With Load-supporting Pallet Patents (Class 414/286)
  • Patent number: 11753165
    Abstract: Examples relate to modular cargo handling. An example system for positioning and securing cargo includes a pair of rails extending longitudinally in a parallel configuration. The system includes floor beams coupled between coupling links (e.g., sets of wheels) that removably couple to the pair of rails such that each floor beam can move along the length of the rails with less friction. Each floor beam can include one or more coupling points that can be used to secure units of cargos to the floor beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Max U. Kismarton, Robert Erik Grip, Ted K. Rothaupt
  • Patent number: 11084655
    Abstract: A vehicle for moving a container containing a hoisting device for hoisting the container from a first position, to hold it in a stored position at the bottom side of the vehicle and to lower the container from the stored position to the second position; a frame supporting the hoisting device; a first guide and second guide attached for guiding the vehicle along a first path in a first horizontal direction, and along a second path in a second horizontal direction transverse to the first direction; wherein the vehicle is arranged to run, in a first mode, along the first path if the first guide engages with the first path and the second guide is spaced apart from the second path, and, in a second mode, along the second path if the second guide engages with the second path and the first guide is spaced apart from the first path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: LOGIQS B.V.
    Inventor: Gerrit Johannes Van Staalduinen
  • Patent number: 10640297
    Abstract: A transport system and method useful for autonomously or semi-autonomously transporting and positioning materials or components in an industrial facility. In one example in use for passenger vehicle body assembly, a transport device includes a lift device and first and second build devices for alternately supporting a workpiece. The transport device includes a clearance opening for passage by the second build device along the path of travel. The transport device positions the first build device and workpiece over the second build device and deposits the workpiece on the lower second build device for processing. When the process is complete, the first build device re-engages the workpiece for movement to another workstation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Comau LLC
    Inventors: Velibor Kilibarda, Michael R. Dugas, Lei Zhou, Freddie Tappo, Tracy Taylor, Radomir Senic
  • Patent number: 10294025
    Abstract: A remotely-operated vehicle assembly for picking up storage bins from a storage system and a method for changing vehicle direction includes a body displaying a cavity, a lifting device connected to the body for lifting the bin into the cavity, a displacement arrangement including a displacement motor which provides power to displace one or both of first and second sets of vehicle wheels between a displaced state where the relevant vehicle wheels are displaced away from the underlying system during use, and a non-displaced state where the relevant vehicle wheels are in contact with the underlying system during use, and driving wheels coupled to the displacement arrangement. The driving wheels include the first and second sets of vehicle wheels connected to the body allowing movement of the vehicle along first and second directions, respectively, within the system. The first and second directions are perpendicular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Autostore Technology AS
    Inventors: Ingvar Hognaland, Ivar Fjeldheim, Trond Austrheim, Børge Bekken
  • Patent number: 9908576
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a modular bicycle storage structure designed to maximize the number of bicycles that can fit into it. The structure is designed to provide a private locker to each bicycle, which is accessible by a locker door, and secured using a standard bicycle U-Lock. The structure may use bicycles that have foldable, twistable or removable handlebars in order to reduce their overall width. The user generally aligns the pedals in a specific way before inserting the bicycle into the structure. The pedals slide into a groove formed in the side wall. This allows for overlapping of pedals for adjacent bicycles providing a compact storage configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: BAAS, INC.
