An intelligent picking gantry that supports single-category and multi-category picking

Abstract

The present invention relates to an intelligent picking gantry that supports single-category and multi-category picking. The gantry frame is composed of a gantry frame, a material bin docking mechanism, and a distribution tray docking mechanism. The gantry frame has a ceiling rail, a floor rail, and columns on both sides. The material bin docking mechanism is composed of columns and a material bin actuator. The upper and lower ends of the columns are connected to the ceiling rail and the floor rail of the gantry frame. The distribution tray docking mechanism is composed of columns and a distribution tray actuator. The upper and lower ends of the columns are connected to the ceiling rail and the floor rail of the gantry frame. The material bin actuator is used to process a single material bin for feeding and picking a single part; the distribution tray docking mechanism is used to process multiple distribution trays composed of multiple material bins for picking multiple parts. The intelligent picking gantry of the present invention has a simple structure, direct functions, low cost, convenient assembly, short construction period, can be flexibly expanded according to the picking business volume, modular design, and can be infinitely expanded. The intelligent picking gantry improves picking efficiency, based on machine feeding efficiency and with manual picking as the maximum efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of automobile logistics picking, and in particular relates to an intelligent picking gantry that supports single-category picking and multi-category picking. Background Art

[0002] With the increasing level of automotive customization, the variety and similarity of auto parts are increasing. This places higher demands on the efficiency and accuracy of picking in the SPS single-vehicle delivery model. Traditional picking methods involve placing the parts to be picked at designated locations, manually dragging a logistics cart to the parts storage location, verifying the parts information on the parts board, and then picking according to the order quantity after confirming the specific part information. This results in low picking efficiency. Due to the high similarity of parts, there are many errors and omissions, resulting in low picking accuracy. Pickers also face long walking times, heavy workloads, and high labor costs due to the large number of parts.

[0003] In order to improve picking efficiency, new intelligent equipment has been introduced in the industry, mainly in two directions: one is instruction picking based on the arrival of people, and the other is picking based on the arrival of goods.

[0004] Picking by light is a typical example of human-directed picking. Electronic tags are installed on parts shelves or locations, and light indicates the location of the parts to be picked. This reduces the time spent on repeatedly verifying part information and improves picking efficiency and accuracy. However, because operators still need to walk a lot, picking efficiency has not been significantly improved.

[0005] Goods-to-person picking is typically implemented in the industry using smart vending machines and KIVA-like AGVs. While smart vending machines offer the advantages of flexible layout and eliminate the need for pickers to move around, their costs remain high, with even a moderately large-scale picking scenario requiring an investment of over one million yuan. KIVA-like AGVs offer greater flexibility, using warehouse flat racks as picking windows. While suitable for full-case picking, individual parts require a reserved height, resulting in poor space utilization and inconvenience.

[0006] In summary, under the current SPS (Single-Vehicle Delivery) model of automotive logistics, auto parts picking operators must manually sort large and small parts from multiple categories onto a single logistics cart within a specified timeframe, based on order requirements. Picking is no longer done at the case level, but down to the individual part level. Accurate part identification is also required, raising the bar for operators. Furthermore, the picking cycle must align with the production cycle, typically within one minute, placing even higher demands on picking efficiency. Picking errors require an urgent response, increasing the complexity of the process and placing even higher demands on picking accuracy. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an intelligent picking gantry that supports single-category picking and simultaneous picking of multiple categories. Through the use of the intelligent picking gantry and the coordination of upstream and downstream intelligent equipment, a closed process loop for intelligent picking of automotive parts is formed to solve the problems of low picking efficiency and picking accuracy in automobile logistics.

[0008] The purpose of the present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0009] An intelligent picking gantry that supports single-category and multi-category picking, consisting of a gantry frame, a bin docking mechanism, and a tray docking mechanism;

[0010] The gantry frame comprises a ceiling rail, a floor rail and columns on both sides;

[0011] The bin docking mechanism consists of a column and a bin actuator. The upper and lower ends of the column are connected to the ceiling rail and floor rail of the gantry frame, and the column can slide smoothly on the floor rail. The bin actuator is embedded in the column and can slide smoothly with the column to correspond to different bin positions of the KLT storage flat rack. It can also slide up and down along the column. The bin actuator is used to handle a single bin for feeding and picking individual parts.

