Transmission system and intelligent automated warehousing transmission system

Abstract

This invention discloses a transmission system and an intelligent automated storage and retrieval system (AS / RS) for use in an AS / RS warehouse. The AS / RS warehouse includes at least multiple rows of racks, each rack comprising a first rack section and a second rack section. The racks have multiple layers of storage space, and boxes are placed in storage locations within these spaces. The first rack section and the second rack section can be located on the same rack or on opposite sides of the same aisle. Each rack section can be equipped with a task module, wherein at least one task module can access several box locations in adjacent rack sections. The task module can be a picking task module or a storage and transfer task module. This invention improves the utilization rate of existing rack transmission systems, reduces the complexity of deployment and maintenance in high-meter warehouses, and significantly reduces deployment costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of automated warehousing and transmission, and in particular to a transmission system and an intelligent three-dimensional warehousing and transmission system. Prior Art

[0002] Warehousing is the link with the highest logistics cost. Existing warehousing systems all require the construction of storage bases or storage centers. Modern logistics warehouses store goods in an environmentally friendly manner and carry out fulfillment and delivery according to SKU, date, sequence and other information under the instructions of logistics orders.

[0003] Existing warehouse-to-sorting processes require cargo to be removed from warehouse shelves by a storage freight robot, which then delivers the cargo to a sorting platform or sorting system. Traditional warehouse heights are often limited to 10 meters. As warehouses reach higher heights, warehouse transfer and exchange efficiency is limited by the height, and specialized, customized conveyor or picking systems are required, resulting in high deployment complexity and configuration costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Embodiments of the present invention provide a transmission system and an intelligent three-dimensional warehousing and transmission system, which improve the storage space utilization, cargo entry and exit speed, and sorting efficiency of existing transmission systems, and greatly reduce the investment cost of warehousing deployment.

[0005] A transport system for a high-bay warehouse, the high-bay warehouse comprising at least a plurality of rows of shelves, the shelves comprising a first shelf section and a second shelf section, the shelves being provided with multiple layers of storage space, and cargo boxes being placed in the storage locations of the storage space;

[0006] The first shelf segment and the second shelf segment may be located on the same shelf, or on shelves on both sides of the same aisle;

[0007] The first shelf segment and the second shelf segment may be equipped with task modules, wherein at least one of the task modules may access a plurality of bins in the adjacent shelf segment;

[0008] The task module may be a picking task module or an access and transmission task module.

[0009] Preferably, the system further includes:

[0010] The shelf removes the partitions of one or more storage spaces on the bottom shelf layer to provide a passage for the ground freight robot; Alternatively, one or more shelf layers are removed from the shelf to provide a matching height to support the freight robot to operate on the ground.

[0011] Preferably, the aisle direction of the multiple rows of shelves in this system is recorded as the x-axis, the direction perpendicular to the ground and the x-axis is recorded as the y-axis, and the height direction of the shelves is recorded as the z-axis.

[0012] Preferably, the setting of the adjacent shelf segments is specifically implemented as follows: Two shelf segments in the z-axis direction of the same shelf; or, Two shelf segments on both sides of the aisle in the y-axis direction.

[0013] Preferably, the system further comprises: an extension module, which is slidably mounted on a movable part of the task module so that the task module can be extended in the z-axis direction to access more bins in adjacent shelf segments.

[0014] Preferably, the extension module is one or more laminate sliders, and the extension distance is obtained by lamination.

[0015] Preferably, access to several bins in adjacent shelf segments is achieved through track transport equipment, including: The rail transport device is specifically implemented on the shelf as follows: a first transverse rail, a first column, a first movable member, and a connecting mechanism of a second task module; When the task module is a cargo box storage and retrieval module, the connection mechanism of the second task module is provided with: Support structure for storage and retrieval container modules; as well as, Transfer assembly for accessing the container module; The first shelf section and the second shelf section can be equipped with task modules, wherein at least one of the task modules can access several box locations of the adjacent shelf section, which is specifically implemented as follows: the storage and retrieval box module installed on the track transmission equipment of the first shelf section can access one or more storage locations at the end of the second shelf section in the z-axis direction, or can access one or more storage locations of the second shelf section in the y-axis direction.

[0016] Preferably, the cargo picking device is used to place the cargo into the docking assembly or docking box of the cargo robot running at the bottom of the shelf, or to take the cargo out of the docking assembly or docking box and place it into the cargo box; the arrangement of the cargo picking device on the shelf is specifically implemented as follows: A connecting mechanism between the first transverse track, the first column, the first movable member and the first task module, wherein: The first transverse rail on the shelf; The first column is vertically arranged on the first transverse track and can slide laterally; The first movable member is provided on the first column and can slide along the first column; The first movable member is provided with a connecting mechanism of the first task module.

[0017] Preferably, the system further comprises: a second transverse rail located at the lower portion of the shelf, wherein the two transverse rails are connected to the first column via a slider; The slider moves on the transverse track driven by rollers and / or gears, and the rollers and / or gears are driven by a motor.

[0018] Preferably, the system further comprises: the arrangement of the rail transport device on the shelf further comprises: a second column and a second movable member, the second column being vertically arranged on the transverse rail and capable of sliding transversely; The second movable member is provided on the column and can slide along the second column; The second movable member is provided with a connecting mechanism of the second task module.

[0019] Preferably, the rail transport device arranged on the shelf further includes: a third column, and the second task module is arranged between the second column and the third column through the connecting mechanism; Drive the second task module to locate at the cargo position or docking position on the shelf.

