Vehicle Alignment Plate Mechanism for Robotic Parking Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic parking systems face challenges in accurately aligning vehicles for entry, which can lead to vehicle damage or system damage due to misalignment.
Innovation Solution
An alignment mechanism comprising a vehicle carrying plate and transfer mechanism, with separable moving means, ensures vehicles are aligned parallel to the container axis before entry, using conveyor means for precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vehicles are directly transferred from drop off location to container without alignment mechanism, then the transfer process is simple and quick, but vehicle misalignment causes damage to vehicle or system
Solution Approach 1:
A vehicle carrying plate is introduced as an intermediary device between the drop off location and the container. The plate receives the vehicle from the transfer mechanism, positions it accurately parallel to the container axis, and then transfers it into the container. This intermediary plate isolates the vehicle from direct contact with potentially misaligned container edges, preventing damage while managing the alignment complexity in a controlled manner.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment function is segmented into separate components: the transfer mechanism handles vehicle movement, the vehicle carrying plate handles positioning and alignment, and the container receives the pre-aligned vehicle. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in one function, improving reliability while making the overall system manageable despite increased complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If separable moving means are used to align vehicle wheels independently, then alignment precision is improved, but the mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separable moving means apply different movements to different parts of the vehicle - front wheels and rear wheels can be adjusted independently. This local quality approach allows precise alignment of each wheel pair with the container axis while keeping the overall mechanism relatively simple through modular design.
3Productivity
If conveyor means are used for precise vehicle positioning, then space utilization is improved, but the system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle carrying plate serves multiple functions: it acts as a conveyor for transferring the vehicle, an alignment device for positioning the vehicle parallel to the container axis, and a protective platform. This multi-functionality improves space utilization through efficient container loading while avoiding the need for separate dedicated conveyor systems, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
An alignment mechanism for a robotic parking device (100) is described. The device (100) comprises a number of stacks (110) of containers (10) as shown in Figure 3, the stacks (110) being positioned within a frame structure (70) comprising uprights (72) and a horizontal grid (74) disposed above the stacks (110), the grid comprising substantially perpendicular rails (74a, 74b) on which load handling devices (50) can run. Cars or vehicles (20) are positioned in containers (10) that are moved in to and out of the stacks (110) by the robotic handling devices running on the grid. The cars (20) are put in to the grid at entry points that may be positioned at points under the stacks (110). The alignment mechanism comprises a series of belts (280) moveable relative to each other and relative to the container (10), the belts (280) acting so as to align the long axis of the vehicle with the long axis of the container (10) in to which the vehicle is to be placed.