Transfer System Posture Adjustment for Reliable Article Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional transfer systems in distribution warehouses face challenges in determining whether an article can be transferred without a trial, often resulting in unsuccessful attempts to grasp or reset articles.
Innovation Solution
A transfer system equipped with a picking head that adheres to articles via suction, a driving section for horizontal and vertical movement, and a holding direction changing section, along with a camera section for image capture, allows for determining the article's posture and position adjustment to facilitate successful transfer without trials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the article is reset when type cannot be identified or when grasping fails, then the article can be transferred, but time is lost due to trial-and-error processes
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by capturing images of the article before transfer attempt, identifying article type and graspability in advance. The control device determines whether the article can be grasped based on image analysis before the actual transfer operation, allowing proactive adjustment rather than reactive resetting.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses image capture and analysis to provide feedback about article characteristics before transfer. The control device receives image data, analyzes article type and position, and uses this feedback information to determine graspability and control transfer operations accordingly, eliminating the need for trial-and-error resetting.
2Productivity
If the article posture is not adjusted before transfer attempt, then the transfer process is simple, but the transfer may fail requiring reset operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary posture adjustment by analyzing article images and controlling the transfer device to position the article correctly before the transfer attempt. The control device determines the appropriate grasp position and orientation from image data and adjusts the article posture in advance, ensuring successful transfer on the first attempt.
3Loss of time
If image capture and analysis are performed to determine graspability, then transfer can be planned in advance, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an image capture device and control device as intermediaries between the transfer device and the article. These intermediaries analyze article characteristics and translate them into control instructions, enabling intelligent transfer planning without requiring complex mechanical adjustments or trial-and-error operations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables determination of transfer feasibility and adjustment of article posture and position to ensure successful transfer, improving efficiency in article handling within the system.
Implementation Method 1
a picking head that holds the article by adhering to the article by suction
Data Source
AI summary
In order to determine, without a trial, whether or not an article can be transferred and in order to reset the article in a case where the article cannot be transferred, provided is a transfer system including: a first determining section that determines whether or not a transferring section can hold and transfer an article, on the basis of a posture of the article an image of which has been captured by a camera section; and an adjusting section that, in a case where the first determining section determines that the transferring section cannot transfer the article, controls a driving section and a holding direction changing section so that the posture and a position of the article are adjusted to a posture and a position that allow the transferring section to transfer the article.