Warehouse robots and storage systems

Abstract

The present application relates to a warehouse robot and a warehouse system. The warehouse robot includes: at least one carrying platform, which is arranged on a bracket and is used to carry cargo boxes; a cargo box picking and placing device, which is arranged on the bracket and is used to pick up and place cargo boxes; a first lifting mechanism, which is used to drive the carrying platform to rise and fall along the bracket; a second lifting mechanism, which is used to drive the cargo box picking and placing device to rise and fall; and a robot chassis, with the bracket arranged on the robot chassis; a conveying device is provided on the carrying platform, which is used to convey the cargo boxes picked up and placed by the cargo box picking and placing device; and a channel is provided on the carrying platform for the lifting and lowering of the cargo box picking and placing device. The warehouse robot of the present application is provided with a cargo box picking and placing device, and a conveying device is provided on the carrying platform of the warehouse robot. Through the cooperation of the cargo box picking and placing device and the conveying device, the friction between the cargo box and the carrying platform can be reduced, thereby improving the problem of easy wear between the cargo box and the carrying platform. In addition, the efficiency of picking and placing cargo boxes can also be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of warehousing technology, and in particular to a warehousing robot and a warehousing system. Background Art

[0002] Box-type warehousing is a key branch of modern logistics warehousing technology. It can more effectively utilize existing storage space and protect stored items from moisture and contamination. Box-type warehousing systems typically consist of shelves and storage robots that can freely navigate the aisles between the shelves, used to transfer boxes.

[0003] Most of the warehouse robots in the related technology use telescopic arms to clamp the cargo box and place it on the carrying platform. The friction between the cargo box and the carrying platform is large, which makes the cargo box and the carrying platform easy to wear and tear, and also causes low efficiency in picking and placing goods. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Based on this, a warehousing robot and a warehousing system are provided, aiming to improve the problem that the warehousing robot's picking and placing process easily causes easy wear between the cargo box and the carrying platform, as well as the low efficiency of picking and placing.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present application, a warehouse robot is provided, which includes: at least one carrying platform, which is arranged on a bracket and is used to carry cargo boxes; a cargo box picking and placing device, which is arranged on the bracket and is used to pick up and place cargo boxes; a first lifting mechanism, which is used to drive the carrying platform to rise and fall along the bracket; a second lifting mechanism, which is used to drive the cargo box picking and placing device to rise and fall; and a robot chassis, and the bracket is arranged on the robot chassis; a conveying device is provided on the carrying platform, which is used to convey the cargo boxes picked up and placed by the cargo box picking and placing device; and a channel is provided on the carrying platform for lifting and lowering the cargo box picking and placing device.

[0006] The storage robot of the present invention is equipped with a container retrieval device, and a conveyor device is provided on the storage platform of the storage robot. Thus, the container retrieval device can be used to retrieve a container from a storage location, and the conveyor device can be used to transport the container retrieved and placed by the container retrieval device, so that the container is carried on the storage platform, thereby transporting and conveying the container. Alternatively, the conveyor device can be used to transport the container from the storage platform to the outside, and then the container retrieval device can be used to deposit the container to the storage location, thereby completing the unloading process. The coordination between the container retrieval device and the conveyor device can reduce friction between the container and the storage platform, thereby alleviating the problem of wear between the container and the storage platform. Furthermore, the container retrieval device directly retrieves and places containers between the storage location and the storage robot, eliminating the need for an additional conveyor mechanism. Compared to solutions where a fork directly grips and pulls a container to the storage platform, there is no need to reserve space for the fork on the storage platform, thereby reducing the area of ​​the storage platform and improving the efficiency of container retrieval and placement.

[0007] In some embodiments, when the cargo box picking and placing device is in a first state, the cargo box picking and placing device can pick up and place cargo boxes; when the cargo box picking and placing device is in a second state, the cargo box picking and placing device can be raised and lowered along the channel of the load-bearing platform.

[0008] In some embodiments, the cargo box picking and placing device includes a rotating component and a coupling component. The rotating component can drive the coupling component to rotate so that the cargo box picking and placing device switches between a first state and a second state. The coupling component can be coupled to the side of the cargo box facing the warehouse robot to pick up and place the cargo box; when the cargo box picking and placing device picks up and places the cargo box, the rotating component and the coupling component are in the first state; when the cargo box picking and placing device finishes picking up and placing the cargo box or the warehouse robot is carrying the cargo box and walking, the rotating component and the coupling component are in the second state.

[0009] In some embodiments, the rotating assembly includes a support member, a rotating shaft and a driving member; the support member is fixedly connected to the second lifting mechanism; the rotating shaft is connected to the support member through a bearing seat, and the coupling assembly is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft; the driving member is connected to the rotating shaft, and drives the rotating shaft to rotate to drive the coupling assembly to rotate.

[0010] In some embodiments, the coupling component includes a suction cup component for adsorbing the cargo box so that the cargo box can be sucked or pushed with the help of the suction cup component; or the coupling component includes a hooking component for hooking the cargo box so that the cargo box can be hooked or pushed with the help of the hooking component.

