US5209626A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Organizer system for a rotatable storage structure
Assignee: Computer Aided Systems Inc
•
Filing: 1992-04-20
•
Granted: 1993-05-11
•
Expires: 2012-04-20
Abstract
Abstract A control system for a storage system wherein containers may be extracted from and inserted on the carousel while the carousel remains in continuous motion.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert Lichti, Sr.
- 👤 II Clay Bernard
- 👤 Daniel C. Perry
- 👤 Stanley H. Lukken
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 15:31
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G1/00; B65G1/02; B65G1/04; B65G1/12; B65G1/127; B65G2201/00; B65G2201/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
209 words
A control system for a storage system, comprising: a storage facility controller for controlling operation of the storage system, the storage system including a rotary storage carousel having multiple tiers and container support racks arranged in side-by-side fashion, means for rotating the support racks about a continuous track, said container support racks including attachment means for releasably securing a container thereto, the container adapted to receive material goods, and an extractor assembly and inserter assembly disposed adjacent the carousel for removing a selected container from its associated support rack and for inserting a selected container onto an associated support rack, respectively, while the carousel remains in continuous motion, and the storage facility controller including means for maintaining a storage record that records an identity and storage position of each container on the carousel within its control, and means for receiving requests for particular material goods that may be in a container on the carousel; a carousel controller for controlling the operation of the carousel and the extractor assembly and inserter assembly, said storage facility controller communicating with said carousel controller over a first local area communications network; and means in electrical communication with the carousel controller for controlling operation of the carousel and the extractor assembly and inserter assembly.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
209 words
A control system for a storage system, comprising: a storage facility controller for controlling operation of the storage system, the storage system including a rotary storage carousel having multiple tiers and container support racks arranged in side-by-side fashion, means for rotating the support racks about a continuous track, said container support racks including attachment means for releasably securing a container thereto, the container adapted to receive material goods, and an extractor assembly and inserter assembly disposed adjacent the carousel for removing a selected container from its associated support rack and for inserting a selected container onto an associated support rack, respectively, while the carousel remains in continuous motion, and the storage facility controller including means for maintaining a storage record that records an identity and storage position of each container on the carousel within its control, and means for receiving requests for particular material goods that may be in a container on the carousel; a carousel controller for controlling the operation of the carousel and the extractor assembly and inserter assembly, said storage facility controller communicating with said carousel controller over a first local area communications network; and means in electrical communication with the carousel controller for controlling operation of the carousel and the extractor assembly and inserter assembly.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A control system as recited in claim 1 wherein said controlling means communicates with said carousel controller over a second local area communications network.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A control system as recited in claim 2 further comprising buffer means for receiving communications from said controlling means and for temporarily storing information transmitted by said controlling means until the carousel controller requests the information.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
A control system as recited in claim 2 further including scanner means for identifying particular support racks on the carousels for inserting containers onto the racks and extracting containers therefrom, said scanner means in communication with said carousel controller over said second local area network.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A control system as recited in claim 4 wherein said scanner means also identifies containers on the support racks of the carousels for updating the storage record.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
A control system as recited in claim 1 wherein said controlling means comprise programmable array logic chips.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
243 words
A control system for a storage system, comprising: a storage facility controller for controlling operation of the storage system, the storage system including rotary storage carousels each having multiple tiers and container support racks arranged in side-by-side fashion, means forming a continuous track, and means for rotating the support racks about the continuous track, said container support racks including attachment means for releasably securing a container thereto, the container adapted to receive material goods, and extractor and insertor assemblies disposed adjacent a carousel for disengaging a selected container from its associated support rack and for inserting a selected container onto an associated support rack, respectively, while the carousel remains in continuous motion, the storage facility controller including means for maintaining a storage record that records an identity and storage position of each container on a carousel within its control, and means for receiving requests for particular material goods; a plurality of carousel controllers that communicate with said storage facility controller over a system local area communications network, wherein each said carousel controller controls the operation of a particular carousel and its associated extractor and inserter assemblies; and when an order is received for particular material goods, the storage facility controller determines a location of a container to be delivered and informs an associated carousel controller that the container in a particular storage position is to be extracted and the carousel controller directs removal of the container from the carousel by the extractor assembly.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
