Elevator Car Segmentation for Robot Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing use of autonomous robots in high-rise buildings poses operational challenges and safety concerns for elevator systems when humans and robots travel together, requiring more complex infrastructure and design adaptations to ensure safe and efficient transportation.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of an elevator car with a separate robot cab and passenger cab, featuring a coupling mechanism, robot guidance system, charging hub, and data communications hub, allows for flexible and safe transportation of autonomous robots, adapting to their specific needs without compromising human passenger safety or design constraints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If human passengers and autonomous robots travel together in the same elevator car, then the elevator system can serve both purposes with a single car, but safety concerns and design complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The elevator car is divided into two separate cabs: a passenger cab for human passengers and a robot cab for autonomous robots. Each cab has its own controller, doors, and control systems. This segmentation allows the elevator to serve both purposes independently while maintaining safety and reducing design complexity for each specific function.
2Reliability
If a separate robot cab is introduced, then safety and adaptability for robot transportation improve, but the elevator car structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The elevator car is divided into two separate cabs: a passenger cab for human passengers and a robot cab for autonomous robots. Each cab has its own controller, doors, and control systems. This segmentation allows the elevator to serve both purposes independently while maintaining safety and reducing design complexity for each specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
The passenger cab and robot cab are combined within a single elevator car structure, sharing common infrastructure such as the hoisting mechanism, guide rails, and control system. This merging allows the elevator to transport both passengers and robots simultaneously without requiring separate elevator shafts or systems.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the elevator car is designed to accommodate various robot types, then adaptability increases, but the design restrictions and safety requirements become more stringent
Solution Approach 1:
The robot cab is designed with universal features that can accommodate various types of autonomous robots. The cab includes adjustable dimensions, multiple access points, and standardized control interfaces that work with different robot platforms. This universality allows the elevator to serve multiple robot functions without requiring custom design restrictions for each robot type.
Data Source
AI summary
An elevator car comprising a passenger cab and a robot cab, the robot cab is configured to accommodate at least one autonomous robot; wherein the robot cab includes: a robot cab controller configured to receive elevator call requests from the at least one autonomous robot and a coupling mechanism configured to couple the robot cab to the passenger cab.