US 9,710,783 B1 · System for tire storage, retrieval, and inventory management

Abstract

A storage array includes one or more tiers including a plurality of roller pairs and at least one motor for spinning each roller pair. Plates are positioned between each roller pair. A horizontal nudge is positioned above each plate moves tires horizontally within the storage array. A tire is moved longitudinally within the storage array by causing a roller pair bearing the tire to spin followed by lifting the plate below the tire, thereby causing the tire to roll forward or backward within the storage array. The storage array may be coupled to a distribution system including a plurality of channels including a planar or concave bottom surface over which tires roll and vertical sidewalls extending upwardly from the bottom surface. Accelerators, brakes, junctions, and elevators may be positioned in channels in order to control movement of tires through the distribution system.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A system for tire distribution comprising:

a plurality of channels defining a plurality of paths from a distribution point;
and
wherein each channel of the plurality of channels include a bottom surface for supporting a rolling tire and first and second lateral sidewalls extending upwardly from the bottom surface for preventing tipping of a tire within the each channel;
a plurality of control structures coupling channels of the plurality of channels to one another, the plurality of control structures including at least one of a curve and a junction.

1 more element

A method for tire distribution comprising:

providing a plurality of channels defining a plurality of paths from a distribution point;
and
providing one or more accelerators positioned in at least a portion of the plurality of channels;
and
rolling a tire through a channel of the at least the portion of the plurality of channels and through an accelerator of the one or more accelerators such that the accelerator increases rotational speed about a rotational axis of the tire perpendicular to a direction of travel of the tire through the accelerator.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

15/429,079Filed 9 Feb 2017 · continuation in part

Priority

31 Mar 2016

Granted

18 Jul 2017

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

G06Q 10/087
Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management: inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling,…
B29D 30/0016
Producing pneumatic or solid tyres or parts thereof: handling tyres or parts thereof, e.g. supplying, storing, conveying
B60B 30/04
Engaging the tyre, e.g. the tyre being mounted on the wheel rim: the tyre not being mounted on a rim, i.e. holders or supports for tyres alone
B65G 1/02
Storing articles, individually or in orderly arrangement, in warehouses or magazines: storage devices

Family

Application15/087,849Parent of this continuation · filed 31 Mar 2016

Application15/263,188Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 12 Sep 2016

US 9,466,047 B1Parent of this continuation · filed 11 Oct 2016

US 9,600,799 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part

Application15/263,188Parent of this continuation

US 9,710,783 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

System for tire storage, retrieval, and inventory management

Life of this patent

System for tire storage, retrieval, and inventory management

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22