Dense Storage Robot Routing for Blocked Shelf Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
In densely packed mini-warehouses, self-driven robots face challenges in moving storage containers due to restricted pathways, limiting their ability to freely access and transport shelves or storage boxes, which hampers efficient storage and management.
Innovation Solution
A method and system where self-driven robots are instructed to remove blocking shelves or storage boxes to create a clear path, allowing a second robot to move target shelves or storage boxes to a workstation, utilizing a control system to navigate and coordinate the movement of robots through predefined passages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If storage containers are densely placed to save warehouse space, then storage density is improved, but the travelling passage for self-driven robots is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the warehouse into multiple work areas with different storage densities. Some areas maintain traditional layouts with adequate passages for robot movement, while other areas implement dense storage. This segmentation allows the warehouse to simultaneously achieve high storage density in certain zones while preserving robot mobility in access zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a robotic arm as an intermediary device that extends from the self-driven robot. This robotic arm enables the robot to retrieve items from densely packed storage locations without requiring direct robot access to every storage position, thus maintaining both high storage density and robot mobility.
2Area of stationary object
If storage containers are densely placed, then warehouse space is saved, but self-driven robots cannot freely move to storage container locations
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a two-dimensional floor-based navigation approach to a three-dimensional retrieval approach by equipping robots with vertical robotic arms. This allows robots to access items in densely packed vertical storage configurations without requiring horizontal passage space, effectively adding a vertical dimension to the retrieval process.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic arm enables the self-driven robot to independently retrieve items from densely packed storage locations without human assistance. The robot can autonomously navigate to storage areas, use the robotic arm to grasp and retrieve items from tight spaces, and return them to designated locations.
3Ease of operation
If traditional large warehouse layout is used for robot movement, then robot mobility is maintained, but storage density and space efficiency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of mobile robot navigation and item retrieval by integrating a robotic arm onto the self-driven robot platform. This combination allows the system to operate effectively in dense storage environments where traditional mobile robots would struggle, as the robotic arm compensates for limited mobility by enabling access to tightly packed storage locations.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are a method and device for moving an article based on dense storage, a storage medium, and a dense storage system. The method includes: upon detecting that a target shelf is blocked by at least one blocking shelf, instructing a first self-driven robot to remove the blocking shelf and/or a blocking storage box to make the target shelf not blocked by the blocking shelf or make a target storage box on the target self not blocked by the blocking storage box; instructing the first self-driven robot to carry the blocking shelf and/or the blocking storage box and perform a circular movement along a robot travelling passage; and instructing a second self-driven robot to move the target shelf from its current position to a workstation, or instructing the second self-driven robot to remove the target storage box from the target shelf and move the target storage box to the workstation.