Article storage and retreival system having a roller door
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Solution Overview
Problem
The rising number of delivery hubs to combat package theft has led to increased costs due to the need for secure, locked bays with multiple doors and locks, necessitating a more cost-effective storage and retrieval system.
Innovation Solution
An article storage and retrieval system featuring a body with retractable roller doors, operated by a motor and controller, allowing selective access to retrieval zones via user input, reducing the need for multiple doors and locks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple secure doors with locks are installed for each storage bay, then security and access control are improved, but construction and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single roller door assembly serves multiple storage bays simultaneously. The door can be positioned to secure different combinations of bays, providing universal access control functionality that replaces multiple individual doors. This multi-functional approach maintains security while reducing the total number of door units required.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple door functions are merged into a single roller door assembly. Instead of having separate doors for each bay, the system combines access control for multiple bays into one unified door mechanism that can be positioned at different locations along the storage unit.
2Reliability
If multiple secure doors with locks are installed for each storage bay, then access control is improved, but maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The single roller door assembly provides universal access control for multiple bays, meaning there is only one door mechanism to maintain regardless of how many bays it serves. This reduces the total number of doors requiring periodic maintenance, lubrication, and potential repair.
Solution Approach 2:
Maintenance requirements for multiple individual doors are merged into a single maintenance schedule for one roller door assembly. The unified design means a single maintenance team can service the entire system rather than needing to maintain multiple separate door units.
3Ease of manufacture
If a single roller door is used instead of multiple doors, then construction and maintenance costs are reduced, but access control precision may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The roller door is designed to be dynamically positionable along the storage unit, allowing it to be precisely located at different bay boundaries as needed. This dynamic positioning capability enables a single door to provide precise access control for multiple different configurations of bays.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors and controllers that provide feedback on the door position and bay configuration. This feedback mechanism ensures that the roller door can be accurately positioned and that access control precision is maintained even though a single door serves multiple bays.
Data Source
AI summary
An article storage and retrieval system includes a body having a first side wall, a second side wall and a support surface. The support surface establishes a first article retrieval zone and a second article retrieval zone. A first door support assembly is arranged at the body. A second door support assembly arranged at the body. A roller door is mounted between the first door support assembly and the second door support assembly. The roller door includes an opening. A motor, operatively connected to one of the first door support assembly and the second door support assembly, selectively operates to shift the roller door relative to the body. A controller activates the motor to shift the roller door and selectively align the opening with one of the first article retrieval zone and the second article retrieval zone.