autonomous transport movement loop is configured to restrict at least one autonomous breakpack product transport vehicle to at least one storage level, and at least one autonomous breakpack product transport vehicle is configured to transport one or more breakpack products along the breakpack product autonomous transport movement loop between a breakpack operation station and a breakpack product interface, and at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to transport one or more breakpack products along the breakpack product autonomous transport movement loop, and at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to transport one or more breakpack products between a breakpack operation station and a breakpack product interface, To assemble an order of breakpack goods from a supply container to a breakpack goods container, a controller configured to bring about the operation of at least one autonomous container transport vehicle and at least one autonomous breakpack goods transport vehicle. It is equipped with.

[0114] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to move autonomously along and across a container autonomous transport loop without constraint.

[0115] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous breakpack goods transport vehicle is configured to move autonomously along and across a breakpack goods autonomous transport movement loop without constraint.

[0116] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the Breakpack Merchandise Autonomous Transport Movement Loop has a plurality of travel lanes for the movement of at least one autonomous Breakpack Merchandise Transport Vehicle along the Breakpack Merchandise Autonomous Transport Movement Loop, where at least one of the plurality of travel lanes is an overtaking lane for the movement of at least one autonomous Breakpack Merchandise Transport Vehicle to pass an obstacle on another of the plurality of travel lanes.

[0117] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the container autonomous transport movement loop has a plurality of movement lanes for the movement of at least one autonomous container transport vehicle along the container autonomous transport movement loop, at least one of the plurality of movement lanes having a direction of movement opposite to the direction of another movement lane of the plurality of movement lanes, and at least one of the plurality of movement lanes defines a column lane for at least one autonomous container transport vehicle at the breakpack goods interface.

[0118] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the container autonomous transport and movement loop is located on the deck surface of the deck at at least one storage level, and the breakpack goods autonomous transport and movement loop is located on a different deck surface of the deck, separate from the deck surface on which the container autonomous transport and movement loop is located.

[0119] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous breakpack goods transport vehicle has a payload holding section configured dissimilarly to at least one autonomous container transport vehicle.

[0120] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, one or more breakpack products are unpacked from a supply container at a breakpack operation station, and at least one autonomous breakpack product transport vehicle is configured to load one or more breakpack products at the breakpack operation station.

[0121] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous breakpack goods transport vehicle is configured to automatically retrieve one or more breakpack goods from at least one autonomous breakpack goods transport vehicle into a breakpack goods container via a breakpack goods interface.

[0122] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to autonomously transport a supply container from at least one autonomous container transport vehicle to a breakpack operation station.

[0123] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to autonomously pick and place breakpack product containers at a breakpack product interface.

[0124] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the breakpack product interface has two or more breakpack product interface locations arranged along substantially the entire edge of at least the breakpack product autonomous transport movement loop, and each breakpack product interface location is configured to hold its respective breakpack product container.

[0125] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the container storage locations are arranged along picking passages connected by autonomous container transport loops at each level of at least one elevated storage level, the autonomous container transport loops being configured to provide at least one autonomous container transport vehicle at each level with access to each of the picking passages.

[0126] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the warehouse system further comprises lifts connected to a container autonomous transport and movement loop via a transfer station, each lift configured to lift one or both of a supply container and a breakpack goods container to or from at least one elevated storage level.

[0127] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the warehouse system further comprises an inbound / outbound conveyor, and the inbound / outbound conveyor is Transport the incoming supply container from the depalletizer to at least the storage level. The system is configured to transport outbound supply containers and filled break-pack goods containers to palletizers, trucks, or downstream processes.

[0128] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, at least one storage level includes an elevated storage level.

