Reconfigurable Dunnage Handler with Rotating Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dunnage handling systems lack efficient mechanisms for controlling the outflow of dunnage from dunnage mechanisms, leading to inefficiencies in accumulation and discharge processes, particularly in adapting to different configurations and preventing dunnage from falling or accumulating improperly.
Innovation Solution
A reconfigurable dunnage handler with first and second handler portions that can switch between accumulator and discharger configurations, featuring adjustable handling areas and a connection portion for rotating between these configurations, allowing for controlled accumulation and discharge of dunnage while preventing it from falling or accumulating excessively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed dunnage handling mechanism is used, then the structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to different accumulation and discharge configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The dunnage handler employs a rotatable connection portion that enables the handler portions to change their spatial orientation between accumulator and discharger configurations. This dynamic repositioning capability allows the same structural components to adapt to different operational modes without requiring multiple fixed mechanisms, thereby resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The handler portions are designed with multi-functionality, serving both as accumulation structures and discharge mechanisms through the rotatable connection. The same handler portions can perform different functions depending on their rotational orientation, eliminating the need for separate dedicated components for each function and maintaining structural simplicity while achieving versatility.
2Reliability
If the handler accumulates dunnage, then discharge control is improved, but dunnage may fall or accumulate excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors that monitor the accumulation state of dunnage in real-time and provide feedback to the control system. Based on this feedback, the controller adjusts the rotational position of the connection portion and the timing of discharge commands, preventing both insufficient accumulation and excessive accumulation, as well as preventing dunnage from falling during transitions.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller performs preliminary actions by pre-positioning the handler portions in appropriate orientations before accumulation or discharge operations begin. The system anticipates potential issues such as dunnage falling during reconfiguration and proactively adjusts positions to prevent these harmful effects before they occur.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the handler reconfigures between accumulator and discharger modes, then operational flexibility is improved, but the time to switch configurations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable connection portion enables rapid reconfiguration by allowing the handler portions to rotate into the required orientations for different operational modes. This dynamic adjustment mechanism provides operational flexibility while minimizing the time needed to switch between accumulator and discharger configurations compared to more complex reconfiguration systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A dunnage handler is disclosed for controlling the outfeed of dunnage from a dunnage mechanism including a first handler portion configured for association with the dunnage mechanism for receiving dunnage therefrom, the first handler portion being reversibly reconfigurable between an accumulator configuration, in which the first handler portion is configured to accumulate the dunnage received from the dunnage mechanism and a discharger configuration, in which the first handler portion is configured to discharge the dunnage received from the dunnage mechanism.