Carrier Vehicle Wheel Alignment for Panel Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage devices for material panels face challenges in base car-satellite car control, including vulnerable sliding contacts, complex battery charging, and impaired radio/WLAN transmissions in warehouses, leading to inefficient and unreliable operation.
Innovation Solution
A storage device with a wheel alignment system that allows carrier vehicles to maintain a constant distance and switch between base and transfer routes seamlessly, using a wheel alignment device connected to the chassis, enabling transverse and longitudinal travel, and independent energy supply via induction loops, ensuring precise synchronization and efficient material handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sliding contacts are used to supply power to satellite vehicles, then power transmission is achieved, but the contacts are fragile and unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical sliding contact system with an inductive power supply system. The base vehicle is equipped with inductive coupling elements that wirelessly transmit power to the satellite vehicles, eliminating the need for physical sliding contacts and their associated fragility and complexity issues.
2Adaptability or versatility
If battery charging stations are used to supply power to satellite vehicles, then independent operation is enabled, but the system becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The base vehicle's inductive power supply system serves multiple functions: it can charge satellite vehicles during docking, provide power during active transport operations, and enable independent operation when separated. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate charging stations while maintaining independent operation capability.
3Ease of operation
If radio and WLAN transmissions are used for control in warehouses, then communication is achieved, but transmissions are impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary communication system using induction loops embedded in the floor or walls of the warehouse. These loops act as intermediaries that transmit control signals reliably without being affected by the typical radio/WLAN interference present in warehouse environments, ensuring stable communication between control systems and vehicles.
4Productivity
If carrier vehicles move one behind the other on the base track, then sequential transport is achieved, but synchronization control is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system that continuously monitors the positions and speeds of carrier vehicles. The control system adjusts the movement of each vehicle based on real-time feedback from sensors, enabling precise synchronization and maintaining optimal distances between vehicles during sequential transport operations.
5Adaptability or versatility
If wheel alignment device is used to switch between base and transfer routes, then flexible routing is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic wheel alignment system that can automatically adjust wheel orientations based on the required route. The system uses movable wheel assemblies that can be repositioned and realigned during operation, enabling the vehicles to switch between base track and transfer track routes flexibly without requiring complex fixed alignment mechanisms.
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
The solution provides flexible and efficient material handling by maintaining constant distances between carrier vehicles, allowing them to operate independently and synchronously, reducing the risk of material displacement and improving energy efficiency, while simplifying control and construction.
Implementation Method 1
independent energy supply via induction loops
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The invention relates to a storage device for material panels (2) comprising a) at least one rail-bound base travel path (3) with at least one pair of rails (3.1, 3.2) and at least one rail-bound transfer path (4) leading to panel storage racks (7) with at least two pairs of rails (4.1, 4.2), wherein the pair of rails of a base travel path (3) and the pairs of rails of a transfer path (4) meet at substantially right angles, b) at least one transport device (5) comprising two carrier vehicles (6.1, 6.2) with their own drive (19, 20), which can be synchronized to maintain a constant distance (A1, A2) to each other during transport and which are capable of jointly receiving the material panels (2) to be transported, and c) one on each of the carrier vehicles (6.1, 6.2).2) an existing, also synchronizable lifting device (25) by means of which material plates (2) can be picked up and placed on the plate support racks (7) in the storage device. In order to improve the storage device compared to the prior art, it is provided that the transport device (5) can be moved by means of a wheel alignment device (10) both on a basic travel path (3) and on a transfer path (4), such that the carrier vehicles (6.1, 6.2) can be moved one behind the other at a constant distance (A1) on the basic travel path (3) and parallel to each other at the same height at a uniform distance (A2) on the transfer paths (4). The invention further relates to a method for operating such a storage device.