Handling Device Control for Box Packing Interference

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional handling devices for logistics and box packing systems often suffer from reduced filling rates due to interference between the holding unit and the inner walls or other items within the box, which is not adequately addressed in existing technologies.

Innovation Solution

A handling device equipped with a control unit and a holding unit that determines optimal holding postures and positions to minimize interference, using a combination of sensors and geometric pattern classification to select the best grasping method, ensuring the holding unit does not protrude excessively from the object's outline, thereby reducing collisions and improving packing efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the holding unit grasps items considering only grasping success rate, then the grasping reliability is improved, but the holding unit interferes with the inner wall of the box or other items in the box, reducing the filling rate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegrasping success rateVSAvoidfilling rate
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit calculates the outline of the holding unit and predicts potential interference with the box inner wall or other items before the packing operation begins. By performing this interference check in advance, the system can adjust the holding unit's outline or grasping position to avoid collisions, thereby maintaining both grasping reliability and filling rate.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If items are packed from one corner of the box to another, then the packing process is simplified, but the holding unit interferes with the inner wall or other items, preventing proper packing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepacking process simplicityVSAvoidfilling rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the holding unit's outline based on the predicted interference with the box inner wall or other items. By making the holding unit's effective outline adaptable rather than fixed, the system can navigate around obstacles while maintaining the corner-to-corner packing approach, thus preserving both operational simplicity and packing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If the holding unit outline is fixed, then the device structure is simplified, but interference with the box inner wall or other items occurs, reducing packing efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveholding unit structureVSAvoidpacking efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of modifying the physical holding unit structure, the system creates a calculated outline (a virtual copy) of the holding unit that represents its effective boundaries. This virtual outline is used by the control unit to predict and avoid interference with the box inner wall or other items, achieving improved packing efficiency without adding physical complexity to the holding unit itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP3616856B1Handling device
Publication Date: 2023.07.05 KK TOSHIBA
  • EP3616856B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3616856B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3616856B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

According to one embodiment, a handling device of an embodiment includes a holding unit and a control unit. The holding unit can hold an object. When an outline of the holding unit protrudes from an outline of the object when viewed from a direction in which the object and the holding unit overlap, the control unit controls the holding unit to hold the object at a position of an end of the holding unit.