Multi-Trolley Storage Grid Transport for Port Congestion Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automated storage and retrieval systems face congestion issues at ports due to the limited capacity of container handling vehicles, which becomes exacerbated as storage grids increase in size, leading to inefficiencies in moving storage containers.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a multi-trolley vehicle system that utilizes a trolley assembly with coupled trolleys and a drive vehicle to transport storage containers between storage columns and deployment areas, allowing for horizontal movement and increased capacity by using non-motorized and motorized moving devices, and the use of transfer zones with relocatable transfer columns to manage container flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the storage grid size increases, then the storage capacity increases, but the congestion at ports worsens due to limited container handling vehicle capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The container handling vehicle is divided into multiple independent trolleys that can operate semi-autonomously. Each trolley has its own container handling capability, allowing parallel operations. This segmentation enables the system to handle multiple containers simultaneously, resolving the bottleneck caused by limited vehicle capacity in large storage grids.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple trolleys are combined into a single vehicle unit that operates on the rail system. The merged vehicle functions as a multi-container handler, effectively increasing the capacity per vehicle without requiring proportionally more vehicles. This merging approach maintains productivity while accommodating larger storage grid capacities.
2Productivity
If more container handling vehicles are deployed, then the capacity to move containers increases, but the device complexity and system cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Each trolley within the vehicle is designed with universal container handling capabilities, allowing any trolley to perform the same functions. This multi-functionality means that the system can achieve higher capacity through modular addition of identical units rather than deploying complex specialized vehicles, thereby controlling device complexity while increasing productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple trolleys are nested within a single vehicle structure, with each trolley containing its own container handling mechanisms. This nesting allows the system to pack multiple functional units into one vehicle, effectively increasing capacity without proportionally increasing the number of separate vehicle systems, thus managing complexity.
3Productivity
If traditional single trolley vehicles are used, then the device complexity is low, but the productivity and capacity to move containers is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle structure transitions from a static single-trolley design to a dynamic multi-trolley configuration where trolleys can move independently along the vehicle's longitudinal axis. This dynamic arrangement allows the system to adapt its container handling capacity to operational needs, significantly improving productivity while the modular nature keeps complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The container handling capability is extended from a single-point operation to a multi-point operation along the longitudinal dimension of the vehicle. By distributing trolleys along the length of the vehicle, the system achieves parallel container handling, effectively adding a dimensional aspect to the operation that boosts productivity without proportionally increasing structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An automated storage and retrieval system that includes a rail system that includes a first set of parallel tracks, arranged in a horizontal plane and extending in a first direction, and a second set of parallel tracks, arranged in the horizontal plane and extending in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction; a plurality of stacks of storage containers arranged in storage columns located beneath the rail system, each storage column is located vertically below a grid opening; and a trolley for transporting the storage containers between the storage columns and at least one deployment area. The first and second sets of tracks form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane including a plurality of adjacent grid cells, each grid cell including a grid opening defined by a pair of neighboring tracks of the first set of tracks and a pair of neighboring tracks of the second set of track. The trolley is movable on any rail including: on the rail system or in a horizontal plane above or below the rail system, on dedicated transport rails between the rail system and the deployment area, on a double rail above or below the rail system or combinations thereof. The deployment area provides direct access to an area outside the grid pattern formed by the first and second sets of tracks. The trolley provides a container volume for storing at least one of the storage containers. The trolley includes moving devices allowing movement of the trolley in at least one of the first direction and the second direction.