US3661284A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Conveyor system
Assignee: FMC Corp
•
Filing: 1969-11-17
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Granted: 1972-05-09
•
Expires: 1989-11-17
Abstract
Abstract A storage and retrieval system for goods has two power operated conveyors movable in separate endless loops past two (or more) spaced apart picking stations, each picking station common to both conveyors. Each conveyor has bins with compartments in which goods are stored. Although the bins on each conveyor remain in the same sequence, the bins are movable relative to each other on the conveyor to define ''''buffer'''' zones which permit simultaneous picking by two spaced apart pickers. The control system for the conveyors includes a reader which receives digital data concerning a group of orders to be picked from a stack of cards, each card giving the identity, quantity, and distribution of one of the articles to be picked. The two conveyors are automatically stopped alternately with the bins containing ordered goods at the picking stations, and the operator at each picking station picks goods from the bins in accordance with a read-out unit which displays the card data. A plurality of packing lanes originate at each picking station and terminate at a plurality of packing stations. Each picker distributes goods to the separate packing lanes in accordance with the read-out unit at the picking station.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert J Traube
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 11:45
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G1/00; B65G1/02; B65G1/04; B65G1/137; B65G1/1373; B65G1/1378
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
The method of storing and retrieving articles comprising the steps of placing said articles in storage in containers which are arranged in a predetermined sequencing on a horizontal endless conveyor, supplying to one picking station article picking data arranged in the same sequence as the articles are arranged in containers on the conveyor, simultaneously supplying to another picking station artiCle picking data arranged in the same sequence as the articles are arranged in containers on the conveyor, moving said containers around said conveyor in said predetermined sequence past said picking stations, moving said containers on said conveyor relative to each other without disturbing said sequence to bring selected containers to the picking stations, stopping said selected containers at the picking stations, and picking articles from conveyor containers simultaneously at both picking stations in accordance with the data supplied to said stations.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
141 words
The method of storing and retrieving articles comprising the steps of placing said articles in storage in containers which are arranged in a predetermined sequencing on a horizontal endless conveyor, supplying to one picking station article picking data arranged in the same sequence as the articles are arranged in containers on the conveyor, simultaneously supplying to another picking station artiCle picking data arranged in the same sequence as the articles are arranged in containers on the conveyor, moving said containers around said conveyor in said predetermined sequence past said picking stations, moving said containers on said conveyor relative to each other without disturbing said sequence to bring selected containers to the picking stations, stopping said selected containers at the picking stations, and picking articles from conveyor containers simultaneously at both picking stations in accordance with the data supplied to said stations.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
210 words
The method of storing and retrieving articles comprising the steps of placing said articles in storage in predetermined containers mounted on a horizontal endless conveyor in a predetermined sequence, said containers mounted on said conveyor with slack to provide buffer zones to vary the distances between containers, supplying simultaneously to each of two picking stations spaced a predetermined distance apart along the conveyor picking data on articles one at a time successively in the same sequence as the articles are arranged in containers on the conveyor, the data supplied to one of said stations relating to articles spaced on the conveyor from articles on which data is supplied at the same time to the other station a distance approximately equal to said predetermined distance between picking stations, moving said containers around said conveyor past said picking stations in said predetermined sequence, stopping selected containers containing articles to be picked at said picking stations and varying the distance between said containers by virtue of said buffer zones as necessary without altering said sequence so that selected containers can be stopped at both picking stations for simultaneous picking at the stations, and picking articles from said stopped containers simultaneously at both picking stations in accordance with the data supplied to said stations.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
210 words