    Inventor: Robert S. McPherson
  • Patent number: 9469477
    Abstract: An inventory system includes an inventory holder and a mobile drive unit. The mobile drive unit includes sensors for detecting one or more load characteristics of the inventory holder and/or includes magnets and/or magnetic surfaces for securing the inventory holder to the mobile drive unit during lifting and/or moving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Andriy Palamarchuk, Jeremiah David Brazeau
  • Patent number: 9280153
    Abstract: An inventory system includes an inventory holder and a mobile drive unit. The mobile drive unit includes sensors for detecting one or more load characteristics of the inventory holder and/or includes magnets and/or magnetic surfaces for securing the inventory holder to the mobile drive unit during lifting and/or moving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Andriy Palamarchuk, Jeremiah David Brazeau
  • Patent number: 8813941
    Abstract: In some aspects, a workpiece processing installation includes an operating area, an operating pallet able to be moved along a transport direction between a position within the operating area and a position outside the operating area, the operating pallet being configured to support a workpiece, and a pallet support that is configured to be transferred from a first position, in which the pallet support defines a storage area for the storage of the operating pallet outside the operating area, to a second position in which the pallet support protrudes away from the operating area in the transport direction to a lesser extent than it does in the first position. Transferring the pallet support from the first position to the second position includes moving at least a portion of the pallet support towards the operating area which results in the storage area defined by the pallet support becoming smaller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Andreas Kettner-Reich, Tobias Meck, Martin Petera
  • Publication number: 20140199141
    Abstract: A lift mechanism is provided. The lift mechanism includes a frame having a base, a spine extending from the base and a table, adjustment units configured to permit table adjustments, an attachment mechanism by which the table is attachable to a rack frame and a driving unit configured to drive a load relative to the rack frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Lannie R. Bolde
  • Patent number: 8756799
    Abstract: A substrate accommodating tray pallet has a substrate in a horizontal state, includes openings for inserting substrate removal tools for raising the substrate, and is used for transferring substrate accommodating trays which can be vertically stacked, wherein: the substrate accommodating trays are to be mounted on an upper surface; and substrate removal tool insertion openings for inserting the substrate removal tools are positioned so as to oppose openings of the mounted substrate accommodating trays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Sydek Corporation
    Inventors: Takenori Yoshizawa, Hideo Taniguchi, Hiroto Shibata
  • Patent number: 8641353
    Abstract: The system for storing and retrieving shoes includes a cabinet defining a housing enclosing storage units. The housing defines a central shaft for raising and lowering shoe trays, and defines two columns of storage rack units for the shoe trays on opposite sides of the central shaft. A portal at the base of the central shaft provides access for placing shoes on a shoe tray and retrieving the shoes from the cabinet. A long support arm is movable horizontally to align a shoe tray in either the left or the right column of rack units. A short support arm is movable vertically on the long arm to align the shoe tray vertically, and has clips for grasping and releasing the shoe trays. An electronic control system controls movement of the two arms, and issues a card or claim check identifying the storage rack unit for later retrieval of the shoes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: King Saud University
    Inventor: Mohammad Alissan Alghamdi
  • Patent number: 8556567
    Abstract: An order-picking system and method that includes a high-bay warehouse, at least one tray warehouse, at least one packing station, at least one shipping station and a conveyor technique to bring the tray loaded with the pallet layer into the tray warehouse. The conveyor technique may be a conveyor, a storage machine and/or a lift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: SSI Schaefer Noell GmbH Lager- und Systemtechnik
    Inventor: Gerhard Schafer
  • Patent number: 8554643
    Abstract: A method and equipment to stack palletless and as to their size variable packages (1) on warehouse rack (15) and to retrieve them from the rack and to control the logistics of packages, in which the warehouse rack is furnished with an automatic packages stacking and retrieving robot, and in which the control of warehouse data and logistics takes place by a data system. Equipment (5) receives package (1), for instance, onto conveyor belt (2), equipment (5) carries out weighing of package (1), determination for the necessary space requirement, reading of remote code connected to package (1), as RFID code (20) in order to choose the rack space determined for it on basis of previous functions, and package (1) is retrieved from the rack steered either by the order of the user or of the data system, and the data from above mentioned stacking and retrieving functions are transmitted to the data system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Suomen Teollisuusosa Oy
    Inventor: Sami Kortelainen
  • Patent number: 8480347
    Abstract: An order-picking system and method includes a pallet warehouse (12), preferably in terms of a high-bay warehouse, being used as a supply warehouse dedicated to a plurality of, preferably different, packing units (40) which are stored, preferably by one sort only, on pallets (14) in the pallet warehouse (12); a tray warehouse (24) which is used as a picking buffer for supplying connected order-picking stations with packing units (40), wherein trays (38) are stored in the tray warehouse which have been loaded with a pallet layer of packing units (40) before; a conveyor (22) which transports from the pallet warehouse to the tray warehouse trays (38) which are respectively loaded with a pallet layer of packing units, particularly across longer distances; and at least a rack-transport unit (36) for trays (38), the rack-transport unit allowing receipt of a plurality of trays being respectively loaded with a pallet layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Inventor: Gerhard Schäfer
  • Patent number: 8465693
    Abstract: An apparatus for automatically depositing, preserving and retrieving biological material test tubes is described, including a refrigerated storage with movable horizontal shelves and a conveyor interface, adapted to automatically transport biological material test tubes, a device adapted to handle the test tubes between the interface and the containers of a sorted plurality of test tubes, the containers having toothed guides and being able to be placed on the lanes of a bench, a handling device of the containers between the bench and an access area of the storage, slidingly mounted to the bench and including motorized toothed members adapted to couple with the toothed guides of the containers for horizontally moving the latter between the access area of the storage and the bench, and a control unit adapted to coordinate the devices during the loading/unloading operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Inpeco Holding Ltd.
