Item storage, dispensing, and receiving system, apparatus, methods, and applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9694974-B2
Application number	US-201414772859-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2014
Priority date	Mar 7, 2013
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

An item storage, dispensing, and receiving apparatus includes a frame assembly having a height and length, including at least one section thereof having two opposing side wall sections, wherein each opposing side wall section includes vertically spaced rails disposed on an inner surface thereof such that each rail on a respective side wall section is located opposite a corresponding rail on the opposing side wall section, further wherein the at least one section has an open space fully extending between the vertically spaced rails between the two opposing side wall sections over the height and length, and a conveyance mechanism located within the open space along at least a portion of the length, wherein the conveyance mechanism is movable in a vertical direction in the open space along the height. A method for moving an item in a tiered, spaced relation involves the steps of vertically moving an item conveyance mechanism from a position below a lowest tiered item until it engages the item or from a position above a highest tiered item until it engages the item, and horizontally conveying the engaged item to a location different than the horizontal engagement location of the item.

First claim

We claim:

1. An item storage, dispensing, and receiving apparatus, comprising:
a frame assembly having a height, H, and a length L, including at least one section thereof having two opposing side wall sections, wherein each opposing side wall section includes a plurality of vertically spaced, opposed rails, further wherein the at least one section has an open space fully extending intermediate the plurality of vertically spaced rails between the two opposing side wall sections over the height H and the length L;
one or more conveyance mechanisms operatively disposed within the open space along at least a portion of the length L, wherein the one or more conveyance mechanisms are movable in a vertical direction traversing the open space along the height H; and
a plurality of hanging arms pivotally connected at a region thereof to a corresponding activation member that is connected to the frame assembly, wherein each one of the plurality of rails is fixedly attached to a distal region of each of the corresponding hanging arms, further wherein at least portions of the side walls have cut-out regions such that, upon activation of the activation member, the rails are movable into and out of their respective cut-out regions such that the rails are, respectively, disposed out of or in the open spaces,
further wherein when opposing rails are disposed in their respective open spaces the open space of the at least one section fully extends between the two opposing side wall sections.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more conveyance mechanisms comprise powered conveyor belts and are coupled to one or more lifting mechanisms adapted to controllably position the one or more conveyance mechanisms in the vertical direction in the open space along the height H of the frame assembly.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the one or more lifting mechanisms are disposed below the one or more respective conveyance mechanisms.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the one or more respective lifting mechanisms are disposed on a portion of the frame assembly.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a track disposed in the open space adjacently below a lowest corresponding set of rails of the frame assembly along at least a portion of the length L, wherein the one or more conveyance mechanisms are movably coupled to the track.

6. An item storage, dispensing, and receiving apparatus, comprising:
a frame assembly having a height, H, and a length, L, including at least one section thereof having two opposing side wall sections, wherein each opposing side wall section includes a plurality of vertically spaced, opposed rails, further wherein the at least one section has an open space fully extending intermediate the plurality of vertically spaced rails between the two opposing side wall sections over the height H and the length L; and
one or more conveyance mechanisms operatively disposed within the open space along at least a portion of the length L, wherein the one or more conveyance mechanisms are movable in a vertical direction traversing the open space along the height H,

wherein the frame assembly has an item-input/output end, further comprising abridge conveyance mechanism having a first end and a second end, further wherein one of the first end and the second end of the bridge conveyance mechanism is operatively coupled to a leading one of the one or more conveyance mechanisms at the input/output end of the frame assembly such that as the one or more conveyance mechanisms move in a vertical direction traversing the open space along the height H, the bridge conveyance mechanism pivots about the other of the first end and the second end thereof so as to provide a continuous path between the leading one of the one or more conveyance mechanisms at the input/output end of the frame assembly and the bridge conveyance mechanism.

7. An item storage, dispensing, and receiving apparatus, comprising:
a frame assembly having a height, H, and a length, L, including at least one section thereof having two opposing side wall sections, wherein each opposing side wall section includes a plurality of vertically spaced opposed rails, further wherein the at least one section has an open space fully extending intermediate the plurality of vertically spaced rails between the two opposing side wall sections over the height H and the length L;
at least two of the frame assemblies and respective one or more conveyance mechanisms disposed immediately sideways adjacently,

wherein each of the frame assemblies has an item-input/output end, further comprising a bridge conveyance mechanism having a first end and a second end, further wherein one of the first end and the second end of the bridge conveyance mechanism is operatively coupled to a leading one of the one or more conveyance mechanisms of one of the at least two of the frame assemblies at the input/output end thereof such that as the one or more conveyance mechanisms move in a vertical direction traversing the open space along the height H, the bridge conveyance mechanism pivots about the other of the first end and the second end thereof so as to provide a continuous path between the leading one of the one or more conveyance mechanisms of one of the at least two of the frame assemblies at the input/output end and the bridge conveyance mechanism,
further wherein the bridge conveyance mechanism is laterally repositionable such that it can be operatively coupled to the leading one of the one or more conveyance mechanisms of the other one of the at least two of the frame assemblies at the input/output end thereof.

8. An item storage, dispensing, and receiving apparatus, comprising:
a frame assembly having a height, H, and a length, L, including at least one section thereof having two opposing side wall sections, wherein each opposing side wall section includes a plurality of vertically spaced, opposed rails, further wherein the at least one section has an open space fully extending intermediate the plurality of vertically spaced rails between the two opposing side wall sections over the height H and the length L;
at least two of the frame assemblies and respective one or more conveyance mechanisms disposed immediately sideways;
a plurality of the immediately sideways adjacent at least two of the frame assemblies and respective one or more conveyance mechanisms disposed sideways adjacently,

wherein each of the frame assemblies has an item-input/output end, further comprising a plurality of bridge conveyance mechanisms each having a first end and a second end, further wherein one of the first end and the second end of each of the bridge conveyance mechanisms is operatively coupled to a leading one of the plurality of the immediately sideways adjacent at least two of the frame assemblies and respective one or more conveyance mechanisms at the input/output ends thereof such that as the one or more conveyance mechanisms move in a vertical direction traversing the open space along the height H, each of the respective bridge conveyance mechanisms pivots about the other of the first end and the second end thereof so as to provide a continuous path between the leading ones of the one or more conveyance mechanisms of one of the plurality of the frame assemblies at the input/output ends and the bridge conveyance mechanisms,
further wherein the bridge conveyance mechanisms are laterally repositionable.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the item is one or more seismic sensor nodes, movably disposed on the rails.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein each of the frame assemblies has an item-input/output end, further comprising a different conveyance mechanism disposed

Assignees

• Fairfield Ind Inc

Inventors

• Jewell Stephen W
• Berges Larry E

Classifications

• B65G1/0464

  with access from above · CPC title

• B65G1/026

  Racks equipped with a displaceable load carrying surface to facilitate loading or unloading · CPC title

• B65G1/0471 Primary

  with access from beneath · CPC title

• B65G1/02 Primary

  Storage devices (furniture A47B; shop fittings A47F) · CPC title