A gantry-type handling robot and its cargo loading control method

Abstract

The present invention provides a gantry-type transport robot and a cargo loading control method thereof, wherein the gantry-type transport robot comprises: a mobile robot, a loading device, the loading device being carried on the top of the mobile robot, wherein the loading device comprises: a three-axis gantry, a cargo fork, and a plurality of cargo shelves, wherein the cargo fork is connected to the movable end of the hanger of the three-axis gantry; the legs of each cargo shelf are connected to the carrying platform of the three-axis gantry; a pair of support arms extends from the top of each cargo shelf and is suspended above the carrying platform, and the suspended height is greater than the thickness of the cargo fork. At the same time, each support arm is spaced apart, and the spacing distance is greater than the width of the cargo fork. The cargo fork is driven by the three-axis gantry to perform spatial staggered movement between the spaced areas of the support arms and the suspended areas. This supports temporary storage of cargo and realizes the cargo transfer function.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for lifting bulk materials or heavy cargo for loading or unloading purposes, and in particular to a gantry-type forklift handling robot combined with AGV technology and a cargo loading control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] An Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV), also commonly known as an AGV cart or mobile robot, is a transport vehicle equipped with electromagnetic or optical automatic navigation devices. Its path and behavior are controlled by a computer, enabling it to autonomously follow a prescribed navigation path. It features safety protection and various loading and handling functions. It is typically powered by a rechargeable battery. In industrial applications, it eliminates the need for a driver and can replace manual labor in freight transportation tasks.

[0003] Based on the convenience of AGV technology, the prior art has proposed a variety of solutions based on handling robots combined with AGV technology to replace manual labor to solve the problem of cargo handling. For example, the prior art has proposed "a fork-tine lifting AGV trolley" (Chinese Patent Publication No. CN 111891984 A), which includes an AGV trolley body, a lifting mechanism, a double-distance telescopic fork, a pallet, and a floating walking mechanism. The bottom of the AGV trolley body is provided with a floating walking mechanism, the upper surface of the AGV trolley body is provided with a pallet, the double-distance telescopic fork is fixedly mounted on the upper part of the pallet, and a lifting mechanism is provided on one side of the upper surface of the AGV trolley body. The pallet is fixedly connected to a number of No. 1 and No. 2 sliders provided on the lifting mechanism. In this way, the lifting mechanism is used in conjunction with the double-distance telescopic fork to fork and transfer cargo at different heights, and then the cargo is transported to the designated location by the AGV trolley, thereby fully realizing the goal of automated cargo handling, saving manpower, and improving work efficiency.

[0004] However, the drawback of this type of transport robot is that it can only carry one piece of cargo at a time and lacks a temporary storage function, resulting in low transport efficiency. Furthermore, when warehouses need to adjust cargo positions, this type of structure requires a buffer area to accommodate the cargo, unless there are vacant spaces on the shelves. This shows that this existing technology is inefficient in performing cargo position adjustment tasks and requires high site conditions for implementation. Therefore, the field urgently needs a new technical solution to address the shortcomings of this existing technology. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To this end, the main purpose of the present invention is to provide a gantry-type handling robot and a cargo loading control method thereof, so that its structure supports temporary storage of cargo and realizes the cargo transfer function, so as to solve the corresponding shortcomings of the existing technology in the background technology.

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a gantry handling robot is provided, which includes: a mobile robot, a loading device, the loading device is carried on the top of the mobile robot, wherein the loading device includes: a three-axis gantry, a fork, and a plurality of loading shelves, wherein the fork is connected to the movable end of the hanger of the three-axis gantry; the support legs of each of the loading shelves are connected to the carrying platform of the three-axis gantry, and a pair of support arms extend from the top of each of the loading shelves and are suspended on the carrying platform, and the suspended height is greater than the thickness of the fork, and each support arm is arranged at intervals, and the interval distance is greater than the width of the fork, and the fork is driven by the three-axis gantry to perform spatial staggered movement between the interval area of the support arm and the suspended area.

[0007] In order to further improve the freedom of movement of the three-axis gantry and extend the outreach of the forks, in a possible preferred embodiment, each of the loading platforms is arranged on the transport platform within the moving path space of the inner frame of the three-axis gantry, and the threshold of the three-axis gantry is lower than the suspended height of the support arm. The threshold of the three-axis gantry is provided with a recess corresponding to the support leg of the loading platform, and the recess can accommodate the support leg.