    Inventor: Gianandrea Pedrazzini
  • Patent number: 8457780
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system of enabling automated receiving/retrieving of stocks of cargo for storing purposes. The system uses at least one service level and one or more storage levels. The service level is operated and organized in such a way that it is able to receive, interchange cargo, and extract cargo simultaneously and batch way. The system is redundant and allows continued operation even if some of its components malfunction. The service area comprising (a) a plurality of pallets for conveying said cargo; (b) a matrix of blocks of predetermined shape upon which said cargo and said pallets located; (c) at least one elevator block for transporting said pallet to different areas of said system; (d) at least one box; (e) at least two buffer for allowing transport of said pallets in at least two orthogonal directions in each of said areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Inventor: Ilia Kharkover
  • Patent number: 8401695
    Abstract: A method and a device are provided for automatically supplying packages, that have been sorted by type, to a column stacker, preferably in a sorting system. The device has at least one supply path (2) on which the packages, which have been sorted by type, are automatically supplied to the column stacker (3) individually and chaotically distributed in partial stacks. The invention proposes that at least two packages (T1, T1) or partial stacks of packages (T2, T2 or T3, T3 or T4, T4 or T5, T5)—as long as said partial stacks are not already randomly present on the supply path (2)—of the same height disposed one directly behind the other be combined with the aid of a package register 1 before being supplied to the column stacker (3) simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Knapp AG
    Inventor: Karl Freudelsperger
  • Patent number: 8180483
    Abstract: In an overhead conveyance/storage system 1 including at least a storage area 100 for the storage of products (e.g., tires) 200, at least one transfer holder 300 adapted to move through a ceiling space in the storage area 100 in three dimensions, including vertical, transverse and longitudinal directions while holding the products 200, and unloader 500 for carrying out the products 200 from the storage area 100, a product receiving position (product unloading position) 501 of the unloader 500 is set to a nearly central part of the storage area 100 when seen in plan. The overhead conveyance/storage system 1 further includes loader 400 for carrying the products 200 into the storage area 100, and product discriminator 402 is disposed in the loader 400.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Hirata Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoichi Wada, Issei Isaka, Toshihiko Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8157498
    Abstract: A storage rack having a shelf with storage spaces, arranged over top of each other, for pallets that are horizontally removed sideways. A rack operating device moves the pallets from the spaces, and a station cart forms a lowermost space for a pallet, and can be horizontally moved from the rack on first rails. An upper cart is located above the station cart and forms another one of the spaces to receive a pallet and is horizontally movable on second rails that have a wider track than the first rails and also lead out of the rack. The upper cart has a greater clearance in an area of the station cart which is larger than a length of the pallet, and runs on the second rails, and parts of the upper cart not related to the support structure thereof can be inserted between the vertical rack supports of the rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: KEURO Besitz GmbH & Co. EDV-Dienstleistungs KG
    Inventors: Armin Stolzer, Bernhard Huber
  • Patent number: 8118531
    Abstract: A tray holding device includes a frame (20) that defines a tray elevation area (A) in which a tray containing workpieces can be lifted and lowered and that allows the loading and unloading of workpieces from above, a lower supporting member (40) that is fixed to the frame to horizontally receive and support the tray in the tray elevation area (A), an elevation mechanism (60) that is provided at the frame to lift and lower the tray supported by the lower supporting member, and an upper supporting mechanism (50) that is mounted to the frame to receive and support the tray lifted by the elevation mechanism from below and to horizontally carry it out. Thus, the size, installation space, etc., of the tray holding device can be reduced, and the productivity can be heightened by shortening a waiting time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Hirata Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshito Watanabe, Yoji Shinozaki
  • Patent number: 8074793
    Abstract: A conveyor system and method of assembling same in which parts are fastened without the use of welding, clamps, or threaded fasteners such as bolts and screws is provided. A bracket and slot mechanism is used to attach one conveyor component to another. The bracket and slot mechanism allows components to be easily attached/detached by merely applying force to slide the bracket into the slot. Moreover, when engaged, the bracket is held securely in the slot so that the components do not become detached during normal operation of the conveyor assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Industrial Design Fabrication & Installation, Inc.
