Roller Barriers for One-Sided Separation in High Bay Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rack storage systems pose a risk of injury to people moving in picking systems due to collisions with moving stacker cranes or their load handling devices, and existing safety measures like lifting or sliding gates are expensive, complex, and time-consuming to operate.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of roller barriers that can be easily opened and closed to separate storage locations on one side, allowing for safe and efficient movement of people while enabling pallet transfer between rows of shelves without blocking the storage and retrieval device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If lifting gates or sliding gates are installed to separate storage spaces from aisles, then safety for people moving in the system is improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, complex lifting gates or sliding gates with simple, inexpensive roller barriers that can be easily installed and removed. The roller barriers consist of basic mechanical components (rollers, frames) that are much cheaper than automated gate systems while providing equivalent safety functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes complex mechanical gate systems (with motors, sensors, control systems) with a simpler mechanical roller barrier system that operates on basic mechanical principles. The roller barriers use simple rolling motion rather than complex lifting or sliding mechanisms, reducing overall system complexity.
2Reliability
If lifting gates or sliding gates are used to separate storage spaces, then safety is improved, but the time required for opening and closing gates increases, blocking the storage and retrieval device
Solution Approach 1:
The roller barriers are designed to be dynamically adjustable, allowing them to be quickly positioned in the closed state whenever needed. Unlike fixed gates that require opening/closing cycles, the roller barriers can be rapidly repositioned along the aisle, minimizing interference with storage and retrieval operations while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the separation mechanism by using roller barriers that can be quickly deployed and repositioned. The barriers operate in a different temporal mode compared to traditional gates, allowing for faster response times and reduced blocking of the storage and retrieval device during normal operations.
3Reliability
If traditional gates are installed to prevent injury, then safety is improved, but the arrangement becomes expensive and complex to produce
Solution Approach 1:
The roller barriers are designed as inexpensive, simple mechanical components that can be manufactured at low cost using basic materials and processes. Each barrier unit consists of simple rollers and framing that are much cheaper to produce than automated gate systems, making the overall system more cost-effective.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety system is segmented into multiple independent, simple roller barrier units rather than one complex gate system. This segmentation allows for modular manufacturing and installation, reducing overall system cost and complexity while maintaining safety coverage across multiple storage locations.
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
The roller barriers provide a cost-effective, simple, and reliable solution for ensuring safety by allowing independent movement and reducing storage and retrieval time, while preventing human injury by completely separating storage channels from aisles.
Implementation Method 1
The roller barriers can be moved in such a way that the respective opening can be moved horizontally along the storage locations
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The arrangement (9) has a rolling area formation provided with an opening (20,21) in the form of a shutter cabinet (10,11), which extends along the stockyards (2a,2b,2c,2d,2e). The shutter cabinet is moved such that the opening is moved horizontally along the stockyards and the opening is dimensioned such that a commodity loaded pallet is passed through opening.