Material handling apparatus with vehicle track for reducing vehicle damage
AssigneeOpex Corporation
InventorsMichael York, Joseph Lakawicz, Stuart Ligo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for delivering items to a plurality of storage locations is provided. The system includes a plurality of storage locations. The storage locations may be positioned to provide an aisle and a plurality of delivery vehicles may be operable within the aisle to deliver items to the storage locations. The system may include a track that the guides the vehicles to the storage locations. A reorientation assembly may be provided for re-orienting the vehicles relative to the track to reduce misalignment between the vehicles and the track.
Claims18
A material handling apparatus for sorting items into a plurality of destination areas, comprising:
- a plurality of destination areas for items wherein the destination areas are arranged in a plurality of columns or rows;
- a plurality of vehicles for transporting items to or from the destination areas;
- and
- a track for guiding the delivery vehicles to the destination areas, wherein the track comprises a plurality of columns or rows adjacent the plurality of destination areas, wherein the track comprises engagement elements;
- wherein at least one of the vehicles comprises:
- a motor for driving the vehicle to one of the destination areas;
- a drive system cooperable with the track to guide the vehicle to one of the destination areas, wherein the drive system comprises:
- a first wheel;
- a second wheel;
- and
- a plurality of drive elements that positively engage the engagement elements on the track;
- wherein the track comprises a reorientation section configured to selectively disengage the drive elements of the vehicle from the engagement elements of the track to selectively reorient the first wheel relative to the second wheel.
A method for sorting items into a plurality of sort locations, comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of sort locations for receiving items such that an aisle is formed between the plurality of sort locations;
- loading an item onto a vehicle;
- driving the vehicle within the aisle to deliver an item to one of the sort locations, wherein the step of driving comprises driving a first drive element along a first track having a plurality of first engagement elements and driving a second drive element along a second track spaced apart from the first track having a plurality of second engagement elements;
- disengaging the first drive element from the first engagement elements while engaging the second engagement element with the second drive elements to allow the first drive elements to slide along the first track;
- and
- engaging the first drive element with the first engagement elements to drive the vehicle along the track after the step of disengaging.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.