Tray Dispensing System for Varying Item Shapes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing product handling and packaging systems face challenges in efficiently handling and packaging items of varying shapes and sizes, as well as ensuring accurate and efficient fulfillment of customer orders.
Innovation Solution
A product handling system comprising a tray with lanes and openings, supports positioned within the lanes to hold items, and dispensing units with arms that couple with the supports to transport items to receiving areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional product handling systems are used, then items can be handled, but the system becomes complex and inefficient when dealing with items of varying shapes and sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments items into standardized units (trays) that can be uniformly handled by automated equipment. Each tray is divided into lanes with supports that can accommodate different item configurations, allowing the system to handle variety through standardized containerization rather than complex adaptive mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray acts as an intermediary between the diverse items and the automated handling system. By placing items in standardized trays with specific support structures, the system converts the complexity of handling individual varied items into the simplicity of handling uniform tray units, which can then be processed by straightforward automated mechanisms.
2Productivity
If manual inspection and selection methods are used, then flexibility is maintained, but speed and labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual inspection and selection with automated optical scanning and computer-controlled dispensing mechanisms. Metadata about items is captured through optical or other sensing systems, and automated dispensing units execute selection and packaging operations, eliminating the need for manual labor while maintaining operational simplicity through automated decision-making.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates digital copies (metadata) of item information through scanning and sensing technologies. These digital representations are then used by the control system to make decisions about inspection, selection, and packaging, replacing the need for physical manual inspection while enabling rapid automated processing based on the copied information.
3Loss of time
If items are handled individually, then precision can be maintained, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple items into standardized trays that are handled as single units through the automated system. This batch processing approach reduces handling time by eliminating the need to individually pick, inspect, and package each item, while metadata scanning ensures that identification accuracy is maintained at the tray level and beyond.
Solution Approach 2:
Items are pre-organized in trays with supports positioned to facilitate automated handling. Metadata about each item is captured and stored before the automated dispensing process begins, allowing the system to quickly reference this pre-collected information during high-speed automated selection and packaging operations without needing to re-inspect each item individually.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for product handling and dispensing. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a system comprising a plurality of storage units for storing one or more trays comprising one or more items; one or more dispense conveyors for lifting and dispensing at least one of the one or more items into one or more receiving units; and a shuttle comprising one or more tray retrieval mechanisms, wherein the shuttle is (a) movable relative to the plurality of storage units and (b) configured to (i) pick at least one tray of the one or more trays using the one or more tray retrieval mechanisms and (ii) transport the at least one tray to the one or more dispense conveyors.