Automated Storage Shuttle Positioning via Rail Marks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated storage systems face inefficiencies due to uncertainty in shuttle positioning within storage lanes, leading to potential loss of storage space between adjacent goods.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating elongate planes with periodic marks, such as perforations, on the rails of storage lanes, and using sensors on the shuttle to detect these marks for precise positioning, allowing the shuttle to accurately determine its location and adapt to anomalies like splice plates or vertical supports.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the shuttle moves goods into the storage lane without precise positioning, then the storage operation can proceed, but storage space is lost between adjacent goods due to position uncertainty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical positioning systems with an optical sensing system. Sensors on the shuttle detect optical marks (perforations or reflective elements) on the rails to determine precise position, substituting mechanical encoders or rulers with a non-contact optical measurement system that provides higher precision without adding mechanical complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces optical marks as an intermediary element between the shuttle and the rail system. These marks serve as a reference medium that the sensors detect to calculate the shuttle's position, enabling precise positioning without direct mechanical coupling or complex sensor systems on the rail infrastructure.
2Measurement precision
If marks are added to the rails for positioning, then positioning precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies marks only at specific locations on the rails where position reference is needed, rather than covering the entire rail system. The marks are placed at known intervals and positions, providing localized reference points that enable precise positioning without modifying the entire rail structure, thus minimizing added complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical marks are implemented as simple, inexpensive elements (perforations in the rail or standalone reflective stickers) that can be easily added or replaced. These marks serve as low-cost reference elements that do not require complex manufacturing or installation, minimizing the impact on overall system complexity and cost.
3Measurement precision
If sensors are installed on the shuttle to detect marks, then positioning accuracy is improved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The shuttle is equipped with sensors that autonomously detect the optical marks on the rails and calculate its own position without requiring external intervention or complex communication systems. The shuttle independently processes the sensor signals to determine its location, reducing the need for additional control infrastructure and simplifying the overall system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical sensor system on the shuttle serves multiple functions: it detects the position marks for positioning, can identify the direction of travel based on mark sequence, and can potentially detect other features on the rails. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate sensing systems, thereby lowering manufacturing complexity and cost.
Data Source
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AI summary
A racking system adapted for storing goods is provided. The racking system comprises one of more storage lanes, each storage lane having a first and a second longitudinal side, at least the first longitudinal side being provided with a first elongate plane elongate along said storage lane in longitudinal direction of said lane, said elongate plane being provided with marks provided on or in said elongate plane at regular intervals in longitudinal direction.