Sorting system

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of warehouse logistics equipment, and provides a sorting system. The sorting system at least comprises a sorting machine and multiple seeding mechanisms. The multiple seeding mechanisms are arranged outside the sorting machine, congestion caused by multiple unmanned forklifts is avoided, and work efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of warehousing and logistics equipment, and in particular to a sorting system. Background Art

[0002] In related technologies, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are often used for material sorting. When a large amount of material needs to be sorted, multiple sorting ports are often required, necessitating simultaneous operation of multiple AGVs. This can easily lead to congestion on the sorting path, reducing operational efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Based on this, it is necessary to provide a sorting system to improve operation efficiency.

[0004] The present application provides a sorting system, including:

[0005] a sorter for transferring material along a conveying path; and

[0006] a plurality of seeding mechanisms arranged beside the sorting machine along a conveying path of the sorting machine;

[0007] The sowing mechanism is used to carry the materials output by the sorting machine and sow the materials.

[0008] In one embodiment, the sowing mechanism comprises:

[0009] a seeding assembly, including transfer equipment for conveying material; and

[0010] A driving device, used for driving the sowing assembly to move between a transfer position and a sowing position;

[0011] Wherein, the sowing assembly is in the transfer position, and the transfer device is capable of carrying the materials output from the sorting machine;

[0012] When the sowing assembly is in the sowing position, the transfer device can move out and sow materials.

[0013] In one embodiment, the sowing mechanism further includes a first guide rail and a second guide rail;

[0014] The second guide rail is slidably connected to the first guide rail along a third direction, the transfer device is a conveyor belt, and the conveyor belt is slidably connected to the second guide rail along a fourth direction;

[0015] The driving device is used to drive the conveyor belt to move along the fourth direction on the second guide rail, and to drive the second guide rail to move along the third direction on the first guide rail.

[0016] In one embodiment, the sorting system further comprises a plurality of seed walls, wherein the seed walls are used to store materials;

[0017] Each of the sowing mechanisms is connected between the sorting machine and at least one of the sowing walls to sow the materials output by the sorting machine onto the sowing wall.

[0018] In one embodiment, each of the sowing mechanisms corresponds to two of the sowing walls;

[0019] The two seeding walls are arranged opposite to each other, and the seeding mechanism is located between the two seeding walls.

[0020] In one embodiment, the seed wall includes at least one layer of brackets;

[0021] Each layer of the bracket is used to place at least one material carrier for placing materials.

[0022] In one embodiment, the sorting system further includes a docking mechanism, which is connected between the sorting machine and the sowing mechanism, and is used to carry the materials output by the sorting machine and transfer them to the corresponding sowing mechanism.

[0023] In one embodiment, there are multiple docking mechanisms, each of which corresponds to a sowing mechanism;

[0024] The docking mechanism includes a conveying unit; or, the docking mechanism includes a plurality of conveying units connected in sequence, and the plurality of conveying units are used to sequentially convey the materials output by the sorting machine to the corresponding sowing mechanisms.

[0025] In one embodiment, the docking mechanism includes a first conveying unit and a second conveying unit adjacently arranged along a first direction;

[0026] The first conveying unit is used to transport the materials output by the sorting machine along the first direction; the second conveying unit is used to carry the materials output by the first conveying unit and output them to the corresponding sowing mechanism along the second direction.

[0027] In one embodiment, the material outputted from the sorter to the first conveying unit has a velocity component along the first direction.

[0028] In the above-mentioned sorting system, the sorting system includes at least a sorting machine and multiple seeding mechanisms. By arranging multiple seeding mechanisms outside the sorting machine, congestion caused by using multiple unmanned guided vehicles is avoided, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0029] Additional aspects and advantages of the embodiments of the present application will be given in part in the description below, and in part will become apparent from the description below, or will be learned through practice of the embodiments of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a top view of a sorting system in one embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a side structural diagram of a sorting system in one embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic top view of the structure of the sowing mechanism and the docking mechanism in one embodiment of the present application;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a side structural diagram of the cooperation between the sowing mechanism and the docking mechanism in one embodiment of the present application;

[0034] Figure 5 This is a schematic top view of the structure of a sowing mechanism in a first state in one embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Figure 6 This is a side structural schematic diagram of a sowing mechanism in a first state in one embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a sowing mechanism in one embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a sowing assembly in one embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 9 This is a schematic cross-sectional structural diagram of a sowing assembly in one embodiment of the present application;

[0039] Figure 10 This is a structural diagram of the transfer device and the first blocking member used in conjunction with each other in one embodiment of the present application.

