Transport Trolley C-Shaped Support Elements Roller Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing transport trolleys with rollers directly on the underside of the support plate face issues with damage during forklift pickup, reduced stability, and limited ground clearance, making them unsuitable for use with tugger train trailers and autonomous transport vehicles.

Innovation Solution

The transport trolley features C-shaped support elements with vertically arranged support beams that allow rollers to be positioned outward for increased stability and create space for tugger train trailer support strips to lift the trolley, while also providing sufficient ground clearance for autonomous vehicles to drive under and lift the trolley.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If rollers are arranged directly on the underside of the support plate, then the structure is simple, but the rollers are damaged when picked up by forklift and ground clearance is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidroller damage risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The support structure is segmented into support elements with support beams that are spaced inwards from the outer edges of the support frame. This segmentation allows rollers to be positioned on these support elements rather than directly on the support plate, creating protected zones that prevent forklift forks from contacting the rollers during pickup operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If rollers are placed further inwards on the support frame, then roller protection is improved, but stability of the transport trolley is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroller protectionVSAvoidtrolley stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The support elements extend vertically downwards from the support frame, creating a three-dimensional structure. This vertical dimension allows the rollers to be positioned outwardly on the support elements while the support beams are spaced inwards, thus maintaining both roller protection and trolley stability simultaneously by utilizing spatial arrangement in multiple dimensions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Adaptability or versatility

If ground clearance is increased, then autonomous vehicles can drive under, but the structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautonomous vehicle compatibilityVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The support elements with vertically extending support beams serve multiple functions: they increase ground clearance to allow autonomous vehicles to drive under the support frame, they provide structured zones for roller placement, and they maintain structural integrity. This multi-functional design achieves versatility without proportionally increasing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3904180B1Transport trolley for transporting and storing goods
Publication Date: 2023.09.27 LINDE MATERIAL HANDLING GMBH
  • EP3904180B1 patent drawingFigure 1a
  • EP3904180B1 patent drawingFigure 1b~1c
  • EP3904180B1 patent drawingFigure 1d~1e

AI summary

The invention relates to a transport trolley (1) for transporting and storing goods, which has a rectangular support frame (2) on the underside of which a roller (7a-7d) is arranged at each of the four corner areas, with which the transport trolley (1) is supported on a roadway. Vertically downward extending support elements (10a; 10b; 10c; 10d) are arranged on the support frame (2), to which the rollers (7a; 7b; 7c; 7d) are attached, the support elements (10a; 10b; 10c; 10d) being arranged at the corner regions of the support frame (2) and the support elements (10a; 10b; 10c; 10d) each having at least one vertically downward extending support beam (11a, 11b; 11c) arranged in the corner region of the support frame (2) spaced inwards from at least one outer edge (AK, LK, SK) of the support frame (2).