Autonomous Vehicle Materials Delivery System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing materials delivery and assembly systems face inefficiencies due to manual operation, repeated reconfiguration of materials, and traffic associated with delivery and storage.
Innovation Solution
A materials delivery and assembly system that includes a plurality of storage locations and autonomous vehicle transports equipped with controllers and sensors, which are communicatively coupled with a control server. The system optimizes the selection and routing of vehicle transports based on the availability, capacity, and fitness of each transport to receive and deliver assembly materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual devices such as fork lifts are used for material retrieval and storage, then operational flexibility is maintained, but labor intensity and operational efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous vehicle transports are self-propelled and self-navigating, eliminating the need for manual operators. The vehicles autonomously retrieve materials from storage locations and deliver them to assembly stations, performing the entire material handling task without human intervention while maintaining operational flexibility through programmable routing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operation (fork lifts operated by humans) with an autonomous system combining sensors, controllers, and automated navigation. The mechanical function of material retrieval and transport is maintained while substituting the human operator with an automated control system that integrates with the facility's management server.
2Quantity of substance
If materials are delivered by trucks and stored in warehouses, then bulk material delivery is achieved, but delivery traffic and storage space requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the bulk material delivery into smaller, on-demand portions. Instead of delivering all materials at once via truck and storing them in a warehouse, the system delivers materials in smaller batches directly to autonomous vehicle transports that retrieve them as needed for assembly, reducing both traffic frequency and storage space requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the delivery dimension from traditional truck-to-warehouse-to-assembly to a direct warehouse-to-autonomous-vehicle-to-assembly model. The autonomous vehicles act as intermediate collection points, eliminating the need for large centralized warehouse storage and reducing delivery traffic by enabling just-in-time material retrieval.
3Area of stationary object
If repeated reconfiguring of materials is performed to maintain available space, then storage space utilization is improved, but time consumption and operational complexity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback through the server that monitors material locations, storage capacity, and assembly station requirements in real-time. This feedback mechanism enables dynamic routing and material allocation, allowing the system to optimize storage space utilization continuously without manual reconfiguring, as the autonomous vehicles are directed to retrieve materials based on current needs and available capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic adaptability through the autonomous navigation system that can adjust routing and material retrieval priorities in real-time. Instead of static warehouse layouts requiring periodic reconfiguring, the system dynamically optimizes material flow and storage utilization based on current assembly demands, eliminating the need for time-consuming physical reconfiguring operations.
4Productivity
If autonomous vehicle transports are deployed, then productivity and automation are improved, but system complexity and initial investment worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous vehicle transports are designed as multi-functional units that can perform multiple tasks: retrieving materials from various storage locations, navigating to different assembly stations, and adapting to different material types and routes. This universality reduces the total number of vehicles needed compared to specialized systems, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The server acts as an intermediary that manages the complexity of coordinating multiple autonomous vehicles. Rather than requiring complex direct communication and coordination between vehicles, the server centralizes control, routing, and task allocation, simplifying the system architecture while enabling high-level automation and productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A delivery and assembly system includes a plurality of storage locations including assembly materials and one or more vehicle transports including a controller. The vehicle transports are configured to transport the assembly materials. A control server is communicatively coupled with the controller of the one or more vehicle transports. The control server is configured to identify an available vehicle transport from the one or more vehicle transports and is configured to determine a fitness of the available vehicle transport to receive the assembly materials. An assembly station is configured to receive the available vehicle transport including the assembly materials.