Vertical Dump Bin Transfer for Robotic Food Dispensing Systems
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic automated food preparation systems face inefficiencies due to the need for robotic arms to make extensive vertical movements to access consumable items stored at a low position, increasing retrieval and cooking times, and potentially causing ergonomic issues and temperature control challenges.
Innovation Solution
A bulk food dispensing system that includes a dispenser configured to store and dispense bulk food items at a lower position, using gravity-based mechanisms to transfer items to a dump bin, which then moves vertically to an elevated position for efficient transfer to automated cooking systems, reducing the robotic arm's movement requirements and maintaining item temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If consumable items are stored at a low position using gravity-based dispensing mechanisms, then the storage and dispensing structure is simplified, but the robotic arm requires extensive vertical movements increasing retrieval time and reducing productivity
Solution Approach 1:
An intermediate transfer mechanism (conveyor system) is introduced between the gravity-based dispenser and the robotic arm. The conveyor receives items from the dispenser and transports them to an elevated transfer point, eliminating the need for the robotic arm to make extensive vertical movements while preserving the simplicity of gravity-based dispensing
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from purely vertical item transfer to a combination of horizontal conveyor transport and minimal vertical movement. By changing the dimension of item transfer from vertical to horizontal at the conveyor level, the robotic arm's workload is significantly reduced
2Volume of moving object
If the robotic arm makes extensive vertical movements to access low-positioned consumable items, then the storage system can be compact, but the overall cooking time increases due to slower item retrieval
Solution Approach 1:
Items are preliminarily dispensed and positioned on the conveyor system before the robotic arm needs them. The conveyor continuously or periodically transports items to the elevated transfer point in advance, so when the robotic arm requires an item, it is already positioned and ready for rapid pickup, minimizing retrieval time
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor acts as an intermediary that decouples the storage system's compact low-position design from the robotic arm's efficient high-position operation, allowing both compact storage and rapid retrieval to coexist
3Device complexity
If consumable items are stored at a low position for gravity-based dispensing, then the dispensing mechanism is simpler, but ergonomic issues and temperature control challenges arise
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system serves as an intermediary that separates the simple gravity-based dispensing function from the ergonomic requirements of item handling. Items are dispensed simply by gravity to the conveyor, which then handles the transport and positioning, eliminating ergonomic strain on operators or robotic systems
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor creates an elevated equipotential transfer zone where items can be efficiently transferred from the low-position dispenser to the high-position robotic arm workspace, eliminating the need for repeated vertical lifting and improving ergonomic conditions
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 solution decreases the time and effort required for robotic arms to collect bulk food items, increases the throughput of automated cooking systems, and ensures that food items remain at the desired temperature for cooking, addressing ergonomic and temperature control issues.
Implementation Method 1
using gravity-based mechanisms to transfer items to a dump bin
Data Source
AI summary
Example methods and systems are directed to moving a quantity of a bulk food item within an automated cooking system. A quantity of the bulk food item may be provided from a bulk food dispenser. The quantity of the bulk food item may be received at a lower transfer component from the bulk food dispenser. The quantity of the bulk food item may be transferred from the lower transfer component to a dump bin at a first location. The dump bin may move vertically from the first location to a second location above the first location. The quantity of the bulk food item may be provided or dispensed to the automated cooking system while the dump bin is located at the second location.