[0011] In some embodiments, the coupling assembly further includes a linear motion mechanism for driving a suction cup assembly or a hook assembly, and the linear motion mechanism is used to drive the suction cup assembly or the hook assembly to move along the direction of picking up or placing goods so as to pick up or place cargo boxes; wherein, the suction cup assembly includes a suction cup for sucking or pushing cargo boxes and a vacuum suction assembly for providing power for the suction cup to suck the cargo boxes, and the hook assembly includes a hook for hooking or pushing cargo boxes.

[0012] In some embodiments, the picking and placing direction of the cargo box picking and placing device is the same as the conveying direction of the conveying device of the load-bearing platform.

[0013] In some embodiments, the robot chassis is a self-guided chassis or a chassis that travels on a track.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present application, a warehouse robot is provided, which is capable of picking up and placing cargo boxes on the shelves, and is characterized in that the shelves are arranged into at least one layer, and each layer includes multiple storage locations, and the warehouse robot includes: a robot chassis; at least one load-bearing platform, which is arranged on the robot chassis; a cargo box picking and placing device, which is arranged on the load-bearing platform, and the cargo box picking and placing device is used to pick up and place cargo boxes in designated storage locations; and a conveying device, which is arranged on the load-bearing platform, and the conveying device is used to convey the cargo boxes picked up and placed by the cargo box picking and placing device; the cargo box picking and placing device includes a coupling component that can be coupled to a side of a designated cargo box facing the warehouse robot to pick up and place the cargo box, and a rotating component that drives the coupling component to rotate.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present application, a warehousing system is also provided, including a warehouse and a warehousing robot in any of the above embodiments, wherein the warehousing robot can walk in the aisles of the warehouse to dock with the storage positions of the multi-layer shelves; the warehousing robot can also dock with the multi-layer conveyor lines to enable multiple carrying platforms to pick up and place cargo boxes at the same time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a storage robot according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0017] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A magnified schematic diagram of part A;

[0018] Figure 3 for Figure 1 An enlarged schematic diagram of part B;

[0019] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A magnified schematic diagram of part C;

[0020] Figure 5This is a schematic structural diagram of a storage robot according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 6 for Figure 5 An enlarged schematic diagram of part D in the middle;

[0022] Figure 7 This is a structural diagram of a storage robot according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0023] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A magnified schematic diagram of part E;

[0024] Figure 9 for Figure 7 A schematic top view of the carrying platform assembly of the storage robot is shown.

[0025] Reference numerals:

[0026] 10-warehouse robot, 100-robot chassis, 200-bracket, 210-frame, 220-rack, 300-cargo box picking and placing device, 310-second lifting mechanism, 311-driving wheel, 312-driven wheel, 313-synchronous belt, 314-first motor, 315-guide rail, 320-rotation assembly, 321-support, 322-rotation shaft, 323-driving member, 330-joining assembly, 331-suction cup assembly, 332-linear motion mechanism, 400-carrying platform, 410-conveyor device, 420-channel, 500-first lifting mechanism, 510-second motor, 520-gear. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present application more clearly understood, the specific embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description sets forth many specific details to facilitate a full understanding of the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many other ways than those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without violating the scope of the present application. Therefore, the present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0028] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0029] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. Throughout the description of this application, "plurality" means at least two, for example, two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0030] In this application, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "installed," "connected," "connect," "fixed," etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connection, detachable connection, or integration; mechanical connection or electrical connection; direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; internal communication between two elements or interaction between two elements, unless otherwise specified. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on specific circumstances.

[0031] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, when a first feature is "above" or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, when a first feature is "above," "above," or "above" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. When a first feature is "below," "below," or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a lower level than the second feature.

[0032] 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. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only implementation methods.

[0033] The embodiment of the first aspect of the present application proposes a storage robot 10. Figures 1 to 6As shown, the warehouse robot 10 includes at least one carrying platform 400, a cargo box picking and placing device 300, a first lifting mechanism 500, a second lifting mechanism 310 and a robot chassis 100. Specifically, the carrying platform 400 is arranged on the bracket 200 for carrying cargo boxes. The cargo box picking and placing device 300 is arranged on the bracket 200 for picking up and placing cargo boxes. The first lifting mechanism 500 is used to drive the carrying platform 400 to rise and fall along the bracket 200, and the second lifting mechanism 310 is used to drive the cargo box picking and placing device 300 to rise and fall. The bracket 200 is arranged on the robot chassis 100. A conveying device 410 is provided on the carrying platform 400 for conveying the cargo boxes picked up and placed by the cargo box picking and placing device 300, and the carrying platform 400 has a channel 420 for raising and lowering the cargo box picking and placing device 300.

[0034] The warehouse robot 10 of the present application includes one or more load platforms 400, which can be arranged in intervals along their lifting direction. The container retrieval device 300 is used to retrieve and place containers, including the container retrieval device 300 retrieving containers from designated storage locations and the container retrieval device 300 depositing containers into designated storage locations. The conveyor device 410 can be a roller, conveyor belt, or chain conveyor.

