U.S. patent application number 10/934780 was filed with the patent office on 2006-03-09 for book storage and transportation bin.
Invention is credited to Franklin H. Mussche.
Application Number | 20060049729 10/934780 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35995516 |
Filed Date | 2006-03-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060049729 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mussche; Franklin H. |
March 9, 2006 |
Book storage and transportation bin
Abstract
A rectangular bin for storing and transporting books at a
sorting station in a library has a base on wheels with four side
walls and a horizontal floor panel movable vertically within the
bin. An optical sensor is mounted adjacent the upper rim and is
controlled by a control unit such that during a filling mode of the
bin, the detection of a book interrupting the beam lowers the floor
panel so as to allow further filling of the bin up to the height of
the optical sensor and during an unloading mode the operation is
reversed. A battery pack is located in a cavity in the front wall
and when being charged at a loading station the control unit
automatically operates the filling mode and when disconnected the
control unit automatically operates the unloading mode. The
actuator has two pairs of levers and an electrically actuated screw
for moving the floor panel with a lower end of the screw housed in
a bottom housing hung below the base.
Inventors: |
Mussche; Franklin H.;
(Edmonton, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ADE & COMPANY
1700-360 MAIN STREET
WINNIPEG
MB
R3C3Z3
CA
|
Family ID: |
35995516 |
Appl. No.: |
10/934780 |
Filed: |
September 7, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/319.6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62B 2203/13 20130101;
B62B 2202/64 20130101; B62B 3/003 20130101; B62B 3/005
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/319.6 |
International
Class: |
A47B 88/00 20060101
A47B088/00 |
Claims
1. A bin for storing and transporting books in a library
comprising: a rectangular base; a plurality of wheels mounted on
the base and arranged for transportation of the base over a floor;
four side walls upstanding from the base at respective side edges
of the base to an upper rim of the bin to define a rectangular
container supported on the base for wheeled transportation
therewith with an open top at the upper rim; one of the side walls
defining a front wall having a manually graspable handle by which
the bin can be manually propelled on the wheels; a horizontal floor
panel mounted in the bin above the base for receiving thereon a
load of books dropped onto the floor panel and supported thereby;
the floor panel being movable vertically within the bin from a
lowered position adjacent the base to a raised position adjacent
the upper rim; edges of the floor panel being located immediately
adjacent the respective side walls to prevent books loaded on the
floor panel from passing between the floor panel and the side wall
to the base; an optical sensor mounted adjacent the upper rim
having a beam for detecting the presence of books located on the
floor panel to a height within the bin reaching the height of the
optical sensor; and an actuator assembly for causing movement of
the floor panel for raising and lowering the floor panel within the
bin; the actuator assembly being controlled by a control unit such
that during a filling mode of the bin, the detection of a book
interrupting the beam is arranged to cause the actuator to lower
the floor panel by a predetermined distance so as to allow further
filling of the bin up to the height of the optical sensor; the
actuator assembly being controlled by the control unit such that
during an unloading mode of the bin, the detection of no book
interrupting the beam is arranged to cause the actuator to raise
the floor panel by a distance so bring the books carried on the
floor panel back up to the height of the optical sensor; the
actuator assembly comprising: a first pair of levers spaced apart
across the base and the floor panel with each of the first pair of
levers being pivotally connected to the floor panel at one end and
slidably connected to the base at the other end; a second pair of
levers spaced apart across the base and the floor panel with each
of the second pair of levers being pivotally connected to the base
at one end and slidably connected to the floor panel at the other
end; a pivot connection between the first and second pair of
levers; a bridging beam extending across between the second pair of
levers; and a drive member for applying a force from the base to
the connecting beam so as to cause driving pivotal movement of the
second pair of levers relative to the base to effect said movement
of the floor panel on the first and second pairs of levers, the
drive member comprising an electrically driven screw which extends
from a pivot mounting on the base to the bridging beam.
