Drawer-Based Storage System for Uninterrupted Material Refilling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage systems for consumable materials like sample tube caps in automated analyzing systems face challenges in maintaining a steady supply without interrupting the process, particularly during refilling and when the container is nearly empty, as they require decoupling and manual handling.
Innovation Solution
A storage system with a movable drawer that allows refilling without interrupting the transport process, featuring a closable opening at the bottom of the drawer that automatically opens when in the first position to release material into the storage container, ensuring continuous supply and distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the storage container is decoupled from the transport device for refilling, then the storage container can be refilled, but the transport process is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system is divided into a fixed storage container and a movable drawer that can be independently operated. The drawer contains the material to be dispensed and can be refilled separately from the main storage container, allowing the transport device to continue operating while refilling occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The drawer acts as an intermediary between the transport device and the fixed storage container. It receives material from the storage container through a closable opening and can be refilled independently, mediating between the need for continuous transport and the need for periodic refilling.
2Quantity of substance
If the drawer is opened for refilling, then the storage container can be refilled, but material distribution within the container is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The drawer is extracted as a separate refillable unit from the main storage container. Material is taken out of the drawer through a controlled opening at the bottom, allowing refilling without opening the main storage container and disrupting the arranged material inside.
Solution Approach 2:
The drawer is designed to automatically distribute material through gravity when the closable opening is opened. The tapered bottom guides material toward the opening, enabling self-service refilling without manual intervention that would disrupt the main container's material arrangement.
3Volume of stationary object
If remaining material is located distant from the transport device, then storage capacity is maximized, but the transport device cannot retrieve material steadily
Solution Approach 1:
The drawer bottom is designed with a tapered curvature that guides material toward the dispensing opening. This curved surface ensures that even material stored at the far end of the drawer is gradually directed toward the transport device, maintaining steady retrieval speed while maximizing storage capacity.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage system for storing material such as sample tube caps comprises a drawer with a reservoir, the drawer being movable between a first position and a second position. A storage container is arranged below the reservoir of the drawer when the drawer is arranged in the first position. A transport device is configured to retrieve material from the storage container and to transport the material out of the storage container. Therein, the reservoir of the drawer comprises a bottom with at least one closable opening.