U.S. patent application number 09/747855 was filed with the patent office on 2001-05-10 for shelving stand.
Invention is credited to Alneng, Carl-Goran.
Application Number | 20010000896 09/747855 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 20403719 |
Filed Date | 2001-05-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010000896 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Alneng, Carl-Goran |
May 10, 2001 |
Shelving stand
Abstract
A shelf stand for goods is proposed which has individually
rotatable shelves, which are substantially circular and located one
above the other. At the periphery of each shelf there is a driving
device adapted to cooperate with driving means on the peripheral
part of the shelf for turning or rotating the shelf. The shelves
are divided into sections provided with impulse generators
cooperating with impulse counters for determining the rotational
position of the shelf.
Inventors: |
Alneng, Carl-Goran;
(Stockholm, SE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Killworth, Gottman, Hagan & Schaeff, L.L.P.
Suite 500
One Dayton Centre
Dayton
OH
45402-2023
US
|
Family ID: |
20403719 |
Appl. No.: |
09/747855 |
Filed: |
December 22, 2000 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09747855 |
Dec 22, 2000 |
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09242795 |
Feb 23, 1998 |
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6196400 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
211/144 ;
211/1.52; 211/131.1; 211/163 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47F 5/025 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/144 ;
211/1.52; 211/131.1; 211/163 |
International
Class: |
A47F 005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 30, 1996 |
SE |
9603157-0 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A shelf stand for goods, having individually rotatable shelves
(10) situated one above the other with a driving device (13, 14)
arranged at the periphery of each shelf (10) for turning or
rotating the shelves 10), characterized in that the shelves (10)
are substantially circular and include a profilated section or rib
(11, 55) provided at the peripheral part of each shelf, said
section being intended to cooperate with a driving belt (12)
extending about the shelf and engaging a driving gear (13) by means
of which the shelf is brought to turn or rotate, the shelves being
divided into a number of sectors (17), each provided with an
impulse generator (18, 43) cooperating during the rotation of the
shelf with a stationary impulse counter (19, 44) for enabling the
rotational position of the shelf to be determined.
2. A shelf stand according to claim 1, characterized in that the
driving device (13, 14) includes electrical motors (13, 14) mounted
adjustably on a vertical framework or motor column (16), rigidly
connected, at its upper portion, with the central shaft of the
shelf stand and, at its lower portion, with the foot of the shelf
stand.
3. A shelf stand according to claim 2, characterized in that each
motor (14) is carried on a hinge-like support (15) on said
framework (16), an adjustment screw (20) mounted therein directly
or indirectly engaging said support (15) in order to tilt it
horisontally towards and away from said framework, whereby the
tension of the driving belt (12) is adjusted.
4. A shelf stand according to any of claims 1-3, characterized in
that the sectors of the shelves include extendable cassettes or
trays carried by support means including a hub with spokes upon
which spoke engaging brackets (27), substantially Y-shaped, are
arranged, said brackets having wheels (32) or slide shoes on their
top side for cooperating with the underside of the extendable
cassettes (34).
5. A shelf stand according to claim 4, characterized in that the
extendable cassettes (34) have at their rear ends impulse
generators (43) cooperating with impulse counters (44) to indicate
whether a cassette is in a retracted or extended position.
6. A shelf stand according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that
said spoke engaging brackets (27) have at their outer ends (42)
attachment means for a circular metal section or rib (55) forming
the wheel rim (11) of the shelf.
7. A shelf stand according to claim 6, characterized in that the
metal section (55) has a recess for coacting with the driving belt
(12) and a depression for a wire stabilizing the wheel rim by means
of a tensioning device, the metal sections (11, 55) having on their
opposite side attachments for the brackets (27).
8. A shelf stand according to any of claims 1-7, characterized in
that a braking or damping device (41) is provided between each
bracket (27) and cassette, said device braking the movement
outwards of the cassette (34) and assisting in retraction of the
same.
9. A shelf stand according to any of claims 1-8, characterized in
that the stand is connected with a computer by means of which is
singled out one of the superimposed shelves (10) whose motor (14)
is brought to select for the shelf the proper running direction,
the proper speed and the shortest distance from any starting
position to a selected or desired rotational position.
10. A shelf stand according to any of claims 1-9, characterized in
that the stand can be connected with a separate computer which is
utilized when goods dispensing is registered and which is
programmed to perform the operations in accordance with claim
1.
11. A shelf stand according to any of claims 1-10, characterized in
that a circular sector (23) of the shelf stand, preferably one
forth thereof, is arranged to be placed where goods are received in
a pharmacy or other sales premises, the shelf stand then serving as
an internal goods conveyor.
Description
1. The present invention relates to a shelf stand having
individually rotatable shelves located one above the other.
