Patent Application
20190100368
In an order handling facility, such as a sortation center, multiple customer packages are processed that each contain one or more items from inventory to be shipped to customers. Packages of various sizes can be inducted into a sortation and conveyance network that ultimately directs the packages to various staging destinations within the sortation center. The staging destinations can be arranged based on various delivery routes assigned to the sortation center. For example, packages may be sorted according to delivery zip codes and the staging destinations may be arranged based on the delivery zip codes. At the staging destinations, packages may be packed onto pallets, which can then be loaded onto trucks or other vehicles for delivery.
Packages can further be sorted, prior to conveyance to the staging destination, based on package size. For example, at one or more areas within the sortation and conveyance network, packages can be unloaded from a gaylord and sorted based on their size. In the sortation center, packages may be categorized within various size categories, such as, by way of non-limiting example, “small”, “medium”, and “large” packages, wherein each size category may be defined by maximum or minimum predetermined dimensions and/or weight. For example, “small” packages may be categorized as packages having dimensions less than 12 inches×16 inches×6 inches and weighing 25 lbs or less. Such small packages, or “smalls” as they may be termed, can be sorted from the other sizes and consolidated to possibly bypass at least some portions of the conveyance network. For example, small packages destined for a specific staging destination within the sortation center can be loaded into a container, such as a bag or tote, which can then be conveyed to the staging destination. In many instances, an associate within the sortation center places the filled bag or tote onto a cart and physically walks the cart to the staging destination. “Small” packages commonly include cardboard or paperboard boxes, mailers (such as padded “jiffy” mailers) “poly bags,” and other parcel types.
The following detailed description will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which there is shown in the drawings example embodiments for the purposes of illustration. It should be understood, however, that the present disclosure is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings:
The embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to sortation bags that are configured to be filled with small packages and then mechanically conveyed (while containing the small packages) to a staging destination. In some cases, such a configuration of the sortation bag increases sortation efficiency because small packages, which are often poly bag type packages, tend to underperform when conveyed directly on a mechanical conveyance. This is sometimes so because, in some circumstances, small packages, such as poly bags, have “pinch points” that can get stuck in, or otherwise interfere with, mechanical conveyance. For example, some poly bags have edges, corners, and the like that are unsupported and/or weak that form pinch points. Pinch points on the bags lead to higher damage rates for small packages and the conveyors that interacts with or “touch” small packages.
In some order handling centers, small packages can account for about 20% of the sorted packages that are conveyed to a staging destination, which percentage is expected to increase in the future. By consolidating the small packages into a sortation bag and conveying the bag to the staging destination, the small packages can effectively bypass many portions of the conveyance network so that the total number of “touches” for small packages is significantly reduced, which reduces damage to the packages, conveyance, and sortation equipment, as well as reduces customer concessions and sorting downtime. In this manner, the inventive bag disclosed herein allows a higher volume of small packages to be processed in the order handling center, including up to 75%-80% of the total volume of packages processed in the handling center.
The sortation bags disclosed herein are designed with built-in geometries and rigidities that are configured to allow the filled sortation bags to be conveyed on various types of conveyance, such as gravity conveyors, belt conveyors (including those utilizing slat belts), and roller conveyors, by way of non-limiting examples, without snagging, catching, or otherwise interfering with operation of the conveyance. The built-in geometry and rigidity of the sortation bag allows the bag to at least substantially assume a cuboid or box-like shape as it is filled with items, such as small packages, which filled, cuboid shape enables the bag to be closed and conveyed on its side like a low-profile box by mechanical conveyance (including high-speed and high throughput conveyance), preferably along with large packages, to a downstream destination within the order handling center.
