US 6,024,425 A · Storage apparatus

Abstract

A storage apparatus that includes a storage shelf having a plurality of horizontally and vertically arranged storage sections for storage of articles and a moving body for taking articles in and out of the storage shelf. Conventionally, since an article carrying in and out section for taking articles in and out of such storage apparatus is divided into working sections having substantially the same width as that of storage sections, a space for work is small and a work is made difficult and inefficient when the moving body is used to take articles out of the storage sections or articles are placed on the working sections. Therefore, a working space, which protrudes beyond the article carrying in and out section and is free of partitions is provided. With such arrangement, however, there is a problem that a storage apparatus is extended in a lengthwise direction. An article carrying in and out section of the storage apparatus is formed by an opening which is opened across a plurality of widths of the storage sections between front and rear surfaces of the storage shelf provided with the article carrying in and out section, so that a large working space can be provided which is free of any portion protruding beyond the storage apparatus.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A storage apparatus, comprising:

first and second storage shelves (2A), (2B) disposed with a distance therebetween in a front-rear direction, each storage shelf including a predetermined number of horizontal arrays disposed vertically, each horizontal array having a plurality of storage units (1) for storing articles (C);
a lift table (5) disposed within the space between the pair of storage shelves (2A), (2B) and movable along a vertical direction of the storage shelves (2A), (2B);
lift operating means for lifting up and down the lift table (5);
a moving body (6) mounted on the lift table (5) to be movable in a horizontal direction with respect to the lift table (5);
horizontal movement operating means (M2) for allowing horizontal movement of the moving body (6) relative to the lift table (5);
an article transfer device (7) mounted on the moving body (6) for moving the articles (C) between the storage unit (1) and the moving body (6);
and
an article carrying in and out section (4) formed between front and rear faces of the first storage shelf (2A), the article carrying in and out section having at least one uninterrupted opening having a width corresponding to a plurality of storage units (1).

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Storage apparatus

Life of this patent

Storage apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24