Automated warehousing system and method
US6652213B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 8, 2000 |
| Grant date | Nov 25, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 8, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65G2201/0267
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An automated warehouse system for a building has elevators for automatically accepting incoming material on pallets. A rotating forklift mounted inside the elevator extends its forks to reach out and bring in the pallets. Once inside, the rotating forklift spins around to face inside warehouse doors. When the elevator car arrives at a designated level, the rotating forklift deposits the material on the pallet on a temporary shelf just outside the elevator. Each level has an aisle cart that moves along an aisleway for both a loading elevator and an unloading elevator. Each aisleway is intersected by several row rails that are right angles to the aisleway. The aisle cart carries a battery powered row cart that can run back and forth along the rows. The aisle cart is positioned at the appropriate row along the aisleway, and the row cart carries, deposits, and picks up material on pallets. Storage positions are provided along each row, front to rear. The palleted items are shuffled on a carousel between walking conveyors and elevators. Conveyor carts ride the carousel on parallel adjacent tracks and transfer track.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.