Referring to
It is to be appreciated that the first configuration depicted in
The bag 2 defines an opening 16 through which items, such as small packages, for example, can be inserted into the bag 2. The opening 16 can be located at the upper end 4 of the bag, as shown, although other opening locations on the bag 2 are within the scope of the present disclosure. The opening 16 includes a closure feature, such as a zipper 18, which is shown in
The bag 2 can define an entry portion 20 adjacent the opening 16 and a containment portion 22 that extends from the entry portion 20 to the lower end 6 of the bag 2. The bag 2 can also include coupling features, such as apertures, that are configured to receive one or more support elements for supporting the bag 2 in an open receiving configuration so that items can be inducted into the bag 2, as set forth in more detail below. The apertures can include a first pair of receiving apertures 24 located transversely opposite each other on the first and second sides 12, 14 of the bag 2 and a second pair of receiving apertures 26 located transversely opposite each other on the first and second sides of the bag 2. The first and second pairs of receiving apertures 24, 26 can optionally be defined by grommets that are configured to enhance the structural stability of the portions of the bag 2 surrounding the apertures 24, 26. The bag 2 can also define handling features, such as handles or grips, that are configured to allow an operator to lift, carry, or otherwise manipulate the bag 2. As shown, the handling features can include a first pair of handle apertures 28 located transversely opposite each other on the first and second sides 12, 14 of the bag 2 and a second pair of handle apertures 30 located transversely opposite each other on the first and second sides 12, 14 of the bag 2. The first and second pairs of handle apertures 28, 30 can be located proximate the first and second ends 8, 10 of the bag 2 and can each be elongated primarily along the longitudinal direction X and can be sized for easy purchase by the hands of an operator.
The panels of the bag 2 include a first side panel 32 defining the first side 12 of the bag 2 and a second side panel 34 defining the second side 14 of the bag 2. The first and second side panels 32, 34 can be substantial mirror images of each other about a geocentric mid-plane extending along the longitudinal and lateral directions X, Y. Each of the first and second side panels 32, 34 can extend longitudinally from the upper end 4 to the lower end 6 of the bag 2 and laterally from the first side 8 to the second side 10 of the bag 2.
Each of the first and second side panels 32, 34 can define a first or upper side panel portion 36 within the entry portion 20 of the bag 2 and a second or lower side panel portion 38 within the containment portion 22 of the bag 2. The upper and lower side panel portions 36, 38 can be shaped to provide the bag 2 with an advantageous geometry as the bag 2 is filled with small items. For example, the upper side panel portions 36 can transversely converge towards each other at a first taper angle α at the upper end 4 of the bag 2, as shown in
The bag 2 can include an identification feature, such as a rigid plate 41 that is configured to receive a label or tag for identifying the bag. As shown in
At the lower end 6 of the bag 2, the lateral corners can be tucked or otherwise relieved so as to remove potential snag or pinch points between the bag 2 and the conveyance. In the illustrated embodiment, side panels 32, 34 can collectively define a first relief segment 40 at the boundary between the lower end 6 and the first end 8, as well as a second relief segment 42 at the boundary between the lower and 6 and the second end 10. Each of the first and second relief segments 40, 42 can be oriented at a third, acute relief angle γ with respect to a lateral axis. The third, relief angle γ can be in the range of about 5 degrees and about 70 degrees and preferably about 45 degrees. The inventors have found, through numerous tests of the filled bag 2 on mechanical conveyor lines, that the foregoing relief angle γ range successfully prevented pinch points forming at the bottom corners as the bag 2 was filled to capacity, allowing the bag 2 to be conveyed, even through high-speed and high-throughput portions of the conveyance network without snagging or otherwise interfering with the conveyance. The inventors have observed that, without the relief segments 40, 42 oriented at the third relief angle γ, the bottom corners of the bag 2 would have a propensity to form pinch points that negatively affect the bag's ability to be conveyed along the conveyance network to a staging destination.
