WAREHOUSE STORAGE SYSTEM

• US 20080075569A1
• Filed: 05/02/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BEC Companies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tesseract International, Inc.
• Inventors: Lackinger, Richard E., Yates, Christian A., Pfeifer, Brian G., Benedict, Charles E., Bladen, Scott K., Dobbs, James R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,651,790 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/269
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0464 with access from above
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0478 for matrix-arrangements

Abstract

A system and method for the safe storage of items wherein a storage structure is provided having a first section in which storage units are stored in vertically oriented cells with each storage unit being stacked one upon another and wherein at least one transfer vehicle is provided for selectively engaging and conveying the storage units along an overhead grid track system between the first section and a second section wherein the at least one transfer vehicle may be used to either lift or lower a storage unit and move the storage unit to and from a storage position in one of the vertical storage cells of the first section of the storage structure.

Claims

1. An overhead warehouse storage system for selectively elevating storage units, storing the storage units within a storage facility and retrieving the storage units from the storage facility, the storage system comprising a storage structure including a first section for storing the storage units and at least one second section adjacent said first section, an overhead track system including pairs of spaced and parallel tracks that extend within said first and second sections of said storage structure, at least one powered transfer unit mounted to said overhead track system so as to be movable transversely in an X-Y plane above said first section of said storage structure and along at least one of an X or Y direction over said second section of said storage structure, a plurality of storage units each defining a frame for supporting items stored within the storage unit, said at least one transfer unit including hoist means for selectively engaging said storage units, each of said frames being constructed to permit items to be loaded into or from said storage units, and said storage units being vertically stackable one above another, whereby said at least one transfer unit can be maneuvered along said overhead track system so as to lower one of said storage units into said second section of said storage structure to be loaded with items and elevate the storage unit from said second section and thereafter convey the elevated storage unit to said first section of said storage structure wherein the storage unit is lowered into a stored position and wherein said storage units can be selectively maneuvered within said first section of said storage structure to obtain access to said storage units and wherein retrieving items stored in said first section of said storage structure is accomplished by elevating a selected storage unit from a stored position and thereafter conveying the selected storage unit from said first section of said storage structure to said second section of said storage structure and subsequently lowering the selected storage unit into said second section such that items stored in the storage unit can be unloaded.

2. The overhead warehouse storage system of claim 1, wherein said storage structure further includes a plurality of spaced columns, said spaced columns being generally perpendicular to a ground surface of the storage facility, and said columns defining said plurality of vertical storage cells and said second section of said storage structure.

3. The overhead warehouse storage system of claim 2 wherein said spaced columns include guide means for guiding said storage units as the storage units are raised and lowered relative to the ground surface.

4. The overhead warehouse storage system of claim 3 wherein said guide means includes flanges for engaging said storage units, said flanges forming channels within said spaced columns.

5. The overhead warehouse storage system of claim 1 wherein said storage structure further includes at least one horizontal support spaced a distance from a ground surface of the storage facility, said at least one horizontal beam supports said storage units when said storage units are stored in said vertical cells.

6. The overhead warehouse storage system of claim 5 further comprising a staging area located below said horizontal support and adjacent to said second section of said storage structure.

7. The overhead warehouse storage system of claim 1 further comprising a staging area located adjacent to said second section of said storage structure.

8. The overhead warehouse storage system of claim 1 wherein said frame of each of said storage units includes upper and lower members connected by vertical frame members and between which items may loaded such that said storage units may be vertically stacked one upon another.

9. The overhead warehouse storage system of claim 8 wherein said frame of each of said storage units is generally open at least one end thereof to thereby permit items to be loaded into or from said storage units.

10. The overhead warehouse storage system of claim 8 wherein at least one of said storage units is substantially enclosed by wall portions to thereby protect items in storage from damage.

11. The overhead warehouse storage system of claim 1 wherein said hoist means of said at least one transfer unit includes a lifting frame for engaging one of said storage units, and cables for raising and lowering said lifting frame relative to said at least one transfer unit.

12. The overhead warehouse storage system of claim 11 wherein said at least one transfer unit includes rotating means for rotationally supporting said hoist means therefrom.

13. The overhead warehouse storage system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of storage units includes storage units of different sizes for accommodating items of different sizes.

14. The overhead warehouse storage system of claim 1 further comprising controlling means for automatically electronically controlling the storage and/or the retrieval of said storage units relative to said first section of said storage structure, said controlling means including electronic means for identifying a storage unit and activating means for activating said at least one transfer unit to appropriately store or retrieve from storage an identified storage unit.

15. A method for storing items in a protected storage structure having a first section in which storage units in which items are housed may be vertically stacked relative to one another and a second section adjacent to the first section in which items may be loaded to or from the storage units and wherein the storage units are selectively raised, lowered and maneuvered within the storage structure using at least one transfer vehicle that is movable along an overhead grid track system and which includes a hoist assembly including means for engaging one of the storage units, the method including the steps of:

A. Moving the at least one transfer unit along the overhead grid track system so as to be within the second section of the storage structure and thereafter lowering a storage unit carried thereby into the second section;

B. Moving items into the lowered storage unit and elevating the storage unit;

C. Elevating the storage unit so as to be more closely spaced to the at least one transfer vehicle;

D. Maneuvering the at least one transfer vehicle along the overhead grid track system so as to be above a predetermined storage area in the first section of the storage structure;

E. Lowering the storage unit being stored into the predetermined storage area and releasing the storage unit;

F. Retrieving items within the storage unit by moving the at least one transfer vehicle along the overhead grid track system and above the predetermined storage area and lowering the hoist assembly to engage the storage unit;

G. Elevating the engaged storage unit and thereafter moving the at least one transfer vehicle along the overhead grid track system to the second section of the storage structure; and

H. Lowering the storage unit into the second section of the storage structure and removing items from the storage unit.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising an additional step of positively guiding the storage unit as the storage unit is raised and lowered.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising an additional step of moving the storage unit to staging area so that items may be loaded to or from the storage unit.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising additional steps of electronically accessing an electronic control device for controlling movement of the at least one transfer vehicle and electronically requesting the retrieval of a predetermined storage unit, whereupon the receipt of a retrieval request, the at least one transfer vehicle automatically retrieves the requested storage unit and transfers the retrieved storage unit to a requested location.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising additional steps of placing an identifying means for electronically identifying each of the storage units on the storage units and providing remote readers for communicating with the identifying means whereby the location of each storage unit is easily determined.