Article sorting system and method

Abstract

Article sorting includes dispensing items going to different destinations to different exits through a delivery device in a manner that realizes subsequent transport of items and packages going to various destinations in a resource-effective manner. This is especially advantageous in an order fulfillment center or a shipping facility. Generally, an article or a parcel containing articles for shipment will have a UPC, barcode, SKU, or similar that allows for identification of the article and its destination. Article sorting includes dispensing articles that come from a plurality of locations to different exits through a delivery device, so as to realize unified consolidation at a single exit or destination point whether a given order includes a single article or is in the form of an order, a parcel, a carton, a tote, etc. containing two or more articles. This is especially advantageous in any type of article or parcel fulfillment center. However, the order fulfillment process can be very labor intensive, which increases cost, introduces errors in processing, and increases the time for the order items to reach the ultimate customer. Additionally, order items may be damaged, mispackaged, and the like, reducing efficiency for all involved parties. Automated sorting equipment may be useful for addressing these issues. However, automated sorting equipment can be expensive, require significant capital investment, take up large portions of warehouse space, be limited in the item size that it can sort, be significantly underutilized during off-peak periods, and have long payback on the investment made in most cases. In accordance with the current disclosure a system for sorting articles to one or more destinations is described. The system comprises an article supply location comprising a plurality of articles to be sorted; a first computer-controlled mobile transport device having a first position in which an article is stowed about the device and a second position in which the article is deposited into a proximal destination container; a platform elevated from a first surface, wherein the first computer-controlled mobile transport device traverses the platform and the stowed article is deposited into a destination container positioned proximal the platform. The control system is configured to receive a first order for a plurality of disparate articles found within the article supply location; determine that the first order is above a threshold size; associate a disparate article selected from the plurality of disparate articles with the first order based on a product type of the disparate article; assign a first destination container of a plurality of destination containers to the first order to direct the first computer-controlled mobile transport device to deposit the disparate article thereinto based on a product type of the disparate article such that the assigned first destination container is located nearest to the article supply location to minimize travel distance by the first computer-controlled mobile transport device; direct the first computer-controlled mobile transport device to transport and deposit the disparate article in the first destination container by manipulation of the first computer-controlled mobile transport device from the first position to the second position; electronically update a status of the first destination container to include the disparate article; determine the first order has been completed; and direct removal of the first destination container.

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