Modular decking system with securement beams
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current decking systems are not conducive to automation due to lack of movement restriction in the x-y-z planes, making it difficult for robots to reposition decks consistently, and existing securement beams are complex to place and store.
Innovation Solution
The modular decking system features adjustable shoring beams with low friction blocks that engage securement tracks on vertical posts, allowing independent adjustment of securement beams and modular decks, with locking mechanisms for controlled movement and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If current decking systems allow free movement in x-y-z planes, then flexibility of deck positioning is improved, but automation difficulty increases due to lack of movement restriction
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the movement freedom by introducing separate track systems for different movement types: securement tracks restrict lateral movement while allowing vertical adjustment, and deck tracks enable controlled repositioning. This segmentation allows robots to operate within constrained, predictable paths while maintaining overall system flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The decking system implements dynamic adjustability where decks can be repositioned vertically along securement tracks during operation, and securement beams can be independently adjusted along dedicated tracks. This dynamic capability enables the system to adapt to different cargo configurations while providing consistent movement constraints for automation.
2Ease of operation
If manual locking and unlocking of decking is required, then deck movement control is improved, but user safety deteriorates due to hazards in automated environments
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates self-locking mechanisms where decks automatically engage with securement beams through gravity and friction-based locking features. The low-friction blocks and locking mechanisms enable automatic engagement and disengagement without requiring manual intervention, eliminating safety hazards while maintaining operational control.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual locking operations are replaced with automated mechanical systems including motorized actuators, pneumatic cylinders, or robotic end-effectors that interface with the track and locking mechanisms. This substitution eliminates direct human contact with moving parts while preserving precise movement control capability.
3Reliability
If removable beams are used to restrict freight movement, then cargo securement is improved, but system complexity increases due to accumulation and storage requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The securement beams serve multiple functions: they provide cargo restraint, define deck boundaries, and act as adjustable support structures. The same beams that securement cargo also serve as the positioning references for deck placement, eliminating the need for separate accumulation and storage systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from managing beam quantity through accumulation to managing beam position through dedicated tracks. Each securement beam has its own track system, transforming the problem from storing multiple beams to precisely positioning individual beams along extended track paths, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture.
4Manufacturing precision
If securement beams with six degrees of freedoms are used, then positioning precision is improved, but placement complexity increases requiring separate location of both ends
Solution Approach 1:
The six-degree-of-freedom positioning capability is segmented into independent track systems: one track handles longitudinal positioning, another handles lateral positioning, and vertical adjustment is provided through separate mechanisms. This segmentation allows robots to position each end of securement beams independently along constrained paths, simplifying the control algorithm while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Dedicated securement tracks serve as intermediaries between the robot and the securement beams. The tracks provide physical guidance and constraints that reduce the robot's positioning task from six degrees of freedom to one or two degrees of freedom, while still achieving precise beam placement through the combined track-robot system.
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 solution simplifies the adjustment and storage of decking systems, enhancing automation by restricting movement to upward and downward directions, improving robot efficiency and user safety, and reducing the complexity of securement beam placement.
Implementation Method 1
adjustable shoring beam in which the ends can adjusted to different heights along one or more securement tracks on a vertical post. The adjustable shoring beam engages the securement tracks on the vertical posts
Data Source
AI summary
The ends of the adjustable shoring beam can be adjusted to different heights along one or more securement tracks on a vertical post. The adjustable shoring beam engages the securement tracks on the vertical posts and each end is independently adjustable in one degree of freedom. Modular deck tracks on the vertical posts, adjacent to the securement tracks, allow for the engagement of a modular deck with a vertical post. The modular deck and securement beam are able to be moved independently past each other on the vertical posts by a user or an autonomous machine.