[0012] The tray docking mechanism consists of a column and a tray actuator; the upper and lower ends of the column are connected to the ceiling rail and the ground rail of the gantry frame, and the column can slide smoothly on the ground rail; the tray actuator is embedded in the column and can correspond to different tray positions of the KLT storage flat rack while sliding smoothly with the column; it can also slide up and down in the direction of the column; the tray actuator transfers the entire tray from the KLT storage high-level rack to the actuator, and then docks with the picking platform to transfer the tray to the picking platform. The tray actuator is used to process multiple trays consisting of multiple material boxes and pick multiple parts.

[0013] Furthermore, the door frame is in the shape of a rectangle.

[0014] Furthermore, the length of the overhead rail and the ground rail should be able to dock two KLT storage high-level material racks, and the height should be higher than the KLT storage high-level material rack. The extra height can accommodate the material box docking mechanism and the distribution tray docking mechanism.

[0015] Furthermore, the material box actuator is designed in a shuttle manner, and the shuttle on the material box actuator can move left and right within a certain length, and the range of movement covers the long side of a high-level material rack in the storage.

[0016] Furthermore, the shuttle on the material box execution structure can handle 400mm material boxes, can handle at least 660mm in depth, and can handle two double-deep cargo positions in the front and rear.

[0017] Furthermore, the mechanical mechanism on the plate actuator extends to the U-shaped mechanism under the plate, buckles the U-shaped mechanism, and pulls the entire plate onto the two crawlers of the plate actuator. After reaching a certain position, the mechanical mechanism sinks, and the crawlers operate to transport the entire plate to the plate actuator.

[0018] Furthermore, when docking with the picking platform, the crawler belt rotates and docks with the power roller on the picking platform to transfer the distribution tray to the picking platform.

[0019] Furthermore, the size of the matching disk docking mechanism matches the matching disk, and the matching disk actuator has a load-bearing capacity of 75 kg.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0021] The intelligent picking gantry of the present invention is an innovative customized design adapted to the intelligent picking of automobile logistics SPS, with a simple structure and direct functions. Compared with other intelligent picking cabinets and storage and distribution integrated three-dimensional warehouses, the cost of the intelligent picking gantry is greatly reduced. The intelligent picking gantry is easy to install and assemble on site, and the construction period is short. It can be flexibly expanded according to the picking business volume, with a modular design and unlimited expansion. The intelligent picking gantry doubles the picking efficiency, based on the machine feeding efficiency and with manual picking as the maximum efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only illustrate certain embodiments of the present invention and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other relevant drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0023] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the intelligent picking gantry structure;

[0024] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the intelligent picking system structure;

[0025] Figure 3 SPS intelligent picking operation flow chart;

[0026] Figure 4 Detailed flow chart of intelligent picking;

[0027] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the material box docking mechanism;

[0028] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the material box execution structure;

[0029] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the material box structure;

[0030] Figure 8 Diagram of the panel docking mechanism style;

[0031] Figure 9 Organizational extension diagram;

[0032] Figure 10 Institutional retraction diagram;

[0033] Figure 11 Matching diagram. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with embodiment:

[0035] like Figure 1 As shown, the present invention supports an intelligent picking gantry for single-category and multi-category picking, which consists of three parts: a gantry frame, a material box docking mechanism, and a tray docking mechanism, and can achieve fast and accurate picking at the parts level.

[0036] The gantry frame is rectangular in shape and features overhead rails, floor rails, and two side columns. The overhead and floor rails are long enough to dock two KLT high-level storage racks. The height is higher than the KLT high-level storage racks. The extra height accommodates the docking mechanism for the material bins and the tray, allowing them to operate independently without interference.

[0037] The bin docking mechanism consists of a column and a bin actuator; the bin actuator is designed as a shuttle. The upper and lower ends of the column are connected to the overhead and floor rails of the gantry frame, and the column can slide smoothly on the floor rails. The bin actuator is embedded in the column and can smoothly slide with the column to correspond to different bin positions on the KLT storage flat rack; it can also slide up and down in the direction of the column. The shuttle on the bin actuator can move left and right within a certain length, and its range of movement covers the long side of a storage high-level rack.

[0038] The container types handled include T6428, T6414, T4328, and T4314. The shuttle on the container execution structure can handle 400mm containers, at least 660mm in depth, and can handle two double-deep cargo locations in the front and back.

