Patent ID: 11938517
Assignee: OPEX CORPORATION
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B  Y | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. A method for sorting items into destination areas using a plurality of vehicles wherein a first group of the destination areas extend along a first side of an aisle and a second group of the destination areas extend along a second side of the aisle and the method comprises the steps of:
loading the items onto the plurality of vehicles at a loading location, comprising the steps of:
loading a first item onto a first of the plurality of vehicles while the first vehicle is positioned in the aisle;
loading a second item onto a second of the plurality of vehicles while the second vehicle is positioned in the aisle;

displacing the first vehicle within the aisle along a first path forming a first vertical loop;
during the step of displacing the first vehicle, displacing the second vehicle along a second path forming a second vertical loop within the aisle;
stopping the first vehicle within the aisle along the first vertical loop;
stopping the second vehicle within the aisle along the second vertical loop;
transferring the first item into a first of the destination areas during the step of stopping the first vehicle, comprising the step of driving a first conveyor belt of the first vehicle to displace the first item transverse the first vertical loop;
transferring the second item into a second of the destination areas during the step of stopping the second vehicle, comprising the step of driving a second conveyor belt of the second vehicle to displace the second item transverse the second vertical loop;
wherein the step of displacing the first vehicle along a first path forming a first vertical loop comprises displacing the first vehicle to the loading location along the first vertical loop after the step of transferring the first item so that another item can be loaded onto the first vehicle; and
wherein the step of displacing the second vehicle along a second path forming a second vertical loop comprises displacing the second vehicle to the loading location along the second vertical loop after the step of transferring the second item so that another item can be loaded onto the second vehicle.