Flexible Curtain Support for Pallet Layer Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing apparatuses for handling palletized goods struggle with secure and efficient destacking, especially when layers include gaps or film-covered articles, and when used with robot technology that involves rapid swinging movements, which increases the risk of goods being thrown off due to centrifugal forces.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates an adjustable skirt with a two-part flexible curtain that moves inwardly along the underside of the pallet layer, supported by transverse shafts and drive motors, ensuring secure engagement and stability during swinging movements by interacting with a toothed rack system, and features inflatable squeezing pads for additional support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If robot technology with rapid swinging movements is used for moving palletized layers, then productivity and speed of handling are improved, but the reliability of securing goods on the pallet layer deteriorates due to centrifugal forces throwing goods off
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible curtain is moved inwardly along the underside of the pallet layer to a position under the middle of the suction face before the swinging movements occur, creating preliminary support that prevents goods from being thrown off during rapid robot-assisted movements
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible curtain acts as an intermediary element between the suction face and the goods on the pallet layer, providing additional support and stability during rapid swinging movements, preventing direct centrifugal forces from acting on the goods
2Device complexity
If the suction face is used alone for handling pallet layers, then device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of handling goods with gaps or film-covered articles deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible curtain serves as an intermediary that works in conjunction with the suction face to provide reliable handling of pallet layers with gaps or film-covered articles, ensuring the suction force is effectively distributed and maintained
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible curtain, made of thin film material, adapts to the contours of the goods on the pallet layer, providing uniform support and ensuring reliable handling even when articles are film-covered or there are gaps between them
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 solution enables reliable and stable handling of palletized goods with mixed types and structures, even during rapid robot-assisted movements, by maintaining a secure grip and preventing goods from being thrown off, thus enhancing the efficiency and certainty of layer-wise destacking.
Implementation Method 1
which place significantly greater demands on the suction ability in order to hold the relatively heavy and possibly open pallet layer in a secure way during swinging movements where centrifugal force actions occur
Implementation Method 2
the suction chambers via individual valves are connected with a source of vacuum incorporated in the lift head
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for handling layers of palletized goods is disclosed including a lift head with a substantially horizontal suction face sized for a pallet including downwardly open suction chambers, which via individual valves are connected to a vacuum source, incorporated in the lift head or provided externally. The suction face is movable against a top side of an upper layer of goods on a pallet. The valves are closed if the associated suction chamber is not closed downwardly by contacting the top side of the goods on the uppermost pallet layer. The lift head along the outer sides of the suction face includes a vertically adjustable skirt with inflatable squeezing pads for exerting an inwardly directed pressure on the outer sides of at least the goods in the upper pallet layer. The skirt interacts with a two-part flexible curtain at opposing ends of the suction face each of which are connected with the adjustable skirt and from each side of the suction face are moved inwardly along the underside of the lifted pallet layer to a position in the middle under the suction face so that the two-part flexible curtain is disposed at the underside of the pallet layer which is lifted and is capable of supporting the lifted pallet layer.