Multi-Tier Flow Racking With Elevator for Dense Vehicle Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current laundry processing systems, including both domestic and industrial setups, rely heavily on human intervention, leading to inefficiencies, increased costs, and potential contamination risks due to the need for manual handling and sorting of laundry loads.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous racking system integrated with a mobile delivery vehicle, featuring an array of flow racks, an elevator, and a controller, which enables automated loading and unloading of laundry containers without human contact, optimizing the handling and delivery of laundry through intelligent positioning and retrieval mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If human operators manually handle and sort laundry loads in laundromats and industrial services, then the process can be completed with simple equipment, but labor costs increase, processing time extends, and contamination risks arise
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the laundry handling process into discrete segments: containers are individually tracked, racks are modular units that can be independently positioned, and the elevator operates as a separate transport module. This segmentation allows automated processing while maintaining manageable system complexity through standardized, interchangeable components.
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous racking system performs self-service by automatically positioning containers on racks, transporting them via elevator, and delivering them to designated locations without human intervention. The system manages its own operations through automated control, eliminating the need for manual labor while processing laundry loads.
2Loss of time
If multiple laundry loads are processed sequentially in domestic washers and dryers, then equipment remains simple and affordable, but processing time increases and energy consumption per unit of laundry decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables continuous processing by allowing multiple laundry loads to be handled simultaneously through parallel container-rack-elevator operations. While one load is being processed, other containers can be loaded, transported, or delivered concurrently, eliminating the sequential waiting time inherent in traditional single-load processing.
Solution Approach 2:
Containers are pre-positioned on racks in advance of when they are needed, and the system prepares multiple containers simultaneously. This preliminary arrangement of laundry loads on modular racks allows for efficient batch processing and reduces overall processing time by eliminating sequential operations.
3Reliability
If human employees handle dirty laundry in industrial and laundromat services, then equipment requirements remain minimal, but contamination risks increase and employee safety concerns arise
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces automated intermediaries between the dirty laundry and human operators. Containers serve as intermediaries that can be mechanically handled by the automated racking system, eliminating direct human contact with potentially contaminated laundry while maintaining secure transport and handling throughout the process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical handling with automated mechanical systems. The autonomous racking system uses motorized pushers, elevators, and positioning mechanisms to handle containers, substituting human physical interaction with controlled mechanical operations that prevent contamination while managing system complexity through automation.
4Productivity
If containers are densely packed in the vehicle transport volume, then delivery efficiency increases, but access to specific containers for delivery becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic rack positioning where racks can be automatically moved to accessible locations via the elevator mechanism. This dynamic reconfiguration allows densely packed containers to be selectively accessed by transporting specific racks to delivery ports, maintaining both high density and operational ease through automated movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds the vertical dimension to container access by implementing an elevator that transports racks between different height levels. This dimensional addition allows dense horizontal packing while maintaining easy access through vertical movement, enabling containers to be retrieved from any position in the densely packed arrangement without disrupting other containers.
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous racking system for use with a mobile delivery vehicle includes an array of flow racks configured to receive thereon a plurality of containers each of which associated with a single customer and a plurality of pushers configured to push each one of the containers past a front end of the array. An elevator abuts the front end of the array to receive one or more containers from at least one of the array and a vehicle side access portal, and to deliver one or more containers to one or more of the plurality of flow racks from the portal. The elevator comprises a plurality of loading pushers configured to push a container off of the movable carriage and onto the array. A controller is operable communication with a plurality of pusher drives, an elevator drive motor, and one or more elevator position sensors.