[0035] The warehousing robot 10 of the embodiment of the present application is provided with a cargo box picking and placing device 300, and a conveying device 410 is provided on the carrying platform 400 of the warehousing robot 10. Thus, the cargo box can be taken out of the storage position of the cargo box by using the cargo box picking and placing device 300, and the cargo box taken and placed by the cargo box picking and placing device 300 can be conveyed by using the conveying device 410, so that the cargo box is carried on the carrying platform 400, thereby carrying and transporting the cargo box. Alternatively, the cargo box can be transported outward from the carrying platform 400 by using the conveying device 410, and then the cargo box picking and placing device 300 can be used to store the cargo box in the storage position of the cargo box, thereby realizing the cargo unloading process. Through the cooperation of the cargo box picking and placing device 300 and the conveying device 410, the friction between the cargo box and the carrying platform 400 can be reduced, thereby improving the problem of easy wear between the cargo box and the carrying platform 400. In addition, the cargo box picking and placing device 300 directly picks up and places cargo boxes between the cargo box storage position and the warehouse robot without the need for an additional conveying mechanism. Compared with solutions such as the fork directly clamping the cargo box and pulling it to the carrying platform, there is no need to reserve space for the fork on the carrying platform, thereby reducing the area of ​​the carrying platform and improving the efficiency of cargo box picking and placing.

[0036] The following describes the working process of the storage robot 10 by taking the picking process as an example:

[0037] After the warehouse robot 10 moves to the designated position, the first lifting mechanism 500 drives the carrying platform 400 to rise and fall along the bracket 200, moving the carrying platform 400 to the storage layer where the cargo box to be removed is located. The second lifting mechanism 310 then drives the cargo box retrieval device 300 to rise and fall, moving it to the height of the cargo box to be removed. The cargo box retrieval device 300 then removes the cargo box from its storage location and places it at the edge of the carrying platform 400. The second lifting mechanism 310 then drives the cargo box retrieval device 300 to rise, raising it above the storage layer where the cargo box to be transported or removed is located. The conveying device 410 on the carrying platform 400 then transports the cargo box from the edge of the carrying platform 400 until it is fully supported on the carrying platform.

[0038] If there are multiple carrying platforms 400, after completing the process of taking out a cargo box, the first lifting mechanism 500 can be used to drive the second carrying platform 400 to rise and fall, so that it moves to the storage layer where the second cargo box to be taken out is located, and then the second lifting mechanism 310 is used to drive the cargo box picking and placing device 300 to rise and fall, and the cargo box picking and placing device 300 passes through the channel 420 on the carrying platform 400 to move to the storage layer where the second cargo box to be taken out is located, and then repeat the previous cargo box taking out process, and so on, until the cargo box is picked up and placed or all the carrying platforms 400 are loaded with cargo boxes, the warehouse robot 10 can transport the cargo box to the workbench for further transfer, or can realize simultaneous picking and placing of goods by docking with multi-layer conveyor lines; in other embodiments, the warehouse robot 10 can also transport the cargo box to other storage locations for storage.

[0039] In some embodiments, as Figure 2 、 Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the second lifting mechanism 310 includes a drive wheel 311, a driven wheel 312, a synchronous belt 313, and a first motor 314. The drive wheel 311 and the driven wheel 312 are spaced apart along a first direction on the bracket 200. The synchronous belt 313 is tensioned between the drive wheel 311 and the driven wheel 312. The container retrieval device 320 is fixedly connected to the synchronous belt 313 via a synchronous belt clamping device. The first motor 314 is mounted on the bracket 200, and the rotating shaft of the first motor 314 is connected to the drive wheel 311. The first motor 314 can drive the drive wheel 311 to rotate, thereby driving the synchronous belt 313 to move. The synchronous belt 313 can drive the container retrieval device 320 to move along the first direction, thereby enabling the container retrieval device 320 to be raised or lowered to different heights. The first direction is the direction in which the container retrieval device 320 is raised or lowered.

[0040] Furthermore, the second lifting mechanism 310 may further include a guide rail 315 disposed on the bracket 200. The guide rail 315 extends along the first direction, and the container retrieval device 320 slidably engages with the guide rail 315. The guide rail 315 guides the movement of the container retrieval device 320. As the synchronous belt 313 drives the container retrieval device 320 to move in the first direction, the container retrieval device 320 slides along the guide rail 315. This ensures that the container retrieval device 320 can move along a predetermined trajectory without deviation, thereby ensuring stability and reliability during the lifting and lowering movement of the container retrieval device 320.

[0041] In some embodiments, when the cargo box picking and placing device 300 is in a first state, the cargo box picking and placing device 300 can pick up and place cargo boxes. When the cargo box picking and placing device 300 is in a second state, the cargo box picking and placing device 300 can be raised and lowered along the channel of the load-bearing platform.

