Systems and methods for production and performance

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to an order fulfillment system. The order fulfillment system may include one or more product guidance areas. A given product guidance area may include a plurality of product storage devices, each holding a plurality of products, and a product transfer device capable of operating to transfer products from among the plurality of products into a shipping container. The order fulfillment system may include an autonomous mobile robot (AMR). A given AMR may move to a shipping container delivery system to receive a shipping container. The AMR may then move the shipping container to the product transfer device to receive the products. The AMR may then move to at least one location for further processing of the shipping container. Conveniently, the order fulfillment system can be combined with a production system. In a configuration where the product storage device is a universal crate, if the universal crate is empty, the universal crate is returned to the production system and refilled with products.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for production and fulfillment.

Background Art

[0002] Containers are used to package various types of products. One form of container used in the packaging industry is generally known as a "box" and can be used to hold various products and sometimes other boxes containing products. In the packaging industry, some people refer to a box used to package one or more products as a "carton". There are also containers / boxes called "cases" in this industry. In this patent document including the claims, the terms "case", "box", "carton", "container", "container" are used interchangeably to refer to boxes, cartons, trays, envelopes, and / or cases, etc. that can be used to package any type of article including products and other cartons.

[0003] Cases come in various shapes and are made from various materials. However, many cases are foldable and are formed from a flattened state (generally called a carton blank). Cases include, but are not limited to, corrugated cardboard, chipboard, paperboard, corrugated fiberboard, other types of corrugated materials, plastic materials, composite materials, etc., and in some cases even combinations thereof, and may be made from a packing of foldable materials.

[0004] A case can be used to fulfill an order initiated by a customer for one or more products by obtaining each product from one or more locations within a storage facility such as a warehouse, loading the products into the case, sealing the loaded case, and shipping the loaded case to the customer.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, there are many obstacles to providing efficient methods and systems for fulfilling customer orders. In particular, it is desirable to be able to fulfill orders from a large number of customers, each potentially ordering a wide variety of products in large quantities. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, an order fulfillment system is provided. The order fulfillment system comprises a first product guidance area including a plurality of product storage devices, and a first product transfer device that operates to transfer a first product from a first plurality of products held by the first product storage device, each product storage device holding a plurality of products, to a shipping container. The order processing system further includes a shipping container autonomous mobile robot (AMR) and a shipping container delivery system that transports shipping containers to the shipping container AMR. The shipping container AMR moves to the shipping container delivery system in accordance with shipping container AMR instructions, waits at the shipping container delivery system to receive the shipping container, moves to the shipping container AMR in accordance with shipping container AMR instructions while holding the shipping container, and waits at the shipping container AMR for transport of the shipping container in accordance with shipping container AMR instructions. While holding the shipping container, move to the first product transfer device in accordance with the instructions of the shipping container AMR, wait at the first product transfer device, wait for the first product transfer device to transfer the first product from the product storage device to the shipping container in accordance with the instructions of the shipping container AMR, and while holding the shipping container with the first product inside, move to at least one location for further processing of the shipping container in accordance with the instructions of the shipping container AMR.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for operating a performance system is provided. The system comprises a first product guidance area including a plurality of product storage devices, a first product transfer device that operates to transfer a first product from a plurality of product storage devices, each of which holds a plurality of products, to a shipping container, an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) for shipping containers, and a shipping container delivery system that transports the shipping container to the shipping container AMR. The method includes the shipping container AMR moving to the shipping container delivery system and waiting until it receives the shipping container from the transport system, moving to the first product transfer device in the first product guidance area while holding the shipping container, waiting at the transfer device until it receives the first product from the product storage device, receiving the product from the device into the shipping container, and moving to at least one location for further processing of the shipping container while holding the first product in the shipping container.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, an order fulfillment system is provided. The order fulfillment system includes a first product guidance area comprising a plurality of pallets, each pallet holding a plurality of products; a product transfer device capable of transferring a first product from a pallet selected from the plurality of pallets; an autonomous mobile shipping container (AMR) robot; and a shipping container delivery system capable of transporting a selected shipping container to the shipping container AMR. The shipping container AMR moves to the shipping container delivery system, waits at the shipping container handover system, receives a selected shipping container, and, while holding the selected shipping container, moves to the product transfer device in the product guidance area, waits at the first product transfer position, receives the first product from the selected pallet into the selected shipping container, and, while holding the selected shipping container with the first product inside, moves to at least one position for further processing of the selected shipping container.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for operating a fulfillment system is provided. The fulfillment system includes a first product guidance area comprising a plurality of pallets, each holding a plurality of products; a product transfer device capable of transferring a first product from a selected pallet; an autonomous mobile shipping container (AMR) from which a selected pallet is selected from the plurality of pallets; and a shipping container delivery system capable of transporting the selected shipping container to the shipping container AMR. The method includes the shipping container AMR moving to the shipping container delivery system and waiting until it receives the selected shipping container in the shipping container delivery system; moving to the product transfer device in the product guidance area while holding the selected shipping container; waiting at the first product transfer position; receiving the first product from the selected pallet into the selected shipping container; and moving to at least one position for further processing of the selected shipping container while holding the selected shipping container containing the first product.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, an order fulfillment system is provided. The order fulfillment system includes a processor capable of generating pallet autonomous mobile robot (AMR) instructions, and a pallet AMR configured to receive pallet AMR instructions from the processor. The pallet AMR is configured to move to a pallet receiving location in accordance with the pallet AMR instructions, to receive a selected pallet at the pallet receiving location, to move to a product storage area while holding the selected pallet, and to release the selected pallet. Each pallet holds at least one product, and each product corresponds to at least one inventory management unit.

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for operating a fulfillment system is provided. The fulfillment system includes a processor capable of generating pallet autonomous mobile robot (AMR) instructions and a pallet AMR. The method includes the pallet AMR receiving a pallet AMR instruction from the processor, moving to a pallet receiving position in accordance with the pallet AMR instruction, receiving a selected pallet at the pallet receiving position, moving to a product storage area while holding the selected pallet, and releasing the selected pallet. Herein, the selected pallet holds at least one product, and the at least one product corresponds to at least one inventory management unit.

[0012] According to one aspect of the present invention, a system is provided. The system includes a moving device that is operable to move one or more crates from a plurality of crates stacked vertically on a pallet in a crate stack positioned at a crate moving location, and a processor that is operable to generate moving device instructions. The moving device is operable to receive moving device instructions from the processor, grasp a selected crate from the plurality of crates in the crate stack, and move the selected crate and the crates stacked on top of the selected crate.

[0013] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided. The method involves moving one or more crates from a plurality of stacked crates vertically stacked on a pallet in a crate stack positioned at a crate moving position. Herein, at least a portion of the plurality of crates contain at least one product within the crates, and the crate stack is supported on a pallet and engages with a selected crate from the plurality of crates in the crate stack, and moves the selected crate and the crates stacked on top of the selected crate by lifting them as necessary.

[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, a system for delivering products is provided. The system includes a transport trailer configured to receive and store at least one pallet, a pallet autonomous mobile robot (AMR) that operates to transport the pallet, and a processor that operates to send instructions to the pallet AMR. The instructions cause the pallet AMR to move to a pallet receiving position outside the transport trailer and engage with the pallet, to move to a storage position inside the transport trailer and release the pallet at the storage position, and to detach from the transport trailer without the pallet. The transport trailer has an internal storage space defined by a ceiling, side walls, and floor, the floor being configured to facilitate movement of the pallet AMR within the transport trailer.

[0015] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for delivering products using a pallet autonomous mobile robot (AMR) to load pallets onto a transport trailer. The transport trailer is configured to receive and store pallets. The method includes the pallet AMR moving to a pallet receiving position outside the transport trailer and engaging with the pallet, moving to a storage position inside the transport trailer and releasing the pallet at the storage position, and then detaching from the transport trailer without the pallet.

[0016] According to one aspect of the present invention, a system for delivering products is provided. The system includes a transport trailer configured to receive and store at least one pallet, a pallet autonomous mobile robot (AMR) that operates to transport the pallet, and a processor that operates to send instructions to the pallet AMR. The instructions act on the pallet AMR to move to a pallet receiving position within the transport trailer and engage a given pallet, to move to a storage position outside the transport trailer and release the given pallet at the storage position, and move away from the given pallet.

[0017] According to one aspect of the present invention, a product delivery method is provided using an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) for unloading goods from a transport trailer. The transport trailer is capable of receiving and storing pallets. The method includes the pallet AMR moving to a pallet receiving position inside the transport trailer and engaging with a predetermined pallet, moving to a storage position outside the transport trailer, releasing the predetermined pallet at the storage position, and moving away from the predetermined pallet.

[0018] A system for loading and transporting products is provided according to one aspect of the present invention. The system includes a source of multiple products and is capable of transporting the multiple products onto a pallet positioned at a pallet loading location. The system includes a transport trailer configured to accept and store at least one pallet, a pallet autonomous mobile robot (AMR) that operates to move the pallet, and a processor that operates to send instructions to the pallet AMR. Upon instruction, the pallet AMR moves to the pallet receiving location and engages with a predetermined pallet holding the multiple products. It then moves to a storage location within the transport trailer and releases the predetermined pallet at the storage location. It then detaches from the transport trailer without holding the predetermined pallet.

[0019] According to one aspect of the present invention, a system for loading products onto pallets is provided. The system includes a product source, a loading device for loading at least one product from the product source into each of a plurality of crates at a loading station to form a plurality of loading crates, a loading crate stack forming device for forming a loading crate stack from the plurality of loading crates, a device for loading the loading crate stack onto a pallet to form a loading pallet, and a pallet autonomous mobile robot (AMR). The pallet AMR is movable while engaging with a loading pallet and supporting the loading crate stack. A processor can transmit instructions to the pallet AMR. Instructions to move the pallet AMR to a pallet receiving position, engage with an unloaded pallet at the pallet receiving position, move to a position for loading crate stacks together with the unloaded pallet, load crate stacks to form a loading pallet, disengage from the position for loading crate stacks together with the loading pallet, and move to a location for further processing while remaining engaged with the loading pallet.

[0020] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for loading products onto a pallet is provided. The method includes the steps of: loading at least one product provided from a product source into each of a plurality of empty crates to form a plurality of loaded crates; forming a loaded crate stack from the plurality of loaded crates; loading the loaded crate stack onto a pallet to form a loaded pallet; and engaging with the loaded pallet using an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) and moving the loaded pallet while supporting the loaded crate stack.

[0021] According to one aspect of the present invention, a system for supplying products to a fulfillment operation is provided. The system includes a production operation including a product source, a product transfer device capable of transferring a plurality of products supplied from the product source onto a pallet positioned at a pallet loading location during the production operation, a first transport trailer capable of receiving and storing at least one pallet, a first transport trailer enabling the navigation of an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) within the first transport trailer, and a first production pallet AMR in the production operation. The first production pallet AMR is capable of moving to a pallet receiving location, engaging with a loading pallet holding a plurality of products at that location, moving to a storage location within the transport trailer, releasing the loading pallet at the storage location, and detaching from the transport trailer without the loading pallet. The system further includes a first fulfillment operation. The first fulfillment operation includes a first fulfillment pallet AMR capable of moving to a storage location on the first transport trailer, engaging with a loading pallet at the storage location, moving to a pallet storage location within the fulfillment operation, releasing the loading pallet at the pallet storage location, and detaching from the pallet storage location without the loading pallet. When the first transport trailer is loaded with a pallet, the first transport trailer can transport the pallet from the production process to the fulfillment process.

[0022] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for delivering products to a performance operation is provided. The method includes, in the production operation, transferring a plurality of products supplied from a product source onto a pallet to form a loading pallet, moving to the loading pallet by a first production pallet autonomous mobile robot (AMR), engaging with the loading pallet by the first production pallet AMR, moving to a storage position in a transport trailer by the first production pallet AMR, releasing the loading pallet at the pallet storage position by the first production pallet AMR while the transport trailer is located in the production process, and detaching the loading pallet from the transport trailer by the first production pallet AMR.

[0023] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for operating a performance operation is provided. The method includes the steps of: moving a first autonomous mobile robot (AMR) in the performance operation to a pallet storage position on a first transport trailer located within the performance operation; engaging a loading pallet with the first AMR; ensuring the loading pallet holds multiple products; moving the loading pallet to a predetermined position within the performance operation with the first AMR; discharging most or all of the multiple products from the loading pallet using components of the performance operation, thereby forming a return pallet; navigating to the return pallet with a second autonomous mobile robot (AMR) within the performance operation; and moving the return pallet to a pallet storage position on a second transport trailer located within the performance operation with the second autonomous mobile robot (AMR).

[0024] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for operating a production operation is provided. This method includes the steps of: loading a plurality of products onto a pallet to form a loading pallet; navigating to the loading pallet by a first autonomous mobile robot (AMR) at the production site; moving the loading pallet to a first transport trailer by the first AMR; navigating to a return pallet on a second transport trailer positioned at the production site by a second AMR at the production site; and removing the return pallet from the second transport trailer by the second AMR.

[0025] A transport trailer is provided according to one aspect of the present invention. The transport trailer includes an internal storage space defined by a ceiling, side walls, and a floor. The floor includes a first configuration to facilitate navigation within the transport trailer by an autonomous mobile robot (AMR).

[0026] According to one aspect of the present invention, a transport trailer is provided. The transport trailer includes an internal storage space defined by a ceiling surface, side wall surfaces, and a floor surface. The transport trailer further includes a plurality of airbags disposed on the side wall surfaces. The plurality of airbags have a first state in which they are inflated with pressurized air to engage the sides of a crate supported on a pallet stored in the internal space, and a second state in which the airbags are depressurized and disengaged from the sides of the crate.

[0027] According to one aspect of the present invention, a shipping container blank delivery system for supplying shipping container blanks to a standing shipping container delivery system is provided. The shipping container blank delivery system includes a shipping container blank pallet holding a plurality of shipping container blanks and a shipping container blank autonomous mobile robot (AMR). The shipping container blank AMR is configured to move to a shipping container blank receiving position, receive a shipping container blank at the shipping container blank receiving position, and move to a blank transfer position proximate to the standing shipping container delivery system. The shipping container blank AMR moves to a shipping container blank pallet receiving position, engages with the shipping container blank pallet at the shipping container blank pallet receiving position, and moves to the blank transfer position. The blank transfer position is located in the vicinity of the standing shipping container delivery system. The shipping container blank delivery system further includes a blank transfer device disposed in the vicinity of the blank transfer position and the standing shipping container delivery system, and the blank transfer device is capable of transferring a plurality of shipping container blanks from the shipping container blank pallet to the standing shipping container delivery system.

[0028] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method of operating a fulfillment system including a shipping container blank autonomous mobile robot (AMR) is provided. The method includes the shipping container blank AMR moving to a shipping container blank pallet receiving position, the shipping container blank AMR engaging with a shipping container blank pallet holding a plurality of shipping container blanks at the shipping container blank pallet receiving position, and the shipping container blank AMR moving to a blank transfer position near a shipping container delivery system.

[0029] According to one aspect of the present invention, a system for supplying shipping container blanks to fulfillment operations is provided. The system includes a production operation that provides a source of shipping container blanks, a product transfer device that transfers a plurality of shipping container blanks provided from the source of shipping container blanks onto a shipping container blank pallet disposed at a pallet loading position, a first transport trailer configured to receive and store the shipping container blank pallet, a production pallet autonomous mobile robot (AMR) that operates movably on the shipping container blank pallet in the production operation, and a processing system that operates movably on the shipping container blank pallet and is capable of transmitting a production pallet AMR instruction to the production pallet AMR. The production pallet AMR instruction causes the production pallet AMR to perform the following operations: move to a pallet receiving position, engage with a shipping container blank pallet holding a plurality of shipping container blanks, move to a storage position within the transport trailer, release the shipping container blank pallet at the storage position, and leave the transport trailer without holding the shipping container blank pallet. When the first transport trailer loads the shipping container blank pallet, the first transport trailer transports the shipping container blank pallet from the production process to the fulfillment process.

[0030] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for transporting shipping container blanks to a fulfillment operation. This method involves transporting a plurality of shipping containers onto a shipping container blank pallet, moving to the shipping container blank pallet by a pallet autonomous mobile robot (AMR), engaging with the shipping container blank pallet holding the shipping container blanks by the pallet AMR, moving to a storage position on a transport trailer by the pallet AMR, releasing the shipping container blank pallet at the storage position by the pallet AMR, and detaching from the transport trailer without the shipping container blank pallet.

[0031] According to one aspect of the present invention, an order fulfillment system is provided. The order fulfillment system includes a processor capable of generating carton forming instructions and generating autonomous mobile robot (AMR) instructions. The order fulfillment system further includes a carton forming system configured to receive carton forming instructions from the processor, and in accordance with the carton forming instructions, select carton blanks from a plurality of magazines and form the carton blanks into upright cartons. The order fulfillment system further includes an AMR configured to receive AMR instructions from the processor, and in accordance with the AMR instructions, move to the carton forming system, receive the upright cartons from the carton forming system, and in accordance with the AMR instructions, move to a station in a product guidance area while holding the upright cartons, at the station, receive products into the upright cartons, and in accordance with the AMR instructions, move to a location for further processing of the upright cartons while holding the upright cartons with the products inside.

[0032] According to another aspect of the present invention, an order fulfillment system is provided. The order fulfillment system includes a processor operable to generate shipping container selection instructions and autonomous mobile robot (AMR) instructions. The order fulfillment system further includes a shipping container delivery system configured to receive shipping container selection instructions from the processor and, in accordance with the shipping container selection instructions, select a shipping container from a plurality of shipping containers. The order fulfillment system further includes an AMR configured to receive AMR instructions from the processor, move to the shipping container delivery system in accordance with the AMR instructions, receive the selected shipping container from the shipping container delivery system, move to a station in a product guidance area while holding the selected shipping container in accordance with the AMR instructions, receive products into the selected shipping container at the station, and, in accordance with the AMR instructions, move to a location for further processing the selected shipping container while holding the selected shipping container with the products inside.

[0033] A further aspect of the present invention provides a carton loading and sealing system. The carton loading and sealing system includes an autonomous mobile robot (AMR), a processor operable to generate AMR instructions, a shipping container delivery system operable to deliver shipping containers to the AMR, and a loading and sealing device operable to load and seal the shipping containers as the AMR moves through the loading and sealing device with the shipping containers on it. The AMR may be configured and operable to receive AMR instructions from the processor and, in accordance with the AMR instructions, move to the sealing device, move through the sealing device, and seal the shipping containers.

[0034] A further aspect of the present invention provides an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) for transporting a receptacle. The AMR includes a mobile cart, a control system for controlling the operation of the autonomous mobile robot, and a first belt having an upper surface, a first lug fixed to the upper surface of the first belt, a second belt having an upper surface, and a second lug fixed to the upper surface of the second belt. The control system is operable to control and adjust the position of the first lug relative to the second lug such that the distance between the first lug and the second lug moves between a first position suitable for allowing a receptacle to be positioned between the first lug and the second lug or to be removed from between the first lug and the second lug, and a second position which provides for the first lug and the second lug to engage with the sides of the receptacle in order to fix the receptacle between the first lug and the second lug.

[0035] A further aspect of the present invention provides an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) for transporting receptacles. The AMR includes a mobile cart, a control system for controlling the operation of the autonomous mobile robot, and a receptacle securing mechanism operable to securely fasten the receptacle to the mobile cart during movement within a warehouse when the receptacle is carrying at least one product of a product order and when the receptacle is empty of any products. The control system is operable to control and adjust the operation of the receptacle securing mechanism between a first state in which the shipping container is secured to the mobile cart and movable within the warehouse and a second state in which the receptacle is detachable from the mobile cart, both when the receptacle is carrying at least one product of a product order and when the receptacle is empty of any products.

[0036] A further aspect of the present invention provides a product unloading system. The product unloading system includes a product rack for storing products. The product rack includes a plurality of storage levels on which products are stored, the plurality of storage levels being arranged vertically within the product rack, spaced apart from each other. The product rack further includes a plurality of lifting platforms configured on which an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) moves, each of the plurality of lifting platforms being positioned in close proximity to each of the plurality of storage levels. The product unloading system further includes an elevator system including a lifting platform for lifting the AMR between the ground level and the plurality of lifting platforms. The product unloading system further includes a product retrieval robot for retrieving products from one of the plurality of storage levels and unloading the products onto a receptacle held by the AMR at one of the corresponding storage levels.

[0037] A further aspect of the present invention provides an order fulfillment system. The order fulfillment system includes a processor operable to generate carton forming instructions, product retrieval instructions, and autonomous mobile robot (AMR) instructions. The order fulfillment system further includes a carton forming system configured to receive carton forming instructions from the processor, and in accordance with the carton forming instructions, select carton blanks from a plurality of magazines and form the carton blanks into upright cartons. The order fulfillment system further includes a product retrieval robot configured to receive product retrieval instructions from the processor and, in accordance with the product retrieval instructions, retrieve products from product racks in a product storage location. The order fulfillment system further includes an AMR configured to receive AMR instructions from the processor, and in accordance with the AMR instructions, move to the carton forming system, and in accordance with the AMR instructions, move to the product racks while holding the cartons, receive the products from the product retrieval robots in the cartons at the product racks, and in accordance with the AMR instructions, move the cartons to a location for further processing while holding the cartons with the products inside.

[0038] A further aspect of the present invention provides an execution system. The execution system includes a processor operable to generate receptacle delivery instructions and autonomous mobile robot (AMR) instructions. The execution system also includes a carton delivery system configured to receive receptacle delivery instructions from the processor and, in accordance with the receptacle delivery instructions, select receptacles selected for delivery from a selection of receptacles. The execution system includes an AMR configured to receive AMR instructions from the processor and, in accordance with the AMR instructions, move to the receptacle delivery system, receive the selected receptacles from the receptacle delivery system, and, in accordance with the AMR instructions, move to a station in a product guidance area while holding the selected receptacle, at the station, receive products into the selected receptacle, and, in accordance with the AMR instructions, move to a location for further processing of the selected receptacle while holding the selected receptacle with the products inside.

[0039] A further aspect of the present invention provides an execution system. The execution system includes a processor capable of generating shipping container selection instructions and generating autonomous mobile robot (AMR) instructions. The execution system also includes a shipping container delivery system configured to receive shipping container selection instructions from the processor and, in accordance with the shipping container selection instructions, select a chosen shipping container from a plurality of shipping containers. The execution system further includes an AMR configured to receive AMR instructions from a processor, move to a shipping container delivery system according to the AMR instructions, receive a selected shipping container from the shipping container delivery system, move to a station in a product guidance area while holding the selected shipping container according to the AMR instructions, the product guidance area includes a product tower, the product tower includes a plurality of compartments for storing products, at least one of the plurality of compartments includes one or more products, the one or more products correspond to at least one stockkeeping unit, receive a first product in the selected shipping container at the station according to the AMR instructions, move to a predetermined product storage rack in a storage area while holding the selected shipping container, the storage area includes a plurality of product storage racks for storing products on pallets, receive a second product in the selected shipping container at the predetermined product storage rack, and move to a location for further processing of the selected shipping container while holding the selected shipping container which has the first and second products inside, according to the AMR instructions.

[0040] A further aspect of the present invention provides an execution system. The execution system includes a processor operable to generate carton forming instructions, product retrieval instructions, and autonomous mobile robot (AMR) instructions. The execution system also includes a carton forming system configured to receive carton forming instructions from the processor, select a carton blank from a plurality of available carton blanks in accordance with the carton forming instructions, and form the carton blank into an upright carton. The execution system also includes a product retrieval robot configured to receive product retrieval instructions from the processor and retrieve a product from a product storage location in accordance with the product retrieval instructions. The fulfillment system further includes a reusable container, each containing multiple products used to fulfill multiple orders, and once multiple products have been removed from the reusable container to fulfill multiple orders, the reusable container becomes an empty reusable container, and an AMR configured to receive AMR instructions from a processor moves to a carton forming system according to the AMR instructions, from the carton forming system, according to the AMR instructions, receives an upright carton, moves while holding the upright carton, moves to a product loading station, at the product loading station, according to the AMR instructions, receives products into the upright carton, and moves while holding the upright carton to a location for further processing of the upright carton, where further processing of the upright carton includes removing the upright carton from the AMR, then moving and receiving an empty reusable container according to the AMR instructions, and moving while holding the empty reusable container to a location for further processing of the empty reusable container, according to the AMR instructions.

[0041] A further aspect of the present invention provides a fulfillment system. The fulfillment system includes a processor operable to generate shipping container delivery instructions, product retrieval instructions, and autonomous mobile robot (AMR) instructions. The fulfillment system also includes a shipping container delivery system configured to receive shipping container delivery instructions from the processor and to select a shipping container from a plurality of available shipping containers in accordance with the shipping container delivery instructions. The fulfillment system also includes a product retrieval robot configured to receive product retrieval instructions from the processor and to retrieve products from a product storage location in accordance with the product retrieval instructions. The fulfillment system also includes a reusable container, which contains a plurality of products used to fulfill a plurality of orders, and the reusable container becomes an empty reusable container when a plurality of products have been retrieved from the reusable container to fulfill a plurality of orders. The fulfillment system further includes an AMR configured to receive AMR instructions from the processor, move to a shipping container delivery system in accordance with the AMR instructions, receive a shipping container in accordance with the AMR instructions, move to a product loading station while holding the shipping container, and at the product loading station, receive and move products in the shipping container in accordance with the AMR instructions. Following AMR's instructions, the shipping container is moved to a location for further processing while retaining it, and further processing of the shipping container includes removing the shipping container from the AMR, then, following AMR's instructions, the container is moved to receive the empty reusable container from the AMR, and, following AMR's instructions, the empty reusable container is moved to a location for further processing while retaining it.

[0042] A further aspect of the present invention provides a method for receiving products into a fulfillment center. The method includes transmitting instructions to a first autonomous mobile robot (AMR) to which the first AMR navigates to a crate holding structure in a first transport trailer, the crate holding structure holding a crate containing a plurality of products, and transporting the crate holding structure to a product guidance area from which individual products of the plurality of products can be removed from the crate. The method further includes transmitting instructions to a second AMR to which the second AMR navigates to a crate holding structure in the product guidance area in which the crate no longer contains products, transports the crate holding structure to a second transport trailer, and navigates away from the second transport trailer without the crate holding structure.

[0043] Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following description relating to specific embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0044] Embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the following figures. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0045] [Figure 1A] Figure 1A is an upper right front perspective view of a portion of a carton forming system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1B] Figure 1B is a schematic flowchart showing a portion of the power and control subsystems of the carton forming system shown in Figure 1A, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the upper right rear of the carton forming system shown in Figure 1A. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is an upper right side perspective view of the carton forming system shown in Figure 1A. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic front elevation view of the carton forming system of Figure 1A, with some components omitted. [Figure 5]Figure 5 is a schematic rear elevation view of the carton forming system of Figure 1A, with some components omitted. [Figure 6A] Figure 6A is an upper right perspective view of the magazine subsystem according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6B] Figure 6B is an upper right perspective view of the magazine subsystem of Figure 6A, with some components omitted. [Figure 6C] Figure 6C is a right-side elevation view of the magazine subsystem of Figure 6A, with some components omitted. [Figure 6D] Figure 6D is a top view of the magazine subsystem shown in Figure 6A. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a right-side perspective view of the carton forming system of Figure 1A, but some components have been omitted to show the blank taking system, two erector heads with moving devices, and folding and sealing devices. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a perspective view of the upper right rear of the component shown in Figure 7. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is an upper right front perspective view of the components shown in Figure 7. [Figure 10A] Figure 10A is a plan view of a blank of a typical slotted case with a generally flattened tubular configuration. [Figure 10B] Figure 10B is a front elevation view of the blank for a standard slotted case shown in Figure 10A. [Figure 10C] Figure 10C is a side elevation view of the blank for a standard slotted case shown in Figure 10A. [Figure 10D] Figure 10D is a perspective view of the blank of a standard slotted case shown in Figure 10A. [Figure 10E] Figure 10E is another perspective view of the blank of the standard slotted case shown in Figure 10A. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a schematic right-hand perspective view of the blank of Figure 10A, which is composed of an open structure. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a schematic right-hand perspective view of the blank shown in Figure 11 after the sequential steps of converting the blank into an upright carton. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a schematic right-hand perspective view of the blank shown in Figure 12 after each step in the sequential process of converting the blank into an upright carton. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a schematic right-hand perspective view of the blank shown in Figure 13 after the sequential steps of converting the blank into an upright carton. [Figure 15] Figure 15 is a schematic right-view perspective of the blank shown in Figure 14 after the sequential steps of converting the blank into an upright carton. [Figure 16] Figure 16 is a schematic right-hand perspective view of the blank shown in Figure 15 after the sequential steps of converting the blank into an upright carton. [Figure 17] Figure 17 is a schematic right-hand perspective view of the carton forming system of Figure 1A in sequential steps for processing the blank of Figure 10A into an upright carton, according to an embodiment of the present invention, but showing only a portion of the single moving device, erector head, and folding and sealing device. [Figure 18] Figure 18 is a schematic right-hand perspective view of the carton forming system of Figure 17 in the sequential steps of processing the blank of Figure 10A into an upright carton according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] Figure 19 is a schematic right-hand perspective view of the carton forming system of Figure 17, showing the sequential steps for processing the blank of Figure 10A into an upright carton, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20] Figure 20 is a schematic right-hand perspective view of the carton forming system of Figure 17, showing the sequential steps for processing the blank of Figure 10A into an upright carton, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 21] Figure 21 is a schematic right-hand perspective view of the carton forming system of Figure 17, showing the sequential steps for processing the blank of Figure 10A into an upright carton, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 22] Figure 22 is a schematic right-hand perspective view of the carton forming system of Figure 17, showing the sequential steps for processing the blank of Figure 10A into an upright carton, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 23]Figure 23 is a schematic right-hand perspective view of the carton forming system of Figure 17, showing the sequential steps for processing the blank of Figure 10A into an upright carton, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 24] Figure 24 is a schematic right-hand perspective view of the carton forming system of Figure 17 in the sequential steps of processing the blank of Figure 10A into an upright carton, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 25] Figure 25 is a schematic right-view perspective view of the carton forming system of Figure 17, showing the sequential steps for processing the blank of Figure 10A into an upright carton, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 26] Figure 26 is a rear elevation view showing the components of the carton forming system shown in Figure 17. [Figure 26A] Figure 26A is a schematic perspective view of a portion of the folding and sealing apparatus of the carton forming system shown in Figure 1A. [Figure 27] Figure 27 is a schematic right-hand perspective view of the carton forming system of Figure 17 in the sequential steps of processing the blank of Figure 10A into an upright carton, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 28] Figure 28 is a schematic right-hand perspective view of the carton forming system of Figure 17, showing the sequential steps for processing the blank of Figure 10A into an upright carton, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 29] Figure 29 is a schematic right-hand perspective view of the carton forming system of Figure 17, showing sequential steps for processing the blank of Figure 10A into an upright carton, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 30] Figure 30 is an upper right perspective view of a first embodiment of an electa head according to an aspect of the present invention. [Figure 31] Figure 31 is a side elevation view of the Erecta head shown in Figure 30. [Figure 32] Figure 32 is a perspective view of the lower right of the Erecta head in Figure 30. [Figure 33] Figure 33 is a bottom view of the Erecta head shown in Figure 30. [Figure 34A] Figure 34A is an upper right perspective view of a second embodiment of an electa head according to an aspect of the present invention. [Figure 34B] Figure 34B is a right-side elevation view of the Erecta head shown in Figure 34A. [Figure 35A] Figure 35A shows the erector head of Figure 34A in the step of opening the carton blank, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 35B] Figure 35B shows the electa head of Figure 34A in another step of opening the carton blank according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 35C] Figure 35C shows the erector head of Figure 34A in a further step of opening the carton blank, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 36] Figure 36 shows an erector head as shown in Figure 34A, and a sealing device in the step of erecting a carton blank and thereby forming a carton, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 37] Figure 37 shows an erector head as shown in Figure 34A, according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a sealing device in the step of erecting a carton blank and thereby forming a carton. [Figure 38] Figure 38 shows an erector head as shown in Figure 34A, according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a sealing device in the step of erecting a carton blank and thereby forming a carton. [Figure 39] Figure 39 shows an erector head according to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 34A, and a sealing device in the step of erecting a carton blank and thereby forming a carton. [Figure 40] Figure 40 shows an erector head as shown in Figure 34A, according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a sealing device in the step of erecting a carton blank and thereby forming a carton. [Figure 41] Figure 41 shows an erector head as shown in Figure 34A, according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a sealing device in the step of erecting a carton blank and thereby forming a carton. [Figure 42]Figure 42 shows an erector head as shown in Figure 34A, and a sealing device in the step of erecting a carton blank and thereby forming a carton, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 43] Figure 43 shows an erector head according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a sealing device in the step of erecting a carton blank and thereby forming a carton. [Figure 44] Figure 44 shows an erector head as shown in Figure 34A, and a sealing device in the step of erecting a carton blank and thereby forming a carton, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 45] Figure 45 is a schematic perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a carton forming system according to an aspect of the present invention. [Figure 46] Figure 46 is a plan view of a carton blank for a tray processed according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 47] Figure 47 is a perspective view of a carton blank for an overlapping regular slot case (RSC) processed according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 48] Figure 48 is a perspective view of a carton blank for an overlapping regular slot case (RSC) processed according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 49] Figure 49 is a perspective view of an HSC case formed according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 50] Figure 50 shows a carton forming system presented as an alternative to the carton forming system of Figure 1A, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 51] Figure 51 is a plan view of a carton forming system presented as an alternative to the carton forming system of Figure 50, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 52] Figure 52 is a schematic plan view of a place of order fulfillment according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 53] Figure 53 is an upper right perspective view of an exemplary autonomous mobile robot having a cart for carrying an outer case, according to an aspect of the present invention. [Figure 53A] Figure 53A is an upper right perspective view of the exemplary autonomous mobile robot shown in Figure 53 with a shipping container added. [Figure 54] Figure 54 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the autonomous mobile robot shown in Figure 53, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 55A] Figure 55A is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of the outer case of the autonomous mobile robot shown in Figure 53, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 55B] Figure 55B is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of the outer case of the autonomous mobile robot of Figure 53, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 56] Figure 56 is a schematic plan view of a portion of the implementation center. [Figure 56A] Figure 56A is a schematic plan view of one embodiment of an order fulfillment center. [Figure 57] Figure 57 shows exemplary steps in a method of fulfilling an order according to an aspect of the present invention. [Figure 58] Figure 58 shows a further exemplary autonomous mobile robot according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 59] Figure 59 is a schematic plan view of a carton forming system comprising multiple magazines, and the carton forming system in Figure 59 is an alternative embodiment of the carton forming systems of Figures 1 to 44 according to an aspect of the present invention, with some components of the magazines omitted for clarity. [Figure 60] Figure 60 is a rear right side perspective view of the carton forming system of Figure 59, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 60A] Figure 60A is a magnified view of a portion of the carton forming system of Figure 60, with additional components shown according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 61] Figure 61 is a rear left side perspective view of the carton forming system of Figure 59, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 62] Figure 62 is a rear perspective view of the carton forming system of Figure 59, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 63]Figure 63 is a rear perspective view of a part of the carton forming system of Figure 59, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 64] Figure 64 is a schematic diagram of an order fulfillment system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 65] Figure 65 shows a sample label formed and used in the system of Figure 64, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 66] Figure 66 shows another sample label formed and used in the system of Figure 64, according to an aspect of the present invention. [Figure 67] Figure 67 shows a sample case packaging diagram that is generated and used in the system shown in Figure 64. [Figure 68] Figure 68 is a front left perspective view showing an example of the arrangement of a case top sealer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 69] Figure 69 is a schematic plan view of an order fulfillment location according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 70] Figure 70 is a perspective view of a portion of the product unloading system of the order fulfillment center shown in Figure 69, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 71] Figure 71 is a schematic plan view of an embodiment of the order fulfillment center of Figure 69, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 72] Figure 72 is a perspective view of multiple case guidance stations in the order fulfillment center shown in Figure 69. [Figure 73] Figure 73 is a perspective view of the order confirmation, case sealing, and labeling stations of the order fulfillment center shown in Figure 69. [Figure 74] Figure 74 is a perspective view of the shipping staging station of the order fulfillment center shown in Figure 69. [Figure 75] Figure 75 is a perspective view of a tower used for storing products, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 76]Figure 76 is a schematic plan view of an order fulfillment location that can be considered a hybrid of the order fulfillment center of Figure 52 and the order fulfillment center of Figure 69, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 76A] Figure 76A is a schematic plan view of the order fulfillment location of Figure 76, with additional reference to a plurality of partitions, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 77] Figure 77 shows a robotic picker arm used in a depalletization step including a pallet, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 78A] Figure 78A is a side view of a destrapper-debander end effector engaged by the robot picker arm of Figure 77 for a depalletization process, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 78B] Figure 78B is a top view of the destrapper-debander end effector shown in Figure 78A. [Figure 79] Figure 79 is a perspective view of a standardized storage case according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 80] Figure 80 is a perspective view of a pallet constructed using the standardized storage case and standardized pallet base of Figure 79, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 81] Figure 81 is a perspective view of multiple crates stacked on the autonomous mobile robot of Figure 53, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 82A] Figure 82A is a schematic plan view of an order fulfillment location as an alternative to the order fulfillment center of Figure 76, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 82B] Figure 82B is a schematic plan view of an order fulfillment location as an alternative to the order fulfillment center in Figure 82A, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 83] Figure 83 is a perspective view of a plurality of crates held in a structure on the autonomous mobile robot of Figure 53, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 84]Figure 84 is a perspective view of multiple crates maintained on a further structure on an autonomous mobile robot, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 85] Figure 85 shows a layout of a transport trailer according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 86] Figure 86 shows a customer order processing matrix according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 87] Figure 87 is a schematic diagram of an order fulfillment center, which is at the center of a network of suppliers of products stored in the order fulfillment center, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 88] Figure 88 is an upper right perspective view of a universal pallet according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 89] Figure 89 is an upper right perspective view of a stack of universal crates loaded on the universal pallet shown in Figure 88, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 90] Figure 90 is a plan view of a configuration of multiple universal pallets stacked with universal crates according to an embodiment of the present invention, where the stack of universal crates is arranged within a cell. [Figure 91] Figure 91 is a front view of the cell of Figure 90, which includes a plurality of universal pallets loaded with stacks of universal crates, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 91A] Figure 91A is a front view of another cell containing multiple universal pallets loaded with stacks of universal crates, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 92] Figure 92 is a plan view of a configuration of 20 cells according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 93A] Figure 93A is a front view of a series of steps, according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a product is removed from a universal crate in a cell and loaded into a shipping container or receptacle. [Figure 93B]Figure 93B is a front view of a series of steps, according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a product is removed from a universal crate in a cell and loaded into a shipping container or receptacle. [Figure 93C] Figure 93C is a front view of a series of steps, according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a product is removed from a universal crate in a cell and loaded into a shipping container or receptacle. [Figure 93D] Figure 93D is a front view of a series of steps, according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a product is removed from a universal crate in a cell and loaded into a shipping container or receptacle. [Figure 93E] Figure 93E is a front view of a series of steps, according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a product is removed from a universal crate in a cell and loaded into a shipping container or receptacle. [Figure 93F] Figure 93F is a front view of a series of steps, according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a product is removed from a universal crate in a cell and loaded into a shipping container or receptacle. [Figure 93G] Figure 93G is a front view of a series of steps, according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a product is removed from a universal crate in a cell and loaded into a shipping container or receptacle. [Figure 93H] Figure 93H is a front view of a series of steps, according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a product is removed from a universal crate in a cell and loaded into a shipping container or receptacle. [Figure 94A] Figure 94A is a schematic plan view showing the first level of an order fulfillment center, which replaces the order fulfillment center in Figure 82B, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 94B] Figure 94B is a schematic plan view of the second level of an order fulfillment center having the first level shown in Figure 94A, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 95]Figure 95 shows a transport trailer partially filled with universal pallets in the process of unloading into the first order guidance zone of an order fulfillment center having the hierarchy shown in Figures 94A and 94B, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 96] Figure 96 is a cross-sectional plan view of the transport trailer shown in Figure 95, configured to transport a plurality of universal pallets according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 97] Figure 97 is a cross-sectional front view of a transport trailer equipped with an inflatable airbag and configured to transport multiple universal pallets, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 98] Figure 98 is a rear cross-sectional view of the transport trailer shown in Figure 97, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 99] Figure 99 is a plan view of an automated product loading and palletizing process in a production facility according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 100] Figure 100 is a front view of the process shown in Figure 99, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 101] Figure 101 shows a front view of a shipping container guidance station according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 102] Figure 102 is a schematic diagram of a closed-loop system according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a plurality of filled universal crates and a plurality of empty universal crates are continuously transported between an order fulfillment center and a production facility. [Figure 103A] Figure 103A shows an example of a control system in a performance center according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the control components are shown to include a central control unit, a plurality of AMR modules, a plurality of cell modules, and a plurality of product identification modules. [Figure 103B] Figure 103B shows exemplary components of an AMR module in the exemplary control system shown in Figure 103A, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 103C]Figure 103C shows an exemplary component of a cell module in the exemplary control system shown in Figure 103A, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 103D] Figure 103D shows an example of the components of a central control unit in the exemplary control system shown in Figure 103A, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the central control unit is shown to include a processing unit, memory, network interface, and data store. [Figure 103E] Figure 103E shows the data structure of the data store shown in Figure 103D, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 103F] Figure 103F shows an application example of the data store shown in Figure 103D, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0046] The adage "Garbage in, garbage out" (often abbreviated as GIGO) is a common phrase in the fields of computer science and information technology. It conveys a simple but important principle: the quality of the output or result depends on the quality of the input data.

