Stacker Crane Lateral Span Adjustment for Collision Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional article storage facilities with multiple transports in the path face inefficiencies due to interference between movement ranges, requiring complex configurations to prevent collisions and limit movement, which hampers transport capabilities.
Innovation Solution
The article storage facility design includes two stacker cranes with vertically movable bodies guided by vertical guides positioned on opposite sides of the path, allowing the transit bodies to pass each other by adjusting their positions, thereby preventing interference and enabling efficient movement even during article transfers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple article transports are provided in the path to improve transport capabilities, then transport capability is improved, but the movement ranges of the article transports will interfere with each other, requiring collision prevention mechanisms that limit movement efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions vertical guides on opposite sides of the path (lateral dimension) rather than stacking them in the vertical dimension alone. This lateral separation allows transit bodies to pass each other horizontally while vertical guides remain separated, enabling multiple transports to operate simultaneously without collision, thus improving both transport capability and movement efficiency
2Ease of operation
If vertical guides are positioned on opposite sides of the path to allow transit bodies to pass each other, then movement efficiency is improved, but the vertically movable body must laterally span the entire path, increasing structural complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The vertically movable body is designed to dynamically change its lateral span. It can extend to laterally span the entire path when at the lowermost position for article transfer, and retract to a reduced lateral dimension when moving through the path. This dynamic adjustment eliminates the need for complex switching mechanisms while maintaining movement efficiency
3Productivity
If the vertically movable body is switched to movement position to allow passing, then article transport capability is improved, but the switching mechanism adds structural complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a rotating mechanism that pivots the vertically movable body between orientations. The rotational movement allows smooth transition between article transfer orientation (spanning the path) and movement position (reduced span), eliminating the need for complex switching mechanisms while maintaining article transport capability
Data Source
AI summary
An article storage facility includes a storage rack that includes a plurality of storage units that store articles; a first article transport that includes a first vertically movable body guided by a first vertical guide and a first transit body configured to move along a path defined along the storage rack, the first vertical guide being provided in the first article transport so as to be positioned on one side of a lateral direction of the path; and a second article transport that includes a second vertically movable body guided by a second vertical guide and a second transit body configured to move along the path, the second vertical guide being provided in the second article transport so as to be positioned on the other lateral side of the path. The first transit body and the second transit body are configured so as to be able to pass each other.