[0040] Brief description of component symbols:

[0041] Sorting machine 100;

[0042] Sowing mechanism 200, sowing assembly 210, transfer device 211, first blocking member 212, second blocking member 213, roller 214, driving member 215, first guide rail 220, second guide rail 230, first driving element 241, second driving element 242;

[0043] Connecting mechanism 300, first conveying unit 310, second conveying unit 320;

[0044] Plantwall 400;

[0045] First direction F1, second direction F2, third direction F3, fourth direction F4, fifth direction F5, width direction W;

[0046] Information code reading device 500;

[0047] Velocity component v1;

[0048] Loading station a, abnormal station b. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the embodiments of the present application. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely used to explain the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. The embodiments of the present application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without violating the connotation of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments of the present application are not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0050] It is understood that the terms "first", "second", etc. used in this application can be used in this article to describe various professional terms, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. However, unless otherwise specified, these professional terms are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one professional term from another professional term. For example, without departing from the scope of this application, the first conveying unit and the second conveying unit are different conveying units, and the first guide rail and the second guide rail are different guide rails. In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the meaning of "multiple" and "several" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0051] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "installed," "connected," "connected," "fixed," and the like should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integration; they may refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they may refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; they may refer to internal communication between two elements or an interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application based on specific circumstances.

[0052] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise expressly 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 that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, a first feature being "above," "above," and "above" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than the horizontal height of the second feature. A first feature being "below," "below," and "below" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the horizontal height of the first feature is lower than the horizontal height of the second feature.

[0053] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be an intermediate element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element.

[0054] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application belongs. The terms used in this application and in the specification of this application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application.

[0055] In the related art, an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) is usually used to sort materials.

[0056] The inventors of this application have noticed that when a large amount of materials need to be sorted, there are many sorting ports, and multiple automated guided vehicles are required to work simultaneously. As a result, multiple automated guided vehicles are prone to congestion on the sorting path, which reduces sorting efficiency and thus affects work efficiency.

[0057] Based on this, the embodiment of the present application improves the layout and sorting method of the sorting system. Its layout can avoid interference between the devices in the sorting system. At the same time, its sorting method can further improve the sorting efficiency and thus improve the operating efficiency.

[0058] The following describes the sorting system provided in the embodiments of the present application in combination with the relevant descriptions of some embodiments.

[0059] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a top view of a sorting system in one embodiment of the present application is shown; Figure 2 A side structural diagram of a sorting system in one embodiment of the present application is shown; for ease of explanation, only the parts related to the embodiment of the present application are shown.

[0060] Please refer to Figure 1 An embodiment of the present application provides a sorting system, which includes a sorting machine 100, a plurality of sowing mechanisms 200, and a docking mechanism 300. The sorting machine 100 is used to transfer materials along a conveying path. The plurality of sowing mechanisms 200 are arranged beside the sorting machine 100 along the conveying path of the sorting machine 100. In some embodiments, there are a plurality of docking mechanisms 300, each of which is connected between the sorting machine 100 and a corresponding sowing mechanism 200. The docking mechanism 300 is used to carry the materials output from the sorting machine 100 and transfer them to the corresponding sowing mechanism 200. The sowing mechanism 200 is used to sow the materials transferred by the docking mechanism 300.

[0061] It should be noted that the conveying path can be closed or open. A closed-loop conveying path means that the end of the conveying path is connected. The conveying path can be rectangular, circular, elliptical, or a combination of curved and straight lines, etc. A closed-loop conveying path means that the end of the conveying path is not connected. The conveying path can be straight, curved, or other shapes. This can be set according to needs and is not specifically limited in the embodiments of this application.

[0062] As an embodiment, the conveying path of the sorting machine 100 can be set to a closed loop shape, so that the sorting machine 100 can transfer materials in an orderly manner on its closed loop conveying path. Figure 1The diagram shows a situation where the conveying path is composed of two arc sections and two straight lines, and the connecting mechanisms 300 are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the straight path in the conveying path. The sides of the sorting machine 100 are defined by the outer side of the closed-loop conveying path. The sorting machine 100 transfers materials along its closed-loop conveying path. In other words, after the material enters the sorting machine 100, it moves along the closed-loop conveying path. The output action of the sorting machine 100 can allow the material to move to the corresponding connecting mechanism 300, and the connecting mechanism 300 carries the material through a receiving action. The transfer action of the connecting mechanism 300 can allow the material to move to the corresponding sowing mechanism 200. The sowing mechanism 200 will sow the material according to the storage location of the material. In this way, through the closed-loop conveying path, space can be used more effectively and work efficiency can be further improved.