[0020] Preferably, the system is driven by a motor and has a synchronous pulley controlled by a reducer, wherein the synchronous pulley drives a synchronous belt to support the first movable member to move on the slide rail of the first column; A synchronous pulley driven by a motor and controllable by a reducer drives a synchronous belt to support the second movable part to move on the slide rail of the second column.

[0021] Preferably, the system further comprises: an identification module, which can be arranged on the cargo picking device and / or the track transmission device.

[0022] Preferably, the freight robot is a ground freight robot AGV.

[0023] Preferably, a freight robot and / or a load handling device is provided on the top of the high-bay warehouse. The load handling device is provided in conjunction with a lifting device. The lifting device grabs the cargo boxes or goods. The load handling device is configured to move on the top of the high-bay warehouse and is used to lift and move the cargo boxes or goods in the high-bay warehouse. The load handling device includes: Electrical control equipment, drive and / or lifting components, and receiving space components for accommodating the cargo box or cargo; The lifting assembly is configured to raise and lower the lifting device relative to the receiving space assembly.

[0024] Preferably, a freight robot AGV walking surface can be deployed on the top of the high-bay warehouse, and / or the arrangement is based on a first set of parallel tracks and a second set of parallel tracks, wherein the second set of parallel tracks extends transversely to the first set on a substantially horizontal plane to form a grid structure comprising a plurality of grid spaces.

[0025] Preferably, the freight robot described in the present system is a warehousing robot, comprising: a mobile base, a stand vertically arranged on the mobile base, and a storage and retrieval device arranged on the stand and capable of vertical lifting.

[0026] An intelligent three-dimensional storage and transmission system comprises: one or more transmission systems.

[0027] The transport system provided by an embodiment of the present invention is used in high-density warehouses. Task modules are installed on shelf segments within the warehouse, allowing them to access multiple bin locations on adjacent shelf segments. These task modules can be either picking task modules or storage and retrieval transport task modules. These task modules can coordinate with sliding and extension modules on transverse rails, columns, and columns, enabling the task modules to reach storage locations outside their own shelf segments within the high-density warehouse, thereby supporting fulfillment operations within the high-density warehouse. Furthermore, the rail transport system, driven by the movable parts, allows cargo boxes to be stored and retrieved, and then placed into or removed from the docking assembly or docking box of a freight robot operating at the bottom of the shelf. This allows the stored cargo / cargo boxes to be coordinated with the freight robot or sorting robot, enabling smooth storage, cargo / cargo box transfer, and cargo / cargo box sorting within the warehouse space. This improves storage space utilization of existing shelf transport systems, reduces the complexity of deployment and maintenance in high-density warehouses, and significantly reduces deployment investment costs. Simple diagram description

[0028] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific implementation methods of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the specific implementation methods or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some implementation methods of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work. FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a shelf structure in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of a freight robot in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a transmission system in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a transmission system in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG5 is a schematic front view of the structure of the transmission system in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG6 is a schematic side view of the transmission system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG7 is a schematic structural diagram of a storage shelf rail transmission device in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of a storage shelf rail transmission device in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG9 is a schematic structural diagram of a storage shelf rail transmission device in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG10 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a shelf in a transmission system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG11 is a schematic structural diagram of a cargo picking device in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG12 is a schematic structural diagram of a transmission system in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG13 is a schematic structural diagram of a transmission system in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG14 is a schematic structural diagram of a transmission system in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG15 is a schematic structural diagram of a transmission system in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG16 is a schematic structural diagram of an intelligent three-dimensional storage and transmission system in an embodiment of the present invention. Implementation Method

[0029] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention more clear, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a portion of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. Generally, the components of the embodiments of the present invention described and illustrated in the drawings herein can be arranged and designed in a variety of different configurations.

[0030] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but rather merely represents selected embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments derived by persons of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are also within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters represent similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined or explained in subsequent drawings.

[0032] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientations or positional relationships typically used when the inventive product is in use. These terms are intended solely to facilitate and simplify the description of the present invention and are not intended to indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific manner. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are used solely for distinction and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0033] Furthermore, terms such as "horizontal" and "vertical" do not necessarily imply that a component must be absolutely horizontal or overhanging; rather, they can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" simply means that its direction is more horizontal than "vertical," not that the structure must be perfectly horizontal; rather, it can be slightly tilted.

[0034] It should also be noted that, in the description of the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "disposed," "installed," and "connected" should be understood broadly. For example, they may refer to fixed, detachable, or integral connections; mechanical or electrical connections; direct or indirect connections through an intermediary; and internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0035] The following describes some embodiments of the present invention in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0036] Example 1

[0037] The embodiments of the present invention provide a transmission system that improves the storage space utilization, cargo entry and exit speed, and sorting efficiency of existing transmission systems, and greatly reduces the investment cost of storage deployment.

[0038] First, it should be understood that warehouse interior heights are typically categorized into different levels based on storage capacity and design. These levels are primarily determined by the warehouse's design, the type of racking or other handling equipment used, and the type of goods being stored. Here are some common warehouse height classifications:

[0039] Low-Bay warehouse: Generally less than 6 meters in height. This type of warehouse is suitable for manual handling or the use of basic forklifts.

[0040] Medium-Bay: The height is usually between 6 and 12 meters. It is suitable for forklifts and some automated storage systems.

