Automated rotary die storage and retrieval unit with complementary rotary die storage rack and complementary rotary die storage cart

A system for an automated storage and retrieval of a rotary die, said system comprising:

• a rotary die storage rack including
• a first frame having a side opening, and
• a rotary die shelf disposed within said first frame, said rotary die shelf accessible through said side opening of said first frame;
• and
• a rotary die storage and retrieval unit including
• a second frame movably adjoined to said first frame, said second frame being adjacent said side opening of said first frame whereby said second frame is displaceable alongside said side opening of said first frame;
• a frame driver adjoined to said second frame, said frame driver being operable to transmit a first translational force to said second frame in a first direction of said rotary die shelf to thereby displace said second frame alongside said side opening of said first frame in said first direction of said rotary die shelf whereby said second frame can be aligned with said rotary die shelf;
• a carriage movably adjoined to said second frame whereby said carriage is displaceable along said second frame;
• a carriage driver adjoined to said carriage, said carriage driver being operable to transmit a second translational force to said carriage in a second direction of said rotary die shelf when said second frame is aligned with said rotary die shelf to thereby displace said carriage along said second frame in said second direction of said rotary die shelf whereby said carriage can be aligned with said rotary die shelf;
• a shuttle movably adjoined to said carriage whereby said shuttle is displaceable along said carriage, said shuttle being adjacent said side opening of said first frame when said second frame and said carriage are aligned with said rotary die shelf whereby said shuttle is extendable into and retractable out of said side opening of said first frarne, said shuttle further being functional to support the rotary die;
• and
• a shuttle driver adjoined to said shuttle, said shuttle driver being operable to transmit a third translational force to said shuttle in a third direction of said rotary die shelf when said second frame and said carriage are aligned with said rotary die shelf to thereby displace said shuttle along said carriage in said third direction of said rotary die shelf whereby at least a portion of said shuttle is extendable into said side opening of said first frame, said shuttle driver further being operable to transmit a fourth translational force to said shuttle in a fourth direction when said second frame and said carriage are aligned with said rotary die shelf to thereby displace said shuttle in said fourth direction, said third direction and said fourth direction being diametric whereby said at least a portion of said shuttle is retractable out of said side opening of said first frame, and wherein said shuttle includes:
• a first track movably adjoined to said carriage;
• a second track movably adjoined to said carriage, said second track being spatially aligned with said first track;
• a conveyor belt disposed between said first track and said second track, said conveyor belt being functional to support the rotary die, said conveyor belt further being rotatable in a fifth direction and in a sixth direction, said fifth direction and said sixth direction being diametric;
• and
• a conveyor driver adjoined to said conveyor belt, said conveyor driver being operable to transmit a first rotational force to said conveyor belt to thereby rotate said conveyor belt in said fifth direction whereby the rotary die is displaced alongside said first track and said second track in said fifth direction when the rotary die is being supported by said conveyor belt, said conveyor driver further being operable to transmit a second rotational force to said conveyor belt to thereby rotate said conveyor belt in said sixth direction whereby the rotary die is displaced alongside said first track and said second track in said sixth direction when the rotary die is being supported by said conveyor belt.

A system for an automated storage and retrieval of a rotary die, said system comprising:

• a rotary die storage rack including
• a first frame having a side opening, and
• a rotary die shelf disposed within said first frame, said rotary die shelf accessible through said side opening of said first frame;
• and
• a rotary die storage and retrieval unit including
• a second frame movably adjoined to said first frame, said second frame being adjacent said side opening of said first frame whereby said second frame is displaceable alongside said side opening of said first frame;
• a frame driver adjoined to said second frame, said frame driver being operable to transmit a first translational force to said second frame in a first direction of said rotary die shelf to thereby displace said second frame alongside said side opening of said first frame in said first direction of said rotary die shelf whereby said second frame can be aligned with said rotary die shelf;
• a carriage movably adjoined to said second frame whereby said carriage is displaceable along said second frame;
• a carriage driver adjoined to said carriage, said carriage driver being operable to transmit a second translational force to said carriage in a second direction of said rotary die shelf when said second frame is aligned with said rotary die shelf to thereby displace said carriage along said second frame in said second direction of said rotary die shelf whereby said carriage can be aligned with said rotary die shelf;
• a shuttle movably adjoined to said carriage whereby said shuttle is displaceable along said carriage, said shuttle being adjacent said side opening of said first frame when said second frame and said carriage are aligned with said rotary die shelf whereby said shuttle is extendable into and retractable out of said side opening of said first frame, said shuttle further being functional to support the rotary die;
• and
• a shuttle driver adjoined to said shuttle, said shuttle driver being operable to transmit a third translational force to said shuttle in a third direction of said rotary die shelf when said second frame and said carriage are aligned with said rotary die shelf to thereby displace said shuttle along said carriage in said third direction of said rotary die shelf whereby at least a portion of said shuttle is extendable into said side opening of said first frame, said shuttle driver further being operable to transmit a fourth translational force to said shuttle in a fourth direction when said second frame and said carriage are aligned with said rotary die shelf to thereby displace said shuttle in said fourth direction, said third direction and said fourth direction being diametric whereby said at least a portion of said shuttle is retractable out of said side opening of said first frame, and further comprising:
• a first platform;
• a second platform, said first platform and said second platform being spatially aligned and cooperatively functional to support the rotary die;
• a first thruster adjoined to said first platform, said first thruster being operable to transmit a fifth translational force to said first platform in a fifth direction to thereby displace said first platform in said fifth direction, said first thruster further being operable to transmit a sixth translational force to said first platform in a sixth direction to thereby displace said first platform in said sixth direction, said fifth direction and said sixth direction being diametric;
• and
• a second thruster adjoined to said second platform, said second thruster being operable to transmit a seventh translational force to said second platform in said fifth direction to thereby displace said second platform in said fifth direction, said second thruster further being operable to transmit an eighth translational force to said second platform in said sixth direction to thereby displace said second platform in said sixth direction.