[0063] Thus, by coordinating multiple seeding mechanisms 200 outside the sorting machine 100, each seeding mechanism 200 independently performs seeding operations, thereby avoiding the congestion caused by the use of multiple unmanned guided vehicles. Furthermore, the provision of a docking mechanism 300 for buffering allows for adaptability to different sorting machine 100 output speeds and temporary storage of materials. Furthermore, since the docking mechanism 300 carries materials through a receiving action, the number of operational steps is further reduced. Thus, by changing the layout and sorting method, the sorting efficiency of the sorting system is improved, thereby enhancing operational efficiency.

[0064] It should be noted that the above diagram illustrates a scenario in which a docking mechanism 300 is provided between the sorting machine 100 and the multiple seeding mechanisms 200. Of course, the docking mechanism 300 can also be omitted, and multiple seeding mechanisms 200 can be arranged directly alongside the sorting machine 100. It is understood that when the docking mechanism 300 is not used, the seeding mechanisms 200 directly receive and seed the material output by the sorting machine 100. Whether or not to provide the docking mechanism 300 can be determined based on actual circumstances, and this embodiment of the present application does not impose any specific limitations on this.

[0065] Figure 3 A schematic top view of the structure of the sowing mechanism 200 and the docking mechanism 300 in one embodiment of the present application is shown; for ease of explanation, only the parts related to the embodiment of the present application are shown.

[0066] The inventors of this application have found that in order to improve the efficiency of the operation on the basis of better adapting to the output speed of different sorting machines 100, in some embodiments, please refer to Figure 3 , and combined with reference Figure 1The docking mechanism 300 includes multiple sequentially connected conveyor units, which are used to sequentially convey materials output by the sorting machine 100 to the corresponding seeding mechanism 200. Of course, in other embodiments, the docking mechanism 300 may also include a single conveyor unit. In other words, the number of conveyor units can be set based on the output speed of the sorting machine 100 and the seeding speed of the seeding mechanism 200. In this way, multiple conveyor units can be used to implement the transfer and buffering functions of the docking mechanism 300.

[0067] In order to realize the aforementioned transfer function and cache function while reducing the overall footprint of the sorting system, in some embodiments, please refer to Figure 3 The docking mechanism 300 includes a first conveying unit 310 and a second conveying unit 320 arranged adjacent to each other along a first direction F1. The first conveying unit 310 is used to transport the materials output by the sorting machine 100 along the first direction F1. The second conveying unit 320 is used to carry the materials output by the first conveying unit 310 and output them to the seeding mechanism 200 corresponding to the docking mechanism 300 along the second direction F2. The first direction F1 and the second direction F2 are perpendicular to each other. In other words, by providing two conveying units (i.e., the first conveying unit 310 and the second conveying unit 320) and arranging their transmission directions perpendicularly, it is possible to reduce the floor space while achieving a buffering function to ensure the sorting process. In other words, for different sorting systems, under the condition of having the same floor space, the sorting systems in some embodiments provided in this application can utilize their compact layout to achieve a more efficient operation mode. At the same time, since the first conveying unit 310 and the second conveying unit 320 both carry materials by taking over the action, the operation process can be further reduced and the sorting efficiency can be improved. Of course, in other embodiments, the transmission direction of the first transmission unit 310 and the transmission direction of the second transmission unit 320 may also be set at other angles, which can be selected according to actual conditions, and the embodiments of the present application do not specifically limit this.

[0068] In order to further utilize the transmission action of the first transmission unit 310, in some embodiments, please continue to refer to Figure 1 , and combined with reference Figure 3, the materials delivered by the sorter 100 to the first conveyor unit 310 have a velocity component v1 along the first direction F1. Because the sorter 100 generates a force in the transfer direction when transferring materials along the conveying path of the sorter 100, when the materials are delivered from the sorter 100, inertia causes the materials to have not only the original velocity in the transfer direction but also the velocity in the direction from the sorter 100 to the first conveyor unit 310. When the original velocity in the transfer direction is aligned with the first direction F1, it not only facilitates the first conveyor unit 310 to receive materials but also allows for better utilization of the conveying action of the first conveyor unit 310.