2. The bin according to claim 1 wherein the bridging beam is fixed
to the second pair of levers and wherein there is provided a link
extending at right angles from the bridging beam to provide a lever
action from the screw to the bridging beam.
3. The bin according to claim 2 wherein the link comprises a pair
of lugs with an end of the screw connected between the lugs at a
position spaced from the bridging beam.
4. The bin according to claim 1 wherein the pivot mounting of the
screw at the base is located at a height below the ends of the
levers attached to the base.
5. The bin according to claim 4 wherein the pivot mounting of the
screw is housed in a bottom housing carried on the base below the
base.
6. The bin according to claim 5 wherein the wheels are located on
the base such that the bottom housing is located between the
wheels.
7. The bin according to claim 1 wherein the floor panel carries
wiper seals at the edges thereof for wiping over and inner surface
of the side walls to prevent penetration of materials
therebetween.
8. The bin according to claim 1 wherein the front wall is defined
by two parallel wall elements defining a cavity therebetween and
wherein the cavity contains electronic controls and a battery
pack.
9. The bin according to claim 8 wherein manual switches for the
electronic controls are located on a top wall of the front wall
between the parallel wall elements.
10. The bin according to claim 1 wherein there is provided an
electrical supply connection for supplying charging current to a
battery pack stored on the bin, the electrical supply connection
being arranged for connection to and disconnection from a source at
a sorting station where the bin is loaded and wherein the control
unit is arranged such that the when the supply connection is
connected the control unit automatically applies the filling mode
and when the supply connection is disconnected the control unit
automatically applies the unloading mode.
11. The bin according to claim 8 wherein there is provided an
electrical supply connection for supplying charging current to a
battery pack stored on the bin, the electrical supply connection
being arranged for connection to and disconnection from a source at
a sorting station where the bin is loaded and wherein the control
unit is arranged such that the when the supply connection is
connected the control unit automatically applies the filling mode
and when the supply connection is disconnected the control unit
automatically applies the unloading mode.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Automation of library processes has become an important
commercial field to reduce the amount of arduous labour necessary
for returning books to the required storage location. Automated
sorting stations have therefore been provided which receive books
automatically which are returned from the public or other
authorized person with the sorting station arranged to sort the
books into required storage bins. One important part of the sorting
and transportation system is the storage bin where the books are
dropped from the sorting system and are then carried by the bin to
the required locations within the storage facility for return of
the books to the required location. The storage bin must allow the
books to be stored effectively without dropping from a height
sufficient to cause damage and must allow the books to be presented
to the user for easy manual removal from the bin for return to the
storage location.
[0002] On example of a bin of the is general type is shown in U.S.
Pat. No. 6,000,779 which uses cables to lift a floor panel of the
bin from a lowered position adjacent the base to a raised position
adjacent an upper lip of the bin. However this cable arrangement
has some disadvantages so that potential improvements are
available.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] It is one object of the invention to provide an improved
book storage and transportation bin.
