Dynamic Shield Gate for Flexible Article Transport and Radio Wave Leakage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing article transport facilities struggle to stably transport flexible or irregularly shaped items across gaps in the transport path while maintaining effective wireless communication with attached electronic tags, as these items may fall or become unstable due to large gaps or hard outer jackets.
Innovation Solution
The facility employs a transport device with intra- and extra-area units and shield gates that adjust gap sizes and states to stabilize transport and minimize radio wave leakage, using movable units and shield gates to manage the transport path and communication area boundaries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If gap regions are formed between the conveyor line and the transport mechanism to shield openings, then radio wave leakage is suppressed, but articles with flexibility may fall in the gap regions making stable transport difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The shield gate is configured to move dynamically between open and closed states. During article transport, the shield gate opens to eliminate gap regions and ensure stable transport of flexible articles. During non-transport periods, the shield gate closes to shield the opening and suppress radio wave leakage. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between transport stability and radio wave shielding.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield gate operates periodically, opening during transport periods and closing during non-transport periods. This periodic action allows the system to alternately prioritize transport stability and radio wave shielding based on operational requirements, effectively resolving the contradiction between these two opposing requirements.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the gap region length is increased to allow shield gate movement, then the shield gate can properly shield the opening, but flexible articles may become unstable during transport
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the shield gate position based on transport requirements. During transport, the shield gate opens regardless of the gap region length, ensuring flexible articles remain stable. During non-transport periods, the shield gate closes to shield the opening. The gap region length is designed to accommodate the shield gate's closed position while not interfering with transport stability when the gate is open.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the shield gate is kept closed to suppress radio wave leakage, then communication effectiveness is improved, but articles cannot be transported through the opening
Solution Approach 1:
The shield gate operates periodically, closing during non-transport periods to suppress radio wave leakage and opening during transport periods to allow article passage. This periodic operation resolves the contradiction by alternating between the two opposing requirements based on the operational phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield gate closes in advance during non-transport periods to suppress radio wave leakage before transport begins. When transport is required, the shield gate opens in advance to allow smooth article passage. This preliminary action ensures that the appropriate state is established before the corresponding operation begins.
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
This configuration allows stable transport of flexible articles and maintains effective communication by adjusting gap sizes and states to ensure secure passage and reduced radio wave leakage, enhancing the facility's operational stability and communication efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a communication device that is installed in a communication area set at a part of a transport path along which the target article is transported, and that includes a wireless radio that wirelessly communicates with the electronic tag
Implementation Method 2
a shield wall installed surrounding the communication area and having at least one opening at a portion thereof corresponding to the transport path; and at least one shield gate that exposes and shields the at least one opening, thus suppressing leakage of radio waves between the inside and the outside of the IC tag reader covering unit (30)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A shield gate (22) includes a door member that is disposed in a gap region (G) located between an intra-area transport unit (10) and an extra-area transport unit (11) in a transport direction (X) in a closed state in which the shield gate (22) shields an opening (211), and is disposed at a position displaced from the gap region (G) in an open state in which the shield gate (22) opens the opening (211). Assuming that a second interval is a length of the gap region (G) that allows the door member (221) to be disposed, during at least a part of a non-transport period, the length of the gap region (G) is set to be greater than or equal to the second interval, and the shield gate (22) is in the closed state, and, during the transport period, the shield gate (22) is in the open state, and the length of the gap region (G) is set to a first interval that is shorter than the second interval.