Modular Housing Units for High-Density Unit Dose Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automatic storage and distribution systems for unit dose drugs face challenges in achieving higher storage density and faster picking processes, necessitating a more compact and efficient system that can accommodate various packet sizes and types.
Innovation Solution
The development of a modular automatic storage and distribution system featuring box-shaped housing units with tilting pegs and a collecting unit with adjustable peg zones, allowing for flexible and high-density storage and asynchronous picking operations, enabling efficient handling and distribution of unit dose products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a compact store configuration is implemented to increase storage density, then storage density is improved, but picking speed deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The store is divided into multiple independent housing units that can be individually accessed and picked from. Each housing unit contains specific unit dose products and can be independently positioned in front of the picking device, allowing parallel processing and maintaining high picking speed while achieving compact overall configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing units are designed to be dynamically repositionable in front of the picking device. The system can quickly exchange housing units, bringing the required unit to the picking position while keeping other units in storage, thus maintaining fast picking speed despite compact configuration.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a modular system with housing units is used to accommodate various packet sizes, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing units are designed with universal features including standardized pegs for hanging different packet types, uniform dimensions for consistent handling, and a common interface with the picking device. This allows the same housing unit design to accommodate various packet sizes and types while maintaining simple system operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing units feature localized functional elements such as pegs positioned at specific locations for hanging packets, and front openings oriented toward the picking device. These local design choices enable versatile packet accommodation without requiring complex overall system redesign.
3Quantity of substance
If card-shaped supports are used to increase storage density, then storage density is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The card-shaped supports are nested within the housing units, which provide the operational interface. The compact card supports achieve high storage density while the housing units provide easy handling and standardized interaction with the picking system, combining the benefits of both designs.
Data Source
AI summary
Storage and distribution system for products in unit doses, including plurality of housing units, each including a plurality of locations for products in unit doses. The housing units are organised on a vertical plane to produce at least one portion of a picking wall, in which the locations for products in unit doses face selective picking members. A picking unit includes picking members oriented on the picking wall for picking products packaged in unit doses. A collecting unit, arranged on a second side of the picking unit, includes a rack having a plurality of pegs facing towards the first side of the picking unit. The pegs are reached by the picking members so as to pick therefrom or deposit thereon products packaged in unit doses. The plurality of pegs as a whole can collect a smaller number of unit dose products than those that can be stored in the automatic store.