US 4,979,870 AGranted

Automatic tray loading, unloading and storage system

AssigneeFleetwood Systems, Inc.

InventorsWallace W. Mojden, Andrew Mojden, Robert E. Darr

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Abstract

An automatic loading and unloading system is provided for loading articles supplied from a first location at a rate commensurate with the rate at which articles are supplied from the first location into trays and for unloading the articles from the trays for transport to a second location at a rate commensurate with the demand for articles at the second location, and for balancing a supply of articles loaded onto trays with variations in both the rate of supply thereof and the rate of demand therefor. The system includes a tray loading station, and a tray loading apparatus for loading articles supplied from the first location into trays at tray loading station. An infeed device feeds articles to the loading apparatus in a predetermined, orderly fashion. At a stacking station, a stacking device stacks article-filled trays to form a supply thereof for use on demand. An outfeed device delivers articles on demand to the second location in a predetermined, orderly fashion. At an unloading station, an unloading apparatus unloads articles from article-filled trays to the outfeed device upon demand, such that article-filled trays may alternatively be stacked by the stacking device or delivered to the unloading station, in accordance with fluctuations in the supply and demand for articles at the first and second locations, respectively.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An automatic loading and unloading system for loading articles, supplied from a first location into trays and for unloading said articles from said trays for transport to a second location said articles from said trays for transport to a second location and for balancing a supply of articles loaded onto said trays with variations in both the rate of supply thereof and the rate of demand therefor, said system comprising:

a tray loading station, tray loading means for loading said articles supplied from said first location into trays at said tray loading station;
infeed means for feeding said articles to said loading means in a predetermined, orderly fashion;
a stacking station;
stacking means for stacking article-filled trays to form a supply thereof at said stacking station for use on demand;
outfeed means for delivering said articles on demand to said second location in a predetermined, orderly fashion;
and unloading station;
and unloading means for unloading said articles at said unloading station from said article-filled trays to said outfeed means upon demand, such that article-filled trays may be stacked by said stacking means and then delivered to said unloading station, in accordance with fluctuations in the supply of, and demand for, articles at said first and second locations, respectively;
wherein said infeed means and said outfeed means each comprises a plurality of generally parallel elongate lanes for simultaneously accommodating a corresponding plurality of generally parallel groups of linearly aligned articles, wherein each of said trays is configured for accommodating a plurality of said groups of articles generally in parallel alignment;
wherein said loading and unloading means each includes a plurality of generally parallel pick-and-place devices;
wherein said loading pick-and-place devices correspond in number to the number of groups of articles accommodated by each of said trays;
and further including control means for controlling said loading pick-and-place devices individually relative to said infeed lanes for locating and aligning with filled one of said infeed lanes until all of said parallel loading pick-and-place devices are filled, and for thereafter controlling said loading pick-and-place devices for operating in unison for filling a tray.

8 more elements

An automatic loading and unloading system for loading articles, supplied from a first location into trays and for unloading said articles from said trays for transport to a second location and for balancing a supply of articles loaded onto said trays with variations in both the rate of supply thereof and the rate of demand therefor, said system comprising:

a tray loading station, tray loading means for loading said articles supplied from said first location into trays at said tray loading station;
infeed means for feeding said articles to said loading means in a predetermined, orderly fashion;
a stacking station;
stacking means for stacking article-filled trays to form a supply thereof at said stacking station for use on demand;
outfeed means for delivering said articles on demand to said second location in a predetermined, orderly fashion;
an unloading station;
and unloading means for unloading said articles at said unloading station from said article-filled trays to said outfeed means upon demand, such that article-filled trays may be stacked by said stacking means and then delivered to said unloading station, in accordance with fluctuations in the supply of, and demand for, articles at said first and second locations, respectively;
said infeed means and said outfeed means each comprises at least one elongate lane for receiving and transporting said articles in a generally linear direction and in a linear alignment;
said infeed and outfeed means being respectively arranged for accommodating said groups of linearly aligned articles in a substantially coaxial arrangement and wherein said loading and unloading means comprise respective pick-and-place devices, each including gripping means for simultaneously gripping lateral edge portions of all of the members of each of said groups of articles and axial pressing means for pressing oppositely axially inwardly upon opposite axial ends of each said group of articles within the gripping means, to thereby securely hold said group of articles within said pick-and-place device.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.