Multilevel vertical conveyor platform guides
First Claim
1. A multilevel vertical conveyor system for transporting uncontained case units to and from a multilevel storage structure having an array of vertically stacked storage levels, the multilevel vertical conveyor system comprises:
- a frame having discontinuous platform guide members;
a drive member connected to the frame; and
support platforms coupled to the drive member, each of the support platforms having support members and at least two follower members configured to engage the discontinuous platform guide members;
where the drive member is configured to move the support platforms relative to the frame in a substantially continuous vertical loop, each of the support platforms being configured to support multiple uncontained case units substantially throughout the substantially continuous vertical loop where each of the multiple uncontained case units is disposed at a respective predetermined area of a respective support platform, the support members are guided by the discontinuous platform guide members substantially throughout a path of the substantially continuous vertical loop, where the support members are guided in three point contact substantially throughout the path through engagement of the at least two follower members with the discontinuous platform guide members where three point contact is effected by one of the at least two follower members engaging a respective discontinuous platform guide member when another of the at least two follower members passes a discontinuity in the respective guide member.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multilevel vertical conveyor system for transporting uncontained case units to and from a multilevel storage structure having an array of vertically stacked storage levels is provided and includes a frame having platform guide members, a drive member connected to the frame, and support platforms coupled to the drive member. The drive member is configured to move the support platforms relative to the frame in a substantially continuous vertical loop, each of the support platforms being configured to support multiple uncontained case units where each of the multiple uncontained case units is disposed at a respective predetermined area of a respective support platform, the support platforms have support members that are guided by guide members substantially throughout a path of the substantially continuous vertical loop, where the support members are guided in three point contact by the guide members substantially throughout the path.
127 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A multilevel vertical conveyor system for transporting uncontained case units to and from a multilevel storage structure having an array of vertically stacked storage levels, the multilevel vertical conveyor system comprises:
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a frame having discontinuous platform guide members; a drive member connected to the frame; and support platforms coupled to the drive member, each of the support platforms having support members and at least two follower members configured to engage the discontinuous platform guide members; where the drive member is configured to move the support platforms relative to the frame in a substantially continuous vertical loop, each of the support platforms being configured to support multiple uncontained case units substantially throughout the substantially continuous vertical loop where each of the multiple uncontained case units is disposed at a respective predetermined area of a respective support platform, the support members are guided by the discontinuous platform guide members substantially throughout a path of the substantially continuous vertical loop, where the support members are guided in three point contact substantially throughout the path through engagement of the at least two follower members with the discontinuous platform guide members where three point contact is effected by one of the at least two follower members engaging a respective discontinuous platform guide member when another of the at least two follower members passes a discontinuity in the respective guide member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A transport system for a storage and retrieval system having an array of storage levels where each storage level has respective storage areas, the transport system comprising:
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a vertical loop conveyor having a frame with discontinuous platform guide members and support platforms movably coupled to the frame, the support platforms having at least two follower members configured to engage the discontinuous platform guide members and being connected to the frame through a three point of contact connection effected by one of the at least two follower members engaging a respective discontinuous platform guide member when another of the at least two follower members passes a discontinuity in the respective guide member; and a transfer device located on respective ones of the storage levels; wherein each support platform is configured to hold one or more uncontained case units in predetermined areas of the support platform substantially throughout a substantially continuous vertical loop of the vertical loop conveyor and the vertical loop conveyor is configured to transport the one or more uncontained case units to or from more than one of the storage levels where the one or more uncontained cases may be selectably placed on or removed from the vertical loop conveyor by the transfer device, the vertical loop conveyor having a conveyor to transfer device interface configured to transfer the uncontained case units substantially directly between each support platform and the transfer device for transport to or from the storage areas. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification