Warehouse Handling Robot With Telescopic Arm Shelf Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing handling robots in intelligent warehousing systems have limited capacity to load inventory items and are inefficient in their operation, as they can only handle a small number of items due to spatial constraints and alignment issues.
Innovation Solution
A handling robot equipped with a telescopic arm, manipulator, and lifting assembly that extends to a preset position on a warehouse shelf, aligns with inventory items using detection devices, and adjusts its posture to accurately load and unload items into storage units, allowing for a higher capacity by optimizing vertical space utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If existing handling robots are used with fixed storage frames, then the structure is simple, but the quantity of inventory items that can be loaded is too few and efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the storage frame movable relative to the robot body through a lifting assembly. The storage frame can be raised or lowered to different heights, allowing the robot to access inventory items at various vertical positions on warehouse shelves. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the robot to load more inventory items by utilizing vertical space efficiently, thereby improving loading efficiency without requiring a completely complex reconfiguration of the entire robot structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the robot into distinct functional modules: a robot body, a movable storage frame, and a lifting assembly. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently - the robot body provides mobility and control, the storage frame holds inventory items, and the lifting assembly adjusts the vertical position of the storage frame. This modular segmentation improves overall loading efficiency while keeping the structural complexity manageable through standardized interfaces between modules.
2Measurement precision
If the storage frame is positioned at fixed height, then the alignment with shelf items is difficult, but adjusting the height increases alignment precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback through detection devices that detect the positions of inventory items on the warehouse shelf. The control system uses this detection information to automatically adjust the vertical position of the storage frame via the lifting assembly, ensuring precise alignment between the storage frame and the detected inventory items. This feedback mechanism achieves high alignment precision without requiring complex manual positioning, as the system self-corrects based on real-time detection data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical positioning with an automated control system that uses detection devices and a lifting assembly. Instead of physically adjusting the storage frame height manually, the control system receives detection information about inventory item positions and automatically commands the lifting assembly to move the storage frame to the appropriate height. This substitution of mechanical manual adjustment with an automated control system achieves precise alignment while keeping the overall device complexity manageable through intelligent control.
3Productivity
If the robot loads fewer inventory items per trip, then the operation is simpler, but the overall efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous useful action by allowing the storage frame to be repeatedly raised and lowered to load multiple inventory items in sequence during a single trip to the warehouse shelf. The lifting assembly can quickly adjust the storage frame height to match different shelf levels, enabling the robot to load items from multiple vertical positions without returning to base. This continuous loading operation increases the number of items loaded per trip while the automated control system manages the complexity of coordinating these repeated actions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies universality by designing the storage frame and lifting assembly to handle multiple inventory items at different vertical positions with a single unified mechanism. The lifting assembly serves multiple functions: raising the storage frame to align with upper shelf items, lowering it to align with lower shelf items, and positioning it at various intermediate heights. This multi-functional capability allows the robot to load a greater variety and quantity of inventory items per trip without requiring separate mechanisms for each height level, thereby improving productivity while maintaining operational simplicity through a universal positioning system.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for retrieving an inventory item based on a handling robot, where the handling robot includes: a storage frame; and a material handling device installed on the storage frame, and including a telescopic arm and a manipulator installed to the telescopic arm; and the method for retrieving an inventory item includes: driving, by the telescopic arm, the manipulator to extend to a preset position of warehouse shelf along a preset horizontal reference line; loading, by the manipulator that is remained on the reference line, the inventory item located in the preset position; driving, by the telescopic arm, the manipulator loaded with the inventory item to move to the storage frame along the reference line; and unloading, by the manipulator that is remained on the reference line, the inventory item to the storage frame.