Fruit and Vegetable Package Collection with Base-Support Forks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for collecting fruit and vegetable packages from crates are inefficient and prone to damage due to the use of lighter, biodegradable materials and varying package structures, leading to difficulties in gripping and stability during removal.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus using longitudinal elements and forks to insert between packages and the crate base, allowing for stable removal and deposition without compromising package integrity, regardless of material or structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If plier elements are used to grasp packages at corners, then packages can be picked up from the crate, but packages made with biodegradable materials or lighter materials are frequently broken and damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping mechanism is divided into multiple independent gripping elements that can be positioned at different locations on the package base, allowing distributed contact pressure rather than concentrated corner gripping, thus preventing package breakage while maintaining picking capability
Solution Approach 2:
The gripping method changes from corner-based mechanical grasping to base-based support, altering the contact point and force distribution parameters to accommodate varying package materials and curvatures without causing damage
2Adaptability or versatility
If packages are made with different materials and curvatures to limit cost, then package variety increases, but plier elements have difficulty gripping packages with different curvatures
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping mechanism is designed with multiple adjustable gripping elements that can adapt to different package curvatures and materials, providing universal functionality across various package types without requiring different gripping tools for each package variation
Solution Approach 2:
The gripping elements are positioned and configured to dynamically adapt to the base surface of packages with different curvatures, allowing the mechanism to maintain effective contact and gripping capability across diverse package geometries and materials
3Productivity
If packages are arranged in ordered manner with minimal empty spaces, then crate space utilization improves, but package stability during removal is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The package group is divided into multiple sub-groups with intermediate support structures inserted between them, providing localized stability support while maintaining overall compact arrangement, thus preventing tilting during removal without sacrificing space utilization
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A method and an apparatus are disclosed for collecting a group of packages of fruit and vegetables (1) from a crate (2) comprising steps of positioning and maintaining in position a crate (2) containing a group of packages of fruit and vegetables (1); positioning a plurality of longitudinal elements (6) located at the plurality of through-slots (4) in such a way that the longitudinal elements (6a) and the through-slots (4a) are aligned to one another; inserting the longitudinal elements (6a) into the through-slots (4a) in such a way as to abut the base (5) of the group of packages of fruit and vegetables (1), moving the group of packages of fruit and vegetables (1) and the crate (2) away from one another; arranging a first plurality of forks (7) and a second plurality of forks (8) in order to move the forks in a nearing direction towards the group of packages of fruit and vegetables (1), along the first direction (D), in such a way that the forks insert between the plurality of longitudinal elements (6) and the group of packages of fruit and vegetables (1) so that the forks of the first plurality of forks (7) and of the second plurality of forks (8) receive, on the support portion (70), the group of packages of fruit and vegetables (1); moving the first plurality of forks (7) and the second plurality of forks (8) to move of the group of packages of fruit and vegetables (1) and to deposit the latter on a support plane (9); moving the first plurality of forks (7) and the second plurality of forks (8) in a moving away direction from the group of packages of fruit and vegetables (1), along the first direction (D).