Article Transfer Vehicle With Dual-Axis Tilting Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing article transport vehicles have limited route flexibility and increased facility costs due to the need for a guide groove along the entire travel track for tilting and transferring articles, primarily allowing transfer in one direction.
Innovation Solution
An article transport vehicle with a transfer device that includes an article support unit, a linking support unit, and a drive unit, allowing the article support unit to tilt in two different directions by swinging around first and second shafts, eliminating the need for a separate tilting mechanism along the travel route and enhancing route setting freedom.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a guide groove is formed along the entire travel track to enable tilting and transfer of articles, then the tilting and transfer function is achieved, but the facility cost increases and route flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The tilting mechanism is extracted from the track infrastructure and integrated into the transport vehicle itself. The vehicle is equipped with a tilting mechanism that can tilt the article support platform in multiple directions, eliminating the need for guide grooves in the track. This allows the vehicle to transfer articles to multiple destinations without requiring complex track modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The tilting mechanism is designed to provide multi-directional tilting capability, allowing the same mechanism to transfer articles to multiple different destinations. This universal tilting mechanism replaces the need for separate guide grooves for different transfer directions, reducing facility complexity while maintaining versatility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a guide groove is formed along the entire travel track, then article tilting and transfer is enabled, but the degree of freedom in setting travel route is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The tilting function is extracted from the track system and embedded in the vehicle. This allows the track to remain simple without guide grooves, making it easier to construct and modify routes. The vehicle can independently perform tilting operations to transfer articles to various destinations along its travel path.
3Device complexity
If the transport vehicle is configured to transfer articles to one side only, then the transfer mechanism is simplified, but the transfer direction is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The tilting mechanism is designed with dynamic capability to tilt in multiple directions based on operational requirements. The mechanism can tilt forward, backward, left, and right, allowing the vehicle to transfer articles to multiple destinations. This dynamic multi-directional tilting is achieved through a coordinated system of linkages and actuators that can control the tilting motion in different directions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the transport vehicle to transfer articles in multiple directions with increased route flexibility and reduced facility costs by allowing the article support unit to tilt and slide articles in two different directions, thereby reducing the need for extensive guide grooves and infrastructure.
Implementation Method 1
the first drive unit is configured to transmit a drive force to the linking support unit to cause the linking support unit and the article support unit linked to the linking support unit to swing around the first shaft, so that the article support unit is tilted in a first tilt direction
Implementation Method 2
the second drive unit is configured to transmit a drive force to the article support unit to cause the article support unit to swing around the second shaft, so that the article support unit is tilted in a second tilt direction, which is different from the first tilt direction
Implementation Method 3
the linking support unit includes a first shaft support portion that is linked to the carriage body so as to be swingable around a first shaft that extends in the reference axis direction, the article support unit includes a second shaft support portion that is linked to the linking support unit so as to be swingable around a second shaft that extends in the reference axis direction
Data Source
AI summary
An article transport vehicle (V) includes: a carriage body (1); and a transfer device (3) that is mounted on the carriage body (1) and is configured to transfer an article. The transfer device (3) includes an article support unit (32); a linking support unit (31) that links the article support unit (32) to the carriage body (1), and a drive unit (D). The linking support unit (31) includes a first shaft support portion (311) that is linked to the carriage body (1) so as to be swingable around a first shaft (A1), the article support unit (32) includes a second shaft support portion (321) that is linked to the linking support unit (31) so as to be swingable around a second shaft (A2), and the drive unit (D) includes a first drive unit (33D) and a second drive unit (34D).