Warehousing systems and methods

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a storage system and a storage method. The storage system includes a support platform and a pick-and-place mechanism. The bottom of the support platform forms a first storage area for storing target objects, and the top of the support platform forms a second storage area for storing target objects; a docking port connecting the second storage area and the first storage area is provided on the support platform; the pick-and-place mechanism is constructed to move to the position of the docking port in the second storage area, and transfer the target objects between the first storage area and the second storage area through the docking port. A docking port connecting the first storage area and the second storage area is provided on the support platform, and compared with the equipment or structures such as elevators, conveyor belts or ramps in the prior art, the space occupancy rate of the docking port is smaller and the cost is lower. The pick-and-place mechanism can realize the transfer of target objects between the first storage area and the second storage area through the docking port, which reduces the time for changing layers of the target objects and improves work efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of warehousing and logistics, and in particular, to a warehousing system, and also to a warehousing method applied in the warehousing system. Background Art

[0002] A warehousing system usually consists of a storage area and a handling robot. The storage area includes multiple carriers on which containers loaded with goods can be stored. The handling robot walks in the aisles between the carriers and moves to the corresponding position of the designated container to pick it up and place it.

[0003] In order to increase the storage density of the storage area, in the prior art, storage platforms of different heights are established in the storage area, for example, two-layer storage platforms are established, each layer of the storage platform has a corresponding storage area, the storage area includes carriers and aisles between the carriers, and multiple handling robots can be configured to work on different storage platforms respectively, or robots can be configured to work across layers.

[0004] However, although the existing technical solutions improve the utilization rate of the height space of the storage area through the two-layer storage platform, it still needs to set up supporting equipment to realize it, such as elevators, conveyor belts or ramps and other equipment or structures that assist the handling robot in changing layers. In this case, the handling robot will bypass the carrier along the aisle, and then it needs to enter the elevator to change layers, change layers through the transmission belt, or change layers by climbing along the slope. The handling robot takes a long time to change layers, and additional space is required to arrange these layer-changing equipment or structures, which also increases the manufacturing cost. Summary of the invention

[0005] In order to solve the problems existing in the prior art, the present disclosure provides a warehousing system and a warehousing method.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a storage system, comprising:

[0007] A support platform, wherein the bottom of the support platform forms a first storage area for storing the target object, and the top of the support platform forms a second storage area for storing the target object; a docking port connecting the second storage area and the first storage area is provided on the support platform;

[0008] The pick-and-place mechanism is configured to move to the position of the docking port in the second storage area and transfer the target object between the first storage area and the second storage area through the docking port.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a cache position located below the docking port is provided in the first storage area, and after the target objects stored in the first storage area are configured to be transferred to the cache position, the pick-and-place mechanism is constructed to transfer the target objects between the second storage area and the cache position.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the pick-and-place mechanism is configured to drive the first target at the first position in the second storage area to move to a position corresponding to the docking port, and then drive the first target to descend to pass through the docking port to place the first target on the cache position, or to place the first target on the second target located at the cache position;

[0011] and / or,

[0012] The pick-and-place mechanism is configured to drive the third target object on the cache position to rise above the docking port and then store the third target object in the second position of the second storage area.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the pick-and-place mechanism comprises:

[0014] a moving assembly configured to move within the second storage area;

[0015] A pick-and-place assembly is connected to the motion assembly and is configured to move in a height direction to lift a target object stored in the first storage area or the second storage area; or to place the target object in the first storage area or the second storage area.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the support platform forms a ceiling rail area above the second storage area, and the pick-and-place assembly is constructed to be connected to the ceiling rail area through a motion assembly, and is constructed to drive the target object to pass above the target objects stored in the second storage area.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the motion assembly includes an X-axis motion unit and a Y-axis motion unit; the pick-and-place assembly is configured to move along the X-axis direction driven by the X-axis motion unit, and to move along the Y-axis direction driven by the Y-axis motion unit;

[0018] The pick-and-place assembly is configured to be connected to the motion assembly via a Z-axis motion unit, and is configured to move along the Z-axis direction driven by the Z-axis motion unit to complete the picking and placing of the target object.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a travel track is provided above the second storage area, the travel track includes a first guide rail extending along the X-axis direction, and a second guide rail extending along the Y-axis direction, the motion assembly is configured to move along the first guide rail in the X-axis direction, or along the second guide rail in the Y-axis direction, so as to drive the pick-and-place assembly to move to a predetermined position;

[0020] The pick-and-place assembly is configured to move in a height direction to pick and place a target object located in the second storage area or the cache location.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the moving assembly is a four-way vehicle, and the four-way vehicle is configured to move to a predetermined position in the second storage area along a first guide rail and a second guide rail.

[0022] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the motion assembly includes a first motion device that moves along a first guide rail, and a second motion device that moves along a second guide rail. The pick-and-place assembly is disposed on the first motion device, and is configured to move along the first guide rail to a first target position under the drive of the first motion device, so as to pick and place the target object at the first target position; the first motion device is also configured to move to dock with the second motion device, and the second motion device is configured to carry the first motion device to move along the second guide rail to the second target position.

[0023] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the pick-and-place assembly is configured to pick and place the target object at the second target location;

[0024] Or,

[0025] The first moving device is configured to move to the second target position, then detach from the second moving device and move to the third target position along the first guide rail, so that the pick-and-place assembly can pick and place the target object at the third target position.

[0026] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a plurality of storage positions arranged along the X-axis and Y-axis directions are provided in the second storage area; at least one first guide rail is provided, and the first moving device is constructed to transfer through the second moving device to move to corresponding storage positions and / or docking ports on different first guide rails.