[0008] In order to further improve the freedom of movement of the gantry handling robot and increase the movable range of the fork, in a possible preferred embodiment, a rotating device is provided on the top of the mobile robot, and the bottom of the three-axis gantry is connected to the rotating end of the rotating device.

[0009] In a possible preferred embodiment, the three-axis gantry includes: a gantry, a carrier platform, and a hanger, wherein an X-axis linear module is provided on the top of the gantry, and the hanger is in an L-shape, with its short section connected to the movable end of the X-axis linear module so that the long section of the hanger is suspended on the gantry and higher than the support arm, a Z-axis linear module is provided on the long section of the hanger, the fork is connected to the movable end of the Z-axis linear module, a Y-axis linear module is provided on the carrier platform, the bottom of the door sill of the gantry is connected to the movable end of the Y-axis linear module, and the support arm is parallel to the forward and backward direction of the Y-axis linear module.

[0010] In order to prevent the fork from damaging the goods during transportation, in a possible preferred embodiment, the fork includes: a back plate, a fork frame, and an elastic buffer, wherein the back of the fork frame is connected to the movable end of the Z-axis linear module of the hanger, and a fork claw extends from the front end of the fork frame. The face width of the fork claw is smaller than the spacing distance between the support arms, and its thickness is smaller than the height of the support arm suspended above the carrier platform. The back plate is connected to the face end of the fork frame via an elastic buffer and is basically perpendicular to the fork claw.

[0011] In order to realize the automatic detection function of cargo loading / unloading the fork, in a possible preferred embodiment, the fork further includes: a first proximity sensor and a photoelectric switch, wherein the triggering member and the switching member of the photoelectric switch are respectively arranged on the back of the back plate and the first position of the fork frame; the first proximity sensor is arranged at the second position of the fork frame, with its sensing surface facing the direction of the fork claw cargo loading area; an observation window is provided on the back plate corresponding to the sensing surface of the first proximity sensor; the first proximity sensor and the photoelectric switch are connected to the master controller.

[0012] In order to realize the automatic control function, in a possible preferred embodiment, a second proximity sensor is also embedded in the carrier platform, which is connected to the master controller, wherein the sensing surface of the second proximity sensor faces the spacing area of the support arm, wherein laser radars are provided on both sides of the carrier platform, and a camera and a fill light are provided at the front end, and the laser radar, camera and fill light are connected to the master controller.

[0013] In order to achieve the above object, according to another aspect of the present invention, a cargo loading control method for a gantry-type handling robot is provided, the steps of which include:

[0014] Step S100: driving the three-axis gantry to extend the forks out of the gantry to pick up the cargo. When the forks are not extended far enough, the threshold of the gantry is allowed to enter the suspended area of the support arm.

[0015] Step S200: Drive the three-axis gantry to drive the fork back to the top of the empty target loading rack and then descend until the goods are placed on the support arm. The fork continues to descend through the gap area between the support arms until it enters the suspended area of the support arm and moves out laterally.

[0016] In a possible preferred embodiment, in order to realize the goods transfer function, the method further includes:

[0017] Step S300: Drive the three-axis gantry to drive the fork through the support arm gap area of another empty loading platform and enter its suspended area, then move horizontally to the support arm suspended area where the target cargo is located, continue to rise until the fork takes over the cargo, and then repeat step S200 to complete the cargo transfer.

[0018] In a possible preferred embodiment, in order to realize the cargo distribution function, the method steps further include:

[0019] Step S310: driving the three-axis gantry to drive the fork through the suspended area to enter the suspended area of the support arm where the target cargo is located, and then ascend until the cargo is received;

[0020] Step S400: driving the three-axis gantry to extend the forks out of the machine body to distribute the goods. When the forks are not extended far enough, the door threshold of the gantry is allowed to enter the suspended area of the support arm.

