Patent Application
20140308107
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The embodiments of the present invention satisfy the needs of having a better last-in, first-out bottom-loading, bottom-deloading vertical storage and retrieval system and method of manufacture.
Information relevant to attempts to address these problems can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,180,015; 8,118,178; 6,955,520; 6,199,857; 5,915,909; 5,452,821; 5,217,417; 4,120,407; 4,045,071; and U.S. Patent Application Nos. 20120076631; and 20040000260; which are not admitted to be prior art with respect to the present invention by its mention in this Background Section. However, it is desirable to have a better system and method than is disclosed in the references.
The embodiments of the present invention are directed to a system and method that satisfies the needs set out in the Background section.
The embodiments of the present invention comprise a last-in, first-out bottom-loading, bottom-deloading vertical storage and retrieval system, comprising a plurality of trays, a raising and lowering means such as a jack or a leveraged arm, a frame with pawls for engaging one tray at a time, and a deloading means for disengaging the pawls that support a tray in the frame. The embodiments of the present invention also comprise a method for manufacturing the system.
The embodiments of the invention can be understood to function like a toothed ratchet. The frame comprises a pawl or pawls, such as leveraged arms or spring-projected sliding latch bolts with cross pins, which suspend or support a bottom tray in air above the ground. The deloading means functions like an arm and catch in a toothed ratchet. The trays are stackable, and each tray functions like a tooth of a toothed ratchet.
Alternatively, the stack of trays can be understood to function like a ratchet column. The frame pawls in effect ratchet from one tray to the next; but it is the stack of trays that ratchets up and down, not the frame pawls. The frame pawls remain immobile, in the sense that one part of each of the frame pawls is fixedly attached to the frame.
A tray is loaded into the bottom of a frame by delivering the tray, for example on a rolling cart, robot, or a rolling step stool with spring-mounted casters; alternatively, the frames can be electrified and the rolling cart can run on an electric motor powered by engagement with the frame, much as an electric tram is powered by the transmission of electricity by connection with a bipolar overhead line. The tray is delivered to a space between the four legs of the frame, and then levering or jacking the tray upwards. In the case of the spring-projected sliding latch bolts, when the diagonal distal ends of the bolts engage the longitudinal slots in the corner post top ends, the bolts are thereby forced to retract against their springs and away from their original projecting positions, such that the tray corner post sides maintain the bolts in retracted positions while the tray continues to lift vertically past the bolts, and such that the bolts spring-project back to their original projecting positions when the tray corner post bottom ends are vertically lifted past the top of the bolt. Before the latch is engaged, the jack takes the weight off the sliding latch bolt in effect deloading it, allowing it to more readily retract and then re-project. The case of the leveraged arm is simpler. The upward moving tray simply deflects the leveraged arm, and once the tray clears the lever, the leveraged arm drops down to its original position.
In one embodiment, when the deloading means is levered or jacked up between the frame, it deloads the sliding latch bolts which enables the sliding latch bolt cross pins to move into and within a vertical looped track on the deloading means. As the deloading means is raised further, the looped track guides the cross pins so as to force the sliding latch bolts into retracted positions. This allows a tray to be lowered through the now-retracted sliding latch bolt which is acting a pawl. As the deloading means is lowered, a track pawl positioned at the bottom of the looped track prevents the cross pins from reversing and retracing their paths. Instead the cross pins continue their path along the looped track, which holds the pawls open and allows the tray to be lowered through them. When the cross pins reach the top of the looped track, the track guides them to allow the bolts to return to their original projecting positions.
To facilitate item location, the trays or even the items can be individually identified, e.g., through radio frequency identification (RFID) or through marking with computer readable optical media.
Items can also be loaded onto and unloaded from the top of the stack.
The embodiments of the invention comprise a last-in, first-out bottom-loading, bottom-deloading vertical storage and retrieval system, comprising:
Optionally, the raising and lowering means is a jack selected from the group consisting of: a screw jack, an hydraulic jack, an electric jack, a ratchet jack, and a scissor jack.
Optionally, the raising and lowering means is a leveraged arm.
Optionally, the raising and lowering means is an electric linear actuator.
Optionally, each of the frame pawls comprises a levered arm, wherein each levered arm is positionable in a mortise in a medial edge of each of the at least one vertical guiding sheets, wherein a cross pin extends from a side of each levered arm.
