Article Handling Apparatus with Sensor-Based Position Calculation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional article handling apparatuses face challenges in efficiently unloading articles of various shapes stacked in a complicated manner, requiring manual intervention and struggling to accurately grip and transfer articles without damaging them or causing system complexity.
Innovation Solution
An article handling apparatus equipped with a gripper, supporting portion, and sensor system that calculates the positions of the highest and second-highest articles based on recognition data, allowing for precise movement and transfer of articles without prior registration of sizes or loading methods, using a controller to control the gripper and supporting portion for safe and reliable conveyance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a conventional article handling apparatus is used to unload articles stacked in a complicated manner, then the system structure remains simple, but it fails to accurately grip and transfer articles of various shapes without manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor performs preliminary recognition of the article stack to calculate the positions of the highest and second-highest articles before the gripping operation. This preliminary action enables the controller to plan the gripping path and force application points in advance, achieving automatic handling of complicated stacks without requiring complex real-time adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the article stack's own geometric information (detected by the sensor) to determine the gripping strategy. The highest article's position and the second-highest article's position are used to automatically identify optimal gripping points, allowing the system to adapt to various shapes and stacking configurations without manual programming or complex external control.
2Reliability
If the gripper is positioned based on recognition data without calculating article positions, then the operation is simple, but articles may be damaged or gripped incorrectly
Solution Approach 1:
The controller calculates the positions of the highest and second-highest articles based on sensor recognition data before the gripping operation. This preliminary calculation of article positions enables the system to determine optimal gripping points and forces in advance, ensuring reliable and damage-free handling without requiring complex real-time feedback control during the actual gripping process.
3Productivity
If manual intervention is used to handle articles of various shapes, then handling accuracy is maintained, but productivity decreases and human resources are difficult to secure
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically determines the gripping strategy by analyzing the geometric relationships between the highest article (position calculated from sensor data) and the second-highest article. This self-service capability allows the system to adapt to articles of various shapes and stacking configurations automatically, achieving high productivity without manual intervention while maintaining handling accuracy through intelligent position-based control.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, an article handling apparatus includes a gripper, a supporting portion, a sensor, and controller. The gripper grips an article. The supporting portion supports an article from below. The sensor recognizes a plurality of articles to generate a recognition result. The controller calculates a position of a first article located highest among the plurality of articles based on the recognition result, calculates a position of a second article located second highest in a region determined based on the position of the first article, controls movement of the gripper based on the position of the first article, and controls the movement of the supporting portion based on the position of the second article.