Lifting device and handling apparatus

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a lifting device and a carrying device. The lifting device comprises a linkage and a driving mechanism. The linkage comprises a connecting rod and a connecting link, and the connecting rod and the connecting link form a parallelogram linkage. The driving mechanism comprises a moving block connected with the linkage, and a driving motor. The driving motor drives the moving block to move up and down, so as to swing the linkage. The lifting device of the present disclosure drives the linkage to swing by the up-and-down movement of the moving block of the driving mechanism, so as to make the carrying device rise or fall, thereby reducing the projection area on the horizontal plane, and reducing the occupied space of the carrying device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention generally relates to the field of material handling technology, and in particular to a lifting device and material handling equipment. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous advancement of technology, material handling equipment, such as Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), has become widely used in the handling of goods and materials in factories, e-commerce warehouses, and workshops. Furthermore, AGVs are trending towards miniaturization to adapt to confined and complex working environments.

[0003] One important function of AGVs is lifting, which involves installing a lifting mechanism on the AGV chassis to lift the goods to be transported to a designated height.

[0004] The AGV lifting mechanism in related technologies has shortcomings such as complex structure, unstable lifting process, and large space occupation. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, the present invention provides a lifting device and a handling equipment.

[0006] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a lifting device is provided, comprising: a linkage group and a drive mechanism, wherein: the linkage group includes a connecting rod and a connecting link, the connecting rod and the connecting link forming a parallelogram linkage mechanism; the drive mechanism includes: a moving block connected to the linkage group; and a drive motor, the drive motor being vertically arranged and capable of driving the moving block to move up and down, thereby causing the linkage group to swing.

[0007] In some embodiments, the drive mechanism further includes: a lead screw, which is threadedly connected to the movable block; a drive motor drives the lead screw to rotate, thereby causing the movable block to move up and down.

[0008] In some embodiments, the drive mechanism further includes: a gear connected to the output shaft of a drive motor; a rack fixedly connected to a movable block; and the gear meshing with the rack.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first sub-link group and the second sub-link group are connected by an upper connecting rod and a lower connecting rod. The upper end of the first sub-link group is hinged to the upper connecting rod, and the lower end is hinged to the lower connecting rod, forming an upper parallelogram linkage mechanism. The upper end of the second sub-link group is hinged to the lower connecting rod, and the lower end is fixedly hinged, forming a lower parallelogram linkage mechanism.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first sub-link assembly includes a first upper swing arm and a second upper swing arm, and the second sub-link assembly includes a first lower swing arm and a second lower swing arm; the upper end of the first upper swing arm is hinged to the first end of the upper connecting rod via a first hinge pin, and the lower end of the first upper swing arm is hinged to one end of the lower connecting rod via a second hinge pin; the upper end of the second upper swing arm is hinged to the second end of the upper connecting rod via a third hinge pin, and the lower end of the second upper swing arm is hinged to the other end of the lower connecting rod via a fourth hinge pin; the upper end of the first lower swing arm is hinged to the first upper swing arm and the lower connecting rod via a second hinge pin, and the lower end of the first lower swing arm is fixedly hinged; the upper end of the second lower swing arm is hinged to the second upper swing arm and the lower connecting rod via a fourth hinge pin, and the lower end of the second lower swing arm is fixedly hinged; the moving block is hinged to the first end of the upper connecting rod and the first upper swing arm via a first hinge pin.

[0011] In one embodiment, the first sub-link group, the second sub-link group, the upper link group, and the lower link group are all configured as two groups, forming two sets of left-right symmetrical upper parallelogram link mechanisms and two sets of left-right symmetrical lower parallelogram link mechanisms. The upper connecting rod of the upper parallelogram link mechanism of the first group is integrally formed with the upper connecting rod of the upper parallelogram link mechanism of the second group. The second upper swing arm of the upper parallelogram link mechanism of the first group and the second upper swing arm of the upper parallelogram link mechanism of the second group are connected by a first crossbar. The second lower swing arm of the lower parallelogram link mechanism of the first group and the second lower swing arm of the lower parallelogram link mechanism of the second group are connected by a second crossbar.

[0012] In some embodiments, the drive motor is vertically positioned outside the projection area of ​​the moving block and the linkage assembly in the vertical direction.

[0013] In some embodiments, the drive mechanism further includes a reducer, the output end of which is located below the moving block and connected to a lead screw, and the input end of which is located below the drive motor and connected to the output shaft of the drive motor.

[0014] In some embodiments, the drive mechanism further includes a fixed base, which includes a frame located on both sides of the movable block. The inner surface of the frame is provided with a slide rail, and both sides of the movable block are slidably connected to the slide rail.

[0015] In some embodiments, at least one end of the frame is provided with a limiting member.

[0016] In some embodiments, the fixed base further includes a base body connected between the two frames, the base body being located below the movable block; a reducer is fixed to the bottom of the base body; and a drive motor is fixed to the front end of the base body.

[0017] In some embodiments, the lifting device further includes a support device fixed above the linkage assembly for directly or indirectly supporting the object to be lifted.

[0018] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a handling device is provided, wherein the handling device includes the lifting device described in any of the embodiments of the first aspect above.

[0019] In some embodiments, the handling equipment includes automated guided vehicles and mobile robots.

[0020] The lifting device provided in this disclosure moves the moving block of the drive mechanism up and down, causing the linkage group to swing, thereby raising or lowering the load-bearing device. This reduces the projected area on the horizontal plane, thereby reducing the space occupied by the handling equipment and providing more space for the arrangement and installation of other components. This makes installation and maintenance more convenient and facilitates the miniaturization of the handling equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Several embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings by way of example and not limitation, wherein:

[0022] Figure 1 A perspective view of the lifting device provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0023] Figure 2 A perspective view of the structure of the drive mechanism of the lifting device provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0024] Figure 3 A side view schematic diagram of the lifting device provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0025] Figure 4 A top view schematic diagram of the lifting device provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0026] Figure 5 A simplified diagram of the connection structure of the linkage assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0027] In the accompanying drawings, the same or corresponding reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The principles and spirit of the invention will now be described with reference to several exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are given merely to enable those skilled in the art to better understand and implement the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

[0029] It should be noted that although the terms "first," "second," etc., are used herein to describe different modules, steps, and data in the embodiments of the present invention, these terms are only for distinguishing between different modules, steps, and data, and do not indicate a specific order or degree of importance. In fact, the terms "first," "second," etc., can be used interchangeably.

[0030] It should be noted that although the terms "front," "rear," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," "outer," and "inner" are used in this document to describe different directions or sides of the embodiments of the present invention, these terms are only for distinguishing between different directions or sides and do not indicate a specific outside or inside. In fact, the terms "front," "rear," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," "outer," and "inner" can be used interchangeably in some cases.

[0031] Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) are powered by a power unit and equipped with a walking mechanism, sensing system, and control system. They automatically reach designated locations along a predetermined path in an unmanned state to complete material handling, improve the assembly and transportation efficiency of factories and warehouses, and thus reduce labor costs.

[0032] One important function of AGVs is lifting, which uses a lifting device mounted on the chassis to lift objects from a certain position to a designated height. AGVs are mostly used in spaces with limited capacity, such as factories and e-commerce warehouses. Due to these space constraints, AGVs are trending towards miniaturization, which requires the lifting device to be designed as compactly as possible to minimize its impact on the overall vehicle size.

[0033] However, the lifting device in the related technology includes a support device for carrying the object to be lifted, a four-bar linkage located between the support device and the chassis to support the lifting or lowering of the support device, and a drive mechanism for driving the four-bar linkage. The drive mechanism is located outside the vertical projection area of ​​the support device to prevent interference between the drive mechanism and the support device and to provide clearance for the lifting or lowering of the support device.

[0034] The drive mechanism includes a drive motor fixed on the chassis, a reducer connected to the drive motor, and a crank-rocker mechanism connected to the output end of the reducer. The rocker arm of the crank-rocker mechanism is connected to a four-bar linkage. The drive motor drives the crank of the crank-rocker mechanism to rotate through the reducer, thereby driving the four-bar linkage formed with the load-bearing device to move up or down.

[0035] The above-mentioned lifting device has the following shortcomings:

[0036] The drive motor and reducer are connected by a horizontal transmission and fixed on the chassis. The area occupied on the chassis is the sum of the entire body of the drive motor and the entire volume of the reducer, which occupies a lot of planar space. This is not conducive to the arrangement of other components in the AGV (such as wires, electrical components, hardware and batteries), making installation and maintenance inconvenient, and also not conducive to the miniaturization design of the AGV.

[0037] Furthermore, the crank-rocker mechanism driving the four-bar linkage results in a situation where the crank and rocker swing during lifting, occupying an area on the horizontal plane equal to the sum of their projected areas. Since the crank and rocker require a certain length, this occupies a significant amount of space on the AGV chassis, leading to wasted space and structural complexity. Additionally, the uneven force applied to the crank-rocker mechanism results in uneven stress on the drive motor, leading to insufficient utilization of the drive motor's power and low lifting efficiency.

[0038] To address the aforementioned issues, this disclosure provides a lifting device that minimizes the space occupied, resulting in a more compact overall structure; furthermore, the lifting process is smoother, and the lifting efficiency is further improved.

[0039] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the lifting device 100 can be applied to handling equipment, such as forklifts, cranes, transport vehicles, handcarts, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and mobile robots. AGVs include a chassis (not shown), and the lifting device 100 can be fixed to the chassis. This disclosure uses an AGV as an example for illustration, but it is not limited to this; the lifting device 100 can also be applied to other transport and handling equipment, or used independently as a cargo lifting mechanism.

[0040] The lifting device 100 includes a load-bearing device 10, a linkage group 20, and a drive mechanism 30.

[0041] The supporting device 10 is fixed above the connecting rod assembly 20 to directly or indirectly support the object to be lifted. In one embodiment, the supporting device 10 is a support platform, such as being disc-shaped, rectangular, annular, or an arc-shaped ring composed of two or four arcs. These are merely examples, and the specific shape of the supporting device is not limited in this application. In another embodiment, the supporting device 10 can also be a frame structure or other shapes, configured according to the type of object to be lifted. In one embodiment, for example, the object to be lifted can be placed directly on the supporting device 10; or, multiple mounting holes for mounting a carrying mechanism are provided on the supporting device 10, and the object to be lifted is placed on the carrying mechanism, thus indirectly supporting the object to be lifted through the supporting device 10.

[0042] The linkage assembly 20 is disposed below the bearing device 10 and is used to support the bearing device 10 in raising or lowering. The linkage assembly 20 includes connecting rods and connecting rods, which form a parallelogram linkage mechanism. In one embodiment, the connecting rods may include a first sub-linkage assembly and a second sub-linkage assembly, and the connecting rods may include an upper connecting rod 27 and a lower connecting rod 25. The bearing device 10 may be fixed above the upper connecting rod 27.

[0043] like Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, the upper end of the first sub-link assembly is hinged to the upper connecting rod 27, and the lower end is hinged to the lower connecting rod 25. The first sub-link assembly, the upper connecting rod 27, and the lower connecting rod 25 together form an upper parallelogram linkage mechanism. The upper end of the second sub-link assembly is hinged to the lower connecting rod 25, and the lower end is fixedly hinged. The second sub-link assembly and the lower connecting rod 25 together form a lower parallelogram linkage mechanism. The upper parallelogram linkage mechanism and the lower parallelogram linkage mechanism share the lower connecting rod 25 to form a connected double parallelogram linkage mechanism. Thus, under the action of the double parallelogram linkage mechanism, the bearing device 10 can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction.

[0044] The drive mechanism 30 includes a moving block 31 and a drive motor 33.

[0045] The movable block 31 is connected to the first sub-linkage group 20. The drive motor 33 can drive the movable block 31 to move up and down, so that the linkage group 20 swings, thereby causing the bearing device 10 to rise or fall.

[0046] In this embodiment, the moving block 31 of the drive mechanism 30 moves up and down, causing the connecting rod assembly 20 to swing, thus raising or lowering the carrying device 10. Compared to the swinging of a crank rocker arm, the up-and-down movement of the moving block 31 reduces the projected area on the horizontal plane, thereby reducing the space occupied by the handling equipment. For example, in the scenario where the lifting device 100 is used in an AGV, it can reduce the space occupied by the AGV chassis, providing more space for the arrangement and installation of other components, making installation and maintenance more convenient, and facilitating the miniaturization of the AGV.

[0047] In one embodiment, the drive mechanism 30 may further include a lead screw 32, which is threadedly connected to the movable block 31. The drive motor 33 drives the lead screw 32 to rotate, causing the movable block 31 to move up and down, thereby causing the first sub-linkage group 20 to swing, so that the bearing device 10 rises or falls. For example, the movable block 31 may be directly threaded onto the lead screw 32, or a nut may be threaded onto the lead screw 32, and the movable block 31 may be threadedly connected to the lead screw 32 through the nut.

