Hybrid Robotic Item Transfer with Suction End Effector
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated robotic systems in warehouses face scalability issues, as they are designed for maximum throughput that is difficult to exceed, leading to inefficiencies and wasted time when humans must locate and verify bins for item transfer.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid system that combines robotic pre-staging of items and human intervention, using robots to position containers efficiently and humans to transfer items, with wireless communication and confirmation mechanisms to streamline the process, including suction cup robots and elevators to facilitate easy access and movement of items.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a completely automated robotic distribution system is designed to provide maximum throughput, then automation level is improved, but scalability is worsened because it becomes very difficult to scale up to higher amounts of throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the level of automation based on throughput requirements. When maximum throughput is needed, the system operates in fully automated mode with robots performing all picking and bin location tasks. When scaling to higher throughput levels, the system transitions to a hybrid mode where humans assist with bin location verification, allowing the system to adapt its automation程度 to match the required throughput capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated robotic system is segmented into independent functional modules: robots that perform picking operations, bin location identification systems, and human verification stations. This modular segmentation allows the system to scale by adding or removing specific modules rather than redesigning the entire system, enabling flexibility in adapting to different throughput requirements while maintaining automated core functions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If humans are involved in locating and verifying bins for item transfer, then adaptability is improved, but productivity is worsened because much time is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
An automated bin location identification system serves as an intermediary between humans and the physical bins. This system uses sensors, cameras, and data processing to automatically locate and verify bin positions, then communicates this information to human operators. The intermediary eliminates the need for humans to manually search for bins while maintaining the adaptability benefits of human verification, thereby resolving the contradiction between adaptability and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical human action of manually locating and verifying bins with an automated electronic system that uses sensors, image recognition, and data processing. This substitution eliminates the time-consuming manual search process while preserving human oversight capabilities, thus improving productivity without sacrificing adaptability.
3Productivity
If robots are used to move items automatically, then productivity is improved, but device complexity is worsened due to the complexity of automated robotic systems
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system is designed with universal, multi-functional components that can perform multiple operations. For example, the robots are equipped with interchangeable end effectors that can handle different types of items, and the bin location system can identify various bin configurations. This universality reduces overall system complexity by using standardized modules rather than specialized components for each function, while maintaining high productivity through automated operations.
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
This approach enhances scalability and efficiency by allowing the system to adapt to higher throughput needs, reducing human error and increasing productivity by optimizing the placement and movement of items between containers.
Implementation Method 1
the robot includes a suction mechanisms and mobile robots to moves the items
Data Source
AI summary
A method is disclosed for using robots to move items from one container to another. The method includes positioning a source container under a suction robot having two degrees of freedom only, the suction robot having a flexible suction end having a variable suction component that can cause suction to occur within the suction end upon contact with an item in the source container. The contact can be non-orthogonal of an end of the flexible suction and a surface of the item. The robot retrieves the item from the source container with the flexible suction end by lowering the flexible suction end into the source container to retrieve the item and lifts the retrieved item from the source container. The robot then moves the retrieved item horizontally from the source container to a destination container.