Parcel Cart Gate Dynamics for Robot Sensor Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Parcel carts in sorting facilities are not designed to facilitate efficient offloading from conveyors, and their dimensions often obstruct the cameras of mobile robots used for autonomous navigation, hindering efficient transportation and sorting processes.
Innovation Solution
A parcel cart design featuring a frame with adjustable end walls and a gate that can transition between upright and lowered positions, equipped with a roller deck and locking mechanisms, allowing for easy loading and unloading and minimizing obstruction of mobile robot sensors, enabling autonomous transport and reduced human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If parcel carts are designed with fixed dimensions and features for structural stability, then the cart maintains its shape and strength, but the cameras of mobile robots are obstructed, hindering autonomous navigation
Solution Approach 1:
The parcel cart incorporates a gate that can transition between upright and lowered positions. When lowered, the gate creates clearance for mobile robot cameras to detect the cart without obstruction, while maintaining structural integrity through the gate's connection to the frame. This dynamic configuration allows the cart to adapt its structure based on operational context.
2Stability of the object's composition
If parcel carts are designed with fixed end walls for structural integrity, then the cart maintains its shape, but efficient offloading from conveyors is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The gate is mounted to the frame and capable of rotation between an upright position (maintaining structural integrity during transport) and a lowered position (enabling efficient offloading from conveyors by allowing parcels to be deposited directly onto the gate or into the cart interior).
Solution Approach 2:
The end wall is segmented into a fixed portion and a movable gate portion. This segmentation allows the fixed portion to maintain structural integrity while the movable gate portion facilitates efficient loading and unloading operations by transitioning between upright and lowered positions.
3Device complexity
If parcel carts require manual deposit and withdrawal of parcels, then the cart structure remains simple, but sorting efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The movable gate enables more efficient parcel handling by allowing parcels to be deposited directly onto the gate surface or slid into the cart interior when lowered, reducing the manual effort required compared to reaching into a fully enclosed cart. This dynamic feature improves sorting efficiency while maintaining relatively simple cart structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances the efficiency of parcel handling by reducing the need for human intervention in offloading and improves navigation for autonomous robots by ensuring clear sensor views, thus streamlining the transportation process within sorting facilities.
Implementation Method 1
an upper surface of the gate includes a roller deck, which includes multiple rollers configured to rotate to reduce the amount of force required to move a parcel across the upper surface of the gate
Data Source
AI summary
A parcel cart for transporting parcels comprises a substructure, with a frame mounted to and supported by the substructure. The frame defines an internal volume in which parcels are received and stored for transport. The frame also includes: a base; a first end wall; a second end wall; a first side wall; and a second side wall. To facilitate loading or unloading of the parcel cart, the frame can include at least one end wall configured to transition between an upright position and a lowered position. To facilitate autonomous transport of the parcel cart, the substructure and the frame can define a cavity for receiving a mobile robot. To avoid occlusion of the field of view of one or more cameras associated with the mobile robot, the frame can include at least one end wall that is in a non-perpendicular orientation relative to the base.