[0021] Through the gantry handling robot and its cargo loading control method provided by the present invention, in each corresponding embodiment, it utilizes the cooperation of the gantry and the suspension structure of the cargo rack to increase the outreach distance of the fork, so that the cargo can be better forked. It is also particularly worth mentioning that the gantry-based structure can accommodate the cargo rack and the cargo it carries, while not interfering with the movement of the gantry in the Y-axis direction, so that the structure allows multiple cargo racks to be set up to provide space for caching cargo, thereby replacing the traditional requirement of reserving a site for caching cargo. More importantly, the three-axis gantry structure and the freedom of movement it brings are used to control the fork. After being combined with the cargo rack solution of the suspension structure, the fork can be spatially staggered between the spacing area and the suspended area of each cargo rack support arm, thereby solving the mechanical structure interference problem of multi-station picking / putting materials in a small and limited space, realizing the function of multiple cargoes and the ability to change hands between cargoes in a compact space, thereby improving the cargo carrying capacity, and is particularly suitable for the use scenario of the cargo change function required when adjusting the warehouse cargo position. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The accompanying drawings, which constitute part of this application, are intended to provide a further understanding of the present invention. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are intended to explain the present invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the present invention. In the accompanying drawings:

[0023] Figures 1 to 10 Schematic diagram of the structure of the gantry handling robot of the present invention;

[0024] Figures 1 to 10 Schematic diagram of the steps of the cargo loading control method of the gantry-type handling robot of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary structure of a three-axis gantry and a fork of a gantry-type handling robot of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of an example structure of a fork of a gantry-type transport robot according to the present invention;

[0027] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of an example structure of a fork of a gantry-type transport robot according to the present invention;

[0028] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of an example structure of a loading platform of a gantry-type transport robot according to the present invention;

[0029] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of an example structure of the gantry handling robot of the present invention.

[0030] Description of Reference Numerals

[0031] Carrying device 1, spacing area 2, suspended area 3, mobile robot 8, cargo 9, three-axis gantry 11, fork 12, loading rack 13, gantry 111, carrying platform 112, hanger 113, threshold 114, recess 115, lidar 116, camera 117, fill light 118, backboard 121, fork frame 122, elastic buffer 123, fork claw 124, first proximity sensor 125, photoelectric switch 126, support leg 131, support arm 132, guide wall 133, second proximity sensor 134.

[0032] The reference numeral 116 is a schematic diagram of the sensing surface of the laser radar, and the reference numeral 134 is a schematic diagram of the sensing surface of the second proximity sensor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of the present invention, the specific technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the embodiments to help those skilled in the art further understand the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described in this case are only embodiments of a part of the present invention, rather than all embodiments. It should be pointed out that, for those of ordinary skill in the art, the embodiments in this application and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other without departing from the concept of the present invention and without conflicting with each other. Based on the embodiments in the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without making creative work should fall within the disclosure and protection scope of the present invention.

[0034] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," "S100," "S200," and the like in the specification, claims, and drawings of the present invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a particular order or sequential sequence. It should be understood that the terms used in this manner are interchangeable where appropriate, such that the embodiments of the present invention described herein can be implemented in an order other than that described herein.

[0035] At the same time, the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in the present invention are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. Unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "disposed," "arranged," "installed," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can mean fixed connection, detachable connection, or integral connection; mechanical connection or electrical connection; direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and internal communication between two components.

[0036] Furthermore, terms such as "horizontal," "vertical," and "overhanging" do not necessarily require components to be absolutely horizontal or overhanging; rather, they may be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" simply refers to a direction that is more horizontal than "vertical," not to a structure that must be perfectly horizontal; rather, it may be slightly tilted. It is clear that those skilled in the art will be able to understand the specific meanings of these terms in this case based on specific circumstances and in conjunction with existing technology. (one)

[0038] In order to solve the shortcomings of the existing technology in the background technology, the structure supports the temporary storage function of goods, such as Figures 1 to 10 As shown, the first aspect of the present invention provides a gantry handling robot, which includes: a mobile robot 8, a loading device 1, the mobile robot 8 carries the loading device 1 on the top, wherein the loading device 1 includes: a three-axis gantry 11, a fork 12, and a plurality of loading shelves 13, wherein the fork 12 is connected to the movable end of the hanger 113 of the three-axis gantry 11; the support legs 131 of each of the loading shelves 13 are connected to the carrying platform 112 of the three-axis gantry 11, and a pair of support arms 132 extend from the top of each of the loading shelves 13 and are suspended on the carrying platform 112, and the suspended height is greater than the thickness of the fork 12, and each support arm 132 is arranged at intervals, and the interval distance is greater than the width of the fork 12, and the fork 12 is driven by the three-axis gantry 11 to perform spatial staggered movement between the interval area 2 and the suspended area 3 of the support arm 132.

