Stackable Storage Modules With Automated Carrier Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional storage facilities face inefficiencies in item storage and retrieval, requiring significant human intervention and resulting in lower storage density, longer retrieval times, and increased operational costs.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of stackable storage modules with automated item movement management systems, utilizing modular and flexible storage solutions that enable high-density storage and retrieval through coordinated automated material handling equipment, allowing for efficient item placement and retrieval with minimal human assistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional shelving units are used with human operators for item placement and retrieval, then operational flexibility is maintained, but storage density is low and retrieval time is long
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs automated carrier devices that autonomously transport storage containers between storage locations and access points without human intervention. The carriers navigate tracks independently, enabling self-service material handling that eliminates manual retrieval operations and significantly reduces retrieval time while increasing system throughput
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical operations by human operators are replaced with an automated mechanical system consisting of motorized carrier devices traveling on tracked paths. This substitution of human labor with automated machinery enables continuous operation, faster retrieval, and higher system throughput without the time losses associated with human intervention
2Quantity of substance
If vertical shelving units are used for storage, then space utilization is improved, but storage density remains limited and human assistance is still required
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static vertical shelving to a three-dimensional tracked network that utilizes horizontal, vertical, and diagonal pathways. Carriers move along these multi-dimensional tracks to access storage containers, enabling dense vertical stacking while maintaining automated access through spatially optimized carrier routes that eliminate the need for human assistance
Solution Approach 2:
The storage system is divided into modular components: individual storage containers, carrier devices, and track segments. This segmentation allows flexible configuration of high-density vertical storage while distributing automated operations across multiple independent carriers, eliminating human assistance requirements and maximizing storage capacity
3Productivity
If automated carrier devices are implemented, then retrieval time is reduced and productivity increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier devices are designed as universal, multi-functional units that can transport different types of storage containers along various track segments. Each carrier serves multiple functions including navigation, container handling, and positioning, which consolidates automation complexity into standardized components rather than requiring specialized mechanisms for each operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges navigation, transport, and container handling functions into integrated carrier devices that operate along unified tracked pathways. This consolidation of functions into single automated units reduces overall system complexity compared to separate mechanisms for each operation, while maintaining high productivity and reduced retrieval time
4Quantity of substance
If stackable storage modules are used, then storage density increases and flexibility is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system is divided into standardized, modular components including stackable storage containers and carrier devices with uniform dimensions and interfaces. This segmentation into discrete, manufacturable modules simplifies production through standardized manufacturing processes while enabling high-density vertical stacking and operational flexibility when assembled
Solution Approach 2:
Storage containers are designed to be nested within carrier devices, which themselves navigate within the track structure. This nested arrangement maximizes storage density by vertically stacking containers within carriers while the standardized nesting interfaces simplify manufacturing compared to integrated monolithic structures
Data Source
AI summary
An example storage module may include an upper support structure, a lower support structure, and a frame. The upper support structure may engage with a corresponding lower support structure of a first different storage module. The lower support structure may engage with a corresponding upper support structure of a second different storage module. The frame may include a first component and a second component. Each component may include an upper portion, a lower portion, and a set of connecting portions. The upper portion may define an upper level of the storage module. The lower portion may define a lower level of the storage module. The set of connecting portions may connect the upper and lower portions. The storage module may also include a set of carrier devices to move in accordance with a movement path and support a set of storage containers.