Retractable Edge Bin Conveyor With Shuttle Robot
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing sorting installations in postal centers, which use tray conveyors to minimize space and reduce transfer distance, become inconvenient and tiring for operators due to the weight and volume of loaded trays, necessitating a more efficient bin transfer mechanism.
Innovation Solution
A bin manipulator shuttle robot, connected to the bin conveyor, autonomously extracts bins from sorting outlets and transfers them onto the conveyor using gravity, eliminating manual handling and incorporating a pivoting edge to prevent overflow or ejection during transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual transfer of bins by sorting operators is used, then flexibility in bin handling is maintained, but operator fatigue and inconvenience increase due to weight and volume of loaded trays
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service through the automated shuttle robot that autonomously extracts bins from sorting outlets and transfers them to the bin conveyor without human intervention. The gravity-based slide mechanism further automates the transfer process, allowing the system to serve itself rather than relying on operator labor.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical system with an automated robotic system. The shuttle robot uses mechanical connection to the bin conveyor and gravity-based sliding mechanism to automate bin transfer, substituting human physical effort with automated mechanical processes.
2Reliability
If a fixed bin conveyor edge is used, then bin containment during transport is ensured, but bin transfer from slide to conveyor is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The bin conveyor edge is designed as a dynamic, pivoting structure rather than a fixed one. It can pivot between a raised position for containment during transport and a retracted position to allow bin transfer from the slide, adapting its state based on operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The bin conveyor edge is segmented into a movable portion and a fixed portion. The movable portion can independently pivot to create transfer gaps, while the fixed portion maintains structural integrity and containment, allowing simultaneous achievement of both transfer capability and bin containment.
3Reliability
If the pivoting edge remains in raised position, then bin ejection is prevented, but bin transfer from slide is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The pivoting edge operates periodically, alternating between raised and retracted positions in synchronization with bin arrival and transfer operations. This periodic action ensures containment during transport while enabling timely transfer when bins arrive.
Solution Approach 2:
The pivoting edge is retracted in advance before bin arrival to prepare for transfer, then raised after transfer to prevent ejection. This preliminary action sequence ensures smooth bin transfer followed by immediate containment.
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
This solution reduces operator fatigue and prevents bin ejection during transport, enabling efficient and automated bin transfer without the need for manual intervention, enhancing operational efficiency in postal sorting centers.
Implementation Method 1
a slide mechanically connected with the bin conveyor designed to transfer the extracted bin from the housing onto the bin conveyor by the effect of gravity
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4c
AI summary
The sorting installation (1) for mail items (6) according to the invention comprises sorting outlets (2) aligned along a sorting conveyor (3), each equipped with a housing (4) for a bin (5) in which sorted mail items are stored, and a bin conveyor (8) extending under said sorting outlets to transport the bins filled with sorted mail items from the sorting outlets to a feed inlet (7) of the sorting conveyor. The installation according to the invention further comprises a bin-handling shuttle robot (9) capable of moving along the bin conveyor in front of said sorting outlets and extracting a bin from a housing of a sorting outlet associated with it, under the control of a control unit (19), for transfer onto said bin conveyor.