Apparatus for handling clothes on hangers

• US 5,156,513 A
• Filed: 10/04/1991
• Issued: 10/20/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Investronica SA
• Original Assignee: Investronica SA
• Inventors: Zorita, Fernando D., Galan, Mario A., Cristos, Juan C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Werner, Frank E.
• Application Number:
  US07/770,776
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• Field of Search: 901/1, 901/16, 901/31, 901/36, 414/273, 414/277, 414/661, 414/659, 414/279, 414/281, 414/225, 414/226, 414/282, 414/331, 414/222, 414/467, 414/501, 414/276, 414/735, 414/750, 414/751, 414/752, 414/753 , 414/618, 414/619, 180/167, 180/168, 364/478
• US Class Current: 414/273
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0457 with suspended load carriers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0229 Clothes, clothes hangers

Abstract

This invention consists of an assembly and apparatus for handling clothes on hangers, and more exactly of an apparatus able of moving clothes or the like from one place to another inside a factory or a warehouse, following instructions that could be provided by an external computer. The apparatus includes basically an autoguided vehicle, a manipulator of two degrees of freedom and a clamp, movable in four degrees of freedom, being all the aforementioned elements specifically designed for controlled handling clothes on hangers. When applied in a factory, a set of apparatus like this one of the invention, communicated with the proper computer, could automate the operations and the internal management of the warehouse or workshop (FIG. 1).

Claims

1. An assembly for programmed, controlled handling and transporting of objects comprising at least one driverless vehicle, a guidance system for said driverless vehicle, manipulator means connected to said driverless vehicle, said manipulator means including gripping means and means for actuating said gripping means from an open to a closed position and vice versa for respectively grasping and releasing said objects, said gripping means being shiftable in four directions of an orthogonal system, storage means mounted on said vehicle for holding objects to be grasped by said gripping means and for receiving objects released by said gripping means, wireless communication means for providing communication between said driverless vehicle and a host computer, and on board computer means for selectively controlling said driverless vehicle, said manipulator means, and said storage means;

said manipulator means comprising a system of vertical telescopic tubes including an upper tube telescopically movable within at least one lower tube, means for moving at least said upper vertical telescopic tube in upward and downward directions, a fixed horizontally oriented tube fixedly mounted to the upper vertical telescopic tube at a position between a first end and a second end of said fixed horizontally oriented tube;

a movable horizontal tube movably mounted on said fixed horizontal tube in parallel relationship thereto, means for moving said movable horizontal tube longitudinally between the first end and second end of said fixed horizontal tube;

said gripping means being movably mounted by mounting and moving means on said movable horizontal tube for movement parallel thereto.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 which further includes:

means for moving said gripping means on said movable horizontal tube simultaneously with and same directionally with movement of said movable horizontal tube selectively toward either end of said fixed horizontal tube until said movable horizontal tube reaches a selected position with respect to each end of said fixed horizontal tube, wherein when said movable horizontal tube reaches said selected position, said gripping means ceases movement with respect to said movable horizontal tube, with said gripping means continuing to move with respect to said fixed horizontal tube due to movement of said movable horizontal tube with respect to said fixed horizontal tube.

3. An assembly according to claim 2 wherein said means for moving said gripping means comprises:

a longitudinal guide mounted on said movable horizontal tube, said longitudinal guide having a recess for receiving a connector piece, said recess being located near each of a first end and a second end of said movable horizontal tube;

cable means mounted on and extending along said movable horizontal tube, said cable means being connected to said connector piece and said gripping means;

a longitudinal guide mounted on said fixed horizontal tube having a recess intermediate the ends thereof for receiving said connector piece;

wherein when said connector piece is received by said recess of said longitudinal guide of said fixed horizontal tube, said connector piece slides on said longitudinal guide of said movable horizontal tube during movement of said movable horizontal tube causing movement of said cable means with respect to said movable horizontal tube and thereby movement of said gripping means with respect to said movable longitudinal tube; and

wherein when said connector piece is received by said recess of said longitudinal guide of said movable horizontal tube, said connector piece slides on said longitudinal guide of said fixed horizontal tube during movement of said movable horizontal tube, said cable means remains stationary with respect to said movable horizontal tube and thereby said gripping means remains stationary with respect to said movable horizontal tube.

