Rotatable Manipulator Blade for Automated Storage Gripping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional manipulators in automated storage systems face challenges in effectively gripping packages due to the limited space between rows, resulting in reduced storage capacity and inefficiency in handling substantially parallelepipedal or cylindrical bodies.
Innovation Solution
A manipulator with a clamp-like grip device featuring a high-rigidity first blade and a thinner, rotatable second blade, capable of translational motion and rotation, optimized to grip and release packages with reduced space requirements, allowing for efficient handling and storage optimization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional clamp-like devices with two mutually opposite blades are used to grip packages, then effective gripping capability is improved, but storage space is reduced due to the need for approximately two centimeters of space between rows of packages
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp-like device is divided into two independent blades: a first blade that remains fixed in position, and a second blade that can rotate independently about a pivot. This segmentation allows the second blade to achieve gripping force through rotation rather than requiring translational movement into the space between package rows, thereby reducing the space requirement from approximately two centimeters to a minimal gap sufficient for blade insertion only.
Solution Approach 2:
The second blade is made dynamically movable through rotation about a pivot point, transforming from a static or purely translational blade into a dynamic component that can generate gripping force through angular motion. This dynamic rotation capability allows the blade to apply clamping force without requiring the same linear space as conventional translational blades.
2Length of moving object
If blades are made long enough to reach the farthest package on the shelf, then gripping reach is improved, but blade rigidity is reduced requiring greater thickness which increases space requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The second blade is pre-positioned closer to the first blade, and the gripping action is initiated by rotating the second blade about its pivot to engage the package. This preliminary positioning eliminates the need for the blade to translate the full distance to reach distant packages, allowing the use of shorter, more rigid blades that can still achieve full gripping reach through the combined translation of the entire clamp device and the rotation of the second blade.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of achieving gripping reach solely through linear translation of long blades, the system uses a two-dimensional approach: the first blade translates to reach the package, while the second blade rotates about a pivot to close the gripping gap. This dimensional change from purely linear movement to combined translation and rotation allows shorter blades to achieve the same effective gripping reach with improved rigidity.
3Area of stationary object
If blades are made thinner to reduce space requirements, then storage capacity is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The second blade incorporates a curved or angled path of rotation about its pivot, allowing it to approach the first blade along an arc rather than a straight line. This curvature enables the blade to be thinner while maintaining sufficient structural integrity, as the rotational motion distributes stresses more favorably compared to linear translation, reducing the precision requirements for thin blade manufacturing.
Data Source
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Figure 3
Figure 4a
AI summary
A manipulator (10) for the handling in particular of substantially parallelepipedal or cylindrical bodies in an automated storage system (11), of the type comprising a clamp-like grip device (12), which is previously arranged on a plate (13) for supporting parallelepipedal or cylindrical bodies to be transported, the plate (13) being in turn supported by an assembly (14) for moving the manipulator (10); the clamp-like device (12) comprises two mutually opposite blades (15, 16), first means (17) of translational motion of such blades in a first direction (X) identified as the direction toward a facing conveyor belt or storage shelf, and second means (18) of translational motion in a second direction (Y) identified as the direction at right angles to the first direction (X) which is of mutual approach of the blades (15, 16) for the gripping of one or more parallelepipedal or cylindrical bodies, and of mutual distancing for the releasing of the parallelepipedal or cylindrical bodies once they have been loaded or unloaded from the supporting plate (13). The clamp-like grip device (12) has a first grip blade (15), rigid, which performs a translational motion only in the first direction (X), a second grip blade (16), thinner than the first blade (15), being translationally moveable in the first direction (X) together with the first blade (15), in the second direction (Y) toward or away from the first blade (15), and being able to rotate, with rotation means (19), about a pivot (20) thereof with an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the first direction (X) and the second direction (Y), the rotation means (19) being supported by the second means of translational motion (18) along the second direction (Y).