[0042] It is understood that the first state enables the engagement assembly 330 to engage with the cargo box, facilitating the cargo box retrieval device to retrieve and place the cargo box. However, in some embodiments, the first state makes it difficult for the engagement assembly 330 to pass through the passage 420 of the load-bearing platform 400. To address this issue, the cargo box retrieval device 300 in the embodiment of the present application can be switched to a second state, in which the engagement assembly 330 can pass through the passage 420 of the load-bearing platform 400, thereby enabling the cargo box retrieval device 300 to be raised and lowered along the lifting passage or to be accommodated in the lifting passage.

[0043] In some embodiments, the container retrieval device 300 includes a rotating assembly 320 and a coupling assembly 330. The rotating assembly 320 can drive the coupling assembly 330 to rotate, switching the container retrieval device 300 between a first state and a second state. The coupling assembly 330 can engage the side of the container facing the storage robot 10 to facilitate retrieval and placement of the container. When the container retrieval device 300 is retrieval or placement of a container, the rotating assembly 320 and coupling assembly 330 are in the first state. When the container retrieval device 300 has finished retrieval or placement of a container, or when the storage robot is moving and carrying a container, the rotating assembly 320 and coupling assembly 330 are in the second state.

[0044] In existing box-type storage, there are two main ways to remove boxes from shelves: one is to use a telescopic arm to clamp the box and remove it, and the other is to use a telescopic flatbed to lift the box for extraction. Because the telescopic arm needs to enter the space between two adjacent boxes when extracting the box, a large space needs to be reserved between the two adjacent boxes, and the telescopic flatbed needs to reserve a large space above the boxes when lifting the box. Therefore, based on the current form of removing boxes from shelves, the space utilization rate of the shelves is low. However, in the embodiment of the present application, the coupling component 330 is coupled to the side of the box facing the storage robot 10 to pick up and place the box, and then cooperates with the conveying device 410 to convey the box picked up and placed by the box picking and placing device. There is no need to reserve additional space around the box, which improves the space utilization rate of the shelf.

[0045] In addition, the container retrieval device 300 in the embodiment of the present application further includes a rotating assembly 320, which can drive the coupling assembly 330 to rotate, thereby switching the container retrieval device 300 between a first state and a second state. This allows the container retrieval device 300 to not only perform container retrieval operations in the direction of cargo conveyance, but also to ascend and descend through the passage 420 of the support platform 400 and perform retrieval and placement operations on multiple layers of the support platform, enabling the warehouse robot 10 to transport more containers. Furthermore, when the coupling assembly is in the second state, the container retrieval and placement operations are not performed, but the container is accommodated in the lifting passage of the support platform, or is elevated along the lifting passage of the support platform until it leaves the support platform, thereby facilitating the warehouse robot's handling of the container.

[0046] It is understood that the rotation trajectory of the engagement assembly 330 can be in a vertical plane (refer to Figure 1 、 Figure 3 ), or it can be in the horizontal plane (refer to Figure 5 、 Figure 6 ), and the coupling assembly 330 may also adopt other rotation methods, or not rotate, as long as the coupling assembly 330 can be accommodated in the channel of the supporting platform and / or lifted and lowered in the channel 420 on the supporting platform when it is in the second state, these are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0047] Furthermore, since the passage 420 for lifting and lowering the cargo box picking and placing device 300 is set on the carrying platform 400, when a cargo box is carried on a certain carrying platform 400, the cargo box picking and placing device 300 cannot be lifted and lowered along the passage 420 on the carrying platform 400, nor can it be accommodated in the passage 420 of the carrying platform. Therefore, the action process of the storage robot of the present application also includes: taking the picking process as an example, after the storage robot with multiple carrying platforms 400 reaches the storage position corresponding to the shelf, the first lifting mechanism 500 drives the multiple carrying platforms 400 to move upward along the bracket 200, so that the bottom carrying platform 400 is in the first storage layer for the goods to be picked up and placed, and at the same time the cargo box picking and placing device 300 moves downward. Move to the carrying platform 400, the rotating component 320 drives the coupling component 330 to rotate to the direction of picking up and placing the goods, the coupling component 330 picks up the cargo box to the edge of the carrying platform 400, and then the cargo box picking and placing device 300 moves up, and the cargo box is transported to the carrying platform 400 by the conveying device 410 on the carrying platform 400. After the picking is completed, the second-layer carrying platform 400 moves down to the storage layer of the second cargo box to be picked up and placed, and at the same time, the cargo box picking and placing device 300 moves down to the carrying platform 400, and the rotating component 320 drives the coupling component 330 to rotate to the direction of picking up and placing the cargo box to pick up and place the goods, and so on until the picking is completed or all the carrying platforms 400 are loaded with cargo boxes, and the placing process is the opposite.

[0048] It can be understood that the warehouse robot 10 of the present application is not limited to the above-mentioned method of picking up and placing goods. For example, when picking up and placing goods begin, multiple carrying platforms 400 can be moved down, and the topmost carrying platform 400 can pick up goods first, or other methods can be used to enable multiple carrying platforms 400 to pick up and place goods in sequence, as long as it can be achieved that after a certain carrying platform 400 completes picking up and placing goods, other carrying platforms 400 can still pick up and place goods.

