Goods Elevator Slide Mechanism for Automatic Warehouse Loading

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Solution Overview

Problem

In automatic warehouses, especially those with high throughput, efficiently handling and sorting goods of different shapes and sizes in an unordered manner is challenging, particularly when manual input is required, leading to safety risks and inefficiencies in filling storage channels.

Innovation Solution

A goods elevator system with a car and car guide that includes a slide mechanism to control the loading of goods into the elevator car, preventing tilting and allowing for automatic operation, and a second slide for unloading, enabling efficient handling and sorting of goods by guiding them into the elevator car and handling device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If manual input of goods is used in transfer devices, then flexibility in handling different goods types is maintained, but safety risks increase and operational efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility in handling different goods typesVSAvoidsafety risks
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables automatic goods input where the conveyor device and elevator car work autonomously to transfer goods without manual intervention. The slide mechanism automatically guides goods from the conveyor onto the elevator car floor, eliminating the need for operators to manually place goods and thereby removing safety risks associated with manual handling while maintaining the ability to handle various goods types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The slide acts as an intermediary mechanism between the conveyor device and the elevator car. It mediates the transfer of goods by guiding them from the conveyor belt onto the elevator car floor, enabling automatic transfer without direct manual handling while preserving flexibility in accommodating different goods configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If manual input of goods is used in transfer devices, then flexibility in handling different goods types is maintained, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility in handling different goods typesVSAvoidoperational efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The automatic transfer system operates without manual intervention, with the conveyor device continuously feeding goods that are automatically guided by the slide onto the elevator car. This self-service operation eliminates idle time between manual loading cycles and maintains continuous throughput, significantly improving productivity while handling various goods types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system ensures continuous operation by having the conveyor device constantly supply goods that are immediately transferred via the slide mechanism to the elevator car. This eliminates interruptions and waiting periods associated with manual loading, maintaining uninterrupted goods flow and maximizing operational efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Adaptability or versatility

If goods are loaded manually into elevator cars, then adaptability to different goods configurations is maintained, but time consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to different goods configurationsVSAvoidtime consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The slide mechanism automatically performs the loading function by guiding goods from the conveyor onto the elevator car floor without manual intervention. This eliminates the time required for operators to manually place each good, reducing loading time while the system remains adaptable to different goods configurations through the slide's guiding geometry.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The slide mechanism is pre-positioned and configured to guide goods of various types and configurations onto the elevator car. This preliminary arrangement of the guiding structure allows automatic adaptation to different goods without requiring manual adjustment or intervention during the loading process, thereby reducing time consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

The system ensures safe and efficient handling of goods by preventing tilting and allowing for automatic operation, reducing manual labor and improving the speed of filling storage channels, especially in high-throughput environments.

Implementation Method 1

a slide (215) is arranged at an opening (213) in the car guide (203), via which goods (200) arranged on the conveyor device (145) can be pushed into the car (217) positioned in a first end position

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP3353100B1Goods elevator for a goods transfer device of an automatic warehouse
Publication Date: 2022.02.23 GEBR WILLACH
  • EP3353100B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3353100B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3353100B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a goods elevator (201) for a goods transfer device (110) of an automatic warehouse (100) for receiving goods from a conveyor device (145) of the goods transfer device (110) and transferring the goods to a goods transfer device (110) handling device (301) arranged preferably above the conveyor device (145), comprising an elevator car (217) with an elevator car base (219) for transporting the goods and comprising an elevator car guide (203). According to the invention, a slide (215) is arranged at an opening (213) in the elevator car guide (203), and goods arranged on the conveyor device (145) can be slid into the elevator car (217) positioned in a first end position via the slide.