The method of storing and retrieving articles comprising the steps of placing said articles in storage in predetermined containers mounted on a horizontal endless conveyor in a predetermined sequence, said containers mounted on said conveyor with slack to provide buffer zones to vary the distances between containers, supplying simultaneously to each of two picking stations spaced a predetermined distance apart along the conveyor picking data on articles one at a time successively in the same sequence as the articles are arranged in containers on the conveyor, the data supplied to one of said stations relating to articles spaced on the conveyor from articles on which data is supplied at the same time to the other station a distance approximately equal to said predetermined distance between picking stations, moving said containers around said conveyor past said picking stations in said predetermined sequence, stopping selected containers containing articles to be picked at said picking stations and varying the distance between said containers by virtue of said buffer zones as necessary without altering said sequence so that selected containers can be stopped at both picking stations for simultaneous picking at the stations, and picking articles from said stopped containers simultaneously at both picking stations in accordance with the data supplied to said stations.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
174 words
The method of storing and retrieving articles from containers arranged in a predetermined sequence on a horizontal endless conveyor at a plurality of picking stations comprising the steps of storing articles in predetermined containers on said conveyor, separating data on articles to be picked into a plurality of groups one for each picking station, the data on the articles in each group arranged in the sequence of the containers containing said articles on the conveyor, starting the conveyor, supplying the picking data for each picking station including data on selected containers and the articles therein to be picked to a picker at that station, maintaining the containers in said predetermined order while permitting the containers to move on the conveyor relative to each other to permit each of two selected containers to be at a respective one of the two picking stations simultaneously, stopping the selected containers at the picking stations for picking at that station, and picking articles from said containers at each station in accordance with the data supplied to that station.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
174 words
The method of storing and retrieving articles from containers arranged in a predetermined sequence on a horizontal endless conveyor at a plurality of picking stations comprising the steps of storing articles in predetermined containers on said conveyor, separating data on articles to be picked into a plurality of groups one for each picking station, the data on the articles in each group arranged in the sequence of the containers containing said articles on the conveyor, starting the conveyor, supplying the picking data for each picking station including data on selected containers and the articles therein to be picked to a picker at that station, maintaining the containers in said predetermined order while permitting the containers to move on the conveyor relative to each other to permit each of two selected containers to be at a respective one of the two picking stations simultaneously, stopping the selected containers at the picking stations for picking at that station, and picking articles from said containers at each station in accordance with the data supplied to that station.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
116 words
The method of retrieving articles from a live horizontal endless storage conveyor having a plurality of bins in a predetermined sequence containing stored articles therein comprising the steps of supplying data on the articles one article at a time to two spaced apart picking stations, moving the bins around the conveyor in said predetermined sequence, stopping bins containing articles to be picked at each of said picking stations, moving the bins on the conveyor relative to each other as necessary and without disturbing the sequence thereof to enable bins containing desired articles to stop simultaneously at both picking stations, and picking articles from said stopped bins in accordance with the data supplied to said picking stations.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
116 words
The method of retrieving articles from a live horizontal endless storage conveyor having a plurality of bins in a predetermined sequence containing stored articles therein comprising the steps of supplying data on the articles one article at a time to two spaced apart picking stations, moving the bins around the conveyor in said predetermined sequence, stopping bins containing articles to be picked at each of said picking stations, moving the bins on the conveyor relative to each other as necessary and without disturbing the sequence thereof to enable bins containing desired articles to stop simultaneously at both picking stations, and picking articles from said stopped bins in accordance with the data supplied to said picking stations.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
144 words
The method of retrieving articles from a live horizontal endless storage conveyor having a plurality of bins in a predetermined sequence containing stored articles therein comprising the steps of displaying to pickers at two spaced apart Picking stations data on articles one at a time and in a sequence corresponding to the sequence of conveyor bins containing the articles, moving the bins around the conveyor in said predetermined sequence, stopping the bins containing articles to be picked at each of said picking stations, moving the containers on the conveyor relative to each other as necessary and without disturbing the sequence thereof to enable a bin containing articles to be picked to move to one of said picking stations while another bin containing articles to be picked is stopped at the other picking station, and picking articles at the picking stations from bins stopped therein.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
144 words
