Mobile Transport Vehicle Lighting for Picking Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high manufacturing cost of picking facilities is due to the need for a separate picking display device for each storage unit in article transport vehicles, which increases the overall facility cost.
Innovation Solution
An article transport vehicle equipped with a travel unit, a support portion, a lighting unit, and a control unit that travels to a set position corresponding to a target storage unit and emits light to indicate the correct storage unit, eliminating the need for individual picking display devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a picking display device is installed for each storage unit, then workers can easily recognize the target storage unit and suppress picking mistakes, but the manufacturing cost of the entire picking facility increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the picking display function with the mobile transport vehicle itself. The vehicle is equipped with a display unit that shows picking information, and a lighting unit that illuminates the target storage unit. This integration eliminates the need for separate display devices at each storage unit, reducing overall facility cost while maintaining picking accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile transport vehicle serves multiple functions: it transports articles, displays picking information through its display unit, and indicates the target storage unit through its lighting unit. By making the vehicle multi-functional, the system eliminates the need for dedicated display devices at each storage location, thereby reducing facility complexity and cost.
2Ease of operation
If multiple picking display devices are distributed across storage units, then each storage unit can be independently indicated, but the overall system complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the storage unit identification function into the mobile transport vehicle. The vehicle's lighting unit is configured to illuminate the target storage unit, and the display unit shows picking information. This consolidation reduces the number of display devices from multiple distributed units to a single integrated system on the vehicle.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile transport vehicle performs self-identification of the target storage unit through its lighting unit, which automatically illuminates the correct storage unit based on the picking information displayed. This self-service capability eliminates the need for external display devices at each storage unit, simplifying the overall system.
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 configuration reduces the likelihood of worker errors during picking operations and lowers the overall facility cost by eliminating the requirement for separate picking display devices for each storage unit.
Implementation Method 1
a lighting unit configured to emit light
Data Source
AI summary
An article transport vehicle (3) includes: a travel unit (11) that travels to a set position (P1) that has been set so as to correspond to each of a plurality of storage units (1) configured to store an article (W); a support portion (12) configured to support the article (W); a lighting unit (13) that emits light; and a control unit that controls the travel unit (11) and the lighting unit (13). The control unit executes a travel control that controls the travel unit (11) such that the travel unit (11) travels to the set position (P1) that has been set so as to correspond to a target storage unit (1A), and a lighting control that controls the lighting unit (13) so as to emit light to a lighting position (P2) that corresponds to the target storage unit (1A).