[0129] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, a warehouse system is provided for storing and retrieving goods in containers. The warehouse system is At least one storage level, It has a container autonomous transport and movement loop located at at least one storage level, A container storage location is a container storage location arranged circumferentially along an autonomous container transport and movement loop, wherein at least one of the container storage locations is a supply container storage location, and a container unloading station is provided along the autonomous container transport and movement loop. At least one storage level, It has a separate and distinct breakpack goods autonomous transport loop located at at least one storage level, distinct from the container autonomous transport loop. The container autonomous transport loop and the breakpack product autonomous transport loop each have a breakpack product interface that connects their respective edges to the breakpack product container holding position. At least one storage level, At least one autonomous container transport vehicle constrained to at least one storage level, wherein at least one autonomous container transport vehicle moves along a container autonomous transport movement loop, Between the supply container storage location and the break pack operation station, the supply container Between the break-pack product container holding position and the container unloading station, the break-pack product container is Each is configured to transport, A breakpack product autonomous transport movement loop is configured to restrict at least one autonomous breakpack product transport vehicle to at least one storage level, and at least one autonomous breakpack product transport vehicle is configured to transport one or more breakpack products along the breakpack product autonomous transport movement loop between a breakpack operation station and a breakpack product interface. At least one autonomous container transport vehicle, A controller configured to bring to operation at least one autonomous container transport vehicle and at least one autonomous breakpack transport vehicle in order to assemble breakpack goods orders from supply containers into breakpack goods containers and to transport the breakpack goods containers through a container unloading station. It is equipped with.

[0130] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to transport breakpack product containers from a breakpack product interface to a container transport station for the purpose of unloading breakpack product containers, and to transport other breakpack product containers from the breakpack product interface to a container storage location which is a breakpack product container storage location for storage.

[0131] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to transport a supply container between a supply container storage location and a container unloading station.

[0132] At least one autonomous container transport vehicle moves autonomously along and across the container autonomous transport loop without constraints. It is configured in this way.

[0133] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous breakpack goods transport vehicle is configured to move autonomously along and across a breakpack goods autonomous transport movement loop without constraint.

[0134] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the Breakpack Merchandise Autonomous Transport Movement Loop has a plurality of travel lanes for the movement of at least one autonomous Breakpack Merchandise Transport Vehicle along the Breakpack Merchandise Autonomous Transport Movement Loop, where at least one of the plurality of travel lanes is an overtaking lane for the movement of at least one autonomous Breakpack Merchandise Transport Vehicle to pass an obstacle on another of the plurality of travel lanes.

[0135] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the container autonomous transport movement loop has a plurality of movement lanes for the movement of at least one autonomous container transport vehicle along the container autonomous transport movement loop, at least one of the plurality of movement lanes having a direction of movement opposite to the direction of another movement lane of the plurality of movement lanes, and at least one of the plurality of movement lanes defines a column lane for at least one autonomous container transport vehicle at the breakpack goods interface.

[0136] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the container autonomous transport and movement loop is located on the deck surface of the deck at at least one storage level, and the breakpack goods autonomous transport and movement loop is located on a different deck surface of the deck, separate from the deck surface on which the container autonomous transport and movement loop is located.

[0137] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous breakpack goods transport vehicle has a payload holding section configured dissimilarly to at least one autonomous container transport vehicle.

[0138] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, one or more breakpack products are unpacked from a supply container at a breakpack operation station, and at least one autonomous breakpack product transport vehicle is configured to load one or more breakpack products at the breakpack operation station.

[0139] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous breakpack goods transport vehicle is configured to automatically retrieve one or more breakpack goods from at least one autonomous breakpack goods transport vehicle into a breakpack goods container via a breakpack goods interface.

[0140] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to autonomously transport a supply container from at least one autonomous container transport vehicle to a breakpack operation station.

[0141] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to autonomously pick and place breakpack product containers at a breakpack product interface.

[0142] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, there are two or more breakpack product interface locations arranged along substantially the entire edge of at least the breakpack product autonomous transport movement loop, each breakpack product interface location configured to hold its respective breakpack product container.

[0143] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the container storage locations are arranged along picking passages connected by container autonomous transport loops at each level of at least one storage level, the container autonomous transport loops being configured to provide at least one autonomous container transport vehicle at each level with access to each of the picking passages.

[0144] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the warehouse system further comprises a plurality of lifts connected to a container autonomous transport and movement loop via a plurality of transport stations, each lift configured to lift one or both of supply containers and break-pack goods containers to or from at least one storage level.

[0145] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the warehouse system further comprises an inbound / outbound conveyor, and the inbound / outbound conveyor is Transport the incoming supply container from the depalletizer to at least the storage level. The system is configured to transport outbound supply containers and filled break-pack goods containers to palletizers, trucks, or downstream processes.

[0146] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, at least one storage level includes an elevated storage level.

[0147] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, a warehouse system is provided for storing and retrieving goods in containers. The warehouse system is A multilevel storage array, wherein each level of the multilevel storage array has a transport area and a storage area, the storage area includes an array of storage shelves configured to hold containers, the transport areas are substantially continuous and arranged to connect the storage shelves to each other in a communicative manner, and the transport areas include picking aisles and container transfer decks connecting the picking aisles, At least one autonomous guided container transport vehicle, positioned at each level of a multi-level storage array and distinct from the container transport deck, is configured to traverse the container transport deck and picking aisles at each level, and to transport containers entering and leaving the container storage positions on each storage shelf at each level of the multi-level storage array, between the break-pack operation station and the container storage positions on the storage shelves, and is configured to transport supply product containers and break-pack product containers, respectively. A breakpack product transfer deck at each level of a multi-level storage array, wherein each level has a container transfer deck and a breakpack product transfer deck, which are separate and distinct from each other and connected separately to a breakpack operation station, and which are separate and distinct from the container transfer deck. A breakpack product transfer deck is configured such that, on the container transfer deck, at least one autonomous guided breakpack product transfer vehicle traverses the breakpack product transfer deck to transport breakpack products from a breakpack operation station to a corresponding breakpack product container, for transport by at least one autonomous guided container transfer vehicle. A controller configured to bring about the operation of at least one autonomous guided container transport vehicle between the container storage location, the breakpack operation station, and the breakpack product containers positioned along the breakpack product transfer deck. It is equipped with.

[0148] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the controller is configured to cause the transport of breakpack goods to result in the operation of at least one autonomous guided breakpack goods transport vehicle to sort the breakpack goods into corresponding breakpack goods containers by traversing the breakpack goods transport deck of at least one autonomous guided breakpack goods transport vehicle.

[0149] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the controller is configured to cause at least one autonomous guided container transport vehicle to operate such that it accesses a corresponding breakpack goods container on a breakpack goods transport deck and transports the breakpack goods container to at least one of a container unloading station and a corresponding container storage position on a storage shelf at a corresponding level of a multi-level storage array via a crossover along the container transport deck.

[0150] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the breakpack goods transfer deck is coupled with a breakpack operating station and a container transfer deck at a location separate from each access to the breakpack operating station of the container transfer deck for at least one autonomous guided container transport vehicle.

[0151] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous guided container transport vehicle is configured to move autonomously along and across a container transport deck without constraint.

[0152] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous guided breakpack goods transport vehicle is configured to move autonomously along and across a breakpack goods transport deck without constraint.

[0153] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the breakpack goods transport deck has a plurality of travel lanes for the movement of at least one autonomous breakpack goods transport vehicle along the breakpack goods transport deck, and at least one of the plurality of travel lanes is an overtaking lane for the movement of at least one autonomous breakpack goods transport vehicle to pass an obstacle on another of the plurality of travel lanes.

[0154] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the container transport deck has a plurality of travel lanes for the movement of at least one autonomous container transport vehicle along a container autonomous transport travel loop, at least one of the plurality of travel lanes having a travel direction opposite to the travel lane direction of another travel lane of the plurality of travel lanes, at least one of the plurality of travel lanes defining a column lane for at least one autonomous container transport vehicle at a breakpack goods interface, the breakpack goods interface connecting the respective edges of the container transport deck and the breakpack goods transport deck.

[0155] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous breakpack product transport vehicle is configured to automatically retrieve breakpack products from at least one autonomous breakpack product transport vehicle into a breakpack product container via a breakpack product interface.

[0156] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to autonomously pick and place breakpack product containers at a breakpack product interface.

[0157] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the breakpack product interface has two or more breakpack product interface positions arranged along substantially the entire edge of at least the breakpack product transport deck, and each breakpack product interface position is configured to hold its respective breakpack product container.

[0158] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the container transfer deck is located on the deck surface of the deck at each level of the multi-level storage facility, and the breakpack goods autonomous transport and movement loop is located on a different deck surface of the deck, separate from the deck surface on which the container transfer deck is located.

[0159] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous breakpack goods transport vehicle has a payload holding section configured dissimilarly to at least one autonomous container transport vehicle.

[0160] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, breakpack goods are unpacked from a supply goods container at a breakpack operation station, and at least one autonomous breakpack goods transport vehicle is configured to load breakpack goods at the breakpack operation station.

[0161] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to autonomously transport a supply container from at least one autonomous container transport vehicle to a breakpack operation station.

[0162] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, container storage locations are arranged along picking passages connected by container transfer decks at each level of a multi-level storage array, and the container transfer decks are configured to provide at least one autonomous container transport vehicle at each level with access to each of the picking passages.

[0163] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the warehouse system further comprises a plurality of lifts connected to a container transfer deck via a plurality of transfer stations, each lift configured to lift one or both of supply goods containers and break-pack goods containers to or from at least one storage level.

[0164] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the warehouse system further comprises an inbound / outbound conveyor, and the inbound / outbound conveyor is Transport the incoming supply container from the depalletizer to at least the storage level. The system is configured to transport outbound supply containers and filled break-pack goods containers to a palletizer or to a truck.

[0165] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, a product order fulfillment system for mixed product units is provided. The system comprises a storage array having at least one elevated storage level, into which mixed product units are brought in and distributed to a plurality of cases, each case being a product unit of a common type, and an automated transport system for level transport, which is communicatively connected to the storage array to automatically retrieve and unload product units distributed to cases from the unloading section of the storage array in a common part of the storage array, and which has at least one asynchronous transport system for level transport and a lift for between level transports, wherein the unloaded product units are one or more mixed individualized product units in a mixed pack group and in a mixed case, and at least one The asynchronous transport system and lift are configured to form two or more transport echelons, each echelon being communicably connected to a common section and an unloading section, each resulting in an orthogonal classification of product units distributed to the common section, corresponding to the transport echelon, so that the mixed unloaded product units of the corresponding transport echelons classified into a predetermined sequence, and the orthogonal classification of product units by each transport echelon being orthogonal to each other's orthogonal classification of the two or more transport echelons, so that the unloading of one or more unloaded product units from mixed individualized product units, mixed pack groups, and mixed cases classified into a predetermined sequence, becomes an orthogonal transport echelon of each of the two or more transport echelons relative to the other transport echelon.

[0166] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the orthogonal classification of each transport echelon results in the discharge of product units in a predetermined sequence, independent of one or more of the order sequence and order time.

[0167] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the orthogonal classification of each echelon is notified by the determination of the recursive classification.

[0168] According to one or more embodiments of the disclosed embodiments, the product order fulfillment system further comprises a controller configured to determine a recursive classification that notifies the orthogonal classification of each orthogonal classification echelon.

[0169] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, an asynchronous transport system is communicatively connected and configured to generate orthogonal classifications of each transport echelon by orthogonal transport echelons.

[0170] It should be understood that the foregoing description is merely illustrative of the embodiments of the disclosed embodiments. Various substitutions and modifications can be attempted by those skilled in the art without departing from the embodiments of the disclosed embodiments. Accordingly, the embodiments of the disclosed embodiments are intended to encompass all such substitutions, modifications, and variations within the scope of any claims appended to this specification. Furthermore, the mere fact that different features are described in different dependent or independent claims does not indicate that combinations of these features cannot be used to their advantage or that such combinations remain within the scope of the embodiments of the disclosed embodiments.

