Patent · US Expired

Document storage and retrieval apparatus and method

US4786229A · kind A · utility

137Cited by
12References
11Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateApr 30, 1986
Grant dateNov 22, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 30, 2006

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06K17/0003
  • WIPO fieldHandling
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A document and storage retrieval system including a plurality of containers, each having machine readable identifying indicia thereon. The containers are positioned by automatic palletizing apparatus on each of a plurality of pallets. The identity of the containers on each pallet is correlated with a storage location address assigned by a controller. Additionally identifying indicia for the pallet is preferably correlated to the address. On retrieval of a selected container, the pallet is retrieved, all of the containers are removed from the pallet, the selected container is sorted from the remaining containers, and all of the remaining containers are repalletized and reassigned a new address in the storage volume. The address or location of containers in the storage volume is dynamically changing, but the controller for the system always has a correlation of container identities and storage location addresses.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.