[0047] In short, if you provide a computer system or algorithm with inaccurate, incomplete, or low-quality data, you should assume that the output and results will also be flawed or unreliable. No matter how advanced the system's processing power, if the input data is flawed, the output is likely to be flawed as well.

[0048] This principle applies not only to computers but to a variety of systems. It can also be applied to areas such as decision-making, problem-solving, general information processing, and automation. Therefore, it emphasizes the importance of ensuring that all inputs are accurate, well-structured, and relevant to the problem at hand in order to obtain meaningful and reliable results. Chaos refers to extreme disorder or unpredictability in a system. The automation industry knows from experience that chaos cannot be completely automated. Chaos theory describes complex systems that are highly sensitive to their initial state; that is, even small changes in the initial state can lead to vastly different results over time. Such systems are nonlinear, and their behavior is difficult to predict accurately.

[0049] Automation is the use of machines, computers, and algorithms to perform tasks without human intervention. Automation relies on established rules, algorithms, or processes to perform tasks efficiently and consistently. Chaotic systems are inherently unpredictable and sensitive to initial conditions, making effective automation difficult. Because automation relies on predictability and clearly defined processes, it is considered difficult to create algorithms or machines that can accurately handle chaotic situations.

[0050] Order fulfillment, more specifically, order fulfillment based on collecting items for an order from multiple types of product storage areas, can present various challenges in providing efficient methods and systems for fulfilling orders. In particular, given the number of different products that a fulfillment center may store and manage, automating the consolidation of products necessary to fulfill an order can be challenging. For example, some fulfillment centers may store and manage millions of different products to fulfill orders. Furthermore, there may be little control over how products stored at a fulfillment center actually arrive at that center.

[0051] Figures 1A, IB, 2, and 3 show examples of carton / case forming systems 100 that may be used as part of a product order fulfillment system, in various configurations and from various angles. The carton forming system 100 may include a frame 109. The frame 109 may have integrally with it a series of panels 103, which may be made of plastic or glass and may be transparent or translucent. One or more of the panels 103 may be configured to act as hinged doors to provide access to the interior portion of the carton forming system 100. The carton forming system 100 may also include a magazine 110 adapted to receive, hold, and move a plurality of carton blanks 111 while the carton blanks 111 are in a substantially flat orientation. The carton forming system 100 may include at least a first erector head 120a and a second erector head 120b for removing carton blanks from the magazine 110. The erector heads 120a and 120b can pick up the carton blanks 111 from the magazine 110 and then, with the assistance of other components of the carton forming system 100, manipulate the carton blanks 111 so that they are deformed into upright cartons.

[0052] The erector heads 120a and 120b can be moved by a mobile subsystem. The mobile subsystem may include one or more mobile devices. For example, the first erector head 120a may be attached to and moved by the first mobile device 115a. The second erector head 120b may be attached to and moved by the second mobile device 115b. In some embodiments, only a single erector head and mobile device may be provided, which may result in a lower production rate of upright cartons compared to when multiple, particularly two or possibly more, mobile devices and erector heads are provided, as shown in the drawings.

[0053] The carton forming system 100 may also include a folding and sealing device 130, which may be configured to fold one or more flaps of each carton blank and provide sealing of one or more flaps as part of the process of forming a fully upright carton. In cooperation with the erector heads 120a, 120b, the folding and sealing device 130 may be configured to alternately process carton blanks 111 being conveyed by both the first erector head 120a and the second erector head 120b. The carton forming system 100 may also include a carton discharge conveyor 117 for receiving and moving the carton blanks 111 once they are fully upright.

[0054] The structural / mechanical components of the carton forming system 100 may be made from any suitable material. For example, many of the parts and components that make up the frame members, and the erector heads 120a, 120b, the moving devices 115a, 115b, the folding and sealing device 130, and the magazine 110 may be made of steel or aluminum, or any other suitable material. Aluminum is particularly suitable for most of the parts. However, the plates that hold the suction cups of the erector heads and the flanges that attach to the shafts of the gearbox can be made of stainless steel for strength and hardness. The parts and components can be assembled together by conventional methods such as bolts, screws, and welding.

[0055] Figure 1B shows an example of a power supply and data / communication configuration scheme for the carton forming system 100. The components of the carton forming system 100, and the operation of the carton forming system 100 as a whole, may be controlled by a programmable logic controller ("PLC") 132. The PLC 132 can be accessed by a human operator via a human-machine interface (HMI) module 133 fixed to the frame 109. The HMI module 133 can communicate electronically with the PLC 132. The PLC 132 may be any suitable PLC and may include a selected unit from the Logix 5000 series devices manufactured by Allen-Bradley / Rockwell Automation, such as the ControlLogix 5561 device. The HMI module 133 may be an Allen-Bradley / Rockwell Automation Panelview module, part number 2711P-T15C4D1. Please note that not all of the sensors, motors, servo motors, drive units, vacuum devices, vacuum generators, and vacuum cups described below are specifically identified in Figure 1B.

[0056] Power can be supplied to the PLC132 / HMI133 and all the various servo motors and DC motors further described herein. Compressed / pressurized air can also be supplied to vacuum generators and pneumatic actuators via valve devices such as solenoid valves controlled by the PLC132, as further described herein. Servo motors can communicate with the PLC132 and connect to servo drives controlled by the PLC132. Similarly, DC motors can communicate with the PLC132 and connect to DC motor drives controlled by the PLC132. Furthermore, various other sensors may also communicate with the PLC132 and be powered (though not shown).

[0057] Referring here to Figures 10A to 10E and 11A, an example of one type of tubular carton blank 111 that can be processed by system 100 to form a regular slot case (RSC) is disclosed. It will be apparent that other types of carton blanks, tubular carton blanks, and tubular carton blanks of different sizes can be processed by system 100.

[0058] Each carton blank 111 may generally be provided in a initially formed and flattened tubular configuration, as shown in Figures 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, and 10E. Each carton blank 111 has a height dimension "H", a length dimension "L", and a main panel length "Q" (see Figure 10A). For a given carton blank 111 to be processed by the carton forming system 100, in response to each of these three dimensions being input to the PLC 132, the PLC 132 can determine whether the carton forming system 100 can process the given carton blank 111 without requiring manual intervention to make adjustments to one or more components of the carton forming system 100. If the PLC132 determines that adjustments can be made without human intervention, the PLC132 may make the necessary adjustments to the position and / or movement of at least some of the components that make up the carton forming system 100, including the movement paths of the electra heads 120a and 120b as they move and cycle through the processing sequence.

[0059] However, in some carton forming systems 100, depending on the size of the carton blank 111, the PLC 132 may determine that it would be easier to make setup adjustments to the position / orientation of at least some of the system 100's components through some human intervention so that the carton forming system 100 can process the carton blank 111, and may notify the operator of the carton forming system 100 accordingly.

[0060] The carton blank 111 can integrally interconnect opposing main panels A and C with a pair of opposing minor panels B and D to form a blank that is roughly cubic in shape when opened. To provide an overlap seam joint near "P", an overlap strip of carton blank material may be provided between panel B and panel A, which can be sealed by conventional means such as a suitable adhesive (see Figure 10A). This overlap can join panels A, B, C and D to a continuous blank having a generally flattened tubular configuration, as shown in Figure 10A. A number of such carton blanks 111 with a flattened configuration can be delivered near a carton forming system 100 which can be erected, for example, in a generally open tubular configuration as shown in Figure 11.

[0061] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 10A-10E and Figure 11, the carton blank 111 may have a first set of upper major and minor flaps E, H, L, I, provided on one side of each major and minor panel A, B, C, D, and a second set of major and minor flaps F, G, K, J, provided on the lower / bottom side opposite to the major and minor panels A, B, C, D. Panels and flaps can be connected to adjacent flaps and / or panels by predetermined folds / creases (shown by dashed lines). These folds / creases can be formed, for example, by weakened areas of the material and / or by a crease-forming device. The effect of the creases is, for example, that one panel, such as panel A, can rotate relative to an adjacent panel, such as panel D or panel B, along the crease. Flaps can also be folded and rotated around the creases that connect them to their respective panels.

[0062] As shown in Figure 11, a carton blank 111 may be designated by a first datum line "Wl" passing through the midpoint of the fold line between panel D and flap K, and the midpoint of the fold line between panel B and flap J. The first datum line W1 may be determined by the PLC 132 for a particular carton blank 111 or a group of carton blanks 111 to be processed, based on the input dimensions H, L, and Q of the carton blank 111. The carton blank 111 may also be designated by a second datum line "W2" which may be determined by the PLC 132, passing along the fold line between panel A and flap F and being roughly parallel to the second datum line W2. The PLC 132 can also determine the relative position of the bottom of the upright carton, as it aligns with the vertical datum plane passing through the first datum line Wl and the second datum line W2. Aligning the position of the second datum line W2 with the position of the datum plane with other components within the carton forming system 100 can be shown to ensure that the carton is properly positioned during processing through the system 100. Furthermore, the vertical distance R between the first datum line Wl and the second datum line W2 can be calculated by the PLC 132. This calculation allows the PLC 132 to reliably determine where the erector head needs to be positioned so that the top plate A, and accordingly the first datum line W1, are properly positioned throughout the entire blanking process by the carton forming system 100.

[0063] The carton forming system 100 may be configured to track and correct the position of the carton blank 111, particularly the vertical position of the first reference line W1 of the carton blank 111, as the carton blank 111 moves longitudinally within the carton forming system 100, and as various components of the carton forming system 100 engage with the carton blank 111 during its movement. This can be configured to ensure that the carton blank 111 being processed is properly positioned relative to the system components and that the system components engage with the carton blank 111 at the correct position on the carton blank 111 during processing.

[0064] As described later, the carton blank 111 can generally be transformed from a flattened tubular configuration to an open tubular configuration, with flaps folded and sealed to form a desired upright carton configuration. The upright carton may have an upward-facing or side-facing opening and be configured as an open-top carton suitable for loading onto a carton loading conveyor.

[0065] The carton blank 111 may have flaps that, in combination with a connecting mechanism (for example, the application of adhesive, sealing tape or mechanical connection as provided in the so-called "Klick-lok™" carton blank), provide a material that can interconnect flap surfaces to bond flaps to adjacent flaps (or flaps to panels in some embodiments) or otherwise interconnect, thereby holding the carton in its desired upright configuration.

[0066] The carton blank 111 is configured to allow the folding / bending / displacement of the material necessary to achieve the desired configuration and may be made of any suitable material(s) that is adapted. Examples of suitable materials include chipboard, corrugated cardboard, and foldable corrugated cardboard. It should be noted that the carton blank 111 may be made of a material that is rigid or semi-rigid and not easily foldable on its own, but is divided into separate panels and flaps separated by a folding or hinge-type mechanism so that the carton blank 111 can be formed upright.

[0067] Turning our attention to the components of the carton forming system 100, various specific structures of the appropriate magazine 110 may be employed in the carton forming system 100. Referring particularly to Figures 3, 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, and 7, the magazine 110 is configured to hold a plurality of carton blanks 111 in a vertically stacked and flattened configuration, and may be operable, under the control of the PLC 132, to move the stack of carton blanks 111 longitudinally in a direction roughly parallel to the longitudinal axis Y, to a pickup position where a first electra head 120a or a second electra head 120b can remove the carton blanks 111 from the magazine 110.

[0068] The magazine 110 may consist of a single conveyor or other blank dispensing device configured to deliver carton blanks 111 to a pickup position. In the embodiments shown in Figures 1A to 9, two conveyors (an infeed conveyor 204 and an alignment conveyor 206) are disclosed. However, as will be described below in relation to other embodiments, the blank supply device may be configured to supply carton blanks 111 from multiple magazines holding carton blanks 111 having different configurations. This allows the carton forming system 100 to selectively and sequentially form cartons that differ from each other in size, type, and / or configuration by automation.

[0069] Returning to the carton forming system 100 in Figures 1A to 9, the infeed conveyor 204 may be configured and operable to move stacks of carton blanks 111 from a stack input position (a position where stacks can be loaded onto the infeed conveyor 204 by a human or robotic device, etc.) to a position where stacks of carton blanks 111 are transferred to an alignment conveyor 206, which is aligned horizontally and laterally. The alignment conveyor 206 may be located longitudinally downstream of the infeed conveyor 204 and may be used to move stacks of carton blanks 111 to a pickup position. The magazine 110 can initially hold a number of carton blanks 111 in a vertical stack, with the stack stationary on the infeed conveyor 204. A rear wall 212 attached to the bottom of the magazine frame, generally indicated as 202, may be configured to hold one or more stacks from tipping backward when initially loaded onto the infeed conveyor 204. The rear wall 212 may have a generally planar, vertically and laterally oriented surface facing the stack of carton blanks 111. The rear wall 212 and the infeed conveyor 204 may have an appropriate length so that a satisfactory number of stacks of carton blanks 111 can be stored in series on the infeed conveyor 204. The PEC 132 can control the operation of the infeed conveyor 204 so that one stack at a time is moved to the alignment conveyor 206.

[0070] The infeed conveyor 204 may have one or more stacks of carton blanks 111 arranged longitudinally on the infeed conveyor belt 214 so that they can be sequentially supplied onto the alignment conveyor 206. A sensor may be provided near the infeed conveyor 204 to monitor the number of stacks waiting on the infeed conveyor 204, and the sensor may be operable to send a warning signal to the PEC 132 that can alert the operator if the magazine 110 is running low and needs to be replenished (for example, because only stacks being processed by the electa head 120 remain on the alignment conveyor 206). The sensor may be Allen-Bradley part number 42GRP-9000-QD.

[0071] Of particular note is that multiple stacks of carton blanks 111 may be provided on the infeed conveyor 204. Each stack may contain some information indicator that can be read by an information reader, such as an electronic reader or an optical reader. For example, a barcode may be provided on the stack of carton blanks 111, such as on the top or bottom carton blanks 111 of the stack. The barcode can be read by a appropriately positioned barcode reader, which may communicate with the PLC 132. The barcode may provide information that describes the characteristics of the carton blanks 111 in the stack. For example, the barcode may identify the size and / or type of the carton blanks 111 in a particular stack. Other information indicators and reading systems may be used, such as radio frequency identifier (RFID) tags / chips and RFID readers. The information may then be automatically provided to the PEC 132 by the information reader, and the PEC 132 may determine whether the current configuration of the carton forming system 100 can handle the processing of a particular type / size of carton blank 111 without any manual adjustment to any component. Within a range of carton blanks 111 types / sizes, it is intended that the carton forming system 100 may be able to handle the processing of different types / sizes of carton blanks 111 without any manual adjustment to any component of the system 100.As described above, the barcode / RFID tag can provide information regarding the dimensions of the carton blank 111, and the PEC 132 can then determine the adjustments to (a) the operation of the erector device, (b) the magazine 110 and the tamping device within the magazine 110, (c) the movement of the moving subsystem to provide a suitable path for proper pickup of blanks from the magazine and proper handling by the erector device and the folding sealing device, and (d) the components of the folding sealing device to be able to handle a particular carton blank 111 or a particular stack of carton blanks 111. As a result, the carton forming system 100 can automatically process carton blanks 111 of at least several different types / sizes / configurations to form different upright cartons without requiring manual operator adjustments to any component of the carton forming system 100.

[0072] The infeed conveyor 204 may include a series of lateral and horizontal rollers 210 mounted on the underside of the magazine frame 202 for free rotation. The rollers 210 can enable the generally horizontal longitudinal downstream movement of the stack toward the alignment conveyor 206. An infeed conveyor belt 214 may be provided and may be driven by a suitable infeed motor 291, such as a direct current (DC) motor or a variable frequency drive motor (see Figure 1B). The infeed motor 291 may be a DC motor and may be controlled by a PLC 132 via a DC motor drive unit (all sold by Oriental as model AXH-5100-KC-30).

[0073] The infeed conveyor belt 214 may have an upper belt portion supported by rollers 210. When instructions are given to the PLC 132 (for example by a human operator via the HMI module 133), the upper belt portion of the infeed conveyor belt 214 can be moved longitudinally downstream toward the alignment conveyor 206. In this way, the infeed conveyor belt 214 can move the stack of carton blanks 111 longitudinally downstream, with the stack of carton blanks 111 in its outer transverse portion also supported by rollers 210. The PLC 132 can control the infeed motor 291 via a motor drive unit, and thus the infeed conveyor 204 can be operated to move and transport the stack toward and toward the alignment conveyor 206.

[0074] The alignment conveyor 206 may also include a series of laterally oriented rollers 208 mounted to the bottom of the magazine frame 202 to rotate freely. The alignment conveyor belt 216 may be driven by an alignment motor 292 having a corresponding motor drive unit, as well as an infeed motor 291. The alignment motor 292 may also be controlled by a PLC 132. The alignment conveyor belt 216 may have an upper belt portion supported on the rollers 208, on which a stack of carton blanks 111 can be supported. The infeed conveyor belt 214 can be operated to move the stack of carton blanks 111 further longitudinally until the front of the stack abuts against a roughly planar, vertically and laterally oriented inward surface of the front end wall 218.

[0075] The infeed conveyor belt 214 of the infeed conveyor 204 and the alignment conveyor belt 216 of the alignment conveyor 206 may be made from any suitable material, such as Ropanyl.

[0076] A gap sensor 242, such as the Allen-Bradley Electronic Eye Model 42KL-D1LB-F4, may be positioned in the horizontal gap between the infeed conveyor belt 214 and the alignment conveyor belt 216. The gap sensor 242 may be positioned and operable to detect the presence of the leading edge of the stack of carton blanks 111 as the stack begins to move over the gap between the infeed conveyor belt 214 and the alignment conveyor belt 216. Upon detecting the leading edge, the gap sensor 242 transmits a digital signal to the PLC 132 (see Figure 1B) to indicate that the stack has moved to a position where the alignment conveyor 206 can begin to move. The PLC 132 can then activate the alignment motor 292 for the alignment conveyor 206 so that the top of the alignment conveyor belt 216 begins to move the stack downstream. In this way, the stack of carton blanks 111 can be "handed off" from the infeed conveyor 204 to the alignment conveyor 206.

[0077] When the rear end of the stack of blanks 111 passes the gap sensor 242, a signal is sent to the PLC 132 (see Figure 1B), which can respond by sending a signal to stop the infeed motor 291 that drives the infeed conveyor belt 214 of the infeed conveyor 204. The infeed conveyor 204 is then ready to load another stack of blanks 111. Meanwhile, the alignment conveyor belt 216 can continue its operation as it moves the stack of carton blanks 111 to the pickup position.

[0078] The presence of a stack of carton blanks 111 at the pickup position may be detected by a presence sensor 240, which may be the same type of sensor as the gap sensor 242. The presence sensor 240 may detect the presence of the leading edge of the stack of carton blanks 111 at the pickup position and transmit a digital signal to the PLC 132, thereby signaling that the stack is at the pickup position. At the pickup position, the stack of carton blanks 111 can be "squared," and then, once properly aligned, a single carton blank 111 can be taken in series from the stack of carton blanks 111 by the alternating engagement of the electra heads 120a, 120b and the topmost carton blank 111 in the stack.

[0079] The magazine 110 may be configured and operable to allow the stack of carton blanks 111 to be properly positioned and oriented at the pickup position for proper engagement by one of the erector heads 120a, 120b. During the longitudinal movement of the stack of carton blanks 111 by the infeed conveyor 204 and the alignment conveyor 206, the left side of the stack of carton blanks 111 may be supported and guided by a left-side guide wall 200. The left-side guide wall 200 may be mounted on the lower frame 202, may be oriented substantially vertically, and may extend longitudinally over substantially the entire length of the infeed conveyor 204 and the alignment conveyor 206.

[0080] The right side of the magazine 110 adjacent to the infeed conveyor 204 may generally remain open, but there may be a right-side guide wall 201 on the right side of the alignment conveyor 206.

[0081] Possible mounting arrangements for the left guide wall 200 and the right guide wall 201 are illustrated in further detail in Figures 6A–6D. In this regard, the lower frame portion 202 may include bottom support plates 251, 255, 259, and 263 supported on the ground / floor, with the bottom support plates 251, 255, 259, and 263 spaced apart from each other and oriented in a relationship generally parallel to each other laterally. Each of the support plates 251, 255, 259, and 263 has one of the tracks 253, 257, 261, and 265 attached to its upper surface. The left guide wall 200 may be supported by a connector block 267 that fits onto the tracks 253 and 261 and is laterally slidable relative to the tracks 253 and 261. Similarly, the right-side guide wall 201 may be supported by a connector block 269 that fits over tracks 257 and 265 and is laterally slidable relative to tracks 257 and 265.

[0082] A drive mechanism can be provided to drive the left guide wall 200 and the right guide wall 201 on their respective tracks. For the left guide wall 200, a drive mechanism that communicates electronically with the PLC 132 can be provided. As an example, a geared servo motor 258 can be provided, and electronic communication with the PLC 132 can be achieved through the servo drive (see Figure 1B). An example of a usable combination is the Allen-Bradley servo motor MPL-B1530U-VJ42AA, the Allen-Bradley servo drive 2094-BC01-MP5-S, and the Apex gearhead AE050-010FORMPL-A1520.

[0083] The lead screw rod 262 may be interconnected with a servo motor / gearhead 258. The lead screw rod 262 can pass over a nut, such as a brass nut 264. The brass nut 264 may be fixed to a plate 293. The plate 293 may be interconnected with spaced-out, generally vertically oriented bar members 294. The bar members 294 may be interconnected to support a frame (not shown) that forms part of the left guide wall 200. By operating the servo motor / gearhead 258, the rotation of the servo can rotate the screw rod 262. When the screw rod 262 passes over the nut 264, the nut 264 moves laterally, either inward or outward, thereby causing the left guide wall 200 to slide inward or outward on tracks 252, 261, depending on the direction of rotation of the screw rod 262. The encoder is provided within or in association with the servo motor 258, and rotates in relation to the rotation of each drive shaft of the servo drive. The encoder communicates with the servo drive and provides signals to the servo drive, which can then transmit this information to the PLC 132. Thus, the PLC 132 can determine the longitudinal position of the screw rod 262 in real time, and therefore, the PLC 132 can determine the lateral position of the left guide wall 200 and operate the servo motor 258 to adjust the position of the left guide wall 200. A specific type of encoder that can be used is known as an "absolute" encoder. Once the encoder is calibrated so that the position of the screw rod 262 is "zero", the encoder can maintain its zero position calibration even if power to the carton forming system 100 is lost. However, since the left guide wall 200 does not move during the processing of the carton blank 111, the mechanism for adjusting the lateral position of the left guide wall 200 may alternatively be a simple hand-crank mechanism instead of a servo-driven motor communicating with the PLC 132.The appropriate position of the left guide wall 200 during the processing of the stack of carton blanks 111 is the position shown in Figure 7, and it should be noted that the left guide wall 200 is in close contact with the left edge of the carton blanks 111 in each stack. The appropriate positioning of the left guide wall 200 can be shown to ensure that when the blanks are flattened, the first reference line W1 is picked up by the erector heads 120a, 120b and moved through the folding sealing device 130, as will be described in detail below, and is properly aligned laterally in order to achieve proper folding sealing of the carton blanks 111 into the upright carton.

[0084] Similarly, the right-side guide wall 201 may also be provided with a drive mechanism 260 (which may be the same type of component as that used for the left-side guide wall 200) that can electronically communicate with the PLC 132. For example, a servo motor with a gearhead designated as “drive mechanism 260” may be provided, and it may communicate electronically with the PLC 132 via a servo drive. The lead screw rod 266 may be interconnected to a servo motor / gearhead 266 (which may be something like a servo motor / gearhead 268). The lead screw rod 266 may pass through a nut, such as a brass nut (not shown in the figure), such as nut 264. The nut may be fixed to a plate 295. The plate 295 may be interconnected to spaced-apart, generally vertically oriented bar members 296. The bar members 296 may be interconnected to a side wall support frame, generally designated 271 (see Figure 6C), which forms part of the right-side guide wall 201. By operating the drive mechanism 260, the rotation of the servo can rotate the screw rod 266. As the screw rod 266 passes the nut, the nut is moved laterally either inward or outward, thereby causing the right-side guide wall 201 to slide along tracks 257, 265. An encoder may be provided within or in association with the drive mechanism 260, and the encoder may rotate in association with the rotation of each drive shaft of the servo motor. The encoder can communicate with the servo drive and supply signals to the PLC 132. Thus, the PLC 132 can determine the longitudinal position of the screw rod 266 in real time, and therefore, the PLC 132 can determine the lateral position of the right-side guide wall 201. Thus, the PLC 132 can operate the drive mechanism 260 to adjust the position of the right-side guide wall 201. An "absolute" encoder can also be used in this application.

[0085] During the operation of the carton forming system 100 when the carton is erected, the left guide wall 200 may remain stationary, but the right guide wall 201 may be moved laterally as part of the blank stack alignment procedure, thereby providing approximately longitudinal alignment of the side edges of the carton blanks 111 in the stack when the carton blanks 111 are held between the left guide wall 200 and the right guide wall 201.

[0086] A lateral tamping device may be fixed to the right-side guide wall 201 and may be used to influence the lateral alignment of the leading and trailing edges of the carton blanks 111 in the stack, i.e., so that the leading and trailing edges of the carton blanks 111 in the stack are roughly aligned with the vertical axis Z in Figure 7. A lateral tamping device, generally designated 275, may include a horizontally and longitudinally oriented support plate 270, which can be attached at either end to a vertical member of the side wall support frame 271. A block track 272 can be attached to the outer surface of the horizontally and longitudinally oriented support plate 270. A slider block 273 may be fixed to the block track 272 for longitudinal sliding along the block track 272. Attached to the slider block 273 may be a pair of upright support plates, the upper ends of which are fixed to a double-acting pneumatic actuator 276, such as Festo model DFM-25-80-PA-KF part number 170927. The double-acting pneumatic actuator 276 may have one or more piston arms (not visible in Figures 6B and 6C because the piston arms are retracted). The piston arms of the double-acting pneumatic actuator 276 can reciprocate longitudinally between a retracted position and an extended position. Referring to Figure 1B, the pneumatic actuator may be supplied with pressurized air transmitted through an electronic solenoid valve to retract and extend the piston arms. The solenoid valve can be implemented as a Festo model CPE14-MlBh-5J-l / 8 and can be controlled by PLC132. Alternatively, a linear servo drive system (similar to those described in relation to the movement of the left guide wall 200 and the right guide wall 201) may be provided with the double-acting pneumatic actuator 276. Such a servo drive system can be controlled by PLC132.The PLC132 can adjust the movement of both the left guide wall 200 and the right guide wall 201, as well as the double-acting pneumatic actuator 276 for the lateral tamping device, so that the magazine 110 is automatically adjusted to handle carton blanks 111 of a wide range of sizes.

[0087] It should be noted that during the operation of the carton forming system 100 when standing the cartons upright, the slider block 273 does not move along the block track 272. The slider block 273 and components directly or indirectly attached to it (including the double-acting, pneumatic actuator 276) may be shown not to move longitudinally during operation. However, the longitudinal position of the slider block 273 can be adjusted during the setup of the carton forming system 100 when handling a particular size of carton blank 111.

[0088] The piston arm of the double-acting pneumatic actuator 276 may be fitted with a transverse plate 278 that can pass through a longitudinally extending slot 279 that penetrates the right-side guide wall 201. The distal end of the transverse plate 278 from the piston arm mounting portion is attached to a vertical tamping plate 280 located laterally inward from the inner surface of the right-side guide wall 201. The retraction of the piston arm of the double-acting pneumatic actuator 276 can engage the transverse plate 278 with the rear edge of the carton blanks 111 in the stack, and as the front edges of those carton blanks 111 are pushed up against the inner surface of the front end wall 218, the front and rear edges of the carton blanks 111 can be laterally aligned. Although the actuator 276 is illustrated as pneumatic, it will be apparent that other non-pneumatic alignment devices may be used. For example, a linear servo drive communicating with PLC 132 may be employed. The linear servo drive performs the same function as the double-acting pneumatic actuator 276, but the linear servo drive can electronically position the vertical tamping plate 280, thus eliminating the need for the operator to manually adjust the vertical tamping plate 280 during system setup.

[0089] By operating the PLC132 and properly adjusting the right-side guide wall 201 and the vertical tamping plate 280, the carton blank 111 can be moved precisely to a known pickup position, and the orientation of the carton blank 111 can be "squared up" in the stack of blanks held against the front end wall 218, thus ensuring that the carton blank 111 is in the correct position for engagement by the erector heads 120a and 120b.

[0090] In particular, when the stack of carton blanks 111 has roughly reached the pickup position, the PLC 132 can signal the drive mechanism 260 to move the right guide wall 201 laterally inward toward the side of the stack of carton blanks 111. The PLC 132 can indicate to the drive mechanism 260 that it has moved a sufficient distance to bring the end of the carton blank 111 into contact with the longitudinally aligned inner surface of the right guide wall 201 along its length. However, the PLC 132 will not move the right guide wall 201 to such an extent that a force is generated in the stack of carton blanks 111 that the carton blanks 111 buckle and / or are damaged. Such damage is shown to occur in response to the carton blanks 111 being compressed to a considerable extent between the left guide wall 200 and the right guide wall 201. PLC132 may be able to determine how much the right guide wall 201 moves toward the left guide wall 200 based on the size dimensions of the carton blank 111 entered into PLC132, including dimension H (see Figure 10A). Small amounts of compression can be fine-tuned through trial and error for different sized carton blanks 111. It should be noted that for many sizes of carton blanks 111, the carton blank 111 manufacturers adhere to industry standard carton sizes.

[0091] Once longitudinal alignment is complete due to the movement of the right-side guide wall 201, the PLC 132 can actuate the double-acting pneumatic actuator 276 to engage the vertical tamping plate 280 with the trailing edge of the carton blanks 111 in the stack. The PLC 132 can move the drive mechanism 260 a sufficient distance to bring the trailing edge of the carton blanks 111 into longitudinal contact with the laterally aligned inner surface of the vertical tamping plate 280. However, the amount of retraction of the piston arm may indicate that the amount of retraction does not move the vertical tamping plate 280 to such an extent that it generates a force in the stack of carton blanks 111 that causes buckling and / or damage to the carton blanks 111. In particular, buckling and / or damage may occur in response to the carton blanks 111 being compressed too much between the vertical tamping plate 280 and the front end wall 218. The double-acting pneumatic actuator 276 can be fixed in the correct longitudinal position on the block track 272 by proper manual positioning and securing, such as by tightening appropriately positioned screws through the slider block 273.

[0092] Incidentally, the double-acting pneumatic actuator 276 can rest on the left-side guide wall 200. For carton blanks 111 of a particular size / shape, the double-acting pneumatic actuator 276 can be manually adjusted in the longitudinal direction so that when the double-acting pneumatic actuator 276 is retracted, the vertical tamping plate 280 is in the appropriate position to push the carton blank 111 against the front end wall 218 without compressing the carton blank 111.

[0093] The sliding assembly of the components including the double-acting pneumatic actuator 276 may also have a pointer or indicator, and the fixed portion of the magazine 110 may have a numerical scale to assist in quickly manually adjusting the double-acting pneumatic actuator 276 to the correct position on the block track 272 for known carton sizes.

[0094] To recap, exemplary steps in the tamping sequence to ensure that the carton blank 111 is properly square at the pickup position include the following:

[0095] 1. The right-side guide wall 201 expands to a width sufficient to allow the stack of carton blanks 111 to enter the alignment conveyor 206 even if the stack of carton blanks 111 is misaligned and / or if the carton blanks 111 in the stack are not perfectly square to each other and to the X and Y axes, under the control of the PLC 132.

[0096] 2. The alignment conveyor belt 216 moves the stack of carton blanks 111 forward until the carton blanks 111 hit the front end wall 218.

[0097] 3. The double-acting pneumatic actuator 276 is extended, and then the right guide wall 201 is retracted to contact the side of the stack of carton blanks 111, pressing the right guide wall 201 against the left guide wall 200. This aligns the carton blanks 111 so that their side edges are aligned with each other and with the longitudinal side walls of the left guide wall 200 and the right guide wall 201.

[0098] 4. Next, the double-acting pneumatic actuator 276 is retracted, causing the vertical tamping plate 280 to press the stack of carton blanks 111 forward, thereby aligning the carton blanks 111 in the stack so that the front and rear edges of the carton blanks 111 are aligned perpendicularly to each other, and the inner surface of the vertical tamping plate 280 is aligned perpendicularly to the inner surface of the front end wall 218.

[0099] 5. The carton blank 111 is then properly positioned so that the electra heads 120a and 102b can begin picking up the blank from the stack.

[0100] Next, looking at other components of the carton forming system 100, at least a first engaging device may be provided for engaging with the panels of the carton blank 111 in order to remove the blank from the magazine 110, and thus for holding and moving the blank. If the carton blank 111 is a tubular blank, the carton forming system 100 may have a first engaging device for engaging one panel of the carton blank 111 (e.g., panel A), and the carton forming system 100 may have a second engaging device for engaging a second panel of the carton blank 111 (e.g., panel B). The first and second engaging devices may consist of one or more suction cups for applying an attractive force to the panel that acts approximately normal to the surface of the panel to be engaged, as will be further described below. Other types of suitable engaging devices may be employed. The first and second engaging devices may be rotatable relative to each other so that the first panel can be rotated relative to the second panel. The first and second engaging devices may be mounted on a single common erector head.

[0101] Referring to Figure 7, the carton forming system 100 may also include a moving subsystem which can be implemented as a pair of moving devices, each moving device supporting and moving one of the erector heads 120a, 120b. Each of the erector heads 120a, 120b may have its own dedicated moving device which is independently driven and controlled. Thus, the first erector head 120a can be supported and moved by the first moving device 115a. Similarly, the second erector head 120b can be supported and moved by the second moving device 115b. The first moving device 115a may be configured in substantially the same manner as the second moving device 115b. The first moving device 115a may be configured as a mirror image of the second moving device 115b. In this way, the first moving device 115a may support the first erector head 120a from the right side, and the second moving device 115b may support the second erector head 120b from the left side, so that both erector heads 120a and 120b move along a common longitudinal and vertical path. The common path for erector heads 120a and 120b may be a substantially lying or parallel periodic path in a plane parallel to both the vertical axis Z and the longitudinal axis Y in Figure 7. Therefore, the movement of erector heads 120a and 120b may be limited to the vertical Z direction and the longitudinal Y direction (i.e., the directions parallel to the Z and Y axes in Figure 7), and there may be no substantial movement in the transverse X direction (i.e., the direction parallel to the X axis in Figure 7). When the movement of erector heads 120a and 120b is limited to the Z and Y directions only, each moving device can be configured to be relatively less complex than when movement in all three directions is required.

[0102] The movement of the erector heads 120a and 120b by the respective moving devices 115a and 115b can be synchronized so that the erector heads 120a and 120b move along the same longitudinal and vertical paths while moving out of phase with each other, so that one erector head does not interfere with the other erector head, as will be further explained below. Thus, the relative positions of the two erector heads 120a and 120b can be arranged so that the erector heads 120a and 120b do not collide or otherwise interfere with each other during the operation of the carton forming system 100.

