System and method for conveying cargo containers through environmentally controlled enclosures

• US 5,803,701 A
• Filed: 03/27/1997
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Filiberti, Richard J., Roberts, William E., Salsburg, Fredric
• Primary Examiner(s): Werner, Frank E.
• Application Number:
  US08/825,078
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 414/273, 414/217, 414/398, 414/390, 414/395, 414/393, 414/392, 414/396, 414/401, 414/584, 414/528, 414/527, 414/529, 414/786, 15/3, 364/478.02, 364/478.06, 364/478.01, 364/478.03
• US Class Current: 700/215
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/38 forming the main load-transporting element or part thereof B60P1/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 67/20 Loading covered vehicles

Abstract

System (10) for automatically conveying photosensitive cargo containers (15) through a storage compartment (14) of a vehicle, preferably a trailer (12) and selective environmentally controlled enclosures (32,40,42) comprises a conveyor device (18) positioned in the storage compartment (14) that cooperates with interconnected conveying devices (34) in the enclosures (32,40,42). Devices are provided for aligning and positioning the rear exit end (16) of vehicle (12) snugly against the entrance port (30) of a proximally positioned enclosure (32). A system control device (100) connecting the conveying device (18) and conveying devices (34) enables the cargo containers (15) to be automatically conveyed from the vehicle (12), through the entrance port (30) and into the proximal enclosure (32).

Claims

1. Method of conveying cargo containers through a vehicle and selective environmentally controlled enclosures substantially without operator intervention and exposure of said cargo containers to particulate contamination, the vehicle having a storage compartment for said cargo containers and an exit end for passing said cargo containers therethrough, said environmentally controlled enclosures comprising an entrance port, and at least one of said enclosures being positioned proximal to said exit end of said vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a load bearing powered conveying means structurally connected inside said storage compartment of said vehicle;

providing means for precisely aligning and snugly positioning said exit end of said vehicle against said entrance port of said proximal enclosure;

aligning and positioning the exit end of the vehicle against the entrance portion of said proximal enclosure;

conveying said cargo from said vehicle conveyor means to said proximal enclosure; and

,

providing means cooperatively associated with said vehicle and said environmentally controlled enclosures for selectively controlling the flow and distribution of said cargo containers from said vehicle, through said entrance port and into any one of said environmentally controlled enclosures or to said cargo compartment of said vehicle; and

actuating said controlling means.

2. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of cleaning the cargo containers downstream of the entrance portion of any one of said environmentally controlled enclosures.

3. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of sealing the exit end of the vehicle against the entrance port of the proximal enclosure.

4. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising means cooperating with said conveying means of one of said environmentally controlled enclosures for detecting and reading bar coded indicia on said cargo containers.