Sliding Fork Assembly for Variable-Width Warehouse Aisles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Warehousing robots are limited to operating in aisles of a specific width due to the inability to adjust the fork body's distance relative to the shelving unit, affecting their adaptability and the functionality of components like code reading cameras.
Innovation Solution
A fork assembly with a mounting frame slidably mounted to a lifting beam, equipped with a traverse movement enabling mechanism that allows the mounting frame to move transversely, adjusting the fork body's position and overcoming the rotation radius limitation, along with a rotating assembly and telescopic arms for versatile operation in different aisle widths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the fork body is fixed at a constant distance from the lifting beam, then the structure is simple and stable, but the robot cannot operate in aisles of different widths
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting frame is made movable relative to the lifting beam through a sliding mechanism, allowing the fork body to dynamically adjust its position in the width direction. This transforms the fixed structure into a dynamic one that can adapt to different aisle widths while maintaining operational stability
Solution Approach 2:
The system is divided into separable components: the lifting beam, the sliding mounting frame, and the fork body. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of the fork body position relative to the lifting beam, enabling adaptability without requiring complete structural redesign
2Adaptability or versatility
If the fork body can adjust its position to operate in different aisle widths, then adaptability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting frame serves as an intermediary component between the lifting beam and the fork body. It provides the sliding mechanism that enables position adjustment while simplifying the overall control structure, as the mounting frame handles the adjustment function without requiring complex control systems
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting frame is designed with multi-functionality: it serves as both a support structure for the fork body and a sliding mechanism for position adjustment. This universal design reduces the need for additional separate adjustment mechanisms, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A fork assembly includes a lifting beam, a traverse movement enabling mechanism, a mounting frame, and a fork body arranged on the mounting frame. The mounting frame is slidably mounted to the lifting beam. The traverse movement enabling mechanism is arranged between the mounting frame and the lifting beam. The traverse movement enabling mechanism is configured to drive the mounting frame to move along a first direction relative to the lifting beam, to adjust a distance between the fork body and a warehousing shelving unit.