Rotatable platter storage and retrieval system
First Claim
1. A storage and retrieval unit comprising:
- (a) A plurality of support members, each said support member having a generally circular perimeter, said plurality of support members comprising at least one main support member and a plurality of nested support members, said nested support members being of a plurality of sizes and being smaller than said main support member, each said nested support member being rotatably mounted on a larger said support member such that the perimeter of said nested support member is adjacent to the perimeter of the support member on which it is mounted and where at least several of said nested support members are smaller than a larger nested support member and are co-mounted on said larger nested support member in such a way that all are approximately circumscribed by the perimeter of said larger nested support member on which they are mounted;
(b) a multiplicity of storage means for storing articles, said storage means supported by said support members, said storage means being positioned so that a part of each said storage means is adjacent to the perimeter of the support member by which said storage means is supported;
(c) a main support member support means for supporting said main support members, each said main support member being rotatably mounted on said main support member support means;
(d) at least one serving position at which articles are stored or retrieved, said serving position located adjacent to the perimeter of said main support members.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A general purpose system for the storage and retrieval of articles having nested sets of rotatable platters or of various perimeters such that each set fits inside the perimeter of the next larger sized platter. All platters have storage positions or bins in which articles are stored. Bins are positioned so that one side is adjacent to the perimeter of the platter. All platters are mounted so that a part of their perimeter is adjacent to the perimeter of the platter on which they are mounted. This arrangement makes all storage positions available at the edge of the largest or main platter by rotating a subset of the smaller platters. The main platter can be rotated to a serving window making all storage positions on the platter available at the serving window. The geometry of the circular arrangement make the number of storage positions on a main platter vary with the square of the radius of the main platter whereas the time it takes to fetch a storage location varies with the radius. Smaller platters can be removed and replaced by bins allowing the system to accommodate bins with a wide variety of sizes and shapes. Several different drive assemblies can be interchangeably or redundantly mounted to rotate the platters. A computer system controls the drive assemblies to automate and optimize the storage-retrieval process. The storage system may also use rotatably mounted nested sets of support arms.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A storage and retrieval unit comprising:
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(a) A plurality of support members, each said support member having a generally circular perimeter, said plurality of support members comprising at least one main support member and a plurality of nested support members, said nested support members being of a plurality of sizes and being smaller than said main support member, each said nested support member being rotatably mounted on a larger said support member such that the perimeter of said nested support member is adjacent to the perimeter of the support member on which it is mounted and where at least several of said nested support members are smaller than a larger nested support member and are co-mounted on said larger nested support member in such a way that all are approximately circumscribed by the perimeter of said larger nested support member on which they are mounted; (b) a multiplicity of storage means for storing articles, said storage means supported by said support members, said storage means being positioned so that a part of each said storage means is adjacent to the perimeter of the support member by which said storage means is supported; (c) a main support member support means for supporting said main support members, each said main support member being rotatably mounted on said main support member support means; (d) at least one serving position at which articles are stored or retrieved, said serving position located adjacent to the perimeter of said main support members. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A storage and retrieval unit comprising:
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(a) A plurality of support arm sets, each said support arm set further comprising several support arms which are radially connected and where said support arms are of one or more sizes, each said support arm having an outer end which is longitudinally opposite the end at which it is radially connected, said plurality of support arm sets comprising at least one main support arm set and a plurality of nested support arm sets, said nested support arm sets being of a plurality of sizes and being smaller than said main support arm set, each said nested support arm set being rotatably mounted on said outer end of a support arm which is part of a larger said support arm set and where at least several of said nested support arm sets are smaller than a larger nested support arm set and are co-mounted on said larger nested support arm set; (b) a main support arm set support means for supporting said main support arm sets, each said main support arm set being rotatably mounted on said main support arm set support means; (c) a multiplicity of article holder means for storing articles located on said outer end of said support arms and to which articles being stored are attached where each said article holder means is at the end of a support path where said support path comprises a subset of said support arms from said main support arm set support means to said article holder means, where the length of said support path is sufficiently long so that rotation of said nested support arm sets that contain said support arms of said support path will bring the stored article to the outer perimeter of the storage unit; (d) at least one serving position at which articles are stored or retrieved, said serving position located adjacent to the outer perimeter of the storage unit.
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18. A storage and retrieval unit comprising:
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(a) A plurality of support members, each said support member having a generally circular perimeter, said plurality of support members comprising at least one main support member and a plurality of nested support members, said nested support members being of a one or more sizes and being smaller than said main support member, each said nested support member being rotatably mounted on a larger support member so that the perimeter of said nested support member is adjacent to the perimeter of the support member on which it is mounted; (b) a multiplicity of storage means for storing articles, said storage means supported by said support members; (c) a main support member support means for supporting said main support members, each said main support member being rotatably mounted on said main support member support means; (d) a drive means to rotate said support members, said drive means further comprising a drive shaft means, a multiplicity of idler wheel means, and a multiplicity of solenoid means whereby a single said drive shaft means is used to rotate said main support members and said nested support members. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification