Container Restacking Layout to Preserve Vertical Transfer Order
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container handling apparatuses face issues with the reversal of the vertical order of containers during transfer processes, leading to disrupted measuring or transplanting sequences, either due to compact design requiring stacking or large footprint necessitating linear placement.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that transfers containers from a multi-stack placement section to a measuring apparatus, maintaining the vertical order by sequential placement on top or bottom, and using a temporary placement section to re-stack containers in the original order, with a control circuit managing the transfer process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If containers are stacked vertically in a compact placement section, then the apparatus size is reduced, but the vertical order of containers becomes reversed during transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The placement section is divided into a first placement section for initial stacking and a second placement section for re-stacking. This segmentation allows the system to maintain compact vertical stacking while separating the functions of initial placement and order restoration, thereby resolving the contradiction between compact size and order maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
When containers are transferred from the first placement section to the measuring apparatus, they are taken out from the top and disposed on the top of the second placement section, causing the vertical order to reverse. This intentional reversal is then corrected by transferring containers back from the second to the first placement section in reverse sequence, restoring the original order.
2Ease of operation
If containers are placed in linear rows on a tray, then the container order is maintained, but the apparatus size becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from linear horizontal placement to vertical stacking by utilizing the vertical dimension. Containers are stacked vertically in both the first and second placement sections, allowing multiple containers to occupy a compact vertical space while maintaining order through controlled transfer sequences between the two sections.
3Productivity
If containers are transferred sequentially from top of stack, then transfer speed is fast, but the measuring process order becomes reversed
Solution Approach 1:
The second placement section serves as an intermediary buffer between the first placement section and the measuring apparatus. Containers are transferred from the first to the second placement section in reverse order, then measured in the correct sequence, allowing fast sequential transfer while maintaining proper measuring order through the intermediary buffer.
Data Source
AI summary
In a container handling method, at a predetermined timing after having taken out the last container of a multi-stack of containers in a placement section, the last container is initially disposed in a separately predetermined location; thereafter, one container at a time is taken out from the top of a multi-stack of containers in a predetermined location and the container is disposed sequentially on the top in the separately predetermined location to form a multi-stack of containers, or one container at a time is taken out from the bottom of a multi-stack of containers in a predetermined location and the container is disposed sequentially on the bottom in the separately predetermined location to form a multi-stack of containers. By this re-stacking process, the vertical order of the containers in the multi-stack of containers returns to the original order to prevent the reversing of the order of a multi-stack of containers.