[0027] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the pick-and-place assembly is constructed to pick up and place the target object by clamping, grabbing, lifting, magnetic adsorption, negative pressure adsorption or snap-fitting.

[0028] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first storage area includes a storage location, and the warehousing system includes a transport robot, wherein the transport robot is configured to transfer the target object from the storage location to a cache location; and / or the transport robot is configured to transfer the target object located at the cache location out.

[0029] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the warehousing system includes a workstation, and the transport robot is configured to transfer the target object between the first storage area and the workstation.

[0030] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the target object is a rack with at least one layer, and the rack is used to store at least one container; the rack is constructed to be stacked together to form a carrier; the first storage area and the second storage area are respectively constructed to store at least one of the carriers and / or at least one of the racks.

[0031] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the pick-and-place mechanism is configured to transfer at least one layer of the rack or at least one of the containers at a time.

[0032] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a warehousing method is provided, which is implemented by the above-mentioned warehousing system and includes the following steps:

[0033] Controlling the pick-and-place mechanism to move to a position corresponding to the docking interface;

[0034] The pick-and-place mechanism is controlled to pass through the docking interface and descend to the first storage area to transfer the target object between the first storage area and the second storage area.

[0035] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the following steps are included:

[0036] Controlling the pick-and-place mechanism to move to a first target position in the second storage area to take out the target object located at the first target position;

[0037] Control the pick-and-place mechanism to move the target object to the position of the docking interface;

[0038] Control the pick-and-place mechanism to pass through the docking interface and descend to the cache position of the first storage area;

[0039] The pick-and-place mechanism is controlled to place the target object on the cache position or on other targets located at the cache position.

[0040] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the following steps are included:

[0041] Control the pick-and-place mechanism to move the target object to the position of the docking interface;

[0042] Control the pick-and-place mechanism to pass through the docking interface and descend to the cache position of the first storage area to take out the target object located at the cache position;

[0043] Controlling the pick-and-place mechanism to move upward until it passes through the docking port;

[0044] The pick-and-place mechanism is controlled to move to a second target position in a second storage area to place the target object at the second target position.

[0045] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the transport robot is configured to transfer the target object on the first storage area to the cache location, or to transfer the target object located at the cache location out.

[0046] One beneficial effect of the present disclosure is that the present disclosure forms a first storage area in the height space through a support platform, and a second storage area located above the first storage area, thereby improving the utilization rate of the height space of the storage area and improving the storage density. A docking port connecting the first storage area and the second storage area is arranged on the support platform. Compared with the equipment or structures such as elevators, conveyor belts or ramps in the prior art, the space occupancy rate of the docking port is smaller and the cost is lower. The pick-and-place mechanism can realize the transfer of the target object between the first storage area and the second storage area through the docking port, which reduces the time for changing layers of the target object and improves work efficiency.

[0047] Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

[0049] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a support platform provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0050] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the sky rail area provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0051] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A partial enlarged view of point A;

[0052] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a travel track provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0053] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the cooperation between the first motion device and the second motion device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0054] Figure 6is a schematic diagram of the structure of a target object provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0055] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a pick-and-place mechanism for picking up and placing a target object provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0056] Figure 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a first storage area provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0057] Fig. 9 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second storage area provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0058] Figures 1 to 9 The one-to-one correspondence between the component names and the reference numerals is as follows:

[0059] 1. Support platform; 11. First storage area; 111. Cache position; 112. Storage position; 12. Second storage area; 13. Docking port;

[0060] 2. Pick-and-place mechanism; 20. Overhead rail area; 21. X-axis motion unit; 22. Y-axis motion unit; 211. Moving crossbeam; 221. Moving longitudinal beam; 222. Z-axis motion unit; 23. First guide rail; 24. Second guide rail; 25. First motion device; 26. Second motion device;

[0061] 3. Bracket;

[0062] 4. Workstation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0063] Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the relative arrangement of components and steps, numerical expressions and numerical values ​​set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present disclosure unless otherwise specifically stated.

[0064] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the present disclosure, its application, or uses.

[0065] Technologies, methods, and equipment known to ordinary technicians in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, the technologies, methods, and equipment should be considered as part of the specification.

[0066] It should be noted that like reference numerals and letters refer to similar items in the following figures, and therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it need not be further discussed in subsequent figures.

[0067] The specific embodiments of the present disclosure are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0068] In this document, “upper”, “lower”, “front”, “back”, “left”, “right”, etc. are only used to indicate the relative position relationship between related parts, rather than to limit the absolute positions of these related parts.

[0069] In this article, "first", "second", etc. are only used to distinguish each other, and do not indicate the importance and order, or the premise of each other's existence.

[0070] In this document, “equal”, “same”, etc. are not strictly limited in a mathematical and / or geometric sense, but also include errors that can be understood by those skilled in the art and are allowed in manufacturing or use.

[0071] The present disclosure provides a storage system, which includes a support platform and a pick-and-place mechanism. The support platform can be constructed of a steel structure, including a platform structure and a support structure, the platform structure is used to form a storage area, and the support structure is used to support the platform structure to a certain height from the working surface, so that the support platform forms an upper and lower storage area with the platform structure as the boundary.

[0072] In detail, the bottom of the support platform forms a first storage area for storing the target object, and the support mechanism can be directly supported on the working surface, and the first storage area is surrounded by the working surface, the support structure and the platform structure. The top of the support platform forms a second storage area for storing the target object, and the bottom of the second storage area is a platform structure. The platform structure is similar to the structure of the working surface and can be used to carry a carrier or a container. The first storage area and the second storage area can be used to store the same type of target objects or different types of target objects. The target objects can be common carriers in the logistics field, or common containers in the logistics field, and the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0073] A docking interface connecting the second storage area and the first storage area is provided on the support platform. The docking interface can be provided in the middle or at the edge of the second storage area, and can be constructed with a size not smaller than the size of the target object to facilitate the target object to pass through the docking interface smoothly, thereby realizing transfer from the first storage area to the second storage area, or from the second storage area to the first storage area.