    Inventor: Todd Jager
  • Patent number: 8065032
    Abstract: A method for depositing real items into real containers, wherein the real items are transported along a picking line and are deposited into spaces in the real containers using robots. Placement of the items is predetermined by a controller. The controller provides for the real items and the real containers to be previously associated with one another by virtue of graphical symbols for items being placed into at least one graphical symbol for a container on a screen that is connected to the controller. The method according to the invention thus makes it possible to easily and quickly fill a container with an assortment of items in the desired manner using real robot movements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Christian Stifter
  • Patent number: 8060241
    Abstract: Stations (8,9) of an automatic warehouse (2) are provided with transfer devices (10) for transferring an article one by one between a tray and a bucket, and hands (11, 12) of the transfer devices are provided with an ID tag reader and writer. The ID of the article stored in the bucket can be grasped and delivering products can be inspected, and further, data corresponding to each article can be written in the ID tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Murata Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masato Ishida, Yoshinori Mitta
  • Patent number: 8006824
    Abstract: A storage system of the present invention includes a storage area for arranging and storing articles (W), a carrying-in line (200) for carrying in the articles (W) toward the storage area, and a transfer mechanism (300) arranged on an upper region of the storage area in order to transfer the articles (W) carried in by the carrying-in line to the storage area. The storage area includes a supporting table (100) for arranging and supporting a plurality of pallets (P) capable of loading the articles (W), and the transfer mechanism (300) transfers the articles (W) to the pallets (P) supported on the supporting table (100). Since an operation for transferring the articles stored directly on the floor face as before to the pallets is not required, a carrying-out process is simplified and efficiency of storage process of the articles as a whole (carrying-in from the outside, transfer to the storage area, carrying-out to the outside) is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Hirata Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoichi Wada, Issei Isaka, Kunio Katayanagi
  • Patent number: 7988406
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an order-picking systems (100; 100?), wherein the order-picking system comprises a high-bay warehouse (10), at least one tray warehouse (16), at least one packing station (20; 32), and at least one shipping station (22), comprising the following steps: a) depalletizing (S20) in a layerwise manner packing units (42), which form a, particularly complete, pallet layer (40), from a pallet (44), particularly a EuroPallet, which respectively carries a plurality of packing units (42), which are to be picked, of a type of article, onto a correspondingly dimensioned tray (46); b) bringing (S30) the tray (46) loaded with the pallet layer (40) into the tray warehouse (16), preferably by means of a conveyor technique (14), a storage machine and/or a lift; c) recalling (S40) the tray (46) loaded with the pallet layer (40) in accordance with an order-picking order or several order-picking orders to the packing station (20; 32); removing in accordance with the order-picking or
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: SSI Schaefer Noell GmbH Lager-und Systemtechnik
    Inventor: Gerhard Schäfer
  • Patent number: 7941243
    Abstract: A very high density storage system comprising a storage grid having a number of storage cells and individual cargo carriers where a cargo carrier is stored in a storage cell. The storage system uses a unique set of individually actuatable gear drives on both the top and bottom of each storage cell, but installed at 90 degrees to each other, to move the cargo carrier to a specific storage cell. Software controls and manages the location of each cargo carrier such that when a specific cargo carrier is desired, software instructions cause the cargo carriers to be shuffled within the storage grid until the desired cargo carrier is located at the desired position, such as an unloading position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P.
