Rotatable Cantilever Vehicle for Grid Storage Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prior art automated storage and retrieval systems face challenges with vehicle design, including complexity and cost due to space constraints, limited lifting power, and reduced stability, as well as inefficiencies in maneuvering and space utilization due to cantilever and single cell vehicle designs.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle with a rotational part connected to a base via a swivel device, featuring a drive system with wheels or belts that can rotate relative to the base, allowing it to operate on a grid system with a protruding section for container handling, enabling efficient movement and handling of multiple containers while maintaining stability and allowing other vehicles to pass by rotating the cantilever.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a cantilever vehicle design is used to maximize storage space, then space utilization is improved, but vehicle stability deteriorates and maneuvering efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the cantilever section rotatable relative to the vehicle body through a swivel device. This allows the cantilever to change its angular position dynamically, enabling the vehicle to maintain stability during operation while still providing maximum storage space when the cantilever is in the horizontal position. The rotatable joint allows the structure to adapt between storage and maneuvering states.
2Productivity
If the vehicle footprint is reduced to allow more vehicles on the track system, then system capacity is improved, but lifting power and stability are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
By making the cantilever rotatable, the vehicle can reduce its effective footprint during maneuvering operations, allowing more vehicles to operate on the track system simultaneously. When the cantilever is rotated vertically, it clears the track area, enabling closer spacing between vehicles. The lifting mechanism remains powerful because it operates within the vehicle body structure, independent of the cantilever's rotational position.
3Productivity
If the cantilever is positioned horizontally to maximize container handling capacity, then handling efficiency is improved, but interference with adjacent vehicles increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable cantilever allows the vehicle to rotate the lifting section vertically when not actively handling containers, thereby clearing the horizontal space and preventing interference with adjacent vehicles. When container handling is required, the cantilever can be rotated to a horizontal position to maximize handling capacity. This dynamic repositioning eliminates the harmful interference effect while maintaining high productivity when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
An automated storage and retrieval system includes: a track system having a first set of parallel tracks and a second set of parallel tracks, which form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane including a plurality of adjacent grid cells, each having a grid opening defined by a pair of neighboring tracks of the first set of tracks and a pair of neighboring tracks of the second set of tracks; a plurality of storage containers arranged in storage columns located beneath the track system, wherein each storage column is located vertically below a grid opening; and a vehicle configured to move on top of the track system above the storage columns, including a storage container lifting device for lifting storage containers and a drive system including a wheel arrangement, configured to drive the vehicle along the track system in at least one of the first direction and the second direction.