Material handling apparatus and method

Claim 2

1 . A material handling apparatus comprising: a material delivery configuration configured to receive and transfer materials, the configuration having a first end and a second end; a transfer configuration connected to the first end of the material delivery configuration configured to transfer materials; a movable material handling arrangement configured to receive and transfer at least one piece of material supported by the arrangement to the material delivery configuration; a computer configured to control apparatus functions; a user interface configured to accept, process and provide data to a user, the user interface connected to the computer to transfer and receive data; a clearing arrangement configured to remove material from the transfer configuration; and an enclosure configured to separate the user from the movable material handling arrangement.

Claim 3

2 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a material depository box configured to accept materials inserted by the user.

Claim 4

3 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the user interface comprises a keypad and a card reader.

Claim 5

4 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the user interface further comprises a display configured to visually output data to the user.

Claim 6

5 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising: a selection pad configured to activate the transfer configuration and the movable material handling arrangement.

Claim 7

6 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a receipt dispensing arrangement, the receipt dispensing arrangement configured to produce and provide the receipt to a user.

Claim 8

7 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the receipt dispensing arrangement comprises a printer connected to the computer and a receipt slot configured to transfer a receipt produced by the printer to a user.

Claim 9

8 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the card reader is configured to read magnetic cards.

Claim 10

9 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the display is a color display.

Claim 11

10 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is configured with a weight analyzer.

Claim 12

11 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is weather resistant to seal the transfer configuration from an outside environment.

Claim 13

12 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the enclosure is configured as a sliding door.

Claim 14

13 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the enclosure houses the user interface.

Claim 15

14 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the enclosure comprises a first panel configured to house the user interface and a second panel configured with a movable transparent door to seal the transfer configuration from an exterior environment.

Claim 16

15 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the first panel and the second panel are made of weather resistant material.

Claim 17

16 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the enclosure is configured with a light to allow identification of objects within the apparatus.

Claim 18

17 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the user interface accepts debit cards.

Claim 19

18 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the user interface accepts prepayment cards.

Claim 20

19 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer configuration and the movable material handling arrangement are configured to operate at approximately 1600 cycles per day.

Claim 21

20 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured as a touch screen.

Claim 22

21 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the printer is a thermal printer.

Claim 23

22 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the movable material handling arrangement is configured as an electric motor connected to a rail with an ADC chain, the electric motor configured to move the ADC chain to a desired configuration.

Claim 24

23 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a scanner configured to read information and interface with the computer.

Claim 25

24 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer configuration comprises a drive assembly, an idler take-up assembly and a connection between the transfer configuration and the idler take-up assembly.

Claim 26

25 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 24 , wherein the connection is a chain.

Claim 27

26 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the movable material handling arrangement further comprises: a load station configured to load clothes onto the arrangement.

Claim 28

27 . The material handling apparatus according the claim 26 , wherein the load station is further configured with an emergency stop.

Claim 29

28 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: an photo-eye configured to monitor movement of the movable material handling arrangement and provide data to the computer to allow indexing and a photo-eye reflector configured to reflect a beam of energy from the photo-eye.

Claim 30

29 . The material handling apparatus according the claim 1 , further comprising: a CCD camera configured to monitor movement of the movable material handling arrangement and provide data to the computer to allow indexing.

Claim 31

30 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising: a configuration to lock the material depository box, the configuration connected to the computer to allow activation.

Claim 32

31 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the material delivery configuration is configured as a rail.

Claim 33

32 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 31 , wherein the rail is made of metal.

Claim 34

33 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the clearing arrangement is configured as an eccentric shaped lobed cam, wherein the lobe is configured to remove materials traveling on the transfer configuration in a single direction.

Claim 35

34 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 33 , wherein the eccentric shaped lobed cam is supported by the enclosure.

Claim 36

35 . A method of moving material comprising: loading at least one piece of material onto a movable material handling arrangement; inputting information from the at least one piece of material into a computer; inputting information from a user interface; transferring the information from the user interface to the computer; processing the information from the at least one set of material and the user interface; indexing the movable material handling arrangement based upon the processed information; and transferring material from the movable material handling arrangement to a material delivery configuration, and transferring material from the material delivery configuration to a transfer configuration.

Claim 37

35 . A method of moving material comprising: loading at least one piece of material onto a movable material handling arrangement; inputting information from the at least one piece of material into a computer; inputting information from a user interface; transferring the information from the user interface to the computer; processing the information from the at least one set of material and the user interface; indexing the movable material handling arrangement based upon the processed information; and transferring material from the movable material handling arrangement to a material delivery configuration, and transferring material from the material delivery configuration to a transfer configuration.

Claim 38

36 . The method of moving material according the claim 35 , wherein the at least one set of material is clothes supported on hangers.

Claim 39

37 . The method of moving material according to claim 35 , wherein the inputting of information from a user interface comprises: entering a security code; reading a magnetic card; and verifying data on the magnetic card.

