Warehouse Robot Bidirectional Fork Retrieval for Narrow Aisles
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing robots for warehousing and logistics systems face a reduction in warehousing density due to the need to rotate the fork to change the orientation for taking or placing goods in different directions, requiring wider aisles between shelving units.
Innovation Solution
A robot with a fork apparatus featuring a telescopic mechanism and a goods retrieval mechanism that allows bidirectional movement, enabling the fork to take or place goods without rotating, thus reducing the aisle width and increasing warehousing density.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the fork rotates to change orientation for taking or placing goods in different directions, then the robot can perform goods retrieval operations in multiple directions, but the aisle width increases and warehousing density decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The fork apparatus employs a telescopic mechanism that allows the goods retrieval unit to dynamically adjust its position and orientation. The telescopic plate can extend and retract bidirectionally, enabling the fork to adapt to different goods retrieval directions without rotating the entire fork structure, thus maintaining a compact aisle width while achieving multi-directional operation capability
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of rotating the fork apparatus horizontally to change orientation, the invention introduces a telescopic dimension where the goods retrieval unit moves along the length direction of the base plate. This dimensional transformation allows bidirectional goods retrieval operations (forward and backward directions) without increasing the horizontal footprint or requiring rotation, effectively resolving the contradiction between operational versatility and space utilization
2Device complexity
If the manipulator is stretchable in a fixed direction, then the structure is simple, but the robot cannot retrieve goods from different sides without rotating the whole fork
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic mechanism transforms the fixed-direction manipulator into a dynamic structure that can adjust its effective length and orientation. The goods retrieval unit moves along the telescopic plate in the length direction, enabling the fork to reach goods on different sides of the robot body without rotating the entire fork apparatus, thus maintaining structural simplicity while achieving operational versatility
Solution Approach 2:
The fork apparatus is segmented into a base plate, a telescopic plate, and a goods retrieval unit. This segmentation allows the goods retrieval unit to be independently positioned along the telescopic plate, providing flexibility in reaching goods from different directions while keeping the overall fork structure relatively simple and modular
Data Source
AI summary
This application provides a robot and a warehousing system. The robot is configured to take or place a goods container which includes a robot body and a fork apparatus. The fork apparatus is arranged on the robot body which includes a telescopic mechanism and a goods retrieval mechanism. The telescopic mechanism includes a base plate and a transmission assembly. The goods retrieval mechanism is connected to the transmission assembly to move along a length direction of the base plate under the drive of the transmission assembly. The goods retrieval mechanism includes a rotating unit, a connecting base, and a goods retrieval unit. The goods retrieval unit is arranged on the connecting base. The rotating unit is configured to drive the connecting base to rotate relative to the telescopic mechanism, so that the goods retrieval unit can take or place the goods container in a different direction of the fork apparatus.