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US 9,193,539 B2Granted
Storage apparatus
AssigneeTTP Labtech Limited
InventorsPhilip Blenkinsop, Wayne Bennett
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A storage apparatus has an annular array of stacked item storage formations, and an epicyclic selector arrangement for extracting items from the array, with a temporary storage unit.
Claims16
A storage apparatus comprising:
- an array of item storage formations,
- a first member rotatable with respect to the array about a first axis,
- a selector mounted on the first member, the selector being rotatable with respect to the first member about a second axis which is parallel to and offset from the first axis, the second axis being defined as fixed in relation to the first member and being rotatable about the first axis by rotation of the first member about the axis, the selector comprising an item transfer conduit offset from the second axis, and
- a source of differential pressure in fluid communication with the item transfer conduit to selectively propel items into an item receiving formation from the array by the creation of a fluid pressure differential,
- in which the first member and the selector are configured for rotation about the first and second axes respectively to selectively align the item transfer conduit with one of the array of item storage formations to extract the item from the array.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.