A rotary die storage and retrieval unit for an automated storage of a rotary die upon a rotary die shelf and for an automated retrieval of the rotary die from upon the rotary die shelf, the rotary die shelf being disposed within a rotary die storage rack, the rotary die shelf further being accessible through a side opening of the rotary die storage rack, said rotary die storage and retrieval unit comprising:

• a frame movably mountable to the rotary die storage rack, said frame being adjacent the side opening of the rotary die storage rack when said frame is movably mounted to the rotary die storage rack whereby said frame is displaceable alongside the side opening of the rotary die storage rack;
• means for aligning said frame with the rotary die shelf when said frame is movably mounted to the rotary die storage rack;
• a carriage movably adjoined to said frame whereby said carriage is displaceable along said frame;
• means for aligning said carriage with the rotary die shelf when said frame is aligned with the rotary die shelf;
• a shuttle movably adjoined to said carriage whereby said shuttle is displaceable along said carriage, said shuttle being adjacent the side opening of the rotary die storage rack when said frame and said carriage are aligned with the rotary die shelf whereby said shuttle is extendable into and retractable out of the side opening of the rotary die storage rack, said shuttle further being functional to support the rotary die;
• means for extending at least a portion of said shuttle into the side opening of the rotary die storage rack when said frame and said carriage are aligned with the rotary die shelf;
• and
• means for retracting said at least a portion of said shuttle out of the side opening of the rotary die storage rack when said frame and said carriage are aligned with the rotary die shelf, and wherein said shuttle includes:
• a first track movably adjoined to said carriage,
• a second track movably adjoined to said carriage, said second track being spatially aligned with said first track;
• a conveyor belt disposed between said first track and said second track, said conveyor belt being functional to support the rotary die;
• and
• means for rotating said conveyor belt when the rotary die is being supported by said conveyor belt to thereby displace the rotary die alongside said first track and said second track.

A rotary die storage and retrieval unit for an automated storage of a rotary die upon a rotary die shelf and for an automated retrieval of the rotary die from upon the rotary die shelf, the rotary die shelf being disposed within a rotary die storage rack, the rotary die shelf further being accessible through a side opening of the rotary die storage rack, said rotary die storage and retrieval unit comprising:

