Robotic Fulfillment Shuttle for In-Transit Order Picking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current grocery and convenience delivery services are inefficient due to high subscription costs, minimum order requirements, expensive delivery fees, and limited flexibility in modifying orders after processing, making it difficult for consumers to impulsively purchase or add items without significant additional costs.
Innovation Solution
An automated delivery vehicle equipped with a robotic system that can process and fulfill orders in real-time while en route, allowing for quick and cost-effective delivery, as well as the ability to modify orders later in the fulfillment process without increasing delivery costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If orders are fulfilled in a warehouse before delivery, then order accuracy is improved, but delivery time increases due to two-step processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the warehouse fulfillment function and delivery transport function into a single integrated system. The delivery vehicle contains storage areas with inventory items and robotic systems that can pick and pack items directly in the vehicle during transit, eliminating the separate warehouse fulfillment step while maintaining order accuracy through automated robotic picking.
Solution Approach 2:
The delivery vehicle is pre-loaded with inventory items and robotic systems before departure. The robotic system is pre-positioned within the vehicle to perform picking operations during transit, allowing fulfillment actions to be taken in advance of the actual delivery location while reducing overall delivery time.
2Reliability
If subscription costs and minimum orders are required, then delivery service profitability is improved, but consumer accessibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows consumers to order smaller quantities than traditional minimum order requirements by utilizing the mobile fulfillment capability. The robotic system can efficiently pick smaller orders directly in the delivery vehicle, reducing the need for high minimum order thresholds while maintaining operational efficiency and profitability through automated picking.
3Productivity
If orders are processed before delivery, then order fulfillment efficiency is improved, but order modification flexibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static pre-processing model to a dynamic in-transit processing model. The robotic fulfillment system operates during vehicle transit, allowing orders to be modified, added to, or changed while the vehicle is en route to the delivery location. This dynamic approach maintains fulfillment efficiency through automation while providing flexibility for real-time order modifications.
4Reliability
If traditional two-step fulfillment process is used, then inventory management is improved, but operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges inventory storage, robotic picking, and delivery transport into a single integrated vehicle system. The delivery vehicle contains storage areas with inventory items and a robotic system that performs picking operations directly in the vehicle, eliminating the need for separate warehouse facilities and reducing overall operational costs while maintaining inventory management capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
An order fulfillment and delivery system for autonomously fulfilling orders while en route to a delivery location. The system includes a delivery vehicle having a storage area, a robotic system at least partially disposed within the storage area and one or more processors. The one or more processors being configured to receive an order of one or more inventory items, generate container retrieval instructions for the robotic system to perform based on the received order and transmit to the robotic system the container retrieval instructions to perform. The robot system includes a container retrieval device movable in at least two dimensions to engage and move a container, based upon the container retrieval instructions, from a first location within the delivery vehicle to a second location within the delivery vehicle.