Elevator locking device for a vertical automatic warehouse
AssigneeModula S.P.A.
InventorsFranco Stefani, Stefano Cassani
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automatic warehouse (1), comprising: a frame (2), defining a prismatic-shaped containment volume (V), with a vertical axis (X); an elevator (3), arranged inside the containment volume (V), comprising a flat bed (4), movable along a vertical direction; a locking device (101), interposed between the frame (2) and the elevator (3), which is operable between a locking configuration, in which the elevator (3) is constrained to the frame (2) with respect to the vertical movements and cannot move vertically, and a release configuration, in which the elevator (3) can move vertically. The locking device (101) can be activated on command from a predetermined zone of the frame (2), which can be positioned with great flexibility, based on any access needs.
Claims12
An automatic warehouse, comprising:
- a frame, defining a prismatic-shaped containment volume, with a vertical axis;
- an elevator, arranged inside the containment volume, comprising a platform, movable along a vertical direction;
- and
- a locking device, interposed between the frame and the elevator, which is operable between a locking configuration, in which the elevator is constrained to the frame with respect to the vertical movements and is unable to move vertically, and a release configuration, in which the elevator is able to move vertically;
- wherein the locking device comprises at least one support member, connected to the frame so as to be able to support a weight associated with the platform;
- wherein in the locking configuration, the support member has a first portion, constrained to a first point of the platform, and a second portion, spaced apart from the first portion, constrained to at least one of the frame or to a second point of the platform, so that the platform is locked with respect to the sliding along the vertical axis and the weight associated with the platform is supported by the frame by the support member;
- wherein in the release configuration, the support member is not constrained to the platform or is not constrained to the frame, to allow a free movement of the platform along a vertical direction;
- and
- wherein the support member is flexible.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.