Temporary Storage Shelf Board for Faster Robotic Goods Transfer

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing warehousing industry faces inefficiencies in cargo access and transfer due to the need for robots to stop and extend robotic arms to access cargo on shelves, which slows down the process.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a temporary storage layer board with a furcal groove that cooperates with a robot's furcal arm, allowing direct access and storage, and a control method that coordinates the transfer of cargo between temporary storage positions and storage positions using multiple robots to enhance efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a robot uses a robotic arm to access cargo on a shelf, then the robot can retrieve cargo, but the robot needs to stop and extend the arm which reduces access efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecargo access efficiencyVSAvoidoperation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a temporary storage layer board as an intermediary between the robot and the main shelf. The robot deposits cargo onto this intermediate board, which then automatically transfers the cargo to the target storage position. This mediator eliminates the need for the robot to perform complex arm extension and precision placement operations, significantly reducing access time and improving efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The storage system is segmented into multiple functional layers: the main shelf for long-term storage, the temporary storage layer board for intermediate holding, and the automatic transfer mechanism for movement. This segmentation allows the robot to simplify its operation to just depositing cargo on the temporary board, while the system handles the complex transfer operations automatically.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the robot stops to access cargo, then precise cargo retrieval is possible, but the overall transfer speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecargo retrieval accuracyVSAvoidtransfer speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The temporary storage layer board is pre-positioned and pre-configured with the correct receiving position for cargo. The robot doesn't need to perform real-time positioning calculations or precise arm control during cargo retrieval. Instead, it simply deposits cargo onto the pre-prepared temporary board, which then automatically transfers it to the final destination. This preliminary preparation maintains retrieval accuracy while dramatically increasing transfer speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11634281B2Temporary storage shelf board, goods shelf, control method and device, apparatus and system

Publication Date: 2023.04.25 WUXI QUICKTRON INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY CO LTD

AI summary

A temporary storage shelf board, a goods shelf, a control method, an apparatus and a system are provided. The temporary storage shelf board is used for providing multiple temporary storage positions. The temporary storage shelf board is provided with fork pockets, and the fork pockets is used for cooperating with a fork arm of a first robot. A goods storage and retrieval channel of the first robot is formed below the temporary storage shelf board, and when goods are stored and retrieved, the first robot is located at the goods storage and retrieval channel, and the fork pockets cooperate with the fork arm on the first robot to store and retrieve the goods. Thus, the efficiency of goods storage and retrieval can be improved.