A third panel, such as a yoke panel 44 (which can also be referred to as a “gusset” or a “gusset panel”), can extend transversely between the first and second side panels 32, 34. The yoke panel 44 can extend continuously around a periphery of the bag 2 along one or more seams 65 connecting the yoke panel 44 to the first and second side panels 32, 34. In this manner, the yoke panel 44 can extend from the upper end 4 of the bag 2 and along the first end 8, along the first relief segment 40, along the lower end 6, along the second relief segment 42, and along the second end 10 back to the upper end 4. In this manner, the yoke panel 44 can be substantially U-shaped or trough-shaped, and can be characterized as a peripheral panel. Additionally, the geometry of the side panels 32, 34 can effectively define the geometry of the various portions of the yoke panel 44. For example, the yoke panel 44 can include a first yoke section 46 between the upper side panel portions 36 at the first end 8; a second yoke section 48 between the lower side panel portions 38 at the first end 8; a third yoke section 50 between the lower side panel portions 38 at the first relief segment 40; a fourth or bottom yoke section 52 at the bottom end 6; a fifth yoke section 54 between the lower side panel portions 38 at the second relief segment 40; a sixth yoke section 56 between the lower side panel portions 38 at the second end 8; and a seventh yoke section 58 between the upper side panel portions 36 at the second end 8. The second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth yoke section 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 can each be rectangular, causing the bag 2 to assume a substantially cuboid configuration when being filled with small packages. The bottom yoke section 52 can define the bottom end 6 of the bag 2. The third and fifth yoke sections 50, 54 can define the relieved bottom lateral corners of the bag 2, and can each be oriented at the third, acute relief angle γ.
At the seams 65, the edges of the yoke panel 44 and the peripheral edges of the side panels 32, 34 can be jointly sewn to a binder strip, such as a warp knit polyester binder strip, by way of non-limiting example. In other embodiments, the panel edges can be connected at the seams 65 by direct binding, fusion, and/or adhesives. It is to be appreciated that, to further add rigidity to the bag 2, the seams 65, including the corners thereof, can be supported by rigid or semi-rigid support members, such as rods, wires, or segmented, spine-like structures, by way of non-limiting example.
Referring to
Referring to
In one example embodiment, the first distance D1 is in the range of about 4.0 inches and about 8.0 inches; the second distance D2 is in the range of about 24.5 inches and about 50.0 inches; the third distance D3 is in the range of about 16.0 inches and about 32.0 inches; the fourth distance D4 is in the range of about 22.0 inches and about 44.0 inches; the fifth distance D5 is in the range of about 18.0 inches and about 36.0 inches; the sixth distance D6 is in the range of about 12.0 inches and about 24.0 inches; the seventh distance D7 is in the range of about 2.0 inches and about 4.0 inches; the eighth distance D8 is in the range of about 4.0 inches and about 8.0 inches; and the ninth distance D9 is in the range of about 6.5 inches and about 13.5 inches.
In another example embodiment, the first distance D1 is about 6.0 inches; the second distance D2 is about 37 inches; the third distance is about 24 inches; the fourth distance D4 is about 33.0 inches; the fifth distance D5 is about 27.0 inches; the sixth distance D6 is about 18.25 inches; the seventh distance D7 is about 3.0 inches; the eight distance D8 is about 6.0 inches; and the ninth distance D9 is about 10.0 inches; the first taper angle α is about 26 degrees; the second taper angle β is about 13 degrees, and the third, relief angle γ is in about 45 degrees. It is to be appreciated that the foregoing example embodiments represent examples of the various dimensions by which the bag 2 can be sized. Additionally, the bag 2 can be scaled larger or smaller than the dimensions set forth above, as needed.
