Abstract:
A storage system comprising a plurality of shelf units movable together through a circuit attached to and moved by a flexible drive such as a chain or belt, while being guided and stabilized in orientation by a separate guide track which track followers, retained by each shelf unit, move to maintain a selected orientation of the shelves within a system support or enclosure. Each shelf unit is removable by the user from engagement of the drive and from the system enclosure permitting replacement of the shelves within the storage system without system disassembly.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to movable container storage systems and in particular, to vertically movable shelf storage systems and methods. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Frequently, loose, single, unrelated and/or random items, as well as multiple units of similar items are not stored in a container of similar units, but grouped together in an external storage unit, e.g. a shelf, box, etc. not specifically associated with any one such item to be stored. However, shelves as may be associated with furniture or even storage cabinets, e.g. filing cabinets, become filled requiring more units to adequately store the material, and finding the desired item becomes hard to manage among many similar units spread over a large floor area. 
     In many environments whether home or commercial, the loading of such shelves may vary for each system and for each shelf within a particular system. Moreover, the distribution of load within each shelf is completely arbitrary and top heavy or a high center of gravity may occur, and as a result, gravity cannot be used to define shelf orientation. The shelf system structure and operation must necessarily be easy to operate, agile in handling varying loads, and reliable. 
     Additionally, replacement of shelves with other or custom shelves may be necessary according to the users requirements, without disassembly of the storage system or unaffected shelves. 
     SUMMARY 
     The storage system according to the present invention comprises a plurality of shelf units movable together through a circuit attached to and moved by a flexible drive such as a chain or belt, while being guided and stabilized in orientation by a separate guide track which track followers, retained by each shelf unit, move to maintain a selected orientation of the shelves within a system support or enclosure. Each shelf unit is removable by the user from engagement of the drive and from the system enclosure permitting replacement of an individually selected shelf within the storage system without system disassembly. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       These and further features according to the present invention will be better understood by reading the following Detailed Description, taken together with the following figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary storage system according to the present invention showing the shelf units connected to separate drive and guide elements within an enclosure; 
         FIG. 2A  is a front elevation view of the storage system of  FIG. 1  showing shelf units, drive members and enclosure; 
         FIG. 2B  is a side elevation view of the storage system of  FIG. 1  showing shelf units, drive members and enclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of the storage system of  FIG. 1  showing shelf units, drive members, guide members and enclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is a detailed partial elevation view of a shelf unit, drive member and removable shelf retaining member; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic drawing of an exemplary circuit of shelf unit motion of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6A  is an elevation view of an exemplary bottom portion of a shelf unit guide members of the storage system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6B  is an elevation view of ann exemplary upper portion of a shelf unit guide members of the storage system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7A  is a more detailed partial plan view of exemplary guide members of the storage system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7B  is a more detailed partial elevation view of exemplary guide members of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the engagement members of  FIGS. 7A and 7B . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A simplified perspective view  50  of one embodiment according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 , comprising an enclosure or housing  52  having a front  53  and a rear  54  and oppositely facing sides  55 , and  56  (not shown) connecting the enclosure front  53  and rear  54 . The exemplary enclosure  52  shown is generally greater in height (Z direction) than depth (Y direction) or width (X direction), but is not limited to such proportions. Included in the enclosure  52  are several shelves  60 A,  60 B, etc., connected at a corresponding end to at least one drive belt or chain  70  at intervals therealong. Typically, a second drive belt or chain is provided on the other side of the shelves and correspondingly connected to each facing shelf side. The drive belt or chain  70  is movable in a closed circuit generally resembling a rectangle, but other circuit shapes may be provided according to the present invention. Typically the dimensions of the enclosure, the dimensions of the shelves and the number of shelves may be selected, and the dimensions of the corresponding tracks, belts, enclosure dimensions will be determined according to the present invention. Alternately, the available dimensions (or other parameter(s)) may be first selected and the remaining system parameters according to the present invention later determined. 
     The exemplary embodiment  50  moves the shelf units  60 A,  60 B, etc. about the chosen circuit by motion applied to the drive belt or chain  70  by a drive motor and connecting belt or chain ( 110  and  109  respectively,  FIG. 2A ) operable to move the shelf units in either direction about the circuit and optionally at a selected rate. 
     According to the present invention, the shelf units  60 A,  60 B, etc. have a desired position as they travel the circuit as provided by a track  80  separate from the suspension members and motion forces. Each shelf unit  60 A,  60 B, etc. typically includes a generally planar bottom  62  and opposing sides  64  (which engage the belt or chain  70 ), a rear  63  substantially upright from the base  62  and connected to each side  64 , and an optional to  65  generally facing the base  62  and connected to the sides  64 , and further includes a track follower member  66  near or at the upper extreme of the rear  64  and a track follower member  67  at or near the lower extreme of the rear  63 , each of which is disposed between sides  64  as viewed from the enclosure front and engage a region of the track  80 . As further described in detail below, the track is also disposed between sides  64  as viewed from the enclosure front and selectively provides limited motion in 2 directions, e.g. the depth (Y) and width (X) direction, while permitting motion in the Z direction to accommodate the circuit defined by the belt or chain  70 . After being disconnected from the drive belt or chain  70  by removal of connecting supports  72 , discussed further below, a shelf may be removed and replaced at the end of a guide track section where the followers  66 ,  67  may exit or enter. The guide track  80  further includes apertures to permit the track followers  66 ,  67 , substantially vertically aligned in this embodiment, to exit the track  80  during motions during change in direction of the shelf in the circuit, or to allow removal of the shelf from the circuit at a selected position along the circuit, e.g. a shelf loading station  76  located at height convenient to the user. 
