Bin Lift Platform With Horizontal Adjustment for Grid Misalignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing automated storage and retrieval systems face challenges with precise alignment requirements, limited lifting mechanism robustness, and congestion issues in multi-level grid systems, leading to reduced throughput and increased maintenance costs.

Innovation Solution

A vertically movable platform with horizontal adjustment capabilities, using alignment wheels and brackets to accommodate misalignments between grid levels, and a dedicated mechanical device for container transfer between levels, separate from container handling vehicles, to enhance lifting capacity and reduce congestion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If container handling vehicles use their own lifting mechanisms to transport containers between levels, then the system maintains simplicity in vehicle design, but the lifting mechanism robustness is limited and wear on handling vehicles increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle design simplicityVSAvoidlifting mechanism robustness

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The lifting function is extracted from the container handling vehicles and placed into a dedicated vertical transport mechanism (platform and rail system). This allows the vehicles to focus on horizontal transport while the specialized lifting system handles vertical movement, improving overall system reliability and reducing wear on vehicle components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The platform is designed with horizontal adjustment capabilities that allow it to dynamically adapt to misalignments between grid levels. The platform can shift horizontally along the rails to compensate for positioning variations, ensuring smooth container transfer between levels while maintaining robust operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Measurement precision

If precise alignment is maintained between grid levels for vertical transport, then container transfer accuracy is improved, but the system becomes more sensitive to misalignment and requires higher manufacturing precision

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer transfer accuracyVSAvoidgrid level alignment precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The platform incorporates horizontal adjustment capability that allows it to dynamically compensate for misalignments between grid levels. Instead of requiring perfect static alignment, the system uses a movable platform that can shift position to accommodate variations, maintaining transfer accuracy without demanding extreme manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operational parameters of the transport mechanism by allowing horizontal movement of the platform along the rails. This parameter adjustment enables the system to adapt to alignment variations in real-time, ensuring accurate container transfer without requiring the grid levels to be manufactured with extremely tight tolerances.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If container handling vehicles directly transport containers between levels, then the system structure is simplified, but congestion occurs at port columns and throughput is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem structureVSAvoidsystem throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The vertical transport function is extracted from the container handling vehicles and assigned to a dedicated platform system. This separation allows vehicles to continue horizontal transport operations without waiting at port columns, eliminating congestion points and enabling continuous operation that increases overall system throughput.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The platform acts as an intermediary between different grid levels, providing a dedicated vertical transport channel that is separate from the horizontal vehicle routes. This intermediary system handles the bottleneck function of level-to-level transfer, allowing vehicles to bypass congestion and maintain steady workflow, thereby increasing productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Productivity

If a dedicated vertical transport mechanism is introduced, then lifting capacity and throughput are improved, but the device complexity and initial system cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem throughputVSAvoidsystem structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The platform is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides vertical transport, accommodates horizontal adjustment for alignment compensation, and can potentially service multiple port columns. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by delivering multiple benefits from a single integrated system, improving throughput while managing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3932832B1Express bin lift platform for automated storage system

Publication Date: 2025.01.01 AUTOSTORE TECHNOLOGY AS NO

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AI summary

A platform for a lift system for an automated storage system of the type where storage containers are stacked in storage columns arranged in a grid, and where automated container handling vehicles retrieve and replace containers from a top level of the grid. The platform is vertically movable adjacent to a face of the grid, arranged for receiving and transporting one or more containers and is horizontally adjustable to compensate for misaligned grids.