Automated work center
First Claim
1. An automated work station for use in material handling operations including a conveyor network for carrying containers, said work station comprising:
- a randomly accessible vertically moving storage queue having a multiplicity of vertically spaced shelves arranged about an endless loop for temporarily holding said containers, drive means for rotating the shelves about the endless loop and means for maintaining said containers on said shelves;
loading means for receiving containers from said conveyor network and for loading received containers onto shelves of said storage queue;
a plurality of side-by-side work tables accessible by an operator for providing the operator access to the containers to selectively add or withdraw articles from said containers;
delivery means for transferring selected containers from said storage queue to said work tables;
takeaway means for transferring containers from said work tables to said conveyor network; and
control means for coordinating movement of containers between said storage queue and said work tables.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automated work center for use in materials handling operations is disclosed. The work center includes a randomly accessible vertically moving temporary storage queue 11 for receiving containers 25 that hold material goods. A fixed loading ramp 20 is arranged to receive containers 20 from an external system and to load the received containers onto the storage queue 11. A work area 5 having a plurality of rotatable work tables 7 provides an gives the operator access to the containers. A delivery system 14 transfers containers between the storage queue 11 and the work tables 7 and a takeaway system 16 transfers containers between the work area and the conveyor network. An automated control system 17 coordinates the delivery of containers between the temporary storage queue 11 and the work area 5. A consolidation queue 18 having a multiplicity of vertically spaced shelfs may be disposed opposite the work tables 7 to facilitate the consolidation of ordered goods.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. An automated work station for use in material handling operations including a conveyor network for carrying containers, said work station comprising:
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a randomly accessible vertically moving storage queue having a multiplicity of vertically spaced shelves arranged about an endless loop for temporarily holding said containers, drive means for rotating the shelves about the endless loop and means for maintaining said containers on said shelves; loading means for receiving containers from said conveyor network and for loading received containers onto shelves of said storage queue; a plurality of side-by-side work tables accessible by an operator for providing the operator access to the containers to selectively add or withdraw articles from said containers; delivery means for transferring selected containers from said storage queue to said work tables; takeaway means for transferring containers from said work tables to said conveyor network; and control means for coordinating movement of containers between said storage queue and said work tables. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A control system for an automated material handling work station, the control system directing a work station that includes a randomly accessible temporary storage queue for holding containers, a work area for providing an operator with access to the containers, delivery means for transferring containers between said temporary storage queue and said work area, and takeaway means for transferring containers away from said work area, the control system comprising:
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a queue control means for directing movements of the temporary storage queue, the temporary storage queue having a multiplicity of vertically spaced shelves arranged about an endless loop for temporarily holding said containers, drive means for rotating the shelves about the endless loop and means for maintaining said containers on said shelves; a first control means for directing movements of the delivery and takeaway means to transfer containers between said temporary storage queue and said work area, and away from said work area, said work area including a plurality of side-by-side work tables accessible by an operator for providing the operator access to the containers to selectively add or withdraw articles from said containers; a second control means for managing the activities of the queue control means and the first control means and for coordinating communication with the operator to provide the operator with access to the containers; and a local area communications network that facilitates communication between the second control means, the queue control means and the first control means. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A control system for an automated material handling work station, the control system directing a work station that includes a randomly accessible temporary storage queue for holding containers, a work area for providing an operator with access to the containers, delivery means for transferring containers between said temporary storage queue and said work area, and takeaway means for transferring containers away from said work area, the control system comprising:
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a queue control means for directing movements of the temporary storage queue, the temporary storage queue having a multiplicity of vertically spaced shelves arranged about an endless loop for temporarily holding said containers, drive means for rotating the shelves about the endless loop and means for maintaining said containers on said shelves; a first control means for directing movements of the delivery and takeaway means to transfer containers between said temporary storage queue and said work area, and away from said work area, said work area including a plurality of side-by-side work tables accessible by an operator for providing the operator access to the containers to selectively add or withdraw articles from said containers; a second control means for managing the activities of the queue control means and the first control means and for coordinating communication with the operator to provide the operator with access to the containers; a local area communications network that facilitates communication between the second control means, the queue control means and the first control means; a master controller for coordinating the activities of said second control means; and a second local area communications network that facilitates communication between said master controller and said second control means. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification