Automatic load transfer device and method for automated material handling systems

• US 8,047,756 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2008
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Savant Automation, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Savant Automation, Inc.
• Inventors: Tuffs, Monte R., Koff, Garry A., Redmann, Jerry L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rudawitz; Joshua
• Application Number:
  US12/080,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20090252577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 414/222.09, 414/222.11, 414/222.13, 414/265, 414/277, 414/278, 414/279, 414/281, 414/282, 414/283, 414/331.17, 414390-392, 414/398, 414/584, 414/809, 414/917, 198/468.6, 198/817, 198/463.2, 198/463.3
• US Class Current: 414/392
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/38 with automatic control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/44 Industrial trucks or floor conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 63/022 for articles
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/063 Automatically guided
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0263 using magnetic strips
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes

Abstract

An automatic load transfer device is provided for automated material handling systems of the type having a tow AGV pulling a train of trailers along a predetermined path between stations. The device has a base positioned adjacent to the path with spaced apart rails that support a movable carriage which shifts between retracted and extended positions. A conveyor having a plurality of side-by-side fingers with moving conveyor elements is supported on the carriage by a lift which shifts the conveyor between lowered and raised positions. The carriage, conveyor elements, and lift have separate drives that are operably connected with a controller which sequentially activates the same to load and/or unload loads onto and/or from the trailers.

Claims

1. An automated material handling system, comprising:

a tow AGV having a guidance system configured to automatically navigate said tow AGV along a predetermined path between various workstations;

a plurality of non-powered tow trailers configured to support a plurality of loads thereon, being interconnected in an end-to-end train, and operably connected with said tow AGV to move said train of tow trailers along said path between said workstations;

an automatic load transfer device, comprising;

a base configured for mounting on a stationary support surface adjacent to said path, and including a pair of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced apart rails disposed in a generally parallel relationship;

a carriage movably mounted on said rails of said base for longitudinal movement therealong between a retracted position and an extended position;

a carriage drive operably connected with said base and said carriage and automatically shifting said carriage between said retracted and said extended positions;

a conveyor having a plurality of rigid, elongate conveyor fingers which are arranged in a generally parallel, laterally spaced apart relationship and support movable conveyor elements configured to abuttingly support variously shaped loads thereon and shift the loads between inboard and outboard ends of said conveyor;

a conveyor drive operably connected with said conveyor elements and automatically shifting said conveyor elements between said outboard end and said inboard end of said conveyor;

a lift having a first portion thereof operably connected with said base, an oppositely disposed second portion thereof operably connected with said conveyor, and a lift drive automatically shifting said conveyor between a lowered position and a raised position;

said second portion of said lift being connected with a rearward portion of said conveyor, whereby when said carriage is in said extended position, said outboard end of said conveyor protrudes outwardly from said base and is supported thereon in a cantilevered fashion above said path; and

a controller operably connected with said carriage drive, said conveyor drive, and said lift drive, and sequentially activating the same to load and unload loads onto and from said tow trailers by shifting said carriage between said retracted and extended positions into and out of vertical alignment with said tow trailers, shifting said conveyor between said lowered and raised positions to shift the loads onto and off of said tow trailers, and shifting said conveyor elements between said inboard and outboard ends of said conveyor to move the loads toward and away from said tow trailers.

2. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said controller is configured to sequentially activate said carriage drive, said conveyor drive, and said lift drive to unload loads from said transport vehicles by shifting said carriage from said retracted position to said extended position in general vertical alignment with and below the loads disposed on an adjacent one of said tow trailers, shifting said conveyor from said lowered position to said raised position to lift the loads off of said one tow trailers and onto said conveyor elements, and shifting said conveyor elements toward said inboard end of said conveyor to move the loads out of vertical alignment with and away from said one tow trailer.

3. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said controller is configured to sequentially activate said carriage drive, said conveyor drive, and said lift drive to load the loads onto an associated one of said tow trailers by shifting said conveyor with the loads thereon to said raised position, shifting said conveyor elements with the loads thereon toward said outboard end of said conveyor, shifting said carriage to said extended position to position the loads in general vertical alignment with and above an adjacent one of said tow trailers, and shifting said conveyor with the loads thereon toward said lowered position to place the loads onto said one tow trailer.

4. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

said lift includes a coupler having a first portion thereof pivotally connected with said base and an oppositely disposed second portion thereof pivotally connected with said conveyor, such that rotation of said coupler shifts said conveyor between said lowered and raised positions.

5. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

said lift drive is operably connected with at least one of said coupler, said carriage and said conveyor.

6. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 5, wherein:

said coupler includes a four bar linkage which pivotally connects said conveyor with said carriage for articulated motion of said conveyor between said lowered and raised positions.

7. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 6, wherein:

said lift drive comprises a first linear ram having a first end thereof operatively connected with said carriage and an opposite second end thereof operatively connected with said conveyor, such that extension and retraction of said ram articulates said conveyor between said lowered and raised positions.

8. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

said conveyor elements include endless loop conveyor chains movably supported on said conveyor fingers.

9. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

said conveyor fingers include rigid guide bars on which said conveyor chains are movably supported.

10. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

said conveyor drive comprises a motor operably connected with each of said conveyor chains and adapted to shift the same in opposite directions on said guide bars in a synchronous fashion.

11. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

said base includes a pair of tracks disposed in said rails; and

said carriage includes wheels positioned in said tracks.

12. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 11, wherein:

said carriage drive comprises a second linear ram having a first end thereof operably connected with said base and an opposite second end thereof operably connected with said carriage, such that extension and retraction of said second ram horizontally shifts said carriage along said tracks between said retracted and extended positions.

13. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said conveyor elements include hat-shaped links with flat feet which abuttingly support thereon the loads without damaging the same.

14. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 13, wherein:

said guide bars are spaced laterally apart a predetermined distance which is substantially less than the width of the loads, such that each of the loads is supported on at least two of said conveyor chains.

15. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 14, wherein:

said tow trailers include a plurality of laterally extending, upstanding risers with upper surfaces configured to abuttingly support the loads thereon;

said risers being spaced longitudinally apart along said trailers to define laterally extending spaces therebetween into which said conveyor fingers are inserted to facilitate loading and unloading the loads onto and from said tow trailers.

16. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 15, including:

a stationary system manager computer in operable communication with said tow AGV, said guidance system, and said load transfer device, and configured to position a first one of said tow trailers with loads thereon at an unload station on said path adjacent to said load transfer device, and alert said controller to move the loads from said first tow trailer onto said conveyor and shift said carriage back to said retracted position.

17. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 16, wherein:

said stationary system manager computer is configured to activate said tow AGV to pull said unloaded first tow trailer away from said unload station and position a second one of said tow trailers with loads thereon at said unload station and alert said controller to remove the loads therefrom onto said conveyor.

18. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said controller is configured to sequentially activate said carriage drive, said conveyor drive, and said lift drive to load the loads onto an associated one of said tow trailers by shifting said conveyor with the loads thereon to said raised position, shifting said conveyor elements with the loads thereon toward said outboard end of said conveyor, shifting said carriage to said extended position to position the loads in general vertical alignment with and above an adjacent one of said tow trailers, and shifting said conveyor with the loads thereon toward said lowered position to place the loads onto said one tow trailer.

19. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said lift includes a coupler having a first portion thereof pivotally connected with said base and an oppositely disposed second portion thereof pivotally connected with said conveyor, such that rotation of said coupler shifts said conveyor between said lowered and raised positions; and

said lift drive is operably connected with at least one of said coupler, said carriage and said conveyor.

20. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said conveyor elements include endless loop conveyor chains movably supported on said conveyor fingers; and

said conveyor fingers include rigid guide bars on which said conveyor chains are movably supported.

21. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said carriage drive comprises a second linear ram having a first end thereof operably connected with said base and an opposite second end thereof operably connected with said carriage, such that extension and retraction of said second ram horizontally shifts said carriage along said tracks between said retracted and extended positions.

22. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said conveyor elements include hat-shaped links with flat feet which abuttingly support thereon the loads without damaging the same.

23. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said tow trailers include a plurality of laterally extending, upstanding risers with upper surfaces configured to abuttingly support the loads thereon;

said risers being spaced longitudinally apart along said trailers to define laterally extending spaces therebetween into which said conveyor fingers are inserted to facilitate loading and unloading the loads onto and from said tow trailers.

24. An automated material handling system as set forth in claim 1, including:

a stationary system manager computer in operable communication with said tow AGV, said guidance system, and said load transfer device, and configured to position a first one of said tow trailers with loads thereon at an unload station on said path adjacent to said load transfer device, and alert said controller to move the loads from said first tow trailer onto said conveyor and shift said carriage back to said retracted position.