[0041] High-Bay Warehouses: These warehouses are more than 12 meters tall, sometimes reaching 20 meters or more. They are often used with highly automated storage and retrieval systems (AS / RS) to maximize space utilization.

[0042] Ultra-High-Bay: This is a less common type of warehouse that can exceed 30 meters in height. These warehouses rely heavily on highly automated and sophisticated logistics management systems.

[0043] Traditional warehouses are typically only 10 meters high. When warehouses reach higher heights, i.e., reaching high-rise or even super-high-rise standards, warehouse transmission and exchange efficiency is limited by the height, and specialized, customized transmission or picking systems are required, resulting in high deployment complexity and configuration costs. To address this issue, the present invention discloses a transmission system.

[0044] For the sake of clarity and convenience, the transmission system involved in this specification at least includes: storage shelves and multiple freight robots.

[0045] Figure 1 shows a structural diagram of a warehouse rack. The rack 10 is used for storage. The rack 10 is provided with multiple layers of storage space 101 (reservation unit), and a cargo box 104 (bin) is placed in a storage slot 103 (slot) of the storage space 101. The rack is laterally supported by partitions 102 to provide support for the cargo box 104.

[0046] It's important to note that racks are typically assembled from columns, beams, and shelves. An independent set of shelves has two columns and several beams (shelves). If several sets are assembled into a row, the first set requires two columns, while the others can share one column with the preceding set. This saves space and reduces costs. For example, two independent racks require four columns, but when combined into a row, only three columns are needed. The second set of shelves is attached to the first, hence the name "attachment rack."

[0047] On this basis, the coordinate system in the present invention is clarified: the aisle direction of the multiple rows of shelves is recorded as the x-axis, the direction perpendicular to the ground and the x-axis is recorded as the y-axis, and the height direction of the shelf is recorded as the z-axis.

[0048] 2 , multiple freight robots 105 can dock cargo boxes and / or cargo.

[0049] As an achievable embodiment, the freight robot may be an AGV, i.e., an Automated Guided Vehicle, also commonly referred to as an AGV; or an AMR, i.e., an Autonomous Mobile Robot. The specific form is not limited, and reference may be made to FIG2 :

[0050] A freight robot and / or load handling equipment is provided on the top of the three-dimensional warehouse. The load handling equipment is provided in conjunction with a lifting device. The lifting device grabs the cargo box or cargo. The load handling equipment is configured to move on the top of the three-dimensional warehouse and is used to lift and move the cargo box or cargo in the three-dimensional warehouse. The load handling equipment includes:

[0051] Electrical control equipment, drive and / or lifting components, and receiving space components for accommodating the cargo box or cargo;

[0052] The lifting assembly is configured to raise and lower the lifting device relative to the receiving space assembly.

[0053] A freight robot AGV walking surface can be deployed on the top of the high-bay warehouse, and / or the arrangement is based on a first set of parallel tracks and a second set of parallel tracks, wherein the second set of parallel tracks extends transversely to the first set on a substantially horizontal plane to form a grid structure containing multiple grid spaces.

[0054] In addition, the freight robot is a warehousing robot, comprising: a mobile base, a stand vertically arranged on the mobile base, and a storage and retrieval device arranged on the stand and capable of vertical lifting, that is, a cargo robot with a movable high stand.

[0055] Referring to Figure 3, the shelf 10 includes: a first shelf section (Shelf section) 1001 and a second shelf section 1002;

[0056] The first shelf segment 1001 and the second shelf segment 1002 may be on the same shelf, or may be on shelves 10 on both sides of the same aisle;

[0057] The first shelf segment 1001 and the second shelf segment 1002 may be equipped with task modules 1003 and 1004, wherein at least one of the task modules 1003 and 1004 may access a number of bins in adjacent shelf segments;

[0058] The task module may be a picking task module or an access and transmission task module.

[0059] It should be noted that the setting of the adjacent shelf segments is specifically implemented as follows:

[0060] Two shelf segments on the same shelf in the z-axis direction; or, two shelf segments on both sides of the aisle in the y-axis direction.

[0061] Referring to Figure 3, the first shelf segment 1001 and the second shelf segment 1002 are located on the same side of the same shelf. After the task module 1003 is installed, the first shelf segment 1001 can reach one or more bins at the upper end of the second shelf.

[0062] When the task module transfers the target cargo box A, when the target cargo box A is located on a higher shelf layer of the high-meter shelf, the task module 1003 on the first shelf segment 1001 extracts the target cargo box A and descends to the lower end of the first shelf segment 1001. At this time, the z-axis height of the target cargo box A corresponds to the upper end of the second shelf segment 1002. Then, the task module 1003 of the first shelf segment can actually place the target cargo box A at the target box position B at the upper end of the second shelf segment 1002. When the target cargo box A participates in the fulfillment of the warehouse, the target cargo box A can be directly extracted from the target box position B by the task module 1004 of the second shelf segment 1002.

[0063] Referring to Figure 4, the first shelf section 1001 and the second shelf section 1002 are located on both sides of the aisle. After the task module 1003 is installed, the first shelf section 1001 can reach one or more box locations at the upper end of the second shelf; when the task module transfers the target cargo box A, when the target cargo box is located on a higher shelf layer of the high-meter shelf, the task module 1003 on the first shelf section 1001 extracts the target cargo box A and descends to the lower end of the first shelf section 1001. At this time, the z-axis height of the target cargo box A corresponds to the upper end of the second shelf section 1002. Then, the task module 1003 of the first shelf section can actually place the target cargo box A at the target box location B at the upper end of the second shelf section 1002. When the target cargo box A participates in the fulfillment and outbound delivery, the target cargo box A can be directly extracted from the target box location B by the task module 1004 of the second shelf section 1002.

