Abstract:
A material handling system with improved load handling and product distribution capabilities including, a stock chaser vehicle having a motorized truck portion, an operator platform, a load bearing deck portion having a front end and a rear end, and at least two wheels in a rear portion of the vehicle, wherein the deck portion is facing a load area; a picker cart removably coupled to the stock chaser vehicle, with the cart having a front and a rear end, and defining a volume above a portion of the vehicle deck for receiving objects picked by the operator, having four wheels each generally attached at one of the corresponding four corners of the cart; and, a coupling means for secure engagement of the picker cart to the stock chaser vehicle, whereby the picker cart and the stock chaser vehicle are aligned as to substantially share the same travel footprint.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates generally to stocker chaser vehicles, and more particularly to a material handling system including a removable freestanding order picking cart on which articles are loaded or from which they are distributed that operates in conjunction with an associated stock chaser vehicle whereby the cart is engaged with, coupled to and carried with the vehicle without any need for hydraulic mechanisms or their mechanical lever counterparts or equivalents. 
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]    The day-to-day and hour-to-hour filling of orders from the stock shelves of warehouses and similar storage buildings or areas has long been a troublesome problem. Many and varied procedures and techniques have been employed, but none has proven completely satisfactory in all respects. 
         [0003]    Stock chasers are vehicles used in warehouse and distribution environments to retrieve goods off shelves and bring them to another area. Stock chaser type vehicles have a long narrow platform in front of the driver for the placement of these items. The items are typically then moved off this platform to their subsequent destination; this involves handling the items multiple times. An improvement to this procedure is envisioned by using a cart that straddles the stock chaser and can be used in place of the platform for holding the items. Furthermore, the freestanding cart may also be used at the staging area for parts later in machine assembly lines, or for pre-loading before a pick up. 
         [0004]    Stock chaser vehicles are used to retrieve products from shelves in order to fill a customer order or machine assembly line. The products are typically stored in a rack system in which a plurality of unit loads of many products are stored. Each unit load, generally, contains a single type of product and a customer or end user typically requires one or more boxes of product pieces from many different unit loads. This requires an operator to travel up and down one or more aisles of the rack system to pick products from many different locations in the rack system to fill the order. 
         [0005]    Typically, each product picked by the operator is placed on the single, flat, load platform or deck fixed to the front of the vehicle. As the number of picked products increases, the operator stacks products on top of each other to build a load comprising the specific products ordered by the customer or needed at the machine assembly line. The stacked products increase the height of the load on the deck. As the height of the load on the deck increases, adding additional products to the top of the load becomes increasingly difficult for the operator. As the load height increase, the load can become unstable and fall off of the load platform or deck which may damage or destroy the product. 
         [0006]    Once the operator arrives at a final delivery destination, the operator must dismount the vehicle and pick each individual piece of the load and replace it on the rack or shelves at the final locale. Additionally, the stock chaser vehicle is supported by ground engaging wheels that allow the vehicle to travel in aisles between rows of storage racks, generally maintaining a narrow footprint for optimal maneuvering through narrow rows or aisles of the warehouse. 
         [0007]    In order to eliminate the time-consuming, extra part-handling step, a new shelved cart on the stock chaser is removably attached to the system. The cart may be removed as a separate unit at the final stop or pack area. The cart includes shelving that can be used as a manual cart and be attached to the stock chaser vehicle and shelving wheels that support the shelving while operating the stock chaser. 
         [0008]    The stock chaser order-picking cart can be used by both the stock chaser operator and the person at the final stop or pack area. The ordered parts would only be touched when picked to the cart and when taken from the cart to be packed for shipping, on an as-needed basis, rather than as a required step in order to free the deck area of the stock chaser vehicle. When filling parts orders using a traditional stock chaser vehicle, the order picker would have to manually remove parts from the vehicle bed or shelves to drop areas at the final stop or pack areas. This extra handling of the parts causes wasted time and decrease quality due to lost and damaged parts. 
         [0009]    Wasted time and retracing steps during part transport have long been known as a serious problem in logistics and warehousing operations. Further, a functional cart which can easily be joined to a vehicle with a load bed or deck which faces the loading area, thereby maintaining the same footprint as the vehicle, is needed. 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,752,345, issued to Benedict Molis, attempts to overcome the problems described above by providing a motor-driven truck adapted for use as a prime mover and including means for engaging and for supporting and propelling an auxiliary conveyance such as a cart. The truck includes a frame-carried friction-reducing bed defining a support base for the cart bearing thereupon, and means for positioning the cart on the truck for transport thereby. The Molis invention suffers from at least one deficiency in that rails, guide bars, or longitudinally spaced rollers are required for stable lateral positioning or placement of the cart on the friction-reducing bed, which takes additional space, and significantly increases cost. Additionally, the footprint is greatly expanded with this configuration, which is particularly bothersome and undesired in a typical, tightly spaced warehouse or distribution center. 