[0103] This specification describes only the detailed structure of the second moving device 115b, but it will be understood that the first moving device 115a may be constructed in substantially the same manner as a mirror image of the second moving device 115b. Referring particularly to Figures 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 17, the second moving device 115b may include a vertical moving device and a horizontal moving device. The vertical moving device may include a generally hollow vertical support tube 169, which may have a generally rectangular cross-section. The support tube 169 may be formed from a single tubular material piece, or it may be formed on opposing, vertically extending, and oriented surfaces 164, 165, 166, 168 that are interconnected using conventional mechanisms such as bolts and welds. The support tube 169 can be fixed to a horizontally extending brace plate 182. The horizontally extending brace plate 182 may be interconnected to a vertically extending brace plate 180. The lower part of the vertically extending brace plate 180 may be interconnected with the lower end of the support pipe 169 by a series of angled plates 183.

[0104] A freely rotatable "b" pulley wheel 155b can be attached to the upper end of the support pipe 169. A second erector head 120b may be fixedly attached to the support pipe 169 by a horizontally extending mounting plate at the lower end of the vertically extending and oriented surfaces 164, 166. The horizontally extending mounting plate may be connected to the support pipe 169. The support pipe 169 may engage with a pair of spaced-apart mounting blocks 190a, 190b, and may be bolted together through bolt holes 191a, 191b of the mounting blocks 190a, 190b. The bolt holes 191a, 191b may also pass through the mounting plate at the bottom of the support pipe 169. Thus, as the second erector head 120b is interconnected with the support pipe 169, the second erector head 120b may be shown to move in space together with the support pipe 169.

[0105] A horizontal moving device may be provided to support the support pipe 169 and the second erector head 120b connected thereto, and to facilitate the horizontal movement of the support pipe 169 and the second erector head 120b. The horizontal moving device may include a slide block 158 that can use a rail system for horizontal movement. The horizontal moving device may comprise a pair of spaced-apart, longitudinally and horizontally extending short inner blocks, each inner block fitting into one longitudinally extending rail 160, 162 that firmly holds the inner block but allows the inner block to slide horizontally on the longitudinally extending rails 160, 162. An example of a suitable rail system is the Bosch Rexroth ball rail system, in which the rails are made of steel and the blocks have a race of ceramic balls inside that allow the blocks to slide on the rails. The longitudinally extending rails 160, 162 are generally oriented horizontally and may be mounted on the frame 109. The slide block 158 may be mounted on the longitudinally extending rails 160, 162 so as to slide horizontally along the longitudinally extending rails 160, 162. Four freely rotatable pulleys, “a” pulley wheel 155a, “c” pulley wheel 155c, “d” pulley wheel 155d, and “f” pulley wheel 155f, are fixed to the front of the slider block 158. The drive belt may be routed around the four freely rotatable pulleys, as described later. The slide block 158 may also use a rail system in which a support tube 169 is connected to the slide block 158, allowing it to move perpendicularly to the slide block 158. Thus, the rails extending perpendicularly along the back surface of the support tube 169 may be vertically and longitudinally extending rails. The support block may have runner blocks interconnected to vertical rails on the support tube 169. Thus, the support tube 169 can slide horizontally relative to the slide block 158. Here again, the preferred rail system is the Bosch Rexroth ball rail system mentioned herein.

[0106] A drive system may be provided to drive the horizontal and vertical moving devices. For example, the drive system may include a pair of drive motors interconnected to a drive belt, which interconnects the horizontal and vertical moving devices. For example, the drive system may include a left belt drive motor 150 (which may be a servo motor such as the Allen-Bradley Model MPL-B330P-MJ24AA), which may be mounted on a longitudinally extending beam member 108 connected to the frame 109 (see Figures 1A, 2, and 3). The left belt drive motor 150 may have a left drive wheel 152. Similarly, a right belt drive motor 154, which may also be a servo motor like the left belt drive motor 150, may be mounted on a beam member 108 connected to the frame 109. The right belt drive motor 154 may have a right drive wheel 156. The left drive wheel 152 may be positioned longitudinally away from the right belt drive motor 154, or it may be aligned horizontally with the right belt drive motor 154. Both the left belt-driven motor 150 and the right belt-driven motor 154 are capable of driving in both directions at various speeds, and such rotations are controllable via servo drive by the PLC 132 (see Figure 1B). Both the left belt-driven motor 150 and the right belt-driven motor 154 may be equipped with two separate ports 364a and 364b. One of ports 364a and 364b may be for supplying power lines, and the other may be for communication lines to facilitate communication with the PLC 132. Note that all servo motors described in this document may be equipped in a similar manner. The left belt-driven motor 150 and the right belt-driven motor 154 may also be equipped with a third input to enable an electric braking mechanism.

[0107] The first moving device 115a may also include a continuous drive belt 153. The continuous drive belt 153 may be made of urethane, for example, having a steel wire passing through the drive belt 153. The drive belt 153 may be engaged and driven by a left belt drive motor 150 and a right belt drive motor 154 under the control of a PLC 132. The PLC 132 can independently control the operation of both the left belt drive motor 150 and the right belt drive motor 154 through their respective servo drives. The drive belt 153 may be shown to extend continuously from a starting position on the lower left side of a support tube 169, at which point the drive belt 153 is fixedly attached to a right belt block 159a attached to the support tube 169. From the starting position, the drive belt 153 extends upward to the "f" pulley wheel 155f, with a first drive belt portion 153g, around the upper side of the "f" pulley wheel 155f. From pulley wheel "f" 155f, the drive belt 153 extends horizontally along the second drive belt portion 153h to the left drive wheel 152. The drive belt 153 then passes around the left drive wheel 152, engages with the third drive belt portion 153a below pulley wheel "a" 155a, and extends upward along the fourth drive belt portion 153b to pulley wheel "b" 155b. From there, the drive belt 153 extends downward around pulley wheel "b" 155b and over the fifth drive belt portion 153c to pulley wheel "c" 155c, and then extends around pulley wheel "c" 155c along the sixth drive belt portion 153d to the right drive wheel 156. After passing around the right drive wheel 156 and being engaged by the right drive wheel 156, the drive belt 153 extends continuously from around the right drive wheel 156 to the seventh drive belt portion 153e and reaches the upper side of the "d" pulley wheel 155d. From the "d" pulley wheel 155d, the drive belt 153 extends vertically downward along the eighth drive belt portion 153f and reaches the right belt block 159a, where the belt terminates. The drive belt 153 vertically supports the support tube 169 both at the lower part, where it is interconnected with the support tube 169 at the right belt block 159a and the left belt block 159a, and at the upper part of the support tube 169 through which the drive belt 153 passes the "b" pulley wheel 155b.Therefore, it can be shown that the drive belt 153 also indirectly supports the second erector head 120b in the vertical direction. Furthermore, by adjusting the relative rotation of the left drive wheel 152 and the right drive wheel 156, the relative length of all belt sections can be adjusted through the operation of the left belt drive motor 150 and the right belt drive motor 154. Thus, the relative vertical position of the support tube 169 with respect to the slide block 158 can be adjusted. Furthermore, by adjusting the relative rotation of the left drive wheel 152 and the right drive wheel 156 through the operation of the left belt drive motor 150 and the right belt drive motor 154, the horizontal position of the slide block 158 on the rails 160, 162 can be adjusted, and thus the horizontal position of the support tube 169 and the second erector head 120b can be changed. It will be understood that, by adjusting the rotational direction and rotational speed of the drive wheels 152 and 156 relative to each other, the support tube 169 can be moved vertically and / or horizontally in space, in particular, within the physical constraints imposed by the positions of the left drive wheel 152 and the right drive wheel 156, the length of the drive belt 153, and the length of the support tube 169. This will be understood with particular reference to Figure 17.

[0108] If both the left drive wheel 152 and the right drive wheel 156 remain stationary, it can be shown that the position of the support pipe 169 does not change.

[0109] When the left drive wheel 152 and the right drive wheel 156 both rotate in the same clockwise direction at the same relative speed, the support tube 169, and correspondingly the second erector head 120b, can be shown to move horizontally from right to left.

[0110] When the left drive wheel 152 and the right drive wheel 156 both rotate in the same counterclockwise direction at the same relative speed, the support tube 169, and correspondingly the second erector head 120b, can be shown to move horizontally from left to right.

[0111] If the left drive wheel 152 rotates counterclockwise and the right drive wheel 156 rotates in the opposite clockwise direction, but both the left drive wheel 152 and the right drive wheel 156 rotate at the same relative rotational speed to each other, the support tube 169, and correspondingly the second erector head 120b, can be shown to move straight down vertically.

[0112] If the left drive wheel 152 rotates clockwise and the right drive wheel 156 rotates counterclockwise, but both the left drive wheel 152 and the right drive wheel 156 rotate at the same rotational speed relative to each other, then the vertically extending and oriented surfaces 164, 166 can be shown to move straight upward vertically.

[0113] It will be understood that by varying the speed and direction of the left drive wheel 152 and the right drive wheel 156 in different ways, the motion of the support tube 169 and the corresponding motion of the second erector head 120b can be created to have both a vertical upward component or a vertical downward component, and a horizontal left-right component. Any desired path within these two degrees of freedom (vertical and horizontal) can be created for the support tube 169 and the corresponding second erector head 120b. For example, a path with curved path portions can be created. By independently controlling the rotation direction and rotation speed of the left belt drive motor 150 and the right belt drive motor 154, the PLC 132 can move the support tube 169 and the corresponding second erector head 120b along any vertical and horizontal path, so that the second erector head 120b can transport the carton blank 111 through various processing steps performed by the carton forming system 100. Of note is that this path is subject to physical constraints imposed by the distance between the left drive wheel 152 and the right drive wheel 156, the pulley wheel 155b, and the bottom of the support tube 169.

[0114] Furthermore, by providing two opposing moving devices 115a and 115b, the movements of the first erector head 120a and the second erector head 120b can be coordinated and synchronized, and it will be understood that even if the first erector head 120a and the second erector head 120b move along the same path, their movements will be out of phase. For example, the phase difference between the first erector head 120a and the second erector head 120b may be 180 degrees.

[0115] Therefore, the movement of one erector head 120 does not interfere with the movement of the other erector head 120. Encoders may be provided on each of the left belt drive motor 150 and the right belt drive motor 154, and the encoders may rotate in relation to the rotation of the left drive wheel 152 and the right drive wheel 156, respectively. The encoders are communicable with the PLC 132. Therefore, the PLC 132 can know / determine / monitor the position of the drive belt 153 in space in real time, and thus can determine and know the position of the second erector head 120b in space at any given time. A particular type of encoder that may be used is known as an "absolute" encoder. Therefore, by calibrating the encoders of both the left belt drive motor 150 and the right belt drive motor 154, the carton forming system 100 can be zeroed out so that the zero-zero position of the erector head 120 in both the Z and Y directions is set in the PLC 132. The zero-zero position can be set with the erector head 120 in its leftmost horizontal and vertically raised position. Subsequently, the PLC132 can track the position of the second erector head 120b in virtually real time as it moves through a predetermined processing sequence of carton blanks 111.

[0116] The encoders associated with the PLC132, the left belt drive motor 150 and the right belt drive motor 154, and the respective servo drives of the devices 115a and 115b can be set to the zero-zero position for each of the two separate erector heads 120a and 120b. The PLC132 can then track the positions of both erector heads 120a and 120b in virtually real time as they move independently through a predetermined processing sequence of carton blanks 111.

[0117] Furthermore, the second mobile device 115b is accompanied by a first, generally horizontally oriented caterpillar device 114 having a first caterpillar input end 114a and a first caterpillar output end 114b. A second, generally vertically oriented caterpillar device 118 is also provided, having a second caterpillar input end 118a and a second caterpillar output end 118b. The first caterpillar device 114 and the second caterpillar device 118 may each have a hollow cavity extending along their length. Hoses for transporting pressurized air / vacuum and wires for transporting electricity / communications can be housed within the cavities of the first caterpillar device 114 and the second caterpillar device 118. The first caterpillar device 114 can allow such hoses and wires to move longitudinally as the support tube 169 and the second erector head 120b move longitudinally. The second caterpillar device 118 can enable such hoses and wires to move vertically as the support tube 169 and the second erector head 120b move vertically. The hoses and wires can extend from the outside, enter the first caterpillar input end 114a, and exit the first caterpillar output end 114b. Once exiting the first caterpillar output end 114b, the hoses and wires can extend to enter the second caterpillar input end 118a and exit the second caterpillar output end 118b. These hoses and wires can then pass from the second caterpillar output end 118b through the first input hose 191 and the second input hose 192 on the second erector head 120b (see Figure 30). In this way, both pressurized air / vacuum and / or telecommunication lines are motorized from an external location on the frame 109 onto the moving second erector head 120b. A suitable example of a caterpillar device that may be used is the Ignus E-chain cable carrier system, model number 240-03-055-0. It should be noted that in other embodiments, telecommunication between the PLC132 and the second erector head 120b can be achieved using commercially available wireless technology.

[0118] The second erector head 120b is shown separately in Figures 30, 31, 32, and 33. The first erector head 120a may be configured similarly to the second erector head 120b, but in contrast to the second erector head 120b, which may be supported from the left by the second movable device 115b, the first erector head 120a may be supported from the right by the first movable device 115a.

[0119] The second erector head 120b may have a body generally denoted as 300. The body 300 may be composed of numerous components. Many of the components of the second erector head 120b may be made of high-strength materials such as metal (e.g., aluminum, steel, etc.), hard and strong plastic, or other suitable materials including composite materials.

[0120] The second erector head 120b can generally be configured to accommodate a range of sizes of carton blanks 111 that can be formed into cartons. The second erector head 120b may be configured to be easily attached to the support tube 169 using mounting blocks 190a, 190b and bolts, etc., to allow for easy replacement of the erector head 120. Depending on the circumstances, the easy replacement of the erector head 120 may be shown to allow the carton forming system 100 to be easily adapted to form cartons of different sizes / shapes from carton blanks 111 of different configurations.

[0121] In one embodiment, the second erector head 120b may include a rotatable paddle 310 connected to the distal end portion 314a of the paddle arm 314. The paddle arm 314 may have a proximal end portion 314b opposite to the distal end portion 314a. The proximal end portion 314b may be formed with a circular opening to facilitate connection of the paddle arm 314 to the paddle shaft 316. The paddle 310 can rotate together with the paddle shaft 316 about its longitudinal axis. The paddle shaft 316 can be connected to a rotary actuator 399, such as a double-acting rotary pneumatic actuator, technical part number DSM-32-270-CC-FW-AB, manufactured by Festo. The rotary actuator 399 can rotate the paddle shaft 316 clockwise and counterclockwise up to 270 degrees around the axis of the paddle shaft 316. The rotary actuator 399 may be supplied with pressurized air via hoses (not shown) connected to a first port 395 and a second port 397. These hoses may also be connected to a solenoid valve device 340, which can be controlled by a PLC 132. In this way, the clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the paddle 310 can be controlled by the PLC 132.

[0122] Furthermore, the bottom suction plate 327, formed as part of the main body 300 of the second erector head 120b, is formed in a roughly square cross shape to provide flange-shaped openings for suction cups. A suction plate suction cup 312 is positioned in each of the flange-shaped openings of the bottom suction plate 327. While many types of suction cups can be used for the second erector head 120b, it should be noted that a preferred type of suction cup is the Piab Model B40.10.04AB. Two of the suction plate suction cups 312 are attached to the first support block 319a, which is generally oriented in the longitudinal direction, and the other two suction cups are attached to the second support block 319b, which is generally oriented in the longitudinal direction.

[0123] The first support block 319a and the second support block 319b are generally oriented longitudinally in a parallel relationship with a gap between them, and the first support block 319a and the second support block 319b are joined to other components of the main body 300. Each of the first support block 319a and the second support block 319b has an open passage that interconnects each suction plate suction cup 312 to an outlet from the vacuum generator 330. The vacuum generator 330 may be any suitable vacuum generator, such as the Pisco model VCH12-016C. Each of the suction plate suction cups 312 may be shown to have an inlet interconnected to a hose (not shown) that can carry pressurized air to the vacuum generator 330. The vacuum generator 330 converts the pressurized air supplied to the vacuum inlet port into a vacuum at one of a plurality of vacuum outlet ports. The vacuum outlet port is interconnected to a predetermined suction plate suction cup 312 among a plurality of suction plate suction cups 312 via passages in the first support block 319a and the second support block 319b, so that the predetermined suction plate suction cup 312 can exert a vacuum force. Along the pressurized air passage between the vacuum generator 330 and a source of pressurized air, which may be an air compressor (see Figure 1B), a solenoid valve device 340, for example, a Festo model CPE14-M1BH-5L-1 / 8, may be positioned. The solenoid valve device 340 communicates electronically with the PLC 132 and can be controlled by the PLC 132. In this way, the PLC 132 can turn on and off the supply of vacuum force to each of the suction plate suction cups 312. To properly flow the compressed air, the valve of the solenoid valve device 340 can be driven between an open position and a closed position by a solenoid that responds to a signal from the PLC 132. The electrical line that transmits signals to the PLC132 can also pass through the first input hose 191 to operate the solenoid valve device 340.

[0124] The first downward-extending end portion 323a of the first support block 319a has a first opening 331a configured to receive a laterally mounted shaft 342. The laterally mounted shaft 342 may be mounted to rotate within the first opening 331a. The second downward-extending end portion 323b of the second support block 319b has a second opening 331b configured to receive a laterally mounted shaft 342. The laterally mounted shaft 342 may be mounted to rotate within the second opening 331b.

[0125] A gear wheel device 360 ​​configured to rotate together with the laterally mounted shaft 342 may be attached to one end of the laterally mounted shaft 342. The gear wheel 360 can be interconnected with the drive wheels of the gearbox 362 to form a miter gear coupling. The gearbox 362 may be driven by a servo motor 364 mounted above the gearbox 362. The servo motor 364 may also be an Allen-Bradley model MPL-B1530U-VJ44AA, and the gearbox 362 may be an Apex model AER050-030FOR·MPL-A1520·AB·SERVO·MOTOR.

[0126] In Figure 30, the servo motor 364 is shown equipped with two separate servo motor ports 364a and 364b (individually or collectively, 364). One of the servo motor ports 364 may be for supplying power lines, and the other servo motor port may be for communication lines to facilitate communication with the servo drive and PLC 132. Note that all servo motors described in this application can be equipped in the same manner. The servo motor 364 is controlled by and can communicate with the PLC 132 by connection to the servo drive (see Figure 1B). An encoder may be provided in or in relation to the servo motor 364. The encoder can rotate in relation to the rotation of each drive shaft of the servo motor 364. The encoder can communicate with the servo drive and, by extension, the PLC 132, and supply signals. The PLC 132 can determine the rotational position of the laterally mounted shaft 342. Therefore, when the appropriate signal is supplied from the PLC132, the servo motor 364 can be operated, causing the laterally mounted shaft 342 to rotate in a specific desired direction at a specific desired rotational speed for a desired time. In this way, the PLC132 can control the rotational position of the laterally mounted shaft 342.

[0127] A rotor device, generally denoted as 350, is mounted on a laterally mounted shaft 342 between a first end portion 323a and a second end portion 323b. The rotor device 350 is fixedly mounted to the laterally mounted shaft 342 and may be shown to rotate together with the laterally mounted shaft 342. The rotor device 350 includes a rotor arm 351, one end of which is fixedly mounted to the laterally mounted shaft 342. A mounting block 353 is attached to the opposite end of the rotor arm 351.

[0128] The mounting block pneumatic actuator device 325, fixed to the mounting block 353, may be, for example, model DFM-12-80-PA-KF, or Festo part number 170905. The mounting block pneumatic actuator device 325 is supplied with pressurized air, which can actuate a device that can be controlled by a solenoid valve device 340 in the supply line. The solenoid valve device 340 communicates with and is controlled by a PLC 132 (see Figure 1B). The mounting block pneumatic actuator device 325 can actuate a piston arm 326 to reciprocate between an extended position and a retracted position. The PLC 132 can send a signal to the solenoid valve device 340 to actuate the mounting block pneumatic actuator device 325 to extend the piston arm 326 at a specific angular position of the rotor arm 351 and / or a specific position of the second erector head 120b. The specific angular position or specific position may be provided by an encoder associated with the servo motor 364. Similarly, the PLC132 can signal the solenoid valve device 340 to retract the piston arm 326 to a specific angular position on the laterally mounted shaft 342, and / or to a specific angular position on the rotor arm 351, and / or to a specific position on the second erector head 120b.

[0129] The PLC132, acting via the solenoid valve device 340, can activate the mounting block pneumatic actuator device 325 almost simultaneously with the suction plate suction cup 312 making contact with the surface of the downward-facing panel D, and / or just as the rotor arm 351 is about to begin rotating or has just begun. The piston arm 326 can be fully extended until the rotor arm 351 has rotated approximately 45 degrees.

[0130] Mounting blocks 328 attached to the distal end of each piston arm 326 may be configured to support a pair of piston arm suction cups 320. Each mounting block 328 may have an open passage (not shown) that interconnects each piston arm suction cup 320 to an outlet from a vacuum generator 330. The vacuum generator 330 may be any suitable vacuum generator device, such as the Pisco Model VCH12-016C. As shown above, each vacuum generator 330 has an inlet port interconnected to a hose (not shown) that can carry pressurized air into the vacuum generator 330. The vacuum generator 330 converts the pressurized air supplied to the inlet port into a vacuum at one of its outlet ports. The outlet port is interconnected to one of the piston arm suction cups 320 via a passage in the mounting block 328, allowing the suction cup to exert a vacuum force. A solenoid valve device 340 may be positioned along the pressurized air passage between each vacuum generator 330 associated with the piston arm suction cup 320 and the pressurized air source. The solenoid valve device 340 may be electronically interconnected to the PLC 132 (via wireless communication or wired communication) and controlled by the PLC 132. In this way, the PLC 132 can also turn on / off the supply of vacuum force to each of the piston arm suction cups 320.

[0131] Referring to Figure 11, a suction plate suction cup 312 can be employed to engage with and hold the upper panel A of the carton blank 111. When the carton blank 111 is removed from the top of the stack of carton blanks 111, the rotor arm 351 of the rotor 350 can be rotated approximately 180 degrees so that the piston arm suction cup 320 of the rotor 350 can engage with and hold the lower panel D of the carton blank 111. Once the piston arm suction cup 320 is engaged with panel D, the rotor arm 351 can be rotated 90 degrees backward in the opposite direction. The opposing vacuum forces generated by the upper suction plate suction cup 312 and the lower piston arm suction cup 320 can be shown to deform the carton blank 111 from a flattened configuration to a released configuration as panel D is rotated substantially 90 degrees relative to panel A. The air suction force that may be generated on the outer surfaces of the piston arm suction cup 320 and the suction plate suction cup 312, when activated, can be shown to be sufficient to engage and hold the piston arm suction cup 320 and the suction plate suction cup 312 with respect to the second erector head 120b in a stationary position, thereby rotating the panel D relative to panel A and opening the tubular carton blank 111 into a roughly rectangular configuration. The vacuum generated by the piston arm suction cup 320 and the suction plate suction cup 312 can also be released by the PLC 132 sending a signal to the solenoid valve device 340 at an appropriate time.

[0132] Each erector head 120a, 120b may be configured to handle a wider range of different sizes / dimensions of carton blanks 111 by providing additional piston arm suction cups and suction plate suction cups positioned at different locations on the erector heads 120a, 120b. The piston arm suction cup 320 and suction plate suction cup 312 may be "self-sealing" "self-plugging" suction cups, respectively, and may automatically block if they do not engage and seal with the surface of a particular blank being processed. This automatic blocking may indicate that a pressurized air / vacuum source is interconnected to it to maintain vacuum / suction force against other suction cups engaged with the panels of the carton blank 111. In this way, each of the erector heads 120a, 120b may be adapted to handle a wider variety of sizes / dimensions of carton blanks 111 and the cartons / cases that may be formed therefrom.

[0133] The opening of the carton blank 111 may be assisted by the extension of the piston arm 326 of the mounting block pneumatic actuator device 325 during the rotation of the rotor arm 351. Preferably, the piston arm 326 may be fully extended when the rotor arm 351 has rotated somewhere in the range of about 30 to 60 degrees and returned to the 90-degree position, preferably when the rotor arm 351 is at about 40 to 50 degrees, and most preferably when the rotor arm 351 is at about 45 degrees. This extension of the piston arm 326, and therefore the piston arm suction cup 320, in a generally tangential direction relative to the rotation of the rotor arm 351 may be shown to compensate for the offset of the rotation axis of the rotor arm 351 compared to the rotation axis of the carton blank 111 extending along the fold line between panels A and D. When the rotor arm 351 has rotated to 90 degrees, the effect of the extension of the piston arm 326 ensures that panel D is also oriented at 90 degrees relative to panel A.

[0134] When the carton blank 111 is opened to the configuration shown in Figure 11, the PLC 132 can send a signal to the solenoid valve device 340, which in turn causes the rotary actuator 399 to rotate the paddle shaft 316, and thus rotate the paddle 310. The paddle 310 then engages with the rear flap K of the carton blank 111, causing the rear flap K to fold around its fold line where it joins to panel D. Thus, the rear flap K can be folded inward toward the bottom opening of the carton blank 111. The front bottom flap J can also be folded around its fold line where it joins to panel B by engaging with the upper folding rail / plow 700 and the lower folding rail / plow 701, which form part of the folding sealing device 130. When the carton blank 111, held by the second erector head 120b, is moved longitudinally downstream into the folding sealing device 130, the leading bottom flap J can be folded inward, so that both bottom flaps K and J are folded inward, and the formation of the carton bottom begins.

[0135] Another notable feature of the second erector head 120b is that a carton position sensor device may be provided, which may include a reciprocating sensor rod 380. When not in contact with the carton blank 111, the reciprocating sensor rod 380 extends through the opening 381 of the bottom suction plate 327, below the plane level of the suction plate suction cup 312. When the second erector head 120b is motored vertically downward to pick up a carton blank 111 from a stack of carton blanks 111 in the magazine 110, the movement of the second erector head 120b immediately before the suction plate suction cup 312 contacts the upper surface of the carton blank 111 may be shown to be generally vertically downward. Before the suction plate suction cup 312 contacts the surface of panel A of the carton blank 111, it may be shown that the sensor rod 380 engages with the surface of panel A, and is pushed upward by a spring mechanism that elastically displaces the sensor rod 380, biasing it downward. This upward movement of the sensor rod 380 relative to the bottom suction plate 327 can indicate that a sensor (not shown) is physically activated and, in response, transmits a signal to the PLC 132. The sensor may be an inductive proximity sensor. A metal cylinder fixed to the sensor rod 380 may be sensed by the sensor circuit. The sensor may be an Allen-Bradley 871FM-D8NP25-P3. The PLC 132 responds to the reception of the signal by slowing down the left belt drive motor 150 and the right belt drive motor 154, moving them down by the last few centimeters (e.g., 3.5 cm) so that contact between the suction plate suction cup 312 and the upper surface of panel A occurs at a slower speed, and the PLC 132 can also know how much the second erector head 120b should be lowered vertically downward to establish proper contact between the suction plate suction cup 312 and panel A.It should also be noted that the sensor rod 380 and associated sensor devices can be used to ensure that the PLC 132 can reliably determine whether the carton blank 111 remains engaged with the second erector head 120b once it is engaged with the magazine 110, until it reaches an appropriate release position, such as after the carton has been erected.

[0136] The specific arrangement of suction cups and rotating paddles on the erector head 120 can be designed based on the configuration of the carton blank and the specific panels and flaps that need to be rotated. It will also be understood that in the illustrated erector head 120, the suction cups are used to apply a holding and / or rotating force to the panels of the carton blank 111. However, it will be apparent that alternative engagement mechanisms for the suction plate suction cup 312 and piston arm suction cup 320 may be employed.

[0137] Referring particularly to Figures 1 to 15 and Figure 17, in the folding sealing device 130, the rail and plow device may be configured to properly fold all remaining flaps of the carton blank 111 in preparation for sealing, thereby creating an open carton configuration suitable for transfer to a discharge conveyor such as a discharge conveyor 117. The folding sealing device 130 may include components such as an upper folding rail / plow 700, a lower folding rail / plow 701, a carton support plate 703, a discharge chute 750, an upper flap closing device 705, a lower flap closing device 707, a right-side compression device 706, a left-side compression device 704, and an adhesive application device 709 (see Figure 1). The adhesive application device 709 may have one or more nozzles positioned to apply adhesive to flaps such as flaps J and K. Each of the rails and actuator devices of the folding and sealing device 130 can be supported by rods or other members to interconnect its components to the support frame 109.

[0138] The upper flap actuator 705 may include an upper pneumatic actuator 704a, whose piston arm is connected to the upper plow 708a. Similarly, the lower flap actuator 707 may include a lower pneumatic actuator 704b, whose piston arm is connected to the upper plow 708b. The upper pneumatic actuator 704a and the lower pneumatic actuator 704b may be Festo part number 170928 model DFM-25-100-PA-KF.

[0139] The right-side compressor 706 may include a central pneumatic actuator 710, in which retractable support rods 712, 714 are horizontally aligned and positioned on either side of the central pneumatic actuator 710. The central pneumatic actuator 710 may be Festo model DNC-32-100-PPV-A part number 163309. Referring particularly to Figure 26, the central pneumatic actuator 710 may have a piston arm connected to a longitudinally extending sealing plate 716, along with the ends of the support rods 712, 714. The longitudinally extending sealing plate 716 may have a longitudinally extending upper rail 717a and a longitudinally extending lower rail 717b attached thereto. The upper rail 717a may be positioned to engage with the upper major flap F when the piston arm of the central pneumatic actuator device 710 is extended horizontally and laterally inward to push flaps F and G into engagement with flaps K and J located below it, and the lower rail 717b may be positioned to engage with the lower major flap G.

[0140] The left-side compressor 704 has a left-side actuator arm 711, which can be actuated by a left-side actuator device 719 having a vertically and longitudinally positioned left-side compression plate 720 attached to the end of the actuator arm. The left-side actuator device 719 may be a double-acting pneumatic actuator (not shown) supplied with pressurized air through a hose, and the airflow is controlled by a solenoid valve device 340 which can be controlled by a PLC 132. Other embodiments are also possible. For example, referring to Figure 26A, a servo-driven actuator for the left-side actuator arm 711 may be provided to include a mounting block 741 that is movable along a rail guide 745 fixed to a horizontally and longitudinally extending plate that forms part of the left-side support frame 746. The mounting block 741 can slide horizontally along the rail guide 745. An L-shaped plate 743 can interconnect the left-side actuator arm 711 to the mounting block 741. The mounting block 741 may also be connected at its underside, by nuts and bolts, to a continuous drive belt 757 made of any suitable material, such as a urethane timing belt with steel wires running through it, i.e., the same material that may be used for the belts for the first and second moving devices 115a and 115b. The continuous drive belt 757 may extend between a freely rotating pulley 759 mounted on the end of the left support frame 746 and the drive wheel of the left servo motor 761. The left servo motor 761 may be an Allen-Bradley model AB·MPL-B320P-MJ22AA, interconnected with the PLC 132 together with the servo drive, via a servo drive and absolute encoder. The servo drive may be an Allen-Bradley model AB2094-BM01-S. The left servo motor 761 may be coupled to a belt drive wheel of an APEX·GEARBOX model AE070-005.

[0141] The PLC132 may use an encoder (which may be an absolute encoder) to control the rotation of the drive wheel driven by the left servo motor 761. Thus, the movement of the continuous drive belt 757 is controlled, and the PLC132 can determine the position of the left actuator arm 711 in real time. As a result, the PLC132 can determine the position of the left compression plate 720 in real time. Depending on the type and thickness of the material from which the carton blank 111 is formed, the position of the left compression plate 720 relative to the plate of the right compression device 706 may be adjusted by the PLC132 to ensure an appropriate degree of compression of the flap of the carton blank 111 positioned between them.

[0142] Each of the upper pneumatic actuator device 704a, the lower pneumatic actuator device 704b, and the central pneumatic actuator device 710 may be a double-acting cylinder and may be supplied with pressurized air controlled via an electronic valve device (not shown). The electronic valve device may be a model CPE14-MlBh-5J-l / 8 valve unit, which communicates with and is controlled by a PLC132. Thus, the PLC132 can extend and retract a piston arm during processing of the carton blank 111 to achieve flap closure and sealing.

[0143] The upper pneumatic actuator device 704a and the upper plow 708a may be appropriately positioned and angled downward (e.g., about 45 degrees to the vertical) so that the major flap F can be fully folded so that it can be engaged by the right-side compressor 706. Similarly, the lower pneumatic actuator device 704b and the lower plow 708b may be appropriately positioned and angled upward (e.g., about 45 degrees to the vertical) so that the major flap G can be fully folded substantially simultaneously so that it can be engaged by the right-side compressor 706, or at least so that the right-side compressor 706 can simultaneously compress both flaps F and G toward the minor flaps J and K having upper surfaces containing some adhesive.

[0144] The adhesive applicator 709 may have appropriately positioned nozzles, the operation of which may be controlled by the PLC 132. The adhesive applicator 709 may apply a suitable adhesive to flaps such as a preceding minor flap J and a succeeding minor flap K, once these flaps are folded inward to form part of the bottom of the carton. An example of a suitable known applicator that may be used in the adhesive applicator 709 is the Nordson Model ProBlue 10 applicator. An example of a suitable adhesive that may be used on the corrugated cardboard carton blank 111 is Cool-Lok 034250A-790 adhesive, available from Lanco Adhesives. The adhesive applicator 709 may communicate electronically with the PLC 132, which may be operable to signal the adhesive applicator 709 to apply the adhesive at the appropriate timing while the erector heads 120a and 120b are being positioned.

[0145] The left-side compression device 704 enters the carton from the left side and may be used to compress flaps F, G, J, and K between the left-side compression plate 720, the upper rail 717a of the right-side compression device 706, and the lower rail 717b of the right-side compression device 706. This compression may be provided to help ensure that the panels are compressed together so that the adhesive can properly bond the flaps and create a solid carton bottom.

[0146] In some embodiments, once the left-side compressor 704 and the right-side compressor 706 have completed compressing the flaps, the PLC 132 sends a signal to the solenoid valve device, which can then be pulled out. The carton blank 111 may then be shown fully opened for an upright carton suitable for loading one or more articles. The second erector head 120b can then carry the upright carton to the discharge chute 750, and then release the upright carton so that it falls onto the discharge conveyor 117, which can then move the upright carton for further processing. In other embodiments, such as the illustrated embodiment, the upright carton 111 is released and falls onto the support plate 703, and the next carton blank 111, carried by another erector head moved by another moving device (e.g., a first erector head 120a moved by a first moving device 115a), can remain on the support plate 703 until the next carton blank 111 is moved to a location where it should be folded, sealed, and compressed. In doing so, the next carton blank 111 may push the previous carton downstream, causing the previous carton to fall onto the discharge conveyor 117. Carton discharge conveyors are well known in the art, and any suitable known carton conveyor can be used for the discharge conveyor 117.

[0147] Other examples of transfer devices that may be employed to transfer upright cartons from the folding and sealing device 130 to the carton discharge conveyor include the use of a "blow-off" system that may use one or more compressed air jets, a suction cup system, a pushing arm, or simply allowing the upright cartons to free fall.

[0148] A discharge sensor 243 (see Figure 2), such as an Allen-Bradley Electronic Eye Model 42KL-P2LB-F4, may be located near the bottom of the discharge chute 750. The discharge sensor 243 may be positioned and operational to detect the presence or absence of an upright carton at the input to the discharge conveyor 117. In this way, the PLC 132 can signal digitally that there is an upright carton at the bottom of the discharge chute 750, preventing another upright carton from being discharged below the discharge chute 750. If an upright carton is at the bottom of the discharge chute 750, the carton forming system 100 can be stopped by the PLC 132 until the malfunction in the discharge conveyor 117 is corrected.

[0149] Next, the overall operation of the carton forming system 100 will be explained further.

[0150] As a first step, the operator can access the PLC132 via the HMI133 to start the carton forming system 100. In response to the start, the carton forming system 100 is initialized by the PLC132, and all components are placed in the "start" position. The start of operation of the carton forming system 100 can be permitted by placing a stack of carton blanks 111 at the input end of the infeed conveyor 204 and instructing the PLC132 via the HMI133 to begin processing the stack of carton blanks 111.

[0151] Subsequently, the PLC132 can send an instruction to the drive motor of the infeed conveyor 204 to start driving the infeed conveyor belt 214, allowing the stack of carton blanks 111 to move downstream. At some point before the stack of carton blanks 111 reaches the alignment conveyor 206, under the control of the PLC132, the right guide wall 201 may be driven by the drive mechanism 260 to spread wide enough so that the stack of carton blanks 111 can enter the alignment conveyor 206, even if the stack is misaligned and / or the carton blanks 111 in the stack are not perfectly square to each other. The stack of carton blanks 111 can then be moved downstream until the leading edge of the stack of blanks has passed the downstream side edge of the infeed conveyor 204, and the gap sensor 242 may be instructed to send a signal to the PLC132, which indicates that the leading edge of the stack has reached the input to the alignment conveyor 206. In response to receiving the signal, the PLC132 can send an instruction to the drive motor of the infeed conveyor 204 to start driving the alignment conveyor belt 216, which moves the stack of carton blanks 111 downstream toward the front end wall 218 of the magazine 110. When the front end of the stack of carton blanks 111 reaches the front end wall 218, the presence sensor 240 may be configured to send a signal to the PLC132 indicating that the front end of the stack of blanks has reached the front end wall 218. In response to receiving the signal, the PLC132 can initiate a tamping sequence to "square" the stack of carton blanks 111, as described above herein.