[0048] When the first sub-linkage group is working, the drive motor 33 rotates, driving the lead screw 32 to rotate, and the moving block 31 moves up or down on the lead screw 32. During the upward or downward movement of the moving block 31, the moving block 31 drives the first sub-linkage group 20 to swing, thereby driving the upper and lower parallelogram linkage mechanisms to move together. Under the action of the upper and lower parallelogram linkage mechanisms, the upper connecting rod 27 rises or falls in the vertical direction, thereby causing the bearing device 10 fixed above the upper connecting rod 27 to rise or fall, realizing the lifting operation.

[0049] The lifting device 100 of this embodiment forms a drive mechanism by cooperating with the drive motor 33, the lead screw 32, and the moving block 31. The structure is compact. During the lifting or lowering of the bearing device 10, the load applied to the lead screw 32 and the moving block 31 is constant and uniform, making the lifting more stable. In addition, the output power of the drive motor 33 is more fully utilized, and the lifting speed is faster under the premise of the same output power.

[0050] In another embodiment, the drive mechanism 30 may further include a gear connected to the output end of the drive motor 33 and a rack fixedly connected to the movable block 31. The gear and rack mesh with each other, and through the gear and rack transmission, the rotational motion of the gear is converted into the linear up-and-down movement of the rack, thereby driving the movable block to move up or down. During operation, the drive motor 33 rotates, driving the gear to rotate, and the gear meshes with the rack, driving the rack to move up and down, thereby driving the movable block 31 to move up or down.

[0051] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the first sub-link group may include a first upper swing arm 21 and a second upper swing arm 22, and the second sub-link group may include a first lower swing arm 23 and a second lower swing arm 24.

[0052] The upper end of the first upper swing arm 21 is hinged to the first end 271 of the upper connecting rod 27 via a first hinge pin 41, and the lower end of the first upper swing arm 21 is hinged to one end of the lower connecting rod 25 via a second hinge pin 42. The upper end of the second upper swing arm 22 is hinged to the second end 272 of the upper connecting rod 27 via a third hinge pin 43, and the lower end of the second upper swing arm 22 is hinged to the other end of the lower connecting rod 25 via a fourth hinge pin 44. Thus, the first upper swing arm 21, the upper connecting rod 27, the second upper swing arm 22, and the lower connecting rod 25 form an upper parallelogram linkage mechanism.

[0053] The upper end of the first lower swing arm 23 is hinged to the first upper swing arm 21 and the lower connecting rod 25 via the second hinge pin 42, and the lower end of the first lower swing arm 23 is hinged to the chassis or to the fixed seat 35. The upper end of the second lower swing arm 24 is hinged to the second upper swing arm 22 and the lower connecting rod 25 via the fourth hinge pin 44, and the lower end of the second lower swing arm 24 is fixedly hinged. Thus, the first lower swing arm 23, the lower connecting rod 25, the second lower swing arm 24, and the chassis form a lower parallelogram linkage mechanism. The upper parallelogram linkage mechanism and the lower parallelogram linkage mechanism share the lower connecting rod 25 to form a connected upper and lower double parallelogram linkage mechanism. Figure 5 (As shown).

[0054] The movable block 31 is hinged to the first end 271 of the upper connecting rod 27 and the first upper swing arm 21 via the first hinge shaft 41. The drive motor 33 drives the lead screw 32 to rotate, and the movable block 31 is threadedly engaged with the lead screw 32, causing the movable block 31 to move up or down. During the upward or downward movement of the movable block 31, the movable block 31 pulls the upper connecting rod 27 and the first upper swing arm 21 to swing, thereby driving the two upper and lower parallelogram linkage mechanisms to move together. Under the action of the two upper and lower parallelogram linkage mechanisms, the upper connecting rod 27 rises or falls in the vertical direction, so that the bearing device 10 rises or falls, realizing the lifting operation.

[0055] Based on the lifting mechanism of two parallelogram linkages, compared to a single parallelogram linkage, the horizontal displacement of the upper end closer to the first upper swing arm 21 is smaller, and the required horizontal component force is also smaller. Therefore, the moving block 31 is hinged to the first end 271 of the upper connecting rod 27 and the upper end of the first upper swing arm 21 through the first hinge pin 41. During the upward or downward movement of the moving block 31, the horizontal component of the force output by the drive motor 33 is smaller, while the vertical component is larger, making fuller use of the drive power of the drive motor 33.

[0056] However, this disclosure is not limited to this. The movable block 31 may be hinged only to the first end 271 of the upper connecting rod 27; or, the movable block 31 may be hinged only to the first upper swing arm 21. During the process of the drive motor 33 driving the lead screw to rotate and causing the movable block 31 to move up or down, the movable block 31 pulls the upper connecting rod 27 or the first upper swing arm 21 to swing, thereby driving the two parallelogram linkage mechanisms to move together, so that the bearing device 10 rises or falls.