[0069] It should be noted that the multiple conveying units can be the same device or different devices. Alternatively, the conveying speeds configured for the multiple conveying units can be the same, different, or not completely the same. For example, in some embodiments, the conveying unit can be a conveyor belt. Since the greater the conveying speed, the farther the material can be thrown. Therefore, based on different materials, the conveyor belt can be configured to have different conveying speeds to achieve the output of the material to different locations. For another example, for Figure 3 As for the first conveying unit 310 and the second conveying unit 320 shown in the figure, the conveying speeds configured for the first conveying unit 310 and the second conveying unit 320 can be the same or different, and can be configured according to the specific sorted materials and the sorting process. The embodiment of the present application does not make any specific restrictions on this.

[0070] The inventors of this application further discovered that in the related art, after the carrier device of the seeding mechanism receives material and moves the carrier device to the seeding position, the carrier device needs to be rotated to unload the material to complete the seeding. When the carrier device of the seeding mechanism receives the next material, the carrier device needs to be rotated again to return to its original position. This process requires many steps, resulting in low seeding efficiency, which in turn affects the operating efficiency of the sorting system.

[0071] In order to further improve the efficiency of the work, please continue to refer to Figure 2 , and combined with reference Figure 1 and Figure 3In some embodiments, the sowing mechanism 200 includes a sowing assembly 210 and a drive mechanism. The sowing assembly 210 includes a transfer device 211 for transporting material. The drive mechanism is configured to drive the transfer device 211 between a transfer position and a sowing position. When the sowing assembly 210 is in the transfer position, the transfer device 211 can receive material delivered from the docking mechanism 300. When the sowing assembly 210 is in the sowing position, the transfer device 211 can move out and sow the material. During this process, after receiving material at the transfer position, the transfer device 211 is driven by the drive mechanism to the sowing assembly 210 to the sowing position, where the force generated between the transfer device 211 and the material is used to sow the material. The sowing assembly 210 can continue to be driven by the drive mechanism to the transfer position, where it can continue to receive material. Because the transfer device 211 in the sowing assembly 210 carries material by receiving it and sows the material by the force generated between the transfer device 211 and the material, the number of steps can be reduced. In this way, the motion characteristics of the sowing assembly 210 are utilized to avoid multiple processes, improve sowing efficiency, and thus improve work efficiency. It should be noted that the speed configuration of the transfer device 211 can be determined according to the material, and the transfer device 211 can be configured to move back and forth in one direction or to move in one direction. The selection can be based on actual conditions and is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the application.

[0072] In some embodiments, when the sowing assembly 210 is in the transfer position, the transfer device 211 operates at a first speed; when the sowing assembly 210 is in the sowing position, the transfer device 211 operates at a second speed to move material from the transfer device 211 for sowing. For example, the first speed can be set to be less than the second speed, or the first speed can be set to be equal to the second speed, etc. In this way, the first speed and the second speed can be selectively configured according to the desired sowing process to achieve the material sowing process.

[0073] It should be noted that the first speed and the second speed are set according to the characteristics of the material (such as size, weight, etc.). When in the transfer position, the first speed needs to ensure that the material is located on the transfer device 211, and when in the sowing position, the second speed needs to ensure that the material can be moved out of the transfer device 211 for sowing. When moving from the transfer position to the sowing position, the operating speed of the transfer device 211 can be gradually changed or directly changed. For example, when the operating speed of the transfer device 211 changes from the first speed to the second speed, it can be the first speed before the transfer device 211 reaches the sowing position, and the second speed after the transfer device 211 reaches the sowing position. It can also be increased at the first speed before the transfer device 211 reaches the sowing position, and increased to the second speed when it reaches the sowing position. When moving from the sowing position to the transfer position, the operating speed of the transfer device 211 can be gradually changed or directly changed. For details, please refer to the aforementioned process from the transfer position to the sowing position. The difference is that the operating speed of the transfer device 211 needs to be reduced, which will not be described in detail here. In some embodiments, the first speed is zero. That is, when the transfer device 211 reaches the transfer position, the transfer device 211 can be configured to be inoperative and only receive material. During the process from the transfer position to the sowing position, the transfer device 211 remains inoperative to prevent material from falling from the transfer device 211. Of course, in other embodiments, the first speed can also be configured to be the same as the second speed. After the transfer device 211 receives material, the transfer device 211 can be decelerated, and after reaching the sowing position, the speed can be increased to the second speed to remove the material. Therefore, as long as the sowing process can be carried out, the embodiments of the present application are not specifically limited to this.