Claims

1. A warehouse system for storing and retrieving goods in a container, The aforementioned warehouse system, At least one storage level, A container autonomous transport and movement loop installed at at least one of the storage levels, And, A container storage position arranged circumferentially along the container autonomous transport movement loop, wherein at least one of the container storage positions is a supply container storage position, and another of the container storage positions is a break pack product container storage position. It has, The at least one storage level has a breakpack product autonomous transport and movement loop located at the at least one storage level, which is separate from the container autonomous transport and movement loop, and has a breakpack product transfer position between the container autonomous transport and movement loop and the breakpack product autonomous transport and movement loop, At least one autonomous container transport vehicle on the at least one storage level, configured to transport supply containers between the supply container storage location and the breakpack operation station, and breakpack product containers between the breakpack product transfer location and the breakpack product container storage location, along the container autonomous transport movement loop. The Breakpack Product Autonomous Transport Movement Loop comprises at least one autonomous container transport vehicle, which is arranged to travel through the Breakpack Product Autonomous Transport Movement Loop at at least one storage level, and at least one autonomous Breakpack Product transport vehicle transports one or more Breakpack Products from the Breakpack Operation Station for transport at the Breakpack Product Transfer Location. To assemble an order of breakpack goods from a supply container to a breakpack goods container, the system comprises at least one autonomous container transport vehicle and a controller configured to bring the operation of the at least one autonomous breakpack goods transport vehicle. A warehouse system equipped with these features.

2. The at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to move autonomously along and across the container autonomous transport loop without constraints. The warehouse system according to claim 1.

3. The at least one autonomous breakpack product transport vehicle is configured to move autonomously along and across the breakpack product autonomous transport movement loop without constraints. The warehouse system according to claim 1.

4. The Breakpack autonomous transport loop has a plurality of travel lanes for the movement of the at least one autonomous Breakpack transport vehicle along the Breakpack autonomous transport loop, and at least one of the plurality of travel lanes is an overtaking lane for the movement of the at least one autonomous Breakpack transport vehicle to pass an obstacle on another of the plurality of travel lanes. The warehouse system according to claim 1.

5. The container autonomous transport movement loop has a plurality of movement lanes for the movement of the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle along the container autonomous transport movement loop, at least one of the plurality of movement lanes has a direction of movement opposite to the direction of another movement lane of the plurality of movement lanes, and at least one of the plurality of movement lanes defines a column lane for the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle at the break pack goods transport position. The warehouse system according to claim 1.

6. The container autonomous transport and movement loop is located on the deck surface of the deck at at least one storage level, and the breakpack goods autonomous transport and movement loop is located on a different deck surface of the deck, separate from the deck surface on which the container autonomous transport and movement loop is located. The warehouse system according to claim 1.

7. The at least one autonomous breakpack goods transport vehicle has a payload holding section configured in a manner dissimilar to the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle. The warehouse system according to claim 1.

8. The one or more breakpack items are unpacked from the supply container at the breakpack operation station, and the at least one autonomous breakpack item transport vehicle is configured to load the one or more breakpack items at the breakpack operation station. The warehouse system according to claim 1.

9. The at least one autonomous breakpack product transport vehicle is configured to automatically remove one or more breakpack products from the at least one autonomous breakpack product transport vehicle into the breakpack product container at the breakpack product transport position. The warehouse system according to claim 1.

10. The at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to autonomously transport the supply container from the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle to the break pack operation station. The warehouse system according to claim 1.

11. The at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to autonomously pick and place the breakpack product containers at the breakpack product transfer location. The warehouse system according to claim 1.

12. The breakpack product transfer position comprises two or more breakpack product transfer positions arranged along at least the entire edge of the breakpack product autonomous transport movement loop, and each breakpack product transfer position is configured to hold its respective breakpack product container. The warehouse system according to claim 1.

13. The container storage locations are arranged along picking pathways connected by the container autonomous transport loops at each level of the at least one storage level, and the container autonomous transport loops are configured to provide each of the picking pathways to the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle at each level. The warehouse system according to claim 1.

14. The warehouse system further comprises a plurality of lifts connected to the container autonomous transport loop via a plurality of transfer stations, each lift configured to lift one or both of the supply containers and the break-pack goods containers to or from the at least one storage level. The warehouse system according to claim 1.