[0064] In the picking scenario, the task module 1003 on the first shelf segment 1001 extracts the target cargo box A and descends to the lower end of the first shelf segment 1001. At this time, the target cargo box A is located at the upper end of the second shelf segment 1002. When the target cargo box A participates in the fulfillment picking and outbound delivery, the target cargo D of the target cargo box A can be directly extracted from the target box position B by the task module 1004 that can complete the picking on the second shelf segment 1002.

[0065] Referring to Figure 5, task module 1003 in first shelf segment 1001 extracts target container A. To lower it to the upper end of second shelf segment 1002, where there are more container locations (in the z-axis), extension module C can be used. This extension module C can take the form of stacked sliders, telescopic columns, or extensions extending from columns. Using stacked sliders as an example, task module 1003 in first shelf segment 1001, aided by the length of the stacked sliders, can be moved to the upper end of second shelf segment 1002, where there are more container locations in the z-axis. This facilitates the use of high-density shelves for retrieving containers from higher levels and allocating slow-moving containers.

[0066] It should be emphasized that the extension module C can be stacked in multiple layers, connected in multiple sections, released in multiple sections, etc. according to actual needs to achieve a longer travel distance and access more bins in the z-axis direction. This is applicable to the embodiments corresponding to Figures 3 and 4.

[0067] It should be further explained that the first shelf section 1001, the second shelf end 1002, and the extension module C are all set according to actual application requirements. The examples listed in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to illustrate the full disclosure and working principles, and do not mean that the position and number of the first shelf section 1001, the second shelf end 1002, and the extension module C are limited because of the examples.

[0068] For clarity and sufficient disclosure, the present invention refers to FIG6 to illustrate the structure of the rail transport device in the transport system. However, it should be noted that in different transport systems, different transport devices can be adapted to achieve the technical solutions of FIG3 to FIG5. Therefore, the transport device disclosed in the present invention does not limit the scope of the invention. As an example, referring to FIG6, the rail transport device disclosed in the present invention includes: a transverse rail 11, a first column 12, a first movable member 13, and a connecting mechanism of a task module 14, wherein:

[0069] The transverse rail 11 on the shelf 10;

[0070] It should be noted that the transverse rail 11 is on the beam or column of the shelf 10. When the length of the shelf beam is long, the transverse rail needs to rely on the beam and column of the single shelf and extend to the adjacent shelf beam.

[0071] The first column 12 is vertically disposed on the transverse rail 11 and can slide laterally;

[0072] The upright post 12 slides laterally along the transverse track, thereby enabling the first movable member 13 to be positioned in each column of the storage shelf.

[0073] The first movable member 13 is provided on the first column 12 and can slide along the first column 12;

[0074] The above arrangement enables the first movable member 13 to move laterally and longitudinally, thereby enabling the first movable member 13 to be positioned at each tier of the shelf.

[0075] The first movable member 13 is provided with a connecting mechanism 15 of the task module 14;

[0076] The task module 14, driven by the first movable part 13, stores and retrieves cargo boxes and / or cargo, and places them into the docking assembly of the freight robot 105 running at the bottom 16 of the storage shelf.

[0077] This setting ensures that when the task module completes a sorting and / or access action, the access cargo box and / or cargo can be connected by the freight robot 105, and the cargo can be transferred, sorted, and delivered to the destination cargo location or sorting location, or even the transportation location where the sorting is completed.

[0078] The task module 14 can be a component with one or more tasks such as identification, extraction, playback, and grasping. The task module 14 is positioned to a storage slot on the shelf under the drive of the first movable part 13. At the same time, the connection mechanism of the task module is a basic structure that can be connected with different task modules.

[0079] When the task module is a cargo box storage and retrieval module, a supporting structure for the cargo box storage and retrieval module, such as a loading and unloading rack;

[0080] And, the conveying components of the storage and retrieval container module, such as the conveying belt, of course, the conveying belt needs to be driven by a conveying motor.

[0081] However, if it is other task modules, the connectors are set according to the specific functions of the task modules, but are not limited to this.

[0082] Through the above embodiments, the storage shelves are equipped with transverse tracks for the movement of the columns. The movable parts installed on the columns drive the task modules to complete actions such as identifying and accessing cargo boxes. This device fundamentally solves the problem of wasted storage space in existing storage systems and avoids the need for freight robots or sorting robots to maintain excessive counterweights or excessively high requirements for storage floor space to complete storage transfer or sorting operations.

[0083] Referring to FIG7 , a storage rack rail transmission device is shown, comprising:

[0084] Based on the diagram and description of Figure 6, the transmission device further includes: a second column 21 and a second movable member 22, the second column 21 is vertically arranged on the transverse track 11 and can slide laterally;

[0085] The second movable member 22 is provided on the second column 21 and can slide along the second column;

[0086] The second movable member 22 is provided with a connecting mechanism 23 of the task module 14;

[0087] The task module 14 is provided between the first column 12 and the second column 21 through the connecting mechanism 23;

[0088] The first movable member 13 and the second movable member 22 drive the task module 14 to be positioned at the cargo position 24 or the docking position 25 on the storage shelf 10 .

[0089] The docking position 25 is the position where the task module 14 and the freight robot complete the transfer of goods from the task module 14 after the task module 14 has stored and retrieved the cargo boxes and / or goods from the cargo position on the shelf.

[0090] Remove the bottom partitions of the storage shelves to provide a matching height to support the ground freight robot to run on the ground and complete the docking action, and remove the bottom partitions between adjacent columns of the storage shelves to form the docking position 25 of the ground freight robot.

[0091] Referring to FIG8 , a storage rack rail transmission device is shown. Based on the illustrations in FIG1 and FIG2 and their corresponding descriptions, FIG8 shows another transverse rail 31 at the lower portion of the storage rack 10. Both the transverse rail 11 and the other transverse rail 31 can be connected to the first column 12 and the second column 21 via sliders.

[0092] The slider moves on the transverse track driven by the roller, and the roller is driven by a motor.

[0093] It should be noted that the rollers described are a preferred solution. Gears, or a combination of gears and rollers, are actually used to achieve movement of the columns on the beam. When using gears as a transmission method, they require coordination with a toothed chain to achieve movement. The specific method can refer to existing technologies. When combined, the gears and rollers engage and transmit the transmission, driving the rollers to move, thereby achieving movement of the columns on the beam. Furthermore, the motor-driven rollers can be operated using either wired (cables, flexible conductive materials, wear-resistant wires) or wireless methods, such as lithium batteries that operate after charging, and the specific method is not limited.

[0094] In this embodiment, a large-scale shelf system requires a more stable rail transmission device. To this end, two upper and lower transverse rails are provided on the rail assembly to fully support the first column 12 and the second column 21, so that tasks such as taking out and returning, connecting and sorting cargo boxes / cargo can be carried out reliably.

[0095] It should be noted that in the embodiments of Figures 6 to 8, the freight robot is a freight robot operating on the bottom floor or on top of the storage shelves. As an achievable embodiment, the freight robot can be an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle), also commonly known as an AGV cart; or an AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot), the specific form of which is not limited, as shown in Figure 2:

[0096] A freight robot and / or load handling equipment is provided on the top of the three-dimensional warehouse. The load handling equipment is provided in conjunction with a lifting device. The lifting device grabs the cargo box or cargo. The load handling equipment is configured to move on the top of the three-dimensional warehouse and is used to lift and move the cargo box or cargo in the three-dimensional warehouse. The load handling equipment includes:

[0097] Electrical control equipment, drive and / or lifting components, and receiving space components for accommodating the cargo box or cargo;

[0098] The lifting assembly is configured to raise and lower the lifting device relative to the receiving space assembly.

[0099] The top of the high-bay warehouse may be deployed with a walking surface for a ground freight robot AGV, and / or the arrangement may be based on a first set of parallel tracks and a second set of parallel tracks, wherein the second set of parallel tracks extends transversely to the first set on a substantially horizontal plane to form a grid structure comprising a plurality of grid spaces.

[0100] In addition, the freight robot is a warehousing robot, comprising: a mobile base, a stand vertically arranged on the mobile base, and a storage and retrieval device arranged on the stand and capable of vertical lifting, that is, a cargo robot with a movable high stand.

[0101] Preferably, the ground freight robot performs path planning under server control, or autonomously, and is equipped with a planar moving component and a docking component to support the storage and placement of cargo boxes. To improve transportation efficiency, the ground freight robot can operate directly on the floor where storage shelves are located, and can cooperate with the shelves to remove the bottom shelf. The cargo box, driven by movable parts, places the cargo boxes and / or cargo to be stored and retrieved onto the docking component of the freight robot. The ground freight robot can be a freight robot or a sorting robot. This coordination enables cargo storage, cargo box / cargo transfer, and cargo box / cargo sorting to be completed within the storage space.

[0102] As a feasible method, similar principles, the movement of the movable parts on the slide rail of the column can be shown in the following figure. More specific electrical control methods are not limited and are not specifically shown in the figure.

[0103] Referring to Figure 9, driven by a motor 41 and can be controlled by a synchronous pulley reducer, the synchronous pulley drives the synchronous belt 42 to support the first movable member on the slide rail of the first column activities;

[0104] A synchronous pulley driven by a motor and controllable by a reducer drives a synchronous belt to support the second movable part to move on the slide rail of the second column.

[0105] The above settings can not only accurately locate the position between the task module and the cargo box, but also greatly improve the storage space utilization, cargo entry and exit speed, and sorting efficiency of the existing warehousing system.

[0106] Referring to FIG10 , a partial view of a storage rack rail transmission device is shown, comprising:

[0107] In this embodiment, FIG5 shows the connection structure between the transverse rail 11 and the first column 12 and the second column 21. Referring to FIG10, the movement of the slider 52 on the transverse rail 31 can be achieved by driving the slider 52 with the roller 51. The first column 12 and the second column 21 are positioned so as to be connected to the slider 52. The roller 51 contacts the transverse rail 31 to achieve smooth movement.

[0108] The above setting may be one implementation method and is not limited thereto.

[0109] Referring to Figure 11, a cargo picking device 1 is installed on the shelf, and the cargo picking device 1 drives the first task module 2 to place the cargo 3 into the docking assembly or docking box 4 of the freight robot 105 running at the bottom of the shelf 10, or take it out from the docking assembly or docking box 4 and place it into the cargo box 104; the first task module 2 includes at least: a first movable part 13 and a picking mechanism 20.

