Transport Vehicle with Onboard Container-to-Container Article Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transport facilities face inefficiencies in storing or removing articles from containers, as they require temporary transportation of containers to a different location for picking work, disrupting the storage or removal process.
Innovation Solution
A transport vehicle equipped with a support region, a container transfer apparatus, a recognition apparatus, and an article transfer apparatus that allows for the recognition and transfer of articles between containers in different states, enabling efficient storage or removal without the need for temporary container transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If containers are temporarily transported to a different location for picking work, then article storage or removal can be performed, but transport efficiency deteriorates due to additional transport steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the container transfer function and article transfer function into a single transport vehicle. The container transfer apparatus transfers containers between storage locations, while the article transfer apparatus transfers articles between containers at the same location. This merging eliminates the need to transport containers to separate picking locations, allowing both container and article operations to occur simultaneously at one place, thereby improving efficiency while reducing transport time.
2Ease of operation
If containers are removed from container shelf for article handling, then article storage or removal is enabled, but the container shelf utilization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the transport vehicle into two distinct functional apparatuses: a container transfer apparatus that handles container movement between storage locations, and an article transfer apparatus that handles article movement between containers. This segmentation allows container operations and article operations to occur independently and simultaneously, enabling article handling without removing containers from the shelf system, thereby maintaining high container shelf utilization while ensuring ease of operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple transport vehicles are used for container and article transfer, then functional versatility is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a multi-functional transport vehicle that performs both container transfer and article transfer operations. The transport vehicle includes a container transfer apparatus for moving containers between storage locations and an article transfer apparatus for moving articles between containers. This single vehicle with multiple functions replaces what would otherwise require separate specialized vehicles, thereby maintaining high adaptability and versatility while reducing overall system complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A transport vehicle (2) is provided with: a support region (22) where a container (W) is supported; a container transfer apparatus (24) that inserts/takes a container (W) into/out of a container shelf; a recognition apparatus (27) that recognizes at least one of an article stored in a container (W) in a first state in which the container (W) is supported in the support region (22) and an article stored in a container (W) in a second state in which the container (W) is supported by the container transfer apparatus (24); and an article transfer apparatus (26) that transfers an article recognized by the recognition apparatus (27) between a container (W) in the first state and a container (W) in the second state.