[0049] In some embodiments, reference Figure 1 、 Figure 3 As shown, the rotating assembly 320 includes a support member 321, a rotating shaft 322, and a driving member 323. The support member 321 is fixedly connected to the second lifting mechanism 310, the rotating shaft 322 is connected to the support member 321 via a bearing seat, and the coupling assembly 330 is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft 322. The driving member 323 is connected to the rotating shaft 322, and drives the rotating shaft 322 to rotate the coupling assembly 330. By driving the rotating shaft 322 and the coupling assembly 330 to rotate, the coupling assembly 330 can be switched between the first state and the second state.

[0050] In some embodiments, as Figure 3As shown, in the rotating assembly 320 of the cargo box retrieval device 300, the support member 321 is fixedly connected to the synchronous belt 313 of the second lifting mechanism 310 via a synchronous belt clamping device. Furthermore, the driving member 323 may include a driving motor and a gear set, the gear set including a first bevel gear and a second bevel gear that mesh with each other, the first bevel gear being connected to the rotating shaft of the driving motor, and the second bevel gear being connected to the rotating shaft 322. The driving motor may be mounted on a mounting block fixedly connected to the support member 321 and drive the first bevel gear to rotate, thereby driving the second bevel gear meshing with the first bevel gear to rotate, the second bevel gear driving the rotating shaft 322 to rotate, and further driving the coupling assembly 330 fixedly connected to the rotating shaft 322 to rotate.

[0051] In other embodiments, Figure 5 、 Figure 6 As shown, the rotating assembly 320 includes a driving member 323 and a support member 321. The driving member 323 includes a driving motor disposed on the support member 321. The rotating shaft of the driving motor passes through the support member 321 and is connected to the coupling assembly 330, for example, to the linear motion mechanism 332 of the coupling assembly 330. The driving motor drives the coupling assembly 330 to rotate in a horizontal plane, so that the coupling assembly 330 switches between a first state and a second state. In this embodiment, the driving motor can directly drive the coupling assembly 330 to rotate in a horizontal plane. When the coupling assembly 330 rotates, the coupling assembly does not pick up or place a cargo box. When the coupling assembly 330 is in the second state, the cargo box picking and placing device 300 can be accommodated in the channel 420 of the carrying platform 400.

[0052] In other embodiments, Figure 7 、 Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, the passage 420 on the carrying platform 400 is, for example, in a cross shape. This arrangement allows the coupling assembly 330 in the container access device 300 to be raised and lowered through the passage 420 without rotating. In this case, the container access device 300 only includes the coupling assembly 330 and does not require the rotating assembly 320.

[0053] In some embodiments, the engaging assembly 330 includes a suction cup assembly 331 for adsorbing a cargo box, thereby allowing the cargo box to be sucked in or pushed by the suction cup assembly 331. When it is necessary to retrieve cargo from a shelf, the suction cup assembly 331 can utilize negative pressure to adhere to the sidewall of the cargo box, thereby pulling the cargo box out of the shelf storage location. When it is necessary to push a cargo box from the carrying platform of the storage robot to a designated storage location on the shelf, the suction cup assembly 331 can be used to push the cargo box, in which case the suction cup assembly 331 does not utilize negative pressure to adsorb the cargo box.

[0054] It is understood that there are many ways to combine the suction cup assembly 331 with the cargo box interface, such as Figure 3 and Figure 6 The different settings of the suction cup assembly 331 shown can all accomplish the task of taking and placing cargo in the cargo box; further, the structural design of the suction cup assembly of the present invention is not limited thereto, and other structures or settings that can achieve suction are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0055] In other embodiments, the engaging assembly 330 includes a hook assembly for hooking a cargo box, thereby enabling the cargo box to be hooked or pushed with the help of the hook assembly. When hooking or pushing a cargo box with the hook assembly, the hook of the hook assembly can be used to directly hook the edge of the cargo box. In some embodiments, a slot or hole can be provided on the cargo box to facilitate hooking by the hook assembly, thereby enhancing the convenience of hooking the cargo box. Furthermore, the hook assembly can have one or more hooks to achieve hooking of the cargo box.

[0056] The warehouse robot of the present application uses the suction cup assembly 331 to suck and push the delivery box, or uses the hook assembly to hook and push the delivery box, reducing the number of steps required to pick up and place the box, thereby improving the efficiency of picking up and placing the box. In addition, the use of suction, hooking, or pushing to move the box horizontally eliminates the need to reserve additional space around the box, thereby improving the space utilization of the warehouse system.