25. An automatic load transfer device for automated material handling systems of the type which moves loads between various workstations on transport vehicles, comprising:

a base configured for mounting on a stationary support surface, and including a pair of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced apart rails disposed in a generally parallel relationship;

a carriage movably mounted on said rails of said base for longitudinal movement therealong between a retracted position and an extended position;

a carriage drive operably connected with said base and said carriage and automatically shifting said carriage between said retracted and said extended positions;

a conveyor having a plurality of rigid, elongate guide bars arranged in a generally parallel, laterally spaced apart relationship, and movably supporting thereon conveyor elements configured to abuttingly support variously shaped loads thereon and shift the loads from said outboard end to said inboard end of said conveyor;

a conveyor drive operably connected with said conveyor elements and automatically shifting said conveyor elements from said outboard end to said inboard end of said conveyor;

a coupler having a first portion thereof pivotally connected with said base and an oppositely disposed second portion thereof pivotally connected with said conveyor, whereby rotation of said coupler shifts said conveyor between a lowered position and a raised position;

said second portion of said coupler being connected with a rearward portion of said conveyor, whereby when said carriage is in said extended position, said outboard end of said conveyor protrudes outwardly from said base and is supported thereon in a cantilevered fashion;

a lift drive operably connected with at least one of said coupler, said carriage, and said conveyor, and automatically shifting said conveyor between said lowered and raised positions; and

a controller operably connected with said carriage drive, said conveyor drive, and said lift drive, and sequentially activating the same to unload loads from an associated transport vehicle by shifting said carriage from said retracted position to said extended position in general vertical alignment with and below the loads disposed on the associated transport vehicle, shifting said conveyor from said lowered position to said raised position to lift the loads off of the associated transfer vehicle and onto said conveyor elements, and shifting said conveyor elements toward said inboard end of said conveyor to move the loads out of vertical alignment with and away from the associated transport vehicle.

26. An automatic load transfer device as set forth in claim 25, wherein:

said conveyor drive is reversible for automatically shifting said conveyor elements from said inboard end to said outboard end of said conveyor; and

said controller is configured to load the loads onto an associated transport vehicle by shifting said conveyor with the loads thereon to said raised position, shifting said conveyor elements with the loads thereon toward said outboard end of said conveyor, shifting said carriage to said extended position to position the loads in general vertical alignment with and above the associated transport vehicle, and shifting said conveyor with the loads thereon toward said lowered position to place the loads onto the associated transport vehicle.

27. An automatic load transfer device as set forth in claim 26, wherein:

said coupler includes a four bar linkage which pivotally connects said conveyor with said carriage for articulated motion of said conveyor between said lowered and raised positions.

28. An automatic load transfer device as set forth in claim 27, wherein:

said lift drive comprises a first linear ram having a first end thereof operatively connected with said carriage and an opposite second end thereof operatively connected with said conveyor, such that extension and retraction of said ram articulates said conveyor between said lowered and raised positions.

29. An automatic load transfer device as set forth in claim 28, wherein:

said conveyor elements include endless loops of conveyor chain movably supported on said guide bars.

30. An automatic load transfer device as set forth in claim 29, wherein:

said endless loops of conveyor chain include rollers supported on said guide bars.

31. An automatic load transfer device as set forth in claim 30, wherein:

said conveyor drive comprises a motor operably connected with each of said roller chains and adapted to shift said roller chains in opposite directions on said guide bars in a synchronous fashion.

32. An automatic load transfer device as set forth in claim 31, wherein:

said base includes a pair of tracks disposed in said rails; and

said carriage includes wheels positioned in said tracks.

33. An automatic load transfer device as set forth in claim 32, wherein:

said carriage drive comprises a second linear ram having a first end thereof operably connected with said base and an opposite second end thereof operably connected with said carriage, such that extension and retraction of said second ram horizontally shifts said carriage along said tracks between said retracted and extended positions.

34. An automatic load transfer device as set forth in claim 33, wherein:

said conveyor elements include hat-shaped links with flat feet which abuttingly support thereon the loads without damaging the same.

35. An automatic load transfer device as set forth in claim 34, wherein:

said guide bars are spaced laterally apart a predetermined distance which is substantially less than the width of the loads, such that each of the loads is supported on at least two of said conveyor chains.

36. An automatic load transfer device for automated material handling systems of the type which moves loads between various workstations on transport vehicles, comprising:

a base configured for mounting on a stationary support surface, and including a pair of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced apart rails disposed in a generally parallel relationship;

a carriage movably mounted on said rails of said base for longitudinal movement therealong between a retracted position and an extended position;

a carriage drive operably connected with said base and said carriage and automatically shifting said carriage between said retracted and said extended positions;

a conveyor having a plurality of rigid, elongate guide bars arranged in a generally parallel, laterally spaced apart relationship, and movably supporting thereon conveyor elements configured to abuttingly support variously shaped loads thereon and shift the loads from said inboard end to said outboard end of said conveyor;

a conveyor drive operably connected with said conveyor elements and automatically shifting said conveyor elements from said inboard end to said outboard end of said conveyor;

a coupler having a first portion thereof pivotally connected with said base and an oppositely disposed second portion thereof pivotally connected with said conveyor, whereby rotation of said coupler shifts said conveyor between a lowered position and a raised position;

said second portion of said coupler being connected with a rearward portion of said conveyor, whereby when said carriage is in said extended position, said outboard end of said conveyor protrudes outwardly from said base and is supported thereon in a cantilevered fashion;

a lift drive operably connected with at least one of said coupler, said carriage, and said conveyor, and automatically shifting said conveyor between said lowered and raised positions; and

a controller operably connected with said carriage drive, said conveyor drive, and said lift drive, and sequentially activating the same to load loads onto an associated transport vehicle by shifting said conveyor with the loads thereon to said raised position, shifting said conveyor elements with the loads thereon toward said outboard end of said conveyor, shifting said carriage to said extended position to position the loads in general vertical alignment with and above the associated transport vehicle, and shifting said conveyor with the loads thereon toward said lowered position to place the loads onto the associated transport vehicle.

37. A fully automated method for handling materials, comprising:

providing a tow AGV having a guidance system configured to automatically navigate the tow AGV along a predetermined path between a plurality of different workstations in a predetermined sequence;

providing a plurality of non-powered tow trailers configured to abuttingly support a plurality of loads thereon;

forming a vehicle track adapted to abuttingly support the tow AGV and the tow trailers thereon, and having a predetermined configuration that extends along the predetermined path between the workstations;

installing a guide path in the vehicle track which communicates with the tow AGV, and includes at least one load/unload station;

interconnecting the tow trailers in an end-to-end train;

operably connecting the train of tow trainers with the tow AGV to selectively move the train of tow trailers along the vehicle track in the predetermined sequence between the workstations;

positioning an automatic loader/unloader adjacent to the loading/unloading station along the vehicle track, wherein the loader/unloader has a stationary base with a movable carriage supported thereon for automatically shifting the carriage between retracted and extended positions by a carriage drive, a conveyor with a plurality of side-by-side fingers with movable conveyor elements that abuttingly support loads thereon and are automatically shifted between outboard and inboard ends of the conveyor by a conveyor drive, and a lift operably connected between the carriage and the conveyor with a lift drive that automatically shifts the conveyor between lowered and raised positions, such that in the extended position the outboard conveyor end protrudes outwardly from the base and is supported thereon in a cantilevered fashion above the vehicle track;

programming the tow AGV to position a first one of the tow trailers with loads thereon at the load/unload stations; and

sequentially activating the carriage drive, the conveyor drive, and the lift drive to unload the loads disposed on the first tow trailers by;

shifting said carriage from the retracted position to the extended position in general vertical alignment with and below the loads disposed on the first tow trailer;

shifting the conveyor from the lowered position to the raised position to lift the loads off of the first tow trailer and onto the conveyor elements; and

shifting the conveyor elements toward the inboard end of the conveyor to move the loads out of vertical alignment with and away from the first tow trailer.

38. A method as set forth in claim 37, including:

sequentially activating the carriage drive, the conveyor drive and the lift drive to load the loads onto the first tow trailer by;

shifting the conveyor with the loads thereon to said raised position;

shifting said conveyor elements with the loads thereon toward the outboard end of the conveyor;

shifting the carriage to the extended position to position the loads in general vertical alignment with and above the first tow trailer; and

shifting the conveyor with the loads thereon toward the lowered position to place the loads onto the first tow trailer.