[0039] Specifically, in this example, the three-axis gantry 11 preferably includes: a gantry 111, a carrier platform 112, and a hanger 113, wherein an X-axis linear module is provided on the top of the gantry 111, and the hanger 113 is L-shaped, and its short section is connected to the movable end of the X-axis linear module so that the long section of the hanger 113 is suspended on the gantry 111 and drives the hanger 113 to move in the X-axis direction. It should be noted that the hanging height of the hanger 113 is preferably higher than the support arm 132 to avoid interference with the load carrier 13 during movement.

[0040] Furthermore, a Z-axis linear module is provided on the long section of the hanger 113, and the fork 12 is connected to the moving end of the Z-axis linear module to realize lifting and moving; on the other hand, a Y-axis linear module is provided on the carrier 112, such as Figure 1As shown, it is embedded in the carrier platform 112. The movable end of the Y-axis linear module is connected to the bottom of the threshold 114 of the gantry 111 through the track window opened on the carrier platform 112. In this way, the surface of the carrier platform 112 can form a platform for installing multiple cargo shelves 13. On the other hand, in order to comply with the movable orientation of the three-axis gantry 11 so that the fork 12 can form a spatial staggered movement in the spacing area 2 and the suspended area 3 of the cargo shelves 13, the support arm 132 is parallel to the forward and backward direction of the Y-axis linear module; in addition, the X-, Y-, and Z-axis linear modules are respectively connected to the master controller for control to form a linkage.

[0041] Furthermore, in order to improve the freedom of movement of the three-axis gantry 11 and extend the outreach of the fork 12, as shown in FIG. Figure 11 As shown, in a preferred embodiment, each of the loading shelves 13 is arranged on the carrier platform 112 within the moving path space of the inner frame of the three-axis gantry 11, so that the cargo can pass outside the loading shelves 13 and the cargo carried thereon without interference. It can be seen that the inner frame size of the gantry 111 determines the number of loading shelves 13 that can be set on the carrier platform 112 and the stacking height of the cargo carried thereon. Therefore, those skilled in the art can adjust its size according to actual conditions to adapt to different numbers of loading shelves 13 and the allowed stacking height of cargo.

[0042] On the other hand, the threshold 114 of the three-axis gantry 11 needs to be set lower than the suspended height of the support arm 132. In this way, when the gantry 111 moves along the Y-axis, the threshold 114 of the gantry 111 can be further allowed to enter the suspended area 3 of the support arm 132 until it contacts the support leg 131 of the cargo rack 13, thereby increasing the Y-axis movement distance of the gantry 111 and extending the outreach distance of the fork 12.

[0043] Furthermore, in order to further increase the Y-axis moving distance of the gantry 111, the threshold 114 of the three-axis gantry 11 is provided with a recess 115 corresponding to the support leg 131 passing through the cargo rack 13. The recess 115 can accommodate the support leg 131 therein, thereby further increasing the Y-axis moving distance of the gantry 111, thereby further increasing the possible extension limit distance of the fork 12.

[0044] On the other hand, to further enhance the gantry-type handling robot's freedom of movement and increase the movable range of the cargo fork 12, in a preferred embodiment, a rotating device (not shown) may be provided on top of the mobile robot 8. The bottom of the three-axis gantry 11 is connected to the rotating end of the rotating device. This rotating device can be used to adjust the orientation of the three-axis gantry 11, thereby enhancing the controllable freedom of cargo loading. The rotating device referred to in this example can be constructed using an existing direct motor drive solution, a motor and reducer drive solution, or a conventional motor and transmission mechanism, such as a gear drive or pulley drive, to form a rotational drive structure. Therefore, these details will not be elaborated here. Those skilled in the art can make appropriate choices based on the structures of the mobile robot 8 and the three-axis gantry 11 without any technical barriers.

