Patent ID: 11911803
Assignee: STAPLES, INC.
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 11:
12. A system, comprising:
a transfer station that transfers a first item and a second item into a shipping carton, the transfer station including:
a consolidation area that holds the first item simultaneously with the second item at a corner of the transfer station,
one or more structures that divert the first item and the second item toward the corner of the consolidation area,
an aperture offset toward the corner of the consolidation area,
a carton-receiving area that receives the shipping carton at a position below the corner of the consolidation area, and
a door that causes the first item and the second item to move from the corner of the consolidation area to the shipping carton when the door opens;

one or more first conveyors that convey the first item and the second item between an item induction point and the transfer station;
one or more second conveyors that convey the shipping carton between a carton induction point and the transfer station;
one or more scanners that scan the first item and the second item in an order; and
one or more processors communicatively coupled with the one or more scanners, the one or more first conveyors, and the one or more second conveyors, the one or more processors using the scan of the first item and the scan of the second item to assign the first item and the second item to the transfer station, transporting the first item into the consolidation area, transporting the second item into the consolidation area, and causing the door to open to allow the first item and the second item to pass through the aperture and into the shipping carton.