Optionally, each elongated guide slot has a curvilinear shape.
Optionally, each of the frame pawls comprises a spring-projected sliding latch bolt, wherein each sliding latch bolt is slidably positionable in a mortise in a medial edge of each of the at least one vertical guiding sheets, wherein each sliding latch bolt has a diagonally-shaped distal end, wherein a cross pin extends from a side of each latch bolt.
Optionally, each elongated guide slot has a linear shape.
Optionally, each tray comprises four tray corners, wherein the means for securely stacking with other trays comprises four tray corner posts extending vertically from each tray corner, wherein each tray corner post comprises a tray corner post top end and a tray corner post bottom end and a tray corner post longitudinal axis, wherein each tray corner post top end comprises a tray corner post tongue monolithically extending along the tray corner post longitudinal axis, wherein each tray corner post tongue is adapted for fitting alongside a tray corner post bottom end of another tray so that trays can be securely stacked with other trays.
Optionally, each tray corner comprises a tray corner slot.
The embodiments of the invention further comprise a method for manufacturing a last-in, first-out bottom-loading, bottom-deloading vertical storage and retrieval system, comprising:
The options enumerated above for the system also apply here to the method.
Storage and retrieval systems typically require high-rise storage frames and rows between frames. They typically utilize shelves rather than stackable trays. If they use stackable trays, either the entire stack must be removed to access any given tray, or the trays have to be removed from the top until the desired tray is reached. The embodiments of the present invention comprise stackable trays, which eliminate the need for towering frames in a facility. The single short frame is the only necessary shelf, as it functions as a loader and to stabilize the deloading function. The frame is approximately as tall as at least one tray and the loader and/or deloader. The embodiments of the present invention also eliminate the need for rows between frames, as the trays are usually but not exclusively loaded and unloaded from the bottom of the stack.
These and other advantages will become apparent as the embodiments of the invention are used.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the embodiments of the method will become better understood with reference to the following description, claims and accompanying drawings where:
Definitions
A standard toothed ratchet comprises an arm and catch, a pawl, and at least one tooth.
As shown in the figures, the preferred embodiment and best mode of the present invention comprise a last-in, first-out bottom-loading, bottom-deloading vertical storage and retrieval system, comprising:
Optionally, the raising and lowering means 30 is a jack selected from the group consisting of: a screw jack, an hydraulic jack, an electric jack, a ratchet jack, and a scissor jack.
Optionally, the raising and lowering means 30 is a leveraged arm.
Optionally, the raising and lowering means 30 is an electric linear actuator.
Optionally, each of the frame pawls 40 comprises a levered arm, wherein each levered arm is positionable in a mortise in a medial edge of each of the at least one vertical guiding sheets, wherein a cross pin 70 extends from a side of each levered arm.
Optionally, each elongated guide slot 85 has a curvilinear shape.
Optionally, each of the frame pawls 40 comprises a spring-projected sliding latch bolt, wherein each sliding latch bolt is slidably positionable in a mortise in a medial edge of each of the at least one vertical guiding sheets, wherein each sliding latch bolt has a diagonally-shaped distal end 45, wherein a cross pin 70 extends from a side of each latch bolt.
Optionally, each elongated guide slot 85 has a linear shape.
Optionally, each tray 10 comprises four tray corners, wherein the means for securely stacking with other trays 10 comprises four tray corner posts 50 extending vertically from each tray corner, wherein each tray corner post 50 comprises a tray corner post top end and a tray corner post bottom end and a tray corner post longitudinal axis, wherein each tray corner post top end comprises a tray corner post tongue 55 monolithically extending along the tray corner post longitudinal axis, wherein each tray corner post tongue 55 is adapted for fitting alongside a tray corner post bottom end of another tray 10 so that trays 10 can be securely stacked with other trays 10.
Optionally, each tray corner comprises a tray corner slot 65.
Some advantages of the embodiments of the apparatus were previously enumerated in the Summary section. Every advantageous feature does not need to be incorporated into every embodiment of the apparatus and/or methods.
Although these versions of the invention have been described in considerable detail, other versions are possible. For example, embodiments can comprise combinations of the features described herein, such as combinations of the dependent claims. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the versions contained therein.