[0074] The pick-and-place mechanism is used to transfer the target object between the first storage area and the second storage area. Specifically, the pick-and-place mechanism is configured to move to the position of the docking port in the second storage area and transfer the target object between the first storage area and the second storage area through the docking port.

[0075] For example, the pick-and-place mechanism can move to the position of the target object in the second storage area, then take out the target object and move it to the position of the docking port, then move to place the target object in the first storage area through the docking port, and after placing the target object, return to the second storage area along the reverse route to perform other subsequent work. Alternatively, the pick-and-place mechanism can move to the position of the docking port, then move to take out the target object in the first storage area through the docking port, then carry the target object back to the second storage area along the reverse route, then carry the target object to the corresponding storage position in the second storage area and place the target object at the storage position.

[0076] The present invention forms a first storage area in the height space through a support platform, and a second storage area located above the first storage area, thereby improving the utilization rate of the height space of the storage area and improving the storage density. A docking port connecting the first storage area and the second storage area is arranged on the support platform. Compared with the equipment or structures such as elevators, conveyor belts or ramps in the prior art, the space occupancy rate of the docking port is smaller and the cost is lower. The pick-and-place mechanism can realize the transfer of the target object between the first storage area and the second storage area through the docking port, which reduces the time for changing the layer of the target object and improves the work efficiency.

[0077] For ease of understanding, refer to Figures 1 to 9 , the specific structure and working principle of the warehousing system of the present invention are explained in detail in combination with the embodiments.

[0078] refer to Figure 1 The present disclosure provides a warehousing system, which includes a support platform 1 and a pick-and-place mechanism 2. The support platform 1 can be constructed by a steel structure, including a platform structure and a support structure. The steel structure may include vertically arranged support columns and crossbeams connected to the support columns in the horizontal direction. A plurality of support columns are arranged at preset edge positions, corner positions of the steel structure, or arranged in a matrix on the work surface to form a support structure with a certain coverage area. A plurality of crossbeams are arranged vertically and horizontally in the horizontal direction, and a stable platform structure is formed by connecting with the support columns. The method of constructing the above steel structure to form the support platform 1 can refer to the common steel structure construction method in the field, and the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0079] The support structure can be used to support the platform structure to a certain height from the working surface, and two storage areas are formed above and below the support platform 1 with the platform structure as the boundary. The height and storage area of ​​the two storage areas can be determined according to actual conditions, and the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0080] In detail, a first storage area 11 for storing target objects is formed at the bottom of the support platform 1. The support mechanism can be directly supported on the working surface. The first storage area 11 is surrounded by the working surface, the support structure and the platform structure. The working surface can be the ground, floor or walking platform built on the ground commonly used in the logistics field. A second storage area 12 for storing target objects is formed on the top of the support platform 1. The bottom of the second storage area 12 is a platform structure. The platform structure is similar to the structure of the working surface, except that the platform structure is completely formed of a steel structure. The platform structure can also be used to carry a carrier or a container. The target object can be a carrier, a container, etc. commonly used in the logistics field for storing goods. The first storage area 11 and the second storage area 12 can be used to store the same type of target objects or different types of target objects. The type of the target object can be determined according to actual conditions, and the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0081] A docking port 13 connecting the second storage area 12 and the first storage area 11 is provided on the support platform 1. The docking port 13 can be provided in the middle or at the edge of the second storage area 12, that is, the docking port 13 can be provided on the platform structure, and can be provided in the middle or at the edge according to actual conditions, and can be constructed to have a size not less than the size of the target object, so that the target object can smoothly pass through the docking port 13. Thus, the target object can be transferred from the first storage area 11 to the second storage area 12, or from the second storage area 12 to the first storage area 11, through the docking port 13.

[0082] The pick-and-place mechanism 2 is used to transfer objects between the first storage area 11 and the second storage area 12. Specifically, the pick-and-place mechanism 2 is configured to move to the position of the docking port 13 in the second storage area 12 and transfer objects between the first storage area 11 and the second storage area 12 through the docking port 13.

[0083] For example, the pick-and-place mechanism 2 can move to the position of the target object in the second storage area 12, take out the target object and move it to the position of the docking port 13, then move to the first storage area 11 through the docking port 13, and after placing the target object, return to the second storage area 12 along the reverse route to perform other subsequent work. Alternatively, the pick-and-place mechanism 2 can move to the position of the docking port 13, take out the target object in the first storage area 11 through the docking port 13, then carry the target object back to the second storage area 12 along the reverse route, and then carry the target object to the corresponding storage position of the second storage area 12 and place the target object at the storage position.

[0084] The present invention forms a first storage area 11 in the height space through a support platform 1, and a second storage area 12 located above the first storage area 11. Both the first storage area 11 and the second storage area 12 can be used to store vehicles or containers, thereby improving the utilization rate of the height space of the storage area and improving the storage density. A docking port 13 connecting the first storage area 11 and the second storage area 12 is provided on the support platform 1. Compared with the equipment or structures such as elevators, conveyor belts or ramps in the prior art, the docking port 13 has a smaller space occupancy rate and lower cost. The pick-and-place mechanism 2 can realize the layer transfer of the target object between the first storage area 11 and the second storage area 12 through the docking port 13, without relying on the auxiliary layer change of the elevator or the transmission belt, and without changing the layer by moving along the slope. Changing the layer through the docking port 13 reduces the time for changing the layer of the target object and improves the work efficiency.

[0085] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the pick-and-place mechanism 2 includes a motion component and a pick-and-place component. The motion component is configured to move in the second storage area 12. The pick-and-place component is connected to the motion component, and the pick-and-place component is configured to move in the height direction. In other words, the motion component is mainly responsible for driving the pick-and-place component to move to the storage position of the target object. After moving to the storage position of the target object, the pick-and-place component is used to lift the target object stored in the first storage area 11 or the second storage area 12, or place the target object in the first storage area 11 or the second storage area 12.

[0086] refer to Figure 2 In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the support platform 1 forms a ceiling rail area 20 above the second storage area 12, and the pick-and-place assembly is constructed to be connected to the ceiling rail area 20 through a motion assembly, and is constructed to drive the target object to pass above the target object stored in the second storage area 12.

[0087] The layout of conventional storage areas in the field of logistics is to set storage locations for target objects and aisles between these storage locations. In this embodiment, a ceiling rail area 20 is set for the pick-up and put-down mechanism to walk above the second storage area 12, so there is no need to set an aisle for the pick-up and put-down mechanism to walk in the second storage area 12, and each position of the second storage area 12 can be used to store target objects. In contrast, this embodiment is more conducive to improving the storage density of the second storage area 12 and improving the utilization rate of the storage space.

[0088] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3In a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the motion assembly includes an X-axis motion unit 21 and a Y-axis motion unit 22, and the pick-and-place assembly is configured to move along the X-axis direction under the drive of the X-axis motion unit 21, and to move along the Y-axis direction under the drive of the Y-axis motion unit 22. The X-axis motion unit 21 can be configured as a moving crossbeam 211 arranged along the X-axis direction, and the Y-axis motion unit 22 can be configured as a moving longitudinal beam 221 arranged along the Y-axis direction. By coupling the moving crossbeam 211 and the moving longitudinal beam 221 together, the pick-and-place assembly is driven to move in the X-axis and Y-axis directions.

[0089] For example, reference Figure 3 In the viewing direction, two movable crossbeams 211 and two movable longitudinal beams 221 can be respectively provided. The movable longitudinal beam 221 can move along the X-axis direction driven by the movable crossbeam 211 to adjust the position of the pick-and-place assembly in the X-axis direction. The pick-and-place assembly can move along the Y-axis direction driven by the movable longitudinal beam 221 to adjust the position of the pick-and-place assembly in the Y-axis direction. By adjusting the positions in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, the pick-and-place assembly can be accurately stopped above the target object, or stopped above the target object storage position when carrying the target object. Of course, the above process can also be that the movable crossbeam 211 moves along the Y-axis direction driven by the movable longitudinal beam 221, and then the movable crossbeam 211 drives the pick-and-place assembly to move along the X-axis direction, which can also achieve the same moving effect.

[0090] Continue to refer Figure 3 The pick-and-place assembly is constructed to be connected to the motion assembly through the Z-axis motion unit 222, and is constructed to move along the Z-axis direction under the drive of the Z-axis motion unit 222 to complete the pick-and-place of the target. The Z-axis motion unit 222 can be a retractable mechanism set on the X-axis motion unit or the Y-axis motion unit, and the lower end of the retractable mechanism is connected to the pick-and-place assembly. The retractable mechanism can be retracted along the Z-axis direction to drive the pick-and-place assembly to move in the Z-axis direction. The pick-and-place assembly is driven by the X-axis motion unit 21, the Y-axis motion unit 22, and the Z-axis motion unit 222 to move in the three-dimensional space of the second storage area 12, which can cover all positions in the second storage area 12 without a blind spot.

[0091] In addition to driving the pick-and-place assembly to move in the Z-axis direction of the second storage area 12, the Z-axis motion unit 222 can also move further downward to the first storage area 11. When the pick-and-place assembly moves to the top of the docking port 13 driven by the X-axis motion unit 21 and the Y-axis motion unit 22, the Z-axis motion unit 222 can drive the pick-and-place assembly to move downward along the Z-axis direction until it passes through the docking port 13 and reaches the first storage area 11. The pick-and-place assembly can take out the target object from the first storage area 11 and transfer it to the second storage area 12 for storage, or place the target object it carries in the first storage area 11 and then return to the second storage area 12.

[0092] refer to Figure 4 In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a travel track is arranged above the second storage area 12, and the travel track includes a first guide rail 23 extending along the X-axis direction, and a second guide rail 24 extending along the Y-axis direction. The moving component is constructed to move along the first guide rail 23 in the X-axis direction, or, move along the second guide rail in the Y-axis direction, to drive the pick-and-place component to move to a predetermined position, which can be the position of the target object or above the preset storage position.

[0093] This embodiment is similar to the previous embodiment, and the driving track is located above the second storage area 12, so the second storage area 12 can realize dense storage of target objects, thereby increasing the utilization rate of the storage space. Different from the previous embodiment, in this embodiment, the driving track is set as the bearing structure of the motion component. When the storage area is large, not only one pick-up and placement mechanism 2 can be set, but also more pick-up and placement mechanisms 2 can be set to travel on the driving track through their respective motion components to move to the top of the location of their respective corresponding target objects. Each pick-up and placement mechanism 2 can independently complete the pick-up and placement of the target object, thereby improving the working efficiency of the entire storage system.

[0094] The pick-and-place assembly can be constructed to move in the height direction. For example, the pick-and-place assembly can be connected to the moving assembly through a lifting mechanism commonly used in the art, such as a telescopic rod, a lifting belt, or the like, which can drive the pick-and-place assembly to move in the height direction relative to the moving assembly, so as to facilitate the pick-and-place assembly to pick up and place containers located in the first storage area 11 or the second storage area 12.

[0095] This embodiment can also enable the pick-and-place assembly to move to various positions in the second storage area 12, thereby reducing obstacles to movement.

[0096] In a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the motion assembly may be a four-way vehicle, which is configured to move in the X-axis direction along the first guide rail 23 and in the Y-axis direction along the second guide rail 24. Those skilled in the art know the configuration of the four-way vehicle in conjunction with the four-way guide rail, which will not be described in detail herein.

[0097] The pick-and-place assembly can be connected to the four-way vehicle through a lifting mechanism, so that the four-way vehicle drives the pick-and-place assembly to move in the directions of the X-axis and the Y-axis, and the lifting mechanism drives the pick-and-place assembly to move in the direction of the Z-axis.

[0098] refer to Figure 5 In another specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the motion assembly includes a first motion device 25 that moves along the first guide rail 23, and a second motion device 26 that moves along the second guide rail 24. That is, the first motion device 25 can move in the X-axis direction, and the second motion device 26 can move in the Y-axis direction. The first motion device 25 and the second motion device 26 can work together to drive the pick-and-place assembly to move to the corresponding target position.

[0099] The pick-and-place assembly can be arranged on the first motion device 25, and is configured to move to the first target position along the first guide rail 23 under the drive of the first motion device 25, so as to pick and place the target object at the first target position. The first motion device 25 is configured to move to dock with the second motion device 26, and the second motion device 26 is configured to move to the second target position along the second guide rail 24 with the first motion device 25. For example, the first motion device 25 and the second motion device 26 can be a mother-and-child vehicle, wherein the first motion device 25 is a child vehicle and the second motion device 26 is a mother vehicle. The child vehicle is responsible for moving to the corresponding position of the target object in the X-axis direction, and the mother vehicle is responsible for driving the child vehicle and the pick-and-place assembly on the child vehicle to move to the corresponding position of the target object together after docking with the child vehicle. In order to facilitate the distinction above, two different positions are defined by "first target position" and "second target position".

[0100] For example, when the Y-axis coordinates of the pick-and-place component and the target position correspond, the first motion device 25 can directly drive the pick-and-place component to move along the first guide rail 23 to correspond to the X-axis coordinate of the target object, that is, the first target position, and then the pick-and-place component can be lowered along the Z-axis direction to correspond to the pick-and-place position of the target object; when the Y-axis coordinates of the pick-and-place component and the target position do not correspond, the first motion device 25 needs to first move to dock with the second motion device 26, and then the second motion device 26 drives the first motion device 25 to move to correspond to the Y-axis coordinates of the pick-and-place component and the target object, that is, the second target position.

[0101] When the second target position is just above the storage position of the target object, after the second motion device 26 has finished moving, the pick-and-place assembly can pick and place the target object at the second target position. Alternatively, when the second target position corresponds only to the Y-axis coordinate of the storage position of the target object, after the second motion device 26 drives the first motion device 25 to move to the second target position, the first motion device 25 is separated from the second motion device 26 and moves along the first guide rail 23 to the third target position, the third target position corresponds to both the X-axis coordinate and the Y-axis coordinate of the target object, and the pick-and-place assembly can pick and place the target object at the third target position.

[0102] The first target position, the second target position and the third target position can be the storage position 112 set in the second storage area 12, or can be the docking port 13. A plurality of storage positions 112 can be arranged along the X-axis and the Y-axis in the second storage area 12. At least one first guide rail 23 is provided, and the first guide rail 23 is located above the plurality of storage positions 112. For example Figure 5 As shown, a plurality of first guide rails 23 are arranged along the Y-axis direction, and storage positions 112 can be arranged along the X-axis direction under all the first guide rails 23. The first motion device 25 can be configured to be transferred through the second motion device 26, that is, the second motion device 26 assists the first motion device 25 to replace different first guide rails 23, so as to move to the corresponding storage position 112 or docking port 13 on different first guide rails 23.

[0103] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the pick-and-place assembly is configured to pick and place the target object by clamping, grabbing, lifting, magnetic adsorption, negative pressure adsorption or snap-fitting. Those skilled in the art know the specific structures for implementing the above pick-and-place methods, which will not be listed here one by one.

[0104] refer to Figure 6 In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the target object may be at least one layer of a rack 3, on which at least one container is stored. The racks 3 are configured to be stacked together to form a carrier. The first storage area 11 and the second storage area 12 are configured to store at least one carrier and / or at least one rack 3, respectively.

[0105] refer to Figure 7 In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the pick-and-place mechanism 2 is configured to transfer at least one layer of a rack 3 or at least one container at a time. For example, the pick-and-place mechanism 2 can take out one rack 3 at a time and drive it to a corresponding storage location, or it can take out multiple layers of racks 3 at a time and transfer them to a corresponding storage location at one time. The number of the above pick-and-place racks 3 or the number of the pick-and-place containers should be selected according to actual conditions, and will not be listed here one by one.

[0106] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 8In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a cache position 111 is provided in the first storage area 11 below the docking port 13. The cache position 111 can be used to temporarily store the target object. After the target object stored in the first storage area 11 is configured to be transferred to the cache position 111, the pick-and-place mechanism 2 can transfer the target object between the second storage area 12 and the cache position 111.

[0107] For example, the cache position 111 can be used to temporarily store targets that need to be transferred from the first storage area 11 to the second storage area 12, or to temporarily store targets that need to be transferred from the second storage area 12 to the first storage area 11. In the first case, the targets in the first storage area 11 come from other storage locations other than the cache position 111, or come from the outside. After the targets are transported to the cache position 111, the pick-and-place mechanism 2 moves to the top of the docking port 13, and transfers the targets from the cache position 111 to the corresponding storage location of the second storage area 12 through the docking port 13. In the second case, the pick-and-place mechanism 2 transfers the targets in the second storage area 12 to the top of the docking port 13, and then moves to the docking port 13 to place the targets on the cache position 111 or on other targets in the cache position 111, so as to facilitate subsequent processing.