[0074] Figure 4 A side structural diagram of the cooperation between the sowing mechanism 200 and the docking mechanism 300 in one embodiment of the present application is shown; Figure 5 FIG2 shows a schematic top view of the sowing mechanism 200 in a first state in one embodiment of the present application; Figure 6 A schematic side view of the sowing mechanism 200 in a first state in one embodiment of the present application is shown; Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a seeding mechanism 200 in one embodiment of the present application is shown; for ease of explanation, only the parts related to the embodiment of the present application are shown.

[0075] For details about some embodiments, please refer to Figures 4 to 7 , and combined with reference Figure 1 and Figure 3The sowing mechanism 200 further includes a first guide rail 220 and a second guide rail 230. The second guide rail 230 is slidably connected to the first guide rail 220 along a third direction F3, and the transfer device 211 is slidably connected to the second guide rail 230 along a fourth direction F4. The third direction F3 and the fourth direction F4 are perpendicular to each other. The driving device is used to drive the transfer device 211 to move along the fourth direction F4 on the second guide rail 230, and to drive the second guide rail 230 to move along the third direction F3 on the first guide rail 220. For example, Figure 3 The diagram shows two action positions of the sowing assembly 210 in the third direction F3, namely the transport position and the sowing position. It is understood that for ease of explanation, Figure 3 The two sowing components 210 are shown to correspond to the two action positions. Figure 3 The diagram shows two states of the sowing assembly 110. Thus, the position of the sowing assembly 210 can be defined by movement in two directions, enabling movement of the sowing assembly 210 between the transfer position and the sowing position. Alternatively, the transport direction of the transport device 211 in the sowing assembly 210 can be configured as a fifth direction F5, with the fifth direction F5, the third direction F3, and the fourth direction F4 being perpendicular to each other. This creates a three-dimensional motion structure for the sowing mechanism 200, resulting in a more compact structure and easier control of the motion trajectory of the sowing mechanism 200.

[0076] It should be noted that the first direction F1, the second direction F2, the third direction F3, the fourth direction F4 and the fifth direction F5 can be set according to actual use requirements. Figure 1 、 Figure 3 and Figure 7 As an example, and combined with reference Figures 4 to 6 , illustrating a situation where the first direction F1 and the second direction F2 are perpendicular to each other, the third direction F3, the fourth direction F4 and the fifth direction F5 are perpendicular to each other, the second direction F2 and the third direction F3 are parallel to each other, and the first direction F1 and the fifth direction F5 are parallel to each other. In this way, a tangential arrangement of multiple sowing mechanisms 200 perpendicular to the closed-loop conveying path of the sorting machine 100 and a compact structural arrangement between the connecting mechanisms 300 can be obtained, which can improve work efficiency while reducing the floor space. Of course, in other embodiments, the sowing mechanism 200 can also be arranged at an acute angle to the sorting machine 100, and correspondingly, the connecting mechanism 300 can also be arranged at an acute angle to the sorting machine 100. In yet other embodiments, a plurality of sowing mechanisms 200 can be respectively arranged on at least one side of the sorting machine 100. When a plurality of sowing mechanisms 200 are respectively arranged on at least two sides of the sorting machine 100, the number of sowing mechanisms 200 on each side can be the same or different. For example, Figure 1The diagram shows a situation where eight seeding mechanisms 200 are respectively provided on opposite sides of the sorting machine 100. The seeding mechanisms 200 can be arranged according to actual use requirements, and the embodiment of the present application does not make any specific limitation to this.

[0077] It should also be noted that the drive device can be an integrated drive device or a split drive device. For example, Figure 7 It illustrates a situation where a first driving element 241 is provided on the first guide rail 220 and a second driving element 242 is provided on the second guide rail 230. In this case, the first guide rail 220 and the first driving element 241 can be integrated into the structural form of a linear module, and the second guide rail 230 and the second driving element 242 can also be integrated into the structural form of a linear module. The first driving element 241 and the second driving element 242 can be motors or other driving structures, and the motors can be stepper motors or servo motors. Of course, other structural forms such as the structural form of a slider and a guide rail, the structural form of a ball screw, etc. can also be used to achieve linear reciprocating motion, and this embodiment of the application does not specifically limit this. Continue with Figure 7 For example, Figure 7 The diagram illustrates a situation where the first guide rail 220 is disposed on the upper side of the second guide rail 230 . Of course, the first guide rail 220 may also be disposed on the lower side of the second guide rail 230 , and this embodiment of the present application does not specifically limit this.