[0152] To recap, the tamping sequence for ensuring the carton blanks 111 are properly square at the pickup position may include the following steps: The tamping actuator 276 is extended after being actuated by pressurized air controlled by the PLC 132 and associated valves. Next, the right guide wall 201 retracts to contact the side of the stack of carton blanks 111, thereby pressing the stack of carton blanks 111 against the left guide wall 200. This pressing can cause the carton blanks 111 to align so that their side edges are aligned with each other and with the respective longitudinal side walls of the left guide wall 200 and the right guide wall 201. The tamping actuator 276 then retracts, and the vertical tamping plate 280 presses the stack of carton blanks 111 forward, thereby causing the carton blanks 111 in the stack to align so that their leading and trailing edges are aligned with each other and with the inner surface of the vertical tamping plate 280 and the inner surface of the front end wall 218. Next, the stack of blanks 111 is positioned appropriately so that the electra heads 120a and 120b can begin picking up blanks from the stack.

[0153] It may be shown that the control of the PLC 132 on the second moving device 115b positions one of the erector heads, such as the second erector head 120b, to a zero position calibrated for the second erector head 120b. The PLC 132 can then operate the left belt drive motor 150 and the right belt drive motor 154 to achieve the following series of operations.

[0154] First, as shown in Figure 17, the second electa head 120b can be moved to the pickup position.

[0155] When the second erector head 120b is motorized vertically downward to pick up the top carton blank 111 from the stack of carton blanks 111 in the magazine 110, the movement of the second erector head just before the suction plate suction cup 312 contacts the top surface of the carton blank 111 may be shown to be generally vertically downward. Before the suction plate suction cup 312 contacts the surface of panel A of the carton blank 111, it may be shown that the sensor rod 380 engages with the surface of panel A, thereby pushing the sensor rod 380 upward. This upward movement of the sensor rod 380 relative to the bottom suction plate 327 may be shown to physically actuate the sensor rod 380 and, in response, transmit a signal to the PLC 132. The PLC132 can respond to receiving a signal by decelerating the left belt drive motor 150 and the right belt drive motor 154 so that the last few centimeters (e.g., 3.5 centimeters) of downward movement toward contact between the suction plate suction cup 312 and the upper surface of panel A occur at a much slower speed. The PLC132 also knows how far down vertically the second erector head 120b should be lowered to establish proper contact between the suction plate suction cup 312 and panel A. It will also be apparent that, using the sensor rod 380 and associated sensor devices, the PLC132 can be established to recognize whether a given carton blank 111 remains engaged with the second erector head 120b once the given carton blank 111 has been engaged with the magazine 110, until it reaches a proper release position, such as after the carton blank 111 has been erected.

[0156] PLC132 can also be configured to activate the solenoid valve device 340 on the second erector head 120b to generate suction force on the suction plate suction cup 312, and optionally generate suction force on the piston arm suction cup 320 as well (however, the suction of the piston arm suction cup 320 can be delayed).

[0157] As illustrated in Figure 17, with the second erector head 120b in the pickup position and suction force applied by the suction plate suction cup 312, the second erector head 120b engages with panel A (see the position of the suction cup outline in Figure 10A) and can begin to lift a given carton blank 111 upward, as illustrated in Figure 18. The PLC 132 may be shown to determine how high the top surface of the given carton blank 111 should be lifted so that, once opened, the first reference line W1 is properly vertically positioned so that the components of the folding and sealing device 130 can perform their respective functions, as described above herein.

[0158] Preferably, when the second erector head 120b has reached a determined vertical position, and preferably while the second erector head 120b is not moving longitudinally toward the folding and sealing device 130, the PLC 132 sends a signal to rotate the servo motor 364. The rotation of the servo motor 364 can be directed to rotate the laterally mounted shaft 342 in a specific desired direction at a specific desired rotational speed for a desired time. The PLC 132 controls the rotational position of the laterally mounted shaft 342 so that a rotor device 350 fixedly mounted to the laterally mounted shaft 342 can be rotated together with the laterally mounted shaft 342. Thus, the rotor device 350 may be rotated to the position shown in Figure 19, in which position the suction-engaged piston arm suction cup 320 may be directed to attach to the underside of a given carton blank 111, particularly panel D.

[0159] In the next operation, the "blank opening" operation, the PLC132 can control the opposing forces provided by the upward-acting suction plate suction cup 312 and the opposite downward-acting piston arm suction cup 320 to begin pulling apart a flat, predetermined carton blank 111. This force is continued by the upper suction plate suction cup 312 and the lower piston arm suction cup 320, causing the rotating device 350 to be rotated 90 degrees backward, thereby moving the predetermined carton blank 111 to the position shown in Figure 20.

[0160] During the rearward rotation of the rotating body device 350, the mounting block pneumatic actuator device 325 may be supplied with pressurized air controlled via the solenoid valve device 340. The PLC 132 may send a signal to the solenoid valve device 340 to operate the mounting block pneumatic actuator device 325 to extend the piston arm 326 at a specific angular position of the rotor arm 351 and / or a specific angular position of the second erector head 120b, provided by an encoder associated with the servo motor 364. The PLC 342 may act via the solenoid valve device 340 to activate the mounting block pneumatic actuator device 325 as soon as the piston arm suction cup 320 contacts the surface of the downward panel D and the rotation of the rotor arm 351 is about to begin or has just begun. By the time the rotor arm 351 has rotated approximately 45 degrees, the piston arm 326 may be fully extended. The piston arm 326 may remain extended when the rotor device 350 is in the 90-degree position shown in Figure 20.

[0161] When a predetermined carton blank 111 is opened, the second erector head 120b can securely hold the blank by the suction force exerted on panel A by the suction plate suction cup 312 and the suction force exerted on panel D by the piston arm suction cup 320. Once opened, the flaps K and J need to be folded inward toward the bottom opening of the predetermined carton blank 111. In the embodiment shown in Figure 21, the subsequent minor flap K is closed by the operation of the paddle 310. Thus, the PLC 132 can send a signal to the solenoid valve device 340. This signal causes the rotary actuator 399 to rotate the paddle shaft 316, and thus rotate the paddle 310. The paddle 310 then engages with the subsequent minor flap K of the predetermined carton blank 111, causing the subsequent minor flap K to fold toward its fold line toward panel D. Therefore, the subsequent minor flap K can be folded inward toward the bottom opening of the predetermined carton blank 111.

[0162] The leading bottom flap J may also be folded by engagement with the upper folding rail / plow 700 and the lower folding rail / plow 701, which form part of the folding and sealing device 130, around its fold line connecting the leading bottom flap J to panel B. This folding may occur when the second erector head 120b is moved longitudinally downstream toward the folding and sealing device 130. As a given carton blank 111 held by the second erector head 120b is moved longitudinally downstream toward the folding and sealing device 130, the leading bottom flap J may be folded inward by the upper folding rail / plow 700 and the lower folding rail / plow 701, so that both bottom flaps K and J fold inward and begin to form the bottom of the carton, as shown in Figure 22.

[0163] Furthermore, when flaps K and J are folded inward, under the control of PLC132, or according to other control or trigger, the adhesive application device 709 can apply the appropriate adhesive to the appropriate positions on flaps K and J via appropriately positioned nozzles. The adhesive can be applied before, during, or after PLC132 moves the second moving device 115b to a downstream position where the major flaps F and G can be folded and compressed into minor flaps K and J. As shown in Figure 23, the adhesive can be applied while the second moving device 115b is moving the second erector head 120b to a downstream position for folding and compressing to close the bottom opening.

[0164] Next, the upper flap actuator 705 may be actuated by a PLC 132 acting via a valve device so that the upper pneumatic actuator 704a extends a piston arm connected to the upper plow 708a. Similarly, the lower flap actuator 707 may be actuated by a PLC 132 so that the lower pneumatic actuator 704b extends a piston arm connected to the lower plow 708b, as shown sequentially in Figures 24 and 25.

[0165] Next, as shown in Figure 26, the right-side compressor 706, equipped with the central pneumatic actuator 710, may have a piston arm extended such that a longitudinally extending sealing plate 716, on which an upper rail 717a and a lower rail 717b are mounted, engages with the upper and lower major flaps F and J. The upper rail 717a may be positioned to engage with the upper major flap F when the piston arm of the actuator device 710 extends horizontally and laterally inward to push the major flaps F and G into engagement with the lower flaps K and J, and the lower rail 717b may be positioned to engage with the lower major flap G. The upper flap actuator 705 and the lower flap actuator 707 may be withdrawn by the PLC 132 when the compressor 706 engages with the major flaps F and G.

[0166] Next, as shown in Figure 27, the left-side compression device 704 can be used to enter the carton blank 111 from the left side and compress the flaps F, G, J, and K between the left compression plate 720 of the left-side compression device 704, the upper rail 717a of the right-side compression device 706, and the lower rail 717b of the right-side compression device 706. This compression can be shown to help establish that the panels are compressed together to ensure that the adhesive properly bonds the flaps and creates a solid carton bottom.

[0167] Once the compression is held for a short time (e.g., about 0.5 seconds), the adhesive has sufficiently solidified / cured, and the flaps are bonded together, the compression can be released by pulling out the left-side compression device 704 and the right-side compression device 706, as shown in Figure 28. The carton is then considered to be a fully upright carton and is released from the folding and sealing device 130 and the second erector head 120b. Release may be instructed to occur in response to the piston arm suction cup 320 and suction plate suction cup 312 turning off the suction force by the solenoid valve device 340. Furthermore, the PLC 132 can rotate the rotor device 350 another 90 degrees backward to the horizontal ready position shown in Figure 29.

[0168] Subsequently, the second erector head 120b can release the upright carton, which falls onto the support plate 703 and can remain in place on the support plate 703 until the next carton blank 111 comes onto the support plate 703. The next carton blank 111, carried by another erector head moved by another moving device (for example, the first erector head 120a moved by the first moving device 115a), is moved to a location where the next carton blank 111 is folded, sealed, and compressed, thereby completely pushing the upright carton downstream to the discharge chute 750, where the upright carton can fall onto the discharge conveyor 117.

[0169] The entire sequence of movement of a given carton blank 111 as it is processed by the carton forming system 100 is illustrated separately in Figures 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D and Figures 11-16. In Figures 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D, the given carton blank 111 is shown in its flattened tubular configuration. In Figure 11, the given carton blank 111 is shown in its open configuration after being opened by an erector head such as a second erector head 120b. In Figure 12, the given carton blank 111 is shown with the subsequent minor flap K folded inward, and in Figure 13, the given carton blank 111 is shown with the leading minor flap J also folded inward. In Figure 14, the given carton blank 111 is shown with the main bottom flaps F and G folded inward. In Figure 15, a given carton blank 111 is shown with flaps J, K, F, and G compressed or in a compressed state to seal the bottom of the upright carton. Finally, in Figure 16, the upright carton is shown with its opening facing upwards so that it can hold one or more articles.

[0170] While the second erector head 120b is handling the carton blanks 111, the first erector head 120a, supported and moved by the first moving device 115a, can perform the same processing as the second erector head 120b, but with a phase difference. For example, the periodic movement and operation of the first erector head 120a may be 180 degrees out of phase with the movement and operation of the second erector head 120b. By arranging the first erector head 120a and the second erector head 120b to operate simultaneously but with a phase difference, it can be shown that one does not interfere with the other. As a result, the capacity of the carton forming system 100 for processing the carton blanks 111 is shown to be significantly increased compared to a system with only a single erector head. It is noteworthy that even with only a single erector head, the processing capacity of the carton forming system 100 is considered to be relatively high. Partly, the relatively high processing capacity is due to the relatively short “stroke” (i.e., longitudinal distance) that the erector heads travel when removing, erecting, folding, sealing, and compressing the blanks. This relatively short stroke means that the components do not travel as far as components in conventional carton erectors. When using two erector heads with moving devices, the carton forming system 100 can process approximately 35 carton blanks per minute.

[0171] It will be understood that by making relatively few changes to the components of the carton forming system 100, the carton forming system 100 can be modified from one capable of processing blanks for open-top cartons to one capable of processing blanks that can be made into open-top trays. Figure 46 shows a plan view of a tray blank that may be processed according to several embodiments. Examples of other blanks to be processed and cartons to be formed are illustrated in Figures 47, 48 and 49, and include blanks for so-called wrap-around half-slot cases (HSCs) and HSC blanks, as well as blanks for wrap-around RSCs.

[0172] It will be apparent that the carton forming system may be configured in a manner different from the carton forming system 100 shown in Figure 1A. For example, several configurations for the carton forming system are disclosed in the patent document filed on 21 December 2018 as U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 230,979 and published on 11 February 2020 as U.S. Patent No. 10,556,713, and in the patent document filed on 3 March 2020 as U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 808,140 and published on 13 May 2021 as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 0138756Al. All of these are incorporated herein in their entirety as references.

[0173] Referring to Figure 50, in overview, the carton forming system 6000 presented as an alternative to the carton forming system 100 of Figure 1A comprises a magazine 6110 adapted to receive and hold a plurality of knockdown carton blanks 111, and an end effector 6120 for taking the knockdown carton blanks 111 from the pickup area and placing the knockdown carton blanks 111 onto a shuttle 6140. As will be described later, the end effector 6120 and the shuttle 6140 cooperate to manipulate the knockdown carton blanks 111 so that they stand upright in the sleeve.

[0174] The carton forming system 6000 may also include a folding device, commonly designated 6130, configured to fold one or more flaps of each sleeve, and a sealing station 6135 into which the flaps of the carton blank 111 are sealed. The carton forming system 6000 may also include a carton reorienting station 6116 and a carton discharge conveyor 6117 that can receive and move the carton once it is fully upright.

[0175] The operation of the components of the carton forming system 6000 can be controlled by a PLC. The PLC can be accessed by a human operator via a human-machine interface (HMI) module fixed to the frame 6109 of the carton forming system 6000. The HMI module can communicate electronically with the PLC. The PLC may be any suitable PLC and may include a unit selected from Allen-Bradley / Rockwell Automation's Logix 5000 series, such as the ControlLogix 5561 unit. The HMI module may be Allen-Bradley / Rockwell Automation's Panel View part number 2711P-T15C4D1 module.

[0176] Next, referring to Figure 50, and looking at the various parts of the carton forming system 6000, the magazine 6110 may be configured to hold a stack containing multiple vertically stacked knockdown carton blanks 111, and under the control of the PLC, it may be operable to move the stack of carton blanks 111 in a horizontal direction approximately parallel to the horizontal axis X to a pickup position where the end effector 6120 can take a carton out of the magazine 6110.

[0177] The magazine 6110 may consist of a single conveyor or other blank supply device for delivering carton blanks 111 to a pickup position. In the illustrated embodiment, two conveyors are disclosed, namely an infeed conveyor 6204 and an alignment conveyor 6206. The infeed conveyor 6204 is configured and operable to move a stack of carton blanks 111 from a stack input position (a position where the stack can be loaded onto the infeed conveyor 6204 by a human or robotic device, etc.) to a position where the stack of carton blanks 111 is transferred to the alignment conveyor 6206 for horizontal and lateral alignment. The alignment conveyor 6206 may be located downstream of the infeed conveyor 6204 and may be used to move the stack of carton blanks 111 to a pickup position. The magazine 6110 can initially hold a large number of carton blanks 111 in a vertical stack, with the stack stationary on the infeed conveyor 6204. The rear wall 6202 attached to the frame 6109 may be configured to prevent the stack from falling backward when it is first loaded onto the infeed conveyor 6204. The rear wall 6202 may have a generally flat, vertically and laterally oriented surface facing the stack of carton blanks 111. The infeed conveyor 6204 may have an appropriate length to accommodate a satisfactory number of stacks of carton blanks 111 arranged in series on the infeed conveyor 6204. The PLC can control the operation of the infeed conveyor 6204 to move one stack at a time onto the alignment conveyor 6206.

[0178] With the infeed conveyor 604 having one or more stacks of carton blanks 111 arranged longitudinally on it, the stacks can be sequentially fed onto the alignment conveyor 6206. A sensor (not shown) may be provided near the infeed conveyor 6204 to monitor whether there are any stacks waiting on the infeed conveyor 6204, and the sensor may be operable to send a warning signal to the PLC that can alert the operator that the magazine 6110 is low and needs to be refilled. The sensor may be Allen Bradley part number 42GRP-9000-QD.

[0179] Of particular note is that multiple stacks of blanks may be provided on the infeed conveyor 6204, and each stack may have relevant information that can be read by an information reader 6205, such as an electronic or optical reader. For example, a barcode may be provided on each stack of carton blanks 111, for example, on the top or bottom carton blank 111 of the stack. The barcode may be read by a barcode reader associated with the infeed conveyor 6204. The barcode reader may communicate with the PLC. The barcode may provide information indicating the characteristics of the carton blanks 111 in the stack. For example, the barcode may identify the size and / or type of the carton blanks 111 in a particular stack. Other information indicators, such as RFID tags / chips and RFID readers, may be used. This information is automatically provided to the PLC by the information reader, and the PLC can determine whether the current configuration of the carton forming system 100 can handle the processing of blanks of a particular type / size without manual adjustment of any of the components. Within a certain range of carton blank types / sizes, the carton forming system 6000 of Figure 50 is intended to be able to process carton blanks of different types / sizes without manually adjusting the components of the carton forming system 6000 of Figure 50. Barcode / RFID tags can provide information regarding the dimensions of the carton blanks 111, as previously described herein, and the PLC can then determine if any adjustments need to be made to (a) the components of the magazine 6110, (b) the movement of the end effector 6120, (c) the movement of the shuttle 6140, and (d) at least some of the components of the folding device 6130, and some of the components of the sealing station 6135 to process a particular stack of carton blanks 111.As a result, the carton forming system 6000 in Figure 50 can automatically process at least several different types of carton blanks 111 to form different upright cartons without requiring manual adjustments by an operator to any component of the carton forming system 6000.

[0180] The belt of the infeed conveyor 6204 can be driven by a suitable motor, such as a DC motor or a variable frequency drive motor, via a DC motor drive controlled by a PLC (all sold by Oriental as model AXH-5100-KC-30).

[0181] When the PLC gives instructions (for example, by a human operator via an HMI module), it can operate the infeed conveyor 6204 to move the stack of carton blanks 111 horizontally downstream. The PLC can control the motor via a motor drive unit and thus control the infeed conveyor 6204 to move the stack toward the alignment conveyor 6206 and transfer it to the alignment conveyor 6206.

[0182] The alignment conveyor 6206 may be driven by a motor having a corresponding motor drive unit. The motor for the alignment conveyor 6206 may also be controlled by a PLC. The alignment conveyor 6206 can be operated to move the stack of carton blanks 111 further horizontally until the front of the stack abuts against a flat front stop picket wall 6218.

[0183] The belts of the infeed conveyor 6204 and the alignment conveyor 6206 may be made from any suitable material, such as ropanil.

[0184] During the horizontal movement of the stack of carton blanks 111 by the infeed conveyor 6204 and the alignment conveyor 6206, the left side of the stack of carton blanks 111 may be supported and guided by a left side wall 6200 which can be fixed to the frame 6109. The left side wall 6200 may be oriented generally vertically and extend horizontally over substantially the entire length of the infeed conveyor 6204 and the entire length of the alignment conveyor 6206.

[0185] The outside of the magazine 6110 adjacent to the infeed conveyor 6204 may remain open, but the outside of the alignment conveyor 6206 is shown as having a movable outer guide wall 6201.

[0186] During the operation of the carton forming system 6000 in Figure 50, the left wall 6200 is fixed, and the outer guide wall 6201 may move laterally as part of the blank stack alignment procedure to provide approximately longitudinal alignment of the edges of the carton blanks 111 in the stack being prepared for processing, as the stack is held between the left wall 6200 and the outer guide wall 6201. Specifically, the PLC may position the outer guide wall 6201 based on the height dimensions of the knockdown carton blanks 111 in the stack being prepared for processing, based on information previously read by the information reader 6205.

[0187] To pick up the blank, the end effector 6120 may have one or more suction cups that provide an attractive force to the panel acting approximately normal to the surface of the panel to be engaged. Other types of suitable engaging devices may be employed.

[0188] The end effector 6120 is illustrated as having a dedicated, independently driven and controlled moving device 6115 that enables the end effector 6120 to move within a plane defined by both the vertical axis Z and the horizontal axis Y. When the movement of the end effector 6120 is limited to the Z and Y directions only, a less complex moving device can be configured than when movement in all three directions is desired.

[0189] The moving device 6115 may generally have a rectangular cross-section and includes a vertically oriented support tube, which is mounted by a mounting block so that the end effector 6120 moves in space together with the support tube.

[0190] The folding device 6130 is shown to have opposing horizontally reciprocating fin plows, namely an upstream fin plow and a downstream fin plow. These fin plows are slidably supported on a horizontal rail 6512 extending in the X direction.

[0191] The horizontal rail 6512 on which the fin plow runs is attached at both ends to the base of L-shaped supports. One of the L-shaped supports is associated with reference number 6560a. The L-shaped supports rest within channels 6562 of the vertical ribs 6109a, 6109b of frame 6109. A servo motor 6568 is meshed with a common drive shaft 6570 to rotate pinions (not shown) in hubs 6572a, 6572b. The pinions mesh with ring gear portions of shafts 6574a, 6574b to rotate shafts 6574a, 6574b, thereby adjusting their vertical position. Shafts 6574a, 6574b are rotatably connected to the top of the L-shaped supports. As a result, when the servo motor 6568 is operated in one rotational direction, the L-shaped support, and consequently the fin plow, rises, and when the servo motor 6568 is operated in the opposite rotational direction, the L-shaped support lowers.

[0192] Similarly, the vertical rails on which the folding plow travels via support arms and carriages are mounted to linear supports that ride on channels in the vertical ribs of frame 6109. A common drive shaft also rotates a pinion (not shown) in hub 6572c, which meshes with a ring gear portion of shaft 6574c to rotate shaft 6574c, thereby adjusting its vertical position. Shaft 6574c is rotatably connected to the top of the linear support. As a result, operating servo motor 6568 in one direction of rotation raises the linear support and therefore raises the folding plow, and operating servo motor 6568 in the opposite direction of rotation lowers the linear support. Furthermore, since all supports are adjusted by a common drive shaft 6570, these supports are all adjusted to the same vertical range by the operation of the servo motor.

[0193] The sealing station 6135 includes a tape sealer 6640 and a flap return rod 6632 supported by a fin support rail 6512 and moving up and down with the fin plow. The sealing station 6135 also has a pair of opposing conveyor belts, namely an upper conveyor belt driven by an upper conveyor belt servo motor 6602 and a lower conveyor belt 6610 driven by a lower conveyor belt servo motor 6612, with the tape sealer 6640 positioned between the upper and lower conveyor belts. The lower conveyor belt 6610 and support base 6614 are supported by the factory floor. The upper conveyor belt is attached to a subframe 6622. The servo motor 6568 has a second drive shaft operably associated with a drive train (not shown) such that the operation of the servo motor 6568 adjusts the vertical position of the subframe 6622, and therefore adjusts the vertical position of the upper conveyor belt relative to the lower conveyor belt 6610. Furthermore, it should be noted that the drive shaft and the common drive shaft 6570 are driven by the same servo motor 6568, and the vertical adjustment of the upper conveyor belt is reflected by the vertical adjustment of the fin plow. However, the drive train is configured with a 2:1 drive ratio such that the drive shaft rotates twice for every rotation of the common drive shaft 6570. As a result, the vertical adjustment of the fin plow, folding plow, tape sealer, and flap support rods provides a vertical adjustment of 2 ncm of the upper conveyor belt. This ensures that the centerline of the carton sleeve is maintained at the height of the fins and tape sealer at any position on the upper conveyor belt.

[0194] The sealing station 6135 terminates at the carton reorientation station 6116. The carton reorientation station 6116 has a pair of deflection plates 6650, 6652 which, as the upright carton falls from the end of the sealing station onto the discharge conveyor 6117, reorient the upright carton from its sideways position at the sealing station 6135 to an upright position on the discharge conveyor 6117 with the open top surface facing upward. The discharge conveyor 6117 can be implemented as a simple endless belt conveyor driven by a discharge conveyor servo motor 6648.

[0195] In another embodiment of the present invention schematically shown in Figure 51, the carton forming system 5100 is configured substantially the same as the carton forming system 6000 in Figure 50, except as described below. In the carton forming system 5100 of Figure 51, a number of magazines M1 to M5 may be supported by one or more frame structures above a common infeed conveyor 6204', which may be configured in general the same way as the infeed conveyor 6204 in Figure 50. The magazines M1 to M5 may be arranged longitudinally above the infeed conveyor 6204', spaced vertically apart from each other. The infeed conveyor 6204' supplies to an alignment conveyor 6206', which may be the same as the alignment conveyor 6206 in Figure 50. Except as described below, the remaining parts of the carton forming system 5100 of Figure 51 may be the same as the carton forming system 6000 in Figure 50.

[0196] Each of the magazines M1-M15 may contain one or more stacks of product packaging, such as case blanks, like the carton blanks 111 which are generally processed as the carton forming system 6000 in Figure 50, and at least some of the magazines M1-M15, and possibly each, may contain packaging / case blanks of different types / sizes and / or configurations compared to the other magazines. The size, configuration and type of the case blanks (and cases which may be formed therefrom) may vary to provide a range of case sizes, configurations and types which can be processed automatically by the carton forming system 5100 in Figure 51 without requiring manual intervention to change the components of the carton forming system 5100 in Figure 51. The PLC of the carton forming system 5100 in Figure 51 can be programmed so that the specific dimensions / overall size / configuration (e.g., regular slot carton or "RSC") / type of each carton blank held in each of the magazines M1-M5 is stored in the PLC's memory.

[0197] Each magazine M1-M5 provides a vertical stack of case blanks above the infeed conveyor 6204' and may be operable, under PLC control, to dispense a single case blank on the infeed conveyor 6204' in a flat orientation on demand. An example of a suitable type of vertical case dispensing magazine configuration is the magazines that make up part of the 310E case erector manufactured by Wepackit, Inc. of Orangeville, Ontario, Canada (see www.wepackitmachinery.com / 310E / 310E.pdf).

[0198] The PLC can give instructions to form cases and, if necessary, cause carton blanks of the appropriate configuration / size to be dispensed onto the infeed conveyor 6204' into one of the magazines M1-M5 to be delivered to the alignment conveyor 6206'. The PLC is thought to selectively move and transport one carton blank at a time from one of the magazines M1-M5 onto the infeed conveyor 6204'. Thus, separate individual case blanks can be supplied by the infeed conveyor 6204' to the alignment conveyor 6206' in a desired order, in series and longitudinally. The specific order / sequence of carton blanks placed on the infeed conveyor 6204' of the carton forming system 5100 in Figure 51 can be determined and selected by the PLC or another control system so that the case blanks can arrive on the alignment conveyor 6206' in a desired order such that it is desired that the blanks be processed within the carton forming system 5100 in Figure 51.

[0199] The PLC can maintain in memory a record of the order of case blanks placed on the infeed conveyor 6204'. For example, this information includes the type / size / configuration of the case blanks, and, if the carton forming system 5100 in Figure 51 includes a labeler, the label information of the labels to be affixed to the carton blanks. A new record can be added each time a request for a new carton is received, and optionally, the record can be deleted when the carton is formed (and labeled). In this way, such records can be maintained sequentially and organized in the PLC's memory using conventional shift register techniques. Thus, a record of the next carton blank scheduled to arrive at the alignment conveyor 6206' can be provided by the output of the shift register when the carton blank arrives, and the type / configuration / size of the carton blank and the label information of that carton blank can be determined from the provided output.

[0200] Additional features that may be incorporated into the carton forming system 6000 are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 0138756Al, published on 13 May 2021 under the name of HJPaul Langen, and the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0201] Figure 52 shows the order fulfillment area 5200 in a plan view. The order fulfillment area 5200 can be thought of as being physically organized into areas or regions related to various functions, either in a logical or physical way. The order fulfillment area 5200 includes a product storage guidance area 5202, a tower storage area 5204, a shipping container guidance area 5206, a product guidance area 5208, an autonomous mobile robot movement area 5210, and a route distribution and aggregation area 5212. In practice, depending on the size of the order fulfillment area 5200, the order fulfillment area 5200 may include multiples of the areas illustrated in Figure 52, and in some cases, one or more areas may be omitted. The product guidance area 5208 may be enclosed by multiple walls and a roof.

[0202] In the product storage guidance area 5202, various products may be indicated to arrive at the order fulfillment location 5200, for example, in multiple transport trailers.

[0203] The arriving products are often assembled on pallets and may be stored in multiple towers, which are located in the tower storage area 5204. Humans and / or robots 5999 may unload the products delivered to the order fulfillment system 5200 (for example, any products may be delivered on pallets by transport trailers). Humans and / or robots 5999 may store the unloaded products in the towers. Once the products are filled, a given tower is moved by a tower transport AMR (described later) so that the given tower is located within the tower storage area 5204. The process of storing products arriving at the order fulfillment location 5200 in multiple towers is described in more detail below.

[0204] In the shipping container guidance area 5206, a plurality of carton forming systems can be arranged according to the design of the carton forming system 100 disclosed in this specification.

[0205] According to an aspect of the present invention, a plurality of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) may be deployed for movement within the autonomous mobile robot movement area 5210.

[0206] Although details will be described later, the AMR may be controlled to visit the shipping container guidance area 5206 in order to acquire a shipping container.

[0207] The combination of the AMR and the shipping container may then be controlled to visit one or more stations within the product guidance area 5208. At a given station within the product guidance area 5208, one or more products may be received into the shipping container carried by the AMR. The stations in the product guidance area 5208 may be associated with the provision of products stored in the tower storage area 5204.

[0208] Upon receiving the products that complete an order, the AMR may then be controlled to move around the autonomous mobile robot movement area 5210 so that further order processing functions are executed. In some examples, the AMR may then be controlled to move the shipping container to a location within the autonomous mobile robot movement area 5210, where the weight of the shipping container may be confirmed. Thereafter, the shipping container is sealed and labeled.

[0209] The shipping container whose weight has been confirmed, sealed, and labeled is then received in the route distribution integration area 5212, where the shipping container is loaded onto a delivery vehicle by a human and / or a robot 5998.

[0210] FIG. 53 is a top right perspective view of an AMR 5300 according to an aspect of the present invention.

[0211] Figure 53A is an upper right perspective view of the AMR5300 in Figure 53 with shipping container 5309 added.

[0212] The AMR5300 may have a base that forms part of a mobile cart 5304. Other components may be mounted to the base of the cart 5304 or interconnected with the base of the cart 5304. The AMR5300 may include an outer case 5302 carried by the cart 5304. The features of the cart 5304 may be familiar from known autonomous mobile robots. In fact, the cart 5304 is expected to include a rechargeable power source such as a battery (not shown) and a transmission (not shown). The transmission, or drive motor, may be configured to move the cart 5304 on a set of drive wheels (not shown). The rechargeable power source, transmission, and drive wheels may be mounted to the base of the cart 5304. A typical modern AMR can run for up to 3 hours between charges. The AMR5300 may be configured to return to a designated charging station as needed. At the designated charging station, the AMR5300 can establish a connection between a charging circuit (not shown) and an external energy source such as a wall outlet.

[0213] In addition to a set of drive wheels, the cart 5304 may also be equipped with a set of stabilizing wheels 5306S, which may be caster wheels, to facilitate the rotational movement of the cart 5304 during operation. Including the drive wheels and the stabilizing wheels 5306S, there are at least three wheels in total, which together support and drive the movement of the cart 5304 on a surface. The cart 5304 may also be expected to include a control system (not explicitly shown) which may be implemented as a processor communicating with memory. The AMR5300 may include a transceiver used to establish a wireless connection with a controller which forms part of the overall system described in more detail later.

[0214] Details of an example design of the AMR5300 are described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 424676, which is incorporated herein by reference. Details of this example design include a description of several suction cups attached to the outer case 5302. As shown in Figure 53A, the suction cups may be shown to act to hold the shipping container 5309 on the AMR5300.

[0215] Figure 54 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the AMR5300. The outer case 5302, which may be made from a suitable material such as molded plastic, fiberglass, aluminum, or other metal, is illustrated with dotted lines to show the contents of the outer case 5302 held within the internal cavity of the outer case 5302. The contents of the outer case 5302 may include a vacuum reservoir 5402 and a number of suction cups 5404 attached to the outer case 5302. The suction cups 5404 may be mounted generally vertically upward with upward-facing contact surfaces. In other embodiments, the suction cups 5404 may be oriented in other directions, such as laterally, additionally or alternately.

[0216] Preferably, the multiple suction cups 5404 are attached to the outer case 5302 in such a way that the suction cups 5404 have upward contact surfaces that maintain the upper surface 5412 of the outer case 5302 flush with the outer case 5302. In fact, the upper surface 5412 of the outer case 5302 may appear to have multiple recesses corresponding to the multiple suction cups 5404. The suction cup 5404 can be mounted using, for example, a 2” piGRIP suction cup manufactured by PIAB in Tabby, Sweden. A vacuum pump 5406 can be attached to the AMR5300 cart 5304, which is in pneumatic communication with the vacuum reservoir 5402. The vacuum pump 5406 can be driven by an integrated electric motor (not shown). Examples of electric vacuum pumps suitable for use as the vacuum pump 5406 are available from McMaster-Carr in Cleveland, Ohio, and Thomas in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The vacuum reservoir 5402 is also in pneumatic communication with multiple suction cups 5404 through the corresponding multiple openings / ports of the vacuum reservoir 5402. Interposed between the vacuum reservoir 5402 and each of the valves 5502 (described below) is a slide plate 5408. The slide plate 5408 may be made of a suitable material such as molded plastic, fiberglass, aluminum or other metal, and may be configured to have perforations / openings corresponding to each opening in the vacuum reservoir 5402. The slide plate 5408 may be movable between a closed position / state in which the openings to the openings in the vacuum reservoir and each valve 5502 / suction cup 5404 combination (described further below) are closed, and an open position / state in which the openings to the openings in the vacuum reservoir and each valve 5502 / suction cup 5404 combination (described further below) are open, thereby generating an attractive force at the upper contact surface of each valve 5502 / suction cup 5404 combination.

[0217] The slide plate 5408 can be moved between the open and closed positions by the operation of the electric actuator 5410. One example of an actuator type that can be used as the electric actuator 5410 is a solenoid valve type actuator such as the model al4092600ux0438 open frame actuator linear mini push-pull solenoid electromagnet, DC4.5V, 40g / 2mm, manufactured by uxcell, Hong Kong, China. Another example of an electric actuator type that can be used as the electric actuator 5410 is the bracketed model VSM0632 6mm micro linear stepper motor screw motor, manufactured by Vic Tech Motor, Changzhou, China. A further example of an electric actuator that can be used as the electric actuator 5410 is a linear potentiometer type actuator such as the LMCR8 series model, manufactured by P3 America, San Diego, California.

[0218] Figure 55A is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the outer case 5302, which is connected to multiple suction cups 5404, a vacuum reservoir 5402, and a slide plate 5408. The cross-sectional view in Figure 55A shows that each suction cup 5404 incorporates a one-way valve 5502. The one-way valve 5502 can be implemented, for example, using a piSave sense flow control / check valve from PIAB of Tabby, Sweden.

[0219] In Figure 55A, the slide plate 5408 is in a first open position. In the first open position, the holes in the slide plate 5408 align with the opening of the vacuum reservoir 5402. The alignment shown in Figure 55A may be shown to allow for the possibility of airflow through each suction cup 5404, into the one-way valve 5502 of the suction cup 5404, and through the one-way valve 5502 of the suction cup 5404 into the negative pressure vacuum reservoir 5402. In particular, when the slide plate 5408 is in the first open position, the airflow through the suction cup 5404 is controlled by the one-way valve 5502.

[0220] Figure 55B shows a cross-sectional view of the same portion of the outer case 5302 shown in Figure 55A. In Figure 55B, the slide plate 5408 is in the second closed position. In the second closed position, the perforations in the slide plate 5408 are not aligned with the opening of the vacuum reservoir 5402. The lack of alignment shown in Figure 55B indicates that the airflow through the one-way valve 5502 of the suction cup 5404 into the suction cup 5404 and into the vacuum reservoir 5402 is not permitted or blocked.

[0221] During operation, the pressure in the vacuum reservoir 5402 is reduced by the operation performed by the vacuum pump 5406. In fact, the vacuum pump 5406 can generate negative pressure in the vacuum reservoir 5402 in response to instructions received from the control system, powering an integrated electric motor. When the control system controls the drive wheels 5306D to steer the AMR 5300, the slide plate 5408 is maintained in a second position, which may reduce vacuum pressure leakage.

[0222] Figure 56A shows an embodiment of the basic concept of the performance center 7000 utilizing AMR equipment such as the AMR5300 in Figure 53 and / or the AMR5800 shown in Figure 58 and described below.

[0223] Of the multiple AMRs in the system, each AMR, such as the AMR5800 (and / or AMR5300), can be programmed to move from station to station along the following route 7680. 1. Each AMR5300 / 5800 moves to one of several case induction stations 7628, where a case erector transports a carton, which is upright and has its bottom sealed, onto the AMR5300 / 5800. 2. Next, each AMR5300 / 5800 moves to one or more product guidance stations within the product guidance area 7608, which may be manual product guidance stations and / or robotic product guidance stations, in which an operator and / or robot places one or more ordered products into an upright carton. Robotic product guidance stations are sometimes called product transfer devices. 3. Next, each AMR5300 / 5800 moves to one of several order verification stations 7630 to verify that the contents of the case match the ordered products. 4. Each AMR5300 / 5800 then moves to and passes through the top sealer 7620 and case labeler 7624. 5. Each AMR5300 / 5800 then moves to the finished case discharge conveyor 7626. 6. Each AMR5300 / 5800 then moves to the charging station 7622 or returns to one of the case induction stations 7628, where the case assembler transfers the assembled and bottom-sealed cases onto the AMR5300 / 5800, and the cycle can be repeated.

[0224] The case erector of case guidance station 7628 may be a model MC-17169 case erector manufactured by AFA Systems, Inc. of Ontario, Canada, or any other case erector described herein. Case guidance station 7628 is sometimes also called a shipping container delivery system. The case top sealer 7620 and case labeler 7624 may also be equipment available from AFA Systems, Inc. The case erector of case guidance station 7628 is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 0138756Al, published on 13 May 2021, and its entirety is incorporated herein by reference.

[0225] FIG. 68 shows a front left perspective view of an exemplary arrangement of a case top sealer 7620 (and may also provide exemplary case sealers for other order fulfillment systems described herein). The exemplary case top sealer 7620 of FIG. 68 is understood to have many of the same features and components as known case top sealers. However, the exemplary case top sealer 7620 of FIG. 68 can be distinguished from known case top sealers in that the standing carton is maintained on the AMR5300 / 5800 while the standing carton is being acted upon by the components of the exemplary case top sealer 7620 of FIG. 68. That is, the example of the case top sealer 7620 of FIG. 68 can be considered a “drive-through” sealing device. The AMR5300 / 5800 can utilize only its own drive mechanism to move through the sealing device 7620 and be powered.

