Stacker Crane Mast Cover Adjustment for Cleanroom Dust Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Stacker cranes used in clean rooms face challenges in preventing dust transfer and spreading due to the vertical movement of the elevation portion along the mast, as existing solutions either interfere with the elevation portion or result in an unsuitable gap, and require adjustable mast configurations to address distortion and attachment errors.
Innovation Solution
A mast design with a reinforcement portion and an adjuster mechanism that allows for easy adjustment of the cover's position relative to the elevation portion, utilizing a telescopic structure and turnbuckle mechanism to adjust the intersection angle of the side surface portions, enabling precise positioning of the cover to prevent dust dissemination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the covering member is attached integrally to the flange portions of the mast, then the cover can effectively cover the elevation area, but the position of the covering member cannot be adjusted due to mast distortion or attachment errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the covering member position adjustable by introducing an adjuster mechanism that allows the covering member to move vertically along the mast. This transforms the static integral attachment into a dynamic adjustable connection, resolving the contradiction between reliable dust prevention and position adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the covering member into multiple sections connected by adjusters, allowing independent positioning of each segment. This segmentation enables the covering member to adapt to mast distortion while maintaining effective dust coverage.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the space between the covering member and elevation portion is made as small as possible, then dust prevention is improved, but the covering member may interfere with the elevation portion due to mast distortion or attachment errors
Solution Approach 1:
The adjuster mechanism allows the covering member to dynamically adjust its position to maintain an optimal small gap with the elevation portion, preventing dust leakage while avoiding interference with elevation portion movement even when mast distortion occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the positional parameter of the covering member vertically along the mast through the adjuster mechanism, enabling the gap distance to be optimized for dust prevention while preventing contact with the elevation portion.
3Reliability
If the covering member is fixed to prevent interference with the elevation portion, then operational safety is improved, but the position cannot be adjusted to account for mast distortion or attachment errors
Solution Approach 1:
The adjuster mechanism provides dynamic position adjustment capability, allowing the covering member to be precisely positioned relative to the elevation portion while maintaining safe operation. This resolves the contradiction between fixed safety and manufacturing precision adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
In a stacker crane, a cover to cover an elevation area of an elevation portion is integrally attachable to side surface portions of a mast, which includes a reinforcement portion and an adjuster. The reinforcement portion between a pair of the side surface portions in a Y direction extends toward an opposite direction to an elevation surface of an elevation surface defining portion and has a higher stiffness than that of each of the pair of side surface portions. The adjuster is spaced from the elevation surface defining portion in an X direction perpendicular to a Z direction and the Y direction, and both edges thereof extendible in the Y direction are contactable with the reinforcement portion and each of the pair of side surface portions.