[0004] According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a
bin for storing and transporting books in a library comprising:
[0005] a rectangular base;
[0006] a plurality of wheels mounted on the base and arranged for
transportation of the base over a floor;
[0007] four side walls upstanding from the base at respective side
edges of the base to an upper rim of the bin to define a
rectangular container supported on the base for wheeled
transportation therewith with an open top at the upper rim;
[0008] one of the side walls defining a front wall having a
manually graspable handle by which the bin can be manually
propelled on the wheels;
[0009] a horizontal floor panel mounted in the bin above the base
for receiving thereon a load of books dropped onto the floor panel
and supported thereby;
[0010] the floor panel being movable vertically within the bin from
a lowered position adjacent the base to a raised position adjacent
the upper rim;
[0011] edges of the floor panel being located immediately adjacent
the respective side walls to prevent books loaded on the floor
panel from passing between the floor panel and the side wall to the
base;
[0012] an optical sensor mounted adjacent the upper rim having a
beam for detecting the presence of books located on the floor panel
to a height within the bin reaching the height of the optical
sensor;
[0013] and an actuator assembly for causing movement of the floor
panel for raising and lowering the floor panel within the bin;
[0014] the actuator assembly being controlled by a control unit
such that during a filling mode of the bin, the detection of a book
interrupting the beam is arranged to cause the actuator to lower
the floor panel by a predetermined distance so as to allow further
filling of the bin up to the height of the optical sensor;
[0015] the actuator assembly being controlled by the control unit
such that during an unloading mode of the bin, the detection of no
book interrupting the beam is arranged to cause the actuator to
raise the floor panel by a distance so bring the books carried on
the floor panel back up to the height of the optical sensor;
[0016] the actuator assembly comprising: [0017] a first pair of
levers spaced apart across the base and the floor panel with each
of the first pair of levers being pivotally connected to the floor
panel at one end and slidably connected to the base at the other
end;
[0018] a second pair of levers spaced apart across the base and the
floor panel with each of the second pair of levers being pivotally
connected to the base at one end and slidably connected to the
floor panel at the other end;
[0019] a pivot connection between the first and second pair of
levers;
[0020] a bridging beam extending across between the second pair of
levers;
[0021] and a drive member for applying a force from the base to the
connecting beam so as to cause driving pivotal movement of the
second pair of levers relative to the base to effect said movement
of the floor panel on the first and second pairs of levers, the
drive member comprising an electrically driven screw which extends
from a pivot mounting on the base to the bridging beam.
[0022] Preferably the bridging beam is fixed to the second pair of
levers and wherein there is provided a link extending at right
angles from the bridging beam to provide a lever action from the
screw to the bridging beam.
[0023] Preferably the link comprises a pair of lugs with an end of
the screw connected between the lugs at a position spaced from the
bridging beam.
[0024] Preferably the pivot mounting of the screw at the base is
located at a height below the ends of the levers attached to the
base.
[0025] Preferably the pivot mounting of the screw is housed in a
bottom housing carried on the base below the base.
[0026] Preferably the wheels are located on the base such that the
bottom housing is located between the wheels.
[0027] Preferably the floor panel carries resilient wiper seals at
the edges thereof for wiping over and inner surface of the side
walls to prevent penetration of materials therebetween.
[0028] Preferably the front wall is defined by two parallel wall
elements defining a cavity therebetween and wherein the cavity
contains electronic controls and a battery pack.
[0029] Preferably manual switches for the electronic controls are
located on a top wall of the front wall between the parallel wall
elements.
[0030] Preferably there is provided an electrical supply connection
for supplying charging current to a battery pack stored on the bin,
the electrical supply connection being arranged for connection to
and disconnection from a source at a sorting station where the bin
is loaded and wherein the control unit is arranged such that the
when the supply connection is connected the control unit
automatically applies the filling mode and when the supply
connection is disconnected the control unit automatically applies
the unloading mode.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] One embodiment of the invention will now be described in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
[0032] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a storage and transportation
bin according to the present invention showing the floor panel in
the raised position.
[0033] FIG. 2 is a side elevational I view of the bin of FIG.
1.
[0034] FIG. 3 is isometric view showing the bin of FIG. 1 with the
side walls removed to expose the actuation assembly for operating
movement of the floor panel.
[0035] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view along the lines 44 of FIG.
2.
[0036] In the drawings like characters of reference indicate
corresponding parts in the different figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0037] In FIG. 1 is shown a bin generally indicated at 10 with
upstanding side walls 11 and 12, an upstanding rear wall 13 and an
upstanding front wall 14. The side walls are connected together at
a base generally indicated at 15. The base carries a pair of fixed
wheels 16 at the wall 13 and a pair of castor wheels 17 at the wall
14. The side walls are connected together to form a rectangular
container with an open top 19 defined by a peripheral rim 20 formed
by the top edge of each of the walls. At each of the four corners
is provided a bumper element 21 which fastens around the corner
onto each of the respective walls at the corner to provide a
suitable bumper for engaging obstacles to prevent damage to the
walls. The walls may be stiffened with vertical ribs (not shown) to
increase strength while allowing a reduction in gauge of the metal
walls to reduce weight.