[0108] In the process of the above-mentioned picking and placing mechanism 2 transferring the target object from the cache position 111 to the second storage area 12 and transferring the target object from the second storage area 12 to the cache position 111, since the cache position 111 is located below the docking interface 13, the picking and placing mechanism 2 can directly drive the target object to rise or fall, and the transfer of the target object between the first storage area 11 and the second storage area 12 can be completed through an extremely short movement distance.

[0109] refer to Figure 8 , multiple cache positions 111 can be set, and correspondingly, a docking interface 13 can be set above each cache position 111. The advantage of this is that when the storage area is large, the efficiency of the target object layer transfer can be met through one docking interface 13, and setting multiple cache positions 111 and docking interfaces 13 can meet the work of multiple positions simultaneously changing the layer of the target object. In addition, multiple docking interfaces 13 and cache positions 111 can be set at corresponding positions of the two storage areas according to a certain interval or regularity, and each group of docking interfaces 13 and cache positions 111 can radiate a certain range. Then, the pick-and-place mechanism 2 can move to the docking interface 13 closest to itself according to the principle of proximity, or the docking interface 13 closest to the final storage position of the target object, and complete the transfer of the target object at the docking interface 13, which greatly reduces the time of its own movement, and can also shorten the time of subsequent work to a certain extent, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0110] In a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the pick-and-place mechanism 2 is configured to drive the first target at the first position in the second storage area 12 to move to the position corresponding to the docking port 13, and then drive the first target to descend to pass through the docking port 13 to place the first target on the cache position 111, or to place the first target on the second target at the cache position 111. The first position can be any position for storing the target in the second storage area 12 except the docking port 13, and similarly, there can also be a second position, a third position, a fourth position, etc. for storing the target. The following takes the transfer of the target at the first position to the cache position 111, and the transfer of the target from the cache position 111 to the second position of the second storage area 12 for storage as an example.

[0111] The picking and placing mechanism 2 takes out the first target object at the first position, and moves with the first target object to the top of the docking interface 13. When there are no other targets in the cache position 111 below the docking interface 13, the picking and placing mechanism 2 can directly move through the docking interface 13 and place the first target object on the cache position 111; when other targets are already stored below the docking interface 13, the other target object closest to the docking interface 13 is recorded as the second target object, and the picking and placing mechanism 2 can move through the docking interface 13 and place the first target object above the second target object.

[0112] Similarly, the pick-and-place mechanism 2 transfers the third target object on the cache position 111 to the second storage area 12 for storage according to the opposite route. For example, the pick-and-place mechanism 2 moves to the corresponding position of the docking port 13, moves downward to pass through the docking port 13 to take out the third target object located at the cache position 111, then rises to pass through the docking port 13 to return to the original height position, and then moves to the second position of the second storage area 12 to store the third target object.

[0113] refer to Figure 8 In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first storage area 11 includes a storage position 112, and the storage system includes a handling robot. The storage position 112 may be arranged near the cache position 111, and a plurality of cache positions 111 may be arranged. The first storage area 11 also includes a lane arranged between the storage positions 112 for the handling robot to walk, and the handling robot is configured to walk in the lane to transfer the target object from the storage position 112 to the cache position 111, and / or the handling robot is configured to transfer the target object located at the cache position 111 out.

[0114] For example, refer to Figure 8 and Fig. 9When the target object in the first storage area 11 needs to be transferred to the second storage area 12 for storage, the handling robot can move to the storage position 112 corresponding to the target object, and then transfer the target object from the storage position 112 to the cache position 111. The upper part of the cache position 111 is the docking interface 13. The pick-and-place mechanism 2 will transfer the target object from the cache position 111 to the corresponding position of the second storage area 12 for storage through the docking interface 13.

[0115] Continue to refer Figure 8 and Fig. 9 When the target object in the second storage area 12 needs to be transferred out, the pick-and-place mechanism 2 moves to the top of the target object and transfers the target object to the top of the docking port 13, and then places the target object on the cache position 111 through the docking port 13. The handling robot can transfer the target object transferred to the cache position 111 to prevent too many targets from being stacked on the cache position 111, which would make subsequent transfer work difficult.

[0116] There may be multiple docking ports 13 and cache locations 111 below the docking ports 13 to facilitate the pick-and-place mechanism 2 to complete the layer change of the target object between the first storage area 11 and the second storage area 12 by selecting the nearest docking port 13 according to the proximity principle.

[0117] It should also be noted that the second storage area 12 of the present invention is also provided with storage positions 112 arranged in a matrix. Compared with the first storage area 11, the second storage area 12 does not need to be provided with a passage for the retrieval mechanism 2 to travel. Therefore, the second storage area 12 can store the target objects more densely, thereby improving the utilization rate of the storage space.

[0118] refer to Figure 8 In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the warehousing system includes a workstation 4 , and the transport robot is configured to transfer the target object between the first storage area 11 and the workstation 4 .

[0119] For example, during the warehousing operation, the handling robot can transfer the target object in the workstation 4 to the storage position 112 of the first storage area 11 for storage, or transfer the target object to the cache position 111, and then the pick-and-place mechanism 2 transfers the target object on the cache position 111 to the second storage area 12 for storage. During the warehousing operation, the handling robot can transfer the target object on the storage position 112 to the workstation 4 for processing, or transfer the target object on the cache position 111 to the workstation 4 for processing.

