Rack Arrangement With Integrated Profile Stops
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rack arrangements for item storage require additional components and mounting operations to prevent items from being misplaced due to vibrations and deformations, increasing installation complexity and costs.
Innovation Solution
The rack arrangement features item carriers with material deformations, such as lugs and guide sections, that serve as built-in lateral and longitudinal stops, eliminating the need for additional components and simplifying installation by integrating these functions into the production of single-piece profile elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional components such as rear boundary stops and lateral stops are added to prevent item displacement, then item storage reliability is improved, but device complexity and installation cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates boundary stops and lateral stops directly into the item carrier profile structure. The T-shaped or C-shaped cross-section of the item carrier inherently provides lateral boundaries, while the longitudinal profile includes integrated rear boundary stops. This merging of multiple functions into a single structural element eliminates the need for separate additional components, thereby maintaining reliability while reducing device complexity and installation requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The item carrier is designed as a multi-functional element that simultaneously serves as the support structure for items, the lateral boundary definition, and the rear boundary stop. The profile geometry is optimized to perform multiple functions: the vertical walls provide lateral containment, the horizontal flanges or integrated stops provide rear boundary definition, and the overall structure supports the item weight. This universal design eliminates the need for specialized additional components
2Reliability
If additional components and mounting operations are used to prevent item displacement, then item storage reliability is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The boundary stop functions are merged into the item carrier profile itself, which is produced as a single-piece extruded or formed structure. This integration means that the same manufacturing process that creates the item carrier also creates the boundary stops, eliminating separate manufacturing steps for producing and installing additional components. The profile can be extruded or formed in one continuous operation with the boundary features already incorporated
Solution Approach 2:
The boundary stops are pre-formed as integral parts of the item carrier during the profile manufacturing process. The extrusion or forming operation simultaneously creates the main carrier body and the boundary stop features. This preliminary formation of the boundary features during primary manufacturing eliminates the need for subsequent separate manufacturing and installation operations, thereby improving ease of manufacture while ensuring reliable item containment
Data Source
AI summary
A rack arrangement for item-storage, has an aisle, in which an automatically operated storage-and-retrieval vehicle can travel, a first rack element on one side of the aisle, a second rack element on the opposite side of the aisle, a rail arrangement on the rack elements, the storage-and-retrieval vehicle being able to travel on the rail arrangement, and item carriers, which are arranged in the rack elements and have their longitudinal extent in a direction transverse to the aisle. Each item carrier is a single-piece profile element having a bearing surface for the stored item. Each item carrier has material deformations in certain portions along its longitudinal extent. Located between longer, main longitudinal portions, on which the item carrier has the same, uniform cross-sectional shape, are short longitudinal portions, on which the item carrier has a different cross-sectional shape caused by the material deformation.