[0038] Each of the walls 11, 12 and 13 is formed from a single
upstanding sheet. The wall 14 is defined by an inner sheet 14A and
an outer sheet 14B defining therebetween a cavity 14C (see FIG. 2).
Within the cavity 14C is located a battery pack schematically
indicated 25 and a control unit schematically indicated at 26 for
controlling the operation of a device as described hereinafter. The
battery pack 25 is connected by a cable 27 to a charging receptacle
28 mounted on the bin at a suitable location. The battery pack
provides power to the control unit 26 through a cable 29 and the
control unit is manually actuated by switches schematically
indicated at 30 through cable 31. The switches together with
indicator lights and the plug or receptacle 28 are mounted on a
horizontal top surface of the wall 14 underneath the handle.
[0039] Within the bin is provided a floor panel 32 which is
horizontal within the bin and can be raised and lowered from a
position closely adjacent the upper lip 20 to a position adjacent
the base 15. The floor panel 32 includes four moulded flexible,
resilient wiper elements 33 each arranged along a respective edge
of the panel 32 and each forming a lip which wipes over the
respective inside surface of the respective side wall. The lip thus
prevents any materials such as pages or covers of the book from
penetrating between the rigid floor panel 32 and the rigid side
wall by providing the resilient wiping action which seals the gap
there between. On the front wall 14 is mounted a handle 34 which
includes a paid of upstanding side legs 35 and a transverse rail 36
extending across the top of the wall 14 above the top edge of the
wall 14 so as to provide a hand grasp section by which a manual
user can propel the bin across a floor surface on the ground wheels
and can control the direction of the bin in movement by steering
action using the castor wheels 17.
[0040] As best shown in FIG. 3 and 4, the base 15 comprises four
peripheral members 15A, 15B, 15C and 15D arranged along the four
sides of the rectangular structure. The members 15A and 15C
comprises simply transverse structural members of suitable cross
section to provide the necessary strength. The members 15B and 15D
provide a guide channel for the roller 40 at the bottom of the
lever system for lifting the floor panel 32.
[0041] Thus the lever system comprises a first pair of levers 41
and 42 which are parallel and linked by a transverse stiffening
element 43 which transfer torque between the levers 41 and 42. Each
of the levers is mounted on a pivot pin 44 so that each of the
levers 41 and 42 is pivotally connected to the panel 32 at one edge
of the floor panel and is slidable mounted at the lower end on the
roller 40 relative to the side rails 15B and 15D.
[0042] Symmetrically the lever system includes a second pair of
levers 46 and 47 which are pivotally mounted at there lowers ends
on pivot pins 48 carried at one end of the base adjacent the base
member 15A and are slidable mounted at the upper end on tracks 32A
and 32B of the floor panel 32 at the sides of the floor panel.
[0043] The levers 46 and 47 are pivotally connected to the levers
41 and 42 by a pivot rod 50 which extends across an intersection
between the levers. Thus raising and lowering movements of the
floor panel is effected by symmetrical pivoting and sliding action
of the two pairs of levers while those pairs remain in parallel
aligned positions respective to one another and while the pairs
pivot relative to one another about the transverse pivot member
50.
[0044] The actuation of the lifting is effected by a screw 51 which
is mounted at its lower end on a mounting 52 carried on the base
15. At its upper end the screw 51 is attached to link 53 mounted on
a transverse beam 54 connected across the levers 46 and 47. Thus
the beam 54 is rigidly attached to the levers to hold them
connected an parallel and also communicates rotational torque to
the levers to effect the lifting action. The beam 54 is pivoted
around the pivot axis of the levers at the pins 48 by the link 53
which is defined by a pair of lugs 53A and 53b rigidly attached to
that beam 54. Thus the upper end of the screw 52 is located between
the lugs at a position spaced away from the axis of the beam 54 to
provide force on the levers rotating the levers about their pivot
axis.