    Inventors: Dennis W. Borgwarth, Adam Marsh, David W. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 7909559
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system for operating storage units. The inventive system enables quick storage and removal therefrom and exhibits an optimum redundancy capacity. In order to counteract shortfalls in individual shelf operation devices, the inventive load receiving means acts as a support for a system for operating storage units, especially high shelf storage units, comprising means for mechanical connection to shelf unit, a lift device and a device arranged thereon for the transversal movement of loads, whereby the means for connection to a shelf unit has an electric drive unit with a pinion gear, driving a toothed rack and the toothed rack is arranged and embodied in such a way that when the pinion gear is rotated said toothed rack moves laterally outside the load receiving means, and the toothed racks are respectively provided with means which protrude from the ends thereof above the load receiving means, engaging into corresponding receiving devices on the shelf units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Westfalia Intralogistic GmbH
    Inventors: Gunther Lukas, Arnold Krusche, Anton Hafeneder
  • Publication number: 20110033271
    Abstract: The invention relates to a storage product carrier (10) for a storage rack (100) that includes a plurality of support beams disposed one on top of the other at a distance from one another, said support beams being arranged in pairs on opposite side walls of the storage rack (100) and supporting the storage product carrier (10), wherein the storage product carrier (10) comprises a base plate (30) for storing a rollable storage product container (20) provided with at least one wheel (22), wherein the base plate (30) has at least one depression (40) for receiving the wheel (22) of the storage product container (20). The invention further relates to a storage rack with such a storage product carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Inventor: Joachim Hanel
  • Publication number: 20100247275
    Abstract: Storage and retrieval systems and methods are provided to automate the process of handling a mixed inventory of palletized and containerized items. In one embodiment, the stowage and retrieval system comprises a storage area comprising a plurality of stationary cell modules arranged in a matrix, wherein each cell module comprises at least one motor. The system also comprises a plurality of carriers comprising at least one magnet disposed on an underside of each of the carriers and at least one engagement mechanism disposed on a top side of each of the carriers. The at least one magnet of the carrier is configured to engage the at least one motor of a corresponding cell module, and the at least one motor is configured to move the carrier within the storage area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: Agile Systems Inc.
    Inventors: James P. Karlen, Hans Frederich Paul Karlen, Phillip J. Schneider, Theodore H. Leist, Michael D. Conners, Thomas R. McCammon, Paul H. Eismann
  • Patent number: 7771152
    Abstract: A rack module for, in particular, rod or plate-shaped storage goods accepted in transportation cases as well as a method for repositioning storage goods in a rack module is provided. The rack module is provided with several shelf spaces serving to receive the transportation cases as well as a storage and retrieval unit with a gripping device that can be displaced in reference to the storage and retrieval unit for repositioning the transportation cases. The transportation cases comprise pallets, with at least one lift truck for moving under and repositioning the pallets being provided, and a lifting device for raising and/or lowering one or more pallets, which can be operated by the gripping device of the storage and retrieval unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignees: KEURO Besitz GmbH & Co., EDV-Dienstleistungs KG
    Inventor: Gerhard Waltersbacher
  • Publication number: 20100158647
    Abstract: An automated case order preparation system including a crane for transporting groups of depalletized product cases to temporary storage on shelving, and to a plurality of gravity-powered case guides, for accumulating and dispensing cases to fulfill client order pallets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Inventor: Daniel R. Lafontaine
  • Publication number: 20100158648
    Abstract: An order-picking system comprising a storage rack, wherein the rack (16, 18) is divided into a number of planes (RPi) arranged on top of each other each having rack-storage locations (54) arranged side-by-side, which are preferably formed by hold elements mounted laterally to rack posts, and wherein the rack is coupled to a vertical elevator, wherein the vertical elevator (12, 14) serves for transporting load supports (50) from a rack-plane level (RRi) of the storage rack (16, 18) to a handing-over level, and vice versa, wherein the elevator (12, 14) is provided with a first vertical traction unit (40) endlessly rotating, and a second vertical traction unit (42) endlessly rotating, wherein the first and second traction unit (40, 42) can be driven substantially synchronous and are distanced to each other such that a plurality of first support elements (48), which are mounted on the first traction unit (42), and a plurality of second support elements (48), which are mounted on the second traction unit (42), def
