Article Storage Facility Transfer Mode for Faster Behind-Article Unloading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing article storage facilities face inefficiencies when unloading an article stored behind another article, as the process involves returning the second article to its storage location before unloading the first, increasing the overall time required for unloading.
Innovation Solution
A control device switches the transport device to a specific transfer mode when unloading an article behind another, allowing the transport device to temporarily place the second article near the relay section and efficiently transfer both articles in sequence, reducing travel time to the relay section.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the conventional method of unloading articles is used (removing the second article and returning it to storage before unloading the first article), then the storage rack structure is simple and easy to operate, but the time required to unload the first article increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dynamic control mode switchable between conventional mode and specific transfer mode. The control device dynamically adjusts the transport device's operation based on the arrangement of articles in the storage rack, enabling the system to adapt between standard procedures and optimized procedures for reducing unloading time when the first article is behind the second article.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the transport device by introducing a specific transfer mode that modifies the sequence and location of article transfers. In this mode, the transport device transfers the first article directly to the relay section without first removing the second article, thereby changing the standard operational parameters to reduce unloading time.
2Productivity
If the transport device transfers the first article directly to the relay section without removing the second article first, then the unloading time is reduced, but the complexity of controlling the transport device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control device performs preliminary detection of the article arrangement in the storage rack before initiating the transfer process. By pre-identifying whether the first article is behind the second article, the system can prepare the appropriate transfer mode in advance, reducing the need for complex real-time decision-making during the actual transfer operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device uses feedback information about the article arrangement in the storage rack to determine which transfer mode to activate. This feedback mechanism allows the system to automatically select the appropriate operation sequence based on the current state, simplifying the control logic by using predetermined responses to detected conditions.
3Quantity of substance
If the transport device uses multiple transfer devices arranged in the width direction, then the capacity to transfer articles is improved, but the control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transport device is segmented into multiple transfer devices arranged in the width direction, with each transfer device responsible for transferring articles at specific locations. This segmentation allows the system to handle multiple articles simultaneously at different positions, improving overall transfer capacity while maintaining manageable control through division of labor among the transfer devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The multiple transfer devices are designed with universal functionality to handle both the first article and the second article at different locations. Each transfer device can operate in various modes depending on the article arrangement, allowing the system to maintain high capacity while reducing control complexity through multi-functional design.
Data Source
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AI summary
A specific transfer mode is a mode for causing a transport device to execute a first transfer operation, a travel operation, and a second transfer operation in this order. The first transfer operation is an operation of transferring a second article from a storage region to the transport device with use of a second transfer device, and thereafter transferring a first article from the storage region to the transport device with use of a first transfer device. The travel operation is an operation of traveling to a position corresponding to a boundary between a relay section and a temporary placement region while holding the first article and the second article. The second transfer operation is an operation of transferring the first article from the transport device to the relay section with use of the first transfer device, and transferring the second article from the transport device to the temporary placement region with use of the second transfer device.