4. An assembly according to claim 2 wherein said gripping means comprises:

two elongated arm members facing one another with each arm member having a first end and an opposite second end;

mounting and moving means located on said gripping means for mounting each elongated arm member horizontally and parallel to said fixed horizontal tube and for moving said two elongated arm members toward and away from one another;

a clamping member mounted on the first end and the second end of each elongated arm member, with the clamping members at the first ends being positioned opposed to one another to define a first clamp, and the clamping members located at the second ends being positioned opposed to one another to define a second clamp;

each clamping member having a clamping wall with the clamping walls of opposed clamping members facing one another;

a plurality of pins protruding through the clamping wall of each clamping member with each pin having a longitudinal axis, a first end facing the clamping wall of the opposed clamping member, and a second opposite end, means mounting said protruding pins in respective clamping walls, said means mounting said protruding pins permitting forward and backward movement of each pin parallel to its longitudinal axis;

elastic means mounted in each clamping member in contact with the second end of said pins protruding through the clamping wall of the respective clamping member, said elastic means providing for said forward and backward movement of pins responsive to pressure on the first end of pins.

5. An assembly according to claim 4 wherein said gripping means further includes:

a vertically oriented threaded shaft having a longitudinal axis;

means for rotatably mounting said threaded shaft in said gripping means;

motor means mounted in said gripping means and connected to said threaded shaft for selectively rotating said threaded shaft clockwise and counterclockwise;

a support piece having a threaded bore and a first end and an opposite second end, said support piece mounted on said threaded shaft by said support piece threaded bore receiving said threaded shaft whereby said support piece selectively moves upward and downward on said threaded shaft responsive to selective rotation of said threaded shaft;

first lever means having one end connected to a first of said two elongated arm members between the first end and the second end of said first elongated arm member, and said first lever means having another end connected to the first end of said support piece having the threaded bore;

second lever means having one end connected to a second of said two elongated arm members between the first end and the second end of said second elongated arm member, and said second lever means having another end connected to the second end of said support piece having the threaded bore;

whereby said first and second lever means selectively move said first and second elongation arm members toward and away from one another responsive to selective upward and downward movement of said support piece on said threaded shaft.

6. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said gripping means comprises:

a clamp having a frame;

tracer means mounted on two sides of said frame, each tracer means extending parallel to said fixed and movable horizontal tubes, each tracer means having means for detecting an actual position of a storage bar for hangers with respect to said clamp by contact of said tracer means with said storage bar.

7. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said objects comprise garments hanging on hangers and wherein said storage means comprises a dynamic support means for collecting and moving garments hanging on hangers received from said gripping means and for moving garments hanging on hangers to said gripping means to be picked up by said gripping means.

8. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said objects comprise garments hanging on hangers, said assembly further includes a storage bar separate from said driverless vehicle for holding garments hanging on hangers, and said manipulator means includes means for removing hangers from said separate bar wherein said hangers hang at a predetermined location on said separate bar and means for placing hangers on said separate bar at a predetermined location.

9. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said objects comprise garments hanging on hangers and said assembly further includes storage bars separate from said driverless vehicle for holding garments hanging on hangers, said separate bars having mounted thereon toothed longitudinal pieces for inhibiting spinning of hangers.

10. An assembly according to claim 1 further comprising a security system having sensors for monitoring faults, said security system having means for shorting motor circuits responsive to monitored faults.

11. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said objects are garments hanging on hangers.

12. An assembly according to claim 11 wherein each hanger has a hook portion and an area under said hook portion and said gripping means grips the hanger in said area under said hook portion.

13. An assembly for programmed, controlled handling and transporting of objects comprising at least one driverless vehicle, a guidance system for said driverless vehicle, manipulator means connected to said driverless vehicle, said manipulator means including gripping means and means for actuating said gripping means from an open to a closed position and vice versa for respectively grasping and releasing said objects, said gripping means being supported on support means and being shiftable in four directions of an orthogonal system by moving means, storage means mounted on said vehicle for relinquishing objects to be grasped by said gripping means and for receiving objects released by said gripping means, wireless communication means for providing communication between said driverless vehicle and a host computer, and on board computer means for selectively controlling said driverless vehicle, said manipulator means, and said storage means;

wherein said objects are garments hanging on hangers and said gripping means includes means for selectively gripping and releasing a selected hanger having a garment hanging thereon.

14. An assembly according to claim 13 wherein each hanger has a hook portion and an area under said hook portion and said gripping means grips the hanger under said hook portion.