Autonomous Conveying Vehicle With Adjustable Receivers for Flexible Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing conveying systems for objects in processing plants, such as painting plants, lack flexibility and ease of transportation, particularly for vehicle bodies, as they often require complex and inflexible mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A self-driving, autonomous vehicle with a base body, chassis, drive device, and receiving elements that can accommodate and transport objects, featuring a lifting drive system for adjustable receiving elements and integrated sensors for precise positioning and environmental detection, ensuring flexible and efficient movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If complex and inflexible conveying mechanisms are used in processing plants, then objects can be transported, but flexibility and ease of transportation are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The conveying system is divided into multiple independent autonomous vehicles instead of a single complex centralized mechanism. Each vehicle operates independently with its own drive system, allowing flexible reconfiguration and adaptation to different transport needs without requiring complex interconnections between components.
Solution Approach 2:
The receiving elements are designed to be height-adjustable through lifting mechanisms, allowing the vehicles to adapt dynamically to different object sizes and positions. This dynamic adaptability enables a single vehicle design to handle multiple transport scenarios without requiring complex specialized mechanisms for each case.
2Ease of operation
If manual intervention is increased in conveying systems, then control and adjustment are improved, but safety and contamination risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous vehicles are equipped with integrated sensors, drive systems, and control mechanisms that enable them to navigate and operate independently without manual intervention. This self-service capability eliminates the need for operators to physically handle objects during transport, thereby reducing contamination risks and safety hazards while maintaining full control over the conveying process.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical control is replaced with automated sensor-based systems and electronic control mechanisms. The vehicles use sensors to detect their environment and automatically adjust their movement and positioning, substituting human-operated mechanical systems with automated ones that reduce direct human contact and associated risks.
3Adaptability or versatility
If receiving elements are fixed in position, then structural simplicity is maintained, but adaptability to different objects is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving elements incorporate lifting mechanisms that enable height adjustment, transforming fixed static structures into dynamic adjustable components. This allows the same receiving element to accommodate objects of varying sizes and positions by vertically adjusting its height, providing adaptability without requiring multiple specialized fixed structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The receiving elements are designed with multi-functionality through their height-adjustable capability, allowing a single component to serve multiple purposes across different transport scenarios. This universal design reduces the need for multiple specialized receiving structures while maintaining adaptability to various object types and dimensions.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a conveying device for conveying objects, in particular workpieces. In this case, it is provided that the conveying device comprises a separation base which has a passage area, in particular a passage slot, through which one or more receiving elements for receiving at least one object extend and/or can be guided.