[0039] The material box actuator is used to process a single material box, perform material feeding and single part picking.

[0040] The pallet docking mechanism consists of a column and a pallet actuator. The upper and lower ends of the column are connected to the overhead and floor rails of the gantry frame, allowing the column to slide smoothly on the floor rails. The pallet actuator is embedded in the column and can smoothly slide with the column to correspond to different pallet positions on the KLT storage flat racks; it can also slide up and down along the column. The pallet actuator transfers the entire pallet from the KLT storage high-level rack to the actuator, which then docks with the picking platform and transfers the pallet to the picking platform.

[0041] The mechanical mechanism on the tray actuator extends to the U-shaped mechanism below the tray, latches onto the U-shaped mechanism, and pulls the entire tray onto the two crawler belts of the tray actuator. After reaching a certain position, the mechanical mechanism sinks, and the crawler belts rotate to transport the entire tray to the tray actuator. When docking with the picking platform, the crawler belts rotate and dock with the powered rollers on the picking platform, moving the tray to the picking platform.

[0042] The size of the matching disk docking mechanism matches the matching disk, and the matching disk actuator has a load-bearing capacity of 75kg.

[0043] The tray execution mechanism is used to process multiple trays consisting of multiple material boxes and to pick multiple parts.

[0044] like Figure 2 As shown, the intelligent picking gantry is used in conjunction with upstream and downstream intelligent equipment, including storage shelves, AGVs, picking platforms and GLT large-piece picking positions.

[0045] The present invention supports an intelligent picking gantry picking method for single-category and multi-category picking, and can realize parts storage, transportation, and picking, including the following steps:

[0046] 1. General parts picking process:

[0047] a. The picker clicks the general item picking button on the operation screen and clicks the number of orders to be picked simultaneously;

[0048] b. The picker clicks the print button to print the order according to the number of picked orders;

[0049] c. The picker moves several empty logistics trolleys from the temporary storage location to the vicinity of the picking platform;

[0050] d. The AGV transports the corresponding large-piece (GLT) equipment to the picking location according to the system instructions, and the AGV waits;

[0051] e. At the same time, the AGV, according to the system instructions, transports the corresponding small items (hereinafter referred to as KLT) to the gantry actuator, and the pallet actuator delivers the KLT pallet to be picked to the picking platform. The AGV does not need to wait, and the return task is responded to by other nearby AGVs;

[0052] f. The GLT picking position electronic label lights up and displays the corresponding content;

[0053] g. At the same time, KLT-assisted projection picking projects a light beam toward the bin to be picked, and the picking screen displays the relevant content of GLT and KLT picking;

[0054] h. The picker picks out GLT parts for several orders at the same time and places them on the corresponding positions of several carts. The picking completion button is triggered and the AGV returns the GLT equipment to the warehouse. If the following situations occur, special handling is required:

[0055] The picking is just completed, and the GLT equipment is empty. At this time, under normal circumstances, the system interface will have detailed instructions. If an abnormality occurs, the picker needs to click on the relevant information on the system interface, and the AGV will transport the empty equipment to the empty equipment, and the forklift driver will unload the empty equipment and press the operation completion button. The AGV will wait on the spot to receive new tasks. Several orders have not been picked and the GLT equipment is empty. At this time, under normal circumstances, the system interface will have detailed instructions, and the next AGV will pick them up. If an abnormality occurs, the picker needs to click on the relevant information on the system interface. At the same time, he needs to write down the picked quantity and the missing quantity in the picking situation, and indicate the completed picking orders and unfinished orders. The new AGV will transport the new GLT equipment to the picking position. The original AGV will transport the empty equipment to the empty equipment, and the forklift driver will unload the empty equipment and press the operation completion button. The original AGV will wait on the spot to receive new tasks;

[0056] i. The picker simultaneously picks KLT parts for several orders and places them in corresponding small baskets on several carts. This action signals that the parts have been picked. The auxiliary projection system then projects a beam onto the next bin to be picked, and the picking process repeats. The following situations require special handling.