[0120] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a warehousing method is provided, which is implemented by the warehousing system described above, and the method comprises the following steps:

[0121] Control the pick-and-place mechanism 2 to move to a position corresponding to the docking port 13. Control the pick-and-place mechanism 2 to pass through the docking port 13 and descend to the first storage area 11, and transfer the target object between the first storage area 11 and the second storage area 12. The pick-and-place mechanism 2 moves in the second storage area 12. When the pick-and-place mechanism 2 is at a position corresponding to the docking port 13, it can transfer the target object it carries to the first storage area 11 through the docking port 13, or the pick-and-place mechanism 2 can take out the target object in the first storage area 11 through the docking port 13, and then return to the second storage area 12 along the original route, driving the target object to move to the corresponding storage position. The specific structure and movement mode of the pick-and-place mechanism 2 for transferring the target object between the first storage area 11 and the second storage area 12 have been described in detail above and will not be described in detail here.

[0122] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the warehousing method comprises the following steps:

[0123] The pick-and-place mechanism 2 is controlled to move to the first target position of the second storage area 12 to take out the target object located at the first target position. The first target position may be the current storage position of the target object in the second storage area 12. The pick-and-place mechanism 2 is controlled to move with the target object to the position of the docking port 13. For example, the pick-and-place mechanism 2 can drive the target object to move above the docking port 13. The pick-and-place mechanism 2 is controlled to pass through the docking port 13 and descend to the cache position 111 of the first storage area 11. The cache position 111 is below the docking port 13, and the pick-and-place mechanism 2 can continue to move to the pick-and-place height of the pick-and-place mechanism 2 after moving through the docking port 13. The pick-and-place mechanism 2 is controlled to place the target object on the cache position 111 or on other targets located at the cache position 111. The cache position 111 and the docking port 13 are arranged along the same height direction, which can reduce the time for the pick-and-place mechanism 2 to drive the target object to change layers, thereby improving the efficiency of layer change.

[0124] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the warehousing method comprises the following steps:

[0125] The pick-and-place mechanism 2 is controlled to move with the target object to the position of the docking port 13. The pick-and-place mechanism 2 is controlled to pass through the docking port 13 and then descend to the cache position 111 of the first storage area 11 to take out the target object located at the cache position 111. The pick-and-place mechanism 2 is controlled to move upward to pass through the docking port 13. The pick-and-place mechanism 2 is controlled to move to the second target position of the second storage area 12 to place the target object at the second target position. The second target position may be a preset storage position of the target object in the second storage area 12.

[0126] In contrast to the way in which the pick-and-place mechanism 2 transfers the target object in the second storage area 12 to the cache position 111, the pick-and-place mechanism 2 first moves to the cache position 111 to take out the target object, and then moves to the second target position after passing through the docking port 13 along the opposite route to transfer the target object from the first storage area 11 to the second storage area 12. The cache position 111 and the docking port 13 are arranged along the same height direction, which can reduce the time for the pick-and-place mechanism 2 to drive the target object to change layers, thereby improving the efficiency of layer change.

[0127] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the handling robot is configured to transfer the target object on the first storage area 11 to the cache position 111, or to transfer the target object on the cache position 111 out. The storage system includes a handling robot, and the handling robot cooperates with the pick-and-place mechanism 2 to realize the transfer of the target object between the first storage area 11, the second storage area 12 and the outside world. For example, the handling robot can transfer the target object on the storage position 112 in the first storage area 11 to the workstation 4 for processing, or transfer the target object on the cache position 111 to the workstation 4, thereby realizing the outbound delivery of the target object. Alternatively, the handling robot can transfer the target object in the workstation 4 to the corresponding storage position 112 of the first storage area 11, or transfer the target object to the cache position 111, and then the pick-and-place mechanism 2 transfers the target object to the second storage area 12 for storage. In the above manner, it is possible to transfer the target object between the first storage area 11 and the second storage area 12, or to transfer the target object between the first storage area 11, the second storage area 12 and the outside world. The above-mentioned specific structure has been described in detail above and will not be described in detail here.

[0128] The embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, and the above description is exemplary, not exhaustive, and is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and changes will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The choice of terms used herein is intended to best explain the principles of the embodiments, practical applications, or technical improvements in the market, or to enable other persons of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A storage system, characterized in that: include: A support platform (1), wherein a first storage area (11) for storing a target object is formed at the bottom of the support platform (1), and a second storage area (12) for storing a target object is formed at the top of the support platform (1); the first storage area (11) comprises a storage position (112); a docking port (13) is provided on the support platform (1) for connecting the second storage area (12) and the first storage area (11); each docking port (13) is configured to radiate a certain range of the first storage area (11) and the second storage area (12); A pick-and-place mechanism (2), the pick-and-place mechanism (2) moves above the second storage area (12), and is configured to move within the second storage area (12) to the position of the docking port (13), and to transfer the target object between the first storage area (11) and the second storage area (12) through the docking port (13); the pick-and-place mechanism (2) is configured to transfer the target object from the second storage area (12) to the first storage area (11) through the docking port (13), or to transfer the target object from the first storage area (11) to the second storage area (12) through the docking port (13); A transport robot, wherein the first storage area (11) further comprises a lane arranged between the storage positions (112) for the transport robot to walk; The second storage area (12) does not need to be provided with a passage for the pick-and-place mechanism (2) to travel; and the storage density of the second storage area (12) is greater than the storage density of the first storage area (11).

2. The storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first storage area (11) is provided with a cache position (111) located below the docking port (13); after the target object stored in the first storage area (11) is transferred to the cache position (111), the pick-and-place mechanism (2) is constructed to transfer the target object between the second storage area (12) and the cache position (111).