[0078] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a sowing assembly 210 in one embodiment of the present application is shown; Figure 9 A cross-sectional structural diagram of a sowing assembly 210 in one embodiment of the present application is shown; Figure 10 A schematic structural diagram of the transfer device 211 and the first blocking member 212 used in conjunction with each other in one embodiment of the present application is shown; for ease of explanation, only the parts related to the embodiment of the present application are shown.

[0079] In order to further achieve accurate control of the sowing action of the sowing mechanism 200, in some embodiments, please refer to Figures 8 to 10The transfer device 211 can be a conveyor belt. The sowing assembly 210 also includes two first blocking members 212, spaced apart on the transfer device 211 along the transfer direction (i.e., the fifth direction F5) of the transfer device 211. When the sowing assembly 210 is in the transfer position, the two first blocking members 212 are located on the same side of the conveying plane of the transfer device 211, blocking material that has entered the transfer device 211 and preventing it from being removed from the transfer device 211. When the sowing assembly 210 is in the sowing position, the upstream first blocking member 212 and the downstream first blocking member 212 are located on different sides of the conveying plane of the transfer device 211 along the transfer direction of the transfer device 211, respectively, to facilitate removal of material from the transfer device 211. In some embodiments, the two first blocking members 212 are bonded to the transfer device 211. Of course, the first blocking members 212 can also be secured to the transfer device 211 by other means, such as plugging, and this embodiment of the present application is not particularly limited thereto.

[0080] It should be noted that Figure 10 For example, the schematic diagram shows the situation where the two first blocking members 212 are located on the upper side of the conveying plane of the transfer device 211, which is one of the situations included in "the two first blocking members 212 are located on the same side of the conveying plane of the transfer device 211". Figure 10 For example, the first blocking member 212 located upstream is the first blocking member 212 on the left side of the figure, and the first blocking member 212 located downstream is the first blocking member 212 on the right side of the figure. When the first blocking member 212 located on the left side is located on the upper side of the transfer device 211 (i.e., the upper side of the conveying plane), and the first blocking member 212 located on the right side is located on the right side or lower side of the transfer device 211 (i.e., the lower side of the conveying plane), it is one of the situations included in "the first blocking member 212 located upstream and the first blocking member 212 located downstream are respectively located on different sides of the conveying plane of the transfer device 211." Of course, the spacing between the two first blocking members 212 can be set according to the actual situation of the material to meet the use requirements, and this embodiment of the application does not specifically limit this.

[0081] As the transfer device 211 operates, the upstream first blocker 212 and the downstream first blocker 212 are located on different sides of the transfer device 211's conveying plane. The upstream first blocker 212 can block slipping material, while the downstream first blocker 212 can avoid the material. This prevents the transfer device 211 from shifting during operation, which could affect the material's trajectory. This allows for more accurate control of the sowing process, ensuring an orderly sowing operation. This, in turn, ensures sowing efficiency through orderliness.

[0082] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 8 The sowing assembly 210 further includes two second blocking members 213. These second blocking members 213 are positioned oppositely on either side of the conveyor belt along the width direction W of the transfer device 211. The width direction W of the transfer device 211 is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the transfer device 211. This further enhances control over the material's position, preventing it from shifting on the transfer device 211 and enabling more accurate control of the sowing process.

[0083] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 8 and Figure 9 The sowing assembly 210 further includes two rotatable rollers 214 disposed opposite each other and a drive member 215. The transport device 211 is mounted on the two rollers 214. The drive member 215 is drivingly connected to one of the rollers 214, thereby enabling the transport device 211 to move with the aid of the two rollers 214. Optionally, the drive member 215 can be configured as a motor. In this manner, the transport device 211 can be operated by the drive mechanism of the drive member 215 and the rollers 214.

[0084] In order to further improve the working efficiency, in some embodiments, please continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2The sorting system also includes multiple seeding walls 400 for storing materials. Each seeding mechanism 200 is connected between a corresponding docking mechanism 300 and at least one seeding wall 400 to sow materials transferred by the docking mechanism 300 onto the seeding wall 400. Optionally, the seeding wall 400 includes at least one layer of brackets, each layer of brackets being used to hold at least one material carrier. In some embodiments, the material carriers are open-topped turnover boxes for convenient material storage. Specifically, in some embodiments, each seeding mechanism 200 corresponds to two seeding walls 400. The two seeding walls 400 are positioned opposite each other, with the seeding mechanism 200 located between the two seeding walls 400. This provides more seeding openings, facilitates continuous operation, and improves the efficiency of the sorting system. For example, in the aforementioned embodiments, where the seeding mechanism 200 includes a first guide rail 220 and a second guide rail 230, seeding walls 400 may be positioned on both sides of the first guide rail 220 along the third direction F3. Because the transfer device 211 in the sowing assembly 210 can be configured for bidirectional movement, that is, it can move in the fifth direction F5 and in a direction opposite to the fifth direction F5, the transfer device 211 of the sowing assembly 210 can drop material from one end into the turnover box of the sowing wall 400 on either side of the first guide rail 220. This further increases the number of sowing openings, improves the operating efficiency of the sowing mechanism 200, and reduces the footprint of the sowing mechanism 200. In some embodiments, each sowing mechanism 200 may correspond to one or more sowing walls 400, which may be fixed or movable.

[0085] In some embodiments, the sorting machine 100 includes one of a cross-belt sorting machine, a tilting tray sorting machine, a sliding block sorting machine, a baffle sorting machine, a belt float-out sorting machine, a roller float-out sorting machine, and a slat tilting sorting machine. Figure 1 For example, the sorting machine 100 is illustrated as a tilting slat sorting machine. Materials are placed on various sorting carts within the tilting slat sorting machine for transport. When the materials arrive at the corresponding docking mechanism 300, the flip doors of the sorting carts can be opened, allowing the materials on the sorting carts to automatically slide onto the docking mechanism 300. The actual sorting machine 100 used is not limited to the aforementioned types of sorting machines. Any type of sorting machine can be configured according to actual needs as long as it has the function of transporting and sorting materials. This embodiment of the present application does not impose any specific limitations on this.

[0086] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 1Along the conveying path of the sorting machine 100, the outside of the sorting machine 100 is also provided with a loading station a for placing materials on the sorting machine 100 and an abnormal station b for outputting abnormal materials. The sorting machine 100 is provided with an information code reading device 500, and correspondingly, an information tag is provided on the material. The information tag contains the basic information of the material. In this way, loading can be carried out by setting personnel or related equipment (not shown in the figure) at the loading station a, and by setting a receiving device (not shown in the figure) at the abnormal station b, with the help of the information code reading device 500 to identify the material, the sorting machine 100 can output abnormal materials (such as incorrectly loaded materials or damaged materials, etc.) to the receiving device according to its feedback signal, thereby ensuring the smooth operation of the overall sorting system. Figure 1 The diagram illustrates a situation where two loading stations a and two abnormal stations b are provided. Of course, other numbers of loading stations a and abnormal stations b may also be provided based on usage requirements, and this embodiment of the present application does not impose any specific limitations on this. Optionally, the industrial control system of the sorting system may be controlled by a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) to achieve coordination between the various components of the sorting system. Of course, a combination of a host computer and a slave computer may also be used to control the actions of the sorting system.

[0087] In combination with the relevant contents of some of the above embodiments, Figure 1 Taking for example, the action flow steps of the sorting system provided in the embodiment of the present application are exemplarily described.

[0088] S110, loading materials to be sorted onto the sorting machine 100 at loading station a;

[0089] S120: The sorting machine 100 moves the material to the position of the information code reading device 500. The information code reading device 500 reads the information label of the material to obtain the basic information of the material.

[0090] S130. If the information code reading device 500 determines that the basic information of the material is correct, the upper computer (not shown) feeds back the control signal allocated to the position where the docking mechanism 300 is located to the sorting machine 100 based on the basic information of the material and the order content. If the information code reading device 500 determines that the basic information of the material is incorrect, the sorting machine 100 transfers the material to the abnormal station b for rejection based on the feedback signal. The rejected material is manually judged and reloaded after being processed.

[0091] S140: When the sorting machine 100 transfers the material to the position where the connecting mechanism 300 is provided, the sowing mechanism 200 moves to the transfer position, the sorting machine 100 outputs the material to the connecting mechanism 300, and the connecting mechanism 300 transfers the material to the sowing mechanism 200;

[0092] S150, the sowing mechanism 200 sows the received materials to the corresponding positions on the sowing wall 400 according to the task instructions of the host computer;

[0093] S160. When the seeding wall 400 is fully seeded, the host computer sends a prompt message, and the seeding wall 400 is manually pulled out to package the materials for shipment.

