Transport Trolley Conveyor for Automatic Luggage Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for loading and unloading luggage onto transport vehicles in airports are inefficient, as they often require manual handling and lack automation for varied shapes, materials, and weights, leading to slow and labor-intensive processes.
Innovation Solution
A method and logistics system that uses a transport carriage with conveyor sections to convey luggage as a bulk flow, allowing for automatic loading and unloading without the need for individual handling, utilizing either passive gravity or active drives, and incorporating a stationary conveyor system for efficient transfer between vehicles and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual handling methods are used for loading and unloading luggage, then flexibility in handling varied luggage shapes and materials is maintained, but productivity is low and labor intensity is high
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system performs automatic loading and unloading operations without requiring manual handling. The system serves itself by using automated detection, sorting, and conveying mechanisms that eliminate the need for human operators to manually load and unload luggage, thereby increasing productivity while reducing labor intensity
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical handling operations are replaced with an automated conveyor system that uses automated detection devices, sorting mechanisms, and conveying belts. This substitution of manual mechanical operations with automated mechanical systems resolves the contradiction by maintaining operational flexibility while dramatically improving productivity and reducing labor requirements
2Productivity
If individual piece handling is used, then precise control over each luggage item is achieved, but loading and unloading time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual luggage items are merged into a bulk flow stream on the conveyor system. Instead of processing items one by one, the system combines multiple items into a continuous flow that can be detected, sorted, and conveyed simultaneously, thereby reducing the total processing time while maintaining control over each item's destination
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor system maintains continuous operation without interruption, with luggage items flowing continuously through the system. The automated detection and sorting mechanisms operate continuously alongside the conveying process, eliminating idle time between individual handling operations and maximizing productivity while reducing overall processing time
3Productivity
If automated conveyor systems are implemented, then productivity and speed are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system is designed as a multi-functional integrated platform that performs detection, sorting, conveying, and control functions simultaneously. By combining multiple functions into a single unified system rather than separate components, the patent reduces overall device complexity while maintaining high automated productivity and loading/unloading capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor system acts as an intermediary that bridges the gap between luggage arrival and destination points. This intermediary system automates the transfer process using a standardized platform that can handle various luggage types, reducing the complexity that would arise from creating custom automated systems for each specific loading/unloading scenario
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
Enables quick, automatic, and high-capacity loading and unloading of luggage, reducing manual labor and increasing efficiency by conveying luggage in a bulk stream, which can be efficiently sorted or screened, while protecting and handling diverse luggage configurations.
Implementation Method 1
The transport carriage conveyor line is designed to receive piece goods from the infeed conveyor line and to convey the piece goods as a bulk flow to the discharge line
Data Source
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Figure 5
AI summary
Logistics system (1) for loading and/or unloading a transport trolley (2) for unit loads (3), comprising the transport trolley (2) and a stationary conveyor system (4) comprising an infeed conveyor (41) and/or an outfeed conveyor (42); wherein the transport trolley (2) additionally comprises a trolley conveyor system (20) with at least one trolley conveyor (21, 22, 23) designed and arranged on the transport trolley (2) in such a way that it can be positioned adjacent to an outlet (51) of the infeed conveyor (41) and/or to an inlet (52) of the outfeed conveyor (42) for receiving unit loads (3); wherein the feed conveyor (41) is designed to convey unit loads (3) onto the at least one transport wagon conveyor (21, 22, 23) and/or the discharge conveyor (42) is designed to take unit loads (3) from the at least one transport wagon conveyor (21, 22, 23);and the at least one transport wagon conveyor section (21, 22, 23) is configured to receive the unit loads conveyed by the feed conveyor section (41) from the outlet (51) of the feed conveyor section and/or to convey unit loads (3) onto the discharge conveyor section (42); and wherein the transport wagon conveyor section (21, 22, 23) is configured to convey unit loads as a bulk stream on the at least one transport wagon conveyor section (21, 22, 23).