Movable Scaffold for Automated Warehouse Stacker Crane Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated warehouses face challenges in maintaining stacker cranes efficiently due to the risk of the maintenance facility interfering with the movement of the stacker crane along the travel path, which complicates storage and maintenance operations.
Innovation Solution
The automated warehouse incorporates a maintenance facility with a movable scaffold that can change between retracting and deployment postures, allowing it to avoid obstructing the stacker crane's path while providing a stable scaffold for maintenance operations near the crane, and an auxiliary scaffold for supporting the lifting and lowering body, ensuring safe and efficient maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the scaffold is provided at a position near the stacker crane to increase workability, then the ease of operation is improved, but the scaffold may come into contact with the stacker crane when it is stored in the maintenance facility
Solution Approach 1:
The scaffold is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to change position between maintenance operations and storage. The movable scaffold can be retracted to a safe position that does not interfere with the stacker crane's storage, while still providing proximity for maintenance work when deployed.
2Ease of operation
If the maintenance facility is disposed near the stacker crane to allow easy maintenance, then the ease of operation is improved, but the maintenance facility may obstruct the travel path of the stacker crane
Solution Approach 1:
The maintenance facility incorporates movable scaffolds that can dynamically adjust their position. When the stacker crane needs to pass through the maintenance facility area, the scaffolds are retracted to clear the travel path. When maintenance is being performed, the scaffolds are deployed to provide operator access near the crane.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the scaffold is fixed to provide stable support for operators, then the stability is improved, but the scaffold cannot be repositioned to avoid contact with the moving stacker crane
Solution Approach 1:
The scaffold system transitions from a fixed structure to a movable one that can be positioned and secured. The scaffold can be moved to appropriate locations, then stabilized during maintenance operations, providing both adaptability for avoiding contact and stability for operator support.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable scaffold can be nested or retracted into a compact configuration that does not interfere with the stacker crane's movement, and then deployed to a working position when needed. This nesting capability allows the scaffold to adapt to different operational states while maintaining structural integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
An automated warehouse includes a storage shelf, a stacker crane, and a maintenance facility. The maintenance facility includes a work stage. The work stage includes a mast penetration portion, a stage scaffold, and a support frame configured to support the stage scaffold. The stage scaffold includes a fixed scaffold fixed to the support frame, and a movable scaffold. The movable scaffold is changeable between a first retracting posture in which the movable scaffold does not come into contact with the path of the mast and which does not allow the movable scaffold to function as a scaffold for the operator and a first deployment posture in which the movable scaffold comes into contact with the path of the mast but does not come into contact with the mast of the stacker crane at a maintenance position and which allows the movable scaffold to function as the scaffold for the operator.