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Inventor: Gerhard Schäfer
  • Patent number: 7726247
    Abstract: A dual-use automobile-boat storage pallet, having a structural support framework of generally rectangular shape with first and second side members and a plurality of cross-members. The storage pallet includes an apparatus for holding a boat that is width adjustable and height adjustable and includes a plurality of folding bunks that are mounted on and supported by two or more of the cross-members. The storage pallet includes an apparatus for holding a car, which includes a first automobile tread plate and a second automobile tread plate supported by the first and second side members of the structural support framework. The dual-use automobile storage pallet can include an optional pair of forklift tine guides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Inventor: Richard L. Neland
  • Patent number: 7667430
    Abstract: A power storage apparatus mounted with a plurality of connected power storage modules and capable of charging or discharging an electric power, and in which a housing is partitioned by a partition plate to be divided into a power storage area and a control device area; in the power storage area, an opening is formed, and the power storage modules are contained; in the control device area, an opening is formed, and a switching protective device section to switch and protect the power storage modules is contained; a main circuit wiring from the power storage modules is led out of the control device area via the switching protective device section; the opening of the power storage area is covered with a detachable cover; and the opening of the control device area is covered with a detachable cover independent of the cover of the opening of the power storage area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Kitanaka
  • Publication number: 20100042249
    Abstract: A storage system of the present invention includes a storage area for arranging and storing articles (W), a carrying-in line (200) for carrying in the articles (W) toward the storage area, and a transfer mechanism (300) arranged on an upper region of the storage area in order to transfer the articles (W) carried in by the carrying-in line to the storage area. The storage area includes a supporting table (100) for arranging and supporting a plurality of pallets (P) capable of loading the articles (W), and the transfer mechanism (300) transfers the articles (W) to the pallets (P) supported on the supporting table (100). Since an operation for transferring the articles stored directly on the floor face as before to the pallets is not required, a carrying-out process is simplified and efficiency of storage process of the articles as a whole (carrying-in from the outside, transfer to the storage area, carrying-out to the outside) is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Inventors: Ryoichi Wada, Issei Isaka, Kunio Katayanagi
  • Patent number: 7661920
    Abstract: A method and a storage and manipulation system for manipulating and transferring cassettes used for storage. The system includes a rack for storing cassettes. The rack includes supports on which the cassette rests. A transfer device includes a slide, onto which the cassette can be transferred. The slide includes a lifting and lowering movement. The transfer device also includes grippers that grip the cassette and moving it onto or off the slide. The slide can be placed underneath the front part of the cassette and, by a lifting movement, elevate the front part of the cassette such that the cassette can be transferred along the support onto the slide. A rear part of the cassette is simultaneously supported by the support. The slide can also lower the front part of the cassette onto the support when the rear part of the cassette is transferred onto the support of the rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Fastems Oy AB
    Inventors: Juhana Kantola, Tero Rapila, Teppo Halkola, Vesa Raevaara, Jyrki Kortesmäki
  • Patent number: 7568281
    Abstract: A substrate accommodating tray pallet has a substrate in a horizontal state, includes openings for inserting substrate removal tools for raising the substrate, and is used for transferring substrate accommodating trays which can be vertically stacked, wherein: the substrate accommodating trays are to be mounted on an upper surface; and substrate removal tool insertion openings for inserting the substrate removal tools are positioned so as to oppose openings of the mounted substrate accommodating trays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Sydek Corporation
    Inventors: Takenori Yoshizawa, Hideo Taniguchi, Hiroto Shibata
  • Patent number: 7510067
