Adjustable Fork Arms for Multi-Size Box Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the warehousing industry, carrying robots have a low utilization rate and high carrying costs due to their inability to adapt to boxes of different sizes, leading to inefficiencies and increased operational expenses.
Innovation Solution
A carrying robot equipped with a movable chassis, a cargo carrying apparatus featuring adjustable fork arms and a telescopic mechanism, allowing for precise spacing adjustment and height adjustment to accommodate boxes of various specifications, along with a control device that executes a method to match the robot's configuration with the box dimensions and position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If different carrying robots are configured for different sizes of boxes, then the carrying robot can handle various box specifications, but the utilization rate of the carrying robots is reduced and the carrying cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cargo carrying apparatus incorporates adjustable fork arms with spacing adjustment mechanisms and telescopic mechanisms that enable dynamic reconfiguration of the carrying structure. The fork arms can adjust their spacing and extend/retract to match different box dimensions, allowing a single robot to adapt to various box specifications without requiring multiple specialized robots, thereby maintaining high utilization rates while handling diverse cargo sizes
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the cargo carrying apparatus by adjusting the spacing between fork arms and the extension length of the telescopic mechanism. These parameter adjustments allow the same robot to accommodate boxes of different sizes and specifications, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and productivity by enabling one robot to perform multiple carrying tasks efficiently
2Adaptability or versatility
If different carrying robots are configured for different sizes of boxes, then the carrying robot can handle various box specifications, but the carrying cost of boxes is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The cargo carrying apparatus is designed as a universal system that can handle multiple box specifications through its adjustable and telescopic components. This multi-functionality eliminates the need to deploy multiple specialized robots for different box sizes, reducing the overall quantity of robots required and thereby lowering carrying costs while maintaining the ability to handle various box specifications
3Device complexity
If the spacing between fork arms is fixed, then the structure is simple, but the robot cannot adapt to boxes of different specifications
Solution Approach 1:
The fork arm spacing is made dynamic through the spacing adjustment mechanism, which allows the distance between fork arms to be changed based on the box width. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the robot to adapt to different box specifications while adding only moderate structural complexity, resolving the contradiction between simple structure and adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The telescopic mechanism employs a nested structure where inner components are housed within outer components, allowing the fork arms to extend and retract in a space-efficient manner. This nesting approach enables adaptability to different box sizes while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity and maintaining a compact design
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a carrying robot, a carrying control method, a control device and a warehouse system. The carrying robot is applicable to a carrying scenario where boxes with at least two specifications are placed on a shelf and includes a cargo carrying apparatus. The cargo carrying apparatus includes a bottom pallet, a spacing adjustment mechanism and a first fork arm and a second fork arm which are disposed opposite to each other. The first fork arm and the second fork arm are disposed on two opposite sides of the bottom pallet, respectively. The carrying control method includes: controlling the spacing adjustment mechanism to adjust spacing between the first fork arm and the second fork arm; and controlling the cargo carrying apparatus to work and carry the box to be carried to the bottom pallet.