Continuous Guide Configuration for Self-Propelled Cart Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing article transport facilities face challenges in reducing the weight of the transport vehicle while maintaining the ability to guide the holder to a transfer position effectively, due to complex deployment mechanisms required for sufficient stroke length and rigidity.
Innovation Solution
An article transport facility with a self-propelled cart and elevation unit, where the elevation-side guide and delivery-side guide are continuous, allowing the self-propelled cart to travel along a shared path between the elevation unit and delivery device, simplifying the guide configuration and reducing the weight of the elevation unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a complex deployment mechanism with sufficient stroke length and rigidity is provided in the transfer device, then the holder can be appropriately guided to the transfer position, but the weight of the article transport vehicle increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deployment mechanism is divided into two separate guide sections: an elevation-side guide portion provided on the elevation unit and a delivery-side guide portion provided on the delivery device. This segmentation allows each guide portion to be optimized independently, reducing the overall complexity and weight while maintaining sufficient stroke length and rigidity for accurate holder guidance to the transfer position.
2Weight of moving object
If the elevation-side guide is made simpler to reduce weight, then the weight of the article transport vehicle decreases, but the ability to guide the self-propelled cart along the entire traveling path is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The elevation-side guide and delivery-side guide are arranged to be continuous with each other when the elevation unit is positioned by the positioning portion, forming a complete guiding path. This merging of the two guide portions ensures that the self-propelled cart can be guided smoothly along the entire traveling path from the elevation unit to the delivery device, maintaining reliability while allowing each guide portion to be simplified and lightweighted independently.
Data Source
AI summary
A transfer device includes a holder that holds an article, and a self-propelled cart that supports the holder and travels. The self-propelled cart includes a wheel and a wheel drive source that drives the wheel, and the self-propelled cart travels along a traveling path provided on an elevation unit and a delivery device. The delivery device includes a positioning portion that positions the elevation unit while the elevation unit is at a transfer height, and a delivery-side guide that guides travel of the self-propelled cart along the traveling path. The elevation unit includes an elevation-side guide that guides travel of the self-propelled cart along the traveling path, and the elevation-side guide is arranged so as to be continuous with the delivery-side guide while the elevation unit is positioned by the positioning portion.