Robotic Shelf Positioner for Inventory Accessibility
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional warehouse shelving systems are often tall and deep, making it difficult to identify and retrieve items, especially smaller ones, as they are hidden at the back of shelves, leading to inefficiencies and safety concerns due to the need for climbing or using ladders.
Innovation Solution
A modular inventory handling system incorporating a robotic positioning system (RPS) that moves inventory items to the edge of the shelf for easier access and identification, allowing robots or workers to retrieve them without lifting, thereby reducing the risk of damage and improving efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If shelving systems are made tall and deep to increase storage capacity, then storage density is improved, but item accessibility and identification deteriorate because items are hidden at the back
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic positioning system performs preliminary actions by automatically moving items from the back of shelves to the front edge before human workers need to retrieve them. This advance positioning resolves the contradiction by maintaining deep shelving for storage while ensuring items are subsequently accessible at the front edge.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic positioning system acts as an intermediary between the deep storage shelves and human workers. It bridges the gap by retrieving items from hard-to-reach locations and placing them in easily accessible positions, allowing the system to maintain both deep storage and easy accessibility.
2Quantity of substance
If shelving systems are made tall to increase storage capacity, then storage density is improved, but safety deteriorates due to the need for climbing or using ladders
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by enabling robots to autonomously access and retrieve items from tall shelves without human intervention. This eliminates the need for workers to climb or use ladders, resolving the safety contradiction while maintaining high storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic positioning system serves as an intermediary that performs dangerous tasks in place of human workers. By having robots access tall shelves, the system maintains high storage capacity while transferring the safety risk from workers to automated equipment.
3Productivity
If entire shelving units are transported for processing instead of retrieving single items, then retrieval efficiency is improved, but system complexity and resource consumption worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the retrieval function from the transportation function. Instead of moving entire shelving units, it separates item retrieval (performed by positioning robots at shelf location) from item transportation (performed by separate robots). This resolves the contradiction by improving retrieval efficiency without requiring complex integrated systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic positioning system acts as an intermediary that enables efficient item retrieval without moving entire shelving units. It provides the capability to access individual items quickly, eliminating the need to transport whole shelves while maintaining simple, modular system architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
A system to select and reposition inventory items on one or more shelving units is disclosed. The system can include a robotic positioning system (RPS) to move inventory items on a shelf to the front of the shelf, or off the shelf, to facilitate selection, delivery, and restocking of the inventory item. The RPS can include a movement system to enable it to position itself behind a particular inventory item on a shelf. The RPS can also include a positioner to enable the RPS to move the inventory item backward and forward on the shelf. The RPS can be mounted on a free-standing frame to enable movement in two axes and repositioning of inventory items in a third axis. The RPS can also be centrally mounted in a shelving unit and can move vertically and rotate about a single axis to reposition inventory items radially.