Goods Bot Payload Bed for Even Tote Filling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automated storage and retrieval systems fail to evenly distribute products within order containers, leading to inefficient use of space and handling resources.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a goods bot with an end effector configured to selectively place breakpack goods in different quadrants of a container, ensuring a more even distribution and increased fill level, thereby optimizing the number of containers required for a given order.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If conventional conveyor belt or tilting/dumping systems are used to transfer products to order containers, then the transfer process is simple and automated, but the products are not evenly distributed within the containers and fill levels are suboptimal
Solution Approach 1:
The order container is divided into multiple quadrants (first, second, third, and fourth quadrants), and the goods bot selectively places breakpack goods into different quadrants separately. This segmentation approach ensures even distribution of products throughout the container rather than allowing them to accumulate in one area, thereby improving spatial utilization and distribution uniformity while maintaining automated operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different placement strategies to different regions (quadrants) of the container based on local requirements. The goods bot selectively places goods in specific quadrants based on order requirements, ensuring that each region of the container is optimally filled according to its specific needs rather than using a uniform transfer approach throughout.
2Productivity
If products are placed loosely in order containers by automated systems, then the transfer process is efficient and fast, but the space utilization and fill levels are less than ideal
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into quadrants and the goods bot systematically fills each quadrant separately with breakpack goods. This segmented approach allows for more thorough space utilization compared to loose dumping, as goods are deliberately placed to occupy available space in each quadrant region, thereby increasing overall container fill level while maintaining automated high-speed operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The goods bot pre-plans and selectively places breakpack goods into specific quadrants before the container is considered full. This preliminary strategic placement ensures that space is optimized from the beginning of the filling process rather than allowing random loose accumulation, thereby achieving higher fill levels without sacrificing the speed of automated fulfillment.
3Manufacturing precision
If more containers are used to ensure even product distribution, then product distribution improves, but the number of containers and handling resources increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using multiple containers to achieve even distribution, this invention segments a single container into quadrants and systematically distributes goods across all quadrants within that one container. This approach achieves the same distribution uniformity benefit that would otherwise require multiple containers, thereby reducing the total number of containers needed and simplifying handling resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a single-dimensional filling approach (loading from one end) to a multi-dimensional distribution approach by utilizing all four quadrants of the container space. This dimensional expansion allows even distribution within a single container, eliminating the need for multiple containers and reducing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous logistics vehicle bot including a vehicle frame, a drive section operably connected to the vehicle frame to autonomously move the autonomous logistics vehicle bot within a facility and a payload bed disposed on the vehicle frame and arranged to stably hold goods payload units thereon transported with the autonomous logistics vehicle bot, where the payload bed has an index that indexes discrete payload holding sections separate and distinct from each other, and maps each indexed discrete payload holding section to corresponding different place locations within a common tote, where each respective discrete payload holding section is configured to contain at least one goods payload unit corresponding to the discrete payload holding section, and where the payload bed has a placement effector arranged so that, in the extended position, it displaces the corresponding goods payload unit from each indexed holding section and places it in the corresponding mapped location.