Protected Pallet Tracking Housing for Durable Identifier Mounting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tracking apparatuses for pallets and shipping units are prone to deterioration and damage due to constant interaction with the external environment, and often limited to a single machine-readable identifier technology, restricting their use in diverse logistic operations.
Innovation Solution
A tracking apparatus with a main body featuring a cavity that houses a tracking element protected from external contact, mounted to a shipping unit using fasteners that secure the element within the cavity, allowing for multiple machine-readable identifier options.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If machine-readable identifiers are attached to pallets with adhesives on the outer surface, then installation is simple and quick, but the identifiers deteriorate or become destroyed due to constant interaction with the external environment
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking apparatus embeds the machine-readable identifier inside a protective housing that attaches to the pallet. The identifier is nested within the housing structure, shielding it from environmental damage while maintaining secure attachment to the shipping unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing acts as an intermediary between the machine-readable identifier and the external environment. It provides mechanical protection and isolation from harmful factors while allowing the identifier to function normally for tracking purposes.
2Device complexity
If tracking apparatus is configured with a single machine-readable identifier technology, then the structure is simple, but it restricts use when different identifier technologies are required for certain logistic operations
Solution Approach 1:
The housing structure is designed to accommodate multiple types of machine-readable identifiers (e.g., RFID tags, barcodes, data matrices). This universal design allows the same tracking apparatus to support different identifier technologies based on logistic operation requirements, enhancing versatility without complicating the basic structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A tracking apparatus for tracking pallets and other shipping units. The tracking apparatus includes a main body that has a first end, a second end opposite to the first end, and a longitudinal axis defined therebetween. The tracking apparatus also defines a cavity that extends downwardly into the main body along an axis that is non-parallel to the longitudinal axis. The tracking apparatus also includes a tracking element that is encapsulated inside of the cavity and is free from being in contact with an external environment that is external to the main body. The main body of the tracking apparatus also is adapted to be mounted to a shipping unit