Automated dolly assemblies with loading and unloading racks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11117752-B2
Application number	US-201916688524-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2019
Priority date	Nov 19, 2019
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to automated dolly assemblies having loading and unloading racks and traveling along a track secured to a floor. In one embodiment, an automated dolly assembly includes a moveable frame having a mobility mechanism, one or more loading racks, one or more unloading racks, a receiver arm connected to the moveable frame and a moveable pulley connected to the receiver arm. The moveable pulley has weights. The mobility mechanism is coupled to a bottom surface of the moveable frame. The one or more loading racks and the one or more unloading racks are proximate to a top surface of the moveable frame. The receiver arm is rotatably moveable between a horizontal position and a vertical position and configured to engage the automated dolly assembly with an overhead conveyor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automated dolly assembly comprising:
a moveable frame comprising:
a mobility mechanism coupled to a bottom surface of the moveable frame;
one or more loading racks and one or more unloading racks proximate to a top surface of the moveable frame; and
a receiver arm connected to the moveable frame, the receiver arm rotatably moveable between a horizontal position and a vertical position and configured to engage the automated dolly assembly with an overhead conveyor; and

a moveable pulley located at and coupled to the moveable frame so as to move with the moveable frame when the receiver arm is engaged to the overhead conveyor, the moveable pulley comprising weights and connected to the receiver arm.

2. The automated dolly assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mobility mechanism comprises a plurality of wheels.

3. The automated dolly assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mobility mechanism is configured to move along a track secured to a floor.

4. The automated dolly assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more loading racks are configured to receive objects from a rack assembly.

5. The automated dolly assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more unloading racks are configured to transfer objects to a rack assembly.

6. The automated dolly assembly of claim 1 , wherein engagement of the receiver arm to the overhead conveyor causes the weights of the moveable pulley to be raised as the moveable frame moves with the overhead conveyor and movement of the receiver arm to a horizontal position releases the movable frame from the overhead conveyor and causes the weights of the moveable pulley to lower thereby returning the moveable frame to an initial position.

7. The automated dolly assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a firing mechanism comprising a regulated air cylinder and a valve for moving the receiver arm; and
a switch disposed on the moveable frame to control the movement of the receiver arm.

8. The automated dolly assembly of claim 1 , wherein the moveable frame further comprises a height configured to align with a rack assembly such that objects from the one or more unloading racks are transferred to the rack assembly and objects from the rack assembly are received on the one or more loading racks.

9. A system comprising:
an automated dolly assembly comprising:
a moveable frame comprising:
a mobility mechanism coupled to a bottom surface of the moveable frame and configured to move along a track secured to a floor;
one or more loading racks and one or more unloading racks proximate to a top surface of the moveable frame; and
a receiver arm connected to the moveable frame, the receiver arm rotatably moveable between a horizontal position and a vertical position and configured to engage the automated dolly assembly with an overhead conveyor to move the automated dolly assembly along the track; and

a moveable pulley located at and coupled to the moveable frame so as to move with the moveable frame when the receiver arm is engaged to the overhead conveyor, the moveable pulley comprising weights and connected to the receiver arm; and

a rack assembly comprising:
one or more loading shelves configured to align with the one or more unloading racks to receive objects therefrom; and
one or more unloading shelves configured to align with the one or more loading racks to transfer objects thereto.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising:
an impediment structure coupled to the track and configured to cease movement of the automated dolly assembly along the track and align the automated dolly assembly with the rack assembly by causing the receiver arm to disengage from the overhead conveyor.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the mobility mechanism comprises a plurality of wheels.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein engagement of the receiver arm to the overhead conveyor causes the weights of the moveable pulley to be raised as the moveable frame moves with the overhead conveyor and movement of the receiver arm to a horizontal position releases the movable frame from the overhead conveyor and causes the weights of the moveable pulley to lower thereby returning the moveable frame to an initial position.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the automated dolly assembly further comprises:
a firing mechanism comprising a regulated air cylinder and a valve for moving the receiver arm; and
a switch disposed on the moveable frame to control the movement of the receiver arm.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the moveable frame of the automated dolly assembly further comprises a height configured to align with the rack assembly such that objects from the one or more loading racks of the automated dolly assembly are transferred to the one or more unloading shelves of the rack assembly and objects from the one or more loading shelves of the rack assembly are transferred to the one or more unloading racks of the automated dolly assembly.

15. A system comprising:
an automated dolly assembly comprising:
a moveable frame comprising:
a mobility mechanism coupled to a bottom surface of the moveable frame;
one or more loading racks and one or more unloading racks proximate to a top surface of the moveable frame; and
a receiver arm connected to the moveable frame, the receiver arm rotatably moveable between a horizontal position and a vertical position; and

a moveable pulley located at and coupled to the moveable frame so as to move with the moveable frame, the moveable pulley comprising weights and connected to the receiver arm;

a rack assembly comprising:
one or more loading shelves configured to align with the one or more unloading racks to receive objects therefrom; and
one or more unloading shelves configured to align with the one or more loading racks to transfer objects thereto;

a track secured to a floor and configured to accommodate the mobility mechanism; and
an overhead conveyor configured to be engaged with the automated dolly assembly when the receiver arm is in a vertical position to move the automated dolly assembly including the moveable pulley along the track.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising:
an impediment structure coupled to the track and configured to cease movement of the automated dolly assembly along the track and align the automated dolly assembly with the rack assembly by causing the receiver arm to disengage from the overhead conveyor.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the mobility mechanism comprises a plurality of wheels.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein engagement of the receiver arm to the overhead conveyor causes the weights of the moveable pulley to be raised as the moveable frame moves with the overhead conveyor and movement of the receiver arm to a horizontal position releases the movable frame from the overhead conveyor and causes the weights of the moveable pulley to lower thereby returning the moveable frame to an initial position.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the automated dolly assembly further comprises:
a firing mechanism comprising a regulated air cylinder and a valve for moving the receiver arm; and
a switch disposed on the moveable frame to control the movement of the receiver arm.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the moveable frame of the automated dolly assembly further comprises a height configured to align with the rack assembly such that objects from the one or more loading racks of the automated dolly assembly are transferred to the one or more unloading shelves of the rack assembly a

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Foster Scottie L
• Garcia Bradley J
• Holland Lloyd R
• Greenlee Michael C
• Cornett Eric F
• Johnson Randall L

Classifications

• B65G65/00

  Loading or unloading (of vehicles B65G67/00) · CPC title

• B61B13/12

  Systems with propulsion devices between or alongside the rails, e.g. pneumatic systems (cable traction B61B9/00; car shunting devices B61J) · CPC title

• B65G1/10

  with relatively movable racks to facilitate insertion or removal of articles {(cabinets with means for moving compartments up and down A47B51/00; cabinet system, e.g. consisting of cabinets arranged in a row with means to open or close passages between adjacent cabinets A47B53/02)} · CPC title

• B65G2811/09

  Driving means for the conveyors · CPC title

• B65G1/065

  with self propelled cars · CPC title