Palletless Delivery System Using Motorized Roller Platform
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Solution Overview
Problem
The use of pallets in transportation and delivery processes is inefficient, as they require manual handling and can cause labor-intensive unloading and loading, especially in tight spaces like store aisles and warehouses.
Innovation Solution
A palletless delivery system utilizing a lift with a platform supported by rollers and wheels, where the rollers are powered to move loads, allowing for efficient loading, unloading, and transportation without the need for pallets, using a combination of motorized and interconnected rollers to manage loads on a tilting platform.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If pallets are used to transport items, then items can be moved from warehouses to stores, but manual handling and labor-intensive unloading are required
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses self-propelled roller modules that automatically move loads without requiring manual handling. The rollers propel themselves and the load through interconnected mechanical coupling, eliminating the need for workers to manually move pallets or items.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional manual mechanical handling with an automated roller-based propulsion system. The interconnected rollers create a self-propelling mechanism that substitutes human labor with a mechanical self-service system.
2Productivity
If pallets are used for transportation, then loads can be moved, but the system is complex and requires additional equipment like pallet jacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the functions of the pallet, the propulsion mechanism, and the transport platform into a single integrated roller system. The rollers serve both as the structural platform and as the propulsion mechanism, eliminating the need for separate pallets and pallet jacks.
Solution Approach 2:
The roller modules serve multiple functions: they form the structural platform, provide propulsion through self-propulsion, enable steering through directional control, and facilitate load transfer. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized equipment.
3Ease of operation
If traditional lifting methods are used, then loads can be moved vertically, but maneuverability in confined areas is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamically controllable roller modules that can change their orientation and propulsion direction in real-time. This dynamic capability allows the platform to navigate confined spaces and change direction easily, improving maneuverability compared to static traditional lifting equipment.
Data Source
AI summary
A lift includes a platform having a plurality of rollers for supporting a load thereon. A plurality of wheels support the platform. A build platform may include a platform having a plurality of rollers for supporting a load thereon. The rollers of the build platform may be driven by the rollers of the lift.