Coupled Gripping Unit on Conveyor for Box Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for handling objects, such as cardboard boxes, have low throughput due to the need for a robot arm to manually position and release objects on a conveyor, making the handling process inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A device with a conveyor apparatus and a gripping apparatus where the gripping unit is coupled to the conveyor element, allowing the gripping unit to move with the conveyor and directly arrange objects on the conveyor without the need for a robot arm, thereby increasing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a robot arm is used to position and release objects on the conveyor, then the device can handle objects flexibly, but the throughput is low and efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping unit is merged with the conveyor element by coupling it to the circulating conveyor element. This integration eliminates the separate robot arm positioning step, as the gripping unit automatically moves with the conveyor element to transport objects directly to the release point, thereby increasing throughput and reducing time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The circulating conveyor element continuously transports the gripping unit with the gripped object along its path. This continuous motion eliminates idle time between gripping and releasing operations, maintaining uninterrupted useful action and improving overall productivity compared to discrete robot arm movements.
2Productivity
If a robot arm manually positions objects on the conveyor, then precise placement can be achieved, but the handling process becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The robot arm positioning system is extracted and removed from the device. Instead of using a complex robot arm, the invention utilizes the simpler circulating conveyor element to transport the gripping unit, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining handling efficiency through the continuous conveyor mechanism.
3Ease of operation
If the gripping unit is stationary relative to the conveyor, then the structure is simpler, but the object cannot be transported along the conveyor
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping unit is merged with the conveyor element through a coupling mechanism that connects them. This merging allows the gripping unit to move together with the circulating conveyor element, enabling easy object transport along the conveyor while the coupling mechanism provides the necessary connection without excessive complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A device is provided (10) for handling objects (12), in particular cardboard boxes (12), comprising a conveyor apparatus (14) which comprises at least one continuous conveyor (16), the continuous conveyor (16) comprising at least one circulating conveyor element (18) which can be driven by a drive unit (24) in at least one running direction (26), and comprising a gripping apparatus (32) which comprises at least one gripping unit (34), the gripping unit (34) being designed to grip at least one object (12) and to arrange the gripped object (12) on the continuous conveyor (16), in particular on the conveyor element (18), characterized in that the gripping unit (34) is coupled to the conveyor element (18) in such a way that it is moved together with the conveyor element (18) in the running direction (26).