[0057] To further improve the support stability of the lifting device, in another embodiment of this disclosure, the linkage group 20 can be configured as two groups, namely, the first sub-linkage group, the second sub-linkage group, the upper connecting rod 27, and the lower connecting rod 25 can all be configured as two groups, symmetrically arranged on both sides below the bearing device 10. Figure 1The system consists of two sets of upper parallelogram linkage mechanisms (left and right sides) that are symmetrically arranged, and two sets of lower parallelogram linkage mechanisms that are symmetrically arranged. The left and right sides refer to the left and right sides relative to the AGV's forward direction.

[0058] The upper end of the first upper swing arm 21 of the first group is hinged to one side of the first end 271 of the upper connecting rod 27 via the first hinge pin 41. Figure 1 (Left side of the middle), and simultaneously hinged to the moving block 31 via the first hinge pin 41; the upper end of the first upper swing arm of the second group (not shown in the figure) and the moving block 31 are hinged to the other side of the first end 271 of the bearing device 10 via the first hinge pin 41. Figure 1 (on the right side of the middle), and simultaneously hinged to the moving block 31 via the first hinge shaft 41.

[0059] The second upper swing arm 22 of the first group and the second upper swing arm 22' of the second group are respectively hinged to both sides of the second end 272 of the upper connecting rod 27. Figure 1 (Middle left and right sides).

[0060] In this design, the second upper swing arm 22 of the first group's upper parallelogram linkage mechanism and the second upper swing arm 22' of the second group's upper parallelogram linkage mechanism are connected by a first crossbar 26 and can be integrally formed. The second lower swing arm 24 of the first group's lower parallelogram linkage mechanism and the second lower swing arm 24' of the second group's lower parallelogram linkage mechanism are connected by a second crossbar (not shown in the figure) and can be integrally formed to make the lifting process more stable. The upper connecting rod 27 of the first group's upper parallelogram linkage mechanism and the upper connecting rod of the second group's upper parallelogram linkage mechanism can be integrally formed to further stabilize the lifting process.

[0061] The upper connecting rods 27 of the first group and the upper connecting rods of the second group can be integrally formed into a plate-like structure. The plate-like structure can be used to directly or indirectly support the object to be lifted. That is to say, the lifting device 100 does not need to be equipped with a separate supporting device 10, but can use the integrally formed plate-like structure to support the object.

[0062] The first lower swing arm 23 of the first group is hinged to the first upper swing arm 21 of the first group via the second hinge pin 42, and the first lower swing arm (not shown in the figure) of the second group is hinged to the first upper swing arm of the second group via the second hinge pin 42.

[0063] The second lower swing arm 24 of the first group and the second lower swing arm 24' of the second group are respectively hinged to the second upper swing arm 22 of the first group and the second upper swing arm 22' of the second group via the fourth hinge pin 44.

[0064] The lower connecting rod 25 of the first group is connected to one side of the second hinge pin 42 and the fourth hinge pin 44. Figure 1(Left side of the middle), the connecting rod 25' of the second group is connected to the other side of the second hinge pin 42 and the fourth hinge pin 44 ( Figure 1 (Right side of the middle)

[0065] Two sets of connecting rods 20 are located on both sides below the bearing device 10. Figure 1 The left and right sides of the middle section form upper and lower parallelogram linkage mechanisms to provide four-point support for the bearing device 10, so that the bearing device 10 can obtain a more stable support effect during the rising or falling process, thereby enabling the object to be lifted on the bearing device 10 to move smoothly to the designated height.

[0066] Furthermore, while ensuring stable support at four points, the lifting device 100 has a more compact structure and occupies less space on the AGV chassis. This allows the lifting device 100 to be easily expanded according to the size of the AGV chassis by changing the length of the parallel quadrature linkage mechanism, so as to adapt to the type of objects that the AGV needs to carry and the lifting height.

[0067] For example, such as Figure 3 As shown, by changing the lengths of the second connecting rod 25 and the upper connecting rod 27, the bearing area of ​​the bearing device 10 fixed on the upper connecting rod 27 can be easily expanded, thereby increasing the load capacity and improving work efficiency; it also improves the adaptability to bearing objects of different types and sizes. In addition, by changing the lengths of the upper swing arm (first upper swing arm 21 and second upper swing arm 22) and the lower swing arm (first lower swing arm 23 and second lower swing arm 24), the lifting height of the bearing device 10 can be easily increased, improving lifting performance.

[0068] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the drive motor 33 is vertically positioned outside the projection area of ​​the moving block 31 and the linkage group 20 in the vertical direction. Compared to positioning the drive motor 33 below the linkage group 20, this avoids interference between the lifting and lowering of the moving block 31 and the support device 10 and the drive motor 33, and provides clearance for the lifting and lowering of the moving block 31 and the support device 10. This allows the moving block 31 and the support device 10 to achieve maximum stroke in the vertical direction, thereby increasing the lifting height of the support device 10.

[0069] For example, the drive motor 33 can be located in front of the linkage assembly 20. Figure 1 In the middle, "front" refers to the direction of AGV travel, and "rear" refers to the direction opposite to the direction of travel. That is to say, the drive mechanism 30 of the lifting device 100 can be located at the front end of the AGV chassis. However, this disclosure is not limited to this; the drive mechanism 30 of the lifting device 100 can also be located at the rear end of the AGV chassis, which can be adjusted according to the arrangement of other components of the AGV and the routing.

[0070] like Figure 3and Figure 4 As shown, the lifting device 100 of this embodiment features a vertically arranged drive motor 33, meaning the drive motor 33 is vertically positioned and occupies a planar area equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the drive motor 33. Compared to a horizontally arranged drive motor, this significantly reduces the space occupied. For example, in AGV applications, the lifting device 100 reduces the space occupied by the AGV chassis, providing more space for the arrangement and installation of other components, making installation and maintenance more convenient. For instance, it can provide more space for the battery in the AGV, allowing for a larger battery capacity and thus improving the AGV's endurance; it also makes it easier to position cameras and sensors, providing a wider field of view for navigation components such as cameras and sensors on the AGV and improving navigation accuracy; and it allows for the use of larger motors to withstand greater loads and carry more or heavier objects to be lifted. With the same chassis dimensions, the lengths of the upper connecting rod 27 and the lower connecting rod 25 can be extended to increase the load-bearing area of ​​the support device 10 fixed on the upper connecting rod 27, thereby achieving a higher AGV carrying capacity.

[0071] In some embodiments, the drive mechanism 30 further includes a reducer 34, which matches the rotational speed required for the lead screw 32 to rise or fall, and transmits torque. The reducer 34 may include a housing and a gear transmission assembly (not shown) located inside the housing. The output end of the reducer 34 is located below the moving block 31 and connected to the lead screw 32; the input end of the reducer 34 is located below the drive motor 33 and connected to the output shaft of the drive motor 33. When the drive motor 33 rotates, the speed is changed and torque is transmitted through the reducer 34, causing the lead screw 32 to rotate. This causes the moving block 31, which is threaded with the lead screw, to move up or down, thereby driving the two parallelogram linkage mechanisms to move in tandem, so that the supporting device 10 can be raised or lowered.

[0072] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the input end of the reducer 34 is located below the drive motor 33, and the output end is located below the moving block 31, so that part of the reducer 34 is in the vertical projection area of ​​the moving block 31, and part of it is in the vertical projection area of ​​the drive motor 33.

[0073] In fact, within the AGV chassis planar space, apart from the space occupied by the parallel four-bar linkage, lead screw 32, moving block 31, and the vertical projection area of ​​the drive motor 33 necessary for lifting operations, the reducer 34 does not require additional chassis space, significantly reducing the chassis space occupied. Therefore, compared with the horizontal arrangement of the drive motor and reducer on the chassis in related technologies, the lifting device 100 of this disclosure has minimized the planar space occupied, making the lifting device 100 more compact, providing more space for the arrangement of other AGV components, and facilitating the miniaturization design of the AGV to improve its adaptability in limited operating environments.

[0074] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and 2 As shown, the drive mechanism 30 also includes a fixed base 35. The fixed base 35 can be detachably fixed to the AGV chassis by bolts. The fixed base 35 is located below the moving block 31 and is used to fix the drive motor 33 and the reducer 34. The fixed base 35 may include a seat body 351 and a pair of symmetrical frames 352 located on both sides (left and right sides) of the seat body 351. Vertical linear slide rails 36 are provided on the opposing inner surfaces of the two frames 352, and the two sides (left and right sides) of the moving block 31 are slidably connected to the slide rails 36 respectively. During the up and down movement of the moving block 31, the two sides of the moving block 31 slide within the slide rails 36, so that the moving block 31 can move up or down more smoothly, thereby driving the upper and lower parallelogram linkage mechanisms more smoothly, so that the object to be lifted on the carrying device 10 can be transported to the designated position more smoothly.

[0075] The reducer 34 is fixed to the bottom of the base 351, and a groove is formed at the bottom of the base 351. A portion of the reducer 34 is housed in the receiving groove. One end of the lead screw 32 passes through the base 351 and extends into the receiving groove, connecting to the output end of the reducer 34. The drive motor 33 is fixed to the front end of the base 351. The lower end of the first lower swing arm 23 is hinged to the side of the base 351. For example, the lower end of the first lower swing arm 23 of the first group is hinged to the left side of the base 351, and the second lower swing arm of the second group is hinged to the right end of the base 351. The reducer 34 is located between the first lower swing arm 23 of the first group and the lower swing arm of the second group. This allows the entire lifting device 100 to be used as a single unit and assembled on different types of AGV chassis. Installation and disassembly are convenient; simply bolt the fixed base 35 to the chassis.

[0076] In one embodiment, a limiting member is provided at at least one end of the frame 352, for example, an upper limit member 38 is provided at the top of the frame 352. The upper limit member 38 restricts the upward movement of the moving block 31 to prevent the moving block 31 from disengaging from the slide rail 36, which could cause the object supported on the support device 10 to slip, thus improving safety. In another embodiment, a lower limit member (not shown) may also be provided at the bottom of the frame 352 to indicate the downward movement of the moving block 31, preventing the moving block 31 from colliding with the fixed base 35 and being damaged.

[0077] In summary, the lifting device 100 provided in this embodiment can be installed on the AGV chassis. During operation, the AGV docks with the conveying equipment (e.g., a roller conveyor) and places the object to be lifted, conveyed by the conveyor, onto the carrying device 10. The AGV reaches the lifting position along a predetermined track, and then the drive motor 33 of the lifting device 100 is started. The drive motor 33 rotates, and the speed and torque are adjusted by the reducer 34, driving the lead screw 32 to rotate. The moving block 31 moves vertically along the linear guide rail 36 under the drive of the lead screw 32. The moving block 31 pulls the first upper swing arm 21 to swing, driving the entire linkage group 20 to move in tandem. Under the action of the upper and lower parallelogram linkage mechanisms, the upper connecting rod 27 rises to lift the carrying device 10, lifting the object on the carrying device 10 to a specified height, thus completing the lifting operation.

[0078] The lifting device 100 provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0079] The two sets of linkages 20 form four-point support for the bearing device 10, thereby enabling the object carried on the bearing device 10 to be lifted more smoothly to the designated position.

[0080] Furthermore, with four-point support, the vertically mounted drive motor 33, in conjunction with the lead screw 32 and the moving block 31, enables the lifting device 100 to operate more smoothly during the lifting process, thereby making fuller use of the drive power of the drive motor 33, reducing lifting time, and improving work efficiency.

[0081] In addition, besides the necessary four-bar linkage mechanism to maintain the stable operation of the lifting device 100, the entire lifting device 100, viewed from a top plane, appears as follows: Figure 4 As shown, part of the reducer 34 of the drive mechanism 30 is located below the drive motor 33 and part is located below the moving block 31. Therefore, the reducer 34 does not need to occupy additional space and only occupies the cross-sectional space of the drive motor 33. Compared with the horizontal cooperation of the drive motor and the reducer, the lifting device 100 of this disclosure is more compact and minimizes the space occupied on the plane.

[0082] Furthermore, the lifting device 100 can be easily adjusted by changing the length of the linkage assembly according to the size of the AGV chassis, to meet the needs of different load types and lifting heights. Moreover, it can be installed as an independent, integrated structure on different types of AGV chassis, making installation and disassembly convenient.

[0083] Based on the same concept, this disclosure also provides a handling device, which includes the lifting device 100 described in any of the above embodiments. In one embodiment, the handling device may be an automated guided vehicle, a mobile robot, etc., and this disclosure does not limit this. The handling device includes a chassis, and the lifting device 100 is detachably mounted on the chassis. The chassis may be an integrated chassis or a split chassis.

[0084] By configuring the lifting device 100 provided in this disclosure, the area occupied by the chassis of the handling equipment can be minimized, providing more space for the layout and installation of other components, which is conducive to the miniaturization of the automated guided vehicle.

[0085] In addition, the handling equipment can make the objects carried on the carrying device 10 more stable during travel and lifting, thus improving safety.