    Abstract: A large rectangular rotary table includes a fabricated tubular metal frame having top plates for supporting fixtures and large motor vehicle parts. A center portion of the table frame is supported by an annular turret bearing mounted on a base plate spaced above a floor plate by adjustable leveling screws. A drive unit is also supported by the base plate within the bearing and the center portion of the table frame and includes a planocentric gear reducer driven by an electric servo motor projecting above the table. A laterally projecting torque arm is mounted on the output of the gear reducer and is connected to the table frame by a sliding drive pin assembly which prevents radial loads on the gear reducer when the table is indexed. A fluid actuated table locating pin alternately engages a locating seat on each end of the table after the table is indexed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Easom Automation Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Reginald D. Kelley, John L. Vaphiadis
  • Publication number: 20080267749
    Abstract: A pallet transfer system capable of smoothly transferring a pallet between a machine tool and a pallet conveying device is provided. The pallet transfer system includes an intermediated station to temporally place a pallet between a front ward position of a pallet stand-by position and the pallet stand by position. The pallet P on a conveying plate 22 at a stand-by position Q3 is carried to a temporally placing position Q4 by horizontally moving of the conveying plate 22. Then the pallet is transferred to the intermediate position by being supported by lift arms 35 and 35 which are raised from the conveying plate 22. Further, the pallet supported by the lift arms at the temporally placing position is transferred from the intermediate station to a stacker crane 12 by a stacker crane being advanced toward an intermediate station 14 side and entered into an entering space below the pallet P.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: Okuma Corporation
    Inventor: Masayuki KIRIYAMA
  • Patent number: 7214024
    Abstract: A push back pallet storage system has a plurality of side members and cross members arranged in several levels, a plurality of carriages for feeding pallets in depth and movable lengthways relative to longitudinal beams fixed to the members, the movable carriages being formed as a substantially reversed U-shaped section member provided with wings with inwardly located rotatable bearings, the section member being configured to surround the longitudinal beams outwardly so that the bearings run inwardly along a lower portion of a web of the beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Mecalux, S.A.
    Inventor: Jose Luis Carrillo Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 7140503
    Abstract: A pushback cart storage system includes a cart having a first pair of wheels located at a front end of the cart, and a second pair of wheels located between a rear end of the cart and a midpoint of the cart. The wheels roll along rails on a storage rack or frame. The second pair of wheels is located closer to the midpoint than to the rear end of the cart, such that the rear end of the cart extends beyond the end of the rails when the second pair of wheels are rolled to the end of the rails. Accordingly, less steel, or other material, is required to construct the rails of the storage rack, which reduces the overall cost and weight of the system, while allowing the system to support the same number of pallets as a conventional system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Inventors: John V. R. Krummell, Jr., Ken Davison, Thomas John Imholte
  • Patent number: 6851562
    Abstract: A push back storage rack system for storing multiple loads in a single inclined cart lane. Each lane contains at least two wheeled carts, each cart being capable of receiving and storing multiple pallet loads. The carts are vertically spaced so that they can freely slide underneath each other when unloaded. Beginning with the first or lowest level cart in the system, each successively higher cart is also wider and longer than the cart immediately beneath it. The carts are positioned on at least one but potentially two pairs of rectangular tracks or tubes, each tube being capable of supporting two or four individual carts, depending on how the carts are constructed and installed on the tubes. The tubes are mounted on an incline away from a loading end of each lane so that when loads are placed on or are removed from a lane, the carts are biased toward the loading end of the lane by the force of gravity. Each tube has a single, planar upper support surface which has inside and outside edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Ridg-U-Rak, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore S. Gorniak, John B. Pellegrino, James A. Courtwright
  • Publication number: 20040265097
    Abstract: An automated system for storing pallets for loading green tires, taking said pallets into a warehouse and taking said pallets out of the warehouse includes a conveyor section for taking pallets on which green tires are loaded into a warehouse; a gantry robot section for transferring said pallets to be taken out of the warehouse into a conveyor for taking said pallets out of the warehouse when said pallets are taken out of the warehouse while the warehoused pallets are transferred to a location on which said pallets are stacked; and a conveyor section for taking said pallets out of the warehouse by said gantry robot, in which the above gantry robot is operated in the directions of X axis, Y axis and Z axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Applicant: Hankook Tire Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Hee Kim, Yong Gi Mim
  • Patent number: 6827540
