| PFLOW INDUSTRIES, INC. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20110147164 | SHOPPING CART CONVEYOR WITH GATE ASSEMBLY - A conveyor for moving a shopping cart between a first location and a second location. The conveyor including a movable conveyor that is adapted to engage and move the shopping cart along a path, and a gate assembly including a door that is movable between an open position allowing passage of the shopping cart along the path, and a closed position inhibiting passage of the shopping art along the path. The door is adapted to move from the closed position to the open position as the shopping cart approaches, and is adapted to move back to the closed position before the shopping cart has passed the door. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110014017 | STORAGE RETRIEVAL MACHINE - A storage retrieval machine comprising an input area, an array of storage locations, an output area, a carriage assembly adapted to hold a product when being transferred to and from the storage locations, and a drive mechanism positioned to move the carriage assembly. The drive mechanism includes a flexible element (e.g., a chain) tensioned between two points and having a plurality of spaced recesses, and a toothed element mounted to the carriage assembly and engaging the flexible element. Preferably, the flexible element is pre-tensioned to a certain percentage of the rated load of the flexible element (e.g., 10%, 20%, 30%, or 40% of the rated load). It is also preferred that the pre-tensioned load on the flexible element is greater than the service load that is anticipated to be applied to the chain during normal operation. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20100119338 | MULTI-LEVEL VEHICLE LIFT - A multi-level vehicle lift comprising a first platform mounted for movement between a lowered position and a raised position. A second platform is positioned below the first platform and is coupled to the first platform by a short collapsible lift member such that upward movement of the first platform above a first raised position causes upward movement of the second platform. A third platform is positioned below the second platform and coupled to the first platform by a long collapsible lift member such that upward movement of the first platform above a second raised position causes upward movement of the third platform. In another aspect of the invention, a pit is positioned below the platforms, and at least the lower-most platform is at least partially in the pit when the first platform is in the lowered position. Preferably, the pit is recessed into a ground surface, and an upper surface of the first platform is substantially flush with the ground surface when in the lowered position. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100111653 | VERTICAL LIFT WITH SYNCHRONIZER - A vertical lift including a support, a carriage that is mounted for vertical movement relative to the support, a drive system including an actuator that is coupled directly to the carriage, and a synchronizer that is coupled between the carriage and the support | 05-06-2010 |
| 20090242355 | JAM SENSOR FOR SHOPPING CART CONVEYOR - A shopping cart conveyor system is designed to shut the system down in the event that a shopping cart becomes jammed. The system includes a track operable to guide a shopping cart between a first location and a second location, and a drive assembly for moving a shopping cart along the track. The drive assembly includes engagement members movable relative to the track and operable to engage and move a shopping cart from the first location to the second location, and a drive motor (e.g., an electric motor) operable to provide movement to the engagement members. A force sensor detects a parameter (e.g., motor current) of the drive assembly corresponding with a force required to move the engagement members. A controller receives information regarding a frequency of change in the parameter and compares that information to a known value (e.g., a frequency of the engagement members). Preferably, the controller is programmed to stop the drive motor when the frequency of change of the parameter falls within a certain range of the parameter (e.g., frequency of the engagement members). | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090159402 | SHOPPING CART CONVEYOR SYSTEM WITH PIVOTING LUG - A shopping cart conveyor system that moves a shopping cart from one location to another along a path. The system includes a frame, a track coupled to the frame, and a conveyor coupled to the frame and having an engagement member (e.g., multiple engagement members) adapted to engage a shopping cart. The engagement member is movable (e.g., pivotable) relative to the track from a first position, where the engagement member will engage and move the shopping cart along the path, and a second position, where the engagement member is capable of releasing engagement of the shopping cart. Preferably, the engagement member is biased toward the first position (e.g., by a resilient member). In one embodiment, the engagement member includes an engagement surface adapted to engage the shopping cart and defining an engagement angle between the engagement surface and a reference axis parallel to the path. In this embodiment, the engagement angle is acute when the engagement member is in the first position and is obtuse when the engagement member is in the second position. | 06-25-2009 |