[0226] The components of the exemplary case top sealer 7620 of FIG. 68 can include a pair of guide belts 6802 that extend longitudinally and are spaced laterally apart. The pair of longitudinally extending guide belts 6802 spaced laterally apart may be made of a suitable material such as rubber. Each guide belt 6802 may be arranged to loop around a pair of freely rotatable pulley wheels, which may be rotatable about axles oriented generally vertically. The guide belts 6802 may be shown to be operable to guide the standing carton through the exemplary case top sealer 7620 during longitudinal movement of the AMR5300 / 5800 with the standing carton thereon. The guide belts may be shown to contact respective opposing side surfaces of the standing carton during longitudinal movement of the AMR5300 / 5800 with the standing carton fixed thereon through the exemplary case top sealer 7620 of FIG. 68.

[0227] In embodiments of the present invention, the movement and positioning of the guide belt 6802 can be sensed by a guide belt movement sensor (not shown). The output from the guide belt movement sensor may indicate the movement of the AMR5300 / 5800 and the upright carton through the case top sealer 7620, or it may be transmitted to an order fulfillment processor, the operation of which will be described in more detail below. Conveniently, the position of the pulley wheel is laterally adjustable to change the distance between the guide belts 6802, thereby accommodating upright cartons of different dimensions.

[0228] In common with known case top sealers, the components of the exemplary case top sealer 7620 in Figure 68 may include one or more folding rails 6806, one or more flap kickers such as a rear flap kicker 6808, and a sealing system 6804. In operation, as the guide belt 6802 guides the upright carton through the exemplary case top sealer 7620 during the longitudinal movement of the AMR5300 / 5800 having the upright carton on it, the rear flap kicker 6808 may act to close the rear top flap, and the folding rail 6806 (and / or one or more other flap kicker devices) may act to close the front top flap and side top flaps. Similar to known case top sealers, following or in conjunction with the closing of the top flap, the sealing system 6804 may act to seal the carton by applying tape or other adhesive and holding the top flap in the closed position.

[0229] In a similar manner to the exemplary case-top sealer 7620 in Figure 68, which is considered a “drive-through” sealing device, the case labeler 7624 is considered a “drive-through” case labeler such that the AMR5300 / 5800 moves entirely within the case labeler 7624 under its own power. In fact, the case-top sealer 7620 and the case labeler 7624 may be placed side by side so that when the AMR5300 / 5800 transports the upright carton through the side-by-side case-top sealer 7620 and case labeler 7624, the opened upright carton is closed, sealed and labeled.

[0230] Figure 56 shows a plan view of part 5600 of the order fulfillment center. Part 5600 of the fulfillment center includes a charging station 5602, a shipping container guidance station 5604, multiple product loading stations 5606A, 5606B, 5606C (collectively or individually 5606), a dunnage guidance station (not shown), an inspection station (not shown), a rework station (not shown), an order verification station (not shown in Figure 56), a closing station 5616, and a shipping staging station 5618. The shipping container guidance station 5604 is also called the shipping container delivery system.

[0231] Figure 57 shows exemplary steps in the process of fulfilling an order.

[0232] As shown in Figure 56, the control system may control the drive wheel 5306D to move the AMR 5300 from the charging station 5602 to the shipping container guidance station 5604 (step 5702, Figure 57). Once the AMR 5300 arrives at the shipping container guidance station 5604, the control system may control the electric actuator 5410 to move the slide plate 5408 to the first position. Minimizing vacuum leakage in the reservoir is considered an important step in minimizing the number of operations and operating time of the vacuum pump 5406. Frequent operation of the mounted vacuum pump 5406 may be shown to reduce the cycle time (time between recharge sessions) of the AMR 5300.

[0233] At the shipping container guidance station 5604, a shipping container 5309 of appropriate size to fulfill a customer's order may be received onto the top surface 5412 of the outer case 5302 (step 5704, Figure 57) (see Figure 53A). Under conditions where the shipping container 5309 does not completely cover the top surface 5412 of the outer case 5302, a subset of the one-way valves 5502 may be indicated to sense that the shipping container is covering it. In response to the sensing, a subset of the one-way valves 5502 may operate to open autonomously. The remaining one-way valves 5502 may remain closed. The shipping container 5309 may be a flexible (e.g., plastic) type bag, envelope, tray, carton, case, or box. If the shipping container 5309 is not filled with goods, it may have a relatively low mass / weight, and therefore, if not secured to the top surface 5412 by suction force(s), it may be prone to shifting, especially during the movement of the cart 5304 while it is in motion.

[0234] The AMR5300 may generate suction force in each of the suction cups 5404 of at least some of the multiple suction cups 5404 (step 5706, Figure 57), thereby holding the shipping container 5309 on the AMR5300.

[0235] The combination of the slide plate 5408 moving to a first position and a subset of the one-way valves 5502 opening autonomously may be shown to allow the suction cups 5404 to act on the shipping container 5309 to maintain the shipping container 5309 in place on the top surface 5412 of the outer case 5302. In some embodiments, the footprint of the shipping container 5309 is such that when it is placed on and held on the top surface 5412, the boundaries of the shipping container 5309 do not extend beyond the perimeter of the top surface 5412.

[0236] When the shipping container does not completely cover the top surface 5412 of the outer case 5302, only a subset of the multiple suction cups 5404 corresponding to a subset of the autonomously opened one-way valve 5502 acts on the shipping container 5309. The one-way valve 5502 may be configured and operate such that the corresponding state of the valve changes only when a surface area of ​​the object (e.g., a portion of the bottom surface of the shipping container 5309) covers the corresponding suction cup 5404, from a substantially non-operating mode (which may allow only a very low level of airflow to the suction cup 5404 / valve 5502 combination) to an operating mode that gives substantially increased (e.g., full) suction force to be produced by the suction cup 5404 / valve 5502 combination, which is created by substantially increased (e.g., full) airflow to the suction cup 5404 / valve 5502 combination. By activating only the suction cups 5404 that are partially covered by the surface of the shipping container, energy consumption by the AMR 5300 may be reduced compared to an embodiment in which all of the one-way valves 5502 open simultaneously and all of the suction cups 5404 are activated, regardless of whether the contact surface of the shipping container 5309 covers all or only part of the contact surface of the suction cups 5404. For example, a relatively small vacuum pump can be used, resulting in lower investment in the pump and reduced energy consumption.

[0237] The one-way valve 5502 can be shown to enable the AMR 5300 to adapt to shipping containers of various sizes and shapes to maintain the shipping container in place on the top surface 5412 of the outer case 5302. That is, the AMR 5300 can adapt to maintain the shipping container 5309 in place when the shipping container is a standard slotted bottom case, a cardboard box with an open top or side, a carton with an open top or side, a flexible bag with an open end, or an envelope with an open top or side. In general, the AMR 5300 can be considered to be able to efficiently adapt to maintain the shipping container in place for shipping containers of various sizes, such as any type of shipping container having a bottom portion that can cover one or more suction cups and having openings on the top, side, or end of the shipping container.

[0238] Since the shipping container 5309 is held in place on the top surface 5412 of the outer case 5302, the shipping container 5309 can remain fixed to the AMR 5300. In other words, the shipping container 5309 can be prevented from moving or falling while the AMR 5300 is transporting the shipping container 5309 to various stations around the fulfillment center (see Figure 56), loading products into the shipping container 5309, closing and labeling the shipping container 5309, and performing other operations. It will be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein may be particularly advantageous when the shipping container 5309 is empty or contains lighter items that are likely to move around on the top surface 5412 or fall from the top surface 5412, especially when the cart 5304 is moving during operation.

[0239] In some embodiments, while suction force is generated in each of at least some of the suction cups 5404 to hold the shipping container 5309 on the AMR 5300, the control system of the cart 5304 may then execute an instruction to move the AMR 5300 from the shipping container guidance station 5604 to one or more goods loading stations 5606 (step 5708, Figure 57) by instructing the transmission to appropriately move a set of drive wheels 5306D.

[0240] Accordingly, the AMR5300 may be instructed to move the shipping container 5309 from the shipping container guidance station 5604 to the first product loading station 5606A (step 5708, Figure 57), in which case the AMR5300 may maintain its hold on the shipping container 5309 while the shipping container 5309 receives the products loaded therein (step 5710, Figure 57). The loading of products into the shipping container 5309 may be performed autonomously, for example, by a product loading robot (not shown) that is given instructions, or manually, for example, by a person. The AMR5300 may also transport the shipping container 5309 from the first product loading station 5606A to a second product loading station 5606B, where further products may be loaded into the shipping container 5309.

[0241] If the AMR5300 determines that it has not yet visited the complete set of product loading stations 5606 for a particular customer order (step 5712, Figure 57), the control system may move the AMR5300 (step 5714, Figure 57) to transport the shipping container 5309 to an additional product loading station 5606.

[0242] If the AMR100 determines that it has visited the complete set of product loading stations 5606 for a particular customer order (step 5712, Figure 57), the control system may move the AMR5300 (step 5714, Figure 57) to transport the shipping container 5309 from the last product loading station 5606 to the top-closing and labeling system (not shown) at the closing station 5616.

[0243] The top-closing and labeling system may be designed to accept standard slotted cases, envelopes, or bags, among other shipping containers. The shipping container 5309 can be closed and labeled by the top-closing and labeling system without the shipping container 5309 leaving its fixed position on the top surface 5412 of the outer case 5302.

[0244] Conveniently, as proposed herein, the number of performance tasks that can be performed when goods are directly loaded into the shipping container 5309 fixed to the AMR5300 is shown to be significantly reduced compared to the number of performance tasks that would currently need to be performed in conventional performance operations.

[0245] Upon visiting the closing station 5616, the control system may move the AMR 5300 (step 5716, Figure 57) to transport the shipping container 5309 from the closing station 5616 to the appropriate shipping staging station 5618. At the shipping staging station 5618, the control system of the AMR 5300 may control the electric actuator 5410 to move the slide plate 5408 to a second position. It should be understood that when the slide plate 5408 is in the second position, the vacuum cup 5404 no longer acts to maintain a grip on the shipping container 5309, and the shipping container 5309 is released from the AMR 5300 (step 5718, Figure 57). Thus, the shipping container 5309 is removed from the AMR 5300 and lowered at the shipping staging station 5618, for example, onto the appropriate shipping staging conveyor.

[0246] In addition to the aforementioned loading station 5606, closing station 5616, and shipping staging station 5618, the AMR 5300 may be configured to transport shipping containers 5309 to and from various other stations or areas such as dunnage guidance stations, inspection stations, rework stations, and order confirmation stations.

[0247] When shipping container 5309 is removed from AMR 5300, AMR 5300 may be controlled to return to shipping container guidance station 5604 to obtain a new shipping container, which is suitable for the next customer order to be fulfilled.

[0248] Conveniently, the one-way valves 5502 and their ability to open autonomously in response to sensing that the shipping container 5309 is covering them can be shown to minimize vacuum loss when any part of the suction cups 5404 is not covered by the shipping container, thereby giving the AMR 5300 a universal feature.

[0249] Furthermore, the sliding plate 5408 may be configured to function as a vacuum cutoff, thereby establishing that any shipping container of any size fixed to the AMR5300 can be released at any time during the execution process without losing the vacuum in the vacuum reservoir 5402.

[0250] In particular, the combination of the outer case 5302 and the vacuum pump 5406 is intended to be used in combination to retrofit existing versions of the cart 5304. Of course, for proper operation, the cart's control system will receive appropriate software updates. Furthermore, the AMR 5300 may be formed integrally; that is, there does not need to be an identifiable distinction between the cart 5304 and the elements described herein as being housed in the outer case 5302.

[0251] The features of the cart 5304 in Figure 53 may be familiar from known autonomous mobile robots. In fact, the cart 5304 is expected to include a rechargeable power source such as a battery (not explicitly shown) and a transmission (not explicitly shown). The transmission or drive motor may be configured to move the cart 5304 on a pair of drive wheels 5306D. The rechargeable power source, transmission and drive wheels 5306D may be mounted on the base of the cart 5304. A typical modern AMR can run for up to 3 hours between charges. The AMR 5300 may be configured to return to a designated charging station 5602 if necessary. At the designated charging station 5602, the AMR 5300 can establish a connection between a charging circuit (not shown) and an external energy source such as a wall outlet.

[0252] It will be clear that other mechanisms are available to maintain the shipping container on the AMR. Figure 58 shows the AMR5800 as an alternative to the AMR5300 of Figure 53, according to an aspect of the present invention.

[0253] The AMR5800 may have a base that forms part of the mobile cart 5804. Other components may be attached to the base of the cart 5804 or interconnected with the base of the cart 5804. Similar to the AMR5300 in Figure 53, the AMR5800 in Figure 58 may include an onboard control system (not shown). The AMR5800 may include a first belt 5802A and a second belt 5802B carried by the cart 5804. The first belt 5802A may be controlled in a manner independent of how the second belt 5802B is controlled, for example, by an onboard control system (not shown). Attached to the first belt 5802A may be a first lug 5812A. Attached to the second belt 5802B may be a second lug 5812B.

[0254] The first lug 5812A may be biased toward or toward the second lug 5812B by an on-board control system that controls the first belt 5802A. Similarly, the second lug 5812B may be biased toward or toward the first lug 5812A by an on-board control system that controls the second belt 5802B. In this way, by manipulating the positions of the first lug 5812A and the second lug 5812B relative to each other, the on-board control system can control the first belt 5802A and the second belt 5802B to prepare a gap between the first lug 5812A and the second lug 5812B that is suitable for easily loading upright shipping containers of selected dimensions (e.g., selected length and / or width of the bottom surface of the upright carton). Further manipulation of the positions of the first lug 5812A and the second lug 5812B relative to each other allows the onboard control system to control the first belt 5802A and the second belt 5802B to close the gap between the first lug 5812A and the second lug 5812B, thereby securing the upright carton between them. The action of the first lug 5812A and the second lug 5812B may also be shown to prevent the upright carton from accidentally falling from the AMR 5800. For example, in the embodiment shown in Figure 58, the shipping container 5809 is maintained on the AMR 5800 while being acted upon by the first lug 5812A and the second lug 5812B. When an upright carton containing goods arrives at the location where it is unloaded from the AMR5800, the onboard control system can control the second belt 5802B to disengage the second lug 5812B from the upright carton. The onboard control system can also control the first belt 5802A, and by extension the first lug 5812A, to guide the upright carton containing one or more goods onto an infield conveyor associated with further processing of the upright carton. For example, the input conveyor may be associated with a carton sealer, as described later.In another embodiment of this application, a robotic arm (not shown) can pick up an upright carton from the AMR5800 and place the upright carton on an input conveyor related to further processing of the upright carton.

[0255] Thus, the AMR5800 may be used to transport shipping containers and may consist of a mobile cart, a control system for controlling the operation of an autonomous mobile robot, a first belt having a top surface including a first lug, and a second belt having a top surface including a second lug. The control system may be operable to control and adjust the spacing of the first lug relative to the second lug such that the spacing between the first and second lug is suitable for positioning the shipping container between the first and second lug on the top surfaces of the first and second belts, or for removing it from between the first and second lug, and the spacing of the second lug is a second position for the first and second lug to engage with the sides of the shipping container in order to secure the shipping container between the first and second lug on the top surfaces of the first and second belts. The top surfaces of the first and second belts may be configured to support the shipping container thereon, and when the shipping container is secured between the first and second lug, the shipping container is supported on the first and second surfaces of the belts. The movement of the AMR5800 shown in Figure 58 is the same as that of the AMR5300 shown in Figure 53 (explained with reference to Figure 56).

[0256] As seen from Figure 57, if the AMR 5800 shown in Figure 58 is used instead of the AMR 5300 shown in Figure 53, some of the steps will differ. In particular, step 5706 indicates a step of generating suction force on each of at least some of the multiple suction cups 5404, thereby holding the shipping container 5309 on the AMR 5300. In the context of the AMR 5800 shown in Figure 58, step 5704 is expected to include holding the shipping container 5809 on the AMR 5800 by the action of lugs 5812A, 5812B. Step 5718 in Figure 57 has been discussed as relating to releasing the shipping container 5309 from the AMR 5300 by reducing the suction provided by the multiple suction cups 5404. In the context of releasing the shipping container 5809 from the AMR5800, the onboard control system controls the first belt 5802A and the second belt 5802B to discharge the shipping container 5809 from the AMR5800 to the shipping staging station 5618. In the context of both the AMR5300 in Figure 53 and the AMR5800 in Figure 58, step 5714, which moves the AMR5300 / 5800 to a closing station, may include driving the AMR5300 / 5800 through the case top sealer 7620 and case labeler 7624 (see Figure 56A) to close the opened flaps, seal the shipping container, and label the shipping container.

[0257] In an exemplary cycle through the portion 5600 of the fulfillment center shown in Figure 56, the AMR 5800 may move to the shipping container guidance station 5604, where upright, bottom-sealed cartons may be transferred onto the AMR 5800. The AMR 5800 may then move to one or more product loading stations 5606, where a human operator or robot can place one or more products into the upright, bottom-sealed cartons. The AMR 5800 may then move to the order verification station 7630 (see Figure 56A) to verify the contents of the upright, bottom-sealed cartons. The AMR 5800 may further move to and pass through the closing station 5616. The loading station 5616 may be implemented to include a top sealer and labeling system. Thus, at the closing station 5616, the upright, bottom-sealed cartons may be top-sealed and labeled. The AMR5800 may then move the top-sealed and labeled carton to the shipping staging station 5618. The shipping staging station 5618 may be implemented to include a finished case discharge conveyor. The AMR5800 may then release the top-sealed and labeled carton at the shipping staging station 5618. The AMR5800 may then move to the charging station 5602. Alternatively, the AMR5800 may return to the shipping container guidance station 5604, where another upright and bottom-sealed carton is transferred onto the AMR5800, thereby repeating the cycle outlined herein.

[0258] The order fulfillment system 1000 is schematically shown in Figure 64. The order fulfillment system 1000 in Figure 64 can be understood to operate in the context of the order fulfillment location 5200 in Figure 52. The order fulfillment system 1000 is illustrated in Figure 64 as including several components, including an order fulfillment processor 1300. The order fulfillment system 1000 may include, for example, a plurality of carton forming systems 1100A, 1100B, and 1100C located in the shipping container guidance area 5206. The carton forming systems 1100A, 1100B, and 1100C may also be called the shipping container delivery system.

[0259] The order fulfillment system 1000 may include a plurality of AMRs 1400A, 1400B, and 1400C. In Figure 64, the order fulfillment system 1000 is illustrated as including a plurality of carton sealing devices 1500A, 1500B, and 1500C. A plurality of customer ordering devices may also be provided, including a first customer ordering device 1200A, a second customer ordering device 1200B, and a third customer ordering device 1200C. The customer ordering devices 1200A, 1200B, and 1200C may be linked to the order fulfillment processor 1300. The first customer ordering device 1200A may be, for example, a telephone capable of communicating with a call center 1250. The call center 1250 may be adapted to receive orders from customers operating the first customer ordering device 1200A, and then, through the call center software, a call center operator may enter an order for one or more products. The order may be communicated to the order fulfillment processor 1300 via a communication link. The second customer order device 1200B and the third customer order device 1200C may be personal computing devices, including mobile phones and personal computers, that are capable of direct communication with the order fulfillment processor 1300, for example, via a wireless communication network and / or a land communication network. This communication network may be, for example, an IPv4, IPv6, X.25, IPX compliant or similar network. Thus, this network may be the public internet. Through the operation of appropriate software on the customer order devices 1200B and 1200C and the order fulfillment processor 1300, the customer order devices 1200B and 1200C may be adapted to input orders for one or more products to the order fulfillment processor 1300. For example, the customer order devices 1200B and 1200C may be adapted to run an appropriate hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) compliant browser to access data and services provided by an HTTP server application run by the order fulfillment processor 1300. Through the use of an HTTP-enabled browser, customer ordering devices 1200B and 1200C can input orders for one or more products to the order fulfillment processor 1300.

[0260] The order fulfillment processor 1300 may be a mainframe computer, a server, or other computing device capable of processing customer orders received directly or indirectly from customer order devices 1200A, 1200B, 1200C. The order fulfillment processor 1300 may include a database containing information that can be stored in appropriate memory therein, which includes (a) information / details of all products that can be ordered by a customer through the order fulfillment system 1000, including the physical volume and / or actual physical dimensions (e.g., height, width, length, and / or diameter) occupied by space, optionally the weight of each product, and optionally a product code associated with each product, such as a Universal Product Code (UPC) or, if the product is a book, an International Standard Book Number (ISBN); (b) information / details of each of several types / sizes / configurations of cartons / carton blanks that can be used or used by the order fulfillment system 1000 to package one or more products ordered by a customer, including the dimensions of each type of carton / carton blank; and (c) information / details of each carton forming system. For example, information / details of the carton forming systems 1100A, 1100B, 1100C) including information / details of the cartons that each carton forming system can form (such as type, size, and / or configuration), and optionally, if the carton forming system includes multiple magazines, the type, size, and / or configuration of the carton blanks provided to each of those magazines, as well as the corresponding type, size, and / or configuration of the upright cartons that can be formed from each type of carton blank, and optionally, the quantity of carton blanks provided to each of those magazines; (d) information / details of each customer, including the name of the entity and shipping address to which the order processed by the order fulfillment system 1000 should be shipped; and (e) information / details of where each product is located in a product storage facility, such as a warehouse building, that holds the products that may be ordered. The database may be continuously updated to include new data.For example, the new data may include information / details about new inventory items, such as new items that are directed to the product storage guidance area 5202 at the order fulfillment location 5200, or information / details about new types / sizes / configurations of cartons / carton blanks that can be used in the order fulfillment system 1000 to package one or more products ordered by a customer.

[0261] As described above, the order fulfillment processor 1300 may also include an HTTP server application adapted to provide database information to customer ordering devices 1200B and 1200C and to receive orders from customer ordering devices 1200B and 1200C. Some or all of the aforementioned information / details may be manually entered into the order fulfillment processor 1300 by the operator of the order fulfillment system 1000. In addition, or alternatively, the information / details of each available carton may be updated periodically or continuously. The PLC 132 of each carton forming system 1100A, 1100B, and 1100C can be adapted to monitor the status of carton blanks in its magazine during operation and provide information related to that status to the order fulfillment processor 1300. In this way, the order fulfillment processor 1300 can be continuously provided with up-to-date information on available carton blanks in the magazine of each carton forming system.

[0262] The order fulfillment processor 1300 may also include a product packaging utility / product packaging software module that identifies, from among several available carton types, the type of carton (or multiple carton types) suitable for packaging the products in an order placed by a customer. An example of such a product packaging utility is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,876,958 by Chowdhury et al., issued on April 5, 2005, and assigned to New Breed Corporation (hereinafter, "Chowdhury"), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In particular, Chowdhury's product packaging utility processes each order placed by a customer and automatically identifies, from among the available carton types / sizes / configurations, the type / size / configuration of carton (or multiple cartons) suitable for packaging the ordered products. Chowdhury's product packaging utility identifies / determines the appropriate carton according to an algorithm / function that accesses and uses one or more electronically stored characteristics (e.g., dimensions, weight, etc.) of each product in an order and one or more electronically stored characteristics (e.g., dimensions, size, configuration, type, maximum volume that can be held, maximum weight that can be held, etc.) of the available carton types. This algorithm identifies the appropriate carton so that the minimum number and minimum size of cartons suitable for packaging the products in the order can be provided. Thus, the identification of the appropriate carton type / size / configuration can be optimized to provide the optimal carton type / size / configuration that optimizes the packaging materials used and the available space in the carton, and the carton identified as appropriate may be called the “optimal” carton. It will be understood that the identification of the appropriate carton type / size / configuration can also be identified or optimized according to other predefined criteria.Chowdhury's product packaging utility carton identification algorithm can also take into account other factors and constraints, such as the availability of each type / size / configuration of cartons, the maximum fill ratio of each type / size / configuration of cartons, the maximum number of products that can be placed in each type / size / configuration of cartons, and whether certain products are pre-packaged together and therefore must be placed in the same carton. Thus, if the order fulfillment processor 1300 includes a product packaging utility such as the product packaging utility disclosed by Chowdhury, the order fulfillment processor 1300 can process a customer order for a particular product by accessing information in memory and using algorithms / functions to identify the carton (or cartons) from among several available cartons that is suitable for packaging those products.

[0263] It should be noted that the size of a carton may also refer to the overall internal usable volume of the carton in which the goods can be held. The size may also refer to the specific dimensions of the carton. Information regarding the type of carton may include references to the material from which the carton blank is made (e.g., cardboard or corrugated cardboard). Information regarding the type of carton may also include references to its configuration, indicating whether the carton is a top-opening carton, which is generally cubic in shape when closed, or another configuration, such as a regular slotted case.

[0264] The product packaging utility disclosed by Chowdhury can generate a packing list and / or placement information for each carton of a specific type / size / configuration identified to fulfill an order, indicating the order in which each product is placed in the carton. For example, the placement information can be represented using three-dimensional coordinates in a coordinate system defined for the carton (e.g., 0,0,0) and / or descriptors of the position within the carton (e.g., front, right side, second layer, etc.). If the order fulfillment processor 1300 includes a product packaging utility such as the product packaging utility disclosed by Chowdhury, the order fulfillment processor 1300 may generate a packing list and / or placement information for each identified carton. The order fulfillment processor 1300 may also generate a diagram illustrating a desired optimal physical arrangement of the products within each carton. Such a diagram can be readily generated using the placement coordinates of each product, as provided by the product packaging utility disclosed by Chowdhury.

[0265] For each carton of a specific type identified to fulfill an order, the order fulfillment processor 1300 may also be configured to select one of the carton forming systems 1100A, 1100B, or 1100C (individually or collectively) to form a suitable carton of the type / size / configuration identified by the order fulfillment processor 1300. The order fulfillment processor 1300 can access and use information stored in its memory regarding the suitability of a carton forming system for processing the identified suitable carton. For example, the suitability of a carton forming system may be determined by the order fulfillment processor 1300 based on stored information regarding whether the carton forming system includes a magazine designated to hold the type / size / configuration of carton blanks required to form the identified carton. The suitability of a carton forming system may also be determined based on stored information regarding the quantity of the required type / size / configuration of carton blanks in the magazine of the carton forming system. Such quantities may be measured using appropriate sensors placed in each carton forming system and updated during operation. Alternatively, the order fulfillment processor 1300 may select the carton formation system simply randomly or according to a predefined sequence.

[0266] When the order fulfillment processor 1300 selects an appropriate carton forming system (for example, one of the carton forming systems 1100 in Figure 64), the order fulfillment processor 1300 may generate a fulfillment order data structure (e.g., a file, object, message, etc.) that includes information for forming the appropriate carton blanks into upright cartons, or instructions for the selected carton forming system 1100. The generated fulfillment order data structure may be communicated via a communication link to the PLC 132 of the selected carton forming system 1100.

[0267] The fulfillment order data structure may include indicators that show: (i) the type / size / configuration of cartons to be formed by the selected carton forming system 1100, as determined by the product packaging utility; (ii) a specific magazine of the selected carton forming system 1100, including carton blanks for forming the appropriate cartons; (iii) a list of specific products from the customer order to be fulfilled, to be loaded into upright cartons once formed, optionally identifying the products by their associated product codes, and optionally arranged in the order in which the products should be loaded into upright cartons once formed; (iv) a station within the product guidance area 5208 for each specific product from the customer order to be fulfilled; and (v) an indicator showing customer shipping information for the carton, indicating the destination name and address of that carton. In some cases, the fulfillment order data structure may include information on multiple cartons to be processed by the selected carton forming system 1100.

[0268] The fulfillment order data structure may be received and processed by the PLC 132 of the selected carton forming system 1100. In particular, the PLC 132 of the selected carton forming system 1100 processes the fulfillment order data structure to identify the requested type / size / configuration of the carton(s) to be formed and the specific magazine of the carton forming system containing the carton blanks for forming each requested carton. Once the appropriate cartons and the specific magazine containing the carton blanks for forming the appropriate cartons are identified, the PLC 132 of the selected carton forming system 1100 can then cause the appropriate carton blanks to be formed into cartons of the requested type / size / configuration.

[0269] Optionally, the data structure can be stored in the memory of the PLC132 of the carton formation system or the memory of the order fulfillment processor 1300 so that it can be retrieved later when the order is picked and packed, as will be described later.

[0270] Once cartons are set up for a specific customer product order, the set cartons may then be physically transported to an AMR (referred to as 1400, collectively or individually).

[0271] A standing carton, formed from a carton blank and having dimensions of width W, height H, and length L, can be loaded with numbered items (i.e., products) arranged in a specific configuration, as shown in Figure 67, and may also include some additional dunnage or packaging material (e.g., bubble wrap type material) that can be inserted to maintain the stability and integrity of the items in the packaging configuration during shipment to the customer. Taking into account the specific configuration of items specified for an order, the AMR may be controlled to visit stations in a specific order so that the standing carton is loaded in a manner consistent with the specific configuration (e.g., the station holding the largest items may be visited first).

[0272] Next, looking at Figures 59, 60, 60A, 61, 62, and 63, the carton forming system 1100 may consist of the same or substantially the same components as the carton forming system 100 of Figure 1A described above, unless differences are described below. Similar to the carton forming system 100 of Figure 1A, the structural / mechanical components of the carton forming system 1100 may be made from any suitable material. The carton forming system 1100 is particularly useful as part of a customer order fulfillment system 1000 capable of fulfilling product orders placed or initiated by customers, as described above. However, the carton forming system 1100 can also be used for other applications.

[0273] As an alternative to magazines such as magazine 110 of the carton forming system 100 in Figure 1A above, the carton forming system 1100 may include or utilize multiple magazines, such as magazines labeled M1 to M16 in Figure 60. Each of the magazines M1 to M16 may contain one or more stacks of product packaging, such as carton blanks, which may generally be similar to the carton blanks 111 processed by the system 100, and at least some of the magazines M1 to M16 may contain packaging / carton blanks of a different type / size and / or configuration than the other magazines. The size, configuration and type of carton blanks (and cartons that can be formed therefrom) may vary to provide a range of carton sizes, configurations and types that can be automatically processed by the carton forming system 1100 without requiring manual intervention to change the components of the carton forming system 1100. The PLC132 of the carton forming system 1100 can be programmed so that specific dimensions / overall size / configuration (e.g., regular slotted carton or "RSC") / type of carton blanks held in each of the magazines Ml to Ml6 are stored in the memory of the PLC132. Recall that alternatives to the RSC configuration include envelope configurations and tray configurations. If such alternatives are used, some parts of the carton forming system 1100 may be replaced with envelope feeders or tray feeders.

[0274] It should also be noted that the carton forming system 1100 may consist of magazines having different sets / selections of carton blank sizes / configurations / types than those of other magazines, so that each carton forming system 1100 can operate to process different carton blanks. The carton forming system 1100 can be configured to collectively process a predefined set of carton blank types, thereby providing a variety of carton sizes, configurations, and types.

[0275] Each of the magazines M1 to M16 may have its own carton blank transport device, which may include laterally oriented magazine conveyors 1203(1) to 1203(16) (referenced individually or collectively using reference numeral 1203). Each magazine conveyor 1203 is controlled by the PLC 132 of the carton forming system 1100 so that the stacks of carton blanks in each magazine M1 to M16 are moved to a position adjacent to the longitudinally oriented central carton blank infeed conveyor 1204. Each of the magazines M1 to M16 may have a transport device under the control of the PLC 132 that is capable of extracting and moving carton blanks from the stacks in the magazines M1 to M16 adjacent to the infeed conveyor 1204 and supplying the carton blanks onto the central infeed conveyor 1204, thereby transporting the carton blanks in the manner described above in relation to the system 100.

[0276] Referring here to Figure 60A, as a typical example of magazine structure, the magazine conveyor 1203 may include a frame 1215 supporting five generally parallel, spaced continuous belts 1213, which may be made of any suitable flexible material such as Ropanyl. Each continuous belt 1213 may extend between a plurality of rotatable idler wheels 1221 mounted on a freely rotatable shaft and a plurality of rotatable drive wheels 1223. The drive wheels 1223 may be mounted to rotate with a common drive shaft 1225 of a magazine conveyor servo motor 1219, which is interconnected to the PLC 132 of the carton forming system 1100 via a servo drive and can communicate with the servo drive. Each continuous belt 1213 may have an upper belt portion on which it can support a stack of one or more carton blanks 1211 together. The PLC132 can be given instructions to form cartons (by order fulfillment processor 1300, etc.), and if necessary, the PLC132 can move the upper belt portion of the infeed conveyor belt 214 toward the infeed conveyor 1204 by the operation of the magazine conveyor servo motor 1219 which rotates the drive wheel 1223. In this way, the infeed conveyor belt 214 can move the stack of carton blanks 1211 to a position adjacent to the infeed conveyor 1204 if necessary.

[0277] A plate 1230 oriented vertically and longitudinally may be positioned near the end of each magazine conveyor 1203 adjacent to the infeed conveyor 1204. Each plate 1230 may be supported by a plurality of plate support members 1235, which may be part of the frame 1215. The longitudinally extending lower edge 1233 of the plate 1230 may be positioned so that only the bottommost carton blank 1211 in the stack of carton blanks (i.e., the blank just above the upper portion of the belt) can pass through a slot provided beneath the horizontal plane formed by the lower edge 1233 of the plate 1230 and the upper surface of the upper portion of the continuous belt 1213. In this way, a slot 1231 can be provided that allows a single carton blank 1211 to be pushed laterally through the slot 1231 from the bottom of the stack at a time and pushed onto the infeed conveyor 1204.

[0278] An extrusion mechanism may be provided to push carton blanks 1211 in the magazine out of the stack through slots 1231 onto the infeed conveyor 1204 in response to a signal from the PLC 132 of the carton forming system 1100. The extrusion mechanism may be any suitable type of device and may include, for example, a plurality of lugs 1217 arranged in the space between the continuous belts 1213. The lugs 1217 may be driven in a periodic path by a common type of crank mechanism (not shown) including a common pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder having a piston controlled by the PLC 132 by acting a suitable valve to appropriately control the flow of pressurized air / hydraulic fluid to the cylinder. The cylinder may have a piston arm attached to a longitudinal rod-shaped member mounted to rotate. The crank mechanism may be configured to start from a position behind the bottommost stack of carton blanks, then engage with the rear edge of the bottommost carton blank, thereby providing a path for the lug 1217 to move laterally between the continuous belts 1213, pushing the bottommost carton blank through slot 1231. When the crank mechanism reaches the end of its stroke, the lug 1271 descends below the stack of carton blanks, returns to its starting position, and moves laterally in the opposite direction, simultaneously passing below the stack without engaging with the next bottom carton blank on the stack. This path returns the lug 1217 to its starting position, and this operation is repeated when the PLC 132 signals to load another carton blank onto the infeed conveyor 1204.

[0279] In summary, the PLC132 can control the magazine conveyor servo motor 1219, and therefore can control the movement of each conveyor 1203, and consequently can control the movement of the lugs 1271. Thus, the PLC132 can selectively move one carton blank at a time from any one of the magazines M1 to M16 and transport it onto the infeed conveyor 1204.

[0280] Therefore, unlike system 100 in which stacks of carton blanks are supplied to the alignment conveyor 206 by an infeed conveyor 204, in order fulfillment system 1000, separate individual carton blanks may be supplied to the alignment conveyor 1206 in series and longitudinally by an infeed conveyor 1204. The specific order / sequence of carton blanks placed on the infeed conveyor 1204 of each carton forming system 1100 may be determined and selected by PLC 132 so that the carton blanks arrive at the alignment conveyor 1206 in a manner that is desirable for processing, at least within the carton forming system 1100.

[0281] Furthermore, each PLC132 can maintain in memory a record of carton blanks placed on the infeed conveyor 1204 to be formed. Each record may contain information received by the PLC132 from the order fulfillment processor 1300 (e.g., by the fulfillment order data structure) regarding a particular carton blank to be formed. For example, this information may include the type / size / configuration of the carton blank. A new record can be added each time a request for a new carton is received from the order fulfillment processor 1300, and optionally, a record can be deleted when the carton is formed. Thus, such records can be organized and maintained sequentially in the memory of the PLC132 using conventional shift registering techniques. In this way, a record of the next carton blank scheduled to arrive at the alignment conveyor 1206 can be provided at the output of the shift register when the next carton blank arrives. Furthermore, the type / configuration / size of the next carton blank may be determined from the provided output.

[0282] Once a set of carton blanks is transferred from the infeed conveyor 1204 to the alignment conveyor 1206, the alignment conveyor 1206 can move the set of carton blanks to a pickup position under the control of the PLC 132. The pickup position may be determined in part by the leading edge of each carton blank striking the surface of a pair of spaced vertical plates 1218 (see Figure 63) as it is moved longitudinally downstream by the alignment conveyor 1206.

[0283] The infeed conveyor 1204 may be configured to include a pair of spaced infeed conveyor belts 214 that can be driven by a suitable motor, such as a DC motor or a variable frequency drive motor, in a manner substantially similar to the structure of the infeed conveyor 204 in Figure 7. If the motor is a DC motor, the motor can be controlled by the PLC 132 via a DC motor drive unit (e.g., all Oriental model AXH-5100-KC-30).

[0284] The infeed conveyor belt 214 may have an upper belt portion supported by rollers (not shown). The PLC 132 can, if necessary, move the upper portion of the infeed conveyor belt 214 longitudinally downstream toward the alignment conveyor 1206. In this way, the infeed conveyor belt 214 can move a series of spaced carton blanks longitudinally downstream. The PLC 132 can control a motor that drives the infeed conveyor 1204 via a motor drive unit, and thus the infeed conveyor 1204 can be operated to move and transport a series of carton blanks obtained from multiple magazines M1 to M16 toward and into the alignment conveyor 1206.