[0045] Furthermore, in order to prevent the fork 12 from damaging the goods during transportation, Figures 12 to 13 As shown, in a preferred embodiment, the fork 12 includes: a back plate 121, a fork frame 122, and an elastic buffer 123, wherein the back of the fork frame 122 is connected to the movable end of the Z-axis linear module of the hanger 113, and a fork claw 124 extends from the front end of the fork frame 122. The width of the fork claw 124 is smaller than the spacing distance between the support arms 132, and the thickness thereof is smaller than the height of the support arm 132 suspended above the carrier 112, thereby allowing it to perform spatial staggered movement between the spacing area 2 and the suspended area 3 of the support arm 132.

[0046] The back plate 121 is connected to the end of the fork frame 122 via an elastic buffer 123, substantially perpendicular to the fork claws 124. In this example, the elastic buffer 123 can be made of a spring-bolt structure. When the forks 12 are extended through the three-axis gantry 11 to remove cargo, the back plate 121 has a retraction buffer to prevent the cargo from being crushed.

[0047] Furthermore, in order to realize the automatic detection function of the cargo on / off fork 12, as Figure 13 As shown, in this embodiment, the fork 12 further includes: a first proximity sensor 125, a photoelectric switch 126, wherein the trigger member and the switch member of the photoelectric switch 126 are respectively arranged at the back of the back plate 121 and the first position of the fork frame 122, such as on the lower back side of the back plate 121 and the rear end of the fork 12, and the first proximity sensor 125 is preferably set at the second position of the fork frame 122, such as near the middle of the rear end of the fork 12, and its sensing surface faces the direction of the cargo area of the fork claw 124, wherein the back plate 121 is provided with an observation window corresponding to the sensing surface of the first proximity sensor 125, and the first proximity sensor 125 and the photoelectric switch 126 are connected to the master controller.

[0048] Thus, when the fork 12 picks up the goods, when the back plate 121 retracts to the point where the photoelectric switch 126 is activated, it indicates that the back plate 121 has been compressed to the limit position. At this time, the fork 12 cannot be extended any further to avoid crushing the goods. The first proximity sensor 125 can sense the inward extension distance of the goods on the fork claw 124 / the distance from the back plate 121, thereby facilitating the control of whether the goods are forked in place.

[0049] Furthermore, in order to restrict the movement of goods on the carrier 13, as Figure 14 As shown, in this example, a semi-enclosed guide wall 133 can be provided on the outside of the support arm 132, wherein the guide wall 133 is inclined toward the support arm 132 to form a gradual drop from the support arm 132, thereby forming a guide edge similar to the shape of the goods 9. When the goods are loaded on the cargo rack 13, they will be restricted by the guide wall 133 and cannot move, thereby improving the safety and stability of the loading. At the same time, when the fork 12 carries the goods, the inclined wall surface of the guide wall 133 can also be used to guide the goods to fall onto the support arm 132, thereby forming an automatic guiding effect to prevent the goods from deviating from the support arm 132 and causing a collapse accident.

[0050] Furthermore, in order to realize the automatic control function, such as Figure 15 As shown, in a preferred embodiment, a second proximity sensor 134 is also embedded on the carrier platform 112, which is connected to the master controller, wherein the sensing surface of the second proximity sensor 134 faces the spacing area 2 of the support arm 132, so as to detect whether the support arm 132 is loaded with goods, and also to indicate whether the gantry 111 has moved to the extreme position.

[0051] On the other hand, laser radars 116 may be provided on both sides of the carrier platform 112, and a camera 117 and a fill light 118 may be provided at the front end. The laser radars 116, camera 117 and fill light 118 are connected to the master controller, so that the laser radars 116 on both sides can assist the mobile robot 8 in safe navigation. At the same time, the camera 117 and fill light 118 can facilitate the collection of data on the carrying scene to provide a control basis for subsequent automated control. (two)

[0053] Corresponding to the gantry-type transport robot described in the first embodiment, the present invention also provides a cargo loading control method of the gantry-type transport robot according to its special design structure, such as Figures 1 to 10 The steps shown in the exploded diagram include:

[0054] Step S100: driving the three-axis gantry 11 to drive the fork 12 to extend out of the machine body to pick up the cargo. When the fork 12 does not extend far enough, the threshold 114 of the gantry 111 is allowed to enter the suspended area 3 of the support arm 132.