Claim 40

38 . The method of moving material according to claim 35 , further comprising: checking if material has been removed by the user; and removing material from the transfer configuration by a clearing arrangement after a predetermined time has elapsed.

Claim 41

39 . The method of moving material according to claim 38 , further comprising: printing a receipt based upon the information from the at least one set of material and the user interface.

Claim 42

40 . The method of moving material according to claim 35 , wherein the step of indexing comprises: reading data from a bar code; transferring the data from the bar code to the computer; processing the data from the bar code and the input user information; and moving the at least one set of material to a desired position.

Claim 43

41 . A material handling apparatus comprising: a material delivery configuration configured with a first end and a second end, the material delivery configuration configured to transport materials on hangers from the second end to the first end; a transfer configuration positioned at the first end of the material delivery configuration, the transfer configuration having a chain to receive the materials and transport the materials along the transfer configuration, the chain having proximity sensors configured to export data, the proximity sensors configured to detect metallic objects; a multi-speed motor driven material delivery arrangement configured to receive, support and transfer the materials on hangers, the material delivery arrangement having a rail configured to support an ADC chain, the ADC chain having rollers supporting the ADC chain and having an engagement configuration to support the material on hangers, the ADC chain further configured to have slots; a solenoid connected to a paddle configured to dislodge materials from the engagement configuration of the ADC chain, the solenoid configured to receive information to allow the solenoid to be activated; a photo-eye configured to send and receive energy through the slots of the ADC chain and transfer information external to the photo-eye, the photo-eye supported from the material delivery arrangement, the photo-eye configured to receive information to allow the photo-eye to be activated; a photo-eye reflector configured to receive and reflect the energy back to the photo-eye through the slots, the photo-eye supported from the material delivery arrangement; an enclosure configured to receive the materials from the transfer configuration, the enclosure configured to open and close around the transfer configuration through at least one motor operation; a computer configured to receive the data from the proximity sensors and the photo-eye and to the control transfer configuration, the material delivery arrangement, the solenoid and the paddle, the at least one motor of the enclosure and the photo-eye functions, the computer having a bar-code scanner configured to read information from the material on hangers and process the information to allow indexing of the materials; a user interface configured to accept, process and provide data to a user, the user interface connected to the computer to transfer and receive data, wherein the user interface has a display, a thermal printer and a magnetic card reader, the magnetic card reader configured to accept and process cards, the user interface connected to the computer to allow verification of the accepted cards; and a clearing arrangement configured to remove material from the transfer configuration, the clearing arrangement configured as an cam with a surface to dislodge materials from the transfer configuration to a bin.

Claim 44

41 . A material handling apparatus comprising: a material delivery configuration configured with a first end and a second end, the material delivery configuration configured to transport materials on hangers from the second end to the first end; a transfer configuration positioned at the first end of the material delivery configuration, the transfer configuration having a chain to receive the materials and transport the materials along the transfer configuration, the chain having proximity sensors configured to export data, the proximity sensors configured to detect metallic objects; a multi-speed motor driven material delivery arrangement configured to receive, support and transfer the materials on hangers, the material delivery arrangement having a rail configured to support an ADC chain, the ADC chain having rollers supporting the ADC chain and having an engagement configuration to support the material on hangers, the ADC chain further configured to have slots; a solenoid connected to a paddle configured to dislodge materials from the engagement configuration of the ADC chain, the solenoid configured to receive information to allow the solenoid to be activated; a photo-eye configured to send and receive energy through the slots of the ADC chain and transfer information external to the photo-eye, the photo-eye supported from the material delivery arrangement, the photo-eye configured to receive information to allow the photo-eye to be activated; a photo-eye reflector configured to receive and reflect the energy back to the photo-eye through the slots, the photo-eye supported from the material delivery arrangement; an enclosure configured to receive the materials from the transfer configuration, the enclosure configured to open and close around the transfer configuration through at least one motor operation; a computer configured to receive the data from the proximity sensors and the photo-eye and to the control transfer configuration, the material delivery arrangement, the solenoid and the paddle, the at least one motor of the enclosure and the photo-eye functions, the computer having a bar-code scanner configured to read information from the material on hangers and process the information to allow indexing of the materials; a user interface configured to accept, process and provide data to a user, the user interface connected to the computer to transfer and receive data, wherein the user interface has a display, a thermal printer and a magnetic card reader, the magnetic card reader configured to accept and process cards, the user interface connected to the computer to allow verification of the accepted cards; and a clearing arrangement configured to remove material from the transfer configuration, the clearing arrangement configured as an cam with a surface to dislodge materials from the transfer configuration to a bin.

Claim 45

42 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least on piece of material is on a hanger.

Claim 46

43 . The material handling apparatus according to claim 35 , wherein the at least one piece of material is on a hanger.