Cooperating Shuttle Picking Mechanism for Rack Aisles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shuttle racking systems face inefficiencies in order picking due to the need for multi-axis gripper robots that increase system complexity, weight, and operational restrictions, leading to lower picking performance and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
Implement a two-axis gripping unit on cooperating shuttles within the racking aisle, allowing products to be picked and transferred between source and collection containers without increasing shuttle height, and utilizing idle phases for in-aisle picking to reduce traffic density and optimize the picking process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a multi-axis gripper robot is mounted on the shuttle to pick products directly from the shelf, then the picking function is integrated into the shuttle, but the system complexity, weight, and operational restrictions increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the picking function from the shuttle itself and relocates it to a separate picking station. The shuttle is simplified to only perform transport functions, while the complex multi-axis gripper robot is mounted on the picking station instead. This separation resolves the contradiction by maintaining automation while reducing shuttle complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into distinct functional modules: the shuttle for transport and the picking station for product manipulation. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the shuttle remains lightweight and simple while the picking station houses the complex robotic gripper.
2Productivity
If a multi-axis gripper robot is mounted on the shuttle, then picking can be performed within the aisle, but the shuttle weight increases necessitating reinforcement of the racking system
Solution Approach 1:
The heavy multi-axis gripper robot is extracted from the shuttle and relocated to the picking station. This extraction maintains the picking function while eliminating the weight penalty from the shuttle, thus preserving both productivity and structural integrity of the racking system.
3Productivity
If the shuttle is equipped with a heavy multi-axis gripper robot, then in-aisle picking is enabled, but the operational capabilities and space for the shuttle are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The gripper robot is taken out from the shuttle and placed on the picking station, restoring full operational flexibility to the shuttle while preserving picking capability through the stationary robot at the picking station.
4Device complexity
If only a single shuttle services multiple shelf levels, then the system is simplified, but additional shuttle lifts are required increasing overall system cost
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented to allow multiple shuttles to operate independently on different shelf levels without requiring complex vertical transfer mechanisms. Each shuttle level operates autonomously with its own simplified gripper unit, eliminating the need for expensive shuttle lifts while maintaining system simplicity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances picking efficiency, reduces traffic density outside the storage block, and optimizes the picking process by allowing in-aisle picking of products with low access frequency, thereby improving overall system performance and reducing operational complexity.
Implementation Method 1
removing the product from the storage container positioned on the first shuttle with the gripping unit of the second shuttle; and delivering the removed product to the collection container
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~4A
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for picking a product according to a picking order, which preferably belongs to a group of previously collected picking orders, by means of mutually cooperating shuttles in a shuttle rack store system which comprises a rack store block and a plurality of shuttles which can be moved in a positively guided manner on different rack levels in a rack aisle defined between two rack rows, wherein the method comprises the following steps: moving a first shuttle of the cooperating shuttles in a longitudinal direction of the rack store block along the rack aisle to a rack store location in a first rack level and then (horizontally) retrieving a source container, which contains the product defined by the picking order, from the rack store location onto the first shuttle; moving a second shuttle of the cooperating shuttles in and along the rack aisle at the height of a higher-up second rack level (in an overlapping manner) over the previously lower-positioned first shuttle such that a gripping unit, which is mounted (fixedly) on the second shuttle, can remove the product from the source container, which in the meantime is positioned on the first shuttle; and transferring the product from the retrieved source container, which is positioned on the first shuttle, into a collecting container by: removing the product from the retrieved source container, which is positioned on the first shuttle, using the gripping unit of the second shuttle; and passing the removed product to the collecting container which is positioned on one of the shuttles, which is positioned lower than the second shuttle within the rack aisle (overlapping in the vertical direction), or which is positioned lower than the second shuttle at one end of the rack aisle.