[0057] In some embodiments, the coupling assembly 330 further includes a linear motion mechanism 332 that drives the suction cup assembly 331 or the hook assembly. The linear motion mechanism 332 is used to drive the suction cup assembly 331 or the hook assembly to move in the direction of picking up or releasing cargo to pick up or release cargo boxes. The suction cup assembly 331 includes a suction cup for sucking or pushing the cargo box and a vacuum suction assembly that provides power for the suction cup to suck the cargo box. The hook assembly includes a hook for hooking or pushing the cargo box. The linear motion mechanism 332 can be a linear slide, an electric cylinder, or an electric telescopic rod, etc. As long as it can drive the coupling assembly 330 to perform the picking up and releasing operations, other identical or similar mechanical structure designs are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0058] Specifically, in some embodiments, the vacuum suction assembly can be disposed on or within the robot chassis 100, and connected to the suction cup assembly 331 via a connecting tube. Furthermore, a pneumatic slip ring can be mounted on the rotating shaft 322 to secure the connecting tube. During the raising and lowering of the suction cup assembly 331, the pneumatic slip ring can retract and extend the connecting tube. It is understood that the present invention is not limited to this design for negative pressure suction of the suction cup assembly 331; any design can be used as long as it can drive the suction cup assembly to vacuum the cargo box.

[0059] In some embodiments, the bracket 200 includes a frame 210 and a rack 220 mounted on the frame 210. The rack 220 extends in the direction of elevation of the storage robot's carrying platform 400. The first lifting mechanism 500 includes a second motor 510 and a gear 520 connected to the rotating shaft of the second motor 510. The second motor 510 is mounted on the supporting frame of the carrying platform. The gear 520 engages with the rack 220, and the second motor 510 drives the gear to rotate, thereby raising and lowering the carrying platform along the bracket 200. It is understood that the structure of the first lifting mechanism 510 of the present invention is not limited to this, and various lifting methods such as transmission belts and chains can also be used.

[0060] In some embodiments, as Figure 3 As shown, the bracket 200 is further provided with a guide rail for guiding the lifting and lowering of the carrying platform 400, and the support frame on the carrying platform 400 includes a guide mechanism such as a slider that cooperates with the guide rail.

[0061] In some embodiments, the direction of picking up and placing cargo by the cargo box picking and placing device 300 is the same as the conveying direction of the conveying device 410 of the carrying platform 400. Thus, the cargo box picking and placing device 300 and the conveying device 410 cooperate to enable the warehouse robot 10 to complete the operation of picking up and placing cargo boxes.

[0062] In some embodiments, the robot chassis 100 is a self-guided chassis or a chassis that travels on tracks. When the robot chassis 100 is a self-guided chassis, rollers or tracks capable of movement may be provided on the robot chassis 100. The rollers or tracks drive the robot chassis 100 and other components provided on the robot chassis 100 to move, thereby enabling the warehouse robot 10 to travel. When the robot chassis 100 is a chassis that travels on tracks, running wheels capable of moving along the tracks may be provided on the robot chassis 100. The tracks guide the movement path of the running wheels, thereby ensuring that the movement path of the warehouse robot 10 is simplified, thereby reducing the travel time of the warehouse robot 10, improving the efficiency of picking up goods, and enhancing the stability of the warehouse robot 10.

[0063] Based on the same invention purpose, the present application also provides a warehouse robot 10 capable of picking up and placing cargo boxes on a shelf. The shelf is arranged into at least one layer, and each layer includes multiple storage locations. The warehouse robot 10 includes a robot chassis 100, at least one load-bearing platform 400, a cargo box picking and placing device 300, and a conveying device 410. Among them, at least one load-bearing platform 400 is disposed on the robot chassis 100. The cargo box picking and placing device 300 is disposed on the load-bearing platform 400 and is used to pick up and place cargo boxes from a designated storage location. The conveying device 410 is disposed on the load-bearing platform 400 and is used to convey cargo boxes picked up and placed by the cargo box picking and placing device 300. The cargo box picking and placing device 300 includes a coupling assembly 330 that can engage with the side of a designated cargo box facing the warehouse robot 10 to pick up and place the cargo box. In one embodiment, the cargo box picking and placing device 300 also includes a rotating assembly 320 that drives the coupling assembly 330 to rotate.

[0064] The warehouse robot 10 of the embodiment of the present application is provided with a cargo box picking and placing device 300, and a conveying device 410 is provided on the carrying platform 400 of the warehouse robot 10. Thus, the cargo box can be taken out of a designated cargo box storage location on a shelf using the cargo box picking and placing device 300, and the cargo box picked up and placed by the cargo box picking and placing device 300 can be transported using the conveying device 410 so that the cargo box is carried on the carrying platform 400, thereby achieving the cargo picking process. Alternatively, the cargo box can be transported outward from the carrying platform 400 using the conveying device 410, for example, from the middle area of ​​the carrying platform to an edge position, and then the cargo box can be pushed to the cargo box storage location on the shelf by the cargo box picking and placing device for storage, thereby achieving the cargo releasing process. Through the cooperation of the cargo box picking and placing device 300 and the conveying device 410, the friction between the cargo box and the load-bearing platform 400 can be reduced, thereby improving the problem of easy wear between the cargo box and the load-bearing platform 400. Compared with the solution of directly clamping the cargo box to the load-bearing platform by using telescopic forks, there is no need to reserve space for forks on the load-bearing platform, thereby reducing the area of ​​the load-bearing platform 31. In addition, it can also improve the efficiency of picking and placing cargo boxes.

