Patent ID: 7229110

Claim:
A device for unloading a rack storing containers, wherein: the rack has a front space storing a first front container and a rear space storing a second rearwardly positioned container; the device comprises a robotic arm coupled to a frame having first and second gripping heads capable of gripping the neck of the first front positioned container and the second rearwardly positioned container; wherein the first gripping head is capable of displacement from a proximal position to a distal position relative to the frame to reach through the front space into the rear space for gripping the rear container and further wherein the second gripping head remains stationary in spatial relation to the frame, during all phases of operation; and a shoulder support structure coupled to the second gripping head for contacting a shoulder portion of the first front positioned and second rearwardly positioned containers to support a weight of the containers while the container is being gripped by the second gripping head.