US5213463A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mechanized storage system
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1989-07-06
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Granted: 1993-05-25
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Expires: 2009-07-06
Abstract
Abstract Two tray-supporting racks are located on opposite sides of an elevator carriage which carries a mechanized retrieving system for withdrawing trays from either rack and delivering them to a work area. The elevator carriage is vertically driven by a motor, sprockets, and chains. A transport chain travels on sprockets mounted on end plates of the elevator carriage. Transport rollers on the chain engage transport blocks on selected trays to produce lateral movement of the trays onto and off of their respective racks.
Inventors
- 👤 Michel Rothlisberger
- 👤 Herbert Goddard
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 20:33
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G1/00; B65G1/02; B65G1/04; B65G1/0407; B65G1/0435
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
240 words
A mechanized storage system including at least a pair of storage racks separated by an aisle, each rack having a plurality of storage compartments, a plurality of movable trays, each compartment capable of storing a movable tray, at least one empty storage compartment in one of the racks, and a transporting system movable along said racks to retrieve and to move a tray between compartments within said racks, wherein said transporting system includes a retrieving unit having movement means to move a selected one of said trays horizontally between a given compartment and said retrieving unit in a single continuous movement, said retrieving unit having tray support means to support and locate said tray thereon, each of said trays having front and rear sides joined by lateral sides and at least a pair of detent means on at least one lateral side of said tray, and wherein said movement means includes a first pair of sprockets having horizontal axes of rotation, each sprocket located substantially at opposite edges of said retrieving unit facing said racks, chain means driven about said sprockets, and means attached to said chain means for engaging one of said detent means, either of said sprockets of said retrieving unit being positionably alignable with a said detent means whereby movement of said chain means about said sprockets engages said detent engaging means with said detent means to advance said tray horizontally with respect to said retrieving unit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
240 words
A mechanized storage system including at least a pair of storage racks separated by an aisle, each rack having a plurality of storage compartments, a plurality of movable trays, each compartment capable of storing a movable tray, at least one empty storage compartment in one of the racks, and a transporting system movable along said racks to retrieve and to move a tray between compartments within said racks, wherein said transporting system includes a retrieving unit having movement means to move a selected one of said trays horizontally between a given compartment and said retrieving unit in a single continuous movement, said retrieving unit having tray support means to support and locate said tray thereon, each of said trays having front and rear sides joined by lateral sides and at least a pair of detent means on at least one lateral side of said tray, and wherein said movement means includes a first pair of sprockets having horizontal axes of rotation, each sprocket located substantially at opposite edges of said retrieving unit facing said racks, chain means driven about said sprockets, and means attached to said chain means for engaging one of said detent means, either of said sprockets of said retrieving unit being positionably alignable with a said detent means whereby movement of said chain means about said sprockets engages said detent engaging means with said detent means to advance said tray horizontally with respect to said retrieving unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
A mechanized storage system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said movement means includes a second pair of sprockets, and an associated chain means, said first and second pairs of sprockets being located on respective opposite longitudinal sides of said retrieving unit, and a second pair of detent means on the other lateral side of said tray.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
A mechanized storage system as claimed in claim 2 wherein each sprocket comprises two coaxial sprocket wheels, said chain means comprises a pair of chains, each chain driven by respective ones of said sprocket wheels, and said detent engaging means comprises a transport roller fixed to said pair of chains.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
A mechanized storage system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said movement means includes two further pairs of coaxial sprockets driving said chain means, each pair of said further pairs located at opposite longitudinal sides of said retrieving unit below said tray support means, substantially coplanar with said first and second pairs respectively, and means to rotate each of said further pairs.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
A mechanized storage system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said transporting system further includes a carriage means having retrieving unit support means to support said retrieving unit and means to translate said retrieving unit relative thereto.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
A mechanized storage system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said translating means includes a carriage rack on each side of said retrieving unit support means and a pinion on each side of said retrieving unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
99 words
A mechanized storage system as claimed in claim 5 further including a plurality of pairs of racks, each pair arranged side by side, with said transporting system able to move between each pair of said racks along said aisle, and further including means to move said transporting system with respect to said racks in directions substantially perpendicular to said horizontal movement of said retrieving unit comprising chain and sprocket means to move said transporting system vertically along each of said pair of racks, and rack and pinion means to move said transporting system horizontally across said pairs of racks.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
A mechanized storage system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said detent means comprises pairs of spaced flanges, two pairs extending from each lateral side of said trays with each pair of flanges positioned adjacent an edge of each lateral side thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A mechanized storage system as claimed in claim 8 wherein each of said trays is supported on wheels.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
A mechanized storage system as claimed in claim 4 further including means to move said transporting system along said storage racks in a vertical direction substantially perpendicular to said horizontal movement of said retrieving unit comprising second chain and sprocket means attached to said transporting system.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
62 words
A mechanized storage system as claimed in claim 10 wherein said second chain and sprocket means are located in line with and on either side of each of said storage racks, said sprockets of said transporting system are aligned with said detent means and said detent means are a pair of flanges located centrally on each lateral side of a said tray.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
A mechanized storage system as claimed in claim 11 wherein each of said trays is supported on wheels.
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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) | 1996-05-24 | 1996-11-23 | 1997-05-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-05-24 | 2000-11-23 | 2001-05-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-05-24 | 2004-11-23 | 2005-05-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |