An unattended intelligent device

By designing unattended intelligent equipment, including storage, caching and picking mechanisms, the problem of low shipment efficiency of existing vending machines is solved, a more efficient shipment process is achieved, and a user's waiting time is shortened.

CN110570590BActive Publication Date: 2025-04-15SHAREGOG TECH CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN201910932594.2
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2019-09-29
Publication Date
2025-04-15
Estimated Expiration
2039-09-29

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The shipment efficiency of existing vending machines is low, resulting in long wait times for users and reducing their shopping experience.

Method used

Design an unattended intelligent device, including a storage mechanism, a cache mechanism and a pickup mechanism. The storage agency is used to store goods, the cache agency is used to pre-cache goods, and the pickup agency transfers the goods in the storage agency to the cache agency, and the sold goods are directly dropped from the cache agency to the receiving area.

Benefits of technology

The goods are transferred to the cache agency through the pickup agency, and the cache agency is used to pre-cache the goods, which shortens the shipment time, improves shipment efficiency, and reduces the waiting time of users.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The present invention provides an unattended intelligent device, comprising: a storage mechanism for storing goods; a buffer mechanism for pre-buffering goods; and a picking mechanism for transferring goods from the storage mechanism to the buffer mechanism; wherein the sold goods directly fall from the buffer mechanism to a receiving area for users to take away. The unattended intelligent device has high delivery efficiency and can shorten the waiting time required for users to shop.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of retail equipment, and in particular to an unattended intelligent equipment. Background Art

[0002] A vending machine is a device used to automatically sell goods. Vending machines that sell beverages, snacks and other commodities are usually placed in places such as stations and shopping malls.

[0003] The delivery method of the vending machine is to transfer the goods directly from the storage area to the receiving area through a conveying mechanism for users to take away, but it takes a certain amount of time to transfer the goods from the storage area to the receiving area.

[0004] The delivery efficiency of existing vending machines is low, which causes users to wait for a long time, thereby reducing the user's shopping experience. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the defects of the prior art and provide an unattended intelligent device to solve the problem of low delivery efficiency of vending machines in the prior art.

[0006] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides: an unattended intelligent device, comprising:

[0007] Storage facilities, used to store goods;

[0008] A cache mechanism, used to cache goods in advance;

[0009] A picking mechanism, used for transferring the goods in the storage mechanism to the cache mechanism;

[0010] The sold goods are directly dropped from the buffer mechanism to the receiving area for users to take away.

[0011] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the cargo storage mechanism includes a cargo storage bin, and a pallet for carrying cargo is arranged in the cargo storage bin;

[0012] The cargo storage bin is provided with a lifting drive device for driving the support plate to be lifted or lowered.

[0013] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, a visual positioning device for identifying the position of the goods is arranged directly above the pallet.

[0014] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the visual positioning device includes a camera.

[0015] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the cache mechanism includes a box body, and a cache cavity is provided in the box body;

[0016] A partition is provided in the cache cavity, and the partition divides the cache cavity into a first cache area and a second cache area;

[0017] A switch device is provided at the bottom of the box body, and the switch device is used to control the opening or closing of the delivery ports at the bottom of the first buffer area and the second buffer area.

[0018] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the partition is rotatably connected to the box body.

[0019] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the switch device includes a first switch part and a second switch part;

[0020] Wherein, the first switch unit is used to open or close the delivery port at the bottom of the first buffer area;

[0021] The second switch unit is used to open or close the delivery port at the bottom of the second buffer area.

[0022] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the picking mechanism includes a picking device for picking up the goods in the storage mechanism and a displacement driving device for driving the picking device to move to the top of the cache mechanism;

[0023] The cargo picking device is provided with a detection device for detecting whether the cargo picking device contacts the cargo.

[0024] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the picking device includes a vacuum pump and a suction nozzle connected to the vacuum pump, wherein the vacuum pump is used to extract air inside the suction nozzle.

[0025] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the vacuum pump is connected to the suction nozzle through a connecting pipe;

[0026] The connecting pipe is provided with an air pressure sensor for detecting the air pressure inside the connecting pipe.

[0027] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: the present invention proposes an unattended intelligent device, comprising: a storage mechanism for storing goods; a cache mechanism for pre-caching goods; a picking mechanism for transferring goods from the storage mechanism to the cache mechanism; wherein the sold goods fall directly from the cache mechanism to the receiving area for users to take away.

[0028] The picking mechanism transfers the goods in the storage mechanism to the buffer mechanism, and the buffer mechanism is used to buffer the goods in advance. When the user purchases the goods, the sold goods will directly fall from the buffer mechanism to the receiving area, thereby shortening the delivery time.

[0029] This unattended intelligent device has high delivery efficiency and can shorten the waiting time required for users to shop. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required for use in the embodiments are briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show certain embodiments of the present invention and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0031] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an unattended intelligent device is shown;

[0032] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a storage mechanism is shown;

[0033] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a cache mechanism is shown;

[0034] Figure 4 A partial cross-sectional view of a buffer mechanism when the partition is in a vertical state is shown;

[0035] Figure 5 A partial cross-sectional view of a buffer mechanism when the partition is in a left-turned state is shown;

[0036] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a picking mechanism is shown;

[0037] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a pickup device is shown;

[0038] Figure 8 Shows Figure 7 A partial enlarged view of the center A direction.

[0039] Description of main component symbols:

[0040] 1-storage mechanism; 2-caching mechanism; 3-picking mechanism; 4-cargo receiving device; 5-cargo storage bin; 6-tray; 7-lifting drive device; 8-screw; 9-sliding block; 10-connecting seat; 11-guide column; 12-visual positioning device; 13-box; 14-partition; 15-first cache area; 16-second cache area; 17-switch device; 18-first switch part; 19-second switch part; 20-cargo picking device; 21-displacement drive device; 22-detection device; 23-vacuum pump; 24-suction nozzle; 25-air pressure sensor; 26-connecting pipe; 27-base; 28-elastic member; 29-lifting mechanism; 30-first linear drive mechanism; 31-second linear drive mechanism; 32-first connecting rod; 33-second connecting rod; 34-third connecting rod; 35-fourth connecting rod; 36-connecting plate; 37-bracket. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and cannot be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0042] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0043] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present invention, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0044] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0045] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" or "above" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0046] Embodiment 1

[0047] See also Figure 1 In this embodiment, an unattended intelligent device is proposed, comprising:

[0048] A storage mechanism 1, used for storing goods;

[0049] Cache mechanism 2, used for pre-caching goods;

[0050] The picking mechanism 3 is used to transfer the goods in the storage mechanism 1 to the buffer mechanism 2;

[0051] The sold goods are directly dropped from the buffer mechanism 2 to the receiving area for users to take away.

[0052] like Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the cargo storage mechanism 1 includes a cargo storage bin 5, in which a pallet 6 for carrying cargo is arranged, wherein the cargo storage bin 5 is provided with a lifting drive device 7 for driving the pallet 6 to be lifted or lowered.

[0053] The upper surface of the support plate 6 is arranged parallel to the horizontal plane, wherein, under the action of the lifting drive device 7, the support plate 6 can be lifted and lowered in the vertical direction.

[0054] The goods are placed on the pallet 6, wherein the space above the pallet 6 and within the cargo storage bin 5 can be regarded as cargo storage space.

[0055] The height of the support plate 6 can be adjusted by the lifting drive device 7, thereby changing the size of the storage space. During use, the size of the storage space can be adjusted according to the number of goods and the overall volume of the goods, thereby improving the utilization rate of the internal space of the storage warehouse 5.

[0056] When replenishing goods, the lifting drive device 7 can be used to drive the pallet 6 to move downward, thereby increasing the storage space so that more goods can be placed on the pallet 6.

[0057] Taking into account factors such as assembly, the shape of the support plate 6 is adapted to the inner cavity of the storage bin 5 .

[0058] In this embodiment, the cross section of the support plate 6 can be set to be rectangular, and accordingly, the inner cavity of the storage bin 5 can be set to be a rectangular parallelepiped. Figure 2 In the figure, the front panel and the right side panel of the storage bin 5 are not shown.

[0059] The shapes of the support plate 6 and the storage bin 5 can also be set as required. For example, the cross section of the support plate 6 can also be set to be circular, and correspondingly, the inner cavity of the storage bin 5 can be set to be cylindrical.

[0060] In this case, the cross section is perpendicular to the plumb line.

[0061] In order to facilitate the movement of the pallet 6, a rolling groove may be provided on the inner wall of the storage bin 5, and a ball bearing corresponding to the rolling groove may be provided on the side of the pallet 6, wherein the rolling groove is vertically provided and the ball bearing is located in the rolling groove. Alternatively, a slide rail may be provided on the inner wall of the storage bin 5, and correspondingly, a slide groove corresponding to the slide rail may be provided on the side of the pallet 6, wherein the slide rail is vertically provided and inserted into the slide groove and slidably connected therewith.

[0062] The lifting drive device 7 can be arranged on the side of the support plate 6. In order to avoid occupying the storage space, the lifting drive device 7 can be arranged outside the storage bin 5.

[0063] In this embodiment, the lifting drive device 7 is arranged outside the cargo storage bin 5 and is located on the right side of the pallet 6. In order to connect the lifting drive device 7 with the pallet 6, a vertical long hole can be opened on the right side panel of the cargo storage bin 5, wherein a support frame can be arranged at the bottom of the pallet 6, and a rigid connecting block on the support frame passes through the vertical long hole and is connected to the driving end of the lifting drive device 7. Since three points determine a plane, the support frame has at least three different supporting points for the pallet 6. Among them, Figure 2 The support frame and the connecting block are not shown.

[0064] In this embodiment, the lifting drive device 7 may include a screw rod 8 and a nut, wherein the screw rod 8 is threadedly connected to the nut, the nut is arranged in a sliding block 9, and the sliding block 9 is fixedly connected to the connecting block. A connecting seat 10 may be arranged at the bottom of the screw rod 8, wherein the screw rod 8 is rotatably connected to the connecting seat 10.

[0065] Start the motor and drive the screw rod 8 to rotate through the gear transmission mechanism, thereby controlling the sliding block 9 to rise or fall. Under the action of the sliding block 9, the connecting block will drive the supporting plate 6 to rise or fall.

[0066] In order to improve the stability of the sliding block 9 during movement, a guide column 11 parallel to the screw rod 8 can be provided on both sides thereof. The guide column 11 can be connected to the sliding block 9 via a linear bearing, wherein the guide column 11 is also fixedly connected to the connecting seat 10 .

[0067] In another embodiment, the lifting drive device 7 may also be a worm gear screw lift, wherein the connecting block may be connected to the screw of the worm gear screw lift.

[0068] The worm gear screw lift may have a self-locking function. When goods are stored on the pallet 6, due to the effect of gravity, the pallet 6 will exert a vertical downward force on the lifting drive device 7, but since the worm gear screw lift has a self-locking function, the screw of the worm gear screw lift will not slide down, thereby preventing the pallet 6 from falling due to gravity.

[0069] In other embodiments, the lifting drive device 7 may also be a lifting cylinder or a lifting hydraulic cylinder, wherein the connecting block may be connected to the piston rod of the lifting cylinder or the lifting hydraulic cylinder.

[0070] In this embodiment, the unattended intelligent device storage mechanism 1 can be used to store soft-packaged and lightweight goods such as 3D glasses, facial masks, potato chips, etc. At the same time, there is no strict restriction on the shape of the goods packaging. The goods on the pallet 6 can be quickly sucked up using a suction cup.

[0071] As users purchase goods in the unattended smart device, the goods on the pallet 6 will gradually decrease. At this time, the lifting drive device 7 can be used to drive the pallet 6 to move upward, thereby reducing the vertical stroke of the manipulator and making it easier for the manipulator to take the goods on the pallet 6.

[0072] In order to obtain the cargo quantity information in the cargo storage bin 5, a pressure sensor for measuring the weight of the cargo may be provided inside the pallet 6. The pressure sensor may be connected to a control unit, and the control unit may include a microprocessor.

[0073] The weight of the goods can be measured by the pressure sensor, thereby determining the quantity of the goods on the pallet 6 .

[0074] When replenishing goods, when the pressure sensor measures that the weight of the goods on the pallet 6 exceeds the first preset value, the control unit can control the reminder device to generate a light signal and / or a sound signal to remind the staff, thereby avoiding the excessive weight of the goods on the pallet 6 and affecting the normal operation of the unattended intelligent device.

[0075] During the sales process of the unattended intelligent device, when the pressure sensor measures that the weight of the goods on the pallet 6 is less than the second preset value, the control unit can send replenishment information to the terminal through the wireless communication module. The wireless communication module can include one or more of a GPRS module, a 3G module, a 4G module, a 5G module, a wifi module, etc.

[0076] In traditional vending machines, goods need to be placed regularly in corresponding aisles, which results in a lot of time spent on replenishment, making the replenishment efficiency very low.

[0077] However, in this embodiment, the goods can be placed on the pallet 6 in an unordered manner. When replenishing goods such as 3D glasses and facial masks, the staff can directly dump multiple goods into the storage bin 5 at one time, which has a very high replenishment efficiency, can effectively save manpower, and thus can greatly reduce the cost of operating and maintaining unattended intelligent equipment.

[0078] When the soft-packaged goods are dumped into the storage bin 5, part of the goods may be in a vertical state and lean against the inner wall of the storage bin 5, and it is difficult for the robot arm to take this part of the goods.

[0079] To solve the above problem, in the present embodiment, a vibration motor may be provided at the bottom of the support plate 6, and the vibration motor may be used to drive the support plate 6 to vibrate, thereby making the goods in a vertical state lie flat.

[0080] Among them, the top of the support frame can be provided with an elastic support member, and the support frame supports the support plate 6 through the elastic support member. The elastic support member can be a spring or a spring, etc., and the size and elastic modulus of the elastic support member should be controlled within a certain range, thereby avoiding excessive vibration amplitude of the support plate 6 after starting the vibration motor.

[0081] During use, the lifting drive device 7 can also be used to drive the support plate 6 to reciprocate up and down, thereby causing the support plate 6 to vibrate to a certain extent.

[0082] In this embodiment, in order to facilitate the picking mechanism 3 to pick up the goods on the pallet 6, a visual positioning device 12 for identifying the position of the goods can be provided directly above the pallet 6. The visual positioning device 12 can be installed on the housing of the unattended intelligent device through a rotating arm or a telescopic arm. The visual positioning device 12 can include a camera.

[0083] The camera is used to shoot the goods on the pallet 6, and then the control unit sends a control signal to the displacement drive device 21 according to the image information taken, thereby controlling the picking mechanism 3 to pick up the goods more accurately. After the picking mechanism 3 picks up the goods, the goods will be transferred to the cache mechanism 2.

[0084] like Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the cache mechanism 2 includes a box body 13, a cache cavity is provided in the box body 13, a partition 14 is provided in the cache cavity, and the partition 14 divides the cache cavity into a first cache area 15 and a second cache area 16. A switch device 17 is provided at the bottom of the box body 13, and the switch device 17 is used to control the opening or closing of the delivery ports at the bottom of the first cache area 15 and the second cache area 16.

[0085] The goods in the storage warehouse 5 are transferred to the first buffer area 15 and the second buffer area 16 in advance. When the user completes the purchase, the switch device 17 opens the delivery port of the first buffer area 15 and / or the second buffer area 16, so that the goods fall into the receiving area, thereby completing the delivery work.

[0086] When the volume of the partition 14 is neglected, the sum of the capacities of the first buffer area 15 and the second buffer area 16 is equal to the capacity of the buffer cavity.

[0087] exist Figure 4 In the embodiment, the partition 14 is vertically arranged, and the capacities of the first buffer area 15 and the second buffer area 16 can be the same. When in use, the first buffer area 15 and the second buffer area 16 can store a piece of goods in advance.

[0088] In order to meet the purchasing needs of different users, the capacities of the first buffer area 15 and the second buffer area 16 may be different. For example, the capacity of the first buffer area 15 is greater than that of the second buffer area 16. In this case, the first buffer area 15 can store two items in advance, and the second buffer area 16 can store one item in advance. When the user needs to buy one item, the outlet of the second buffer area 16 can be opened through the switch device 17; when the user needs to buy two items, the outlet of the first buffer area 15 can be opened through the switch device 17; when the user needs to buy three items, the outlets of the first buffer area 15 and the second buffer area 16 can be opened in sequence through the switch device 17.

[0089] like Figure 1 As shown, a funnel-shaped receiving device 4 may be provided directly below the cache mechanism 2. When the delivery port at the bottom of the first cache area 15 or the second cache area 16 is opened, the goods may fall into the receiving device 4 under the action of gravity, thereby making it convenient for users to take away the purchased goods.

[0090] In this embodiment, the switch device 17 may include a first switch unit 18 and a second switch unit 19. The first switch unit 18 is used to open or close the outlet at the bottom of the first buffer area 15, and the second switch unit 19 is used to open or close the outlet at the bottom of the second buffer area 16.

[0091] The first switch unit 18 and the second switch unit 19 both include a flip plate and a flip driving motor for driving the flip plate to rotate, and the flip plate is rotatably connected to the box body 13. Figure 3 The flip drive motor is not shown.

[0092] The first switch unit 18 and the second switch unit 19 are independent of each other and do not affect each other.

[0093] The goods in the storage bin 5 are moved to the top of the first buffer area 15 or the second buffer area 16 by the picking mechanism 3 , and then the picking mechanism 3 releases the goods, and the goods fall into the first buffer area 15 or the second buffer area 16 under the action of gravity.

[0094] To facilitate importing, an import slot may be provided on the box body 13, wherein after the picking mechanism 3 releases the goods, the goods will first fall into the import slot, and then, under the action of gravity, the goods will slide into the first cache area 15 or the second cache area 16 through the import slot.

[0095] In this embodiment, the partition 14 is rotatably connected to the housing 13. Since the partition 14 divides the cache cavity into a first cache area 15 and a second cache area 16, the volumes of the first cache area 15 and the second cache area 16 can be changed accordingly by rotating the partition 14.

[0096] When the capacity of the first buffer area 15 increases, the capacity of the second buffer area 16 decreases; and when the capacity of the first buffer area 15 decreases, the capacity of the second buffer area 16 increases. At the same time, as the partition 14 rotates, the sizes of the inlets of the first buffer area 15 and the second buffer area 16 also change accordingly.

[0097] Reference Figure 4 , the partition 14 is in a vertical state, at this time, the cross-sectional area of ​​the first buffer area 15 is the same from top to bottom, and the same is true for the second buffer area 16; Figure 5 , the partition 14 rotates to the left, and makes the top of the partition 14 contact with the left inner wall of the box body 13. At this time, the inlet of the second buffer area 16 is in the largest state, thereby facilitating the introduction of goods into the second buffer area 16.

[0098] Correspondingly, when the partition 14 rotates to the right, the top of the partition 14 can contact the right inner wall of the box body 13. When the top of the partition 14 contacts the right inner wall of the box body 13, the inlet of the first buffer area 15 is in the largest state, thereby facilitating the introduction of goods into the first buffer area 15.

[0099] It should be noted that in order to enable the top of the partition 14 to contact the left inner wall and the right inner wall of the box body 13, the parameters such as the size of the partition 14 and the box body 13 should be reasonably controlled.

[0100] Since the partition 14 is rotatable, when the goods are introduced into the first buffer area 15 and the second buffer area 16 , it is necessary to control the partition 14 to rotate to a corresponding position.

[0101] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, in this embodiment, the picking mechanism 3 includes a picking device 20 for picking up goods in the storage mechanism 1 and a displacement driving device 21 for driving the picking device 20 to move above the cache mechanism 2, wherein the picking device 20 is provided with a detection device 22 for detecting whether the picking device 20 contacts the goods.

[0102] In the unattended intelligent device, the cargo picking device 20 is always located above the cargo in the cargo storage warehouse 5 .

[0103] When the goods are cached, the displacement drive device 21 drives the pickup device 20 to move to the location of the goods; then, the goods are picked up by the pickup device 20; then, the displacement drive device 21 drives the pickup device 20 again, so that the goods are moved out of the storage bin 5 and moved to the top of the box 13; finally, the pickup device 20 releases the goods, and the goods automatically fall into the first cache area 15 or the second cache area 16, and the goods caching is completed. Among them, under the action of the detection device 22, it can be detected whether the pickup device 20 contacts the goods, ensuring that the pickup device 20 can accurately pick up the goods and avoid invalid operations.

[0104] like Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, in this embodiment, the picking device 20 includes a vacuum pump 23 and a suction nozzle 24 connected to the vacuum pump 23, wherein the vacuum pump 23 is used to extract air inside the suction nozzle 24.

[0105] In other embodiments, the picking device 20 may also use electric grippers, pneumatic grippers, etc.

[0106] The vacuum pump 23 is used to extract the air inside the suction nozzle 24, so that negative pressure is generated inside the suction nozzle 24. Under the action of atmospheric pressure, the goods in contact with the suction end of the suction nozzle 24 will be sucked by the suction nozzle 24. The suction end of the suction nozzle 24 is located at the front end of the suction nozzle 24. Figure 8 In the embodiment, the suction end of the suction nozzle 24 is directed vertically downward.

[0107] When the goods are moved to the top of the delivery area, the air pressure inside the suction nozzle 24 is restored to normal by controlling the vacuum pump 23. At this time, the goods will automatically fall into the delivery area due to their own weight.

[0108] The suction nozzle 24 is very suitable for picking up soft-packaged goods, wherein the soft-packaged goods include bagged French fries, 3D glasses, facial masks, etc. The soft package has the advantages of soft texture, flat and smooth surface, so the suction nozzle 24 can easily absorb it.

[0109] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the weight of a single piece of cargo cannot exceed the maximum suction force that can be generated by the suction nozzle 24. Generally, the weight of a single piece of cargo is preferably more than 500g.

[0110] In this embodiment, the vacuum pump 23 is connected to the suction nozzle 24 via a connecting pipe 26 , wherein an air pressure sensor 25 for detecting the air pressure inside the connecting pipe 26 is provided on the connecting pipe 26 .

[0111] The connecting pipe 26 can be made of a steel pipe. The steel pipe has a certain strength and is not easily deformed, so the vacuum pump 23 can be directly fixed to one end of the steel pipe. The other end of the connecting pipe 26 is sealed and communicated with the sleeve at the tail end of the suction nozzle 24.

[0112] Before contacting the goods, the vacuum pump 23 has already extracted the air inside the suction nozzle 24. At this time, the air pressure in the connecting pipe 26 can be regarded as P1; when the suction nozzle 24 adsorbs the goods, the air pressure in the connecting pipe 26 changes accordingly. At this time, the air pressure in the connecting pipe 26 can be regarded as P2; if the adsorbed goods fall off, the air pressure in the connecting pipe 26 changes accordingly. At this time, the air pressure in the connecting pipe 26 can be regarded as P3.

[0113] The control unit can compare P1, P2 and P3, thereby determining whether the suction nozzle 24 has sucked the goods and whether the goods have fallen.

[0114] In order to enhance the effect and stability of adsorption, the suction nozzle 24 can be made of elastic materials, for example, the suction nozzle 24 can be made of materials such as silicone, rubber, etc. The suction nozzle 24 can be arranged in a threaded tube shape, so that the suction nozzle 24 can be retracted for better adsorption.

[0115] Since the suction nozzle 24 is elastic, the suction nozzle 24 can better fit on the surface of the goods and adapt to the surface shape of the goods when the suction nozzle 24 performs the suction work.

[0116] In this embodiment, a base 27 is provided at the tail of the nozzle 24, and an elastic member 28 for restoring and buffering the nozzle 24 is provided on the base 27. The elastic member 28 can be a spring, wherein the spring is mounted on the base 27 and sleeved on the sleeve at the tail end of the nozzle 24.

[0117] When the suction nozzle 24 picks up the goods, the suction nozzle 24 needs to exert a certain amount of pressure on the goods under the action of the displacement driving device 21, so that the suction end of the suction nozzle 24 can fully contact the goods. When the suction nozzle 24 is squeezed, the suction nozzle 24 will be deformed, and part of the suction nozzle 24 may be squeezed into the base 27; when the suction nozzle 24 completes the delivery operation, the suction nozzle 24 can be restored to its original state under the action of the spring, thereby facilitating the subsequent picking work of the suction nozzle 24.

[0118] Under the action of the vacuum pump 23 and the displacement drive device 21, the suction nozzle 24 will generate certain vibrations during operation. The spring can play a buffering role, thereby reducing the influence of the vibration on the suction nozzle 24.

[0119] In this embodiment, the displacement driving device 21 includes a lifting mechanism 29 , a first linear driving mechanism 30 and a second linear driving mechanism 31 .

[0120] The lifting mechanism 29 is used to drive the picking device 20 to lift and lower in the vertical direction; the first linear drive mechanism 30 is used to drive the lifting mechanism 29 to perform linear motion in a direction parallel to the X-axis; the second linear drive mechanism 31 is used to drive the first linear drive mechanism 30 to perform linear motion in a direction parallel to the Y-axis.

[0121] Among them, the X-axis and the Y-axis are perpendicular, and both are perpendicular to the plumb line.

[0122] In this embodiment, the lifting mechanism 29 comprises a parallelogram mechanism. The parallelogram mechanism is composed of connecting rods that are rotatably connected in sequence head to tail, and has the advantages of simple structure and small space occupation.

[0123] like Figure 7 As shown, the parallelogram mechanism includes a first link 32, a second link 33, a third link 34 and a fourth link 35. The first link 32 and the second link 33 are arranged vertically, the third link 34 and the fourth link 35 are arranged in parallel, the two ends of the third link 34 are respectively rotatably connected to the top of the first link 32 and the second link 33, and the two ends of the fourth link 35 are respectively rotatably connected to the bottom of the first link 32 and the second link 33. Among them, the picking device 20 is fixedly connected to the first link 32.

[0124] In this embodiment, the base 27 of the suction nozzle 24 can be fixed to the first connecting rod 32 via an L-shaped connecting plate 36 .

[0125] The second connecting rod 33 can be fixed on the bracket 37, and a rotation drive motor can be provided on the bracket 37. A rotating shaft can be fixedly provided on one end of the third connecting rod 34 close to the second connecting rod, and the rotating drive motor can be connected to the rotating shaft through a gear reduction box. Under the action of the rotating drive motor, the third connecting rod 34 rotates, thereby driving the second connecting rod 33 to rotate, thereby realizing the lifting and lowering of the picking device 20. Among them, the rotating drive motor can be a stepping motor.

[0126] When the transmission is performed through the parallelogram mechanism, the motion trajectory of the picking device 20 is distributed on an arc. If the picking device 20 can be lifted and lowered in a straight line in the vertical direction, the second linear drive mechanism 31 can be used to perform corresponding motion compensation. Among them, in the direction along the Y axis, the displacement to be compensated by the second linear motion mechanism per unit time is related to the size of the parallelogram mechanism and the angular velocity of the third connecting rod 34.

[0127] In this embodiment, the first linear drive mechanism 30 includes a first belt pulley transmission mechanism, wherein the lifting mechanism 29 is fixedly disposed on the belt of the first belt pulley transmission mechanism.

[0128] In order to maintain the smoothness of movement, a first linear guide rail may be provided on the housing of the first linear drive mechanism 30 , wherein the bracket 37 is slidably connected to the first linear guide rail.

[0129] The housing of the first linear drive mechanism 30 is provided with a first main pulley, a first slave pulley and a first belt, the first belt is sleeved on the first main pulley and the first slave pulley, and the first belt is in a tensioned state. The housing of the first linear drive mechanism 30 is also provided with a first driving motor for driving the first main pulley to rotate.

[0130] In this embodiment, the second linear drive mechanism 31 includes a second pulley transmission mechanism, wherein the first linear drive mechanism 30 is fixedly disposed on the belt of the second pulley transmission mechanism.

[0131] In order to maintain the smoothness of movement, a second linear guide rail may be provided on the housing of the second linear drive mechanism 31 , wherein one end of the first linear drive mechanism 30 is slidably connected to the second linear guide rail.

[0132] The housing of the second linear drive mechanism 31 is provided with a second main pulley, a second slave pulley and a second belt, the second belt is sleeved on the second main pulley and the second slave pulley, and the second belt is in a tensioned state. The housing of the second linear drive mechanism 31 is also provided with a second driving motor for driving the second main pulley to rotate.

[0133] The housing of the first linear drive mechanism 30 may be provided with a roller at one end thereof away from the second linear drive mechanism 31 , wherein the roller may be in rolling contact with a beam or a plate on the unattended intelligent device.

[0134] There are many types of common linear motion mechanisms. In other embodiments, the lifting mechanism 29, the first linear drive mechanism 30 and the second linear drive mechanism 31 can be selected from them as needed, such as a cylinder, an electric push rod, etc.

[0135] In this embodiment, the displacement driving device 21 may be provided with a position detection unit, such as a travel switch, etc. The travel switch can be used to determine whether the picking device 20 that has picked up the goods has moved to the top of the box 13.

[0136] Correspondingly, a sensing unit, such as a proximity switch, may also be provided at a corresponding position on the unattended intelligent device. The sensing unit may also be used to determine whether the picking device 20 that has picked up the goods has moved directly above the box 13.

[0137] Only when the picking device 20 contacts the goods, the unattended intelligent device picking mechanism 3 can complete the action of picking up the goods and subsequently moving the goods. In order to determine whether the picking device 20 contacts the goods, a detection device 22 is provided on the picking device 20.

[0138] In this embodiment, the detection device 22 includes a photoelectric switch.

[0139] Photoelectric switch is the abbreviation of photoelectric proximity switch. It uses the blocking or reflection of the light beam by the detected object, and the circuit is connected by the synchronous circuit to detect the presence or absence of the object. Objects are not limited to metals. All objects that can reflect light (or block light) can be detected. The photoelectric switch converts the input current into a light signal on the transmitter, and the receiver detects the target object based on the strength or presence of the received light.

[0140] In a specific embodiment, the detection device 22 can select other contact or non-contact sensors as needed.

[0141] When picking up goods, under the action of the displacement drive device 21, the picking device 20 will approach the goods; when the suction end of the suction nozzle 24 contacts the goods, under the action of the vacuum pump 23, the suction nozzle 24 will adsorb the goods, and at the same time, the light beam emitted by the photoelectric switch will be blocked by the goods; the photoelectric switch sends a response signal to the control unit, and after receiving the response signal, the control unit will control the suction nozzle 24 to rise and move toward the box 13 outside the storage warehouse 5.

[0142] In this embodiment, in order to save space, the box 13 can be fixed to the side of the storage bin 5. There can be multiple storage bins 5 arranged side by side, and accordingly, each storage bin 5 corresponds to a buffer mechanism 2.

[0143] The storage bin 5 and the receiving device 4 are both fixed on the bottom plate of the unattended intelligent device, wherein the bottom plate may be provided with retractable supporting feet and rotatable wheels. The bottom of the receiving device 4 is provided with a through hole, and the goods dropped from the buffer mechanism 2 will fall onto the conveyor belt through the through hole, thereby making it convenient for users to pick them up.

[0144] After the first buffer area 15 or the second buffer area 16 becomes empty due to the falling of goods, the picking mechanism 3 is started for caching to transfer the storage mechanism 1 to the first buffer area 15 or the second buffer area 16 of the cache mechanism 2, thereby facilitating the next shipment.

[0145] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.

[0146] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is to be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and are not to be construed as limitations of the present invention. A person skilled in the art may change, modify, replace and vary the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An unattended intelligent device, characterized in that: include: Storage facilities, used to store goods; A cache mechanism, used to cache goods in advance; The cache mechanism comprises a box body, and a cache cavity is arranged in the box body; A partition is provided in the cache cavity, and the partition divides the cache cavity into a first cache area and a second cache area; a switch device is provided at the bottom of the box body, and the switch device is used to control the opening or closing of the delivery ports at the bottom of the first cache area and the second cache area, and the switch device includes a first switch part and a second switch part; wherein the first switch part is used to open or close the delivery port at the bottom of the first cache area; the second switch part is used to open or close the delivery port at the bottom of the second cache area; the partition is rotatably connected to the box body; A picking mechanism, used for transferring the goods in the storage mechanism to the cache mechanism; The sold goods are directly dropped from the buffer mechanism to the receiving area for users to take away.

2. The unattended intelligent device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cargo storage mechanism includes a cargo storage bin, in which a pallet for carrying cargo is arranged; The cargo storage bin is provided with a lifting drive device for driving the support plate to be lifted or lowered.

3. The unattended intelligent device according to claim 2, characterized in that: A visual positioning device for identifying the position of goods is arranged directly above the pallet.

4. The unattended intelligent device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The visual positioning device includes a camera.

5. The unattended intelligent device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The picking mechanism comprises a picking device for picking up the goods in the storage mechanism and a displacement driving device for driving the picking device to move above the cache mechanism; The cargo picking device is provided with a detection device for detecting whether the cargo picking device contacts the cargo.

6. The unattended intelligent device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The picking device comprises a vacuum pump and a suction nozzle connected to the vacuum pump, wherein the vacuum pump is used to extract air inside the suction nozzle.

7. The unattended intelligent device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The vacuum pump is connected to the suction nozzle through a connecting pipe; The connecting pipe is provided with an air pressure sensor for detecting the air pressure inside the connecting pipe.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

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