Picking Gripper Alignment Sensing for Deflected Shelf Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing picking devices for small piece goods, such as pharmaceutical packages and food supplement packages, face issues with shelves becoming deflected due to uneven weight distribution, leading to misalignment between the gripper and the shelf, which can cause packages to get stuck during storage or dispensing, necessitating corrective adjustments only after failed attempts.
Innovation Solution
A gripper with a sensor device having multiple detection regions along the Z-axis is integrated to determine misalignment before storage or dispensing, allowing for real-time correction of the gripper's position to ensure accurate movement of packages without errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the gripper operates without alignment detection, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of storage and dispensing operations deteriorates due to misalignment causing packages to get stuck
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor device performs preliminary detection of shelf alignment status before the gripper attempts storage or dispensing operations. By detecting misalignment in advance through multiple detection regions along the Z-axis, the system can correct positioning before operations begin, preventing packages from getting stuck and ensuring reliable operation.
2Loss of time
If corrective adjustments are made only after failed attempts, then the device complexity is reduced, but the loss of time increases due to repeated failed operations
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor device detects alignment status before storage or dispensing operations begin, allowing the control unit to calculate and apply corrective positioning adjustments in advance. This preliminary detection and correction approach eliminates the need for repeated failed attempts and subsequent corrective adjustments, significantly reducing time loss.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensor detection regions are implemented along the Z-axis, then the measurement precision of alignment detection is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor device is divided into multiple detection regions (first, second, third detection regions) arranged along the Z-axis at different heights. Each detection region independently monitors alignment at its specific position, providing segmented detection coverage that collectively achieves high measurement precision for overall gripper-shelf alignment.
Data Source
AI summary
A picking system is provided that includes a plurality of shelves configured to store small piece goods and a gripper, the gripper including a transport device having two gripping jaws arranged above a drop table and having inner surfaces facing each other, at least one of the two gripping jaws being coupled to a slide, and a sensor device having a plurality of detection regions covering a vertically extending space in front of a dispensing end face of the drop table. Other pickings systems are also provided.