[0065] In addition, the embodiment of the present application picks up and places the cargo box by connecting the coupling component 330 to the side of the cargo box facing the warehouse robot 10, and then cooperates with the conveying device 410 to convey the cargo box picked up and placed by the cargo box picking and placing device. There is no need to reserve additional space around the cargo box, so that the space utilization rate of the shelf is improved.

[0066] In addition, the structure and connection relationship of the robot chassis 100, at least one supporting platform 400, the cargo box picking and placing device 300 and the conveying device 410 are the same as or different from the structure and connection relationship of the robot chassis 100, at least one supporting platform 400, the cargo box picking and placing device 300 and the conveying device 410 in the above embodiment.

[0067] Based on the same invention purpose, the present application also provides a warehousing system, including a warehouse and a warehousing robot 10 according to any of the above embodiments. The warehousing robot 10 can travel in the warehouse's aisles to connect to storage locations on multi-layer shelves. The warehousing robot 10 can also connect to multi-layer conveyor lines, allowing multiple load platforms 400 to simultaneously pick up and place cargo boxes.

[0068] In one embodiment of the present application, a warehousing system includes a warehouse and the warehouse robot 10 described in the above embodiment. The warehouse robot 10 can navigate the warehouse's aisles to retrieve, place, and transport cargo boxes within the warehouse. The warehouse robot 10 can also interface with multi-layer conveyor lines, enabling multiple load platforms 400 to simultaneously retrieve and place cargo boxes, thereby improving the warehouse's storage and retrieval efficiency.

[0069] by Figure 1 Taking the warehouse robot 10 as an example, the specific process of shipping out the cargo box of this application is roughly as follows:

[0070] Control the storage robot 10 to move to the storage location of the shelf,

[0071] Activate the first lifting mechanism 500 to lift the first carrying platform 400 to the storage layer of the first container to be picked up and placed;

[0072] Activate the second lifting mechanism 310 to move the container pick-up and place device 300 to the storage layer;

[0073] The suction cup assembly 331 is driven by the linear motion mechanism 332 to move in the direction of picking up and placing goods until the suction cup assembly 331 abuts against the side of the cargo box on the storage position facing the storage robot 10;

[0074] Start the vacuum suction component so that the suction cup component 331 sucks the side of the cargo box;

[0075] Control the linear motion mechanism 332 to drive the suction cup assembly 331 to transport the cargo box to the carrying platform 400 in the direction of picking up and placing goods, until part of the cargo box is pulled onto the conveying device 410 of the carrying platform 400;

[0076] The vacuum assembly is turned off, the suction cup assembly 331 loses its suction force on the cargo box, and the second lifting mechanism 310 drives the cargo box picking and placing device 300 to rise, so that the suction cup assembly 331 is away from the cargo box;

[0077] The conveyor device 410 is started, and the cargo box is continuously conveyed to the load platform along the direction of picking up and putting away goods under the conveyor device 410 until the entire cargo box is transferred to the load platform 400, and the conveyor device 410 is stopped;

[0078] Activate the first lifting mechanism 500 to lift the second carrying platform 400 to the storage layer corresponding to the second container to be picked up and placed;

[0079] The second lifting mechanism 310 is activated to move the container pick-up and placement device 300 through the passage 420 on the carrying platform 400 to the second storage layer for the container to be picked up and placed;

[0080] Repeat the above steps until the cargo boxes are picked up and placed or all the carrying platforms 400 are loaded with cargo boxes;

[0081] The warehouse robot 10 that has completed picking up the goods moves to the workbench, the preset unloading or storage area, etc., and uses the carrying platform 400 and the conveyor line and other equipment in the unloading area to connect and unload the goods. The cargo box can also be moved to other storage locations for storage to complete the transfer of the cargo box.

[0082] by Figure 1 Taking the warehousing robot 10 as an example, the specific warehousing process of the cargo box of this application is roughly described as follows:

[0083] Control the storage robot 10 loaded with cargo boxes to move to the storage location of the shelf, start the first lifting mechanism 500, and lift the carrying platform 400 to the storage layer of the first cargo box to be picked up and placed;

[0084] The conveying device 410 is started to convey the cargo box to the outside of the carrying platform 400 in the direction of picking up and putting away cargo, so that the cargo box moves toward the designated storage position. The conveying device 410 is stopped until the cargo box stops moving.

[0085] The second lifting mechanism 310 is activated to move the container pick-up and placement device 300 to the storage layer where the container is located;

[0086] The suction cup assembly 331 is driven to move along the direction of taking or putting goods by the linear motion mechanism 332 until the suction cup assembly 331 abuts against the side of the cargo box;

[0087] Continue to push the suction cup assembly 331 forward through the linear motion mechanism 332 until the cargo box is completely pushed to the storage position of the shelf;

[0088] The above steps are repeated until all cargo boxes on the carrying platform 400 are transferred to different storage locations on the shelf for storage.