    Abstract: A power bridge rollout service system for removing and installing a power bridge, the power bridge having a housing with an external bus assembly. The power bridge rollout service system includes a roller assembly, an enclosure assembly, and a dolly assembly. The roller assembly is structured to support the power bridge and has a plurality of wheels. The enclosure assembly has a frame assembly structured to support the power bridge and has two wheel tracks. The dolly assembly has a frame assembly, a vertical lifting device, and a plurality of wheels. The vertical lifting device and wheels are coupled to the dolly frame assembly. The vertical lifting device acts upon a work platform such as a skid table assembly. The skid table assembly has a generally flat lifting plate. The skid table assembly may be raised so that the lifting plate is at the same general height as the frame assembly wheel tracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Steven D. Walker, William R. Hudson, Irving A. Gibbs
  • Patent number: 6685130
    Abstract: To a row of winding stations (1), in which rolls (8) of flat, bendable objects (e.g., printed products) positioned on roll supports (3) are processed or in which such rolls are produced, roll supports (3) are coupled to the winding stations and, if required, are exchanged, the coupled roll supports forming a first row (A) of roll supports parallel to the row of winding stations (1). Roll supports (3) are positioned in readiness for the exchange in a second row (B) of roll supports, which second row (B) is distances from the first row (A) by a transport alley (10). Each roll support in the second row is aligned to the one winding station (1), to which it is to be coupled. For every exchange, the roll support (3) coupled to the winding station (1) is moved transverse to the first row (A) into the transport alley (10) and is transported along the transport alley to its end and there is positioned in a third row (C) of roll supports, which is aligned in the direction of the transport alley (10) and adjoins it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Ferag AG
    Inventors: Hans Ulrich Stauber, Erwin Müller
  • Patent number: 6652213
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: California Natural Products
    Inventors: Pat R. Mitchell, Kevin A. Haslebasher
  • Patent number: 6612798
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for delivering large containers of goods, especially warehoused goods, such as pallets, to an out-processing station or to a transfer station. The apparatus includes an inclined delivery segment that leads to the out-processing station or transfer station and that has at least two tracks arranged essentially parallel that leave an intermediate space. At least one cart is arranged in each track. The carts form a first cart pair, whereby the carts run on wheels and have a bearing surface, whereby a large container can be placed on the bearing surfaces of the cart pair. Large containers can be moved using the inventive apparatus while avoiding the disadvantages of conventional roller tracks, such as pressing rollers into the wood on the underside of pallets and thereby causing the pallets to become stuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Nedcon Magazijninrichting b.v.
    Inventor: Leen-Pieter de Jong
  • Patent number: 6599857
    Abstract: During the deposition of a catalytic component on a carrier, the position of the liquid level of a slurry containing the catalytic component is controlled with high accuracy and the adhesion of the slurry to the lateral face of the carrier is prevented. In the deposition of the liquid substance on the carrier by the introduction of the liquid substance into the carrier from the bottom face thereof, a water-detecting sensor detects the liquid level near the top face of the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignees: ICT Co., Ltd., International Catalyst Technology, Inc., Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeyoshi Taniguchi, Makoto Horiuchi, Ryugo Kakimi
  • Patent number: 6588608
    Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to an elevator for multi-level rack storage systems that can automatically and continuously transfer loads from an upper level to a lower level without the use of an external power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Konstant Products, Inc.
    Inventor: John F. Pater
  • Patent number: 6524052
    Abstract: A tray feeder sequentially takes pallets, each holding a tray storing electronic parts, out of a magazine and feeds them to a pick-up position where the electronic parts are picked up by a transfer head of an electronic parts-mounting apparatus. The tray feeder comprises the magazines for containing the pallets in a stacked manner, a drawing portion for drawing the pallet from the magazine and carrying the same thereon, a lifting-lowering portion for vertically moving the drawing portion, a non-mounted-parts discharge portion provided above the magazines, and a replenishing portion for receiving the pallet, holding the empty tray from which the electronic parts have been picked up, and for recharging the pallet after fresh electronic parts are replenished. With this construction, there can be achieved the tray feeder that is excellent in the operation efficiency and is compact in size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Yamauchi, Yuji Tanaka