Elevating Guide Rail Switching Device for Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional upper and lower path switching devices for transportation require high accuracy in controlling the elevating guide rail to safely transfer a traveling body between fixed guide rails, leading to increased facility costs due to the need for robust receiving members and measures to prevent suspending chains from loosening.
Innovation Solution
The device includes an elevating body supported by columnar supports, with a drive mechanism and a movable elevating guide rail that is securely stopped at the lower limit position, reducing the load-bearing requirements of receiving members and preventing chain loosening by allowing only vertical movement within a predetermined range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the elevating guide rail is fixed to the elevating body with high precision, then the transfer accuracy between guide rails is improved, but the receiving member must bear the entire load of the elevating body and guide rail, increasing facility cost
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning function is segmented between two independent systems: (1) the elevating guide rail is supported movably on the elevating body, allowing relative movement; (2) receiving members on the floor receive only the elevating guide rail at the lower limit position. This segmentation allows the receiving members to have reduced load bearing requirements while the elevating guide rail can still be accurately positioned through its movable support mechanism.
2Reliability
If the elevating body is controlled to stop with high accuracy at the lower limit position, then the transfer safety is improved, but the control system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The movable support mechanism acts as an intermediary between the elevating body and the elevating guide rail. It absorbs positioning errors and allows the elevating guide rail to self-adjust to the correct position relative to the lower fixed guide rails, eliminating the need for complex high-precision control of the elevating body itself.
3Reliability
If the receiving member is designed to bear the entire elevating control target, then the positioning reliability is improved, but the facility cost increases due to larger and heavier receiving members
Solution Approach 1:
The elevating body is extracted from the receiving target. The receiving members are designed to receive only the elevating guide rail (weight W1), not the entire elevating control target including the elevating body (weight W2 where W2 > W1). This reduces the load bearing requirement of the receiving members while maintaining positioning reliability through the movable support mechanism.
4Measurement precision
If the elevating drive means operates after the elevating body is received, then the positioning accuracy is improved, but the suspending chain loosens requiring preventive measures
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving members receive the elevating guide rail at the lower limit position before the elevating body reaches its lower limit. This preliminary action ensures that the elevating guide rail is already positioned and supported by the receiving members, eliminating the need for subsequent drive operations that would cause chain loosening.
Data Source
AI summary
An upper and lower path switching device for a traveling body for transportation has an elevating guide rail supported horizontally by an elevating body, upper fixed guide rails which are connected to the elevating guide rail at a lifted position of the elevating body, and lower fixed guide rails which are connected to the elevating guide rail at a lowered position of the elevating body. The elevating guide rail is supported movably vertically in a predetermined range with respect to the elevating body. Receiving members are provided for receiving the elevating guide rail at a level at which the elevating guide rail is connected to the lower fixed guide rails before the elevating body reaches a lower limit of an elevation path of the elevating body.