Robotic materials handling system

A robotic materials handling system for storing and rapid handling of box-like articles, comprising:

• at least one article pickup or delivery area having means for supporting an article and having an opening facing a manipulator area;
• a storage area containing a plurality of columns of storage bins, each storage bin for holding one article and having an opening facing the manipulator area;
• a stationary vertical support shaft located in the manipulator area adjacent the storage area;
• a manipulator assembly slidably coupled to the shaft and movable along the shaft, said manipulator assembly including at least two assemblies extending outward from the shaft and having a gripper mechanism movable toward and away from an axis of the shaft, the gripper mechanism having first and second spaced fingers which are movable toward each other to grasp opposite sides of a box-like article, wherein each gripper mechanism is operable to deposit articles to storage bins and to withdraw articles from storage bins by pushing them into and pulling them out of the opening of a bin;
• and
• means for positioning the arm assemblies adjacent each opening of the columns and adjacent each opening of the article pickup or delivery area location, wherein the means for positioning includes means for rotating the manipulator assembly about the shaft to position the arm assemblies at different radial positions with respect to the shaft, such that at each radial position all the arm assemblies are aligned with an article pick up or delivery area location.

A robotic material handling system for storing and handling box-like articles, comprising:

• a storage area containing a plurality of columns of storage bins, each storage bin for holding one article;
• a vertical support shaft located adjacent the storage area;
• a manipulator assembly coupled to the support shaft including a bearing assembly movable along the support shaft;
• a hub assembly which is rotatable about the bearing assembly;
• and at least one arm assembly extending outward from the support shaft and attached to the hub assembly to rotate therewith, the arm assembly having a gripper mechanism movable toward and away from the axis of the support shaft, the gripper mechanism having a first and second spaced fingers for grasping opposite sides of an article;
• means for positioning the arm assembly adjacent each storage bin including means for rotating the hub assembly with respect to the bearing assembly to position the arm assembly at different radial positions with respect to the support shaft;
• means for driving the gripper mechanism toward and away from the axis of the support shaft;
• actuating means for causing relative movement between the fingers of the gripper mechanism so as to grasp the article;
• means for providing control signals for the gripper mechanism driving means and the gripper finger actuating means to the bearing assembly;
• and
• coupling means for coupling the control signals from the bearing assembly to the hub assembly, wherein the coupling means includes a first coupling element on the bearing assembly and a second coupling element on the hub assembly, the first and second coupling elements having facing surfaces with complementary circular channels therein to form a coupling cavity;
• light transmitter means on the first coupling element for converting electrical signals to light signals and transmitting them into the cavity;
• and light receiver means on the second coupling element for receiving light signals in the cavity and converting them into electrical signal for delivery to the gripper mechanism driving means and gripper finger actuating means.

A robotic materials handling system for storing and handling box-like articles comprising:

• a storage area including a plurality of columns of storage bins and at least one loading location, said storage bins and loading location being arranged about a circular space, each storage bin and loading location having an opening facing the circular space;
• a stationary vertical support shaft located at the center of the circular space;
• a manipulator assembly, slidably movable along the shaft, for moving articles between storage bins and the loading location, the manipulator assembly including a plurality of radially extendable gripper assemblies positioned symmetrically about said support shaft, each gripper assembly having a pair of fingers for grasping opposite sides of box-like articles and pushing them into and pulling them out of the storage bins, the manipulator assembly further including means for rotating the gripper assemblies about the shaft to position them adjacent desired columns of storage bins;
• and
• control means for controlling the sliding movement of the manipulator assembly along the shaft;
• the rotation of the gripper assemblies and the grasping of the gripper assemblies.