Parallelogram Gripper for Stable Container Lifting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional container raising/lowering conveyance apparatuses struggle with safely lifting and conveying stacked compact plastic containers due to the instability and difficulty in engaging specialized metal fittings, especially when multiple containers are stacked.
Innovation Solution
A container raising/lowering conveyance apparatus utilizing a movable arm that can rock horizontally and a right-angled parallelogram structure with four gripping raising/lowering bodies, which can fit onto the corners of containers to prevent slipping and lift them securely, allowing for stable handling and conveyance of both individual and stacked containers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If suspending hooks are engaged with flange portions of stacked containers, then containers can be lifted and conveyed, but the larger the number of containers stacked, the more unstable and difficult it is to perform conveying safely
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into four corners, and a gripping raising/lowering body is positioned at each corner. This segmentation allows the lifting force to be distributed to four separate engagement points rather than relying on a single hook engagement, significantly improving stability when lifting stacked containers
Solution Approach 2:
The gripping raising/lowering bodies act as intermediary elements between the suspending hooks and the container corners. These intermediaries provide a more reliable engagement mechanism by gripping the container body at four corners rather than relying on hook engagement with flange portions, enabling safe conveyance of stacked containers
2Adaptability or versatility
If specialized metal fittings are protruded from container ceiling or bottom surface, then containers can be engaged with suspending hooks, but compact plastic containers with open upper side cannot be used as conveyed objects
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping raising/lowering bodies are designed with a universal gripping mechanism that can engage with various container types including compact plastic containers with open upper sides. The gripping structure can adapt to different container geometries by positioning at the four corners, eliminating the need for specialized metal fittings and enabling versatile container handling
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the engagement requirement from the container structure itself (no need for protruding metal fittings) and relocates it to the lifting apparatus (gripping raising/lowering bodies). This extraction allows standard plastic containers to be used without modification while providing reliable engagement through the corner-gripping mechanism
3Reliability
If four gripping raising/lowering bodies are used to grip container corners, then stable lifting and conveyance is achieved, but the apparatus structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The four gripping raising/lowering bodies are merged into a single integrated lifting operation. The parallelogram configuration allows all four bodies to move and operate in coordination, sharing the lifting load and providing stable conveyance while maintaining a relatively compact and manageable apparatus structure
Data Source
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AI summary
In a container raising/lowering conveyance apparatus according to the present invention, a supporting structure (a secondary traveling body (3)), which supports four gripping raising/lowering bodies (45a to 46b) such that the gripping raising/lowering bodies are capable of being raised and lowered, has, provided thereto: an X-direction drive means (22) by which the four gripping raising/lowering bodies are moved closer to and away from each other synchronously and symmetrically with respect to a Y-direction center line (YL), among the Y-direction center line (YL) and an X-direction center line (XL), passing through a center position (P) of a right-angled parallelogram surrounded by the four gripping raising/lowering bodies and being parallel to respective side edges of said right-angled parallelogram; and a Y-direction drive means (36) by which the four gripping raising/lowering bodies are moved closer to and away from each other synchronously and symmetrically with respect to the X-direction center line (XL). Both the X-direction drive means (22) and the Y-direction drive means (36) are used to enlarge and shrink the right-angled parallelogram surrounded by the four gripping raising/lowering bodies (45a to 46b), without changing the center position (P) and the orientation of the right-angled parallelogram.