[0057] Just after picking a part, the bin is empty. The picker first removes the bin and places it in a nearby empty bin storage area. Then, they click a button on the system interface to release the bin. Several parts of the same part are needed, but the picking process is not complete, so the bin is empty. In this case, the picker first removes the bin and places it in a nearby empty bin storage area. Then, they click the OK button. If any exceptions occur, the picker must indicate the picked and missing quantities in the picking status section of the system interface, and indicate which orders have been completed and which have not been completed. Uncompleted orders will be reflected in subsequent tasks.

[0058] 2. Order Sorting

[0059] Within a certain period of time or a certain number of orders (such as 10 minutes or 10 orders), the orders for special parts are sorted by similarity to identify completely identical orders and different orders. The picking process for special parts of completely identical orders is exactly the same as that for general parts.

[0060] 3. Picking process for special parts for different orders:

[0061] a. The picker checks the order sequence on the operation screen and selects an order to be picked;

[0062] b. According to the order information, the picker moves the corresponding trolley that has completed the general part picking from the temporary storage location to the vicinity of the picking platform;

[0063] c. The AGV transports the corresponding GLT equipment to the picking location according to the system instructions and waits;

[0064] d. At the same time, the AGV transports the corresponding KLT rack to the gantry actuator according to the system instructions, and the pallet actuator delivers the KLT pallet to be picked to the picking platform. The AGV does not need to wait, and the return task is responded to by other nearby AGVs;

[0065] e. The electronic label of the GLT picking position lights up and displays the corresponding content. The picker picks the GLT parts according to the quantity indicated on the label and places them on the corresponding position of the trolley. If the following situations occur, special handling is required:

[0066] The picking is just completed, and the GLT equipment is empty. At this time, the picker needs to click on the equipment empty information on the system interface, and the AGV will transport the empty equipment to the empty equipment, and the forklift driver will unload the empty equipment and press the operation completion button. The AGV will wait on the spot to receive new tasks. Several parts have not been picked yet, and the GLT equipment is empty. At this time, the picker needs to click on the equipment empty information on the system interface, and at the same time, it is necessary to indicate the picked quantity and the missing quantity in the picking status. The new AGV will transport the new GLT equipment to the picking position. The original AGV will transport the empty equipment to the empty equipment, and the forklift driver will unload the empty equipment and press the operation completion button. The original AGV will wait on the spot to receive new tasks;

[0067] f. The auxiliary projection light projects a beam onto the bin to be picked. The picker picks out the KLT parts according to the quantity indicated on the system interface and places them in the corresponding position of the corresponding small basket on the trolley. The action feedback indicates that the picking of this type of parts is completed. The auxiliary projection projects a beam onto the next bin to be picked and repeats the above picking process. Special handling is required in the following situations: Just after one type of part is picked, the bin is empty. At this time, the picker first takes out the bin and places it in the temporary storage area of ​​the empty bin nearby, and clicks the button on the system interface to release the position of this bin. Several parts of a certain type are needed, and the picking is not completed, so the bin is empty. At this time, the picker first takes out the bin and places it in the temporary storage area of ​​the empty bin nearby. At the same time, the picker needs to write down the picked quantity and the missing quantity in the picking status on the system interface. Unfinished picking will be reflected in subsequent tasks.

[0068] 4. Replenishment process

[0069] As picking occurs, both GLT and KLT will experience insufficient inventory. GLT uses empty boxes to pull orders and replenish stocks. When KLT finds that the number of parts in stock is less than the required quantity for one shift, the system will issue an inventory shortage alarm, and KLT will be required to replenish stocks.

[0070] a.GLT replenishment

[0071] When the system recognizes the presence of an empty GLT box, the four-way shuttle system pulls the requested goods to the front end, the system generates a requested goods board, the staff prints the board, pastes it to the designated device, and uses a forklift to store it in the four-way shuttle.

[0072] b.KLT replenishment

[0073] When an inventory shortage alarm occurs, the system displays replenishment part information, including part number, box type, single-box capacity, and number of boxes. The conversion packer prints a kanban, prepares the stock, and performs the conversion packaging. They apply the barcode to the 400mm width, the T3214 container to the 200mm width, and place it in the T4314 mother box. A wheeled pallet truck then pushes the parts to the picking station.

[0074] The picker uses a scanner to scan the kanban and places the bin kanban facing them on the designated roller conveyor position on the picking workbench, following the instructions on the system screen. The bin actuator automatically deposits the bin into a tray on a specific level of the high-level flat rack.

