Logistics Equipment for Slab-Shaped Articles
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Solution Overview
Problem
The movement of slab-shaped manufactured articles is delicate and prone to breakage due to their bulky dimensions, especially when storage areas are far from production lines, requiring large working spaces and leading to reduced productivity and increased risk of damage.
Innovation Solution
A piece of equipment featuring a robotic gripping assembly with multiple degrees of freedom and transfer means that allows for efficient movement and storage of slab-shaped articles within compact environments, minimizing the risk of breakage and optimizing space usage by enabling movement between parallel lines and using transfer mechanisms like transport devices and rotational units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If slab-shaped manufactured articles are moved using horizontal frames with stacking, then storage capacity is improved, but the risk of breakage and deformation increases due to mechanical stress on lower articles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from horizontal stacking to vertical stacking of slab-shaped articles on the frame. This dimensional change allows multiple articles to be stored without the upper articles exerting mechanical stress on lower ones, thereby maintaining storage capacity while eliminating the breakage risk associated with horizontal stacking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the conventional horizontal stacking approach by implementing vertical stacking. Instead of placing articles one on top of another horizontally, they are stacked vertically with the frame standing upright, which reverses the stress distribution and prevents deformation of lower articles.
2Adaptability or versatility
If storage areas are located far from production lines, then logistics flexibility is improved, but the risk of breakage during transport increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is designed with dual functionality: it serves both as a transport carrier for moving articles from production to storage and as a storage structure itself when positioned vertically. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate storage facilities, allowing storage areas to be co-located with production lines while maintaining logistics flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the transport function and storage function into a single integrated system. The frame acts as both a moving platform during transport and a stationary storage unit when positioned vertically, combining what were previously separate operations into one unified solution that improves productivity.
3Area of stationary object
If vertical frames are used for storage, then space efficiency is improved, but the manufactured articles become unstable and may tip over during movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic positioning system where the frame can be selectively positioned in either vertical or horizontal orientation depending on the operational phase. During storage, the frame is positioned vertically for space efficiency; during movement, it is positioned horizontally for stability. This dynamic adaptability resolves the stability issue while maintaining space efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame's orientation parameter is changed based on operational requirements. By switching between vertical and horizontal positions, the system optimizes for either space efficiency or stability as needed, eliminating the compromise required by fixed designs.
4Ease of operation
If anthropomorphic robots with long movement paths are used, then article handling capability is improved, but the equipment requires large linear dimensions and is difficult to deploy in compact environments
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic gripping assembly is integrated within or closely coupled to the frame structure, creating a nested configuration where the robot operates within the spatial envelope of the frame. This nesting allows the robot to handle articles efficiently without requiring excessive linear dimensions, making the entire system compact and deployable in limited spaces.
Data Source
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AI summary
The equipment (1) for the logistics of slab-shaped manufactured articles comprises: at least one feeding plane (2) of at least one slab-shaped manufactured article (M) and at least one outlet plane (3) of the slab-shaped manufactured article (M); at least one robotic gripping assembly (4) of the slab-shaped manufactured article (M) provided with at least three degrees of freedom; first movement means (5) of the gripping assembly (4) along at least a first direction of movement (A); second movement means (7) of the gripping assembly (4) along at least a second direction of movement (B), wherein the first direction (A) and the second direction (B) are separate from each other; a plurality of temporary storage stations (9) of the slab-shaped manufactured article (M) mutually arranged substantially aligned to define at least a first row (F1) substantially parallel to the first direction of movement (A) and at least a second row (F2) substantially parallel to the second direction of movement (B), transfer means (10) of the gripping assembly (4) between the first movement means (5) and the second movement means (7).