Transporting Device Cluster with Reconfigurable Floor Topology
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotic storage systems face challenges such as reduced storage density due to peripheral frame structures, non-dynamic scalability, time and energy overhead in retrieving items, costly robotic load handlers, and difficulties in managing collisions and stuck or broken devices.
Innovation Solution
A storage system featuring a cluster of transporting devices with a reconfigurable physical topology, where each device cooperates with a surface or other devices to relocate within the cluster, eliminating the need for peripheral frames and enabling efficient item retrieval, scalability, and reduced operational costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a peripheral frame structure is used to support robotic load handlers, then the system can achieve automated storage and retrieval, but the storage density is reduced due to space consumed by the frame structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the peripheral frame structure from the system, extracting the supporting function to the floor surface itself. The floor becomes the load-bearing element, eliminating the need for elevated frame structures and thereby maximizing storage density while maintaining automation capabilities through floor-integrated transport mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor surface acts as an intermediary that directly supports and moves storage containers. Instead of using robotic load handlers that require frame structures, the floor itself becomes the mediating element that enables both structural support and transport functions, eliminating the need for peripheral frames.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed frame structure is constructed to accommodate maximum anticipated capacity, then the system can handle future scalability, but the initial storage density is reduced and the structure cannot adapt to changing needs
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static frame structure to a dynamic floor-based system where the load-bearing and transport capabilities are integrated into the floor surface. This allows the system to adapt its capacity and configuration dynamically by activating or deactivating floor segments, enabling scalability without committing to a fixed maximum capacity structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor surface is divided into modular segments that can be independently activated or deactivated. This segmentation allows the system to scale dynamically by bringing online only the storage and transport segments that are currently needed, optimizing storage density while maintaining adaptability to changing capacity requirements.
3Extent of automation
If robotic load handlers are used to retrieve items from stacks, then automated access is achieved, but time and energy overhead increases due to digging down into stacks and coordination requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical robotic load handler system with a floor-integrated transport system. Instead of robotic arms digging into stacks and coordinating movements, the floor itself moves containers horizontally to accessible positions, eliminating the time-consuming vertical digging motion and complex robotic coordination while maintaining automated access.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor surface serves as the intermediary that directly transports containers to access points. This eliminates the need for robotic load handlers to physically dig into and manipulate stacks, reducing retrieval time by providing direct horizontal transport paths while maintaining automated operation.
4Productivity
If multiple robotic load handlers operate in the same space, then throughput is increased, but collision management and coordination complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The floor surface acts as a mediating transport system that moves containers between storage positions and access points. This eliminates the need for multiple robotic load handlers to operate in the same three-dimensional space, thereby maintaining high throughput while significantly reducing collision management complexity as the floor inherently prevents collisions through its structured transport paths.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage system as disclosed can maximize storage capacity whilst remaining scalable. A transporting device is arranged to form a cluster with a reconfigurable physical topology. A transporting device can cooperate with a portion of a surface, and with at least one other transporting device in a cluster with a reconfigurable physical topology. An item receiving space and a relocating unit permit relocation of the transporting device within the cluster by way of interaction with the portion of the surface.