Conveyance Robot Holding Portion with Lock Pins
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing product conveyance robots that expose products during transport lack measures to prevent fall and theft, especially in unmonitored large areas, leading to potential losses and increased robot size due to the need for containers.
Innovation Solution
A product conveyance system featuring a robot with a holding portion that includes support columns and lock pins to secure a storage box, allowing it to be conveyed exposed without a container, preventing falls and thefts while maintaining a compact robot size, and incorporating attachable options for various containers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a solid container is used to store the storage box, then fall and theft of the storage box are prevented, but the robot size increases due to the container
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential security function (preventing fall and theft) from the bulky solid container and implements it through a minimalistic holding portion with support columns and lock pins. This allows the robot to convey the storage box without an enclosing container, reducing robot size while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding portion is segmented into discrete functional elements: support columns for bearing weight and lock pins for securing. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and enables the robot to achieve security functionality without a monolithic container structure.
2Volume of moving object
If the storage box is conveyed exposed to outside without a container, then robot size is reduced, but fall and theft of the storage box cannot be prevented in unmonitored areas
Solution Approach 1:
The lock pins protrude in advance to engage with the storage box before conveyance begins, establishing security measures preliminarily. This preliminary locking action ensures that even in unmonitored areas, the storage box is secured against fall and theft without requiring continuous monitoring or a enclosing container.
3Reliability
If lock pins are provided to engage with the storage box, then fall and theft are prevented, but the holding portion structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The lock pins are positioned locally at critical engagement points on the storage box, providing security only where needed rather than through a comprehensive enclosing structure. This localized approach prevents fall and theft while minimizing the overall structural complexity of the holding portion.
Data Source
AI summary
A product conveyance system includes: a storage box in which a product is stored; and a product conveyance robot including a travel portion and a holding portion provided above the travel portion and configured to hold the storage box. The holding portion includes a pair of support columns provided in a standing manner with an interval between the support columns in the width direction. Each of the support columns includes: one or more support rails configured to support the storage box in the height direction, the storage box being placed between the support columns; and one or more lock pins provided on a facing surface of the each of the support columns, the facing surface facing the other one of the support columns, the one or more lock pins being configured to protrude and retract in the width direction.