[0285] The alignment conveyor 1206 may include a series of laterally oriented rollers 1208 that may be mounted to the bottom of the magazine frame 202 to rotate freely, similar to the alignment conveyor 206 in Figure 7. The alignment conveyor belt 1216 may be driven by a motor having a corresponding motor drive unit. This motor and motor drive for the alignment conveyor 1206 may also be controlled by the PLC 132. The alignment conveyor belt 1216 may have an upper belt portion supported by the rollers 1208, on which one or more carton blanks may be supported. The alignment conveyor belt 1216 can be operated to move each carton blank further longitudinally in sequence until the front surface of each carton blank abuts against the vertically and laterally oriented inward surface of the roughly planar, spaced-up plate 1218, thereby positioning each carton blank in sequence at the pickup position.

[0286] The infeed conveyor belt 1214 of the infeed conveyor 1204 and the alignment conveyor belt 1216 of the alignment conveyor 1206 may be made from any suitable material, such as ropanil.

[0287] A sensor (not shown), such as an Allen-Bradley Electronic Eye Model 42KL-D1LB-F4, may be positioned in the horizontal gap between the infeed conveyor belt 1214 and the alignment conveyor belt 1216. The sensor may be positioned and operable to detect the presence of the leading edge of a blank as each blank begins to move sequentially over the gap between the infeed conveyor belt 1214 and the alignment conveyor belt 1216. Upon detecting the leading edge, the sensor can send a digital signal to the PLC 132 indicating that a particular carton blank (size / configuration / type as recognized by the PLC 132) has moved to a position where the conveyor 1206 can begin to move. The PLC 132 can then activate the motor of the conveyor 1206 so that the upper part of the alignment conveyor belt 1216 begins to move the carton blank downstream. In this way, each carton blank can be "handed off" from the infeed conveyor 1204 to the alignment conveyor 1206.

[0288] As the trailing end of each carton blank passes the sensor, a signal is sent to the PLC132, which can then respond by sending a signal to stop the motor driving the infeed conveyor belt 1214 of the infeed conveyor 1204. The infeed conveyor 1204 then enters a state to await further signals to feed the next carton blank of the series of carton blanks on the infeed conveyor 1204 to the alignment conveyor 1206. Meanwhile, the alignment conveyor 1206 can be operated to move the carton blanks placed on it to the pickup position.

[0289] The presence of a carton blank on the alignment conveyor 1206 at the pickup position may be detected by another sensor, which may be of the same type as the presence sensor 240 and gap sensor 242 in Figure 7. This sensor may also detect the presence of the leading edge of the blank at the pickup position and may transmit a digital signal to the PLC 132 indicating that the carton blank is at the pickup position. At the pickup position, the carton blank may also be longitudinally centered by a pair of movable longitudinal sidewall guides 1201, 1202.

[0290] Each carton blank may preferably be positioned and oriented longitudinally and transversely at the pickup position so as to be properly engaged by one of the erector heads, such as erector heads 120a, 120b of system 100. The side guide walls 1201, 1202 may be mounted on the track, below the lower frame, and the side guide walls 1201, 1202 may be oriented generally vertically and may extend longitudinally over substantially the entire length of the alignment conveyor 1206. The side guide walls 1201, 1202 may be mounted in a similar manner to the left side guide wall 200 and the right side guide wall 201 in system 100.

[0291] A drive mechanism can be provided to drive each of the side walls 1201 and 1202 on their respective tracks. One or more drive mechanisms that communicate electronically with the PLC 132 can be provided for the side walls 1201 and 1202. As an example, a servo motor with a gearhead 258 (see Figure 1B) can be provided, and electronic communication with the PLC 132 can be achieved through the servo drive. A usable example is a combination of the Allen-Bradley servo motor MPL-B1530U-VJ42AA, the Allen-Bradley servo drive 2094-BC01-MP5-S, and the Apex gearhead AE050-010FOR MPL-A1520.

[0292] Similar to the carton forming system 100, in the carton forming system 1100, the lead screw rod may be interconnected to a servo motor / gearhead. The lead screw rod may pass through a nut fixed to a plate. The plate may be interconnected to spaced-apart, generally vertically oriented bar members. The bar members may be interconnected to a support frame (not shown) that forms part of the side wall. By operating the servo motor / gearhead, the rotation of the servo motor can rotate the screw rod. As the rod passes through the nut, the nut can move laterally either inward or outward, thereby causing the side walls 1201, 1202 to slide inward or outward on the track depending on the direction of rotation of the screw rod. An encoder is provided in or in relation to the servo drive motor and can rotate in relation to the rotation of each drive shaft of the servo drive. The encoder communicates with the servo drive and provides signals to the servo drive, which can pass this information to the PLC 132. Therefore, the PLC132 can determine the longitudinal position of the screw rods in real time, and as a result, determine the lateral positions of the side walls 1201 and 1202. Accordingly, the PLC132 can operate a servo drive to adjust the positions of the side walls 1201 and 1202. A certain type of encoder that can be used is known as an "absolute" encoder. Therefore, once the encoder is calibrated and the position of each screw rod is "zero", the encoder can maintain its zero position calibration even if power to the order fulfillment system 1000 is lost.The lateral alignment mechanism of the side guide walls 1201 and 1202 substantially coincides with the left and right side edges of the carton blank, ensuring that the guide walls are properly laterally aligned so that when the carton blank is flattened, the datum lines are labeled by the labeling device 1281 (shown only in Figure 63), picked up by the erector head 120 of the carton forming system 1100, and moved through the folding and sealing device 130 as described above to achieve proper folding and sealing of the carton blank.

[0293] Optionally, the PLC132 may verify that the type / size / configuration of the carton blank at the pickup location matches the expected type / size / configuration of the carton blank. For example, the top surface of each carton blank may contain a barcode that identifies its type / size / configuration, which may be read at the pickup location by a appropriately positioned barcode reader. The type / size / configuration of the carton blank read from this barcode may be compared to the expected type / size / configuration of the carton blank, which may be determined from a record of the next scheduled carton blank stored in the PLC132's memory, as described above. If they match, the verification is successful. If they do not match, the PLC132 may issue a signal requesting manual intervention from the operator.

[0294] As shown above, each carton blank in each magazine may generally be initially formed and provided in a flattened tubular configuration, as illustrated in Figures 10A-10E. Each carton blank has a height dimension "H", a length dimension "L", and a main panel length "Q" (see Figure 10B). The PLC 132 of each carton forming system 1100 can store in memory each of these three dimensions for the carton blanks processed by the carton forming system 1100, and using these stored dimensions, the PLC 132 can determine the required positions and / or movements of at least some of the components of the carton forming system 1100, including the movement paths of the erector heads 120a, 120b as they move and cycle through the processing sequence.

[0295] In this regard, for each carton blank in magazines M1 to M16, the PLC132 can have the information necessary to properly process each selected carton blank.

[0296] As shown above, in relation to a typical carton blank as shown in Figure 11, each carton blank in each magazine may be designated a first datum line "Wl" that passes through the midpoint of the fold line between panel D and flap K and the midpoint of the fold line between panel B and flap J. This first datum line W1 may be determined by PLC132 for the carton blank to be processed based on the dimensions H, L, and Q of the blank stored by or acquired by PLC132. The carton blank may also be designated a second reference line "W2" which may be determined by PLC132 and passes along the fold line between panel A and flap F, and is generally parallel. Furthermore, PLC132 can determine the relative position of the bottom of the upright carton for each carton blank in each magazine. This is to align with the vertical datum plane passing through the first datum line Wl and the second datum line W2. Aligning the position of the second reference line W2 and the reference plane with other components in the carton forming system 1100 may be demonstrated to confirm that the carton is properly positioned during processing. The vertical distance R between the first datum line Wl and the second datum line W2 may also be calculated by the PLC 132. This ensures that the PLC 132 determines where the erector head needs to be positioned so that the top plate A and, accordingly, the first reference line Wl are properly positioned throughout the entire processing of the carton blank by the carton forming system 1100.

[0297] The carton forming system 1100 may be able to track and correct the position of each carton blank as the carton blank is processed, and in particular, it may be shown that it can track and correct the vertical position of the first reference line W1 of the carton blank as the carton blank moves longitudinally within the carton forming system 1100 and as the various components of the carton forming system 1100 engage with the carton blank during its movement. This may be shown to ensure that the carton blank being processed is properly positioned relative to the system components and that the system components engage with the carton blank at the correct position on the carton blank during processing. For carton blanks with a different configuration than carton blank 111, appropriate adjustments may be required to the dimensions and datums held by the PLC 132 in order for the carton forming system 1100 to be able to process carton blanks of a particular size / configuration / type.

[0298] Once a carton blank is formed, sealed, and partially sealed to form an upright carton, which may be configured as shown in Figure 16, the upright carton may be delivered from a discharge conveyor 117 (see, for example, Figure 8) and placed on a stacking conveyor, which may be part of each carton loader, such as one of the particular AMRs 1400 that may be associated with the particular carton forming system 1100 that formed the upright carton. In fact, in an embodiment of the present invention, in response to a particular AMR 1400 arriving at a particular carton forming system 1100, a robotic arm (not shown) can be controlled to pick up the upright carton from the discharge conveyor 117 and place the upright carton onto the particular AMR 1400.

[0299] The order acquisition process can be considered to begin when an empty upright carton is moved from the loading conveyor and placed on an AMR1400, which can autonomously move around the warehouse where the products to be handled by system 1100 are located. The AMR1400 may be controlled to visit one or more loading stations within the product guidance area 5208.

[0300] Once an order (or a partial order for a specific carton) is received within an upright carton being transported by the AMR1400, and all products are loaded into the upright carton, the AMR can transport the upright carton to one of the final carton sealing devices 1500. For example, the AMR1400 can transport the upright carton, with all products loaded inside, onto a designated Random Top Carton Seal (RTCS) infeed conveyor, feeding the upright carton to an appropriate top sealing device. The RTCS is adapted to receive information provided by the order fulfillment processor 1300, and the RTCS can automatically adjust the sealing components of the device so that the device can close and seal the top of the upright-loaded carton. The sealed carton can then be transported to a route distribution and accumulating area 5212 for further sorting and processing. An example of a suitable type of RTCS device that may be employed as part of the order fulfillment system 1000 is the Random Carton Sealer from Marq Packaging Systems.

[0301] In the operation of the order fulfillment system 1000, each of several customers may use a customer order device such as the order fulfillment processor 1200, including, in some cases, accessing the call center 1250. Through the operation of appropriate software on the order fulfillment processor 1200, the order fulfillment processor 1200 may communicate directly or indirectly with the order fulfillment processor 1300 so that multiple orders are placed by customers with the order fulfillment processor 1300.

[0302] The order fulfillment processor 1300 may process customer orders received directly or indirectly from the customer order device 1200. For each order, the order fulfillment processor 1300 may utilize a database containing information that may be stored therein, the database containing (a) details of all products that can be ordered by a customer through the order fulfillment system 1000, including the actual physical dimensions of each product (such as the dimensions of the goods package in which the goods are wrapped), optionally the weight of each product, and optionally a product code associated with each product; (b) details of each of several types / sizes / configurations of carton blanks that can be used in the order fulfillment system 1000 to wrap one or more products ordered by a customer, including the dimensions of each carton / carton blank; and (c) details of each carton forming system (e.g., carton forming systems 1100A, 1100B). Details of each carton forming system, including (d) the types of upright cartons that each carton forming system can form, and optionally, if the carton forming system includes multiple magazines, the types of carton blanks provided for each of those magazines, and the corresponding types of upright cartons that can be formed from each type of carton blank, and optionally, the quantity of carton blanks provided for each of those magazines; (d) information about each customer, including the name of the company and the shipping address to which orders fulfilled by the order fulfillment system 1000 are shipped; and (e) information about the location of each product in the warehouse building containing products that may be ordered.

[0303] The order fulfillment processor 1300 can also use the product packaging utility to identify appropriate cartons, and in some cases optimal cartons (e.g., having a specific type / size / configuration) from a limited, predetermined number of carton packaging suites of types / sizes / configurations for each order. Thus, when each order for a particular product is entered into the order fulfillment processor 1300, the product packaging utility can determine the optimal carton or the cartons that can be used to package the products in each order (e.g., determining the minimum number of cases and / or the minimum size of cases required to package all the products in a customer order).

[0304] The order fulfillment processor 1300 can then generate a fulfillment order data structure for each order, which can be communicated via a communication link to one of the carton forming systems 1100, specifically the PLC 132. The order fulfillment processor 1300 may decide which of the carton forming systems 1100 to send each fulfillment order data structure to randomly, or based on availability and / or suitability for processing the carton type / size / configuration determined for a particular customer order. The fulfillment order data structure may include information including: (i) the type / size / configuration of a standing carton determined by the product packaging utility, which is required to be formed by the carton forming system 1100; (ii) a specific magazine of the carton forming system containing carton blanks for forming the requested carton type / size / configuration; (iii) a list of specific products from a customer order in progress, which are required to be loaded into the requested standing carton once formed, and optionally a list arranged in the order in which the products should be loaded into the carton once formed; (iv) optionally a diagram showing the desired optimal physical arrangement of the products to be loaded into the standing carton; (v) optionally the location within the warehouse building of each specific product from the customer order to be fulfilled; and (vi) customer shipping information for the carton, indicating the destination name and address of that carton.

[0305] Next, each fulfillment data structure may be received and processed by the PLC132 of the carton forming system from which the data structure was transmitted. Specifically, the PLC132 of the carton forming system processes the fulfillment order data structure to identify the required type / size / configuration of upright cartons, a specific magazine of the carton forming system containing carton blanks for forming upright cartons of each required type / size / configuration, and the contents of the labels (or multiple labels) to be affixed. Once the required type / size / configuration of carton blanks and the specific magazine containing carton blanks for forming the required type / size / configuration of carton blanks are identified, the PLC132 of the carton forming system can generally form carton blanks from the identified magazine as described above.

[0306] In particular, PLC132 activates the appropriate conveyor of magazine conveyors 1203(1) to 1203(16) corresponding to the identified magazine, if necessary to move a stack of identified types of carton blanks adjacent to the infeed conveyor 1204. The transfer device can then transfer the desired carton blanks from the identified magazine to the infeed conveyor 1204 under the control of PLC132. The infeed conveyor 1204 may then, under the control of PLC132, move its carton blanks longitudinally and then, when signaled to do so by PLC132, transfer its carton blanks to the alignment conveyor 1206.

[0307] Subsequently, the alignment conveyor 1206, also under the control of PLC132, moves the carton blanks to the pickup position, and then PLC132 may also laterally align the carton blanks against the side walls 1201, 1202 so that the carton blanks are in the correct pickup position. Then, PLC132 may move the carton forming components of the carton forming system, including the erector head 120, by the moving subsystem to pick up the carton blanks 111 from the pickup position and erect the cartons erected from the carton blanks 111 to partially seal them. PLC132 can continuously adjust the components of the folding and sealing device 130 to correspond to each carton blank 111 as multiple carton blanks 111 are processed.

[0308] Once a set carton is formed for a specific customer's product order, the set carton can then be physically transported to the AMR1400. The AMR1400 is then controlled to visit stations within the product guidance area 5208.

[0309] As briefly described herein, the stations in the product delivery area 5208 may be related to the provision of products stored in the tower storage area 5204. Also, as briefly described herein, in some embodiments, although towers are not specifically shown in the tower storage area 5204 of Figure 52, multiple towers that can be used to store products may be arranged in the tower storage area 5204.

[0310] Figure 75 is a perspective view of tower 7510, one of several towers that may be used to store products, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown, tower 7510 may have compartments 7512 for storing individual products within partitions 7512. Some compartments of tower 7510, such as the first compartment 7512A, may be filled with individual products corresponding to the same stockkeeping unit (SKU). Some other compartments of tower 7510, such as the second compartment 7512B, may be filled with individual products corresponding to at least two different SKUs. Each compartment 7512 may have one or more openings, such as a first opening 7514 or a second opening 7516, through which individual products can be stored in and taken out of tower 7510.

[0311] Storing products in multiple towers 7510 generally involves the following steps: When products arrive at the order fulfillment location 5200, they are often arranged on pallets, and first, the packaging surrounding the products is removed to allow access to the individual product items. In some embodiments, individual product items may also be checked for any obvious defects. Assuming no defects are found, a person can pick up the individual product items and store them in the compartments 7512 of the multiple towers 7510. Once a particular product item is stored in a particular compartment 7512, a person may scan the barcode of the particular product item and / or a barcode placed on the tower 7510 (e.g., a barcode associated with the particular compartment 7512 where the particular product item is stored) so that the order fulfillment processor 1300 recognizes the location of the particular product item. This process may also be performed automatically. For example, there may be one or more robots for removing packaging, one or more robots for picking up individual product items and storing them in compartments 7512 of multiple towers 7510, and one or more robots for making information about the location of each of the stored individual product items (e.g., a specific component 7512 of a particular tower 7510) known to the order fulfillment processor 1300.

[0312] Each opening in compartment 7512, such as the first opening 7514 or the second opening 7516, may be covered by one or more flexible strips 7520, thereby preventing individual products stored in compartment 7512 from falling out of their respective compartments during transport of tower 7510 by tower transport AMR 7518, for example.

[0313] In operation, the tower transport AMR7518 may engage with the tower 7510 and transport the tower 7510 to the product storage guidance area 5202, where, as previously stated herein, a human and / or robot 5999 may unload the products delivered to the order fulfillment system 5200 (e.g., by transport trailer, any products may be on pallets) and store the products in the tower 7510. Once the tower 7510 is sufficiently filled with products, the tower transport AMR7518 may transport the tower 7510 to an available location within the tower storage area 5204.

[0314] When one or more products stored in tower 7510 are required to fulfill an order, the order fulfillment processor 1300 may instruct tower transport AMR 7518 to transport tower 7510 between a first location in the middle of tower storage area 5204 and a second location in product guidance area 5208. Tower transport AMR 7518 may be a device manufactured by Amazon Robotics (formerly Kiva Systems), headquartered in Northreading, Massachusetts. Tower transport AMR 7518 may navigate around tower storage area 5204. Once tower transport AMR 7518 reaches the first location, tower transport AMR 7518 may slide under tower 7510 and lift tower 7510 off the ground, for example by a corkscrew motion. Tower transport AMR 7518 may then transport tower 7510 to the second location in product guidance area 5208.

[0315] Conventional AMRs are known to navigate in various ways. A conventional AMR may include an upward-facing camera used to read barcodes on the underside of the tower 7510. In addition, a conventional AMR may include a downward-facing camera used to read barcodes on the floor of the tower storage area 5204. The barcodes can be understood as enabling the AMR to determine its instantaneous position information and navigate accordingly. The position information may be combined with readings from other navigation sensors such as encoders, accelerometers, and velocity gyroscopes. Conventional AMRs are also known to include collision detection systems, which may be implemented as infrared sensors or touch-sensitive bumpers and may work to stop the AMR in response to people or objects that interfere with the AMR's navigation.

[0316] In some embodiments, a tower 7510 in the tower storage area 5204 may be identified, for example, by the order fulfillment processor 1300 as storing one or more products to fulfill an order. A tower 7510 storing one or more products to fulfill an order, or simply a tower 7510 storing one or more products, may be transported from the tower storage area 5204 to a specific station in the product delivery area 5208. This transport may be manual or automated. For example, multiple tower transport AMRs 7518 (not shown) may generally be designated to transport the tower 7510 between the tower storage area 5204 and the product delivery area 5208. The fulfillment order data structure generated by the order fulfillment processor 1300 includes a tower transport AMR instruction for one of the multiple tower transport AMRs 7518 to engage with the tower 7510 and transport the tower 7510 to a specific station in the product delivery area 5208, where the upright carton receives one or more products to fulfill the order. In fact, loading one or more products into a set carton can be done manually or robotically. In the product guidance area 5208, a station where one or more products are loaded into an upright carton manually may be called a “manual product guidance station.” In the product guidance area 5208, a station where one or more products are loaded into an upright carton robotically may be called a “robot product guidance station” or “product transfer device.” For example, a loading robot (not shown) may be located near and / or assigned to a robot product guidance station in the shipping container guidance area 5208. When a tower storing one or more products to fulfill an order (see, for example, tower 7510 in Figure 75) is transported to a robot product guidance station, the loading robot may be instructed by the order fulfillment processor 1300 to take one or more products from one or more compartments of tower 7510 and load them into appropriate cases or cartons.For example, a loading robot may include a retractable arm that can reach for a specific product in one or more compartments of the tower 7510 and load that specific product into a case. The product guidance area 5208 may include one or more loading robots for loading products from the tower 7510 into cases, for example, one loading robot may serve one robotic product guidance station or multiple robotic product guidance stations within the product guidance area 5208. In this way, the AMR 1400 supporting the upright cartons can move to one or more stations within the product guidance area 5208, at each station it can receive one or more products from its respective tower 7510 to fulfill an order, and each tower 7510 is transported from a first location within the tower storage area 5204 to its respective station by its respective tower transport AMR 7518 which has received a tower transport AMR instruction from the order fulfillment processor 1300.

[0317] When an order (or a partial order for a specific carton) is received by the AMR1400 at either a manual or robotic product guidance station, in which all products are loaded into an upright carton, the AMR1400 can transport the loaded carton to one of the final carton sealing devices 1500A, 1500B, or 1500C. For example, the AMR1400 can transport the upright carton, with all products loaded inside, through a predetermined random top carton seal (RTCS) infeed conveyor that can supply the upright carton to the appropriate top sealing device. The RTCS is adapted to receive information provided by the order fulfillment processor 1300, and the RTCS can automatically adjust the sealing components of the device so that the device closes and seals the top of the upright-loaded carton. The completed carton may then be transported to a central carton distribution system for further sorting and processing.

[0318] Further sorting and processing may include labeling the finished cartons. The labeling device 1281 illustrated in Figure 63 can be considered configured to label the carton blanks 111 before they are formed by the carton forming system 1100. Alternatively, a labeling device (not shown) may be employed to label the finished cartons at the output terminals of the final carton sealing devices 1500A, 1500B, and 1500C.

[0319] If the upright cartons are to be labeled while they are under the control of the carton forming system 1100, the labeling device 1281 may be mounted on the frame of the carton forming system 1100 near the alignment conveyor 1206. For example (although not depicted in this way for simplicity in Figure 63), the labeling device 1281 may be mounted on the frame portion of the carton forming system 1100 approximately above where the carton blank 111 is located when the carton blank 111 is in the pickup position. The labeling device 1281 may be operable to print and affix one or more labels to one or more panels, preferably upward-facing panels, of the carton blank 111 located in the pickup position. The labeling device 1281 may be any suitable device combined with an integrated print engine, such as a PLS-500 labeling system from Paragon Labeling Systems, Inc., Whitebear Lake, Minnesota, or an Lt408 print engine or S84 series print engine (e.g., model numbers S8408, S8412, or S8424) from SATO America, Inc., Charlotte, North Carolina. In some embodiments, the labeling device can apply physically separate labels to the finished carton or carton blank 111, while in other embodiments, the labeling device can apply printing to the finished carton or carton blank 111 without providing printing on physically separate labels.

[0320] As described above, the labels or multiple labels affixed to the upward-facing panel of each carton blank 111 by the labeling device 1281 may be specially configured for that particular carton blank 111 and may contain various types of information relating to the order of products to be filled into the upright carton formed from that particular carton blank 111. The labels or multiple labels may include information providing specific order information, including the types of products to be loaded into the upright carton formed from the blank, optionally including product codes for those products, the customer from whom the case is shipped, and the customer's address. The labels may also include a unique carton identifier. Some or all of the information may be provided in barcode format.

[0321] In an embodiment of the present invention, the label is printed and affixed to the carton blank 111 while the carton blank 111 is in a flattened configuration at the pickup location, and before the carton blank 111 is upright and bottom-sealed. This makes the labeling step more reliable and allows for the assignment of unique identification information to the carton blank 111.

[0322] A first exemplary label 1283a that may be affixed by the labeling device 1281 is shown in Figure 65. A second example label 1283b that may be affixed by the labeling device 1281 is shown in Figure 66.

[0323] In some embodiments, various modifications are possible. For example, instead of providing magazine conveyors 1203(1) to 1203(N) for magazines M1 to M(N), a robotic system can be provided that can extract carton blanks from any one of the stacks of carton blanks in each magazine as required by the PLC132. The robotic system can place the specific carton blanks required on the infeed conveyor. In other embodiments, the infeed conveyor is eliminated, and the robotic system can place each required carton blank at a pickup position.

[0324] Other fulfillment systems are also possible. For example, Figure 69 shows a schematic plan view of an order fulfillment center 6900. The order fulfillment center 6900 may share similarities with the order fulfillment center 5200 described in detail above. In this exemplary embodiment, the order fulfillment center 6900 includes a product storage guidance area 6902, a product storage area 6904, a shipping container guidance area 6906, an order confirmation and sealing area 6910, and a route distribution and storage area 6912. Depending on the size of the order fulfillment center 6900, it may include one or more multiples of the areas shown in Figure 69, and in some cases, one or more areas may be omitted.

[0325] Similar to the shipping container guidance area 5206 described above, the shipping container guidance area 6906 in Figure 69 may contain multiple receptacle forming systems, which may also be called shipping container delivery systems, and perhaps one or more such systems follow the design of the carton forming system 100 described herein. In some embodiments, one or more of the multiple receptacle forming / delivery systems may only have the capability to produce / deliver receptacles of a single size / configuration / type to the AMR.

[0326] According to aspects of the present invention, as will be described in more detail below, a plurality of AMRs (e.g., AMR5300 and / or 5800) may be deployed for movement within a warehouse between various illustrated areas. For example, an AMR may be controlled to visit a shipping container guidance area 6906 to retrieve a shipping case (or other receptacle), and then to visit a product storage area 6904 to receive one or more products from the shipping container to fulfill an order, with the shipping container secured on top of it.

[0327] In the product storage guidance area 6902, various products may be indicated to arrive at the order fulfillment center 6900, for example, in multiple transport trailers. Multiple units of a single SKU may be grouped into containers, and multiple containers may be grouped into pallets. The term “pallet” may, in some cases, refer to a stacked structure of containers on a pallet base for handling using machinery such as a forklift 6999. The term “pallet” may, in some cases, refer to the pallet base. In some embodiments, multiple pallets may arrive as a single unit, and the unit may have to be separated into individual pallets by human and / or machine. For example, multiple pallets may be bundled or packaged together and then unbundled before being stored.

[0328] The pallets may be transported to specific corresponding locations in the product storage area 6904. Such transport may be carried out using a forklift 6999, which may be manually operated by an operator, or in other embodiments, automatically operated. In a preferred embodiment, the forklift 6999 may be implemented as an automated guided vehicle (AGV).

[0329] The product storage area 6904 may consist of multiple product storage racks 7100. Within the product storage area 6904, each pallet may be placed in its corresponding storage location. For example, for a particular pallet, the forklift 6999 may receive, for example, a set of coordinates or instructions relating to a specific storage rack located within the product storage area 6904, and a specific area within that storage rack where the particular pallet should be stored. In this way, each product storage rack 7100 can accommodate pallets corresponding to various products.

[0330] Figure 70 is a perspective view showing a portion of a product unloading system for an order fulfillment center according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The product unloading system portion of Figure 70 is illustrated as including product storage racks from among the plurality of product storage racks 7100 of Figure 69 and an AMR elevator 7110. The product storage racks 7100 may include a plurality of storage levels 7102 for storing pallets, such as a first pallet 7120 containing products. As previously stated, each pallet may contain individual products of a particular SKU. In some embodiments, each pallet may include a structured set of identical containers, such as containers 7122, where each container 7122 contains one or more of a particular SKU (for example, a container may be a box containing one or more sets of three books sold as a unit). In some embodiments, one or more pallets may contain a variety of different products, as opposed to one particular SKU.

[0331] The product storage rack 7100 may further include a plurality of lifting platforms 7104, each of which is positioned adjacent to each of the plurality of storage levels 7102. Each of the lifting platforms 7104 may be configured on which the AMR 5800 moves.

[0332] The product storage rack 7100 may further include one or more product picking robots, such as robot picker arms 7106. In some embodiments, the robot picker arms 7106 may be associated with each of the storage levels 7102 of the product storage rack 7100, as shown in the figure. In some embodiments, the robot picker arms 7106 may correspond to multiple storage levels 7102 of the product storage rack 7100. Each robot picker arm 7106 may be configured to pick individual products from a pallet and load the products into appropriate shipping containers transported by the AMR5800.

[0333] Specifically, each robot picker arm 7106 may be equipped with an end effector suitable for selectively picking individual items from a container in a pallet and discharging the items into a suitable shipping container carried by the AMR5800. The configuration of the end effector of the robot picker arm 7106 may depend on the characteristics of the items being moved. For example, flat and relatively light-weight items can be effectively engaged using an end effector having one or more vacuum cups. Other items, such as items with curved or irregular surfaces or relatively heavy items, may be gripped using claws or clamping devices of corresponding size and shape.

[0334] In some embodiments, multiple interchangeable end effectors may be available. For example, one or more of the robot picker arms 7106 may have a releasable linkage configured to engage with or disengage from a selected end effector. For example, Figure 77 shows an exemplary robot picker arm 7106 having a connector 7710 that can be used to engage with multiple end effectors. The connector 7710 may include physical connections such as quick connects for electrical and pneumatic connections. Available end effectors (not shown) may be located in one or more stationary positions accessible by the robot picker arm 7106. If necessary, the robot picking arm 7106 can move via the connector 7710 to engage with the appropriate end effector and use the end effector to perform a particular task. After the task is performed, or when a different end effector is required, the robot picker arm 7106 can return to its stationary position, release the connector 7710, and return the end effector.

[0335] The robot picker arm 7106 may also be configured to perform depalletizing operations. For example, the robot picker arm 7106 may be configured to remove packaging material from a pallet such as strap 7702, or to open or dismantle a container within a pallet to access individual items held within the container. The robot picker arm 7106 may also be configured to dispose of the removed packaging material. For example, the robot picker arm 7106 may grasp the packaging material and transport it to a disposal location such as a chute (not shown).

[0336] To accomplish the depalletizing operation, the robot picker arm 7106 may engage with an end effector configured for use in the depalletizing operation. In some embodiments, such an end effector may be a destrapper-debander.

[0337] For example, Figures 78A and 78B show a destrapper-debander 7800. The destrapper-debander 7800 may include a motor 7804, a roller (not shown), scissors 7807, and one or more clamps, including a clamp upper 7806 and a clamp lower 7805. During operation, a cycle begins when the robot picker arm 7106 brings the destrapper-debander 7800 close to the strap 7702. The clamp components 7805 / 7806 can hold the strap 7702 in place using a clamping mechanism. Once the strap 7702 is held in place, the scissors 7807 can cut the strap 7702. Because the clamp components 7805 / 7806 hold the strap 7702 in place, the strap 7702 can maintain its position while the tension is released, thereby avoiding undesirable and unpredictable movement. Once strap 7702 is cut, motor 7804 can rotate the destrapper-debander 7800 to wrap strap 7702 around the entire destrapper-debander 7800. Rollers (not shown) may be spring-loaded rollers employed to maintain the position of strap 7702 on the destrapper-debander 7800 as strap 7702 forms a reel wound around the destrapper-debander 7800.

[0338] Once the strap 7702 is fully wound, the robot picker arm 7106 may be positioned over the strap 7702 dunnage drop zone or chute (not shown). Specifically, the robot picker arm 7106 may move the destrapper-debander 7800 so that it is positioned above the dunnage drop zone or chute. The clamping parts 7805 / 7806 are then released from holding the strap 7702, thereby allowing the wound reel of the strap 7702 to fall down the chute. Alternatively, there may be a mechanism (not shown) to push the wound reel of the strap 7702 out of the destrapper-debander 7800 so that the wound reel of the strap 7702 falls down the chute. This cycle can be repeated as needed to remove the strap from the pallet 7120.

[0339] The robot picker arm 7106 may be mounted on a rail (not shown) above the associated storage level 7102. Such a configuration provides effective access to items passing over the top of the cases. However, other mounting arrangements are also possible. For example, the robot picker arm 7106 may be mounted below the associated storage level 7102 or suspended from a side frame. Alternatively, the robot picker arm 7106 may be an element of a self-contained autonomous robot, which can move along the storage level 7102 and / or the lifting platform 7104, and possibly using the AMR elevator 7110 to move to the ground level of another lifting platform 7104 or the order fulfillment center 6900.

[0340] As shown in Figure 70, the robot picker arm 7106 may move along rails (not shown) in multiple axes, for example, in the X, Y, and Z axes, and thus be able to reach any product stored in the associated storage level 7102.

[0341] The AMR elevator 7110 may be configured to transport the AMR 5800 between the ground and an elevated platform 7104 of one of the product storage racks 7100. The AMR elevator 7110 may include a loading dock 7112 positioned between vertical rails 7114. The loading dock 7112 may be configured to move vertically along the vertical rails 7114 using an actuator 7016. In some embodiments, the AMR elevator 7110 may further include wheels or other means for configuring the AMR elevator 7110 to move along the X and Y axes. In some embodiments, one AMR elevator 7110 may correspond to one product storage rack 7100. Alternatively, one AMR elevator 7110 may correspond to multiple product storage racks 7100.

[0342] In operation, the AMR elevator 7110 may receive an AMR having a fixed shipping container or other receptacle on it, such as the AMR 5800 shown in Figure 70, at the loading dock 7112 and be controlled to transport the AMR 5800 from ground level to one of the lifting platforms 7104. Once the AMR 5800 reaches its intended platform 7104, it can move along the lifting platform 7104 until it exits the loading dock 7112 onto the lifting platform 7104 and reaches a designated location to receive specific products required to fulfill an order. The robotic picker arm 7106 engages with a corresponding container in a pallet, such as a container 7122 in a first pallet 7120, to retrieve the required product and load it into a shipping contain...

Claims

1. It is an implementation system, This is the first product induction area, Multiple product storage devices, wherein each of the multiple product storage devices holds multiple products, and A first product transfer device comprising a first product guidance area having a first product transfer device which is operable to transfer a first product from among a plurality of products held by a first product storage device among a plurality of product storage devices to a shipping container, Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) for Shipping Containers, A shipping container delivery system capable of transporting the aforementioned shipping container to the aforementioned shipping container AMR, Equipped with, The aforementioned shipping container AMR is In accordance with the AMR instructions for the shipping container, the container is moved to the shipping container delivery system. In the aforementioned shipping container delivery system, the system waits for the receipt of the shipping container, While holding the aforementioned shipping container, move to the first product transfer device in accordance with the shipping container AMR instructions. In the first product transfer device, in accordance with the shipping container AMR instruction, the first product to be transferred from the product storage device to the shipping container by the first product transfer device is waiting, The shipping container is operable to move to at least one location for further processing of the shipping container, while retaining the first product inside it, in accordance with the shipping container AMR instructions. Implementation system.

2. The performance system according to claim 212, The control system further comprises a processor, the processor being: Generate shipping container delivery system instructions, It is operable to generate the aforementioned shipping container AMR instructions, The aforementioned shipping container delivery system is The processor receives the shipping container delivery instructions, The system is configured to deliver the shipping container to the shipping container AMR in accordance with the aforementioned shipping container delivery instructions. The execution system is characterized in that the shipping container AMR is configured to receive shipping container AMR instructions from the processor.

3. A performance system according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of product storage devices have a plurality of pallets in the first product guidance area, each of the plurality of pallets holds a plurality of the plurality of products, and the first product storage device includes a selected pallet selected from the plurality of pallets by the processor.

4. A fulfillment system according to claim 3, characterized in that the selected pallet is located at a first pallet storage position within the first product guidance area.

5. A fulfillment system according to claim 1, characterized in that the selection pallet holds a plurality of products corresponding to a single inventory management unit.

6. A performance system according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the first product guidance area includes the plurality of pallets, each arranged in a plurality of pallet storage positions.

7. A performance system according to claim 6, characterized in that the plurality of pallet storage positions are arranged in a line.

8. A performance system according to claim 7, characterized in that the first pallet storage position is located at the first end position of the row of the pallet storage position.

9. A performance system according to any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein the first product transfer device includes a robot picking device controlled by the processor.

10. A performance system according to claim 9, characterized in that the first product is held directly on the selection pallet.

11. A performance system according to claim 9, characterized in that the first product is held in a crate, and the crate is supported on the selection pallet.

12. A fulfillment system according to claim 11, wherein the crate includes a first crate among a plurality of crates, and the plurality of crates are stacked vertically in series on top of each other in a crate stack supported on the selection pallet.

13. A performance system according to claim 12, characterized in that at least some of the crates among the plurality of crates contain at least one product among the plurality of products.

14. A performance system according to claim 13, characterized in that each of the plurality of crates contains at least one product from the plurality of products.

15. A performance system according to claim 12, 13, or 14, characterized in that the plurality of crates are stacked vertically in a nested manner.

16. An execution system according to any one of claims 12 to 15, further comprising a crate lifting device controlled by the processor and operable to lift all crates within the crate on the first crate to expose the top opening of the first crate, thereby allowing the robot picking device to pick up the first product and transfer the first product to the shipping container.

17. A fulfillment system according to claim 16, further comprising a lid covering the opening of the uppermost crate in the crate stack.

18. A fulfillment system according to claim 17, characterized in that the lid is made to be heavy enough to stabilize the crate stack.

19. An execution system according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the crate lifting device is further operable to lift only the lid from the uppermost crate in the crate stack to expose the open top of the uppermost crate.

20. A performance system according to any one of claims 3 to 19, A second product guidance area, the second product guidance area includes a product tower, the product tower includes a plurality of compartments for storing products, at least one of the compartments includes one or more products, and the one or more products correspond to at least one inventory management unit, the second product guidance area, A second product transfer device that is operable to transfer a second product from the product tower to the shipping container, Furthermore, The aforementioned shipping container AMR is While holding the shipping container containing the first product inside the shipping container, move it to the second product transfer device in accordance with the shipping container AMR instructions. In the second product transfer device, the second product to be transferred from the product tower to the shipping container by the second product transfer device is awaited, An execution system characterized in that, while holding the shipping container containing the first product and the second product within the shipping container, it is further operable to move the shipping container to at least one further location for further processing in accordance with the shipping container AMR instructions.

21. An implementation system according to claim 20, further comprising a tower transport AMR, wherein the processor is further operable to generate instructions to the tower transport AMR for moving the product tower to a second product transfer device in the second product guidance area.

22. A fulfillment system according to claim 20 or 21, characterized in that each of the plurality of compartments contains one or more products, and the one or more products correspond to a plurality of inventory management units.

