Movable-Bot Closed-Loop Path Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional conveyor belt systems for handling and sorting items are inflexible, prone to failures, and can lead to hazardous accidents due to fixed configurations and lack of distributive clearance, making them inefficient and costly.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing movable-bots that follow a defined closed-loop conveyance path, allowing for flexible relocation of pickup and drop points, synchronization of movements, and modular operation to ensure efficient and reliable item handling, even if one bot fails.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a conveyor belt system is used for item transfer, then cost and time consumption are reduced, but the system becomes fixed and inflexible in relocation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the fixed conveyor belt system with mobile robots that can dynamically relocate themselves and their operational positions. The robots move autonomously along defined paths and can change their pickup and drop-off locations without requiring physical reconfiguration of infrastructure, thus achieving both efficiency and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system divides the item transfer function into multiple independent mobile robot units instead of a single fixed conveyor belt. Each robot operates independently, allowing the system to segment the transfer task across multiple agents that can be redistributed and repositioned flexibly to meet changing operational requirements.
2Productivity
If a fixed conveyor belt system is installed, then item transfer is efficient, but any change in pickup and drop points becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
Mobile robots provide dynamic reconfigurability by programmatically changing their operational parameters. When pickup or drop-off points need to change, the system simply updates the robots' navigation paths and task assignments through software, eliminating the need for physical reconfiguration and maintaining high throughput throughout the transition.
3Productivity
If conveyor belt system throughput is increased, then productivity improves, but the fixed system cannot adapt to throughput changes
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile robot system dynamically adjusts throughput by modifying the number of active robots, their speeds, and their operational schedules. The system can scale capacity up or down by activating or deactivating robot units and adjusting their movement parameters, providing flexible throughput control without fixed infrastructure constraints.
4Reliability
If conveyor belt system components fail, then the entire system stops functioning, but mobile-bots allow continued operation
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the item transfer function into multiple independent mobile robot units, the system ensures that failure of one robot does not halt overall operations. Other robots can continue their tasks or compensate for the failed unit, providing inherent fault tolerance and system continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
When a mobile robot fails, the system can temporarily redistribute its tasks to other operational robots and later replace or repair the failed unit without interrupting service. This approach maintains continuous operation while managing system complexity through dynamic task reallocation.
5Extent of automation
If conveyor belt system is used, then item transfer is automated, but distributive clearance is not allowed leading to hazardous accidents
Solution Approach 1:
Mobile robots maintain dynamic clearance distances through real-time position monitoring and adaptive speed control. Each robot continuously adjusts its speed and positioning to maintain safe distances from other robots and obstacles, eliminating the fixed clearance limitations of conveyor belts while preserving full automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile robot system incorporates continuous feedback mechanisms through sensors and communication systems that monitor relative positions and speeds. This feedback enables real-time adjustments to maintain safe operating distances and prevent collisions, providing hazard mitigation that fixed conveyor systems cannot achieve.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for handling items using a plurality of movable-bots includes defining a conveyance path to be followed by the plurality of movable-bots, where the conveyance path is configured as a closed loop. The method further includes defining, for each of the plurality of movable-bots, a plurality of path attributes associated with the conveyance path. The method further includes instructing each of the plurality of movable-bots to synchronize a movement with respect to at least one other movable-bot based on the plurality of path attributes when moving along the conveyance path.