LED Shelf Zoning for Route-Based Delivery Vehicle Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for loading and unloading items from delivery vehicles and facilities are inefficient, particularly due to the need for manual sorting and the complexity of managing items of varying shapes and sizes, which increases time and effort for carriers and recipients.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising shelves with indicators, such as light emitting diodes, and a mobile computing device that scans items to determine optimal shelf locations based on item dimensions and delivery routes, allowing for automated indication of where to place items and alerting carriers when near delivery points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual sorting methods are used for loading items, then flexibility in handling various item shapes and sizes is maintained, but time consumption and labor effort increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical sorting operations with an automated optical-electronic system. Mobile computing devices with cameras capture images of items, processors analyze the images to determine item characteristics, and the system automatically generates loading instructions. This substitution eliminates manual labor while maintaining the ability to handle varied item shapes and sizes through image-based recognition.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service loading by providing automated guidance to carriers. The mobile computing device displays loading instructions that tell carriers exactly where to place each item, allowing carriers to load items independently without requiring manual sorting expertise or complex manual procedures. The system serves itself by automatically analyzing items and generating placement instructions.
2Manufacturing precision
If automated indication systems are implemented, then item placement accuracy is improved, but device complexity and initial time investment increase
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf space is divided into multiple discrete zones or segments, each indicated by a unique pattern of light-emitting components. Instead of a continuous complex indication system, the shelf is segmented into manageable sections with simple binary states (lit/not lit), making the indication system easier to implement and control while providing precise placement guidance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that can be illuminated in different patterns to indicate various shelf zones. By using simple on/off states of LEDs rather than complex mechanical or electronic indicators, the system achieves precise placement guidance with minimal device complexity. The illuminated patterns provide clear visual cues for item placement.
3Productivity
If shelves are segmented into fixed-length segments, then item placement organization is improved, but adaptability to different item dimensions is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically determines shelf zone assignments based on the actual dimensions of each item being loaded. Rather than using fixed static segments, the processor analyzes item characteristics from images and dynamically assigns appropriate shelf zones that match the item's size and shape. This dynamic adaptation maintains sorting efficiency while accommodating varied item dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters of shelf zone assignments based on item dimensions. When an item of a certain size is detected, the system adjusts which shelf zones are illuminated and their corresponding patterns to match the item's dimensional requirements. This parameter adjustment allows the same shelf structure to adapt to different item sizes without physical reconfiguration.
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 system streamlines the loading process by reducing manual effort and time, improving efficiency in loading vehicles and facilitating quicker delivery by providing clear instructions for item placement and location identification during delivery routes.
Implementation Method 1
the indicator comprising a plurality of indicating components; a mobile computing device configured to scan an item to be loaded and to generate scan information for the item to be loaded; a processor in communication with the mobile computing device and with the indicator; and a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing a loading plan for the one or more items; wherein the processor is configured to receive the scan information from the scanner for the item to be loaded, to determine a proposed shelf location for the item to be loaded based on the scan information and the loading plan for the item to be loaded, and to actuate selected indicating components from the one or more indicating components, the selected indicating components corresponding to the proposed shelf location.
Data Source
AI summary
Vehicle shelf systems having indicators thereon for improving loading and delivery efficiency. Items are scanned for loading, and the indicators on the vehicle shelves identify where to place the item based on the sequence of the delivery point along the delivery route. A mobile computing device alerts a delivery carrier when the delivery vehicle is in proximity to a delivery point when an item is to be delivered.