2. From the Swedish patents Nos. 8503671 and 8601061 it is known to
provide shelf stands with vertical columns and a plurality of
circular shelves carried by the columns and located on top of each
other. It is also known from said patents to make the contents of
these shelves readily accessible in the order of use first
in--first out. The shelf stands can be made in various sizes and
will obtain thereby various storing capacities.
3. In large shelf stands carrying heavy goods much power is
consumed for starting the turning or rotation of a shelf, in spite
of the fact that friction against the stationary shaft of the stand
is minimized by means of ball bearings. When large shelf stands are
used also more time is requested in the search for a particular
product. It is desired that said search time be minimized, as a
search in progress prevents other persons from searching on the
same shelf at the same time.
4. The present invention has for its main object to eliminate the
inconvenience when operating large shelf stands of the kind
mentioned introductorily, so as to facilitate the search for a
particular product and searching time thus be minimized.
5. Another object of the invention is to minimize the need for
internal transports in shops, pharmacies, storage rooms and the
like having computerized handling routines, where shelf stands of
the said type are used.
6. According to the invention these and other objects and
advantages are achieved by the invention obtaining the
characteristic features defined in the accompanying claims.
7. The invention will be disclosed in greater detail in the
following with reference to embodiments illustrated in the
drawings:
8. FIG. 1 shows a side view of a shelf stand according to the
invention;
9. FIG. 2a shows a plan view of a shelf of the stand shown in FIG.
1;
10. FIG. 2b shows a plan view of a shelf having extendable trays or
cassettes;
11. FIG. 3 shows, on a larger scale, a side view of a part of the
shelf stand of FIG. 1;
12. FIG. 4 shows, on a larger scale, a plan view of a drive unit
for a shelf of the stand;
13. FIG. 5 shows, likewise on a larger scale, a plan view of the
suspension device for the drive unit of FIG. 4;
14. FIG. 6a shows a detailed view of an embodiment of a profilated
section;
15. FIG. 6b shows another embodiment of said section:
16. FIG. 7 shows a side view, similar to FIG. 1, of a further
embodiment of a shelf stand having extendable cassettes;
17. FIG. 8 shows a plan view of a spider for carrying a shelf in
the shelf stand of FIG. 7;
18. FIG. 9a and 9b show a side view and a plan view, respectively,
of a bracket to be suspended on the spider of FIG. 8;
19. FIGS. 10a and 10b show a plan view and a side view,
respectively, of a cassette, or tray, for mounting on the bracket
of FIGS. 9a and 9b;
20. FIGS. 11a and 11b show sideviews of the cassette of FIGS. 10a
and 10b mounted on the bracket of FIGS. 9a and 9b, in retracted and
extended position, respectively;
21. FIG. 12 shows a cross section through the central portion of
the shelf and its shaft, with impulse generators and receivers for
extend-tendable cassettes such as shown in FIGS. 2b and 11;
22. FIG. 13 shows, on a larger scale, a part of a longitudinal
section along line XIII--XIII in FIG. 12 through the central part
of the shelf stand and its shaft;
23. FIG. 14 shows a shelf stand according to the invention
introduced into a sales room, such as a pharmacy; and
24. FIG. 15 shows a lay-out of a sales room having a shelf stand
according to the invention.
25. The present invention thus relates to a shelf stand of the type
disclosed in the patents mentioned above and includes a number of
rotatable shelves 10, preferably circular, and situated one above
the other, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Each shelf 10 is then provided
at its periphery with a profilated section 11 shown in FIG. 6a and
described in greater detail below, wherein a driving belt 12 is
engaged, surrounding and running about shelf 10 and a driving gear
13 driven by a motor 14, such as an electric motor. Driving belt 12
can be e.g. a so called indented belt wheras the driven wheel,
which is formed by shelf 10 itself and its curved circumferential
section 11, need not be provided with teeth thanks to its large
circumference in relation to that of the driving gear. The vast
frictional surface suffices for allowing the two wheels to
interactact without driving belt 12 slipping on section 11.
26. The profilated section or rib 11, a cross section of which is
shown in FIG. 6a, has a recess 11a for accomodating driving belt 12
and is preferably divided, for example, in four parts, provided
along the periphery of shelf 10 to form together a wheel rim on the
circular shelf. The rib has an attachment 11b by means of which it
can be hooked on to shelf 10. For holding the rib together there is
provided, in the bottom of said driving belt recess, a depression
11c, wherein a wire or similar tensioning means (not shown) can be
located for pulling and holding together the rib by means of an
appropriate wire tightener or wire joint. At its lower part rib or
section 11 is provided with a bore 11d in predetermined positions
along the periphery of shelf 10 for accomodating an impulse
generator 18, described in greater detail below, for determining
the rotational position of shelf 10. Rib 11 is provided at its top
with a label holder 11e. In a gripper 11f edge flanges or walls can
be secured for maintaining the goods on shelves 10 while they
rotate. FIG. 6b illustrates another embodiment 55 of such a rib for
a wheel-forming shelf having extendable cassettes according to
FIGS. 11a, 11b and 2b.
