Integrated Hand for Tote Handling with Extendable Fingers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current material handling systems face challenges in efficiently manipulating items during packaging, storage, and delivery, particularly in ecommerce and retail business-to-consumer shipments, as they struggle to handle items between shipping containers and totes without dropping or damaging merchandise, especially with the rise in automated solutions and diverse product packaging.
Innovation Solution
An integrated hand system comprising a base, extendable fingers, and flat plates that can be moved by a tote handler to grip and rotate items, maintaining their original orientation during transfer from shipping containers to totes, using programmable combinations of fingers and plates to match container dimensions and gravity vectors for secure handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automated handling systems are used to transfer items between shipping containers and totes, then productivity and processing rates are improved, but the risk of dropping or damaging merchandise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated hand employs dynamically adjustable fingers and flat plates that can extend and retract to adapt to different item sizes, shapes, and orientations. This dynamic adjustment allows the gripping surfaces to conform precisely to the item being handled, providing secure support and reducing the risk of drops or damage while maintaining high processing rates through automated operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters of the gripping mechanism by selectively extending different combinations of fingers and flat plates based on the specific item characteristics. This parameter adjustment enables the same automated hand to safely handle diverse packaging types while maintaining consistent processing speed, resolving the contradiction between productivity and item integrity.
2Device complexity
If fixed-grip handling devices are used, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to various container sizes and shapes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated hand is segmented into multiple independent fingers and flat plates that can be selectively extended and retracted. This segmentation allows the device to adapt to various container sizes and shapes by activating only the necessary gripping elements, providing versatility without requiring an entirely different device for each container type.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated hand serves as a universal gripping device that can handle diverse shipping containers, totes, and items through its programmable combination of fingers and flat plates. This multi-functionality achieves adaptability to various container configurations while maintaining a single device design, balancing complexity and versatility.
3Productivity
If items are manipulated during transfer between containers and totes, then productivity is improved, but the risk of dropping or damaging merchandise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated hand performs preliminary action by extending fingers and flat plates to precisely match the dimensions and orientation of the item before contact is made. This preliminary configuration ensures that the item is securely supported from the moment of engagement, preventing drops or damage during the transfer process while maintaining efficient automated handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The flat plates serve as intermediary support surfaces between the fingers and the items being handled. These plates provide additional contact points and distribution of gripping forces, reducing the risk of damage to fragile items while enabling secure manipulation for efficient transfer operations.
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated hand and method for manipulating items received in a shipping container. The integrated hand is carried by a tote handler and includes a base with a slotted plate, fingers, and flat plates. The fingers are extendable from and slidably movable along slots in the slotted plate. The flat plates are extendable from the base. The fingers and flat plates are selectively extendable about the base to define a grip space shaped to receivingly grip the items whereby the items are secured in position. The method includes receiving items in an original orientation from the shipping container by: selectively extending fingers and plates of an integrated hand to define an item space shaped to support and grippingly receiving the items; and inserting the items into a tote while maintaining the items in the original orientation by selectively rotating the integrated hand and inserting the integrated hand into the tote.