Cart Weight Determination via Cumulative Change Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cart devices for moving items within facilities lack the ability to accurately determine the weight of individual packages and track changes in weight, which is essential for precise inventory management and billing, especially in environments where packages are frequently added or removed.
Innovation Solution
A cart equipped with a mobile carriage assembly, an onboard scale, an identification reader, and processors that measure cumulative weight and determine item weight by tracking changes, with the ability to transmit data to a database for storage and tracking purposes, enabling incremental and decremental weight calculations and item attribute capture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an integral scale is provided on the cart to weigh transported items, then cumulative weight measurement is enabled, but the ability to determine individual package weights is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the measurement process by associating each package with its own weight sensor, dividing the bulk measurement into individual component measurements. This allows the system to track both cumulative weight and individual package weights simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between measuring total weight and tracking individual items.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring weight changes on the cart and automatically updating package status in the database. When weight changes are detected, the system provides feedback to identify which packages have been added or removed, enabling real-time tracking of individual package weights while maintaining cumulative weight measurement.
2Measurement precision
If manual weight tracking is used for multiple packages, then individual package identification is possible, but time-consuming operations and labor are required
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by automatically detecting package additions and removals through weight sensors, eliminating the need for manual weight tracking. Packages identify themselves through their weight contribution to the total, and the system automatically updates records without human intervention, significantly improving productivity while maintaining precise individual package tracking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical weight tracking with an automated electronic sensing system. Weight sensors and processors substitute for manual weighing operations, automatically detecting and recording individual package weights, which dramatically increases handling efficiency while maintaining measurement precision.
3Device complexity
If no weight sensing capability is provided, then the cart structure remains simple, but inventory management and billing accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the weight sensing function from the basic cart structure by adding separate weight sensors and processing systems. This modular approach maintains the simplicity of the core cart while incorporating advanced measurement capabilities, allowing the cart to perform both simple transport and precise weight determination functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system achieves multi-functionality by integrating weight sensors, processors, and database connectivity into the cart. The same cart structure serves both as a simple transport device and as a sophisticated inventory management system, enabling accurate weight determination for billing and tracking without requiring separate specialized equipment.
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 solution provides real-time visibility and accurate tracking of item weights and attributes, enhancing inventory management and billing processes by allowing for precise weight determination and data transmission, facilitating efficient operations in various applications such as parcel delivery, airports, and supply chain management.
Implementation Method 1
The onboard scale is adapted to measure a cumulative weight of the items carried by the mobile carriage assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A cart moves items within a facility, each having an identification tag. The cart includes a carriage, a scale, a reader, and processors. The scale measures a cumulative weight of the items on the carriage. The reader reads the tags of the items. The processors determine a weight for each item by a change in the cumulative weight after its transfer to or from the carriage. The weight is stored in a database in association with each item. There is also disclosed a related system and method. Preferably, the cart is located, and its location is applied to each item carried thereby to track the items within the facility.