[0094] In summary, in the sorting system provided in the embodiment of the present application, the sorting system includes at least a sorting machine 100, a plurality of sowing mechanisms 200, a plurality of docking mechanisms 300, and a plurality of sowing walls 400. The sorting machine 100 moves along a closed-loop conveying path, and the docking mechanism 300 is connected between the sorting machine 100 and the sowing mechanism 200. By setting the conveying path of the sorting machine 100 in a closed-loop shape and coordinating the arrangement of a plurality of sowing mechanisms 200 on the outside of the sorting machine 100, each sowing mechanism 200 is arranged between two adjacent sowing walls 400, and operates in an orderly manner, congestion caused by the use of multiple unmanned guided vehicles is avoided. Since a docking mechanism 300 for caching is provided, it can adapt to different output speeds of the sorting machine 100. Since the sowing assembly 210 of the sowing mechanism 200 includes a transfer device 211 and the transmission unit of the docking mechanism 300 can also be configured as a conveyor belt, the kinematic characteristics of the conveyor belt can be utilized to avoid multiple steps. Furthermore, by providing a blocking member in the sowing assembly 210, the material sowing process can be controlled. Furthermore, since one sowing mechanism 200 corresponds to two sowing walls 400, the bidirectional transmission characteristics of the transfer device 211 can further fully utilize the sowing mechanism 200 and expand the storage and sorting space for materials. Thus, through the interaction between these components, the sorting system improves operational efficiency.

[0095] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0096] The above-described embodiments merely represent several implementation methods of the present application. While the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art could make various modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present application, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present patent application shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A sorting system, characterized in that: include: A sorting machine, the sorting machine is used to transfer materials along a conveying path, and the conveying path of the sorting machine is set in a closed loop shape; a plurality of seeding mechanisms arranged beside the sorting machine along a conveying path of the sorting machine; as well as A plurality of docking mechanisms, each of which is connected between the sorting machine and one of the sowing mechanisms, and is used to carry the materials output from the sorting machine through the output action of the sorting machine and transfer them to the corresponding sowing mechanism through a receiving action; Each of the connecting mechanisms includes a first conveying unit and a second conveying unit adjacently arranged along a first direction, wherein the first conveying unit is used to convey the materials output by the sorting machine along the first direction; the second conveying unit is used to carry the materials output by the first conveying unit through a receiving action and output them to the corresponding sowing mechanism along a second direction, wherein the first direction is different from the second direction; The sowing mechanism includes a sowing assembly and a driving device, the driving device is used to drive the sowing assembly to move along the third direction and the fourth direction, and the sowing assembly is capable of moving between a transfer position and a sowing position; the sowing assembly includes a transfer device for conveying materials, and two first blocking members, the transfer device is a conveyor belt; the two first blocking members are arranged at intervals along the conveying direction of the transfer device and fixed to the transfer device, the sowing assembly is in the transfer position, the transfer device can carry materials output from the sorting machine, the two first blocking members are located on the same side of the conveying plane of the transfer device, blocking the materials running to the transfer device to prevent the materials from moving out of the transfer device; the sowing assembly is in the sowing position, the transfer device can move out and sow materials, and along the conveying direction of the transfer device, the first blocking member located upstream and the first blocking member located downstream are respectively located on different sides of the conveying plane of the transfer device, so that materials can be moved out of the transfer device.

2. The sorting system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sowing mechanism further includes a first guide rail and a second guide rail; The second guide rail is slidably connected to the first guide rail along the third direction, and the conveyor belt is slidably connected to the second guide rail along the fourth direction; The driving device is used to drive the conveyor belt to move along the fourth direction on the second guide rail, and to drive the second guide rail to move along the third direction on the first guide rail.

3. The sorting system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sorting system further comprises a plurality of seed walls, wherein the seed walls are used to store materials; Each of the sowing mechanisms is connected between the sorting machine and at least one of the sowing walls to sow the materials output by the sorting machine onto the sowing wall.

4. The sorting system according to claim 3, characterized in that: Each of the sowing mechanisms corresponds to two of the sowing walls; The two seeding walls are arranged opposite to each other, and the seeding mechanism is located between the two seeding walls.

5. The sorting system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The seed wall includes at least one layer of brackets; Each layer of the bracket is used to place at least one material carrier for placing materials.

6. The sorting system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material outputted by the sorter to the first conveying unit has a velocity component along the first direction.

7. The sorting system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other.

8. The sorting system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: Along the conveying path of the sorting machine, a loading station for placing materials on the sorting machine and an abnormal station for outputting abnormal materials are also provided on the outside of the sorting machine.

9. The sorting system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The sorting system further comprises an information code reading device provided on the sorting machine, and the information code reading device is used for identifying materials.

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