Tugger Attachment Linkage for Pallet Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Motorized pallet transports and tuggers in warehouses are expensive to purchase and maintain, leading to a shortage of operational units, which negatively impacts warehouse efficiency and can cause delays in the supply chain.
Innovation Solution
A tugger attachment configured for use with pallet transports, featuring a body with a fork coupling member and a hitch that opens and closes with the forks, utilizing a linkage assembly to secure the hitch, allowing it to be loaded onto the pallet transport and adjusted for optimal positioning, enabling the pallet transport to function as both a pallet mover and a tugger.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If motorized pallet transports and tuggers are used in warehouses, then productivity and efficiency are improved, but cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the pallet transport function and the tugger function into a single integrated vehicle. The vehicle includes a pallet transport mechanism with forks for moving pallets, and a tugger mechanism with a hitch for towing carts. This merging eliminates the need for separate motorized pallet transports and tuggers, reducing equipment complexity and cost while maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle is designed to perform multiple functions: it can transport pallets using the fork mechanism, tow carts using the tugger hitch, and potentially perform both functions in sequence or combination. This multi-functionality allows a single vehicle to replace multiple specialized vehicles, improving warehouse efficiency without proportionally increasing equipment complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate motorized pallet transports and tuggers are used, then specialized functions are achieved, but cost increases and maintenance becomes more expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the pallet transport mechanism and the tugger mechanism into a single vehicle platform. The pallet transport portion includes forks for engaging pallets, while the tugger portion includes a hitch for towing carts. By combining these functions in one vehicle, the patent achieves functional versatility without requiring separate specialized vehicles for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle is designed with universal capabilities to handle both pallets and carts. The pallet transport mechanism can engage and move pallets, while the tugger hitch can connect to and tow carts. This multi-functionality allows the same vehicle to perform different tasks depending on operational needs, reducing the total number of vehicles required while maintaining adaptability.
3Productivity
If motorized equipment is used to improve efficiency, then productivity increases, but the number of operational units decreases due to high cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functionality of motorized pallet transports and motorized tuggers into a single vehicle type. This reduces the total number of different equipment categories needed in the warehouse, allowing facilities to maintain a larger fleet of standardized vehicles rather than having limited numbers of specialized equipment. The combined vehicle can perform multiple tasks, effectively increasing the number of operational units available for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
By designing a vehicle that can perform both pallet transport and cart towing functions, the patent enables a single vehicle to replace multiple specialized vehicles. This increases the effective quantity of operational units available for each specific task, as the same vehicle can be deployed for different functions based on operational requirements, thereby improving overall warehouse efficiency without requiring a proportional increase in total equipment count.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a tugger attachment apparatus configured for use with a pallet transport. The pallet transport has a front drive portion and a rear load portion having a pair of forks. The tugger attachment includes a body, a fork coupling member at a bottom side of the body that is configured to secure the body to the forks, and a hitch supported by the body. A linkage can be provided that opens and closes the hitch in response to raising and lowering of the forks of the pallet transport.