• a frame movably mountable to the rotary die storage rack, said frame being adjacent the side opening of the rotary die storage rack when said frame is movably mounted to the rotary die storage rack whereby said frame is displaceable alongside the side opening of the rotary die storage rack;
• a frame driver adjoined to said frame, said frame driver being operable to transmit a first translational force to said frame in a first direction of the rotary die shelf when said frame is movably mounted to the rotary die storage rack to thereby displace said frame alongside the side opening of the rotary die storage rack in said first direction of the rotary die shelf whereby said frame can be aligned with the rotary die shelf;
• a carriage movably adjoined to said frame whereby said carriage is displaceable along said frame;
• a carriage driver adjoined to said carriage, said carriage driver being operable to transmit a second translational force to said carriage in a second direction of the rotary die shelf when said frame is aligned with the rotary die shelf to thereby displace said carriage along said frame in said second direction of the rotary die shelf whereby said carriage can be aligned with the rotary die shelf;
• a shuttle movably adjoined to said carriage whereby said shuttle is displaceable along said carriage, said shuttle being adjacent the side opening of the rotary die storage rack when said frame and said carriage are aligned with the rotary die shelf whereby said shuttle is extendable into and retractable out of the side opening of the rotary die storage rack, said shuttle further being functional to support the rotary die;
• and
• a shuttle driver adjoined to said shuttle, said shuttle driver being operable to transmit a third translational force to said shuttle in a third direction of the rotary die shelf when said frame and said carriage are aligned with the rotary die shelf to thereby displace said shuttle along said carriage in said third direction of the rotary die shelf whereby at least a portion of said shuttle is extendable into the side opening of the rotary die storage rack, said shuttle driver further being operable to transmit a fourth translational force to said shuttle in a fourth direction when said frame and said carriage are aligned with the rotary die shelf to thereby displace said shuttle along said carriage is said fourth direction, said third direction and said fourth direction being diametric whereby said at least a portion of said shuttle is retractable out of the side opening of the rotary die storage rack, and wherein said shuttle includes:
• a first track movably adjoined to said carriage;
• a second track movably adjoined to said carriage, said second track being spatially aligned with said first track;
• a conveyor belt disposed between said first track and said second track, said conveyor belt being functional to support the rotary die, said conveyor belt further being rotatable in a fifth direction and in a sixth direction, said fifth direction and said sixth direction being diametric;
• and
• a conveyor driver adjoined to said conveyor belt, said conveyor driver being operable to transmit a first rotational force to said conveyor belt to thereby rotate said conveyor belt in said fifth direction whereby the rotary die is displaced alongside said first track and said second track in said fifth direction when the rotary die is being supported by said conveyor belt, said conveyor driver further being operable to transmit a second rotational force to said conveyor belt to thereby rotate said conveyor belt in said sixth direction whereby the rotary die is displaced alongside said first track and said second track in said sixth direction when the rotary die is being supported by said conveyor belt.

A rotary die storage and retrieval unit for an automated storage of a rotary die upon a rotary die shelf and for an automated retrieval of the rotary die from upon the rotary die shelf, the rotary die shelf being disposed within a rotary die storage rack, the rotary die shelf further being accessible through a side opening of the rotary die storage rack, said rotary die storage and retrieval unit comprising:

• a frame movably mountable to the rotary die storage rack, said frame being adjacent the side opening of the rotary die storage rack when said frame is movably mounted to the rotary die storage rack whereby said frame is displaceable alongside the side opening of the rotary die storage rack;
• a frame driver adjoined to said frame, said frame driver being operable to transmit a first translational force to said frame in a first direction of the rotary die shelf when said frame is movably mounted to the rotary die storage rack to thereby displace said frame alongside the side opening of the rotary die storage rack in said first direction of the rotary die shelf whereby said frame can be aligned with the rotary die shelf;
• a carriage movably adjoined to said frame whereby said carriage is displaceable along said frame;
• a carriage driver adjoined to said carriage, said carriage driver being operable to transmit a second translational force to said carriage in a second direction of the rotary die shelf when said frame is aligned with the rotary die shelf to thereby displace said carriage along said frame in said second direction of the rotary die shelf whereby said carriage can be aligned with the rotary die shelf;
• a shuttle movably adjoined to said carriage whereby said shuttle is displaceable along said carriage, said shuttle being adjacent the side opening of the rotary die storage rack when said frame and said carriage are aligned with the rotary die shelf whereby said shuttle is extendable into and retractable out of the side opening of the rotary die storage rack, said shuttle further being functional to support the rotary die;
• and
• a shuttle driver adjoined to said shuttle, said shuttle driver being operable to transmit a third translational force to said shuttle in a third direction of the rotary die shelf when said frame and said carriage are aligned with the rotary die shelf to thereby displace said shuttle along said carriage in said third direction of the rotary die shelf whereby at least a portion of said shuttle is extendable into the side opening of the rotary die storage rack, said shuttle driver further being operable to transmit a fourth translational force to said shuttle in a fourth direction when said frame and said carriage are aligned with the rotary die shelf to thereby displace said shuttle along said carriage is said fourth direction, said third direction and said fourth direction being diametric whereby said at least a portion of said shuttle is retractable out of the side opening of the rotary die storage rack, and further comprising:
• a first platform;
• a second platform, said first platform and said second platform being spatially aligned and cooperatively functional to support the rotary die;
• a first thruster adjoined to said first platform, said first thruster being operable to transmit a fifth translational force to said first platform in a fifth direction to thereby displace said first platform in said fifth direction, said first thruster further being operable to transmit a sixth translational force to said first platform in a sixth direction to thereby displace said first platform in said sixth direction, said fifth direction and said sixth direction being diametric;
• and
• a second thruster adjoined to said second platform, said second thruster being operable to transmit a seventh translational force to said second platform in said fifth direction to thereby displace said second platform in said fifth direction, said second thruster further being operable to transmit an eighth translational force to said second platform in said sixth direction to thereby displace said second platform in said sixth direction.