Article transport facility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing article transport facilities face challenges in easily coupling support columns and support beams while ensuring sufficient strength, particularly during assembly.

Innovation Solution

The facility employs a coupling mechanism involving an attachment member with locking portions and a support member bound by a binding member, allowing for both secure attachment and reduced assembly labor.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If support columns and support beams are coupled using only locking mechanisms, then assembly workability is improved, but coupling strength is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly workabilityVSAvoidcoupling strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines two coupling methods (locking and binding) into a unified coupling system. The attachment member includes both a locking portion that engages with the lock receiving portion and a binding hole that accepts a binding member. This merging of mechanisms allows the system to achieve both ease of assembly and sufficient coupling strength simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Strength

If support columns and support beams are coupled using only binding members, then coupling strength is improved, but assembly labor increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoupling strengthVSAvoidassembly labor

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The locking mechanism provides partial coupling action that achieves sufficient strength for many applications without requiring full binding. The operator can choose to apply only the locking portion for quick assembly, or add the binding member for enhanced strength requirements, allowing flexible adjustment of assembly effort based on actual needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If multiple binding members are used to ensure sufficient coupling strength, then coupling reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoupling reliabilityVSAvoidcoupling structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The coupling system provides dynamic adaptability where the level of coupling strength can be adjusted based on requirements. The locking mechanism serves as a baseline coupling that can be enhanced by adding binding members only when necessary, allowing the system to maintain simplicity for routine applications while providing enhanced reliability when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12466654B2Article transport facility

Publication Date: 2025.11.11 DAIFUKU CO LTD

AI summary

An article transport facility includes support columns (2) and support beams (5) that are coupled to the support columns (2) and support rails (7). The support beams (5) each include a beam body (50), attachment members (55) for attachment to the support columns (2), and support members (60) that are fixed to the beam body (50) and are for supporting the rails (7). A support beam (5) and a support column (2) are coupled together by locking portions (59) provided on the attachment members (55) being locked to lock receiving portions (21) formed in the support column 2, and by binding with use of first binding members (B1) inserted through first through holes (66) formed in the support members (60).