3. The storage system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The pick-and-place mechanism (2) is configured to drive a first target object at a first position in the second storage area (12) to move to a position corresponding to the docking port (13), and then drive the first target object to descend to pass through the docking port (13) so as to place the first target object on the cache position (111), or to place the first target object on a second target object located at the cache position (111); and / or, The pick-and-place mechanism (2) is configured to drive the third target object on the cache position (111) to rise above the docking port (13), and then store the third target object in the second position of the second storage area (12).

4. The storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pick-and-place mechanism (2) comprises: a moving assembly configured to move within the second storage area (12); A pick-and-place assembly is connected to the moving assembly, and the pick-and-place assembly is configured to move in a height direction to lift a target object stored in the first storage area (11) or the second storage area (12); or to place the target object in the first storage area (11) or the second storage area (12).

5. The storage system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The support platform (1) forms a ceiling rail area (20) above the second storage area (12), and the pick-and-place assembly is configured to be connected to the ceiling rail area (20) via a motion assembly, and is configured to drive the target object to pass above the target objects stored in the second storage area (12).

6. The storage system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The motion component comprises an X-axis motion unit (21) and a Y-axis motion unit (22); the pick-and-place component is configured to move along the X-axis direction under the drive of the X-axis motion unit (21), and to move along the Y-axis direction under the drive of the Y-axis motion unit (22); The pick-and-place component is configured to be connected to the motion component via a Z-axis motion unit (222), and is configured to move along the Z-axis direction under the drive of the Z-axis motion unit (222) to complete the pick-and-place of the target object.

7. The storage system according to claim 4, characterized in that: A travel track is arranged above the second storage area (12), the travel track comprising a first guide rail (23) extending along the X-axis direction, and a second guide rail (24) extending along the Y-axis direction, the moving component being configured to move along the first guide rail (23) in the X-axis direction, or along the second guide rail (24) in the Y-axis direction, so as to drive the pick-and-place component to move to a predetermined position; The pick-and-place assembly is configured to move in a height direction to pick and place a target object located in the second storage area (12) or the cache position (111).

8. The storage system according to claim 7, characterized in that: The moving component is a four-way vehicle, and the four-way vehicle is configured to move to a predetermined position in the second storage area (12) along a first guide rail (23) and a second guide rail (24).

9. The storage system according to claim 7, characterized in that: The motion assembly comprises a first motion device (25) that moves along a first guide rail (23), and a second motion device (26) that moves along a second guide rail (24); the pick-and-place assembly is arranged on the first motion device (25), and is configured to move along the first guide rail (23) to a first target position under the drive of the first motion device (25) so as to pick and place the target object at the first target position; the first motion device (25) is also configured to move to dock with the second motion device (26), and the second motion device (26) is configured to move along the second guide rail (24) with the first motion device (25) to a second target position.

10. The storage system according to claim 9, characterized in that: The pick-and-place assembly is configured to pick and place the target object at the second target location; Or, The first moving device (25) is configured to, after moving to the second target position, detach from the second moving device (26) and move along the first guide rail (23) to the third target position, so that the pick-and-place assembly can pick and place the target object at the third target position.

11. The storage system according to claim 9, characterized in that: The second storage area (12) is provided with a plurality of storage positions (112) arranged along the X-axis and the Y-axis directions; the first guide rail (23) is provided with at least one, and the first movement device (25) is configured to transfer through the second movement device (26) so as to move on different first guide rails (23) to corresponding storage positions (112) or docking ports (13).

12. The storage system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The pick-and-place assembly is constructed to pick and place the target object by clamping, grabbing, lifting, magnetic adsorption, negative pressure adsorption or snap-fitting.

13. The storage system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The transport robot is configured to transfer the target object from the storage position (112) to the cache position (111); and / or the transport robot is configured to transfer the target object located at the cache position (111) out.

14. The storage system according to claim 13, characterized in that: The storage system comprises a workstation (4), and the transport robot is configured to transfer a target object between a first storage area (11) and the workstation (4).

15. The storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The target object is at least one layer of a rack (3), the rack (3) being used to store at least one container; the racks (3) being configured to be stacked together to form a carrier; and the first storage area (11) and the second storage area (12) being configured to store at least one of the carriers and / or at least one of the racks (3), respectively.

16. The storage system according to claim 15, characterized in that: The pick-and-place mechanism (2) is configured to transfer at least one layer of the rack (3) or at least one of the containers at a time.

17. A warehousing method, implemented by the warehousing system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Controlling the pick-and-place mechanism (2) to move to a position corresponding to the docking port (13); The pick-and-place mechanism (2) is controlled to pass through the docking port (13) and descend to the first storage area (11), so as to transfer the target object between the first storage area (11) and the second storage area (12).

18. The storage method according to claim 17, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Controlling the pick-and-place mechanism (2) to move to a first target position in the second storage area (12) to take out the target object located at the first target position; Controlling the pick-and-place mechanism (2) to move the target object to the position of the docking port (13); Controlling the pick-and-place mechanism (2) to pass through the docking port (13) and descend to the cache position (111) of the first storage area (11); The pick-and-place mechanism (2) is controlled to place the target object on the cache position (111) or on other targets located at the cache position (111).

19. The storage method according to claim 17, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Controlling the pick-and-place mechanism (2) to move the target object to the position of the docking port (13); Controlling the pick-and-place mechanism (2) to pass through the docking port (13) and descend to the cache position (111) of the first storage area (11) to take out the target object located on the cache position (111); Controlling the pick-and-place mechanism (2) to move upward until it passes through the docking port (13); The pick-and-place mechanism (2) is controlled to move to a second target position in a second storage area (12) to place the target object at the second target position.

20. The storage method according to claim 18 or 19, characterized in that: The transport robot is configured to transfer a target object on the first storage area (11) to the cache location (111), or to transfer a target object located on the cache location (111) out.

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