15. The warehouse system further includes an inbound / outbound conveyor, and the inbound / outbound conveyor is, Transport the incoming supply container from the depalletizer to at least the storage level. The outbound supply containers and filled break-pack goods containers are configured to be transported to a palletizer, truck, or downstream process. The warehouse system according to claim 14.

16. The aforementioned at least one storage level includes an elevated storage level. The warehouse system according to claim 1.

17. A warehouse system for storing and retrieving goods in a container, The aforementioned warehouse system, At least one storage level, The container has an autonomous transport and movement loop located at at least one of the storage levels, The container storage locations are arranged circumferentially along the container autonomous transport loop, and at least one of the container storage locations is a supply container storage location. The container storage locations also include a container unloading station located along the container autonomous transport loop. The aforementioned at least one storage level is It has a breakpack product autonomous transport and movement loop, which is separate from the container autonomous transport and movement loop and is located at at least one storage level, Between the container autonomous transport movement loop and the breakpack product autonomous transport movement loop, there is a breakpack product container holding position and a breakpack product transfer position, At least one storage level, At least one autonomous container transport vehicle on the at least one storage level, wherein the at least one autonomous container transport vehicle moves along the container autonomous transport movement loop, Between the supply container storage location and the breakpack operation station, the supply container is moved, Between the break pack product container holding position and the container unloading station, the break pack product container is moved, Each is configured to transport, The Breakpack Product Autonomous Transport Movement Loop is configured such that at least one autonomous Breakpack Product Transport Vehicle travels through the Breakpack Product Autonomous Transport Movement Loop at the at least one storage level, transporting one or more Breakpack Products from the Breakpack Operation Station for transport at the Breakpack Product Transfer Location. At least one autonomous container transport vehicle, To assemble an order of breakpack goods from a supply container into a breakpack goods container, and to transport the breakpack goods container through the container unloading station, the system comprises at least one autonomous container transport vehicle and a controller configured to bring the operation of the at least one autonomous breakpack goods transport vehicle. A warehouse system equipped with these features.

18. A method for storing and retrieving goods in a container in a warehouse system, wherein the method is The present invention provides at least one storage level, wherein the at least one storage level has a container autonomous transport loop disposed at the at least one storage level, and container storage positions arranged circumferentially along the container autonomous transport loop, wherein at least one of the container storage positions is a supply container storage position, and another of the container storage positions is a breakpack product container storage position, and the at least one storage level has a breakpack product autonomous transport loop disposed at the at least one storage level, which is separate from the container autonomous transport loop, and has a breakpack product transfer position between the container autonomous transport loop and the breakpack product autonomous transport loop. To transport supply containers between the supply container storage location and the breakpack operation station along the container autonomous transport loop, and breakpack product containers between the breakpack product transfer location and the breakpack product container storage location, at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is provided on the at least one storage level, wherein the breakpack product autonomous transport loop is provided with at least one autonomous container transport vehicle positioned for passage through the breakpack product autonomous transport loop on the at least one storage level, transporting one or more breakpack products from the breakpack operation station for transfer at the breakpack product transfer location. Using a controller, the operation of at least one autonomous container transport vehicle and at least one autonomous breakpack transport vehicle is performed in order to assemble an order of breakpack goods from a supply container to a breakpack goods container. Methods that include...

19. The at least one autonomous container transport vehicle is configured to move autonomously along one or more of the container autonomous transport loops and the breakpack goods autonomous transport loops without constraint, and to move autonomously across one or more of the container autonomous transport loops and the breakpack goods autonomous transport loops without constraint. The method according to claim 18.

20. The Breakpack autonomous transport loop has a plurality of travel lanes for the movement of the at least one autonomous Breakpack transport vehicle along the Breakpack autonomous transport loop, and at least one of the plurality of travel lanes is an overtaking lane for the movement of the at least one autonomous Breakpack transport vehicle to pass an obstacle on another of the plurality of travel lanes. The method according to claim 18.

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