Two-Floor Palletizer Manipulator for Continuous Layer Stacking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing palletizers waste valuable time as the squeeze bucket and sub-frame need to return to a starting position after releasing each piece of cargo, reducing overall efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The palletizer incorporates two floors with trap doors in the manipulator, allowing simultaneous handling of two pieces of cargo, with the first floor rotating to align and release cargo directly onto the pallet, while the sub-frame moves to the next position without returning to the starting point, and includes guide walls and secondary lift means for precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the sub-frame returns to the starting position after releasing each piece of cargo, then the manipulator can pick up the next piece of cargo, but valuable time is wasted reducing overall efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The manipulator is segmented into two independent floors (first floor and second floor), each capable of holding and releasing cargo independently. This segmentation allows the sub-frame to continue its forward movement while one floor releases cargo, and the other floor prepares or releases the next piece, eliminating the need to return to the starting position.
Solution Approach 2:
The second floor receives and positions the next piece of cargo in advance while the first floor is still handling the current piece. This preliminary action ensures that when the sub-frame moves forward, both floors have cargo ready for release, eliminating idle return time and maintaining continuous operation.
2Productivity
If two floors with trap doors are used to hold cargo simultaneously, then the sub-frame can move directly to the next position without returning, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Two cargo-holding floors are merged into a single integrated manipulator structure with shared support elements, control systems, and movement mechanisms. This merging approach achieves continuous operation capability while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity through efficient space utilization and component sharing.
Solution Approach 2:
The cargo holding capacity is increased by adding a vertical dimension (second floor above the first floor) rather than expanding horizontally. This dimensional change allows two pieces of cargo to be held simultaneously within the same horizontal footprint, enabling continuous operation without proportionally increasing the device's spatial complexity.
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 design significantly increases the speed of the palletizing process by eliminating the need for the sub-frame to return to the starting position after each release, enabling continuous operation and precise alignment of cargo on the pallet.
Implementation Method 1
the door in the second floor can be opened, while the door in the first floor is closed. As a result the piece of cargo from the second floor will fall to the first floor
Data Source
AI summary
A palletizer for stacking cargo, such as bags or boxes, onto a pallet in multiple layers is disclosed. The palletizer includes a main frame extending in vertical direction; pallet lifting means for lifting a pallet, which pallet lifting means are arranged to the main frame and are movable in vertical direction between the base of the main frame and the top of the main frame; a manipulator arranged to the top of the main frame for positioning the cargo and forming a layer on top of a pallet lifted by the pallet lifting means; and a supply main conveyor, such as a belt conveyor, arranged with one end to the top of the main frame for supplying cargo to the manipulator. The manipulator includes a sub-frame movable in a horizontal plane relative to the top of the main frame; a first floor arranged in the sub-frame and a second floor arranged in the sub-frame and above the first floor, wherein each floor has an opening, which can be closed by a door, such as a trap door, and wherein the openings in the floors are aligned when viewed in a vertical direction; and a supply sub conveyor arranged with one end adjacent to the one end of the supply main conveyor and arranged with the other end to the sub-frame and adjacent to the opening in second floor, such that cargo is conveyed on top of the door closing the opening in the second floor. The first floor is rotatable relative to the sub-frame and around a vertical axis.