Rotating elevator mechanism for article transfer in an automated storage system
US5964562A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 17, 1998 |
| Grant date | Oct 12, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 17, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65G1/0407
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus for exchanging articles with an article holder includes a vertical mast having a vertical mast axis and a shuttle ring assembly. The shuttle ring assembly has a central aperture surrounding the mast and is coupled to the mast to allow the shuttle ring assembly to be translated vertically along the mast through multiple heights between a lower height and an upper height. The shuttle ring assembly includes a rotary member coupled to the mast to be rotated through multiple orientations about the mast axis. The rotary member includes multiple article-holding fixtures, angularly spaced from each other about the mast axis. The multiple orientations include a respective exchange orientation for each of the article-holding fixtures. The rotary member can be positioned in any one of the exchange orientations so that a selected one of the article-holding fixtures is in an associated exchange position. The shuttle ring assembly also includes an article transfer mechanism configured to transfer an article between the article holder and a selected one of the article-holding fixtures when the rotary member is positioned so that the selected one of the article-holding fixtures is in …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.