27. Each circular shelf 10 is driven individually by its own motor
14, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2a, 2b and 3. The speed and direction of
rotation of motors 14 are preferably variable. Each motor 14 is
suspended on vertical hinge-like supports 15, see FIGS. 4 and 5, in
turn suspended by a vertical stand or motor column 16, on which the
motors are mounted one above the other, spaced the same distance as
shelves 10, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. At its top end motor column
16 is rigidly connected with the center shaft of the shelf stand
and at its lower part likewise connected with the foot of the
stand. Each hinge-like support 15 can be manipulated by means of an
adjustment screw 20 threaded in column 16, the screw engaging a
pressure plate carried in motor support 15. By screwing in
adjustment screw 20 hinge-like support 15 is tilted outwards from
shelf 10 so as to increase the distance beteen each shelf and
driving gear 13 of its motor, thus tensioning driving belt 12. Thus
correct tension of said belt can be set to fit each motor driven
shelf.
28. Each shelf 10, which is preferaly circular, is divided into an
appropriate number of sector shaped panels, in the following
designated shelf sectors 17, which are provided with an
identification code, e.g. a number. As shown in FIG. 2, a plan view
of the shelf stand, shelf 10 is e.g. designed to include ten shelf
sectors. Each such sector 17 is provided on its perimeter with an
impulse generator 18 in the form of a magnet or the like, which
cooperates with an impulse counter 19 in order to determine the
position of shelf 10 in relationship to a fixed point on the shelf
stand, e.g. on motor column 16. Singling out shelves 10 and
deciding start, direction of rotation and speed of the motors is
controlled e.g. by a computer, preferably the same computer used
for other administrative areas of the general service operation.
The shelf stand can also be provided with its own computer, having
the limited capacity requested for control of its shelf operations.
The starting position of shelf 10 and the position of the desired
shelf sector 17 are both controlled by impulse counter 19. The
shelf stand is preferably operated on the basis of the article
number of the product sought for, the number being registered in
the computer at one or more dispensing points, and registration can
also be made from the point of replenishing. All these working
stations are arranged in association with the periphery of the
shelf stand, as will be described below.
29. In FIG. 7 is shown, in side view, another embodiment of the
shelf stand according to the invention. In this shelf stand the
shelves are sloping and include extendable cassettes 34 which are
slidable on brackets 27, which in turn are secured to a shelf
spider, described more closely below. Other parts, which are the
same as in the shelf stand according to FIGS. 1-3, such as motors
etc., have been provided with the same reference characters.
30. In FIG. 8 the basic framework or spider for the shelves is
shown, said spider including a hub 34 and a plurality of spokes 25
corresponding to the number of shelf sectors 17, ten in the
illustrated case. Each spoke 25 has apertures 26 for securing a
Y-shaped bracket 27, shown in FIGS. 9a and 9b. Bracket 27 comprises
a web 28 of square tube material provided with apertures 29 for
mounting a bracket on each spoke 25 by means of apertures 26
therein. From web 28 of the bracket two shanks 30, 31 extend, which
are provided at their outer ends with two upwardly facing wheels
32, 33 for carrying on the bracket an extendable cassette or tray.
Cassette 34, shown in FIGS. 10a and 10b, includes a U-section 35
open downwards and is intended to be mounted straddling web 28 of
the Y-bracket, in doing which a support roller 36, see below, is
dismounted momentarily. In order that U-section 35 of the cassette
does not tip in relation to bracket 27 and also that it will run
readily on the bracket, two support rollers 36 and 37 are provided
for rolling on the underside and top side, respectively, of web 28
of Y-bracket 27. A box-shaped storage tray 38 is secured to
cassette 34 and its U-section 35, the form of the tray
corresponding to the form of a sector 17 of the shelf stand. Upon
assembling cassette 34 and Y-bracket 27, support rollers 36, 37
will roll on web 28 of bracket 27, while the cassette tray 38 rests
by its underside on bracket wheels 32, 33. Cassette 34 will then be
extendable from a retracted position, shown in FIG. 11a where its
rear end coincides with the rear end of bracket 27, to a position
wherein it projects from the shelf stand, as shown in FIG. 11b. The
pulling out of cassette 34 in relationship to bracket 27 will then
be arrested by support roller 36 striking the apex end 40 of
bracket shanks 30, 31. Said shanks are provided at their outer ends
with lugs 42 for attaching a profilated section 55 shown in FIG.