23. An implementation system according to claim 20, 21, or 22, characterized in that the product tower includes a selected product tower, and the second product guidance area includes a plurality of product towers.

24. An execution system according to claim 23, wherein the processor is further operable to generate instructions for a plurality of tower transport AMRs to independently move the plurality of product towers to a plurality of product transfer devices in the second product guidance area.

25. A fulfillment system according to claim 24, characterized in that the plurality of product towers accommodate products representing more than 500,000 inventory management units.

26. A performance system according to any one of claims 20 to 25, characterized in that the second product transfer device includes a standalone unit.

27. A performance system according to any one of claims 20 to 26, A third product guidance area, wherein the third product guidance area includes a third area pallet, the third area pallet holds a plurality of products, and the plurality of products correspond to a plurality of inventory management units, A third product transfer device capable of transferring a third product from the third area pallet to the shipping container, Furthermore, The aforementioned shipping container AMR further While holding the aforementioned shipping container, move to the third product transfer device where the third area pallet is located, in accordance with the shipping container AMR instructions. In the third product transfer device, in accordance with the instructions of the shipping container AMR, the third product to be transferred from the third area pallet to the shipping container is to be transferred, An execution system characterized in that it is configured to move the shipping container, which contains the first product, the second product, and the third product inside, to a location for further processing of the shipping container in accordance with the shipping container AMR instructions.

28. A performance system according to claim 27, characterized in that the third area pallet is located at a second pallet storage position within the third product guidance area.

29. A performance system according to claim 27 or 28, characterized in that the third product guidance area has a plurality of pallets in a plurality of third area pallet storage positions, each of which stores a plurality of products.

30. An implementation system according to claim 29, characterized in that the selection palette includes a first selection palette, and the second selection palette is selected by the processor from the plurality of third area palettes.

31. The performance system according to claim 30, further comprising a pallet AMR, wherein the processor is further operable to generate pallet AMR instructions, and the pallet AMR is The processor receives the pallet AMR instruction, An implementation system characterized in that it is operable to move to the selected pallet in the first product guidance area in accordance with the pallet AMR instruction, and to move the selected pallet to the vicinity of the shipping container AMR that holds the shipping container.

32. A fulfillment system according to claim 31, wherein the pallet AMR is operable to move the selection pallet away from the shipping container AMR that holds the shipping container after the first product has been transferred from the first selection pallet to the shipping container, in accordance with the pallet AMR instructions.

33. A fulfillment system according to claim 32, characterized in that the pallet AMR is operable to move the selected pallet to a second pallet storage position in the first guidance area after the first product has been transferred from the first selected pallet to the shipping container, in accordance with the pallet AMR instructions.

34. The performance system according to claim 33, further comprising a second pallet AMR, wherein the processor is operable to generate a second pallet AMR instruction, and the second pallet AMR is The second pallet AMR instruction is received from the aforementioned processor. In accordance with the second pallet AMR instruction, move to the second selected pallet in the third product guidance area, and move the second selected pallet to the vicinity of the shipping container AMR that holds the shipping container. An implementation system characterized in that, after the second product is transferred from the second selection pallet to the shipping container in accordance with the second pallet AMR instruction, the second selection pallet is moved to the first pallet storage position or the second pallet storage position within the third product guidance area.

35. A fulfillment system according to claim 1, characterized in that the selection pallet holds a plurality of products corresponding to a plurality of inventory management units.

36. The performance system according to claim 3, wherein the selection palette includes a first area palette, and the performance system is A second product guidance area, the second product guidance area includes a second area pallet, the second area pallet holds a plurality of products, and the plurality of products correspond to a plurality of inventory management units, the second product guidance area, A second product transfer device that is operable to transfer a second product from the second area pallet to the shipping container, Furthermore, The aforementioned shipping container AMR further While holding the selected shipping container, move to the second product transfer device where the third area pallet is located, in accordance with the shipping container AMR instructions. In the second product transfer device, the second product to be transferred from the second area pallet to the shipping container is to wait for in accordance with the shipping container AMR instruction, An execution system characterized in that, while holding the shipping container having the first product and the second product inside, it is configured to move the selected shipping container to at least one further location for further processing in accordance with the shipping container AMR instructions.

37. The performance system according to claim 4, wherein the selection palette includes a first selection palette, the processor is further operable to generate a first palette AMR instruction, and the performance system is The first pallet AMR, The first pallet AMR instruction is received from the processor. In accordance with the first pallet AMR instruction, move to the pallet receiving location, and engage with the second selected pallet at the pallet receiving location. According to the first pallet AMR instruction, While remaining engaged with the second selection pallet, move to the second pallet storage position within the first product guidance area. The second selection pallet is released at the second pallet storage position. Further comprising a first pallet AMR configured as follows: The performance system is characterized in that the second selection pallet holds at least one product, and at least one product corresponds to at least one inventory management unit.

38. A performance system according to claim 37, characterized in that the pallet receiving position includes a position within the storage area of ​​the selected transport trailer.

39. A fulfillment system according to claim 38, characterized in that at least one product is held in a crate, and the crate is supported on the second selection pallet.

40. An implementation system according to claim 37, 38, or 39, further comprising a second pallet AMR, wherein the processor is further operable to generate a second pallet AMR instruction, the second pallet AMR is The second pallet AMR instruction is received from the aforementioned processor. In accordance with the second pallet AMR instruction, move to the first selected pallet in the first product guidance area, and move the first selected pallet to the vicinity of the shipping container AMR that holds the shipping container, An implementation system characterized in that, after the first product is transferred from the first selection pallet to the shipping container in accordance with the second pallet AMR instruction, the first selection pallet is moved to the first pallet storage position or the second pallet storage position within the first product guidance area.

41. The performance system according to claim 4, further comprising a pallet AMR, wherein the processor is further operable to generate pallet AMR instructions, and the pallet AMR is The processor receives the pallet AMR instruction, An implementation system characterized in that, in accordance with the pallet AMR instruction, it is operable to move to the selected pallet within the first product guidance area and to move the selected pallet to the vicinity of the shipping container AMR that holds the shipping container.

42. The performance system according to claim 41, wherein the selection palette includes a first area palette, and the performance system is A second product guidance area, the second product guidance area includes a second area pallet, the second area pallet holds a plurality of products, and the plurality of products correspond to a plurality of inventory management units, the second product guidance area, A second product transfer device that is operable to transfer a second product from the second area pallet to the shipping container, The second pallet AMR, Furthermore, The processor is further capable of generating a second palette AMR instruction, The aforementioned second pallet AMR is, The processor receives the second pallet AMR instruction, According to the second pallet AMR instruction, Move to the second area pallet within the second product guidance area, Move the second area pallet to the vicinity of the shipping container AMR that holds the shipping container, An implementation system characterized in that, after the second product is transferred from the second area pallet to the shipping container in accordance with the second pallet AMR instruction, the second selection pallet is moved to the first pallet storage position or the second pallet storage position within the second product guidance area.

43. A performance system according to claim 41, wherein the pallet AMR is operable to move the selection pallet away from the shipping container AMR holding the shipping container after the first product has been transferred from the first selection pallet to the shipping container, in accordance with the pallet AMR instructions.

44. A fulfillment system according to claim 43, wherein the pallet AMR is operable to move the selected pallet to a second pallet storage position after the first product has been transferred from the first selected pallet to the shipping container, in accordance with the pallet AMR instructions.

45. A fulfillment system according to any one of claims 41 to 44, wherein the first product transfer device includes a robotic picking device controlled by the processor and capable of transferring the first product from the first selection pallet to the shipping container.

46. A fulfillment system according to claim 45, characterized in that the first product is held in a crate, and the crate is supported on the selection pallet.

47. An execution system according to claim 46, wherein the crate includes a first crate among a plurality of crates, and the plurality of crates are stacked vertically in series on top of each other within a crate stack.

48. A performance system according to claim 47, characterized in that at least some of the plurality of crates include at least one product.

49. A performance system according to claim 47, characterized in that each of the plurality of crates includes at least one product.

50. A performance system according to claim 47, 48, or 49, characterized in that the plurality of crates are stacked vertically in a nested manner.

51. An execution system according to any one of claims 47 to 50, further comprising a crate-lifting device controlled by the processor and operable to lift all crates in the crate stack above the crate holding the first product, thereby exposing the top opening of the crate holding the first product, the robotic device being operable to pick up the first product and transfer the first product to a shipping container.

52. A fulfillment system according to claim 51, further comprising a lid that covers the upper part of the opening of the uppermost crate in the crate stack.

53. An execution system according to claim 52, characterized in that the lid is made to be heavy enough to stabilize the crate stack.

54. An execution system according to claim 52 or 53, wherein the crate lifting device is further operable to lift only the lid from the uppermost crate in the crate stack to expose the opening of the uppermost crate.

55. The performance system according to claim 3, Multiple first product transfer devices capable of transferring multiple products from the multiple pallets to the shipping container, A plurality of pallet AMRs, wherein the processor is further operable to generate pallet AMR instructions for controlling the plurality of pallet AMRs, Furthermore, The aforementioned multiple pallet AMRs are The processor receives the pallet AMR instruction, In accordance with the pallet AMR instructions, move to a plurality of selection pallets within the first product guidance area, and move the plurality of selection pallets to the vicinity of a plurality of shipping container AMRs, each holding a plurality of shipping containers. An implementation system characterized in that, in accordance with the pallet AMR instructions, after multiple products have been transferred from the multiple selection pallets to the multiple shipping containers, the multiple selection pallets are moved to their respective pallet storage locations.

56. The performance system according to claim 34, Multiple first product transfer devices capable of transferring multiple products from the multiple pallets to the shipping container, A plurality of pallet AMRs, wherein the processor is further operable to generate pallet AMR instructions for controlling the plurality of pallet AMRs, Furthermore, Some of the aforementioned pallet AMRs are The processor receives the pallet AMR instruction, In accordance with the pallet AMR instructions, move to a plurality of selection pallets within the first product guidance area, and move the plurality of selection pallets to the vicinity of a plurality of shipping container AMRs, each holding a plurality of shipping containers. The system is configured to move the selected pallets to corresponding pallet storage locations within the first product guidance area after the multiple products have been transferred from the multiple selected pallets to the multiple shipping containers in accordance with the pallet AMR instructions. Of the aforementioned multiple pallet AMRs, the others are The processor receives the pallet AMR instruction, In accordance with the pallet AMR instructions, move to the multiple selection pallets within the third product guidance area, and move the multiple selection pallets to the vicinity of the multiple shipping container AMRs, each holding multiple shipping containers. An implementation system characterized in that, in accordance with the pallet AMR instructions, after a plurality of products have been transferred from the plurality of selection pallets to the plurality of shipping containers, the plurality of selection pallets are moved to a plurality of corresponding pallet storage positions within the third product guidance area.

57. A fulfillment system according to any one of claims 2 to 56, characterized in that the shipping container selection instruction is generated by the processor based on a customer order received by the processor, and the shipping container AMR instruction is generated by the processor based on the customer order received by the processor.

58. An implementation system according to claim 1, characterized in that the first product induction area includes a plurality of zones.

59. A performance system according to claim 58, wherein the plurality of zones include zones in which the plurality of products are maintained at a temperature below freezing point.

60. A performance system according to claim 58 or 59, wherein the plurality of zones include a zone in which the product is maintained at ambient temperature.

61. A performance system according to claim 58, 59, or 60, wherein the plurality of zones include zones in which the plurality of products are maintained at a temperature above the freezing point and below the ambient temperature.

62. A performance system according to any one of claims 1 to 61, further comprising a plurality of walls and a roof surrounding the first product guidance area.

63. An implementation system according to any one of claims 20 to 36, further comprising a plurality of walls and a roof surrounding a first product guidance area and a second product guidance area.

64. An implementation system according to any one of claims 27 to 30, further comprising a plurality of walls and a roof surrounding the first product guidance area, the second product guidance area, and the third product guidance area.

65. An implementation system according to claim 64, further comprising an upper level and a lower level, wherein the first product guidance region is located in one of the upper level and the lower level, and the second product guidance region and the third product guidance region are located in the other of the upper level and the lower level.

66. An implementation system according to claim 64, further comprising an upper level and a lower level, wherein the first product guidance region is located at the upper level, and the second product guidance region and the third product guidance region are located at the lower level.

67. A fulfillment system according to claim 65 or 66, further comprising an AMR level change device operable to move the shipping container AMR between the upper level and the lower level.

68. A performance system according to claim 67, characterized in that the AMR level changing device includes an escalator device.

69. A fulfillment system according to claim 67 or 68, characterized in that the shipping container delivery system is located at an upper level.

70. A fulfillment system according to any one of claims 1 to 69, wherein the at least one location for further processing includes a flap sealing station having a sealing device operable to seal the open flaps of the selected shipping container, and the further processing includes sealing the open flaps of the selected shipping container.

71. A fulfillment system according to claim 70, characterized in that the sealing device seals the open flap of the shipping container while the shipping container AMR passes through the sealing device.

72. A performance system according to claim 71, further comprising a shipping container verification device, wherein the further processing includes verification of the shipping container using the shipping container verification device.

73. A fulfillment system according to claim 70, wherein the shipping container AMR further comprises a drive mechanism operable to drive the movement of the shipping container AMR, and the shipping container AMR is driven by the drive mechanism to pass through the sealing device.

74. A fulfillment system according to claim 73, further comprising first and second guide belts that are spaced laterally apart and extend longitudinally, wherein the guide belts guide the selected shipping container through the sealing device as the shipping container AMR carrying the shipping container moves longitudinally.

75. A fulfillment system according to any one of claims 70 to 74, further comprising a shipping container labeling device, wherein the further processing includes affixing a label to the shipping container using the shipping container labeling device.

76. A fulfillment system according to any one of claims 70 to 75, further comprising a shipping container radio frequency (RF) tagging device, wherein the further processing includes attaching an RF tag to the shipping container using the shipping container RF tagging device.

77. A fulfillment system according to any one of claims 70 to 76, further comprising a dunnage insertion device, wherein the further process includes inserting dunnage into the shipping container using the dunnage insertion device.

78. A fulfillment system according to any one of claims 70 to 77, further comprising a route distribution storage area, wherein the route distribution storage area is operable to receive and form a group of multiple filled shipping containers filled with one or more products together constituting a single customer order.

79. A fulfillment system according to claim 78, further comprising a discharge conveyor, wherein the discharge conveyor is operable to receive the group of the plurality of filled shipping containers and move the group to a vehicle loading position.

80. An implementation system according to any one of claims 70 to 79, further comprising a route distribution storage area, wherein the further processing is: The processor determines the delivery destination of the shipping container and / or the first product, and An execution system characterized by including the transfer of the shipping container to a station in the route distribution storage area corresponding to the delivery destination using a transfer device.

81. The fulfillment system according to claim 80, wherein the unloading locations within the route distribution storage area correspond to a delivery route representing an ordered sequence of delivery destinations, and the generation of the AMR instructions is: For the delivery destination of the first product, the position of the delivery destination within the ordered sequence is determined, and Adjusting the arrival timing of the shipping container AMR at the unloading location within the route distribution storage area so that the arrival timing corresponds to the location within the ordered delivery destination sequence. An implementation system characterized by including the following.

82. An implementation system according to any one of claims 64 to 69, characterized in that the first product induction area includes a plurality of zones.

83. A performance system according to claim 82, wherein the plurality of zones include an ambient temperature zone in which the plurality of products are maintained at ambient temperature.

84. A performance system according to claim 83, wherein the plurality of zones include a freezing zone in which the plurality of products are maintained at a sub-zero temperature.

85. An implementation system according to claim 84, characterized in that the refrigeration zone is defined by logical and / or physical partitions.

86. A performance system according to claim 82, 83, or 84, characterized in that the plurality of zones include a refrigerated zone in which the plurality of products are maintained at a temperature above freezing and below ambient temperature.

87. An implementation system according to claim 86, characterized in that the refrigerated zone is defined by logical and / or physical partitions.

88. A performance system according to any one of claims 3 to 37, wherein the selection pallet includes a universal pallet.

89. A performance system according to any one of claims 38 to 40, characterized in that both the first selection pallet and the second selection pallet include a universal pallet.

90. A fulfillment system according to claim 89, characterized in that the first universal pallet and the second universal pallet support a vertical crate stack of a plurality of universal crates thereon.

91. A performance system according to any one of claims 1 to 90, wherein the shipping container includes a selected shipping container, the shipping container delivery system is operable to deliver the selected shipping container from a plurality of shipping containers of different sizes, and the shipping container AMR is configured to wait in the shipping container delivery system to receive the selected shipping container in accordance with the shipping container AMR instructions.

92. An execution system according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the processor is further operable to generate shipping container guidance AMR instructions, and the execution system further This is a shipping container-guided AMR, The processor receives the shipping container guidance AMR instruction, In accordance with the aforementioned AMR instructions for guiding the shipping container, Move to the receiving location for the shipping container pallet. At the aforementioned shipping container pallet receiving position, the shipping container pallet holding a plurality of shipping container blanks engages with the receiving position. A shipping container guidance AMR configured to move to a blank transfer position adjacent to the aforementioned shipping container delivery system, A blank transfer device located adjacent to the aforementioned shipping container delivery system and the blank transfer position, wherein the blank transfer device is operable to transfer shipping container blanks from the shipping container pallet to the shipping container delivery system, and An implementation system that further enhances this.

93. A fulfillment system according to claim 92, wherein the shipping container delivery system includes the blank transfer device.

94. A fulfillment system according to claim 92 or 93, wherein the plurality of shipping container blanks are held in a plurality of crates supported on the shipping container pallet.

95. An execution system according to claim 94, characterized in that the plurality of crates are stacked vertically and in series on top of each other within a crate stack.

96. An implementation system according to claim 95, characterized in that the plurality of crates are stacked vertically in a nested manner.

97. An execution system according to any one of claims 1 to 15 or 36 to 50, wherein the blank transfer device includes a crate lifting device and a robotic device controlled by a processor, the crate lifting device being operable to lift all crates in the crate stack above the crate holding at least one shipping container blank to expose the top opening of the crate holding the at least one shipping container blank, and the robotic device being operable to pick up the shipping container blank from the crate holding the at least one shipping container blank and to transfer the at least one shipping container blank to the shipping container delivery system.

98. A fulfillment system according to claim 98, wherein the shipping container delivery system installs the shipping container blank in the selected shipping container and transports the selected shipping container to the shipping container AMR in accordance with the shipping container delivery instructions received from the processor.

99. An implementation system according to claim 98 or 99, further comprising a lid covering the top opening of the uppermost crate in the crate stack, wherein the crate lifting device is further operable to lift only the lid from the uppermost crate to expose the top opening of the uppermost crate.

100. A method for operating a performance system, wherein the system is A first product guidance area including multiple product storage devices, wherein each of the multiple product storage devices holds multiple products, A first product transfer device capable of transferring a first product from among a first group of products held by the first product storage device among the group of product storage devices to a shipping container, Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) for Shipping Containers, A shipping container delivery system capable of delivering the aforementioned shipping container to the aforementioned shipping container AMR, The method includes, and the shipping container AMR, To move to the aforementioned shipping container delivery system, Waiting to receive the shipping container from the aforementioned shipping container delivery system, While holding the aforementioned shipping container, move it to the first product transfer device within the first product guidance area, In the first product transfer device, the first product is to wait to be received from the product storage device into the shipping container, Moving the shipping container containing the first product inside to at least one location for further processing of the shipping container A method for providing this.

101. It is an implementation system, A first product guidance area comprising multiple pallets, each of which holds multiple products, A product transfer device capable of transferring a first product from a selected pallet among the plurality of pallets, Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) for Shipping Containers, A shipping container delivery system capable of transporting selected shipping containers to the shipping container AMR, Equipped with, The aforementioned shipping container AMR is The container is then moved to the aforementioned shipping container delivery system. In the aforementioned shipping container delivery system, the selected shipping container is on standby to receive it. While holding the selected shipping container, move to the product transfer device within the product guidance area. At the first product transfer position, the system waits to receive the first product from the selected pallet into the selected shipping container. An execution system characterized in that it is operable to move the selected shipping container, which contains the first product inside, to at least one position for further processing of the selected shipping container.

102. The system according to claim 101, wherein the selected shipping container is selected by a processor from a plurality of available types of shipping containers.

103. The system according to claim 102, wherein the plurality of available types of shipping containers include a plurality of shipping containers of different sizes.

104. The system according to claim 102 or 103, wherein the plurality of available types of shipping containers include both insulated and non-insulated shipping containers.

105. A system according to any one of claims 102 to 104, wherein the selected container is selected by the processor based on a customer order received by the processor, and the shipping container AMR instruction for the shipping container AMR is generated by the processor based on the customer order received by the processor.

106. A performance system according to any one of claims 102 to 105, wherein the selection pallet includes a universal pallet.

107. A method for operating a performance system, wherein the performance system is A first product guidance area comprising multiple pallets, wherein each of the multiple pallets holds multiple products, A product transfer device that is operable to transfer a first product from a selection pallet, wherein the selection pallet is selected from a plurality of pallets, Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) for Shipping Containers, A shipping container delivery system capable of delivering selected shipping containers to the shipping container AMR, Equipped with, The method involves the shipping container AMR, To move to the aforementioned shipping container delivery system, In the aforementioned shipping container delivery system, the selected shipping container is to wait to be received, The selected shipping container is moved to the product transfer device within the product guidance area while being held in place. At the first product transfer position, the first product is received from the selected pallet into the selected shipping container, While holding the selected shipping container containing the first product inside, move the selected shipping container to at least one position for further processing. A method for providing this.

108. It is an implementation system, A processor capable of generating instructions for a Pallet Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR), It is a Pallet AMR, The processor receives the pallet AMR instruction, In accordance with the aforementioned pallet AMR instructions, Move to the pallet receiving position, At the aforementioned pallet receiving position, the selected pallet is received, While holding the selection palette, move to the product storage area. A palette AMR configured to release the aforementioned selection palette, Equipped with, An implementation system characterized in that the pallet holds at least one product, and the at least one product corresponds to at least one inventory management unit.

109. A performance system according to claim 107, wherein the pallet AMR is configured to move to a pallet storage position within the product storage area while holding the selected pallet in accordance with the AMR instructions, and to release the selected pallet at the pallet storage position.

110. A performance system according to claim 109, characterized in that the selected pallet is located at a first pallet storage position within the product guidance area.

111. A performance system according to claim 110, characterized in that the product guidance area includes a plurality of pallets, each arranged at a plurality of pallet storage positions.

112. A performance system according to claim 111, characterized in that the plurality of pallet storage positions are arranged in a line.

113. A performance system according to claim 112, characterized in that the first pallet storage position is located at the first end position of the row of the pallet storage position.

114. A performance system according to any one of claims 108 to 113, characterized in that the pallet receiving position is a position within the storage area of ​​the selected transport trailer.

115. A performance system according to claim 114, wherein at least one product is held in a crate, and the crate is supported on the selection pallet.

116. A fulfillment system according to claim 115, wherein the crate is a first crate of a plurality of universal crates, the plurality of universal crates are stacked vertically on top of each other in series within a crate stack, and each of the universal crates holds at least one product.

117. A fulfillment system according to claim 116, wherein each of the plurality of universal crates contains at least one product, and at least one product in all of the plurality of universal crates corresponds to the same inventory management unit.

118. A performance system according to claim 117, wherein each of the plurality of universal crates includes at least one product.

119. A fulfillment system according to claim 118, wherein each of the plurality of universal crates holds one or more products of the same Stock Unit (SKU).

120. A fulfillment system according to claim 118, wherein at least some of the plurality of universal crates hold one or more products of different SKUs.

121. A method for operating a performance system, wherein the performance system is A processor capable of generating instructions for a pallet autonomous mobile robot (AMR), Palette AMR and, Equipped with, This method involves Pallet AMR, Receiving the pallet AMR instruction from the processor, Following the pallet AMR instructions, Move to the pallet receiving location, At the aforementioned pallet receiving position, the selected pallet is received, While holding the aforementioned selection palette, move to the product storage area. Release the aforementioned selection palette. Equipped with, The selection pallet holds at least one product, and the at least one product corresponds to at least one inventory management unit,

122. It is a system, A moving device capable of moving one or more crates from a plurality of stacked crates vertically stacked on a pallet within a crate stack positioned at a crate moving location, wherein at least some of the plurality of crates contain at least one product within the crate, and the crate stack is supported on a pallet; A processor capable of generating instructions for moving devices, Equipped with, The aforementioned mobile device is The processor receives the instruction for the moving device, Engage with a selected crate from among the multiple crates in the crate stack, A system characterized by being operable to move the selected crate and any crate loaded on top of the selected crate.

123. The system according to claim 122, The moving device includes a lifting device, which is capable of vertically lifting one or more crates from among the plurality of crates in the crate stack that are positioned at a crate moving position which is a first crate lift position. The processor is capable of generating lifting device instructions, The lifting device further The processor receives the lifting device instruction, A selected crate is engaged with the plurality of crates in the crate stack. A system characterized by being operable to vertically lift any of the selected crates and any of the crates in the crate stack stacked on top of the selected crates.

124. The system according to claim 123, wherein the lifting device is capable of receiving instructions from the processor to the lifting device to vertically lift the selected crate and any crate in the crate stack that is stacked on top of the selected crate, thereby exposing the top opening of the crate directly below the selected crate in the crate stack.

125. A system according to claim 123 or 124, wherein the lifting device comprises at least one vertically movable lift arm, the at least one vertically movable lift arm being releasably engaged with the selected crate of each of the plurality of crates in the crate stack, and being operable to lift and lower the selected crate together with all the crates of the plurality of crates in the crate stack that are stacked on top of the selected crate.

126. The system according to claim 125, wherein the at least one lift arm includes first and second robotic lift arms positioned on opposing vertical sides of the crate stack.

127. The system according to claim 124, wherein the processor is operable to generate picking instructions, A robotic picking device wherein the lifting device lifts the selected crate together with all the crates of the plurality of crates stacked on top of the selected crate, exposing the top opening of the crate directly below, and then, in accordance with the picking instruction, Pick the products, A system further comprising a robotic picking device that operates to transfer the aforementioned product from a crate directly below to a shipping container.

128. A system according to any one of claims 123 to 127, characterized in that the plurality of crates are configured to be vertically nested within the crate stack.

129. A system according to claim 123 or 124, characterized in that the crate stack is supported on a crate support structure.

130. The system according to claim 129, characterized in that the crate support structure includes a pallet.

131. The system according to claim 130, wherein the pallet includes a universal pallet.

132. A system according to any one of claims 125 to 128, characterized in that the crate stack is supported on a crate support structure.

133. The system according to claim 132, characterized in that the crate support structure includes a pallet.

134. The system according to claim 133, further comprising a pallet autonomous mobile robot (AMR), wherein the processor is configured to generate pallet AMR instructions, and the pallet AMR is configured to engage with and move the pallet from the first crate lift position together with the crate stack or a portion of the crate stack on the pallet, in accordance with the pallet AMR instructions.

135. The system according to claim 134, wherein the lifting device lifts the selected crate together with all of the multiple crates stacked on top of the selected crate, exposing the top opening of the crate directly below, and the pallet AMR is operable to move the pallet together with the crate directly below and any of the multiple crates below the directly below that are supported on the pallet AMR from the first crate lift position to a picking position where the robot picking device can pick up products and transfer the products from the directly below crate to the shipping container.

136. The system according to claim 135, characterized in that the shipping container is supported on the shipping container AMR.

137. The system according to claim 135 or 136, wherein the system is After the robotic picking device picks up the product and transfers the product from the crate directly below to the shipping container, it then, in accordance with the instructions of the pallet AMR, The pallet AMR is operable to move the pallet, together with the crate directly below it and any of the multiple crates below the crate directly below it that are supported on the pallet AMR, from the picking position to a second crate lift position. The lifting device is operable to lower the selected crate along with all the crates of the plurality of crates stacked on top of the selected crate at the crate lifting position, in accordance with the instructions of the lifting device, so that the selected crate is supported on the crate directly below it and the crate stack is reconfigured. A system characterized by being able to operate in such a way.

138. The system according to claim 137, characterized in that the first crate lift position is substantially the same physical position as the second crate lift position.

139. A system according to claim 137 or 138, wherein the pallet AMR is operable to engage with the pallet supporting the crate stack in a pallet storage position in accordance with the pallet AMR instructions, and to move the pallet supporting the crate stack from the pallet storage position to the first crate lifting position.

140. The system according to claim 139, characterized in that the pallet storage position is located in a refrigerated zone or a frozen zone.

141. The system according to claim 140, characterized in that the crate lift position is located in the refrigerated zone or the frozen zone.

142. The system according to claim 141, characterized in that the picking position is located in the ambient temperature zone.

143. A system according to claim 141 or 142, characterized in that the picking device is located in an ambient temperature zone.

144. A system according to claim 143, wherein the processor is operable to generate a roll-up door instruction, and as the pallet AMR moves any of the plurality of crates below the crate directly below, supported by the pallet AMR, from the lift position to the picking position, through a roll-up door that moves up and down as controlled by the roll-up door instruction, the amount of air from the ambient temperature zone that moves to heat the refrigerated zone or the air in the refrigerated zone.

145. A system according to any one of claims 141 to 144, wherein the lifting device further comprises one or more actuators and control devices, wherein at least one of the actuators and the control devices is located in the ambient temperature zone, and at least a portion of the at least one picking arm extends into the refrigerated zone or the freezing zone.

146. The system according to claim 145, wherein the freezing zone and the refrigeration zone are defined by a physical partition, both the actuator and the control device are located on the ambient temperature zone side of the physical partition, and at least a portion of the at least one picking arm is located on the refrigeration zone side or the freezing zone side of the physical partition.

147. A system according to any one of claims 137 to 146, wherein the pallet supporting the crate stack includes one pallet from a plurality of pallets, each of the plurality of pallets supports its own crate stack, and at least some of the plurality of crates of each crate stack on the plurality of pallets contain at least one product in each crate.

148. The system according to claim 147, characterized in that the plurality of pallets are arranged in one or more rows consisting of the plurality of pallets.

149. A system according to claim 148, characterized in that a first group consisting of multiple rows of the multiple pallets is arranged in a relationship that is laterally separated from a second group consisting of multiple rows of the multiple pallets.

150. The system according to claim 148, characterized in that the first group and the second group are arranged within a refrigerated zone or a frozen zone.

151. A system according to claim 150, wherein the first group of pallets and the second group of pallets are arranged to be separated laterally in order to provide a longitudinally extending passage, the passage is configured to provide physical access to the pallet AMR, the pallet AMR engages with the leading pallet in each row of the plurality of rows of pallets, and enables the leading pallet to be moved to the first lifting position.

152. A system according to any one of claims 122 to 151, characterized in that each of the plurality of crates holds one or more products of the same Stock Unit (SKU).

153. A system according to any one of claims 122 to 151, characterized in that at least some of the plurality of crates hold one or more products of different stock management units (SKUs).

154. It is a method, The process involves moving one or more crates from a plurality of stacked crates that are vertically stacked on a pallet within a crate stack positioned at the crate movement location, wherein at least some of the plurality of crates contain at least one product within the crate, and the crate stack is supported on a pallet. The selected crate is engaged with one of the multiple crates in the crate stack, and the selected crate and any crates stacked on top of the selected crate are moved by lifting them as needed. A method for providing this.

155. It is a system for delivering products. A transport trailer configured to receive and store at least one pallet, A pallet autonomous mobile robot (AMR) capable of transporting pallets, A processor capable of transmitting instructions to the pallet AMR, wherein, in response to the instructions, the pallet AMR Guide the transport trailer to the pallet receiving position on the outside and engage with the pallet. Guide the pallet to the storage location within the transport trailer, and release the pallet at the storage location. A processor and Equipped with, The transport trailer includes an internal storage space defined by the ceiling, side walls, and floor. The system is characterized in that the floor surface is configured to facilitate guidance within the transport trailer by the pallet AMR.

156. A system according to claim 155, wherein the configuration includes a barcode on the floor surface, and the barcode is detectable by the pallet AMR.

157. A method for delivering products using an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) for pallets and loading pallets onto a transport trailer, wherein the transport trailer is configured to receive and store the pallets, and the method is such that the pallet AMR is To guide the transport trailer to the pallet receiving position on the outside and to engage with the pallet, To guide the pallet to the storage location within the transport trailer, and to release the pallet at the storage location, To guide the transport trailer away from the pallet without it. A method for providing this.

158. A method according to claim 157, characterized in that the floor surface of the transport trailer is configured to facilitate guidance by an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) inside the transport trailer.

159. It is a system for delivering products. A transport trailer configured to receive and store at least one pallet, A pallet autonomous mobile robot (AMR) capable of transporting pallets, A processor capable of transmitting instructions to the pallet AMR, wherein, in response to the instructions, the pallet AMR Guide the pallet to the pallet receiving position within the transport trailer and engage with the given pallet. Guide the transport trailer to an external storage location, and release the given pallet at the storage location. A processor and A system equipped with these features.

160. The system according to claim 159, The transport trailer includes an internal storage space defined by the ceiling, side walls, and floor. The system is characterized in that the floor surface is configured to facilitate guidance within the transport trailer by the given pallet AMR.

161. A method for unloading products from a transport trailer and delivering the products using an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) for pallets, wherein the transport trailer is capable of receiving and storing the pallets, and the method involves the pallet AMR, To guide the pallet to the pallet receiving position inside the transport trailer and to engage the given pallet, To guide the transport trailer to an external storage location and to release the given pallet at the storage location, Moving away from the given pallet, A method for providing this.

162. A method according to claim 161, wherein the transport trailer includes an internal storage space defined by a ceiling, side walls, and a floor, and the floor of the transport trailer facilitates the guidance of the pallet AMR within the transport trailer.

163. A system for loading and transporting products, A source of multiple products, wherein the system is operable to transport the multiple products onto a pallet placed in a pallet loading position, A transport trailer configured to receive and store at least one pallet, A pallet autonomous mobile robot (AMR) capable of moving pallets, A processor capable of transmitting instructions to the pallet AMR, wherein, in response to the instructions, the pallet AMR Guide to the pallet receiving position and engage with a given pallet holding multiple products. Guide the pallet to the storage location inside the transport trailer, and release the designated pallet at the storage location. A processor and A system equipped with these features.

164. The system according to claim 163, further comprising a crate source, wherein the system is further operable to transfer the plurality of products to a specific pallet, and the system further, A product transfer device capable of transferring at least one product into each of a plurality of crates provided from the source of the crate, A crate stack forming apparatus capable of forming the aforementioned plurality of crates into a crate stack, A crate stack loading device capable of loading the crate stack onto the specific pallet, Equipped with, The aforementioned pallet AMR is Guide them to the aforementioned pallet receiving location, Engage with the aforementioned specific pallet, Guide to the storage location within the transport trailer, A system characterized by being operable to release the specific pallet at the storage location.

165. A system according to claim 163 or 164, wherein the source of the plurality of products includes a product delivery conveyor operable to transport the plurality of products to a product transfer location, and at the product transfer location, the product transfer device is operable to transport at least one product into each of a plurality of crates provided by the source of the crates.

166. The system according to claim 165, wherein the product transfer device includes a robot picking device controlled by the processor, the robot picking device being operable to pick up the at least one product and to transfer the at least one product to each of the plurality of crates.

167. The system according to claim 166, wherein the robot picking device further comprises a visual detection system.

168. A system for loading products onto a pallet, the system is Product source and A product transfer device capable of loading at least one product provided by the source of the product into each of a plurality of crates at a loading station, thereby forming a plurality of loading crates, A loading crate stack forming apparatus capable of forming a loaded crate stack from the plurality of loading crates, A device capable of operating to stack loading crate stacks onto a pallet to form a loading pallet, A pallet autonomous mobile robot (AMR) capable of engaging with and moving a loading pallet while supporting a loading crate stack, A processing device that can be operated to transmit instructions to the pallet AMR, wherein, in response to the instructions, the pallet AMR Guide them to the pallet receiving area. At the aforementioned pallet receiving position, engage with an unloaded pallet, The unloaded pallets are then guided to the crate stack receiving location. The crate stack is received, and thereby a loading pallet is formed. Along with the aforementioned loading pallet, guide it away from the crate stack receiving position, A processor guides the loading pallet to a location for further processing while still holding it in place. A system equipped with these features.

169. A system according to claim 168, wherein the product transfer device includes a robot picking device controlled by the processor, the robot picking device being operable to pick up the at least one product and to transfer the at least one product to each of the plurality of crates.

170. The system according to claim 169, wherein the robot picking device further includes a visual detection system.

171. A system according to any one of claims 168 to 170, further comprising a crate conveyor device capable of delivering the plurality of crates to the loading station.

172. The system according to claim 171, wherein the crate conveyor device is further operable to deliver the plurality of loading crates to the loading crate stack forming device.

173. A system according to any one of claims 168 to 172, wherein the system further, A plurality of empty pallets, wherein each of the plurality of empty pallets contains a plurality of empty crates that do not contain products, An empty crate transfer station is equipped with a device that sequentially removes each of the multiple empty crates from each of the empty pallets and transfers the multiple empty crates to the crate conveyor device. Equipped with, The crate conveyor device is characterized by delivering the plurality of empty crates to the loading station.

174. The system according to claim 171, further, An empty pallet AMR, wherein the empty pallet AMR is operable to engage and move a given empty pallet from a plurality of empty pallets to an empty crate transfer station, A processor capable of transmitting instructions to the empty pallet AMR, wherein, in response to the instructions, the empty pallet AMR We will guide you to the storage area for pallets without loads. Engaging with the given unloaded pallet in the unloaded pallet storage area, The empty crate is guided along with the given pallet without cargo to the empty crate transfer station. Guide the crate stack, and the empty pallet, away from the crate transfer station. A processor guides the empty pallet, while still engaged with it, to a location for further processing. A system equipped with these features.

175. A method of loading products onto a pallet, The process involves loading at least one product provided by a product source into each of several empty crates, thereby forming multiple loading crates. Forming a loading crate stack from the aforementioned multiple loading crates, The aforementioned loading crate stacks are loaded onto a pallet to form a loading pallet, The pallet autonomous mobile robot (AMR) engages with the aforementioned loading pallet, Moving the loading pallet while supporting the loaded crate stack A method for providing this.

