Modular Kiosk Rack Assembly for Variable Medicament Package Sizes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional medicament dispensing systems face challenges in accommodating varying sizes and shapes of medicament packages due to limited bin size customization, which can lead to inefficient use of space in kiosk dispensers.
Innovation Solution
A modular rack assembly with adjustable partition members and mounting fixtures allows for customizable bin widths and heights, enabling the storage of a variety of package sizes and shapes, and includes a pick head mechanism for precise package retrieval and loading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional fixed bin racks are used in kiosk dispensers, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the ability to accommodate varying package sizes and shapes is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The rack is divided into multiple adjustable partition members that can be independently positioned along the rack structure. These partition members create customizable bin configurations, allowing the rack to adapt to different package sizes and shapes while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The partition members are made adjustable and reconfigurable within the rack structure, enabling dynamic adaptation to various storage needs. This allows the bin configuration to change based on the specific packages being stored, transforming a static structure into a flexible storage system.
2Productivity
If custom bin sizes are created for each package type, then package storage efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rack design uses universal partition members that can be positioned and configured to create different bin sizes and shapes. Instead of manufacturing custom bins for each package type, the same modular partition system serves multiple functions, allowing a single rack structure to accommodate various package dimensions efficiently.
3Adaptability or versatility
If more partition members are added to customize bin sizes, then storage versatility improves, but the number of components and assembly complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting fixtures are positioned at specific locations along the rack structure, allowing partition members to be mounted only where needed. This localized approach to customization enables bin size adjustment without requiring partition members throughout the entire rack, reducing overall component count while maintaining versatility.
Data Source
AI summary
A rack assembly of storage bins has a back wall, series of vertical slots in the back wall, partition members having tongues for fixing the partition member to the back wall. Extending between the partition members are bin floors, the edges of the floor members located in slots in the partition members. The spacing of the slots in the back wall and of the slots in the partition members is selected to permit a range of spacings of horizontally adjacent partition members and a range of spacings of vertically adjacent floor members. By suitable selection of the spacings, a large variety of bin sizes can be obtained.