Apparatus for transporting groups of consumables between vertically spaced holding shelves

Abstract

An apparatus for transporting groups of consumables between vertically spaced holding shelves that includes a support chassis laterally spaced from the holding shelves, a transport elevator coupled to the support chassis, a lift platform, and a scissors actuator connecting the lift platform to the support chassis and configured to laterally translate the lift platform between a first position laterally aligned with the support chassis and a second position laterally aligned with one of the holding shelves.

1 . An apparatus for transporting groups of consumables between a plurality of vertically spaced holding shelves, the apparatus comprising:
 a support chassis disposed at a laterally-spaced position with respect to the plurality of holding shelves;   a transport elevator coupled to the support chassis for moving the support chassis in a vertical direction between the plurality of holding shelves;   a lift platform; and   a scissors actuator connecting the lift platform to the support chassis and configured to translate the lift platform laterally with respect to the support chassis between a first position laterally aligned with the support chassis at the laterally-spaced position with respect to the plurality of holding shelves and a second position laterally displaced from the support chassis and laterally aligned with one of the holding shelves.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a carrier configured to be carried on the lift platform and to be placed on any of the plurality of holding shelves. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the carrier comprises a base, a pair of support rails for slidably supporting the consumables thereon, and a resilient tab located at an end of each support rail and configured to releasably retain the consumables on the support rails. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein each resilient tab is disposed at the end of a serpentine spring that is attached to or contiguous with a portion of the respective support rail. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the transport elevator comprises:
 two drive belts, each drive belt being attached to a portion of the support chassis;   a drive gear for each drive belt;   a motor coupled to the drive gears; and   an idler gear for each drive belt.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an elevator home sensor configured to detect a locator flag extending from the support chassis. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the scissors actuator comprises a first arm having first and second ends and a second arm having first and second ends, wherein the first and second arms are rotatably connected to each other at intermediate positions between their respective first and second ends, wherein the first arm is pivotably attached at its first end to the support chassis and is pivotably and translatably attached at its second end to the lift platform, and wherein the second arm is pivotably and translatably attached at its first end to the support chassis and is pivotably attached at its second end to the lift platform. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second arms are rotatably connected to each other by a slewing ring having an inner ring and an outer ring, wherein the inner and outer rings are rotatable with respect to each other, and wherein the first arm is attached to the inner ring at its respective intermediate position, and the second arm is attached to the outer ring at its respective intermediate position. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the second end of the first arm is pivotably and translatably attached to the lift platform by a slide that is slidably disposed within a linear slot formed in the lift platform, and wherein the slide is rotatably attached to the second end of the first arm. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a roller bearing disposed within the slide that rolls against a side of the slot during lateral translation of the lift platform. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the scissors actuator further comprises a motor coupled to the first end of the first arm to effect powered pivoting movement of the first arm. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the scissors actuator is configured to translate the lift platform in either of two opposed lateral directions with respect to the support chassis. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a carrier detection sensor associated with each holding shelf and configured to detect the presence of a carrier on the associated holding shelf. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of vertically spaced holding shelves;   a transporter for transporting groups of consumables between the plurality of holding shelves, the transporter comprising:   a support chassis disposed at a laterally-spaced position with respect to the plurality of holding shelves;   a lift platform; and   a scissors actuator connecting the lift platform to the support chassis and configured to translate the lift platform laterally with respect to the support chassis between a first position laterally aligned with the support chassis at the laterally-spaced position with respect to the plurality of holding shelves and a second position laterally displaced from the support chassis and laterally aligned with one of the holding shelves; and   a transport elevator coupled to the support chassis for moving the support chassis in a vertical direction between the plurality of holding shelves.   
     
     
         15 . A method for automatically transferring a receptacle carrier between a holding shelf and a lift platform of a transporter, the method comprising:
 a) with a transport elevator for effecting vertical movement of the transporter, positioning the transporter at an approximate vertical location of the holding shelf;   b) after step a), effecting relative movement between the lift platform and a positioning structure associated with the holding self;   c) during step b), detecting contact between the lift platform and the positioning structure;   d) recording data relating to the position of the lift platform at which contact is detected in step c); and   e) transferring a receptacle carrier between the holding shelf and the lift platform by controlling movement of the lift platform in accordance with the data recorded at step d).