[0055] Step S200: Drive the three-axis gantry 11 to drive the fork 12 to return to the top of the empty target loading rack 13 and then descend until the goods are placed on the support arm 132. The fork 12 continues to descend through the spacing area 2 of the support arm 132 until it enters the suspended area 3 of the support arm 132 and then moves out laterally.

[0056] When the goods transfer function is implemented, at least one empty loading rack 13 needs to be left, and the method further includes:

[0057] Step S300: Drive the three-axis gantry 11 to drive the fork 12 through the spacing area 2 of the support arm 132 of another empty loading platform 13 and enter its suspended area 3. Then, move horizontally to the suspended area 3 of the support arm 132 where the target cargo is located. Continue to rise until the fork 12 takes over the cargo and then repeat step S200 to complete the cargo transfer.

[0058] When the cargo distribution function needs to be implemented, after steps S100 to S200, the method further includes:

[0059] Step S310: driving the three-axis gantry 11 to drive the fork 12 to enter the suspended area 3 of the support arm 132 where the target cargo is located through the suspended area 3 and then rise until the cargo is received;

[0060] Step S400: Drive the three-axis gantry 11 to extend the fork 12 out of the machine body to deliver the goods. If the fork 12 does not extend far enough, the threshold 114 of the gantry 111 is allowed to enter the suspended area 3 of the support arm 132. Repeat the above steps until the goods are delivered.

[0061] In summary, the gantry handling robot and its cargo loading control method provided by the present invention, in each corresponding embodiment, utilizes the cooperation of the three-axis gantry 11 and the suspension structure of the cargo rack 13 to increase the outreach distance of the fork 12, thereby being able to better fork the cargo.

[0062] It is also worth mentioning that the gantry-based structure can accommodate the cargo shelves 13 and the goods they carry, while not interfering with the movement of the three-axis gantry 11 in the Y-axis direction, thereby allowing the structure to set up multiple cargo shelves 13 to provide space for caching goods, thereby replacing the traditional requirement of reserving a space for caching goods.

[0063] More importantly, the fork 12 is controlled based on the structure of the three-axis gantry 11 and the freedom of movement it brings. When combined with the suspended structure of the cargo rack 13, the fork 12 can be spatially staggered between the spacing area 2 and the suspended area 3 of the support arms 132 of each cargo rack 13, thereby solving the mechanical structure interference problem of multi-station picking / putting materials in a small and limited space, realizing the function of multiple loading and exchange of goods in a compact space, thereby improving the loading capacity, and is particularly suitable for the use scenario of the cargo exchange function required when adjusting the warehouse cargo position.

[0064] The preferred embodiments of the present invention disclosed above are only used to help illustrate the present invention. The preferred embodiments do not describe all the details in detail, nor do they limit the invention to the specific implementation methods described. Obviously, many modifications and changes can be made based on the contents of this specification. This specification selects and specifically describes these embodiments in order to better explain the principles and practical applications of the present invention, so that those skilled in the art can better understand and utilize the present invention. The present invention is only limited by the claims and their full scope and equivalents. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0065] Those skilled in the art will understand that, in addition to implementing the system, device, and various modules provided by the present invention in pure computer-readable program code, it is entirely possible to implement the same program in the form of logic gates, switches, application-specific integrated circuits, programmable logic controllers, embedded microcontrollers, etc. by logically programming the method steps. Therefore, the system, device, and various modules provided by the present invention can be considered a hardware component, and the modules included therein for implementing various programs can also be considered as structures within the hardware component; the modules for implementing various functions can also be considered as both software programs for implementing the method and structures within the hardware component.

[0066] In addition, all or part of the steps in the above-mentioned embodiments can be implemented by instructing the relevant hardware through a program. The program is stored in a storage medium and includes a number of instructions for causing a single-chip microcomputer, chip, or processor to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in each embodiment of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes: a USB flash drive, a mobile hard drive, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk, etc., various media that can store program code.