In further embodiments, regardless of the overall scale of the bag 2, the first distance D1 can be maintained so as to be less than the second distance D2 by a ratio D1:D2 of about 0.7:1; about 0.6:1, or preferably 0.5:1 or less. In this manner, the bag 2 can have a low center of gravity when conveyed while lying on one of its side panels 32, 34. This allows the bag 2 to maintain its orientation on a conveyor line, allowing higher conveyance speeds, smaller gaps between adjacent bags 2 and or other non-small packages, higher throughput, and more accurate scanning, among other things. This also allows the bag 2 to be stacked more effectively on a pallet. The inventors have observed that a plurality of bags 2 with the foregoing proportions can be stacked on top of each other on a pallet so as to form a full pallet of stacked bags 2. The stacking capabilities of the filled bags 2 provides significant palletization and delivery advantages over prior art bags or totes. In additional embodiments, regardless of the scale of the bag 2, the second distance D2 and the fifth distance D5 can be maintained at a ratio D2:D5 of about 1.2:1 or greater. The precise control over the geometry of the bag 2 enhances the predictability of the behavior of the bag 2 on the conveyance network. Thus, the bags 2 can be placed on the conveyance closer to one another so as to remove gaps and increase throughput.
As set forth above, the bag 2 is configured to at least substantially assume a cuboid or box-like shape as it is filled with small packages, even if the small packages are irregularly shaped. Referring now to
Additionally, the semi-transparency of the bag 2 material allows substantial visualization of items within the bag 2. Thus, an operator at the sorting station 80 can observe if inducted packages “bridge” with one another, or otherwise occupy more space than necessary, inside the bag, and can simply shake or otherwise manipulate the bag 2 (such as via the handle apertures 28) to settle or otherwise favorably reposition the packages in the bag 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the bag 2 includes a single pair of centrally located, laterally elongated handle apertures 28. Optionally, the sorting station 80 can include one or more electrical sensors 86, such as ultrasonic sensors or optical sensors, that are configured to detect the filled volume of the bag. The one or more electrical sensors 86 at the sorting station 80 can optionally include a scale or other type of weight sensor for determining when the bag 2 has reached a predetermined weight limit, such as an established weight-limit for single-person lifting or a weight limit for conveyance on a conveyance line. The one or sensors 86 can be in communication with a control unit, such as a processor, that is configured to transmit a signal to the operator indicating when the bag 2 is filled or nearly filled to a predetermined limit.
When it is determined that a bag 2 is full, the opening 16 can be closed, such as by zipping the zipper 18, and the bag 2 can be placed on a conveyance line, such as a primary sorter induction line, for example. As mentioned above, the rectangular bottom yoke section 52 and the relieved third and fifth yoke sections 50, 54 of the bag 2 reduce the likelihood of bag pinch points interacting unfavorably with the conveyance. Moreover, the bag 2 can be laid on one of its side panels 32, 34 on the conveyance line, preferably on the second side panel 34 so that the identification plate 41 is visible to scanning sensors. In either orientation, the inventors have observed that the bag 2 substantially maintains its orientation on the conveyance line. Thus, the geometry and rigidity of the bag 2 allows the bag 2 to interact with the conveyance in a manner substantially similar to that of a low-profile box.
Referring now to
It should be noted that the illustrations and descriptions of the embodiments shown in the figures are for exemplary purposes only, and should not be construed limiting the disclosure. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the present disclosure contemplates various embodiments. Additionally, it should be understood that the concepts described above with the above-described embodiments may be employed alone or in combination with any of the other embodiments described above. It should further be appreciated that the various alternative embodiments described above with respect to one illustrated embodiment can apply to all embodiments as described herein, unless otherwise indicated. Also, the present invention is not intended to be limited by any description of drawbacks or problems with any prior art device.
Unless explicitly stated otherwise, each numerical value and range should be interpreted as being approximate as if the word “about” or “approximately” preceded the value or range.
It should be understood that the steps of exemplary methods set forth herein are not necessarily required to be performed in the order described, and the order of the steps of such methods should be understood to be merely exemplary. Likewise, additional steps may be included in such methods, and certain steps may be omitted or combined, in methods consistent with various embodiments.
Although the elements in the following method claims, if any, are recited in a particular sequence with corresponding labeling, unless the claim recitations otherwise imply a particular sequence for implementing some or all of those elements, those elements are not necessarily intended to be limited to being implemented in that particular sequence.
