Ceiling-Suspended Storage Rack for Floor Space Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing article transport facilities have low storage efficiency due to the lack of vertical storage locations, and installing article holding racks on the floor requires strong flooring and occupies space that could be used for other purposes.
Innovation Solution
An article transport facility with a storage rack suspended from the ceiling, featuring multiple vertical levels of storage locations and a for-rack transport device that can move articles between these levels, allowing efficient storage and retrieval without occupying floor space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If storage racks are installed on the floor, then the structure is simple and easy to install, but the floor area is occupied and cannot be used for other purposes
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system transitions from floor-based horizontal arrangement to ceiling-suspended vertical arrangement. Storage racks are hung from the ceiling using suspension structures, moving the storage function from the horizontal plane to the vertical dimension, thereby freeing up floor space for other uses while maintaining storage capacity.
2Ease of manufacture
If storage racks are installed on the floor, then installation is straightforward, but the floor must have sufficient structural strength
Solution Approach 1:
The load-bearing function is transferred from the floor to the ceiling structure. By suspending storage racks from the ceiling, the system eliminates the need for floor structures to support storage loads, reducing requirements for floor structural strength while maintaining installation simplicity through suspension mechanisms.
3Device complexity
If storage locations are arranged only horizontally, then the structure is simple, but storage efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The storage arrangement incorporates vertical levels in addition to horizontal positioning. Multiple tiers or levels are created within the suspended storage racks, allowing articles to be stored at different heights. This three-dimensional arrangement significantly increases storage density and efficiency without proportionally increasing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Storage locations are arranged in nested or hierarchical levels within the suspended rack structure. Upper and lower storage tiers are vertically stacked, with each level containing multiple horizontal storage positions. This nested arrangement maximizes space utilization by filling vertical space that would otherwise be empty.
4Quantity of substance
If multiple vertical levels of storage are implemented, then storage capacity increases, but the system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system is divided into modular rack units, each containing standardized storage locations at different vertical levels. These modular units can be independently suspended and configured, allowing storage capacity to be increased by adding more modules rather than designing a single complex structure. This segmentation manages complexity through standardization and modularity.
Solution Approach 2:
The suspended rack structure is designed with universal components that serve multiple functions: the same suspension mechanism supports all rack levels, standardized shelving units provide both structural support and storage surfaces, and access mechanisms can serve multiple storage locations. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity while maintaining high storage capacity.
Data Source
AI summary
An article transport facility includes an article transport vehicle, a storage rack configured to store articles, and a for-rack transport device. The article transport vehicle is configured to travel along one or more rails suspended from, and supported by, a ceiling. The storage rack is suspended from, and supported by, the ceiling. The for-rack transport device is located on an opposite side from the one or more rails with respect to the storage rack. With at least one level of the plurality of levels in at least one of the one or more vertical rows of storage locations being each designated as a carrying-in-or-out level in a corresponding vertical row, and with at least one level of the plurality of levels in at least one of the one or more vertical rows that is not a carrying-in-or-out level being each designated as a storage level in a corresponding vertical row, the article transport vehicle is configured to be capable of transferring an article to any storage location at any carrying-in-or-out level in any of the one or more vertical rows, and is configured to be incapable of transferring an article to any storage location at any storage level in any of the one or more vertical rows.