Tray Conveyor Locator Assembly Reducing Tolerance Stack-Up
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Solution Overview
Problem
In high-volume distribution and fulfillment centers, tray handling systems face challenges due to misalignment and tolerance stack-up issues caused by variations in tray size and position, leading to jamming and misplacement of items during pick and place operations.
Innovation Solution
A tray-based automated storage and retrieval system with a conveyor system and tray locator assemblies that use guide pins and translational actuators to separate trays into smaller groups, reducing misalignment by moving guide pins into slots and translating trays to precise positions, thereby minimizing tolerance stack-up.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If trays are conveyed in large groups along the conveyance plane, then the system throughput is improved, but misalignment and tolerance stack-up increase causing jamming and misplacement
Solution Approach 1:
The tray locator assembly segments the first group of trays into multiple smaller groups (second groups) by translating individual trays to different positions. This segmentation reduces the cumulative tolerance stack-up effect while maintaining high system throughput by keeping the overall conveyance system operating continuously.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide pin acts as an intermediary element between the tray locator assembly and the trays. It engages with slots in the trays to apply controlled translational force, enabling precise position adjustment without direct mechanical contact that could cause misalignment or damage.
2Productivity
If trays are kept in large groups to maintain high volume handling, then operational efficiency is improved, but misalignment causes jamming during pick and place operations
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing large tray groups into smaller sub-groups with the tray locator assembly, the system maintains high operational efficiency while reducing the probability of jamming. Each smaller group has reduced cumulative misalignment, ensuring reliable pick and place operations.
3Manufacturing precision
If translational actuators are used to separate trays into smaller groups, then alignment precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tray locator assembly with translational actuators serves multiple functions: it separates trays into smaller groups, corrects misalignment, prevents jamming, and maintains precise positioning. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by eliminating the need for separate alignment and positioning systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide pin and slot mechanism serves as an intermediary that simplifies the interaction between the translational actuator and the tray. This intermediary interface enables precise control while reducing the complexity of direct actuator-tray coupling.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a tray locator assembly for aligning one or more trays in a tray-based automated storage and retrieval system. The tray locator assembly may include one or more guide pin assemblies having one or more guide pins engaging with one or more slots formed in a surface of at least one tray of the one or more trays. The tray locator assembly may further include at least one translational actuator to move the one or more guide pins inserted into the one or more slots so as to translate the at least one tray, wherein the translation of the at least one tray separates a second group of trays having a second size from a first group of trays having a first size along the conveyance plane to a second position in order to reduce tolerance stack up associated with the first group of trays.