IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,572,230
Granted Patent B2
US 11,572,230 · App. 16/987,436 · Granted Feb 7, 2023

Parcel distributor, especially for stores

Inventors: Lukasz Nowinski (Bielsko-Biala, PL); Aleksander Gruca (Skawina, PL); Piotr Dawidczyk (Warsaw, PL); Julian Kozankiewicz (Warsaw, PL)
Assignee: Retail Robotics Manufacturing & Services Sp. z o.o.
B65G1/0435B65G1/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,572,230
App. No.
16/987,436
Granted
Feb 7, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

The parcel distributor is a modular set with additional storage module in the form of a ceiling box set on a corner box to which it is rigidly connected and coupled by a cantilever lift mounted in a vertical shaft formed in the support rack frames in both boxes. In each module, between their cantilever racks, there is an electrically driven Cartesian manipulator. On the Cartesian manipulator trolley, there is a grabbing mechanism for taking trays from the front or rear cantilever rack. The window for sending and collecting parcels in the distributor is a locker, preferably in the operating panel, which has an electrically lifted lock cooperating with a ratchet lock and limit switches blocking its lower position when the locker door is open.

Claims (11)

1. A parcel distributor for stores, having a system to control access to parcels placed on shelves and a window for sending and collecting parcels characterised in that it said parcel distributor is a modular set with an additional storage module in a form of a ceiling box ( 3 ) set on a corner box ( 1 ) to which said ceiling box ( 3 ) is rigidly connected and coupled by a cantilever lift ( 22 ) mounted in a vertical shaft formed in rack frames ( 5 ) in the corner box ( 1 ) and the ceiling box ( 3 ), whereby in each module, both in the corner box ( 1 ) and the ceiling box ( 3 ), between cantilever racks ( 6 ), there is an electrically driven Cartesian manipulator ( 9 ) with a trolley ( 10 ) on which there is a gripping mechanism ( 15 ) with a transport tray ( 16 ) for taking trays ( 7 ) from a front or rear cantilever rack ( 6 );

WHEREIN the window for sending and collecting parcels in the distributor is a locker whose height is correlated with a storey height of the ceiling box ( 3 ), which has an electrically lifted lock ( 31 ) cooperating with a ratchet lock ( 32 ) and limit switches ( 33 ) blockings a lower position of the window when a locker door ( 30 ) is open; and

WHEREIN the gripping mechanism ( 15 ) is made up of two multi-joint, bendable carrying arms ( 17 ) mounted on an extension shaft ( 18 ), which are driven, through a gearbox, by an extension motor ( 19 ) mounted under the trolley ( 10 ).

2. The distributor according to claim 1 , characterised in that a single carrying arm ( 17 ) has two self-aligning carriers ( 20 ) with a chain transmission in both carriers and epicyclic gears in the joints of the carrying arm ( 17 ), and at least one chain carrier ( 20 ) of the carrying arm ( 17 ) consists of two pull-out elements with chain wheels and has a chain tensioner ( 21 ) in each carrier ( 20 ).

3. A parcel distributor for stores, having a system to control access to parcels placed on shelves and a window for sending and collecting parcels characterised in that said parcel distributor is a modular unit with a basic storage module in a form of a corner box ( 1 ) and a sending and collecting module in a form of an operating panel ( 2 ), whereby in the corner box ( 1 ), between cantilever racks ( 6 ), there is an electrically driven Cartesian manipulator ( 9 ) with a trolley ( 10 ) on which there is a gripping mechanism ( 15 ) with a transport tray ( 16 ) for taking trays ( 7 ) from a front or rear cantilever rack ( 6 );

WHEREIN the window for sending and collecting parcels in the distributor is a locker in the operating panel ( 2 ), which has an electrically lifted lock ( 31 ) cooperating with a ratchet lock ( 32 ) and limit switches ( 33 ) blocking a lower position of the window when a locker door ( 30 ) is open; and

WHEREIN the gripping mechanism ( 15 ) is made up of two multi-joint, bendable carrying arms ( 17 ) mounted on an extension shaft ( 18 ) which are driven, through a gearbox, by an extension motor ( 19 ) mounted under the trolley ( 10 ).

4. The distributor according to claim 3 , characterised in that a single carrying arm ( 17 ) has two self-aligning carriers ( 20 ) with a chain transmission in both carriers and epicyclic gears in joints of the carrying arm ( 17 ), and at least one chain carrier ( 20 ) of the carrying arm ( 17 ) consists of two pull-out elements with chain wheels and has a chain tensioner ( 21 ) in each carrier ( 20 ).

5. The distributor according to claim 3 , characterised in that said mobile operating panel ( 2 ) is a removable and mobile.

6. The distributor according to claim 5 , characterised in that the operating panel ( 2 ) has a lighting shade ( 28 ) on a perimeter from a front side.

7. The distributor according to claim 3 , characterised in that the operating panel ( 2 ) has a lighting shade ( 28 ) on a perimeter from a front side.

Assignments (1)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Sep 13, 2022
From: RETAIL ROBOTICS SPÓLKA Z OGRANICZONA ODPOWIEDZIALNOśCIA SP.K
To: RETAIL ROBOTICS MANUFACTURING & SERVICES SP. Z O.O.
Reel/Frame 061070/0046 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220258971A1 · Aug 18, 2022
Cited By (2)
US 1,137,346 US 12,391,474