     Front and side elevation views  50 A and  50 B are shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , respectively. The drive motor  110  and connecting belt or chain  109  engages the shelf drive chain or belt  70  typically with a common gear or pulley along the circuit of the chain or belt  70 , or may alternately engage the drive belt or chain as desired to transfer motion thereto. The enclosure  52  includes the shelf units  60 A,  60 B,  60 D,  60 E as attached along the drive belt or chain  70 . A top view  50 C of the exemplary system is shown in  FIG. 3 , wherein the shelf units  60 A,  60 B are shown connected to and spaced apart from the drive chain or belt  70  by connecting supports  72 . Furthermore, the shelf units engage portions of the guide track  80  by followers  82  attached to the rear  63  of each shelf unit  60 A,  60 B so that the position and orientation of each shelf unit  60 A,  60 B, etc., is provided by a combination of the shelf connection to the drive chain or belt by supports  72  and by followers  82  within the respective portion of the guide track  80 . 
     The removable connection of a typical shelf unit  60  to the drive chain or belt  70  is shown in  FIG. 4 , wherein a threaded member  73 , e.g. a bolt or screw, passes through the drive belt or chain  70  generally perpendicular to the direction of travel along the belt or chain  70  circuit and receives a mating threaded member extending through a hole in a side  64  of the exemplary shelf unit  60 . Moreover, the mating threaded member  74  has an region  75  of diameter larger than the region passing through the shelf unit  60  wall  64  to retain the shelf unit  60  to the drive belt or chain while permitting the shelf unit  60  freedom to rotatably pivot thereon as the point of connection with the drive chain or belt traverses the circuit. Furthermore, the shelf unit  60  is selectively removable by the user by unscrewing the mating threaded member  74  from the threaded member  73  and moving the shelf from the guide track through corresponding openings ( 71 ,  FIG. 1 ) in the guide track. 
     An embodiment  90  of a circuit of shelf movement and the corresponding guide track segments  80 A,  80 B,  80 C and  80 D and followers  82 A connected to elements  63 A of individual shelf units are shown in  FIG. 5 , wherein the track segments, e.g.  80 A and  80 A may be offset in path alignment to accommodate a corresponding offset in follower location relative to the shelf unit element  63 A. In the embodiment  90  of  FIG. 5 , multiple track segments, e.g.  80 C and  80 D, may run parallel for at least a portion of the circuit  92 . 
     Further detailed side views  100 A and  100 B the upper and lower regions of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention are shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , respectively, each having the front F and rear R regions indicated thereon, wherein exemplary shelf units  102 A,  102 B,  102 C and  102 D travel along a circuit defined by a drive belt or chain (not shown) and stabilized in orientation by shelf unit followers  106  received in exemplary guide track segments  104 A,  104 B,  104 C and  104 D which may be discrete sections or contiguous with apertures  108  permitting movement of shelf unit followers out of the channel of the guide track segment(s). Additionally, optional guide blocks  112 ,  114 ,  116 ,  118  and  119  which engage members attached to the shelf units  102 A . . .  102 D to provide further stability during corner transits where the direction of the shelf units change between vertical and horizontal. Guide pins  122  goes into the channel  113  of the guide block  112 , after which follower  106 B enters guide track section  104 D as the shelf  102 A goes down. Lower follower  106 B enters guide track section  104 A. The guide pin  122  rides the outer edge of guide block  114  as the shelf unit  102 B travels around the corner. The guide block  116  allows the guide pin  122  to pass around as the shelf goes through the corner. Additional front guide pin  124  rides the upper surface  111  of guide block  112  as the shelf unit  102 A moves horizontally, and against guide  117  in  FIG. 6B . In  FIG. 6B , the vertical portion of the guide track  104 C via an aperture  108 A. When the shelf  102 D motions become vertical, the upper follower  106 A enters the guide track  104 D while the lower follower exits the guide track  104 C horizontal portion  104 C via an aperture (or end)  108 B. The order of the above described shelf, follower and guide pin motions may be reversed with a reversal of drive belt or chain ( 70 ) motion. 
     Detailed top and elevation views of shelf unit followers engaging corresponding channels in a track portion are shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B , with the axis orientation label  170  indicating the Z-axis extends out of the plane of  FIG. 7A . A perspective view is shown in  FIG. 8 . A guide track  150  comprises a flat metal strip, aluminum U-channel  152  or equivalent, including inner spaced and opposing plastic U-channels  154 A and  154 B forming a channel (i.e.  160 ,  FIG. 8 ) into which upper and lower followers  156 A and  156 B are received. The followers  156 A and  156 B typically comprise an arm  162  holding a perpendicular pin  164  spaced apart from the shelf unit both from the rear extreme or surface (e.g.  63 A) of the shelf unit and away from the upper and lower planes, respectively, or maximum dimensions to allow the pin  164  to engage the channel  160  without obstruction from the elements or body of the shelf units. However, in embodiments where a follower engages only a horizontal guide track, that follower need be spaced only from the extreme vertical shelf dimension, and a follower that engages only a vertical guide track need only be spaced from the extreme horizontal shelf dimension. 
     Further modifications and substitutions made by one of ordinary skill in the art are within the scope of the present invention which is not limited except by the claims which follow.