Mobile Trolley Decouples Packing Stations from Overhead Conveyor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Overhead conveyor systems for order picking and packing of individual goods face inefficiencies due to the need for direct connection between packing stations and the conveyor system, leading to increased investment and potential delays, especially when value-added services are required.
Innovation Solution
Decoupling packing stations from the overhead conveyor system using mobile transport trolleys that allow indirect connection, enabling spatial separation of packing stations from the conveyor infrastructure while maintaining the sequence and identification of goods, thus reducing the need for extensive conveyor infrastructure and increasing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If packing stations are directly connected to the overhead conveyor system, then goods can be transferred immediately, but the packing stations block the conveyor system and require large investment
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the packing function from the conveyor system by introducing mobile transport trolleys as independent units. Each trolley serves as a discrete packing station that can be detached and moved independently, eliminating the need for fixed conveyor connections at each packing station while maintaining continuous goods flow.
Solution Approach 2:
Mobile transport trolleys act as intermediaries between the overhead conveyor system and the packing stations. The trolleys receive goods from the conveyor system and transport them to packing stations, decoupling the two systems and allowing packing stations to operate independently without blocking the conveyor infrastructure.
2Productivity
If multiple packing stations are provided to handle value-added services, then packing capacity increases, but investment outlay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces fixed, stationary packing stations with mobile transport trolleys that can be dynamically positioned and reassigned. This mobility allows the same trolley to serve multiple packing stations or be reassigned based on demand, increasing packing capacity without requiring proportional increases in infrastructure investment.
Solution Approach 2:
Mobile transport trolleys are designed as multi-functional units that can serve multiple purposes: receiving goods from the conveyor system, transporting goods to different packing stations, and accommodating various value-added services. This universality allows a single trolley to replace multiple dedicated packing stations, reducing overall investment requirements.
3Device complexity
If packing stations are spatially separated from the overhead conveyor system, then investment in conveyor infrastructure is reduced, but maintaining sequence and identification of goods becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile transport trolley creates a portable copy of the conveyor system's sequencing functionality. The trolley maintains the sequence information received from the conveyor system through its control unit, which stores and processes order data, ensuring that the sequential arrangement of goods is preserved even when physically separated from the original conveyor infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback mechanisms where the control unit of the mobile trolley continuously monitors and adjusts the positioning and sequencing of goods based on order requirements. This feedback loop ensures that even when spatially separated from the overhead conveyor system, the trolley maintains accurate sequence and identification of goods through active control and verification.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for picking and packing suspended individual goods comprises suspended conveying of the individual goods (2) in a suspended conveying system (16) by means of suspended adapters (28), provision of the individual goods (2) of at least one order in a preparation buffer (29), conveying of the individual goods (2) of the at least one order onto a transport trolley (13) which can be coupled to the preparation buffer (29) in a trolley station (12; 12a), uncoupling of the transport trolley (13) from the trolley station (12; 12a), transport of the transport trolley (13) with the individual goods (2) of the at least one order to a packing station (14) and packing of the individual goods (2) into orders at the packing station (14).