[0075] 5. KLT high-position flat rack heat storage

[0076] The system forms a heat value for the rack based on the location information of the stored parts and the frequency of use of the parts in the past. Based on the different heat values ​​of each rack, the high-level flat rack is stored in a location according to the heat value. The higher the heat value, the closer it is to the picking workstation, and the lower the heat value, the farther it is from the picking workstation.

[0077] 6. KLT distribution plate position adjustment

[0078] Using spare time and based on historical data analysis, we try to place frequently used parts on the same high-level pallet rack. In particular, we place pallets with similar picking orders on different layers on the same surface of the same high-level pallet rack. Adjusting the pallet positions aims to improve the hit rate of pallets on the same high-level pallet rack.

[0079] 7. KLT intelligent distribution panel

[0080] Using spare time and based on historical data analysis, we try to place KLT parts bins that are always picked for the same order on the same pallet. By matching different parts bins on the pallet, we aim to increase the hit rate of bins on the same pallet.

[0081] In this invention, each RCS controls the operation of its own mechanical mechanisms and equipment. Each RCS interfaces with the AWCS, which handles task scheduling and overall scheduling. The interfaces uniformly use the JSON format for data transmission, adhering to the REST and TCP protocols.

[0082] After the AGV delivers the goods to the designated location on the picking gantry, the gantry must provide an interface for the upper-level system to notify the picking gantry to perform the picking operation. The picking gantry must have a notification mechanism for tasks assigned to it by the upper-level system. It notifies the upper-level system of key milestones in task execution.

[0083] The present invention supports intelligent picking gantries for single-category delivery and picking, and simultaneous picking of multiple categories. Together with the picking platform, it achieves intelligent picking with high efficiency and high accuracy. At the same time, it utilizes the goods-to-person model and ergonomic design to reduce employee workload and labor cost investment, providing a new solution for the growing demand for picking under the SPS single-vehicle delivery picking model.

[0084] Note that the above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and that various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, although the present invention has been described in detail through the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and may include many other equivalent embodiments without departing from the concept of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is determined by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An intelligent picking gantry that supports single-category and multi-category picking, characterized by: It consists of three parts: the gantry frame, the material box docking mechanism and the tray docking mechanism; The gantry frame comprises a ceiling rail, a floor rail and columns on both sides; The bin docking mechanism consists of a column and a bin actuator. The upper and lower ends of the column are connected to the ceiling rail and floor rail of the gantry frame, and the column can slide smoothly on the floor rail. The bin actuator is embedded in the column and can slide smoothly with the column to correspond to different bin positions of the KLT storage flat rack. It can also slide up and down along the column. The bin actuator is used to handle a single bin for feeding and picking individual parts. The tray docking mechanism consists of a column and a tray actuator; the upper and lower ends of the column are connected to the ceiling rail and the floor rail of the gantry frame, and the column can slide smoothly on the floor rail; the tray actuator is embedded in the column and can correspond to different tray positions of the KLT storage flat rack while sliding smoothly with the column; it can also slide up and down in the direction of the column; the tray actuator transfers the entire tray from the KLT storage high-level rack to the actuator, and then docks with the picking platform to transfer the tray to the picking platform. The tray actuator is used to process multiple trays consisting of multiple material boxes and pick multiple parts; The gantry frame is rectangular in shape; the length of the overhead rail and the ground rail should be able to dock two KLT high-level storage racks, and the height is higher than the KLT high-level storage rack. The extra height can accommodate the material box docking mechanism and the distribution tray docking mechanism; the material box actuator is designed in a shuttle manner. The shuttle on the material box actuator can move left and right within a certain length, and the range of movement covers the long side of a storage high-level rack; the shuttle on the material box execution structure can handle 400mm material boxes and at least 660mm in depth. , can handle two double-deep cargo positions in the front and back; the mechanical mechanism on the pallet actuator extends to the U-shaped mechanism under the pallet, buckles the U-moving mechanism, and pulls the entire pallet onto the two crawlers of the pallet actuator. After reaching a certain position, the mechanical mechanism sinks, and the crawlers operate to transport the entire pallet to the pallet actuator; when docking with the picking platform, the crawlers rotate and dock with the power rollers on the picking platform to transfer the pallet to the picking platform; the size of the pallet docking mechanism matches the pallet, and the pallet actuator can bear a load of 75kg.

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