Patent · US Expired

Low tolerance positioning system in an automated handling system

US5532931A · kind A · utility

16Cited by
9References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 29, 1994
Grant dateJul 2, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 29, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11B17/225
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An automated storage system transports data cartridges between a storage device and a plurality of storage cells via a picker assembly. The storage cells are formed of one or more removable magazines. The picker assembly accurately locates each data cartridge within a storage cell by first establishing a zero position reference and locating a home position relatively therefrom. The home position is a predetermined point on each magazine. An infrared detector and infrared sensor are situated on the picker assembly for precisely locating the home position. Each cartridge is known to be located within a predetermined tachometer count range from the home position. The detector/sensor is used to precisely locate each cartridge. The precise tachometer position is stored and the cartridge is returned to the known location. As a result, tolerance accumulation effects are eliminated in the system.

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