[0086] However, this disclosure is not limited to this; the handling equipment may also be forklifts, cranes, transport vehicles, handcarts, etc.

[0087] The foregoing description of embodiments of the invention has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. The foregoing description is not exhaustive and is not intended to limit the invention to the exact forms disclosed; various modifications and variations may be made in accordance with the foregoing teachings, or may be derived from the practice of the invention. These embodiments were chosen and described to illustrate the principles of the invention and its practical application, enabling those skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications to suit the particular purpose of the concept.

Claims

1. A lifting device, wherein, The lifting device comprises a linkage and a driving mechanism, wherein: The linkage comprises a linkage and a connecting rod, and the linkage and the connecting rod form a parallelogram linkage; The driving mechanism comprises: a moving block connected with the linkage; a driving motor driving the moving block to move up and down so as to swing the linkage; The driving mechanism further comprises: a gear connected with the output shaft of the driving motor; a rack fixedly connected with the moving block; The gear is engaged with the rack; The driving motor is vertically arranged outside the projection area of the moving block and the linkage in the vertical direction; The driving mechanism further comprises a speed reducer, and the output end of the speed reducer is located below the moving block, The input end of the speed reducer is located below the driving motor and connected with the output shaft of the driving motor.

2. The lifting device according to claim 1, wherein: The linkage comprises a first sub-linkage and a second sub-linkage, and the connecting rod comprises an upper connecting rod and a lower connecting rod; The upper end of the first sub-linkage is hinged with the upper connecting rod, and the lower end is hinged with the lower connecting rod, forming an upper parallelogram linkage; the upper end of the second sub-linkage is hinged with the lower connecting rod, and the lower end is fixedly hinged, forming a lower parallelogram linkage.

3. The lifting device of claim 2, wherein, The first sub-linkage comprises a first upper swing arm and a second upper swing arm, and the second sub-linkage comprises a first lower swing arm and a second lower swing arm; The upper end of the first upper swing arm is hinged with the first end of the upper connecting rod through a first hinge shaft, and the lower end of the first upper swing arm is hinged with one end of the lower connecting rod through a second hinge shaft, The upper end of the second upper swing arm is hinged with the second end of the upper connecting rod through a third hinge shaft, and the lower end of the second upper swing arm is hinged with the other end of the lower connecting rod through a fourth hinge shaft; The upper end of the first lower swing arm is hinged with the first upper swing arm and the lower connecting rod through the second hinge shaft, and the lower end of the first lower swing arm is fixedly hinged, The upper end of the second lower swing arm is hinged with the second upper swing arm and the lower connecting rod through the fourth hinge shaft, and the lower end of the second lower swing arm is fixedly hinged; The moving block is hinged with the first end of the upper connecting rod and the first upper swing arm through the first hinge shaft.

4. The lifting device according to claim 3, wherein: The first sub-linkage, the second sub-linkage, the upper connecting rod and the lower connecting rod are arranged in two groups, forming two groups of left-right symmetrical upper parallelogram linkages and two groups of left-right symmetrical lower parallelogram linkages; The upper connecting rod of the upper parallelogram linkage of the first group is integrally formed with the upper connecting rod of the upper parallelogram linkage of the second group.

5. The lifting device according to claim 3, wherein: The second upper swing arm of the upper parallelogram linkage of the first group is connected with the second upper swing arm of the upper parallelogram linkage of the second group through a first cross rod; The second lower swing arm of the lower parallelogram linkage of the first group is connected with the second lower swing arm of the lower parallelogram linkage of the second group through a second cross rod.

6. The lifting device according to claim 1, wherein, the driving mechanism further comprises a fixed seat, the fixed seat comprises a frame body on both sides of the moving block, the inner surface of the frame body is provided with a slide rail, and both sides of the moving block are respectively in sliding connection with the slide rails.

7. The lifting device according to claim 6, wherein, at least one end of the frame body is provided with a limiting piece.

8. The lifting device according to claim 7, wherein, the fixed seat further comprises a seat body connected between the two frame bodies, and the seat body is located below the moving block; the speed reducer is fixed to the bottom of the seat body; the driving motor is fixed to the front end of the seat body.

9. The lifting device of claim 1, wherein, The lifting device further comprises: a bearing device fixed above the connecting rod set for directly or indirectly bearing the object to be lifted.

10. A handling apparatus wherein, The carrying equipment comprises the lifting device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The handling apparatus of claim 10, wherein, The carrying equipment comprises an automatic guided vehicle or a mobile robot.

Images