Automated storage library with rail mechanism providing flexible robot access
US6262863A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 1, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jul 17, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 1, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11B2220/41
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The automated library system contains multiple independent robots for concurrently manipulating multiple media cartridges. The library system comprises a two-dimensional array that contains media cartridge storage cells and media cartridge players. A system of rails is used to guide robotic pods through all of the locations in the array, which eliminates the need for any steering or guide mechanism on board the robotic pods, resulting in a reduction in the mass of the robotic pods. The rail system also constrains the movement of the robotic pods into horizontal and vertical movements, thereby simplifying the control algorithms for collision avoidance that are required by a typical random moveable object handling system based on horizontal, vertical and diagonal degrees of freedom. The robotic pods contain a moveable carriage that is capable of transporting robotic components, such as media cartridge pickers, bar code reading devices, and other task oriented sub-modules, in the storage library rail system.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.