6b, such section replacing section 11, described earlier and shown
in FIG. 6a, for accomodating driving belt 12 which sets each shelf
in rotation. Between bracket 27 and cassette 34 a braking or
damping device 41 can be introduced, which dampens the outwardly
directed movement of cassette 34 and assists in pushing it in to
its retracted position. Braking device 41, which can also be
provided with e.g. tension and compression springs, is shown in
FIGS. 11a and 11b in a design where a rubber cable sling is secured
at one end within web 28 of the bracket and at its opposite end to
U-web 35 of the cassette.
31. As is apparent from FIGS. 12 and 13 each cassette 34 has an
impulse generator 43 at its rear guiding members, cooperating
without friction with a stationary impulse receiver 44 on the
rotational shaft of the shelf stand, to indicate whether the
cassette is in its retracted or extended position. The number of
impulse receivers 44, twelve here, is then larger than the number
of sectors or cassettes, which is ten, to exclude the possibility
that an impulse receiver 44 becomes ineffective while landing at a
joint between two sectors. By means of another impulse generator
48, cooperating without friction with another impulse receiver 50,
also the position of cassette 44 in the direction of rotation of
shelf 10 can be indicated. This arrangement is substituted for the
impulse generators 18 of FIG. 2 mounted on the periphery of shelves
10. As can be seen from FIG. 12 the rotating shaft 45 of the
shelves comprises a metal channel section having channels 46 for
leading cables to and from the motors and the impulse receivers or
counters. Said shaft 45 is then provided with a surrounding,
rigidly mounted tube shaft 47 having a retaining ring 52 for
coacting with the ball bearings 54 and hub 24 of the shelves.
32. As mentioned in the aforegoing,, selecting shelves 10,
start/stop of the motors and their direction of rotation and speed
can be controlled by a computer. The position of the shelves and
the position of each shelf sector is controlled in both cases by
means of the impulse counters. As to the extendable cassettes 34,
whether any one cassette is extended or retracted is checked by
means of impulse generators 43 and impulse receivers 44, to the
effect that rotation of shelves 10 cannot commence when a cassette
has been pulled out.
33. As mentioned above the shelf stand is preferably operated at
one or more dispense stations and also remotely, from the station
where replenishing is carried out, preferably by registering in the
computer the article number of any item sought for. All said
working stations are arranged in association with the periphery of
the shelf stand.
34. Replenishing goods at the goods reception point is carried out
such that the article number of each item is registered together
with the number of the shelf sector 17 where the item is placed,
which should be carried out in alphabetical order so that manual
routines can be resorted to at service interruptions, as other so
called picking machines or automatic storing facilities will be
completely knocked out when electric or computer systems break
down. The registration of the position of the goods will guide the
automatic search process.
35. Dispensing is carried out such that the article number of the
item sought for is entered in the ordinary dispense procedure. An
extra search impulse starts the search process in the shelf stand:
selection of shelf 10, selection of shortest route and most
favourable direction of rotation, selection of rotational
speed--which should be higher when the distance between the
starting point and the self sector 17 is great--and selection of
the proper shelf sector 17, which is then moved forward towards the
sales person.
36. In FIGS. 14 and 15 a perfect siting of the shelf stand
according to the present invention is shown. In the lay-out drawing
according to FIG. 15 it is shown how half of the shelf stand, e.g.
in a pharmacy, extends through a wall in the premises and the
remaining part 23, i.e. two quarters of the stand, are found in a
goods reception room 22 and a secondary space, respectively. There
are three working stations 21 for servicing the customers. The
shelf stand is placed such that the motors are located in the
secondary space behind a so called rolling store. This renders
service possible while removing accident hazards. Transports from
the reception room 22 are eliminated, as the rotating shelves 10
take care of moving the goods.
37. When dispensing and picking from a shelf 10 is going on, other
dispensing operations requested from this shelf are placed in queue
order. As soon as the first dispense operation has been completed
by a "release" impulse, shelf 10 will rotate forward to the next,
newly requested position. There will be an essential gain of time
when the shelf stand is advancing the proper shelf sector 17 at the
same time as a service person carries out his or hers complete
registry program while in contact with the customer.
38. It is apparent from the above description that shelf stands
with rotatable shelves 10, further developed as taught by the
invention, bring about great rationalization profits in the form of
time and comfort. The lay-out described above, which was made
possible by the developed shelf stand, has the effect that the need
for extra handling and internal transports of goods stored in the
shelf stand is reduced.
39. It is obvious that the embodiment of the shelf stand according
to the invention, as shown and disclosed here, only exemplifies how
the invention can be carried into effect and that the inventive
concept can be altered and modified within the scope of the
accompanying claims.
* * * * *