176. A system for delivering products to the work site, Production workspaces, including the source of the product, In the aforementioned production workplace, a product transfer device is provided that is capable of transferring multiple products supplied by the product source onto pallets placed at pallet loading positions, A first transport trailer capable of receiving and storing at least one pallet, wherein the first transport trailer enables the guidance of an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) inside the first transport trailer, The first production pallet AMR in the aforementioned production workshop, wherein the first production pallet AMR is Guide them to the pallet receiving area. At the pallet receiving position, it engages with a loading pallet that holds multiple products, Guide to the storage location within the aforementioned transport trailer, The aforementioned loading pallet is released at the aforementioned storage location. A first production pallet AMR capable of guiding away from the transport trailer without the aforementioned loading pallet, A performance work area, which includes a first performance pallet AMR, Guide to the storage location on the first transport trailer, In the aforementioned storage position, it engages with the loading pallet, Guide them to the pallet storage location within the aforementioned work area. In the aforementioned pallet storage location, the loading pallet is released, A work area that is operable to guide the load away from the pallet storage location without the load pallet, Equipped with, A system characterized in that, when the first transport trailer loads a loading pallet, the first transport trailer is operable to transport the loading pallet from the production work area to the performance work area.

177. The system according to claim 176, A second transport trailer capable of receiving and storing at least one pallet, wherein the second transport trailer enables the guidance of an AMR inside the second transport trailer, The second performance pallet AMR, Guide them to the storage location for the returned pallets within the work area. At the storage location for the returned pallets of the aforementioned work, engage with a returned pallet that no longer holds any products, The pallet is guided from the storage location for the returned pallet of the aforementioned work to the storage location for the returned trailer inside the second transport trailer. At the aforementioned return trailer storage location, the return pallet is released, A second performance pallet AMR that is operable to guide the return pallet away from the second transport trailer without the return pallet, The second production pallet AMR is, They will be guided to the aforementioned return trailer storage location. At the aforementioned return trailer storage location, the return pallet engages with the return pallet, Without the aforementioned return pallet, the second transport trailer is guided to the production work return pallet storage location within the production work area. At the production work return pallet storage location, the return pallet is released, A second production pallet AMR that is operable to guide the production pallet away from the production work return pallet storage location, Furthermore, A system characterized in that, when the second transport trailer is loaded with the return pallets, the second transport trailer is capable of operating to transport the return pallets from the performance work area to the production work area.

178. A system according to claim 177, further comprising a processing system operable to control the operation of the performance pallet AMR, the first production pallet AMR, the second performance pallet AMR, and the second production pallet AMR.

179. A method of delivering products to the work site, In the production area, Transferring multiple products supplied by the product source onto a pallet, thereby forming a loading pallet, The first production pallet autonomous mobile robot (AMR) guides the pallet to the loading pallet, The first production pallet AMR engages with the loading pallet, The first production pallet AMR guides it to its storage location within the transport trailer, While the transport trailer is located in the production area, the first production pallet AMR releases the loading pallet to the pallet storage location. The first production pallet AMR guides the pallet away from the transport trailer without the loading pallet. A method for providing this.

180. A method according to claim 179, further comprising moving the transport trailer from the production work area to the performance work area.

181. The method according to claim 179 or 180, wherein the performance work area further comprises a first performance pallet AMR, and the method further comprises The first performance pallet AMR guides the pallet to the pallet storage position on the transport trailer, The first performance pallet AMR engages with the loading pallet, The first performance pallet AMR guides it to the second pallet storage location within the performance work area, The first performance pallet AMR releases the loading pallet at the second pallet storage position, The first performance pallet AMR guides the load pallet away from the second pallet storage position without the load pallet. A method for providing this.

182. A method for performing the work, In the performance work area, a first autonomous mobile robot (AMR) guides the pallet to a storage location on a first transport trailer located within the performance work area. The first AMR engages with the loading pallet that holds multiple products, The first AMR moves the loading pallet to the location where the work area is located, The components of the aforementioned work area are used to empty most or all of the loading pallets of the plurality of products, thereby forming return pallets. In the aforementioned work area, the second AMR guides the vehicle to the return pallet. The second AMR moves the return pallet to the pallet storage position on the second transport trailer located at the performance work area, A method for providing this.

183. A method for operating production operations, The process involves loading multiple products onto a pallet to form a loading pallet, and The first autonomous mobile robot (AMR) guides the goods to the loading pallet in the production area, The first AMR moves the loading pallet onto the first transport trailer, In the production area, the second AMR guides the product to the return pallet on the second transport trailer located in the production area. The second AMR removes the return pallet from the second transport trailer, A method for providing this.

184. A transport trailer having an internal storage space defined by a ceiling, side walls, and floor, wherein the floor includes a first configuration that facilitates guidance within the transport trailer by an autonomous mobile robot (AMR).

185. A transport trailer according to claim 184, wherein the first configuration is consistent with the second configuration in the execution work, and the second configuration facilitates guidance by the AMR in the execution work.

186. A transport trailer according to claim 184 or 185, wherein the first configuration is consistent with a third configuration in production work, and the third configuration facilitates guidance by the AMR in production work.

187. A transport trailer according to any one of claims 184 to 186, wherein the first configuration includes a barcode on the inner floor surface of the transport trailer, and the barcode is detectable by the AMR.

188. It is a system, A transport trailer according to claim 187, AMR and, A processor capable of communicating with the AMR, receiving barcode signals from the AMR, and operating in response to guide the movement of the AMR within the transport trailer, A system equipped with these features.

189. It is a transport trailer, The internal storage space is defined by the ceiling, side walls, and floor, A plurality of airbags arranged on the side wall surface, wherein the plurality of airbags are In a first state, the airbag inflates with pressurized air and engages with the side of the crate supported on a pallet stored in the internal space, A plurality of airbags having a second state in which the airbag is depressurized and detaches from the side of the crate A transport trailer equipped with [a specific feature / equipment].

190. A transport trailer according to claim 189, wherein the pallet supports a vertical stack of multiple crates, In the first state, the plurality of airbags engage with some sides of the plurality of crates supported on the pallet stored in the internal space, A transport trailer characterized in that, in the second state, the plurality of airbags detach from some of the plurality of crates.

191. A transport trailer according to claim 189 or 190, A pneumatic system capable of operating to inflate and deflate the plurality of airbags, A tractor capable of propelling the aforementioned transport trailer and A transport trailer equipped with additional features.

192. A shipping container blank delivery system for delivering shipping container blanks to an erected shipping container delivery system, wherein the shipping container blank delivery system is A shipping container blank pallet that holds multiple shipping container blanks, A shipping container blank autonomous mobile robot (AMR), Move to the receiving location for the shipping container blank pallet. At the receiving position of the shipping container blank pallet, the shipping container blank pallet engages with the following: An autonomous mobile robot (AMR) for shipping container blanks is configured to move to a blank transfer position which is near the aforementioned erected shipping container delivery system, A blank transfer device positioned near the blank transfer position and the erected shipping container delivery system, wherein the blank transfer device is operable to transfer the plurality of shipping container blanks from the shipping container blank pallet to the erected shipping container delivery system. A system equipped with these features.

193. The system according to claim 192, further comprising a processor capable of generating a shipping container blank AMR instruction, wherein the shipping container blank AMR is The processor receives the shipping container guidance AMR instruction, In accordance with the aforementioned AMR instructions for guiding the shipping container, the container moves to the shipping container pallet receiving position. At the aforementioned shipping container pallet receiving position, in accordance with the shipping container guidance AMR instructions, engage with the shipping container pallet, A system characterized by being configured to move to the blank transfer position in accordance with the AMR guidance instructions for the shipping container.

194. A system according to claim 193, characterized in that the blank transfer device is part of the erected shipping container delivery system.

195. A system according to claim 193 or 194, wherein the blank transfer device includes a robotic device and a computer vision device, which together operate to position, engage and move each of the plurality of shipping container blanks from the shipping container blank pallet to the erected shipping container delivery system.

196. A system according to any one of claims 193 to 195, characterized in that the plurality of shipping container blanks are held in a plurality of crates supported on the shipping container pallet.

197. The system according to claim 196, characterized in that the plurality of crates are stacked vertically in series on top of each other within the crate stack.

198. The system according to claim 197, characterized in that the plurality of crates are stacked vertically in a nested manner.

199. A system according to any one of claims 196 to 198, wherein the blank transfer device is A crate lifting device controlled by the aforementioned processor, The robotic device controlled by the aforementioned processor, It has, The crate lifting device is operable to lift all crates in the crate stack above the crate holding the selected shipping container blank, thereby exposing the top opening of the crate holding the selected shipping container blank. The robotic device is characterized in that it is capable of picking up the selected shipping container blank from the crate holding the selected shipping container blank, and transporting the selected shipping container blank to the erected shipping container delivery system.

200. A system according to claim 193, characterized in that the erected shipping container delivery system is operable to erect the selected shipping container blank inside the erected shipping container and deliver the erected shipping container to the shipping container AMR in accordance with the shipping container delivery instructions received from the processor.

201. A system according to claim 197 or 198, further comprising a lid covering the top opening of the uppermost crate in the crate stack, wherein the crate lifting device is operable to lift only the lid from the uppermost crate, thereby exposing the top opening of the uppermost crate in the crate stack.

202. A method for operating a performance system including an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) for shipping container blanks, the method being: The aforementioned shipping container blank AMR moves to the shipping container blank pallet receiving position, The aforementioned shipping container blank AMR engages with the shipping container blank pallet holding multiple shipping container blanks at the shipping container blank pallet receiving position, The aforementioned shipping container blank AMR moves to a blank transfer position near the shipping container delivery system. A method for providing this.

203. A method according to claim 202, further comprising transferring the plurality of shipping container blanks from the shipping container blank pallet to the shipping container delivery system.

204. A system for delivering shipping container blanks to the work site, the system is A production workspace capable of providing a source of shipping container blanks, In the aforementioned production workspace, a product transfer device is provided that is capable of transferring a plurality of shipping container blanks provided by the shipping container blank source onto a shipping container blank pallet positioned at a pallet loading location. A first transport trailer configured to receive and store the aforementioned shipping container blank pallets, In the aforementioned production workspace, an autonomous production pallet mobile robot (AMR) capable of moving the aforementioned shipping container blank pallets is provided, A processing system capable of transmitting production pallet AMR instructions to the production pallet AMR, wherein the production pallet AMR responds to the production pallet AMR instructions, Guide them to the pallet receiving area. The shipping container blank pallet that holds the plurality of shipping container blanks engages with the shipping container blank pallet, Guide to the storage location within the aforementioned transport trailer, At the aforementioned storage location, the shipping container blank pallet is released, A processing system that guides the shipping container to move away from the transport trailer without the blank pallet, Equipped with, A system characterized in that, when the first transport trailer is loaded with the shipping container blank pallets, the first transport trailer is capable of operating to transport the shipping container blank pallets from the production area to the fulfillment area.

205. The system according to claim 204, further, A fulfillment system including a shipping container delivery system, In the aforementioned work area, a movable performance pallet AMR is provided to move the shipping container blank pallet, Equipped with, The processing system is further operable to transmit performance pallet AMR instructions to the performance pallet AMR, and in response to the performance pallet AMR instructions, the performance pallet AMR will Guide to the pallet storage location on the first transport trailer, The aforementioned shipping container blank pallet engages with, Guide them to the pallet storage location within the aforementioned work area. At the aforementioned pallet storage location, the shipping container blank pallet is released, A system characterized by guiding the container away from the pallet storage location without the presence of the blank pallet.

206. The system according to claim 205, further The first shipping container blank AMR, Move to the pallet storage location within the aforementioned work area. At the aforementioned pallet storage position, it engages with the aforementioned shipping container blank pallet, Move to a blank transfer position near the aforementioned shipping container delivery system. A first shipping container blank AMR configured as follows, A blank transfer device located adjacent to the shipping container delivery system and the blank transfer position, the blank transfer device being operable to transfer the plurality of shipping container blanks from the shipping container blank pallet to the shipping container delivery system, A system equipped with these features.

207. The system according to claim 206, wherein the processing system further A second performance pallet AMR instruction is transmitted to the second performance pallet AMR, and in response to the second performance pallet AMR instruction, the second performance pallet AMR performs: Engaging with a return pallet, including the aforementioned shipping container blank pallet which does not have any of the aforementioned shipping container blanks, From the blank transfer position, the blank is guided to the return pallet storage position within the performance work area, or to the return trailer storage position within the second transport trailer. The aforementioned shipping container blank pallet is released, A second production pallet AMR instruction is transmitted to the second production pallet AMR, and in response to the second production pallet AMR instruction, the second production pallet AMR operates as follows: Guide the vehicle to the storage location for the return trailer within the second transport trailer. Engage with the aforementioned return pallet, The second transport trailer carrying the return pallet is guided to the return pallet storage location within the production area. Release the aforementioned return pallet, Guide the person away from the aforementioned return pallet storage location. It is possible to operate in this manner, A system characterized in that, when the second transport trailer is loaded with the return pallets, the second transport trailer is capable of operating to transport the return pallets from the performance work area to the production work area.

208. A system according to any one of claims 204 to 207, wherein the processing system includes a first processor located in the production workspace and a second processor located in the performance workspace.

209. The system according to claim 208, characterized in that the first processor and the second processor are electronically able to communicate with each other.

210. A method of delivering shipping container blanks to the work area, said method is Transferring multiple shipping containers onto a shipping container blank pallet, The pallet autonomous mobile robot (AMR) will guide the pallet to the aforementioned shipping container blank pallet, The pallet AMR engages with the shipping container blank pallet that holds the plurality of shipping container blanks, The aforementioned pallet AMR guides the pallet to its storage location on the transport trailer. The pallet AMR releases the shipping container blank pallet at the storage location, To guide the cargo away from the transport trailer without the aforementioned shipping container blank pallet, A method for providing this.

211. A system that combines production and execution, The system described in claim 177, The system according to claim 205 and A system equipped with these features.

212. It is an implementation system, It is a processor, Generate carton formation instructions, A processor capable of generating instructions for an autonomous mobile robot (AMR), A carton forming system, The processor receives the carton formation instruction, In accordance with the carton formation instructions, select a carton blank from a plurality of available carton blanks, The aforementioned carton blank is formed into an upright carton. A carton forming system configured as follows, It is AMR, The AMR instruction is received from the aforementioned processor. In accordance with the AMR instructions, move to the carton forming system, and receive the erected carton from the carton forming system. In accordance with the AMR instructions, while holding the erected carton, move to the station within the product guidance area. At the aforementioned station, the product is received in the carton that has been erected. In accordance with the AMR instructions, the upright carton containing the product is moved to a location for further processing of the upright carton. AMR configured in such a way An implementation system equipped with the following features.

213. A fulfillment system according to claim 212, characterized in that the carton formation instruction is generated by the processor based on a customer order received by the processor, and the AMR instruction is generated by the processor based on the customer order received by the processor.

214. The implementation system according to claim 212 or 213, wherein the product guidance area includes a product tower, the product tower includes a plurality of compartments for storing products, at least one of the plurality of compartments includes one or more products, and the one or more products correspond to at least one stockkeeping unit.

215. The performance system according to any one of claims 212 to 214, further comprising a scale, wherein the further processing includes confirming that the weight of the combination of the upright carton and the product, measured using the scale, is close to the expected weight of the combination of the upright carton and the product.

216. The performance system according to any one of claims 212 to 215, further comprising a carton sealing device, wherein the further processing includes sealing the upright carton with the carton sealing device.

217. The implementation system according to any one of claims 212 to 216, further comprising a carton labeling device, wherein the further processing includes labeling the upright carton using the carton labeling device.

218. The route distribution and aggregation area is further provided, and the further processing is, Determining the destination of the aforementioned product, To transport the aforementioned upright carton to a station within the route distribution and collection area. Equipped with, The implementation system according to any one of claims 212 to 217, wherein the station in the route distribution aggregation area corresponds to the destination.

219. The unloading locations within the aforementioned route distribution storage area correspond to delivery routes representing an ordered sequence of destinations, and the AMR instructions are generated accordingly. With respect to the destination of the aforementioned product, the position in the ordered sequence of destinations is determined, Arranging the timing of the arrival of the AMR at the unloading location within the route distribution storage area so that the timing of arrival corresponds to the position in the ordered sequence of destinations. The performance system according to claim 218, including the following:

220. The implementation system according to any one of claims 212 to 219, wherein the further processing includes holding the upright carton using suction cups.

221. The order fulfillment system according to any one of claims 212 to 220, wherein the further processing includes holding the upright carton using lugs attached to an independently controlled belt.

222. The order fulfillment system according to any one of claims 212 or 221, wherein the product guidance area is adjacent to the storage area.

223. The order fulfillment system according to claim 222, wherein the storage area includes a plurality of towers for storing products in compartments, and the towers are configured to be transported to the product guidance area by an autonomous mobile tower transport robot.

224. The order fulfillment system according to claim 222, wherein the storage area includes a plurality of product storage racks for storing products on pallets.

225. The order fulfillment system according to any one of claims 212 to 224, wherein the plurality of available carton blanks are stored in a plurality of magazines.

226. The order fulfillment system according to any one of claims 212 to 225, wherein the station in the product guidance area has a robot product loading station, and the AMR is configured to receive the product from the product retrieval robot into the upright carton at the robot product loading station.

227. The order fulfillment system according to any one of claims 212 to 225, wherein the station within the product guidance area includes a manual product loading station, and the AMR is configured to receive the product from a manual product picker into the upright carton at the manual product loading station.

228. It is an implementation system, It is a processor, Generate shipping container selection instructions, Generates instructions for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). A processor capable of operating in such a way, A shipping container delivery system, The processor receives the shipping container selection instruction, In accordance with the aforementioned shipping container selection instructions, select the chosen shipping container from among multiple shipping containers. A shipping container delivery system configured as follows, It is AMR, The processor receives the AMR instruction, In accordance with the AMR instructions, move to the shipping container delivery system, and receive the selected shipping container from the shipping container delivery system. In accordance with the AMR instructions, while holding the selected shipping container, move to the station in the product guidance area. At the aforementioned station, the products are received into the selected shipping container. In accordance with the AMR instructions, the selected shipping container, while holding the selected shipping container containing the product inside, is moved to a location for further processing of the selected shipping container. AMR configured as follows, An implementation system equipped with the following features.

229. The fulfillment system according to claim 228, wherein the shipping container selection instruction is generated by the processor based on a customer order received by the processor, and the AMR instruction is generated by the processor based on a customer order received by the processor.

230. The implementation system according to claim 228 or 229, wherein the product guidance area has a product tower, the product tower includes a plurality of compartments for storing products, at least one of the plurality of compartments includes one or more products, and the one or more products correspond to at least one stockkeeping unit.

231. The aforementioned product is the first product, and the AMR is, In accordance with the AMR's instructions, the selected shipping container is moved, while still being held, to a designated product storage rack within a storage area that includes multiple product storage racks for storing products on pallets. In the predetermined product storage rack, the second product is received into the selected shipping container. In accordance with the AMR's instructions, the selected shipping container, while retaining the first and second products inside, is moved to another location for further processing. The performance system according to any one of claims 228 to 230, further configured as follows.

232. The AMR is further configured to move to a location in a second product guidance area while holding the selected shipping container in accordance with the AMR instructions, the second product guidance area having a crate holding structure, the crate holding structure holding a plurality of crates for storing products, at least one of the plurality of crates containing one or more products, the one or more products corresponding to a single stockkeeping unit, the performance system according to any one of claims 228 to 231.

233. The implementation system according to claim 232, wherein the AMR is a shipping container AMR, the system further comprises a crate holding AMR, the processor is operable to generate a crate holding AMR instruction, and the crate holding AMR instruction instructs the crate holding AMR to transport the crate holding structure to the second product guidance area so as to meet the shipping container AMR.

234. The fulfillment system according to any one of claims 228 to 233, further comprising a sealing device capable of operating to seal the open flaps of the selected shipping container.

235. The fulfillment system according to claim 234, wherein the sealing device seals the open flap of the selected shipping container while the AMR moves through the sealing device.

236. The performance system according to claim 235, wherein the AMR further comprises a drive mechanism operable to drive the movement of the AMR, and the AMR is driven by the drive mechanism through the sealing device.

237. The implementation system according to claim 236, further comprising first and second laterally spaced and longitudinally extending guide belts, which are operable to guide the selected shipping container during longitudinal movement of the AMR on which the selected shipping container is placed.

238. The order fulfillment system according to claim 237, wherein the order fulfillment system is operable to provide the processor with information indicating that the movement of the guide belt is the movement of the AMR and the sealing device of the shipping container.

239. The implementation system according to any one of claims 228 to 238, wherein the station in the product guidance area has a robot product loading station, and the AMR is configured to receive the product from the product retrieval robot into the shipping container at the robot product loading station.

240. The performance system according to any one of claims 228 to 238, wherein the station within the product guidance area has a manual product loading station, and the AMR is configured to receive the product from a manual product picker into the shipping container at the manual product loading station.

241. Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and A processor capable of generating AMR instructions, A shipping container delivery system configured and operational for delivering shipping containers to the aforementioned AMR, A sealing device that can be operated so as the AMR moves through the sealing device with the shipping container placed on it, Equipped with, The aforementioned AMR is, The AMR instruction is received from the aforementioned processor. Move to the sealing device in accordance with the AMR instructions, move through the sealing device, and seal the shipping container. A carton closing and sealing system configured and operable in such a manner.

242. The system according to claim 241, wherein the AMR further includes a drive mechanism that is operable to drive the movement of the AMR, and the AMR with the shipping container on top is driven by the drive mechanism through the sealing device.

243. The system according to claim 241 or 242, further comprising first and second guide belts that are separated laterally and extend longitudinally, and which are operable to guide the shipping container as the AMR on which the shipping container is fixed moves longitudinally through the sealing device.

244. The system according to claim 243, wherein the guide belt contacts each of the opposing sides of the shipping container as the AMR moves longitudinally through the sealing device with the shipping container fixed thereon.

245. The system according to claim 243 or 244, wherein the lateral spacing of the guide belts is adjustable by the processor to correspond to the width of the shipping container.

246. The system according to any one of claims 243 to 245, wherein the system is operable to provide a processor with information indicating that the movement of the longitudinal guide belt indicates the movement of the AMR and shipping container through the sealing device.

247. The system according to any one of claims 241 to 246, wherein the sealing device has a folding rail system that is operable to close the upper front flap and at least one of the first and second opposing side flaps of the shipping container while the AMR and the shipping container are moving through the sealing device.

248. The system according to claim 247, further comprising a flap-kicking mechanism that is operable to close the rear flap of the shipping container while the AMR and the shipping container move through the sealing device.

249. The system according to any one of claims 241 to 248, further comprising a labeling device capable of being operated so that the shipping container is labeled when the AMR moves through the labeling device with the shipping container placed on it.

250. The system according to claim 249, wherein the AMR moves through the sealing device and the labeling device in accordance with the AMR instructions to seal and label the shipping container.

251. An autonomous mobile robot (AMR) for transporting receptacles, Mobile cart and A control system for controlling the operation of the AMR, A first belt having an upper surface, The first lug fixed to the upper surface of the first belt, A second belt having an upper surface, A second lug fixed to the upper surface of the second belt, Equipped with, The control system is operable to control and adjust the position of the first lug with respect to the second lug which moves between the first position and the second position. The first position is a position in which the distance between the first lug and the second lug is suitable for positioning the receptacle between the first lug and the second lug and for removing it from between the first lug and the second lug. The second position is a position in which the distance between the first lug and the second lug allows the first lug and the second lug to engage with the sides of the receptacle in order to fix the receptacle between the first lug and the second lug. AMR.

252. The AMR according to claim 251, wherein the upper surface of the first belt and the upper surface of the second belt are configured to support the receptacle thereon, and when the shipping container is fixed between the first lug and the second lug, the receptacle is supported by the upper surface of the first belt and the upper surface of the second belt.

253. An autonomous mobile robot (AMR) for transporting receptacles, Mobile cart and A control system for controlling the operation of the autonomous mobile robot, A receptacle fixing mechanism that can be operated to securely fix the shipping container to the mobile cart in a detachable manner while the receptacle is moving within the warehouse, when the receptacle is carrying at least one product of a product order and when the receptacle is empty of any products, Equipped with, The control system is operable to control and regulate the operation of the receptacle between the first state and the second state. The first state is a state in which the receptacle is fixed to the mobile cart and moved within the warehouse when the receptacle is carrying at least one product of a product order, and when the receptacle is empty of any products. The second state is the state in which the receptacle is removed from the mobile cart, AMR.

254. In the second state, the receptacle is received on the mobile cart, as described in claim 253.

255. A product rack for storing products, Furthermore, there are multiple storage levels for storing the product, wherein the multiple storage levels are spaced apart from each other and arranged vertically within the product rack, Furthermore, a plurality of lifting platforms configured for the movement of an autonomous mobile robot (AMR), each of the plurality of lifting platforms being positioned in close proximity to one of the plurality of storage levels, A product rack having, An elevator system including a lifting platform for lifting the AMR between ground level and multiple lifting platforms, A product retrieval robot for retrieving a product from one of the plurality of storage levels and unloading the product onto a receptacle held by the AMR in one of the corresponding storage levels, A product unloading system equipped with [a specific feature / feature].

256. The system according to claim 255, wherein the product picking robot has an end of an arm tool (EOAT) for engaging with the product in the process of picking it up.

257. The system according to claim 255 or 256, wherein the product retrieval robot has a sensor for detecting the product for retrieval.

258. The system according to claim 257, wherein the sensor is a camera.

259. The system according to any one of claims 256 to 258, further comprising a pallet positioned on one of the plurality of storage levels, wherein the pallet comprises a plurality of containers, each of which contains an article having dimensions known to the product retrieval robot, and engaging with the product during retrieval includes engaging with the article.

260. The system according to claim 259, wherein the plurality of containers are reusable containers.

261. It is a processor, Generate carton formation instructions, Generate product removal instructions, Generating instructions for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) A processor capable of operating in such a way, A carton forming system, The processor receives the carton formation instruction, In accordance with the carton formation instructions, select a carton blank from the magazine, The carton blank is formed into an upright carton. A carton forming system configured as follows, Product retrieval robot, The processor receives the product removal instruction, In accordance with the aforementioned product retrieval instructions, retrieve the product from the product rack in the product storage area. A product picking robot configured as follows, It is AMR, The AMR instruction is received from the aforementioned processor. In accordance with the AMR instructions, move to the carton forming system, and receive the upright carton from the carton forming system. In accordance with the AMR instructions, while holding the upright carton, move to the product rack. The product is received from the product retrieval robot into the aforementioned upright carton on the product rack. In accordance with the AMR instructions, the upright carton containing the product is moved to a location for further processing. AMR configured in such a way An implementation system equipped with the following features.

262. The system according to claim 261, wherein the carton formation instruction is generated by the processor based on a customer order received by the processor, the product removal instruction is generated by the processor based on a customer order received by the processor, and the AMR instruction is generated by the processor based on a customer order received by the processor.

263. The aforementioned product rack is Thereafter, there are multiple storage levels for storing products, wherein the multiple storage levels are spaced apart from each other and arranged vertically within the product rack, A plurality of lifting platforms configured on which an AMR moves, each of the plurality of lifting platforms being positioned in close proximity to one of the plurality of storage levels, The system according to claim 261 or 262, having the following features.

264. The elevator system further comprises an elevator system configured to receive lifting and lowering instructions from the processor for raising the AMR between ground level and one of a plurality of lifting platforms, the AMR The product rack is transported by the elevator system to one of the multiple lifting platforms. In accordance with the AMR instructions, move along one of the plurality of lifting platforms, The product is received from the product retrieval robot into the upright carton. The system according to claim 263, configured in such a way.

265. The system further comprises a pallet located in one of the aforementioned multiple storage levels, the pallet containing multiple reusable containers, each of the multiple reusable containers containing multiple products, In response to the AMR receiving the last product of the plurality of products in any one of the reusable containers, the empty AMR, The processor receives an empty AMR instruction generated by the processor. In accordance with the aforementioned empty AMR instructions, move to the product rack, The product rack receives the reusable container from the product retrieval robot. In accordance with the AMR instructions for empty containers, the container is moved to a location for further processing while retaining its position. The system according to claim 263 or 264, configured as such.

266. The system according to claim 265, wherein further processing of the reusable container includes unloading the reusable container onto a further pallet.

267. It is a processor, Generate receptacle delivery instructions, Generates instructions for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). A processor capable of operating in such a way, It is a carton delivery system, The processor receives the receptacle delivery instruction, In accordance with the aforementioned receptacle delivery instructions, select the receptacle selected for delivery from the receptacle selection. A carton delivery system configured as follows, It is AMR, The AMR instruction is received from the aforementioned processor. In accordance with the AMR instructions, move to the receptacle delivery system, and receive the selected receptacle from the receptacle delivery system. Following AMR instructions, while holding the selected receptacle, move to the station in the product guidance area. At the aforementioned station, the product is received into the selected receptacle. In accordance with the AMR instructions, the selected receptacle, which contains the product, is moved to a location for further processing. AMR configured as follows, An implementation system equipped with the following features.

268. The receptacle delivery system includes a carton forming system, and the carton forming system is The processor receives a receptacle delivery instruction including a carton formation instruction, In accordance with the carton formation instructions, a carton blank is selected from multiple magazines, thereby establishing the selected carton blank. The selected carton blank is formed into an upright carton. The performance system according to claim 267, configured as follows.

269. The implementation system according to claim 267 or 268, wherein the station within the product guidance area has a robotic product loading station, and the AMR is configured to receive products from a product retrieval robot into a selected receptacle.

270. The performance system according to claim 267 or 268, wherein the station within the product guidance area has a manual product loading station, and the AMR is configured to receive the product from a manual product picker into the selected receptacle.

271. It is an implementation system, It is a processor, Generate shipping container selection instructions, Generates instructions for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). A processor capable of operating in such a way, A shipping container delivery system, The processor receives the shipping container selection instruction, In accordance with the aforementioned shipping container selection instructions, select the chosen shipping container from among multiple shipping containers. A shipping container delivery system configured as follows, It is AMR, The AMR instruction is received from the aforementioned processor. In accordance with the AMR instructions, move to the shipping container delivery system, and receive the selected shipping container from the shipping container delivery system. In accordance with the AMR's instructions, the selected shipping container is moved to a station in the product guidance area, the product guidance area includes a product tower, the product tower includes a plurality of compartments for storing products, at least one of the plurality of compartments contains one or more products, and the one or more products correspond to at least one stockkeeping unit. At the aforementioned station, the first product is received into the selected shipping container. In accordance with the AMR instructions, the selected shipping container is moved to a designated product storage rack within the storage area, which includes a plurality of product storage racks for storing products on pallets. In the predetermined product storage rack, the second product is received into the selected shipping container. In accordance with the AMR instructions, the selected shipping container, while holding the first product and the second product inside, is moved to a location for further processing. AMR configured as follows, An implementation system equipped with the following features.

272. The fulfillment system according to claim 271, wherein the shipping container selection instruction is generated by the processor based on a customer order received by the processor, and the AMR instruction is generated by the processor based on the customer order received by the processor.

273. The fulfillment system according to claim 271 or 272, further comprising a sealing device capable of operating to seal the open flaps of the selected shipping container.

274. The fulfillment system according to claim 273, wherein the sealing device seals the open flap of the selected shipping container while the AMR moves through the sealing device.

275. The implementation system according to claim 274, wherein the AMR further comprises a drive mechanism operable to drive the movement of the AMR, and the AMR is driven by the drive mechanism through the sealing device.

276. The performance system according to claim 275, further comprising first and second laterally spaced and longitudinally extending guide belts, which are operable to guide the selected shipping container through the sealing device as the AMR moves longitudinally with the selected shipping container placed on top of it.

277. The implementation system according to claim 271, wherein the processor is further operable to generate instructions for a tower relocation AMR to reposition the product tower to the station within the product guidance area.

278. The processor provides a product picking robot associated with a predetermined product storage rack. Pick the second product mentioned above, The execution system according to claim 271, further operable to generate instructions for placing the second product in the selected shipping container.

279. The AMR is further configured to move to a location in a second product guidance area while holding the selected shipping container, in accordance with the instructions of the AMR, the second product guidance area includes a crate holding structure, the crate holding structure holds a plurality of crates for storing products, at least one of the plurality of crates contains one or more products, and the one or more products correspond to a single stockkeeping unit, the performance system according to claim 271.

280. The implementation system according to claim 279, wherein the AMR is a shipping container AMR, the system further comprises a crate holding AMR, the processor is further operable to generate a crate holding AMR instruction, the crate holding AMR instruction instructs the crate holding AMR to transport the crate holding structure to the second product guidance area and meet the shipping container AMR.

281. The implementation system according to claim 271, wherein the storage area includes a plurality of zones.

282. The implementation system according to claim 281, wherein the plurality of zones include a zone in which the product is maintained at a temperature below freezing point.

283. The performance system according to claim 281, wherein the plurality of zones include zones in which the product is maintained at ambient temperature.

284. The implementation system according to claim 281, wherein the plurality of zones include zones in which the product is maintained at a temperature above freezing and below ambient temperature.

285. The implementation system according to claim 271, wherein the product tower stores products representing approximately 50 stockkeeping units.

286. The implementation system according to claim 285, further comprising a tower storage area configured to house multiple product towers.

287. The implementation system according to claim 286, wherein the tower storage area stores products representing more than 500,000 stockkeeping units.

288. The implementation system according to claim 271, wherein each pallet in the storage area stores a product representing a single stockkeeping unit.

289. The implementation system according to claim 288, wherein the storage area stores products representing less than 10,000 stockkeeping units.

290. The implementation system according to claim 289, wherein the products stored in the storage area include grocery items.

291. It is a processor, Generate carton formation instructions, Generate product removal instructions, Generates instructions for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). A processor capable of operating in such a way, A carton forming system, The processor receives the carton formation instruction, In accordance with the carton forming instructions, a carton blank is selected from a plurality of available carton blanks. The carton blank is formed into an upright carton. A carton forming system configured as follows, Product retrieval robot, The aforementioned processor receives a product removal instruction, Take the product from the product storage area according to the product retrieval instructions. A product picking robot configured as follows, A reusable container, wherein the reusable container contains a plurality of products used to fulfill a plurality of orders, and the reusable container becomes an empty reusable container when the plurality of products are removed from the reusable container to fulfill the plurality of orders, It is AMR, The processor receives the AMR instruction, In accordance with the AMR instructions, move to the carton forming system, and receive the upright carton from the carton forming system. In accordance with the AMR instructions, the upright carton is moved to a location for further processing of the upright carton while holding it with the product inside, and the further processing of the upright carton includes removing the upright carton from the AMR. Subsequently, in accordance with the AMR instructions, the empty reusable container is moved and removed. In accordance with the AMR instructions, the empty reusable container is moved to a location for further processing while retaining it. AMR is configured in such a way. An implementation system equipped with the following features.

292. The system according to claim 291, wherein the plurality of available carton blanks are stored in a plurality of magazines.

293. The system according to claim 291, wherein the carton formation instruction is generated by the processor based on a customer order received by the processor, the product removal instruction is generated by the processor based on a customer order received by the processor, and the AMR instruction is generated by the processor based in part on a customer order received by the processor.

294. The system according to claim 291, wherein the product loading station has a robotic product loading station, and the AMR is configured to receive the products from the product retrieval robot into the upright carton.

295. The system according to claim 291, wherein the product loading station includes a manual product loading station, and the AMR is configured to receive the products from a manual product picker into the upright carton.

296. It is an implementation system, It is a processor, Generate shipping container delivery instructions, Generate product removal instructions, Generates instructions for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). A processor capable of operating in such a way, A shipping container delivery system, The processor receives the shipping container delivery instructions, In accordance with the aforementioned shipping container delivery instructions, select a shipping container from among several available shipping containers. A shipping container delivery system configured as follows, Product retrieval robot, The processor receives the product removal instruction, Remove the product from the product storage area in accordance with the product removal instructions. A product picking robot configured as follows, A reusable container, wherein the reusable container contains a plurality of products used to fulfill a plurality of orders, and the reusable container becomes an empty reusable container when the plurality of products are removed from the reusable container to fulfill the plurality of orders, It is AMR, The processor receives the AMR instruction, In accordance with the AMR instructions, move to the shipping container delivery system and receive the shipping container. In accordance with the AMR instructions, while holding the shipping container, move to the product loading station. At the aforementioned product loading station, the products are received into the shipping container. In accordance with the AMR instructions, the shipping container containing the product is moved to a location for further processing, the further processing of the shipping container includes removing the shipping container from the AMR. Subsequently, following the instructions of the AMR, move along the AMR and receive an empty reusable container. In accordance with the AMR instructions, the empty reusable container is moved to a location for further processing while retaining it. AMR configured in such a way An implementation system equipped with the following features.

297. The system according to claim 296, wherein the product loading station has a robotic product loading station, and the AMR is configured to receive the products from the product retrieval robot into the shipping container.

298. The system according to claim 296, wherein the product loading station includes a manual product loading station, and the AMR is configured to receive the products from a manual product picker into the shipping container.

299. The system according to claim 296, wherein the shipping container delivery instruction is generated by the processor based on a customer order received by the processor, the product retrieval instruction is generated by the processor based on a customer order received by the processor, and the AMR instruction is generated by the processor in part based on a customer order received by the processor.

300. A method for receiving products at the fulfillment center, The first autonomous mobile robot (AMR) transmits an instruction, and in response to the instruction, the first AMR Navigate to the crate holding structure inside the first transport trailer, which holds the crates containing multiple products. The crate holding structure transports individual products from the plurality of products to a product guide area where the products are removed from the crate. That thing, Transmitting instructions to a second AMR, in which case the second AMR shall Navigate the crate, which no longer contains the product, to the crate holding structure within the product guidance area, The crate holding structure is transported to a second transport trailer. Navigate away from the second transport trailer without the aforementioned crate holding structure. That thing, A method for providing this.

301. The method according to claim 300, wherein the starting point of the first transport trailer includes the supplier of the product.

302. The method according to claim 301, wherein the destination of the second transport trailer includes the supplier of the product.

303. The method according to claim 301, wherein the destination of the second transport trailer includes a supplier of another product.

304. The method according to claim 300, further comprising configuring the first transport trailer to facilitate navigation within the first transport trailer by the first AMR.

305. The method according to claim 304, wherein the configuration of the first transport trailer includes using a configuration that is consistent with the configuration of the performance center, which facilitates navigation by the first AMR within the performance center.

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