Dual-Robot Conveying with Selective Shelf Layer Gripping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional manual sorting methods in logistics warehousing are labor-intensive, inefficient, and prone to errors, while existing automated systems require customized shelves and convey entire shelves, leading to low conveying efficiency and energy wastage.
Innovation Solution
A conveying system comprising a first robot that grips and places articles on a temporary buffer, and a second robot connected to the buffer, which follows the first robot, allowing selective gripping and conveying of specific storage containers or goods, improving sorting accuracy and efficiency by using a telescopic gripping apparatus with adjustable height and clamping mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the entire shelf is conveyed to the sorting station, then all goods on the shelf are delivered, but unwanted goods are also conveyed together, reducing conveying efficiency and wasting energy
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf is divided into multiple interlayers, and the gripping apparatus is configured to selectively grip only the specific interlayer containing the target article, rather than conveying the entire shelf. This segmentation allows the robot to transport only the necessary portion, improving conveying efficiency and reducing energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The gripping apparatus extracts and conveys only the specific interlayer containing the target article from the shelf, leaving other interlayers behind. This extraction principle eliminates the transportation of unwanted goods, directly addressing the problem of low conveying efficiency and energy wastage.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the gripping height is fixed, then the structure is simple, but the robot can only grip articles at a specific height, reducing adaptability
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping apparatus incorporates a telescopic component that can dynamically adjust its length, allowing the gripping height to be varied according to the position of the target article on different interlayers. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the robot to access articles at any height while maintaining a relatively compact base structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The telescopic component uses a nested structure where one telescopic rod is inserted inside another, allowing the gripping apparatus to extend or retract as needed. This nesting principle provides height adjustability without significantly increasing the overall structural complexity when not in use.
3Productivity
If a single robot performs both gripping and conveying, then the system is simple, but the sorting accuracy and efficiency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two specialized robots: a first robot responsible for gripping operations and a second robot responsible for conveying operations. This functional segmentation allows each robot to be optimized for its specific task, improving sorting accuracy and efficiency while maintaining manageable system complexity through clear division of labor.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable temporary buffer apparatus serves as an intermediary between the first robot (gripping) and the sorting station. The first robot places the gripped interlayer onto this buffer, which then transfers it to the second robot for conveying. This intermediary mechanism enables efficient task distribution between the two robots.
Data Source
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AI summary
A robot, comprising: a locomotion apparatus (101), the locomotion apparatus (101) automatically advancing to a preset location on the basis of a locomotion path received by a conveying device; a body (102), the body (102) being used for supporting an article gripping apparatus (104); an accommodating apparatus (103), the accommodating apparatus (103) being connected to the body (102) and being capable of sliding, the accommodating apparatus (103) comprising a plurality of accommodating positions (1031), the accommodating positions (1031) being vertically stacked layers, one layer being capable of accommodating at least one target article; the article gripping apparatus (104), the article gripping apparatus (104) being arranged on the body (102), the article gripping apparatus (104), on the basis of a conveying task received by the conveying device, gripping a target article from within an article storage apparatus and automatically placing the target article in an accommodating position (1031) of the accommodating apparatus (103), or gripping a target article from within an accommodating position (1031) of the accommodating apparatus (103) and automatically placing the target article in an article storage apparatus. Also provided are a conveying system and a conveying method.