Dynamic Cargo Ejection via Reverse Velocity Vector

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current sorting systems using driverless transport vehicles (AGV) face inefficiencies and potential damage during the transfer of piece goods due to friction or impact, leading to incorrect sorting, jamming, and reduced throughput, as existing methods either require the AGV to be stationary or involve sideways transfer with movement components that need to be reduced.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for gently dropping piece goods from a load handling device using a dropping device that accelerates the goods in a direction opposite to the current travel direction, eliminating the need for horizontal speed components and allowing for efficient transfer during transport, utilizing a drive device connected to the load handling device to eject goods onto a lower-level receiving device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the AGV transfers individual items while stationary, then the transfer is gentle and reliable, but the throughput is reduced due to stopping

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransfer reliabilityVSAvoidthroughput
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from static item transfer to dynamic transfer during movement. The AGV continues moving while items are transferred through a combination of its forward motion and a drop device that imparts backward velocity to items, enabling transfer without stopping the AGV and thus maintaining both reliability and throughput

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The drop device is pre-configured to impart velocity to items in the opposite direction of AGV travel before the actual transfer. This preliminary action of adding backward velocity to items allows them to be gently dropped onto the receiving device while the AGV is still moving, eliminating the need to stop

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If general cargo is transferred laterally during travel using crossbelt or tipping tray, then throughput is maintained, but friction or impact occurs causing damage

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovethroughputVSAvoidfriction and impact damage
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of transferring items laterally across belts or tipping trays (horizontal transfer), the system uses vertical drop transfer. The drop device imparts velocity to items in the opposite direction of AGV travel, causing them to fall vertically onto the receiving device. This inversion from horizontal to vertical transfer eliminates friction and impact damage while maintaining throughput

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The drop device applies a preliminary backward velocity to items before release, which counteracts the forward motion of the AGV. This preliminary anti-action in the form of opposite-direction velocity ensures items are dropped gently without horizontal speed components, preventing friction and impact damage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the AGV stops to transfer items gently, then damage is minimized, but the transport journey is interrupted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedamage to itemsVSAvoidtransport interruption
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables dynamic item transfer during AGV movement rather than requiring static transfer. The drop device combines with AGV motion to achieve gentle transfer without interruption, allowing the AGV to maintain continuous transport while items are safely delivered to the receiving device

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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

This approach ensures a gentle and efficient drop with zero horizontal velocity components, reducing the risk of damage and maintaining throughput by aligning the dropping direction vectorially opposite to the travel direction, allowing for smooth transfer without stopping the AGV and minimizing movement components.

Implementation Method 1

at least one movement component typically requires friction or impact reduction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

friction or impact reduction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectImpact force: Impact Force

Data Source

PatentEP3757045B1Ejection of a piece good from a load receiving means
Publication Date: 2023.02.22 KORBER SUPPLY CHAIN LOGISTICS GMBH
  • EP3757045B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3757045B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6
  • EP3757045B1 patent drawingFigure 7~8

AI summary

Method for dropping a piece of cargo (7) from a load-handling device (8), comprising the method steps: - carrying out a transport journey of the piece of cargo (7) on the load-handling device (8) by moving the load-handling device (8); - dropping the piece of cargo (7) by means of a drop device (4) arranged on or encompassed by the load-handling device (8), which accelerates the piece of cargo (7) during the transport journey in a drop direction (a) with a vector component opposite to the instantaneous direction of travel (v) of the load-handling device (8).