The method of retrieving articles from a live horizontal endless storage conveyor having a plurality of bins in a predetermined sequence containing stored articles therein comprising the steps of displaying to pickers at two spaced apart Picking stations data on articles one at a time and in a sequence corresponding to the sequence of conveyor bins containing the articles, moving the bins around the conveyor in said predetermined sequence, stopping the bins containing articles to be picked at each of said picking stations, moving the containers on the conveyor relative to each other as necessary and without disturbing the sequence thereof to enable a bin containing articles to be picked to move to one of said picking stations while another bin containing articles to be picked is stopped at the other picking station, and picking articles at the picking stations from bins stopped therein.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
214 words
The method of retrieving articles from a live horizontal endless storage conveyor having a plurality of bins in a predetermined sequence containing stored articles therein, said bins occupying less than the entire conveyor to leave buffer zones on the conveyor for movement of the bins relative to each other, arranging data on the articles to be picked into two groups, the data in each group arranged in sequence corresponding to the sequence of the bins containing the article on the conveyor, the initial article in the two groups being in containers spaced apart on the conveyor a distance corresponding to the distance between two picking stations adjacent the conveyor, displaying the two groups of data simultaneously in the two picking stations, respectively, an article at a time, stopping bins containing articles at the picking stations as the data thereon is displayed in the respective picking stations, moving bins relative to each other on the conveyor without disturbing the sequence of bins thereon as necessary to move bins containing articles to be picked toward a picking station even though another bin containing an article to be picked may be stopped at the other picking station, and picking articles from bins stopped at the picking stations in accordance with the data displayed at said picking stations.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
214 words
The method of retrieving articles from a live horizontal endless storage conveyor having a plurality of bins in a predetermined sequence containing stored articles therein, said bins occupying less than the entire conveyor to leave buffer zones on the conveyor for movement of the bins relative to each other, arranging data on the articles to be picked into two groups, the data in each group arranged in sequence corresponding to the sequence of the bins containing the article on the conveyor, the initial article in the two groups being in containers spaced apart on the conveyor a distance corresponding to the distance between two picking stations adjacent the conveyor, displaying the two groups of data simultaneously in the two picking stations, respectively, an article at a time, stopping bins containing articles at the picking stations as the data thereon is displayed in the respective picking stations, moving bins relative to each other on the conveyor without disturbing the sequence of bins thereon as necessary to move bins containing articles to be picked toward a picking station even though another bin containing an article to be picked may be stopped at the other picking station, and picking articles from bins stopped at the picking stations in accordance with the data displayed at said picking stations.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
125 words
The method of retrieving articles from a live horizontal endless storage conveyor having a plurality of bins in a predetermined sequence containing stored articles therein comprising the steps of combining data on articles required for several orders, supplying said data on the articles one article at a time to two spaced apart picking stations, moving the bins around the conveyor in said predetermined sequence, stopping bins containing articles to be picked at each of said picking stations, moving the containers on the conveyor relative to each other as necessary and without disturbing the sequence thereof to enable bins containing desired articles to stop simultaneously at both picking stations, and picking articles from said stopped containers in accordance with the data supplied to said picking stations.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
125 words
The method of retrieving articles from a live horizontal endless storage conveyor having a plurality of bins in a predetermined sequence containing stored articles therein comprising the steps of combining data on articles required for several orders, supplying said data on the articles one article at a time to two spaced apart picking stations, moving the bins around the conveyor in said predetermined sequence, stopping bins containing articles to be picked at each of said picking stations, moving the containers on the conveyor relative to each other as necessary and without disturbing the sequence thereof to enable bins containing desired articles to stop simultaneously at both picking stations, and picking articles from said stopped containers in accordance with the data supplied to said picking stations.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 7 including the step of segregating said articles picked at each station by individual order for packing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 4 in which said data is visibly supplied, article by article, to pickers at the two picking stations.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-09 | 1975-11-08 | 1976-05-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-09 | 1979-11-08 | 1980-05-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-09 | 1983-11-08 | 1984-05-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |