Material or article handling – Plural – static structures for supporting discrete loads and... – Load-underlying members
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-15
2003-05-06
Keenan, James W. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Plural, static structures for supporting discrete loads and...
Load-underlying members
C414S279000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06558102
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage shelf system for hanging goods, for example, a storage system for articles of clothing hanging on clothes hangers.
2. Description of the Related Art
During production, in intermediate storage, etc., many goods are transported in a hanging position. This is also true for articles of clothing, for example, coats, jackets, suits, overalls, etc. These items are manipulated in a hanging position during manufacture, during conveyance, in intermediate storage, in final storage and in retail stores. For transporting the articles, so-called hanging conveyor installations in accordance with the power-and-free system have been found useful. An example of such an installation is shown in DE-A 25 06 587. These hanging conveyor installations can be installed on all floors and levels of the manufacturing and storage building. For the actual storage, special buffer lengths are provided in the hanging conveyor installation, wherein the buffer lengths can be coupled to the main conveyor strand by means of switches.
It is also known in the art to transport articles of clothing in bundles on trolleys which are equipped with a support rod. An example of this is shown in DE 38 07 280 C1. The support rod is fixedly mounted on the trolley and can be loaded and unloaded by means of fully automatic units.
The buffer lengths in which the trolleys loaded with the clothing bundles remain until the goods are needed, are usually located in a single plane. Consequently, they require a relatively large storage area. However, in accordance with another commercially available solution, storage in two levels is possible by providing an intermediate platform. The costs of the storage area are lowered accordingly. A stationary vertical conveyor is utilized for transporting the trolleys between the two planes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a storage system equipped with shelves for hanging goods, for example, a storage system for clothing, which has a very high storage capacity and simultaneously permits direct access to the goods.
In accordance with the present invention, the high storage shelf system for hanging goods of the above-described type essentially includes a hanging conveyor of the power-and-free type with trolleys traveling on rails, a storage unit, operating devices for loading and unloading the high shelf storage system, and storage rods for receiving the goods during transport and storage thereof, wherein the trolleys, the operating devices, and the high shelf storage system are equipped with supports and corresponding securing devices, such as locking pawls, locking bolts and the like, for securing the storage rods in a positively engaging manner.
The present invention makes it possible to store hanging goods, for example, clothing hanging on clothes hangers in high shelf storage systems which, as is well known, have the greatest storage capacity over a given area. In this connection, it is possible to utilize the proven components of such a high storage shelf system, i.e., the shelves themselves as well as the operating devices for the shelves. The most important structural elements are the movable storage rods on which the goods remain during the transportation on the hanging conveyor installation and on the operating device and during the storage in the high storage shelf system. Because of the positively engaging supports at the trolleys, the operating devices and the high shelf system, the storage rods can be easily moved by means of mechanical devices. The well-known and proven devices for fully automatically loading and unloading the storage rods can continue to be utilized unchanged.
In accordance with an advantageous further development of the invention, the storage rods are made of pipes having a round to oval cross-section. This type of pipe has been found very useful in practice for a long period of time.
The storage rods may also be of pipes having a polygonal cross-section. These pipes have the advantage that the hooks of hangers rest on the rods at two places, so that the hanger and the goods cannot swing about the upper axis thereof.
Stoppers mounted on the storage rods prevent the goods from sliding. In addition, the stoppers ensure that the ends of the storage rod remain free, so that the manipulating devices can act at those ends without problems.
In accordance with a preferred development of the invention, the supports are constructed as U-shaped or V-shaped prisms. This type of construction is very simple, compensates tolerances without problems and is operationally very safe.
In accordance with a particularly simple development of the invention, the high storage shelf system is composed of posts to which the supports are attached directly. Consequently, if at all, longitudinal struts and transverse struts are only required for reasons of static requirements.
In accordance with a further development, the high storage shelf system is composed of posts and transverse struts, wherein the supports are attached to the transverse struts. In this type of construction, the number of posts may possibly be reduced.
The development mentioned last is particularly advantageous if two or more supports are arranged one behind the other on a storage plane. In that case, the supports are attached to the transverse struts.
In accordance with a further development of the invention, centering devices for exactly positioning the trolleys are provided in the areas of the transfer stations at the high storage shelf system. Depending on the type of centering device, they may be driven by electric motors, pneumatic cylinders and the like.
In accordance with a preferred feature, devices for moving, positioning and/or securing the trolleys are provided in the areas of the transfer stations. Suitable for this purpose are constructions which are known in principle in the prior art and which operate with chains, toothed belts, slides and the like.
In accordance with a further development of the invention, the operating device has at least one telescopic cantilever on which is provided at least one device for holding a storage rod, as well as side shields or protective plates which prevent hooking of the hanging goods, and an integrated sensor system with switches, light barriers, initiators and the like for controlling the fine positioning of the storage rods. Such a telescopic cantilever makes it possible to reach toward the right and toward the left into the storage shelves from the operating device, even when several supports and a storage rods are arranged one behind the other in a storage plane.
In accordance with a first embodiment, the telescopic cantilever includes essentially a base plate which is fastened to the lifting carriage of the operating device, a telescopic frame underneath the base plate, a single or double telescopic pull-out at the telescopic frame, a separately moveable transfer unit mounted on the telescopic pull-out and provided with the devices for holding a storage rod, a drive motor for the telescopic pull-out and a drive motor for the transfer unit. The single telescopic pull-out is sufficient if the storage rods hang with the goods in only one row. On the other hand, if the goods hang in two or more rows one behind the other, the double telescopic pull-out is required.
The separately moveable transfer unit mounted on the telescopic pull-out makes it possible to move the storage rod with the goods hanging thereon always into the middle of the operating device where the goods have the maximum distance to the two adjacent shelves.
In accordance with a further development of the invention, a turntable is provided between the base plate and the telescopic frame, wherein the turntable is rotated by a drive motor. The turntable makes it possible to swing the telescopic cantilever and the transfer unit toward the right or left. It is even possible to receive a storage rod with goods on one side and to turn the storage rod d
Dietz Lothar
Glänzel Ralf
Klein Robert
Stümper Bärbel
Stümper Dieter
Friedrich Kueffner
Keenan James W.
psb GmbH Förderanlagen und Lagertechnik
Stümper Bärbel
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