[0045] The lower end of the screw 51 at the mounting 52 is carried
within a bottom housing 55 which hangs down underneath the base 15.
The base is thus closed by the depending housing 55 together with
panels 56, 57 and 58 which are mounted across the member of the
base. Thus the depending housing 55 is narrower than the base and
shorter than the base and extends from a position between the fixed
wheels 16 to a position spaced away from the castor wheels 17. The
top of the depending housing 55 is open into the base so as to
allow the components of the lifting mechanism to depend into that
housing as required to lower the floor panel to a position closely
adjacent the base.
[0046] The link 53 allows the screw to effect the lifting action
when the levers are lowered to the bottom position since the links
are located at a position above the bottom end of the screw so the
screw can effect a pivoting action around the axis of the levers 46
and 47 even though the screw is lowered at an angle close to
horizontal.
[0047] An extra pair of lugs similar to the lugs 53A and 53B is
provided on the opposite side of the beam 54 which are attached to
an assist spring 53C which provides a spring force tending to
resist the weight of books on the floor panel thus reducing the
force necessary from the screw. The spring is under compression and
the compression of the spring is reduced as the floor panel moves
upwardly thus automatically reducing the spring force as the load
is reduced and increases as the panel is loaded downwardly. The
angle of the lugs on the beam 54 allows the spring to act at the
required angle as the levers 46 and the beam 54 lie down in the
bottom of the bin as the floor panel moves downwardly. A bottom
wall of the housing 55 may provide an access panel to allow access
for repair or replacement of the spring 53C and the screw.
[0048] Turning into FIG. 2, the control system includes an optical
sensor 60 together with the switches 30. The optical sensor is
arranged to detect the height of books on the floor panel which
reaches the optical sensor which is located just below the top rim
of the bin.
[0049] The control unit 26 is arranged in response to imputes from
the switches 30, the optical sensor 60 and the charging connector
28 for the battery pack to control the system as follows.
[0050] When the battery pack is being charged by a connection of
the receptacle 28 to a power supply at the sorting machine, the
control unit switches the system into filling or loading mode in
which the floor panel is moved to the upper most raised position.
As soon as the optical sensor is obstructed or interrupted by the
presence of a book reaching the height of the sensor, the control
unit actuates the screw so as to lower the floor panel to a
position where the optical sensor is no longer obstructed. This
allows further books to be loaded onto the panel and onto books
resting on the panel without any of the books having to fall by any
considerable distance. This process is continued until the bin is
fully loaded so the floor panel is moved to the lowest position or
during a period of time so it is partially loaded. When the
operator wishes to remove the bin when fully or partially loaded,
the power supply to the coupling 28 is disconnected which
automatically moves the control unit into the unloading mode.
[0051] In the unloading mode the operation is reversed so that the
floor panel is moved upwardly until the optical sensor is
obstructed and then the floor panel halts at this position to allow
books to be remove by the operator. As soon as the optical sensor
is exposed because the books have been removed from that area, the
control unit operates the screw so as to raise the floor panel
until the optical sensor is again obstructed by the presence of
further books.
[0052] The optical sensor may have a receiver on the opposite side
or may have a mirror on the opposite side for a transmit receive
system and in the embodiment shown, a mirror is indicated at
62.
[0053] The switches 30 include a first switch providing an on/off
action shutting off the control the unit and actuating the control
unit. The switches also include a second switch which allows manual
operation of the screw to move the floor panel to a position
determined by the operator.
[0054] Since various modifications can be made in my invention as
herein above described, and many apparently widely different
embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims
without department from such spirit and scope, it is intended that
all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be
interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.
* * * * *