Rail Guided Goods-to-Person Sorting for Decoupled Order Lines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sorting methods in warehousing and logistics face challenges of strong coupling between orders and order lines, limited sorting range, and high costs due to the use of mobile transportation devices, which are inefficient and costly, and manual or robotic arms with limited reach.
Innovation Solution
A goods-to-person sorting system that splits order information into order lines, using rail guided vehicles to convey and sort commodities directly into order containers, reducing coupling and improving efficiency by taking order lines as sorting units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If container-based sorting is used, then sorting structure is simple, but sorting efficiency is low and time consumption is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the sorting process by dividing order information into multiple order lines and using multiple rail guided vehicles to handle different order lines simultaneously. This allows parallel processing of multiple orders, significantly improving sorting efficiency while maintaining system simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces rail guided vehicles as intermediary transport devices between storage containers and order containers. These vehicles enable flexible, automated transportation and sorting of goods, improving efficiency without requiring complex direct mechanical sorting structures
2Adaptability or versatility
If mobile transportation devices are used, then sorting range is expanded, but system cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes rail guided vehicles multi-functional by enabling them to perform both transportation and sorting functions. The same vehicles that transport goods from storage can also deliver them to specific order containers, eliminating the need for separate mobile transportation devices and reducing system cost
Solution Approach 2:
The rail guided vehicles are equipped with autonomous navigation and sorting capabilities, allowing them to self-manage their routing and delivery operations without requiring additional mobile transportation devices. This self-service approach expands sorting range while controlling costs
3Device complexity
If robotic arms with limited reach are used, then equipment cost is controlled, but quantity of order containers is limited to 2-3
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from fixed-position robotic arms to mobile rail guided vehicles that operate in the dimensional space of the entire sorting area. This allows order containers to be positioned throughout the warehouse rather than being confined to locations within arm's reach, significantly increasing the number of order containers that can be serviced
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces static robotic arms with dynamic rail guided vehicles that can move freely along the rail network to access any order container. This dynamic capability allows the system to support many more order containers while keeping equipment costs controlled through the use of standardized, reusable vehicles
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure belongs to the technical field of warehousing and logistics, and provides a sorting method and a goods-to-person sorting system. According to the sorting method and system, order information is acquired and split into order line information, where each of the order line information includes a target commodity, a target sorting quantity and a target source box corresponding to an order line, and then a sorting station, a target rail guided vehicle and a target order container corresponding to each of the order lines are determined according to each of the order line information; and the target commodity is sorted to the target rail guided vehicle from the target source box and conveyed and transferred into the order container by the rail guided vehicle.