Vertical Container Magazine Lanes for Automated Workstation Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing material handling processes for storing, sorting, and delivering containers within facilities are manual, time-consuming, and expensive, necessitating the need for reliable and efficient automated systems.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of automated container accumulation and delivery systems that include a magazine body with magazine lanes for vertical storage and release, a slide for controlled movement, and a workstation for processing, utilizing actuation mechanisms and sensors for efficient container handling and delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual processes are used for receipt, storage, sortation, transport, accumulation, and delivery of containers, then operational flexibility is maintained, but time consumption and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automated self-service container handling through magazine bodies that automatically store, retrieve, and deliver containers to workstations without manual intervention. The magazine lanes and actuation mechanisms work autonomously to accumulate and deliver containers based on system demands.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical operations are replaced with an automated control system that coordinates magazine bodies, actuation mechanisms, and slides. The control system substitutes human-operated mechanical processes with automated control logic, sensors, and actuated mechanical components.
2Extent of automation
If manual container handling is used, then system simplicity is maintained, but labor costs and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The automated system is segmented into modular components: magazine bodies with multiple lanes, individual actuation mechanisms for each lane, slides for container movement, and workstations. This segmentation allows independent operation and maintenance of each component while achieving overall automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The magazine bodies serve multiple functions: storing containers vertically, accumulating containers in lanes, delivering containers to workstations, and integrating with control systems. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate systems for each operation.
3Volume of moving object
If vertical magazine storage is implemented, then space utilization improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from horizontal container storage to vertical magazine lanes, utilizing the vertical dimension for storage. Containers are stacked vertically in magazine lanes and accessed through actuation mechanisms that move containers along the vertical lane structure.
Data Source
AI summary
Automated container accumulation and delivery systems and methods may include a magazine body, a slide, and a workstation. The magazine body may receive and store a plurality of containers in vertical magazine lanes. Upon request, a container may be released from a lowest position of a magazine lane, and the slide may guide the released container to the workstation for processing. In addition, remaining containers within the magazine lane from which the container was released may be moved or indexed downward in order to prepare another container for release from the lowest position of the magazine lane responsive to a subsequent request.