[0089] It can be understood that when the cargo box picking and placing device 300 adopts a hooking component, the process of picking and placing the cargo box is roughly the same. The only difference is that the hooking component adopts a hook to hook the cargo box when picking up the cargo, such as hooking the side wall of the cargo box; further, the cargo box picking and placing device 300 can also adopt other identical or similar mechanical structures to realize the picking and placing of the cargo box, which are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0090] The technical features of the above-mentioned embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. In order to make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-mentioned 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.

[0091] 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 patent application. It should be noted that a person of ordinary skill in the art may make various modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present application, and these modifications and improvements 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 storage robot, characterized in that: The storage robot comprises: At least one carrying platform, provided on the bracket, for carrying the cargo box; A cargo box taking and placing device is provided on the bracket and is used for taking and placing the cargo box; A first lifting mechanism, used for driving the carrying platform to move up and down along the bracket; A second lifting mechanism is used to drive the cargo box picking and placing device to move up and down; and a robot chassis, the bracket being arranged on the robot chassis; The carrying platform is provided with a conveying device for conveying the cargo boxes picked up and placed by the cargo box picking and placing device; the carrying platform is provided with a passage for the lifting and lowering of the cargo box picking and placing device; The cargo box picking and placing device includes a rotating component and a coupling component. When the cargo box picking and placing device is in a first state, the cargo box picking and placing device can pick up and place the cargo box, and the first state is to make the coupling component be in a state where it can engage with the cargo box; when the cargo box picking and placing device is in a second state, the cargo box picking and placing device can be raised and lowered along the channel of the load-bearing platform, and the second state is a state where the coupling component can pass through the channel of the load-bearing platform.

2. The storage robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotating assembly can drive the engaging assembly to rotate, so that the cargo box picking and placing device switches between a first state and a second state, and the engaging assembly can be engaged with a side of the cargo box facing the storage robot to pick up and place the cargo box; When the cargo box picking and placing device picks up and places a cargo box, the rotating component and the coupling component are in a first state; when the cargo box picking and placing device finishes picking up and placing a cargo box or the warehouse robot moves to carry a cargo box, the rotating component and the coupling component are in a second state.

3. The storage robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The rotating assembly includes a support member, a rotating shaft and a driving member; The support member is fixedly connected to the second lifting mechanism; The rotating shaft is connected to the support member via a bearing seat, and the engaging assembly is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft; The driving member is connected to the rotating shaft and drives the rotating shaft to rotate, thereby driving the engaging assembly to rotate.

4. The storage robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The engaging assembly includes a suction cup assembly for adsorbing the cargo box, so as to suck or push the cargo box with the aid of the suction cup assembly; or The engaging assembly includes a hooking assembly for hooking the cargo box, so as to hook or push the cargo box with the help of the hooking assembly.

5. The storage robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The engaging assembly further comprises a linear motion mechanism for driving the suction cup assembly or the hook assembly, wherein the linear motion mechanism is used to drive the suction cup assembly or the hook assembly to move along the direction of picking up or releasing cargo, so as to pick up or release cargo boxes; The suction cup assembly includes a suction cup for sucking or pushing the delivery box and a vacuum suction assembly for providing power for the suction cup to suck the box, and the hook assembly includes a hook for hooking or pushing the delivery box.

6. The storage robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The direction of taking and placing cargoes of the cargo box taking and placing device is the same as the conveying direction of the conveying device of the load-bearing platform.

7. The storage robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The robot chassis is a self-guided chassis or a chassis that travels on a track.

8. A warehouse robot capable of picking up and placing boxes on a shelf, characterized in that: The shelf is provided with at least one layer, each layer including a plurality of storage locations, and the storage robot includes: Robot chassis; A bracket, arranged on the robot chassis; at least one carrying platform, provided on the bracket, for carrying the cargo box; A cargo box retrieval device is provided on the bracket, and is used to retrieve and place cargo boxes at designated storage locations; and A conveying device is provided on the carrying platform, and is used to convey the cargo box picked up and placed by the cargo box picking and placing device; The cargo box picking and placing device includes a rotating component and a coupling component. When the cargo box picking and placing device is in a first state, the cargo box picking and placing device can pick up and place the cargo box, and the first state is to make the coupling component be in a state where it can engage with the cargo box; when the cargo box picking and placing device is in a second state, the cargo box picking and placing device can be raised and lowered along the channel of the load-bearing platform, and the second state is a state where the coupling component can pass through the channel of the load-bearing platform.

9. A warehousing system, characterized in that: A storage warehouse and a storage robot according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the storage robot can walk in the aisles of the storage warehouse to connect to the storage positions of the multi-layer shelves; The storage robot can also be docked with multi-layer conveyor lines, allowing multiple carrying platforms to pick up and place cargo boxes at the same time.

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