[0067] In addition, various implementations of the embodiments of the present invention may be arbitrarily combined, and as long as they do not violate the concept of the embodiments of the present invention, they should also be regarded as the contents disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A gantry-type transport robot comprising: A mobile robot, a loading device, the top of the mobile robot carries the loading device, characterized in that the loading device includes: a three-axis gantry, a fork, and a plurality of loading shelves, wherein the fork is connected to the movable end of the hanger of the three-axis gantry; the legs of each loading shelf are connected to the carrying platform of the three-axis gantry, and a pair of support arms extend from the top of each loading shelf and are suspended on the carrying platform, and the suspended height is greater than the thickness of the fork, and each support arm is spaced apart, and the spacing distance is greater than the width of the fork, and the fork is driven by the three-axis gantry to move between the spacing area of the support arm and the suspended area The three-axis gantry is configured to move in an interlaced manner, wherein the three-axis gantry comprises: a gantry, a carrier platform, and a hanger, wherein an X-axis linear module is provided on the top of the gantry, and the hanger is in an L-shape, with a short section connected to the moving end of the X-axis linear module so that the long section of the hanger is suspended on the gantry and higher than the support arm; each of the loading platforms is arranged on the carrier platform within the moving path space of the inner frame of the three-axis gantry, and the threshold of the three-axis gantry is lower than the suspended height of the support arm, and the threshold of the three-axis gantry is provided with a recess corresponding to the support leg passing through the loading platform, and the recess can accommodate the support leg.

2. The gantry transport robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: A rotating device is provided on the top of the mobile robot, and the bottom of the three-axis gantry is connected to the rotating end of the rotating device.

3. The gantry type transport robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: A Z-axis linear module is provided on the long section of the hanger, the fork is connected to the moving end of the Z-axis linear module, a Y-axis linear module is provided on the carrying platform, the bottom of the door sill is connected to the moving end of the Y-axis linear module, and the support arm is parallel to the forward and backward directions of the Y-axis linear module.

4. The gantry type transport robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The fork includes: a back plate, a fork frame, and an elastic buffer, wherein the back of the fork frame is connected to the movable end of the Z-axis linear module of the hanger, and a fork claw extends from the front end of the fork frame. The face width of the fork claw is smaller than the spacing distance between the support arms, and the thickness thereof is smaller than the height of the support arm suspended above the carrier platform. The back plate is connected to the face end of the fork frame via the elastic buffer and is basically perpendicular to the fork claw.

5. The gantry type transport robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The cargo fork further includes: a first proximity sensor and a photoelectric switch, wherein the trigger component and the switch component of the photoelectric switch are respectively arranged on the back of the back plate and at the first position of the fork frame; the first proximity sensor is arranged at the second position of the fork frame, with its sensing surface facing the direction of the fork claw cargo area; an observation window is provided on the back plate corresponding to the sensing surface of the first proximity sensor; the first proximity sensor and the photoelectric switch are connected to the master controller.

6. The gantry type transport robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: A second proximity sensor is also embedded in the carrier platform and connected to the master controller, wherein the sensing surface of the second proximity sensor faces the spacing area of the support arm, wherein laser radars are provided on both sides of the carrier platform, and a camera and a fill light are provided at the front end, and the laser radars, camera and fill light are connected to the master controller.

7. A cargo loading control method for a gantry type handling robot according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the steps include: Step S100: driving the three-axis gantry to extend the forks out of the gantry to pick up the cargo. When the forks are not extended far enough, the threshold of the gantry is allowed to enter the suspended area of the support arm. Step S200: Drive the three-axis gantry to drive the fork back to the top of the empty target loading rack and then descend until the goods are placed on the support arm. The fork continues to descend through the gap area between the support arms until it enters the suspended area of the support arm and moves out laterally.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the steps include: Step S300: Drive the three-axis gantry to drive the fork through the support arm gap area of another empty loading platform and enter its suspended area, then move horizontally to the support arm suspended area where the target cargo is located, continue to rise until the fork takes over the cargo, and then repeat step S200 to complete the cargo transfer.

9. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the steps include: Step S310: driving the three-axis gantry to drive the fork through the suspended area to enter the suspended area of the support arm where the target cargo is located, and then ascend until the cargo is received; Step S400: driving the three-axis gantry to extend the forks out of the machine body to distribute the goods. When the forks are not extended far enough, the door threshold of the gantry is allowed to enter the suspended area of the support arm.

Images