Robotic Cart Docking Pins for Tight-Space Direction Changes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current robotic systems face challenges in efficiently navigating and transferring robotic carts due to limitations in robotic navigation and multi-orientation docking, particularly in tight spaces and complex environments.
Innovation Solution
A robotic cart system with retractable docking pins and a sensor-equipped robot that can detach and reattach to the cart in various orientations, allowing for efficient navigation through tight spaces and efficient cart transfer by rotating under the cart to change directions without rotating the cart itself.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the robot rotates the cart to change direction, then the cart can navigate to different locations, but the cart requires large rotation space which is unavailable in tight spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the rotation function from the cart by allowing the robot to detach, rotate independently underneath the cart, and reattach. This segmentation enables the robot to change direction without requiring the cart to rotate in place, solving the tight space navigation problem while maintaining navigation efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot acts as an intermediary between the cart and the destination. Instead of the cart directly rotating to face the destination, the robot detaches, rotates to the correct orientation, and then reattaches to guide the cart in the proper direction, enabling efficient navigation in constrained spaces.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the robot detaches and reattaches to change orientation, then the robot can navigate in tight spaces, but the docking process adds time to the workflow
Solution Approach 1:
The robot performs preliminary actions by positioning itself underneath the cart and preparing for docking before the actual orientation change is needed. The robot can rotate to the correct orientation while already positioned, reducing the time required during the critical docking phase and improving overall workflow efficiency.
3Device complexity
If the cart is designed for single-orientation docking, then the docking mechanism is simpler, but the cart cannot be efficiently picked up from various orientations
Solution Approach 1:
The docking mechanism is designed with universal compatibility to accept the robot from multiple orientations. The receptacles are positioned and oriented to accommodate the robot docking from different angles, enabling the cart to be efficiently picked up from various orientations without requiring complex orientation adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The docking receptacles are strategically positioned at specific locations and orientations on the cart to match the robot's docking interface. This asymmetric arrangement allows the robot to dock effectively from multiple orientations while maintaining a relatively simple docking mechanism structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes: a cart including: four legs; at least one shelf, each shelf attached to each of the legs; the cart having a generally rectangular shape, a width of the cart being longer than a length of the robot, a length of the cart being longer than a length of the robot; four wheels, each wheel attached to a different leg at a bottom of the leg, the wheels configured to roll to facilitate movement of the cart; and a robotic dock, the robotic dock comprising four docking receptacles at ninety degree angles from adjacent docking receptacles; and a robot comprising: a sensor; and a docking module, the docking module comprising retractable docking pins, each retractable docking pin configured, when extended upward, to mate with a corresponding docking receptacle, thereby securing the robot to a bottom shelf of the cart.