Automated Handling Device for Product Stacks
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The manual handling of stacks of products, such as folded, stapled, or bound items, is time-consuming and physically strenuous, especially when dealing with products that require care and have low cohesion or are easily deformed.
Innovation Solution
A handling device with a three-dimensionally movable gripping unit featuring upper and lower holding elements that securely grasp and transfer stacks, allowing for automated movement from a receiving region to a depositing region, thereby reducing operator effort and ensuring reliable transfer of lightweight or flexible products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual handling of product stacks is used, then flexibility and simplicity are maintained, but operator fatigue increases and handling efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The handling device automatically performs the complete stack handling operation including approach, gripping, lifting, transporting, and depositing without requiring operator intervention during the transfer process, thereby eliminating operator fatigue while maintaining operational simplicity through automated self-service functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical lifting and carrying system with an automated robotic handling device that uses controlled mechanical movements via motors and actuators to perform stack transfer operations, significantly improving productivity while reducing physical strain on operators
2Reliability
If manual handling of product stacks is used, then device complexity is minimized, but handling reliability for delicate products decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping unit features specialized local qualities with upper holding elements designed with specific surface characteristics and geometries tailored to the delicate nature of folded, stapled, or bound products, providing distributed contact pressures that prevent damage while maintaining secure grip during automated transfer operations
Solution Approach 2:
The handling device incorporates dynamic control capabilities with programmable motion profiles that adjust speed, acceleration, and positioning based on the specific requirements of different product types, enabling reliable and damage-free handling of delicate items through adaptive dynamic movements rather than rigid fixed-pattern operations
3Loss of time
If automated handling device is introduced, then handling time is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The handling device is designed as a multi-functional universal system that can handle various types of product stacks (folded, stapled, bound, different sizes and weights) using the same gripping unit and transfer mechanism, reducing the need for multiple specialized devices and justifying the complexity through broad applicability and time-saving efficiency across diverse handling tasks
Solution Approach 2:
The gripping unit serves as an intermediary component between the automated handling device and the delicate product stacks, featuring specialized holding elements that mediate the interaction by distributing forces evenly and providing a gentle yet secure interface, thereby enabling fast automated handling without direct rigid contact that would damage products
Data Source
AI summary
A handling device comprises a gripping unit which is movable in three dimensions and which is specified for receiving the stack of products disposed in a receiving region, for moving the stack, and for depositing the stack in a depositing region. The gripping unit comprises at least one upper holding element for holding down an upper side of the received stack, and at least one lower holding element for supporting a lower side, opposite the upper side, of the received stack.