[0110] The arrangement of the goods picking device 1 on the shelf 10 is specifically implemented as follows:

[0111] The connection mechanism between the transverse track 11, the first column 12, the first movable member 13 and the first task module 2, wherein:

[0112] The transverse rail 11 on the shelf 10;

[0113] It should be noted that the transverse rail 11 is on the beam or column of the shelf 10. When the shelf is laterally longer, the transverse rail needs to rely on the beam and column of the single rack and extend to the beam of the adjacent rack.

[0114] The first column 12 is vertically disposed on the transverse rail 11 and can slide laterally;

[0115] The upright post 12 slides along the transverse track 11 to enable the first movable member 13 to be positioned in each column of the shelf.

[0116] The first movable member 13 is provided on the first column 12 and can slide along the first column 12;

[0117] The above arrangement enables the first movable member 13 to move laterally and longitudinally, thereby enabling the first movable member 13 to be positioned at each tier of the shelf.

[0118] The first movable member 13 is provided with a connecting mechanism 15 of the first task module 2;

[0119] The first task module 2, driven by the first movable member 13, utilizes the picking mechanism to access the goods 3, places them into the docking assembly or docking box of the freight robot 105 at the bottom of the shelf and runs thereon;

[0120] It should be noted that, in the solution of the present invention, the bottom partitions of the storage shelves are removed. Here, the partitions represent the components that provide storage space support for different types of storage shelves, as well as the surrounding components that provide stability for the beams. Removing the partitions to provide a matching height actually requires blocking the surrounding components that block the freight robot from running on the ground, and the partitions are not limited to the materials and styles set in the storage shelves. They support the freight robot to run on the ground and complete the docking action. The bottom partitions between adjacent columns of the storage shelves are removed to form the docking position 25 of the freight robot. It should be supplemented that the bottom partitions of the shelves include the partitions themselves and the beams, thereby providing space for the freight robot to move.

[0121] More specifically, the picking mechanism comprises: a suction mechanism 201 and / or a picking mechanism, the suction mechanism 201 and / or the picking mechanism (not shown) can be connected to the connecting mechanism 15 of the first task module, that is, an extension member of the suction mechanism 201 and / or the picking mechanism, the extension member can be a multi-segment robotic arm with a degree of freedom, connected to the first movable part 13, wherein the suction mechanism 201 can form contact with the goods and maintain contact through the suction force generated until the goods 3 are placed in the docking assembly or docking box of the freight robot running at the bottom of the shelf, or taken out from the docking assembly and placed in the cargo box.

[0122] 12 , the configuration in this embodiment enables the cargo to be stored and retrieved by docking with the cargo robot 105 when the cargo is sorted and / or stored and retrieved, and the cargo to be transferred, sorted, and delivered to the destination cargo location or sorting location or the transport location where the sorting is completed.

[0123] The shelf removes the partition 102 of one or more storage spaces on the bottom shelf layer to provide a passage for the freight robot 105;

[0124] The shelf removes one or more shelf layers 106 to provide a matching height to support the freight robot 105 to operate on the ground.

[0125] FIG12 also shows the aisle where the freight robot 105 walks on the ground between two shelves.

[0126] Referring to the situation in Figure 13, when the first task module 2 and / or the second task module 14 are both installed on the first transverse track, the first column, and the first movable part 30, the connecting mechanism of the first task module and the connecting mechanism 17 of the second task module can be integrated to drive the first task module to sort goods and drive the second task module to store cargo boxes.

[0127] Referring to Figure 14, in another case, when the first task module and / or the second task module are both installed on the first transverse track, the first column, and the first movable part, the connecting mechanism of the first task module and the connecting mechanism 17 of the second task module are set separately and cooperated according to the current task.

[0128] When the task module is a container storage and retrieval module, it at least includes:

[0129] Support structures for storing and retrieving container modules, such as loading and unloading racks;

[0130] And, the conveying components of the storage and retrieval module, such as the conveyor belt, of course, the conveyor belt needs to be driven by a conveyor motor;

[0131] The rail transport device uses the cargo box storage and retrieval module to pull out the target cargo box at the target storage location of the target shelf, and the picking mechanism of the cargo picking device system picks the target cargo in the target cargo box, so that the cargo picking device drives the first task module to place the cargo into the docking assembly or docking box of the cargo robot running at the bottom of the shelf;

[0132] Alternatively, the picking mechanism of the cargo picking equipment system removes the target cargo from the docking assembly or docking box of the freight robot, the rail transport device uses the cargo box storage and retrieval module to pull out the target cargo box from the target storage location on the target shelf, and the picking mechanism places the target cargo into the target cargo box;

[0133] The storage and retrieval container module pushes the target container back.

[0134] It should be noted here that the access module of the storage and access box task module 14 can realize the storage and access operations of cargo boxes that are densely arranged, adjacent to each other, or have a hooked relationship in the three-dimensional warehouse. For example, in the depth direction (y-axis), the access arm of the storage and access box task module can be used to realize the storage and access of one of the multiple cargo boxes.

[0135] In actual application, however, as mentioned above, the connecting mechanism of the task module is the basic structure that can be connected with different task modules. If it is other task modules, the connecting parts are set according to the specific functions of the task modules, but it is not limited to this.

[0136] It should be noted that in this embodiment, by modifying the bottom shelf layer of the shelf configuration, and cooperating with the cargo picking device 1 and the freight robot 105 or the sorting robot (not shown), the problem of low efficiency in cargo / cargo box transfer and sorting in existing shelf storage is fundamentally solved, and the application scenarios of the shelves are expanded, so that cargo warehousing, cargo / cargo box transfer and cargo / cargo box sorting can be completed within the storage space, thereby greatly improving the storage space utilization, cargo entry and exit speed, and sorting efficiency of the existing shelf transmission system.

