Sensor-Controlled Tipping Device for Gentle Package Emptying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated systems for emptying packets and packages from transport containers often result in damage due to uncontrolled ejection and inefficiencies in cycle times, as they dump the entire contents onto a horizontal surface before singulation, leading to space inefficiencies and higher damage rates.
Innovation Solution
A sensor-controlled tipping device that accelerates or decelerates the emptying motion based on real-time detection of piece goods, allowing for individual or small-batch ejection, minimizing damage and optimizing the unloading process by controlling the number and speed of items using multi-dimensional sensors and image recognition or 3D scanners.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the collection or transport container is tipped out in a mechanized manner with a fixed motion schema, then the unloading capacity and cycle time are improved, but the damage rate of the goods being transported increases
Solution Approach 1:
The motion schema of the tipping device is made dynamically adjustable rather than fixed. The controller modifies the tipping motion in real-time based on sensor feedback about piece goods ejection, allowing the system to maintain high productivity while adapting the motion profile to minimize damage. This resolves the contradiction by making the system responsive to actual conditions during unloading.
Solution Approach 2:
A sensor system detects the current emptying procedure and provides feedback to the controller, which adjusts the tipping motion accordingly. This closed-loop control ensures that piece goods are ejected at optimal moments to reduce damage while maintaining efficient unloading rates, directly addressing the contradiction between speed and gentleness.
2Speed
If the entire contents of the loading unit are dumped onto the wall surface at once, then the ejection speed is improved, but the space requirement and damage risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ejection process is segmented into multiple controlled phases rather than a single dump. The tipping device ejects piece goods in successive batches as the container tilts, with sensor feedback controlling the progression. This segmentation reduces the peak space requirement on the removal device while maintaining efficient ejection speed through continuous controlled release.
Solution Approach 2:
The tipping motion follows a periodic pattern with acceleration and deceleration phases, creating controlled ejection cycles. This periodic action allows piece goods to be released in manageable sequences, reducing the instantaneous space burden on the removal device while maintaining overall ejection speed through rhythmic controlled release.
3Productivity
If heavy packets are ejected in an uncontrolled manner onto stacks of lighter packets, then the unloading speed is improved, but the damage to lighter packets increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system detects the presence and position of piece goods before ejection occurs. This preliminary detection allows the controller to prepare the appropriate tipping motion profile in advance, ensuring that heavy packets are ejected at optimal moments when the container angle and ejection velocity minimize impact damage to lighter packets below, while maintaining unloading speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The tipping device dynamically changes motion parameters (angle, velocity, acceleration) based on real-time sensor feedback about the ejection process. This parameter adjustment ensures that heavy packets are released with controlled velocity and at optimal angles, reducing harmful impacts on lighter packets while maintaining high unloading productivity through efficient motion optimization.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a device for the automated emptying of packets and packages or similar piece goods from a collection or transport container holding the piece goods. The container is pivotable to this end by way of a tipping device at least temporarily holding the container, according to a defined motion schema, into an emptying position. In order to provide an effective, automated solution for gently emptying packets and packages or similar piece goods from collection or transport containers, allowing for simultaneous minimizing of the damage occurring at low cycle times, the collection or transport container is tipped out, wherein the motion schema and thus the tipping procedure of the collection or transport container can be accelerated or decelerated as a function of the current emptying procedure and/or considering the speed and/or amount of the tipped-out piece goods.