         [0011]    The present disclosure is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above. 
       SUMMARY  
       [0012]    In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a material handling system with improved load handling and product distribution capabilities including, a stock chaser vehicle having a motorized truck portion, an operator platform, a load bearing deck portion having a front end and a rear end, and at least two wheels in a rear portion of the vehicle, wherein the deck portion is facing a load area; a picker cart removably coupled to the stock chaser vehicle, with the cart having a front and a rear end, and defining a volume above a portion of the vehicle deck for receiving objects picked by the operator, having four wheels each generally attached at one of the corresponding four corners of the cart; and, a coupling means for secure engagement of the picker cart to the stock chaser vehicle, whereby the picker cart and the stock chaser vehicle are aligned as to substantially share the same travel footprint. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective illustration of one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0014]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  are side elevational views of the present disclosure in an engaged and disengaged state, respectively; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the system of the present disclosure; and, 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view showing an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, in an engaged state. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]    Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of a material handling system  10  of the present disclosure. As briefly described above, the present disclosure is directed to a material handling system  10  with a removable freestanding order picking cart  30  to provide an improved system of load handling and product distribution and collection. The cart  30  on which articles (not shown) are loaded or from which they are distributed operates in conjunction with low friction means carried by an associated stock chaser vehicle  20  whereby the cart  30  is automatically engaged with, coupled to and carried upon the truck without any need for hydraulic mechanisms or their mechanical lever counterparts or equivalents. The system  10  of the present disclosure combines a stock chaser type vehicle  20  generally including a motorized truck portion  11  having an operator platform  12  and a steering mechanism  14 . On a typical stock chaser type vehicle  20 , the motorized truck portion  11  has at least one steerable wheel means  18  at a front end thereof, and at least two non-steerable wheel means  16  at a rear end thereof, and includes a deck or load platform  22 . The vehicle  20  may optionally be suited with self-adjusting drum brakes, a battery pack, and electronic speed controllers (not shown) for dependability, performance endurance and minimized operator fatigue. 
         [0019]    Turning again to  FIG. 1 , the removable order picking cart  30  of the system  10  includes a front end and a rear end with two or more rotating wheels for turning in line with the direction of the stock chaser vehicle  20  and permitting easy steering of the cart as it is moved over a subjacent ground surface. 
         [0020]    The removable cart  30  includes four wheels  32 ,  36 , each of the four wheels being generally located near a corresponding one of the four corners of the cart  30 . The embodiment (seen at  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 ) illustrates swivel wheels  36  at the front end, having axle supports  35  which are mounted to swivel-type casters on opposite sides of a front portion of the cart frame for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, and two wheels  32  having axle supports which are fixedly mounted to opposite sides of the rear end of the picker cart  30 . The swivel wheels  36  facilitate steering of the cart when it is moved from one location to another. Non-steerable wheels  32  at a rear end of the cart  30  align preferably at the centerline, to the wheel means  16  at the rear end of the stock chaser vehicle  20 , and having the same centerline axis of rotation  34  while in the engaged state. Each of the wheels may include a brake mechanism (not shown) to maintain the removable picker cart  30  in a stationary state at a desired location. 
         [0021]    With reference now to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , a side elevational view of the material handling system  10  is generally shown, highlighting a coupled relationship between the stock chaser vehicle  20  and the cart  30 . During the course of a material distribution operation, an operator will typically start by engaging the cart  30  and stock chaser vehicle  20  by aligning the front end of the vehicle  20  with the rear end of the cart  30 , pushing the cart  30  full straddle position over the stock chaser  20 , and then securing the cart  30  to the vehicle  20  utilizing an engagement or coupling means  60 . This arrangement provides essentially a single travel footprint for the cart and vehicle. 
         [0022]    The engagement mean  60  components are located at the front ends of both the cart  30  and the chaser vehicle  20 , and may include a pin securely attached to the cart  30  sized to fit securely into a related bore, or other hitch mechanism. The pin may be tapered, completely rounded, or possess any other mating geometry, as would be understood by one skilled in the art. In the present described disclosure, the coupling means  60  is shown as a 1″ diameter generally L-shaped pin inserted through a related bore, as seen in  FIG. 3 , in the stock chaser vehicle  20  to securely hold the cart  30  in place during travel. 
