Tilting Channel Sorting Device for Multi-Destination Logistics
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-destination sorting devices with flaps are prone to failure and require significant time for flap positioning, limiting their effectiveness and preventing the use of devices with three or more destinations due to space constraints and operational inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A sorting device with channel elements that can be quickly and robustly repositioned using a tilting mechanism, allowing for simultaneous synchronous movement of channel elements to efficiently direct piece goods to multiple destinations, including three, by coupling the tilting movements of the channel elements and using motors for precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If flaps are used to sort items between multiple destination positions, then the space requirement is reduced, but the device becomes prone to malfunctions and requires significant time for positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the problematic flap component from the sorting system and replaces it with channel elements that form sorting paths. The channel elements are tiltable to define different routes, eliminating the flap's vulnerability to malfunctions while maintaining the ability to direct items to multiple destinations.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical flap system is replaced with a tilting channel element system. Instead of using a single flap that must be positioned precisely, the invention uses channel elements that can be tilted to different positions to define sorting paths, reducing mechanical complexity and improving reliability.
2Area of stationary object
If flaps are used to sort items between multiple destination positions, then the space requirement is reduced, but the sorting speed decreases due to time required for flap positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The channel elements are designed to be tiltable and repositionable during operation, allowing dynamic adjustment of sorting paths. This enables rapid switching between different destination configurations without the time-consuming positioning required by fixed flaps, thereby improving sorting speed while maintaining compact space usage.
3Adaptability or versatility
If sorting devices are designed with three or more target positions, then the versatility increases, but the space requirement and complexity increase making them impractical
Solution Approach 1:
The channel elements serve multiple functions: they can be tilted to different positions to define sorting paths to various destinations, and they can work in combination to create complex routing logic. This multi-functionality allows the system to handle three or more destinations without proportionally increasing complexity, as the same channel elements are reused for different routing configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The sorting device can be nested within a cascade of similar devices, where each device handles a subset of destinations. This modular approach allows the system to scale to handle three or more destinations by combining multiple compact units, rather than requiring a single large complex device.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a sorting device (2, 50, 52, 58, 64) for individual items with multiple destination points (20). To achieve a sorting device (2, 50, 52, 58, 64) that reduces the space required for sorting, a sorting device (2, 50, 52, 58, 64) for individual items with multiple destination points (20) is proposed, which has a first channel element (10) and a second channel element (12), each mounted on a rotary axis (14). It is further proposed that the sorting device (2, 50, 52, 58, 64) has a tilting mechanism (16, 66) which, when activated, causes a tilting movement (18) of the two channel elements (10, 12) about their respective rotary axis (14). According to the invention, the channel elements (10, 12) are movable between several positions using the tilting mechanism (16, 66) for sorting individual items into one of the several destination locations (20).