Baggage Carousel Upright Orientation for Space Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Baggage carousels often become blocked due to limited surface area, leading to delays in unloading aircraft and long waiting times for passengers, as items of baggage cannot be efficiently loaded or removed, especially with inclined surfaces and large flights.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that transport items of baggage from a flat stable position to an upright position, minimizing contact area and optimizing space on the carousel, allowing for more efficient loading and unloading by aligning the shortest side of the item with the carousel's empty places, using detection technologies to ensure stability and ergonomic alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If baggage is transported in a flat stable position on the conveying line, then transportation reliability is improved, but space utilization on the baggage carousel deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The baggage position is changed in advance before loading onto the carousel. The system performs a position change operation that transitions baggage from flat position to upright position before the loading point, so that when baggage is placed on the carousel, it occupies minimal space while maintaining transport stability throughout the conveying process
Solution Approach 2:
The physical orientation parameter of the baggage is changed from horizontal (flat) to vertical (upright). This parameter change reduces the contact area from the largest surface to the smallest surface (base area), optimizing space utilization on the carousel while the conveying system maintains reliability through controlled position changes
2Device complexity
If the baggage carousel surface area is limited, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity deteriorates due to blocking
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the orientation parameter of baggage from flat to upright position, the effective loading capacity of the carousel is doubled or tripled without increasing the physical carousel size. This allows faster baggage processing and eliminates blocking issues while maintaining simple carousel structure
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes the vertical dimension by standing baggage upright rather than laying it flat. This dimensional change transforms the space utilization from two-dimensional surface occupation to three-dimensional vertical stacking, effectively increasing capacity without expanding carousel footprint
3Quantity of substance
If a second row of baggage is loaded on inclined carousels, then capacity is increased, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficult removal
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of creating multiple rows that complicate removal, the system applies local optimization by uniformely standing all baggage upright in a single organized row. This local quality change (upright positioning) maintains easy accessibility while increasing capacity through vertical orientation rather than horizontal layering
Data Source
AI summary
A baggage conveying system and method for space-optimized filling of a baggage carousel of the system with baggage items is provided, because reclaiming of baggage is delayed if baggage carousels at airports have no more capacity. The method includes transporting an item of baggage lying in a flat, stable transport position on a first conveying line of the system; standing up the item of baggage from the transport position into an upright position, the item of baggage taking up less contact area on the system in the upright position than the transport position; placing the item of baggage onto an empty place of the baggage carousel; moving the item of baggage in the upright position on the previously empty place, which is now filled, using the baggage carousel. The capacity of the baggage carousel is drastically increased while the space required by the baggage carousel remains the same.