Apparatus and method of inventorying packages on a storage device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of inventorying packages on a storage device comprising the steps of:
- removing packages from the storage device with a screw by rotating said screw about its axis so that an end of said screw enters holes in said packages to withdraw said packages from the storage device between threads of said screw, said screw having a variable pitch that causes said packages to spread out from each other and turn to expose indicia on the surface of said packages to be scanned as the thread pitch of said screw expands;
scanning a surface of said packages to read indicia on said surfaces, said indicia containing information about the contents of said package; and
recording information obtained from the indicia on said packages.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for inventorying packages on a storage device which consists of removing packages from the storage device with a variable pitch inventory screw, scanning a surface of the packages to read indicia on the surface and recording information obtained from the indicia about the contents in the packages. The present invention enables users to quickly and efficiently scan and store packages of items hanging on a lead screw in a centralized storage/retrieval system.
198 Citations
11 Claims
-
1. A method of inventorying packages on a storage device comprising the steps of:
-
removing packages from the storage device with a screw by rotating said screw about its axis so that an end of said screw enters holes in said packages to withdraw said packages from the storage device between threads of said screw, said screw having a variable pitch that causes said packages to spread out from each other and turn to expose indicia on the surface of said packages to be scanned as the thread pitch of said screw expands;
scanning a surface of said packages to read indicia on said surfaces, said indicia containing information about the contents of said package; and
recording information obtained from the indicia on said packages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. A package inventorying apparatus for a package storage device that stores packages having holes therethrough comprising:
-
a variable pitch screw having a plurality of threads, wherein the variable pitch of said screw causes said packages to spread out from each other and turn to expose indicia on the surface of said packages to be scanned as the thread pitch of said screw expands, said variable pitch screw being sized to fit into the holes in said packages to transfer said packages along the length of said variable pitch screw when said variable pitch screw is rotated about its axis;
a motor connected to said variable pitch screw to rotate said variable pitch screw about its axis; and
a scanner to read indicia on a surface of said packages, said indicia containing information about the contents in said packages. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
-
-
8. A package transfer system comprising:
-
a storage device that stores packages of items;
at least one variable pitch screw in association with said storage device, and wherein the variable pitch of said screw causes the packages to spread out from each other and turn to expose indicia on the surface of said packages to be scanned as the thread pitch of said screw expands; and
a package adapted to be transported along the length of said variable pitch screw when said screw is rotated about its axis as said package depends from said variable pitch screw. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
-
Specification