Rail-Guided Trolley Auxiliary Wheel Gap Bridging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In rail-guided trolley systems, particularly in semiconductor manufacturing factories, the existing configurations face challenges with the trolley wheels falling into rail gaps, leading to vibration and difficulty in changing orientation, especially in grid-patterned rail systems, which limits loading and unloading efficiency and causes potential damage to transported articles.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a rail-guided trolley system with a main body that includes traveling wheels at each corner, a pivot driver for orientation change, and auxiliary wheels positioned in front or rear of the traveling wheels, which have a higher contact height and smaller friction coefficient, preventing wheel fall into gaps and facilitating smooth orientation changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If rails are arranged in a grid pattern to allow trolley to travel in horizontal and vertical directions, then traveling paths are diversified, but traveling wheels may fall into gaps at intersecting portions causing vibration and making orientation change difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel assembly is segmented into a traveling wheel for movement along the rail and auxiliary wheels positioned at front and rear locations. This segmentation allows the auxiliary wheels to bridge gaps independently while the traveling wheel maintains contact with the rail surface, resolving the conflict between grid pattern adaptability and wheel stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary wheels act as intermediary elements between the traveling wheel and the rail gaps. When the traveling wheel approaches a gap, the auxiliary wheels make contact with the rail surface first, preventing the traveling wheel from falling into the gap and thus maintaining reliability while preserving grid pattern versatility.
2Ease of operation
If a coupler straddles the upper and lower sides of the rails to couple traveling wheels and container, then connection is achieved, but gaps are required for coupler to pass through intersecting portions which may cause wheel to fall into gap
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling system is segmented into a main coupler for connection and auxiliary wheels for gap bridging. This allows the coupler to maintain its straddling configuration for easy coupling while the auxiliary wheels prevent the traveling wheel from falling into gaps, eliminating vibration and impact harmful factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary wheels provide beforehand cushioning by making contact with the rail surface before the traveling wheel can fall into a gap. This preventive mechanism cushions against potential impacts and vibrations, protecting the article being transported while maintaining the coupler's coupling capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traveling wheel orientation is changed at intersecting portion, then direction change is possible, but wheel may be caught on the gap causing difficulty in orientation change
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel orientation system is segmented into a traveling wheel for directional movement and auxiliary wheels for gap navigation. During orientation changes at intersecting portions, the auxiliary wheels bridge gaps first, allowing the traveling wheel to pivot smoothly without being caught on gaps, thus maintaining both direction changing capability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary wheels perform preliminary action by making contact with the rail surface before the traveling wheel attempts to change orientation at a gap. This preliminary contact creates a stable pivot point, enabling smooth orientation changes without the traveling wheel being caught on gaps, thereby maintaining versatility and operational ease.
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
This configuration prevents wheel fall and vibration, allows for easy orientation changes, and enables high-density transportation by ensuring the trolley's main body fits within grid-patterned rail cells, ensuring reliable and efficient operation even when one driving wheel is at a rail gap.
Implementation Method 1
The auxiliary wheel may have a smaller friction coefficient with respect to the rail than that of the traveling wheel
Implementation Method 2
a controller that controls a pivot driver that changes the orientation of the traveling wheel
Implementation Method 3
The auxiliary wheel may have a smaller friction coefficient with respect to the rail than that of the traveling wheel
Data Source
AI summary
A rail-guided trolley system includes a main body that, along rails at least partially in a grid pattern, holds and transports a transportation container on a lower side of the rails, traveling wheels at each of four corners of the main body and that travel on the rails, a controller that controls pivot drivers that change orientations of the traveling wheels, and auxiliary wheels each located at least in either front or rear in a traveling direction of the traveling wheel.