Automated mobile inventory system
An automated inventory system which enables secure and highly mobile inventory storage. The system comprises a standardized shipping container which houses a plurality of storage locations for storing inventory items in the shipping container. An order picking device is positioned inside the shipping container to move one or more selected inventory items, and a secured inventory portal subsystem is attached to a wall of the shipping container. The portal subsystem comprises an operator station for a user to order and collect the one or more selected inventory items through operation of the order picking device.
1. An automated inventory system, the system comprising:
a standardized shipping container including a first storage wall and a second storage wall parallel to the first storage wall;
a plurality of storage locations for storing inventory items in the shipping container, a first subset of the storage locations lining the first storage wall along a length and height of the first storage wall, and a second subset of the storage locations lining the second storage wall along a length and height of the second storage wall;
at least one order picking device positioned inside the shipping container to move one or more selected inventory items, the at least one order picking device including a gantry system and a trolley, the gantry system arranged to move the trolley along the lengths and heights of the first and second storage walls, the trolley extending perpendicular to the first and second storage walls from the first subset to the second subset; and
a secured inventory portal subsystem attached to an end wall of the shipping container, wherein the portal subsystem comprises:
an operator station for a user to order and collect the one or more selected inventory items through operation of the order picking device, the order picking device collecting the one or more selected inventory items from one of the plurality of storage locations;
wherein the operator station comprises an internal door and a transparent lid, wherein the internal door is able to control an opening size of an access opening that is customisable in size and position, wherein the user is able to view the one or more selected inventory items before opening the transparent lid to retrieve the one or more selected inventory items; and wherein the internal door of the operator station comprises two opposing sliding panels so that the internal door is able to control the east-west opening size of the access opening.
2. The automated inventory system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of storage locations are modular and reconfigurable.
3. The automated inventory system of claim 1 , wherein the storage locations extend across an entire length or height or width of the shipping container.
4. The automated inventory system of claim 1 , wherein the storage locations comprise storage containers within which the inventory items are contained.
5. The automated inventory system of claim 4 , wherein the operator station further comprises a weighing device.
6. The automated inventory system of claim 5 , wherein the weighing device is configured to weigh the storage container prior to the user collecting the one or more selected inventory items.
7. The automated inventory system of claim 5 wherein the weighing device is configured to weigh the storage container after the user collects the one or more selected inventory items.
8. The automated inventory system of claim 4 wherein the storage containers comprise an open or transparent top.
9. The automated inventory system of claim 4 wherein the storage containers are divided into a plurality of compartments to contain the one or more selected inventory items.
10. The automated inventory system of claim 1 , wherein the secured inventory portal subsystem allows the at least one order picking device to receive one or more restocking items and to deposit the one or more restocking items in one of the plurality of storage locations for storing inventory items.
11. The automated inventory system of claim 10 , wherein the secured inventory portal subsystem allows a refilled storage container to be deposited and the picking device to move the refilled storage container to one of the plurality of storage locations for storing inventory items.
12. The automated inventory system of claim 1 , wherein the gantry system is a three-axis gantry system and can access an entire length or width or height of the shipping container.
13. The automated inventory system of claim 1 wherein the at least one order picking device operates on a rotary carousel system.
14. The automated system of claim 1 wherein the inventory portal subsystem is hinged and releasably locked to the end wall of the shipping container, wherein the inventory portal subsystem can be unlocked and opened to allow access into the shipping container.
15. The automated inventory system of claim 14 , wherein the automated inventory system includes an emergency stop.
16. The automated inventory system of claim 15 , wherein the shipping container is a standard 10 foot, 20 foot, 40 foot, or high cube shipping container.
17. The automated inventory system of claim 1 , wherein a cloud based software tracks, updates, and authorizes inventory or user accessibility information.
18. The automated inventory system of claim 17 , wherein the operator station comprises a payment system and/or device.
19. The automated inventory system of claim 1 , wherein the standardized shipping container is temperature controlled.