243 words
A control system for a storage system, comprising: a storage facility controller for controlling operation of the storage system, the storage system including rotary storage carousels each having multiple tiers and container support racks arranged in side-by-side fashion, means forming a continuous track, and means for rotating the support racks about the continuous track, said container support racks including attachment means for releasably securing a container thereto, the container adapted to receive material goods, and extractor and insertor assemblies disposed adjacent a carousel for disengaging a selected container from its associated support rack and for inserting a selected container onto an associated support rack, respectively, while the carousel remains in continuous motion, the storage facility controller including means for maintaining a storage record that records an identity and storage position of each container on a carousel within its control, and means for receiving requests for particular material goods; a plurality of carousel controllers that communicate with said storage facility controller over a system local area communications network, wherein each said carousel controller controls the operation of a particular carousel and its associated extractor and inserter assemblies; and when an order is received for particular material goods, the storage facility controller determines a location of a container to be delivered and informs an associated carousel controller that the container in a particular storage position is to be extracted and the carousel controller directs removal of the container from the carousel by the extractor assembly.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
A control system as recited in claim 7 further comprising means associated with each said carousel controller for controlling mechanical operation of particular mechanical components of the extractor and inserter assemblies, each said carousel controller communicating with its associated controlling means over a carousel local area communications network.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
66 words
A control system as recited in claim 7 further comprising a conveyor controller that communicates with said storage facility controller over said system local area network, said conveyor controller controlling the operation of a conveyor network including a conveyor that delivers containers to and carries containers away from the carousels and said storage record maintaining means recording the identity of any containers on the conveyor network.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
238 words
A control system for a storage system, comprising: a storage facility controller for controlling the operation of the storage system, the storage system including a rotary storage carousel having container support racks arranged in side-by-side fashion, means for rotating the support racks, said container support racks including attachment means for releasably securing a container thereto, the container adapted to receive material goods, and an extractor assembly and inserter assembly disposed adjacent the carousel for disengaging a selected container from its associated support rack and for inserting a selected container onto an associated support rack, respectively, while the carousel remains in continuous motion, the storage facility controller including means for maintaining a storage record that records an identity and storage position of each container on the carousel within its control, and means for receiving requests for particular material goods that may be in a container on the carousel; a carousel controller for controlling operation of the carousel and the extractor assembly and inserter assembly, said storage facility controller communicating with said carousel controller over a first local area communications network; logic boards in electrical communication with the carousel controller over a second local area communications network for controlling the carousel and the extractor assembly and inserter assembly; and buffer means for receiving information from said logic boards over said second local area network and for temporarily storing information until the carousel controller requests the information from the buffer means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
238 words
A control system for a storage system, comprising: a storage facility controller for controlling the operation of the storage system, the storage system including a rotary storage carousel having container support racks arranged in side-by-side fashion, means for rotating the support racks, said container support racks including attachment means for releasably securing a container thereto, the container adapted to receive material goods, and an extractor assembly and inserter assembly disposed adjacent the carousel for disengaging a selected container from its associated support rack and for inserting a selected container onto an associated support rack, respectively, while the carousel remains in continuous motion, the storage facility controller including means for maintaining a storage record that records an identity and storage position of each container on the carousel within its control, and means for receiving requests for particular material goods that may be in a container on the carousel; a carousel controller for controlling operation of the carousel and the extractor assembly and inserter assembly, said storage facility controller communicating with said carousel controller over a first local area communications network; logic boards in electrical communication with the carousel controller over a second local area communications network for controlling the carousel and the extractor assembly and inserter assembly; and buffer means for receiving information from said logic boards over said second local area network and for temporarily storing information until the carousel controller requests the information from the buffer means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-05-10 | 1996-11-09 | 1997-05-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-05-10 | 2000-11-09 | 2001-05-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-05-10 | 2004-11-09 | 2005-05-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |