Sod Roll Stacking Technique for Narrow Pallets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sod harvesters struggle to efficiently stack wider rolls of sod on narrower pallets without causing the rolls to extend beyond the pallet edges, leading to instability and safety issues during transportation.
Innovation Solution
A sod harvester with a control system that operates a stacking conveyor and head to form unique layers on a pallet, allowing wider rolls to be stacked by positioning sets of rolls in specific corners and orientations, ensuring stability even on rectangular pallets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If wider rolls of sod are stacked on narrower pallets using conventional stacking methods, then the rolls cannot be accommodated without extending beyond pallet edges, but this causes instability and safety issues during transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The stacking process is segmented into multiple picking operations. The stacking head picks up different sets of rolls from different positions on the stacking conveyor and places them in specific patterns on the pallet. This segmentation allows wider rolls to be accommodated by distributing them across multiple picking cycles rather than attempting to load all rolls in a single operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes the vertical dimension by stacking rolls in multiple layers. The stacking head can pick up rolls and place them at different heights on the pallet, creating a three-dimensional stacking pattern. This vertical arrangement allows wider rolls to be accommodated within the pallet boundaries by utilizing space in the vertical dimension rather than only horizontal space.
2Productivity
If conventional stacking methods are used with rectangular pallets, then rolls may extend beyond pallet edges, but this creates safety hazards during transport
Solution Approach 1:
The control system monitors the stacking process and adjusts the stacking head operations based on the current state of the pallet. The system tracks which rolls have been placed and ensures that subsequent picking operations maintain proper roll orientation and positioning. This feedback mechanism prevents rolls from extending beyond pallet edges while maintaining efficient stacking operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the orientation parameters of rolls during stacking. The stacking head can rotate or reorient rolls as they are placed on the pallet, adjusting their angular position to ensure they fit within pallet boundaries. This parameter change in roll orientation allows efficient use of pallet space while preventing safety hazards from rolls extending beyond edges.
3Productivity
If the stacking head picks up multiple sets of rolls simultaneously, then stacking speed increases, but coordination between picking operations becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The stacking conveyor pre-positions multiple sets of rolls in designated slots before the stacking head begins picking operations. This preliminary arrangement allows the stacking head to efficiently pick up rolls from predetermined positions without complex real-time coordination. The rolls are prepared in advance in the correct sequence and orientation, simplifying the stacking head's picking operations while maintaining high stacking speed.
Data Source
AI summary
Sod harvesters can be configured to stack rolls of sod in unique layers on a pallet. A sod harvester can include control circuitry that is configured to operate a stacking head and a stacking conveyor in a manner that enables the layers to be formed. The structure of the layers can facilitate harvesting wider rolls even when narrower pallets are used to transport the rolls.