[0137] For the sake of full disclosure, the freight robot can be selected from the freight robots or sorting robots described in previously published documents. The freight robot performs path planning under server control, or autonomously, and is equipped with a planar moving component and a docking component to support the storage and placement of cargo boxes. To improve transportation efficiency, the freight robot can operate directly on the ground beneath the shelves and can cooperate with the storage shelves to remove the bottom shelf. The cargo is then placed onto the docking component of the freight robot, driven by the movable parts of the task module. The freight robot can be a ground freight robot, a freight robot with a stand or a retractable stand, or a sorting robot. This coordination enables cargo storage, cargo / cargo box transfer, and cargo / cargo box sorting within the storage space.

[0138] The above settings can all be used as disclosed in the present invention to not only accurately locate the position between the task module and the cargo box, but also greatly improve the storage space utilization, cargo in and out speed, and sorting efficiency of the existing transmission system.

[0139] Referring to Figure 15, a transmission system is shown, in which the rail transmission equipment is arranged on the shelf and further includes: a third column 33, and the second task module 14 is arranged between the second column 21 and the third column 33 through a connecting mechanism; driving the second task module 14 to be positioned at the cargo position or docking position on the shelf 10.

[0140] In this embodiment, the rail conveyor and the cargo picking device are installed on different columns. In large, densely populated warehouses, such as warehouses storing over 100,000 cartons and handling 5,000 cartons per hour, multiple rail conveyor and cargo picking devices can be installed on the same shelf to accommodate high-volume order requirements. For example, when the rail conveyor and cargo picking systems work together, for example, if item X or a certain SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) (the basic unit for measuring inventory in and out) for order A needs to be shipped, the rail conveyor uses the second task module, namely, the cargo box storage and retrieval module, to pull the target cargo box out from the target shelf, allowing the cargo X to be picked up by the suction mechanism 201 and / or the picking mechanism of the cargo picking system. Prior to pickup, an identification module is required to identify the cargo X or SKU. This identification module can be installed on the cargo picking device and / or the rail conveyor. The identification module can be installed on the cargo picking device and / or the rail conveyor. The recognition module may be a monocular camera, a laser camera or a depth-of-field camera.

[0141] After the above picking process is completed, the identification module is used to accurately locate the item, and the cargo picking device is used to place the X item or a certain SKU specified in the order into the docking position of the freight robot. The freight robot will then move to the next docking position or workstation.

[0142] In another embodiment, one or more shelves are included. The structure and operating principle of the shelves are shown in Figures 11 to 15. The shelves can be configured with warehouse picking equipment and / or rail transport equipment. During operation, they are installed on one or more shelves and can support independent operation under the control chip and software instructions or coordinated operation with built-in warehouse management software on the server side. At the same time, the one or more shelves can be ordinary shelves or precision shelves, and there are no restrictions on shelf height or floor flatness. In addition, the present invention also discloses a transmission system configured as the transmission system of Figure 16 and multiple freight robots 105. Based on this configuration, the efficiency of cargo storage, transportation, and sorting can be further improved, adapting to the rapid transfer and transmission technology requirements in various warehousing scenarios.

[0143] In summary:

[0144] The transport system provided by an embodiment of the present invention is used in high-density warehouses. Task modules are installed on shelf segments within the warehouse, allowing them to access multiple bin locations on adjacent shelf segments. These task modules can be either picking task modules or storage and retrieval transport task modules. These task modules can coordinate with sliding and extension modules on transverse rails, columns, and columns, enabling the task modules to reach storage locations outside their own shelf segments within the high-density warehouse, thereby supporting fulfillment operations within the high-density warehouse. Furthermore, the rail transport system, driven by the movable parts, allows cargo boxes to be stored and retrieved, and then placed into or removed from the docking assembly or docking box of a freight robot operating at the bottom of the shelf. This allows the stored cargo / cargo boxes to be coordinated with the freight robot or sorting robot, enabling smooth storage, cargo / cargo box transfer, and cargo / cargo box sorting within the warehouse space. This improves storage space utilization of existing shelf transport systems, reduces the complexity of deployment and maintenance in high-density warehouses, and significantly reduces deployment investment costs.

[0145] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, those skilled in the art may make additional changes and modifications to these embodiments once they are aware of the basic inventive concepts. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be interpreted as including the preferred embodiments and all changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0146] Obviously, those skilled in the art may make various changes and modifications to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, if such modifications and variations of the present invention fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention and their equivalents, the present invention is intended to include such modifications and variations.

[0147] 1: Cargo picking equipment 10: Shelves 1001: First shelf section 1002: Second shelf section 1003:Task Module 1004:Task Module 101: Storage Space 102: Partition 103: Reserve 104: Cargo Box 105: Freight Robot 11: Horizontal track 12: Pillar 13: First movable part 14:Task Module 15: Connecting mechanism 16: Bottom of storage shelf 17: Connection mechanism of the second mission module 2: First mission module 20: Picking mechanism 201:Absorbing Organization 21: Second pillar 22: Second movable part 23: Connecting mechanism 24: Cargo space 25: Docking station 3: Goods 30: First movable part 31: Horizontal track 33: The third pillar 4: Docking Box 41: Motor 51: Roller 52: Slider A: Target container B: Target location C: Extension module D: Target cargo

Claims

1. A transmission system, characterized in that it is used in an automated warehouse, the automated warehouse comprising at least multiple rows of racks, the racks comprising: The first and second shelf sections are provided with multiple layers of storage space, and boxes are placed in the storage positions of the storage space. The first and second shelf sections may be located on the same shelf or on shelves on both sides of the same aisle. The first and second shelf sections may be equipped with task modules, wherein at least one of the task modules is used to access several boxes in adjacent shelf sections. The task module may be a picking task module or a storage and transfer task module. The transfer system further includes: a track conveying device and / or a goods picking device. The track conveying device is located on the shelf and is used to access several boxes in adjacent shelf sections. The goods picking device is located on the shelf and is used to place goods into a docking component or docking box of a freight robot running at the bottom of the shelf, or to take goods out from the docking component or docking box and place them into the boxes.

