Robot-Mounted Tray Table for Energy-Efficient Line Kitting

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Solution Overview

Problem

In warehouse operations, the task of assembling stacked trays of items, known as 'line kitting,' is often performed by human workers, leading to fatigue, injuries, and inefficiencies due to the manual handling of trays.

Innovation Solution

A robotic system is introduced that utilizes a task table mounted to a robot or its carriage, allowing for efficient picking and placing of trays without the need for the robot to traverse long distances, thereby reducing energy consumption and increasing throughput.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If human workers manually handle trays to assemble stacked trays, then the task can be completed with simple equipment, but worker fatigue and injuries increase and efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveline kitting efficiencyVSAvoidworker fatigue and injuries

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The robotic system performs line kitting operations autonomously without human intervention. The robot picks trays from source stacks, transports them to the task table, and assembles them into destination stacks automatically, eliminating the need for human workers to perform repetitive manual handling tasks that cause fatigue and injuries.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical system (human workers using their hands and bodies to handle trays) with an automated robotic mechanical system. The robot uses grippers, actuators, and controlled motion systems to perform tray handling operations, substituting human physical labor with automated mechanical operations that eliminate worker fatigue and injuries while improving efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If the robot traverses long distances to pick and place trays, then the robot can access more locations, but energy consumption increases and throughput decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveline kitting throughputVSAvoidrobot energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The task table serves as a pre-positioned workspace that brings the destination location close to the robot base. By preparing the task table in advance as an intermediate staging area, the robot can perform pick and place operations within a limited, energy-efficient range rather than traversing long distances across the entire workspace for each operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The task table acts as an intermediary element between the source stacks and final destination stacks. The robot picks trays from source stacks and places them on the task table first, then transfers them to destination stacks. This intermediary workspace reduces the total movement distance and energy consumption by creating a localized operation zone near the robot base.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12304074B2Robot carriage tray table

Publication Date: 2025.05.20 DEXTERITY INC

AI summary

A task table for use in a robotic system comprising a robot mounted on a carriage configured to move the robot along a path is disclosed. The task table includes a substantially horizontal table surface, and one or more mounting arms to which the table surface is affixed at a first distal end and comprising, at a second distal end opposite the first distal end, one or more mounting structures, the one or more mounting arms having a length that allows the table surface to be mounted to the robot or the carriage at a distance from a base of the robot that enables the robot to reach a plurality of locations on the table surface each with a desired pose.