Stack Containment Fixture for Robotic Tray Line Kitting
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Solution Overview
Problem
In warehouse operations, the task of assembling stacked trays of items, known as 'line kitting,' is labor-intensive, prone to errors, and causes worker fatigue and injuries due to manual handling.
Innovation Solution
A robotic line kitting system with a stack containment structure that includes an insertion zone and a kitting area, supported by robotic arms and Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), facilitates the easy insertion, placement, and handling of stacks, reducing manual labor and improving efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If human workers manually handle trays for line kitting, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but worker fatigue and injuries occur, and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual human handling with an automated robotic system comprising a robotic arm, end effector, and stack containment structure. The robotic arm performs pick and place operations to assemble mixed stacks of trays, eliminating direct human physical contact with heavy trays and thereby preventing worker fatigue and injuries while maintaining high productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The stack containment structure serves as an intermediary device between the source stacks and the robotic arm. It provides a stable platform for positioning trays during the automated assembly process, facilitating efficient transfer of trays from source stacks to mixed stacks without requiring direct human intervention.
2Productivity
If human workers manually assemble mixed stacks, then error detection and correction are possible, but the process is time-consuming and labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system performs assembly operations at speeds exceeding human capability. The robotic arm can rapidly execute pick and place operations, assembling mixed stacks of trays much faster than manual workers, thereby significantly reducing the time required to complete line kitting operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system operates continuously without interruption, performing assembly operations without the breaks, fatigue, or delays inherent in manual work. The automated system maintains continuous productive action, maximizing assembly speed and minimizing idle time.
3Productivity
If a robotic system is implemented for line kitting, then productivity and safety are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system is divided into distinct functional modules: a robotic arm for movement, an end effector for grasping trays, and a stack containment structure for positioning. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies maintenance and operation while achieving high productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system is designed with universal capabilities to handle various tray types and configurations. The end effector can grasp different tray designs, and the stack containment structure accommodates different stack arrangements, allowing a single system to perform multiple line kitting tasks without requiring complex specialized equipment for each scenario.
Data Source
AI summary
A stack containment fixture is disclosed. The stack containment fixture includes an insertion zone structure including an insertion zone structure and a kitting area structure. The insertion zone structure includes a pair of substantially vertically oriented deflecting arms. each having one or more funnels configured to guide a stack into a position between the deflecting arms as the stack is lowered into the insertion zone structure from above. The kitting area structure is configured to support the vehicle or the stack during kitting operations for items being placed in the vehicle or stack or for items being picked from the vehicle or stack.