2. The transmission system as described in claim 1, further comprising: The shelf can have one or more storage compartments removed from the bottom shelf level to provide a passageway for the ground-based cargo robot; or, the shelf can have one or more shelf levels removed to provide a matching height to support the cargo robot's operation on the ground.

3. The transmission system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the aisle direction of the multi-row racks is denoted as the x-axis, the direction perpendicular to the x-axis from the ground is denoted as the y-axis, and the height direction of the racks is denoted as the z-axis.

4. The transmission system as described in claim 3, wherein the arrangement of adjacent shelf segments is specifically implemented as: two shelf segments in the z-axis direction of the same shelf; or, two shelf segments in the y-axis direction on both sides of the aisle.

5. The transmission system as described in claim 1, further comprising: An extension module is slidably mounted on the movable part of the task module so that the task module can extend in the z-axis direction to access more boxes in adjacent shelf segments.

6. The transmission system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extension module is one or more laminate sliders, the extension distance being obtained through a laminated configuration.

7. The transmission system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein access to a plurality of container positions in adjacent shelving sections is achieved via the track transmission equipment, comprising: The track conveying device, specifically configured on the shelf, comprises: a first transverse track, a first upright, a first movable component, and a connecting mechanism for a second task module; when the task module is a storage / retrieval box module, the connecting mechanism for the second task module includes: a support structure for the storage / retrieval box module; and a conveying component for the storage / retrieval box module; the first shelf segment and the second shelf segment can be equipped with task modules, wherein at least one of the task modules can access several box positions in adjacent shelf segments, specifically: the storage / retrieval box module of the track conveying device installed on the first shelf segment can access one or more storage positions located at the end of the second shelf segment in the z-axis direction, or can access one or more storage positions of the second shelf segment in the y-axis direction.

8. The transport system as described in claim 7, wherein goods are placed into a docking assembly or docking box of a freight robot operating at the bottom of the shelf by the goods picking equipment, or taken out from the docking assembly or docking box and placed into the cargo box; the goods picking equipment is specifically configured on the shelf as: a connecting mechanism for a first transverse track, a first upright, a first movable component, and a first task module, wherein: The first transverse track is located on the shelf; the first upright is vertically mounted on the first transverse track and can slide laterally; the first movable component is mounted on the first upright and can slide along the first upright; the first movable component is provided with a connection mechanism for the first task module.

9. The transmission system as described in claim 7, further comprising: The second transverse rail is located at the bottom of the shelf, and the two transverse rails are connected to the first upright by a slider; The slider moves on a transverse track driven by rollers and / or gears, which are driven by a motor.

10. The transmission system as described in claim 7, further comprising: The track conveying equipment on the shelf also includes: a second upright and a second movable component; the second upright is vertically mounted on the transverse track and can slide laterally; the second movable component is mounted on the upright and can slide along the upright; the second movable component is provided with a connection mechanism for the second task module.

11. The transmission system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the arrangement of the track transmission equipment on the shelf further includes: The third column, the second task module is set between the second column and the third column through the connecting mechanism; driving the second task module to be positioned at the storage location or connection location on the shelf.

12. The transmission system of claim 10, wherein a synchronous pulley driven by a motor and controllable by a reducer drives a synchronous belt to support the first movable member on a slide rail of the first column; and a synchronous pulley driven by a motor and controllable by a reducer drives a synchronous belt to support the second movable member on a slide rail of the second column.

13. The transmission system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: The identification module can be set on the picking task module or the storage and transmission task module.

14. The transport system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cargo robot is a ground cargo robot (AGV).

15. The transport system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a freight robot and / or load handling equipment is disposed on the top of the automated warehouse, the load handling equipment is configured in conjunction with a lifting device for grabbing the cargo box or goods, the load handling equipment is configured to move on the top of the automated warehouse and for lifting and moving the cargo box or goods in the automated warehouse, the load handling equipment comprising: Electrical control equipment, drive and / or lifting components, and receiving space components for accommodating the cargo box or goods; The lifting component is configured to raise and lower the lifting device relative to the receiving space component.

16. The transport system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top of the automated warehouse is deployable for ground-based freight robot (AGV) walking surfaces, and / or arranged based on a first set of parallel tracks and a second set of parallel tracks, the second set of parallel tracks extending laterally to the first set on a substantially horizontal plane to form a grid structure comprising multiple grid spaces.

17. The transport system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the freight robot is a warehouse robot, comprising: A movable base, a stand erected vertically on the movable base, and a storage and retrieval device erected on the stand and capable of vertical lifting and lowering.

18. An intelligent three-dimensional warehousing and transportation system, characterized in that it comprises: One or more transmission systems as described in any one of claims 1 to 14.

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