Automated storage system for high density storage
US8636459B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 1, 2011 |
| Grant date | Jan 28, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 4, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N35/0099
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Within a storage compartment, closely spaced rows of adjacent stacks are supported on a plurality of parallel sliding rails. A pair of coordinated robots is positioned with one robot on one side of the stacks to push the stacks within a selected row toward the other robot. The pushing robot on one side of the row starts off with a starting stack supported in its support arms. The pushing robot pushes the starting stack into one end of the selected row, causing the row to shift toward the waiting receiving robot, which receives the stack at the opposite end of the row from the starting stack. A series of pushes between the two robots moves a stack containing a desired sample into alignment with an access port in the storage compartment.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.