         [0023]    As best exemplified in  FIG. 3 , when engaged, the total side-to-side clearance  50  between the removable cart  30  and the stock vehicle  20  is less than 1 inch, preferably at approximately 0.5 inches. This clearance dimension will allow the cart  30  to maintain its alignment during travel, and does not require hydraulic or expensive, advanced mechanical connections. Advantageously, the four wheels remain engaged with the ground, requiring no additional load to the vehicle deck  22  and allows for a single travel footprint, keeping the critical turning radius during travel throughout the often narrow warehouse distribution aisles, to a minimum. Essentially, no larger than the stock chaser vehicle&#39;s  20  footprint alone. 
         [0024]    Further, the cart portion  30  of the material handling system  10  includes an outer frame member  40 , whereby the outer frame  40  incorporates multiple shelving units  38 ,  39 , and handle portion  70 , and to which the wheel means  36 ,  32  connect. The shelving units  38 ,  39  of the cart portion  30  generally form at least one tray surface having a generally rectangular bottom and a peripheral wall attached to and extending upwardly therefrom, said peripheral wall comprising a front wall  42 , a back wall  44 , and a pair of side walls  46 . Further, the outer frame member may preferably include an enclosed side panel portion  48  between the lower two side wall rails to protect the stock chaser vehicle  20  from debris or falling articles from the cart  30 . The side panel  48  could be on one or both sides of the cart  30  as desired. As would be understood by one skilled in the art, the size or depth of the cart platforms  22  may be adjusted depending on the type of material being transported or shape and size of the parts. The disclosed assembly would be appropriate to numerous types of logistics and warehousing operations. 
         [0025]    A handle portion  70  may be attached to a front end of the cart  30  to facilitate movement of the cart  30  from an engaged state to a disengaged or released state while incorporated with the material handling system  10 . Additionally, a similar handle portion  70  may optionally be attached at a rear end. In a disengaged or released state, the handle portion may be utilized to maneuver the cart  30  manually to facilitate movement. Further, each of the wheels may include a brake mechanism (not shown) to maintain cart  30  in a stationary condition at a desired location. 
         [0026]    Turning now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , exemplary embodiments of the chaser vehicle  20  and cart portion  30  of the present disclosure are shown. The geometry and number of shelving surfaces  38 ,  39  are mere examples of the multifarious varieties available. Additionally, integrated containers or curved or magnetic racks may be used. A small stock part will lend itself to one variety of shelving unit, where as a larger or odd shaped part will lend itself to a totally different type cart shelf. All combinations of numbers or variety of shelving are contemplated with this present innovation. 
         [0027]    Once an operator has arrived at an interim or final destination, the operator or another worker working at the destination can uncouple the engagement means  60 , and use the handle  70  to remove the cart  30  from the chaser vehicle  20 . Of course, other methods for removing the cart  20  from the chaser vehicle  10  can be used, such as by independently controlling the vehicle  10  and cart  20  using limit switches, encoders, and the like with controllers, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
       INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY  
       [0028]    It will be seen that the present disclosure provides a material handling system  10  by which a removably attachable, freestanding order picking cart  30  provides an improved system of load handling and product distribution and collection. The cart  30  on which articles (not shown) are loaded or from which they are distributed operates in conjunction with low friction means carried by an associated stock chaser vehicle  20  whereby the cart  30  is automatically engaged with, coupled to and carried upon the truck without any need for hydraulic mechanisms or their mechanical lever counterparts or equivalents. Accordingly, the disclosed innovation may be seen as being an apparatus or combination for existing stock chaser or order picker vehicles to increase their productivity. However, the disclosure as defined by the appended claims is deemed to cover various modifications of the embodiments disclosed herein, according to the scope of the claims, which modifications are deemed covered as equivalent structures as will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the machine tool art. 
         [0029]    It will be appreciated that the foregoing description provides examples of the disclosed apparatus. However, it is contemplated that other implementations of the disclosure may differ in detail from the foregoing examples. All references to the disclosure or examples thereof are intended to reference the particular example being discussed at that point and are not intended to imply any limitation as to the scope of the disclosure more generally. All language of distinction and disparagement with respect to certain features is intended to indicate a lack of preference for those features, but not to exclude such from the scope of the disclosure entirely, unless otherwise indicated. 
         [0030]    Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. 
         [0031]    Accordingly, this disclosure includes all modifications and equivalents of subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the disclosure unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.