Telescopic Handling Apparatus for Compact Object Transfer
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing handling apparatuses for transferring objects between loading/unloading stations have a large horizontal dimension, limiting the quantity of products that can be managed and not efficiently utilizing space, due to their intrinsic structure and movement mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A handling apparatus with a motorized mobile carriage and telescopic support arms that can extend and retract vertically and horizontally, allowing for compact design, efficient movement, and flexible arrangement of objects between stations, reducing plan dimensions by at least 30% and enabling better space utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a vertically-mobile carriage with telescopic support arms is used, then the plan dimensions are reduced by at least 30%, but the device complexity increases due to the telescopic mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The support arms utilize a telescopic mechanism where one arm is nested within another, allowing the arms to extend and retract in a compact manner. This nesting arrangement reduces the horizontal space required while maintaining the functionality of having extendable support arms for object transfer operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a horizontally-oriented support arm mechanism to a vertically-oriented carriage system. By moving the carriage vertically and using telescopic arms that extend horizontally only when needed, the system exploits the vertical dimension to reduce the overall plan dimensions of the handling apparatus.
2Volume of stationary object
If the support arms are made telescopic for compact design, then space utilization improves, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic support arms are constructed with nested segments that slide within each other, allowing compact retraction and extended operation. This nested structure maximizes space utilization when the arms are retracted, while maintaining ease of manufacture through standardized telescopic components that can be produced using conventional manufacturing processes.
3Productivity
If the handling apparatus is designed with compact dimensions, then productivity increases by better space exploitation, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The handling apparatus employs a mobile carriage that can move vertically along the support structure, and telescopic support arms that can extend and retract dynamically. This dynamic design allows the compact apparatus to adapt its configuration based on operational needs, maintaining high productivity while minimizing the overall footprint of the system.
Solution Approach 2:
By utilizing vertical movement of the carriage instead of horizontal movement, the system achieves better space exploitation in the plan view. The vertical dimension is used for the majority of the handling operations, allowing the apparatus to maintain compact horizontal dimensions while preserving full operational capability for high productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A handling apparatus, for transferring an object at a time between two loading/unloading stations, each station having a support shelf on which opposite ends of the objects rest. The handling device includes a support structure, a motorized mobile carriage vertically movable with respect to the support structure, support arms, elongate, straight, horizontal and parallel to one another, borne by the carriage to restingly support the opposite ends of the objects, a device for producing outward extraction of the support arms with respect to the carriage such as to produce penetration thereof internally of the loading/unloading stations, and retraction of the arms internally of the carriage, in a longitudinal direction parallel to the support shelves, the mobile carriage further bearing second support arms, elongate, straight, horizontal and having support edges able to restingly support the two opposite ends of the objects; the second arms being vertically mobile with respect to the first support arms in such a way as to transfer support of the objects from the first arms to the second arms and vice versa.