3D Tire Storage Array With Rotating Rollers and RFID Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
The storage and handling of tires in retail and large auto dealerships are inefficient due to their size, shape, and weight, leading to safety concerns, low storage density, and challenges in managing inventory, which results in time-consuming and error-prone operations.
Innovation Solution
A system featuring a three-dimensional storage array with rotating rods and actuators that allow tires to be efficiently stored and retrieved, enabling automated inventory management and reducing the need for manual handling, thereby improving safety and storage density.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If tires are stored on floor-to-ceiling racks with narrow access aisles, then storage height is utilized, but storage density per floor space is reduced and access efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional two-dimensional rack storage (floor to ceiling with aisles) to three-dimensional storage by implementing rotating horizontal rods that can store tires in multiple radial positions. This allows tires to be accessed from the side without requiring vertical aisles, effectively utilizing the third dimension (horizontal rotation) to increase storage density while maintaining access efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamically rotating rods that can pivot to bring any stored tire to an accessible position. This dynamic mechanism eliminates the need for static aisles between racks, as the rods themselves provide the access pathway by rotating to present tires at the access point, thereby increasing storage density without compromising retrieval efficiency.
2Ease of operation
If personnel manually handle tires using ladders, then storage accessibility is achieved, but safety risks and labor intensity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating rod system enables self-service tire retrieval by allowing operators to access any tire through simple horizontal rotation of the rod, eliminating the need for personnel to climb ladders. The system performs the positioning function automatically through motorized rotation, significantly reducing safety risks while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical system of climbing ladders with an automated motorized rotation system. Electric motors drive the horizontal rods to position tires at accessible locations, substituting dangerous manual ladder operations with safe, automated mechanical movement, thereby eliminating safety risks associated with height while preserving accessibility.
3Weight of moving object
If fork lift trucks are used to handle tires, then heavy tire handling is facilitated, but operation time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces heavy fork lift trucks with a lightweight motorized rod rotation mechanism. Since tires remain stationary on the rods and only need to be rotated into position rather than lifted and transported, the complex heavy machinery is substituted with simple motorized rotation, dramatically reducing operation time while maintaining the ability to handle heavy tires.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential function of tire handling from the complex fork lift system, isolating only the positioning requirement. By using rotating rods that simply rotate tires into accessible positions rather than transporting them across the facility, the system removes unnecessary complexity and time-consuming operations while retaining the core capability to handle heavy tires.
4Measurement precision
If physical inventory counting is performed manually, then inventory accuracy is verified, but time consumption and exposure to hazards increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual physical inventory counting with automated optical or sensor-based detection. As tires are rotated into position on the horizontal rods, sensors or cameras can automatically read identification markers or RFID tags, eliminating the need for personnel to manually count and record inventory, thereby maintaining accuracy while dramatically reducing time and hazard exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The inventory system performs self-counting through automated detection mechanisms that continuously monitor tire positions and identification data as rods rotate. The system automatically updates inventory records without human intervention, enabling continuous, accurate inventory tracking without the time-consuming manual counting process and associated safety hazards.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage array includes one or more tier including a plurality of roller pairs and at least one motor for spinning each roller pair. Plates are positioned between each roller pair. A horizontal nudger is positioned above each plate moves tires horizontally within the storage array. A tire is moved longitudinally within the storage array by causing a roller pair bearing the tire to spin followed by lifting the plate below the tire, thereby causing the tire to roll forward or backward within the storage array. A controller coupled to actuators for the plates and the horizontal nudger invokes movement of tires in and out of the storage array and within the storage array according to a storage, retrieval, and inventory management program. Tires may include electronically readable chips that are detected by sensors at a front edge of the storage array that are coupled to the controller.