GB2491373A

GB2491373A - Interconnecting product carriers

Info

Publication number: GB2491373A
Application number: GB1109144.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roderick Leslie Mitchell; John Charles Mcfarland
Original assignee: Automated Space Ltd
Current assignee: Automated Space Ltd
Priority date: 2011-06-01
Filing date: 2011-06-01
Publication date: 2012-12-05
Also published as: GB201109144D0

Abstract

A carrier 1 interlocks with adjacent carriers to form a train of carriers 1 in an autonomous retailing, vending or retail dispensing system or an automated storage and retrieval system. This enables multiple carriers 1 to be located in-line with each other in the same static storage location 4, expanding the capacity of the system so that it needs to be refilled less often. The process of extracting one carrier 1 moves the following carriers 1 forward and positions the next carrier 1 such that it can be extracted next. The interlocking connection can be made or broken as a carrier 1 is deposited or removed from the storage location 4. Cooperating hooks 2 may be the interconnection mechanism. The carriers 1 may engage and disengage by relative movement orthogonal to the direction of movement of the carrier train, such as upwards or downwards. An extractor pin 5 may be provided on the driver 6 to aid the removal and depositing of the carrier 1. The pin 5 may engage with an engagement point 3 of the carrier 1.

Description

Carrier Interlock The invention relates to a method of increasing the storage capacity of an autonomous retailing, vending or retail dispensing system based on a carrier based storage system by enabling a carrier to interlock with an in-line adjacent carrier in the same location.

Storage systems that use carriers, such as shelves, trays or containers, to store items for subsequent retrieval are known. The carriers are stored in an array of static locations, such as shelves, racks or similar. The carriers are moved between the static locations and an access point by a retrieval system for the delivery or retrieval of items. The retrieval system removes a carrier from the static location by interlocking with it and extracting it. The retrieval system can replace the carrier by a reversal of the extraction process. The carriers are stored one carrier deep in the rack system because the extraction process involves interlocking with features on the exposed edge of the carrier.

Often two rack systems are located either side of the retrieval system such that the retrieval system can extract carriers from either side.

The storage capacity of the system can be increased if more than one carrier can be stored at each location. Therefore, it would be an advantage if multiple carriers could be stored in series with each other at each location.

A retailing or vending system that uses carriers to locate and store items provides a flexible method to store and retrieve a wide variety of items for purchase. To expand the capacity of such a system so that it does not need to be refilled so often, or can store a greater variety of different items, it would be advantageous to be able to store multiple carriers in line with each other at each storage location.

According to the present invention there is provided a method to enable a carrier to interlock with an adjacent carrier to form a train of carriers in an autonomous retailing, vending or retail dispensing system based on a carrier based storage system. The interlock will form a physical link between adjacent carriers such that if one carrier is moved the interlock will cause the adjacent interlocked carrier to move also.

This enables multiple carriers to be located in-line with each other in the same static storage location since the process of extracting one carrier will cause the following carriers to move forward and position the new leading carrier such that it can be extracted next. Conversely, the process of installing a carrier in to a storage location will cause the other carriers to move back.

The carriers will include a means to interlock one carrier with an adjacent carrier when located in-line with each other. This means they are able to be interlocked when stored or supported on or in the same shelf or rack arrangement. Methods of interlocking adjacent carriers may include, but are not limited to, the use of hooks, magnets, grippers, latches, pins, rollers or any other means of physically coupling two items together that can be subsequently separated.

In one embodiment, the interlock may consist of two hooks mounted on either end of a carrier, with one hook inverted relative to the other hook. The hooks will engage or disengage by moving one carrier relative to the other carrier in a direction, typically but not exclusively, perpendicular to the direction the carriers are moved in when being slide into or out of the static storage location. The hooks will be engaged when the carriers are in-line but will become disengaged when they are not in-line.

In this embodiment the process of engaging or disengaging the interlock will be facilitated by the movement sequence of delivering or extracting the carriers. In other embodiments the process of engaging and disengaging the interlock may be activated separately.

The movement sequence of the storage system will be actuated by electric motors, typically with position feedback, and controlled by a control system consisting of, typically but not exclusively, a PC, PLC or microprocessor. The control system will include a software program to instruct the individual actuators when and how much to move. The software will control the sequence of movements that enable the carrier being extracted to disengage from the following carrier or the carrier being delivered to engage with the preceding carrier.

The present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows a top view of a typical carrier I with the interlock hooks 2, one inverted relative to the other.

Figure 2 shows a side view of a typical carrier I with the interlock hooks 2, one inverted relative to the other, and extractor device engagement points 3.

Figure 3 shows a view of the underside of a typical carrier 1 with the interlock hooks 2, one inverted relative to the other, and extractor device engagement points 3.

Figure 4 shows an isometric view of a typical carrier 1 with the interlock hooks 2, one inverted relative to the other, and extractor device engagement points 3.

Figure 5 shows a carrier 1 located in a static storage location 4. An extractor engagement point 3 can be seen protruding from the front of the static storage location 4 so that it can be accessed by an extractor mechanism.

Figures 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 show the sequence of actions to extraction a carrier 1 from a static storage location 4.

Figure 6 shows multiple carriers 1, interlocked with each other located in a static storage location 4. An extractor mechanism comprising a drive means 6 and an extractor pin 5 is shown in position ready to rotate to extract the first carrier 1.

Figure 7 shows the arrangement shown in Figure 6 with the extractor mechanism drive means 6 rotated so that the extractor pin 5 is engaged with the extractor point 3 of the first carrier 1.

Figure 8 shows the arrangement shown in Figure 6 with the extractor mechanism drive means 6 rotated further so that the train of carriers I has been pulled forward so that the second carrier I is in the same position as the first carrier I before it was pulled forward. Subsequent carriers I in the train are pulled forward because they are interlocked together by the interlock hooks 2.

Figure 9 shows the arrangement shown in Figure 6 with the extractor mechanism drive means 6 lowered down to disengage the interlocked hooks 2.

Figure 10 shows the arrangement shown in Figure 6 where the extractor mechanism drive means 6 has rotated still further to move the extracted carrier 1 away from the second carrier 1 left in the static storage location.

The delivery and introduction of a carrier to a static storage location where there is already a carrier would be the reverse procedure.

Claims

Claims 1. A means of providing a train of storage carriers for an automated retailing, storage, retrieval or dispensing system whereby a carrier interlocks with an adjacent carrier in the same static storage location such that when the end carrier in the train is moved in the static storage location, subsequent carriers are moved by the same amount.
2. A method to enable a carrier to interlock with another carrier according to claim 1 such that the end carrier can be pulled forward and removed from the static storage location leaving the adjacent carrier in position to be removed next.
3. A method to enable a carrier to interlock with another carrier according to claim 1 such that the interlock can engage and disengage through the process of delivery or extraction of a carrier from the static storage location.
4. A method to enable a carrier to interlock with another carrier according to claim I where the interlocks are hook features on the leading and trailing edges of a carrier where one hook is inverted relative to the other hook.
5. The method of claim I whereby said carriers engage and disengage by relative movement orthogonal to the direction of movement of said train.