# US 2018/0022547 A1 · Automatically centering load support for shuttle vehicles having a variable receiving width > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0022547 A1 - Document ID: US20180022547A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/652,690 - Filed: 2017-07-18 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-19 - Assignees: Dematic Corp. - Applicants: Dematic GmbH - Inventors: Matthias Wehner; Michael Becker; Hartwig Reckemeier; Pascal Rehm - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180022547A1 ## CPC - B65G 1/0492: {with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles} - B65G 1/065: {with self propelled cars} - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) ## Abstract A single-level rack serving apparatus for transporting load units, which comprises two chassis halves each having a pair of rollers and each having an extendible arm, a storage region between the chassis halves and a connection structure, wherein the chassis halves are connected to one another by the connection structure and travel on running rails by the rollers. The arms serve to pull up or push down load units onto or from the storage region which comprises at least two first and second lateral supporting plates for supportingly carrying the load units. The size of the storage region can be varied by varying the spacing between the arms together with the lateral supporting plates. A further third supporting plate is arranged between the first and second lateral supporting plates such that it supports a load unit centrally from below in the storage region irrespective of the size of the storage region. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A single-level rack serving apparatus for transporting load units, which comprises two chassis halves comprising a first chassis half and a second chassis half with each having a pair of rollers and each having an extendible arm, a storage region between the chassis halves and a connection structure, wherein the chassis halves are connected to one another by the connection structure and travel on running rails via the rollers, and wherein the arm of the first chassis half comprises a first arm and the arm of the second chassis half comprises a second arm and the arms serve to pull up or push down load units onto or from the storage region which comprises at least two first and second lateral flat supporting plates for supportingly carrying the load units, wherein the size of the storage region can be varied by varying the spacing between the arms together with the lateral supporting plates, and wherein a further third flat supporting plate is arranged and configured between the first and second lateral supporting plates such that it supports a load unit centrally from below in the storage region irrespective of the size of the storage region and without overlap of the supporting plates. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The single-level rack serving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third supporting plate is arranged by a connection between the first and second lateral supporting plates such that it is always arranged centrally when the size of the storage region is increased or decreased. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The single-level rack serving apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the connection comprises a tripartite articulated linkage consisting of three linkage members. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The single-level rack serving apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the three linkage members are connected at a first connection point to the first supporting plate, are connected at a second connection point to the second supporting plate and are connected at a third connection point to the third supporting plate and a first joint is arranged between the first and second connection point and a second joint is arranged between the second and third connection point for the mobility of the three linkage members. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The single-level rack serving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first lateral supporting plate is allocated to the first arm and the second lateral supporting plate is allocated to the second arm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The single-level rack serving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the spacing between the first and second arms is varied via a movement of the first arm relative to the second unmoved arm, the first lateral storage plate and the central supporting plate are designed to be movable or when the spacing between the first and second arms is varied via a movement of the second arm relative to the first unmoved arm, the second lateral supporting plate and the central supporting plate are designed to be movable. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The single-level rack serving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the spacing between the first and second arms is varied via a movement of the first arm and of the second arm towards one another or away from one another, the first lateral supporting plate and the second lateral supporting plate are designed to be movable. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The single-level rack serving apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein when the spacing between the first and second arms is varied via a movement of the first arm relative to the second unmoved arm, the first lateral storage plate and the central supporting plate are designed to be movable or when the spacing between the first and second arms is varied via a movement of the second arm relative to the first unmoved arm, the second lateral supporting plate and the central supporting plate are designed to be movable. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) A single-level rack serving apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein when the spacing between the first and second arms is varied via a movement of the first arm and of the second arm towards one another or away from one another, the first lateral supporting plate and the second lateral supporting plate are designed to be movable. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The single-level rack serving apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first lateral supporting plate is allocated to the first arm and the second lateral supporting plate is allocated to the second arm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The single-level rack serving apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein when the spacing between the first and second arms is varied via a movement of the first arm relative to the second unmoved arm, the first lateral storage plate and the central supporting plate are designed to be movable or when the spacing between the first and second arms is varied via a movement of the second arm relative to the first unmoved arm, the second lateral supporting plate and the central supporting plate are designed to be movable. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) A single-level rack serving apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein when the spacing between the first and second arms is varied via a movement of the first arm and of the second arm towards one another or away from one another, the first lateral supporting plate and the second lateral supporting plate are designed to be movable. ### Claim 13 (depends on 3) The single-level rack serving apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first lateral supporting plate is allocated to the first arm and the second lateral supporting plate is allocated to the second arm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The single-level rack serving apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein when the spacing between the first and second arms is varied via a movement of the first arm relative to the second unmoved arm, the first lateral storage plate and the central supporting plate are designed to be movable or when the spacing between the first and second arms is varied via a movement of the second arm relative to the first unmoved arm, the second lateral supporting plate and the central supporting plate are designed to be movable. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) A single-level rack serving apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein when the spacing between the first and second arms is varied via a movement of the first arm and of the second arm towards one another or away from one another, the first lateral supporting plate and the second lateral supporting plate are designed to be movable. ### Claim 16 (depends on 4) The single-level rack serving apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first lateral supporting plate is allocated to the first arm and the second lateral supporting plate is allocated to the second arm. ### Claim 17 (depends on 17) The single-level rack serving apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein when the spacing between the first and second arms is varied via a movement of the first arm relative to the second unmoved arm, the first lateral storage plate and the central supporting plate are designed to be movable or when the spacing between the first and second arms is varied via a movement of the second arm relative to the first unmoved arm, the second lateral supporting plate and the central supporting plate are designed to be movable. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A single-level rack serving apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein when the spacing between the first and second arms is varied via a movement of the first arm and of the second arm towards one another or away from one another, the first lateral supporting plate and the second lateral supporting plate are designed to be movable. ### Claim 19 (depends on 3) The single-level rack serving apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein when the spacing between the first and second arms is varied via a movement of the first arm relative to the second unmoved arm, the first lateral storage plate and the central supporting plate are designed to be movable or when the spacing between the first and second arms is varied via a movement of the second arm relative to the first unmoved arm, the second lateral supporting plate and the central supporting plate are designed to be movable. ### Claim 20 (depends on 3) A single-level rack serving apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein when the spacing between the first and second arms is varied via a movement of the first arm and of the second arm towards one another or away from one another, the first lateral supporting plate and the second lateral supporting plate are designed to be movable.