A stacking electric side-shift attachment for circular goods used in an AGV

Abstract

This application relates to the technical field of warehousing equipment. Disclosed is a stacking electric side-shift attachment for circular goods used in an AGV. A stacking electric side-shift attachment for circular goods used in an AGV includes a rear fork frame, a front fork frame and a control system. A driving recorder is provided on the rear fork frame. When the AGV reaches the target position, the driving recorder photographs the position of the goods or the shelf relative to the fork arm and transmits the data to the control system. The control system calculates the amount that the servo motor needs to rotate and controls the servo motor to rotate the corresponding amount to eliminate the stop position error of the AGV. The present invention can directly carry goods such as reels or bars with different sizes, and through the pre-set goods area and related instructions, cooperate with relevant sensors to realize electric side-shift for picking and placing goods, making up for the difficulties in picking and placing goods caused by the parking error of the AGV trolley. The positioning accuracy is high, the response speed of adjustment is fast, the structure is compact and reliable, greatly simplifying the fork picking, stacking and transfer of such goods.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of warehousing equipment, and particularly relates to a stacking electric side-shifting attachment for circular goods used in an AGV. Background Art

[0002] AGV, namely Automated Guided Vehicle, is abbreviated as AGV. The most common current applications are, for example, AGV handling robots or AGV carts. Their main functions are concentrated in automatic logistics handling and transportation. An AGV handling robot automatically transports items to a designated location through special landmark navigation. The most common guiding methods are magnetic stripe guiding, laser guiding, RFID guiding, etc. An AGV cart is a product with high requirements for driving and stopping accuracy. The higher the accuracy, the better the product performance.

[0003] With the rapid development of the logistics industry, the requirements for the logistics warehouse environment are getting higher and higher, and the types of goods are also increasing. For the stacking of special goods, using traditional methods, when the goods are placed on a pallet and then stacked, it is rather troublesome and may pose potential safety hazards.

[0004] A side-shifting attachment is mounted on an AGV cart. It enables the AGV cart, before picking up goods, according to the fork hole position of the goods or the pallet, the on-vehicle system of the AGV issues a pick-up instruction to control the left and right side-shifting of the fork, aligning it with the fork hole position, facilitating the fork to pick up the goods. Instead of manually directly adjusting the left and right positions of the fork arms, it replaces manual handling, greatly reducing the consumption of human resources and improving work efficiency. An AGV cart with side-shifting is widely used in mechanical manufacturing, the pharmaceutical industry, supermarkets, food storage cold storages, etc. for loading, unloading, storing, handling, and stacking operations.

[0005] For existing side-shifting attachments on the market, a double-acting oil cylinder drives the fork to move left and right to achieve the side-shifting function. The medium for realizing the function is hydraulic oil, and the operating mechanism is a hydraulic cylinder. In actual use, there are large pressure losses and large pressure fluctuations in the hydraulic system, resulting in large action errors and unstable high and low speeds. In addition, valves and pipelines need to be added, and the layout is complex. After long-term use, there are problems of oil leakage and seepage, which are problems that cannot be addressed for the current clean warehouse environment requirements. Moreover, the goods need to be placed on a pallet, and the goods are picked up, stacked, and transported by picking up the pallet. For some cylindrical goods, special pallets need to be made, increasing the enterprise's material cost. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application proposes a stacking electric side-shifting attachment for circular goods used in an AGV, which has high positioning accuracy, fast adjustment response speed, and can directly pick up cylindrical goods.

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present application adopts the following technical solution: an electric side shift attachment for stacking round goods for AGV, comprising a rear fork frame, a front fork frame and a control system, both sides of the front fork frame are fixedly connected with fork arms, and the rear fork frame is assembled on the inner side of the door frame of the AGV trolley;

[0008] A screw mechanism and a screw nut are respectively provided between the rear fork frame and the front fork frame, the screw nut is transmission-connected to a servo motor, and the screw mechanism rotates to drive the screw nut to move laterally and then drive the front fork frame to move laterally;

[0009] The rear fork frame is provided with a driving recorder. When the AGV reaches the target position, the driving recorder captures the position of the goods or shelf relative to the fork arm and transmits the data to the control system. The control system calculates the amount by which the servo motor needs to rotate, and controls the servo motor to rotate a corresponding amount, thereby eliminating the stop position error of the AGV.

[0010] Furthermore, the rear fork frame is fixedly connected to the guide rail via a circular guide rail fixing seat, and the front fork frame is movably connected to the guide rail via a circular guide rail slider.

[0011] Furthermore, a cargo detection member is provided at the front end of the fork arm, which can detect objects in front, and an obstacle detection member is provided on the inner side of the fork arm, which can detect whether there is cargo or obstacles between the two fork arms;

[0012] A shelf detection component is provided on the outer side of the fork arm, which can detect the side shelf. The cargo detection component, the obstacle detection component and the shelf detection component are all connected to the control system. The shelf detection component can detect the distance between the fork arm and the shelf. The control system moves the front fork frame according to the distance measured by the shelf detection component, and adjusts the distance between the fork arm and the shelf to a target value.

[0013] Furthermore, the cargo detection component can detect the distance to the object in front. A driving recorder is provided on both sides of the rear fork frame. When the front fork frame is centered, the shooting direction of the driving recorder coincides with the fork arm. After the AGV moves to the target position, the cargo detection component detects whether there is cargo directly in front of the fork arm. If there is cargo, the distance between the fork arm and the cargo is detected. The amount to be adjusted is calculated through the distance between the fork arm and the target position in the image captured by the driving recorder, and the front fork frame is controlled to move the corresponding amount.

[0014] Furthermore, the rear fork frame and the front fork frame are respectively provided with a mid-position detection slot-shaped photoelectric device and a corresponding baffle for judging whether the front fork frame is centered.

[0015] Further, notch openings are provided on both of the two fork arms. A polyurethane block and a goods-in-place detection grooved photoelectric sensor are arranged in the notch openings. The goods-in-place detection grooved photoelectric sensor is used to detect whether there are goods. The goods-in-place detection grooved photoelectric sensor is connected to the control system. When handling cylindrical goods, when the goods-in-place detection grooved photoelectric sensor detects occlusion, the control system, according to the diameter of the goods, detects the goods and then controls the fork arm to move forward by a distance equal to the radius of the goods. After aligning the axis of the cylindrical goods with the goods-in-place detection grooved photoelectric sensor, the goods are forked up.

[0016] Further, the polyurethane block includes a "V"-shaped support arm. A semi-cylindrical protrusion is provided at the bottom of the support arm. A support seat corresponding to the protrusion is provided at the bottom of the notch opening. Elastic bodies are provided between both sides of the support arm and the fork arm. The elastic bodies have a certain elasticity to keep the support arm in a centered state. An inductor is provided on the support arm. The inductor can sense the pressure balance state on both sides of the support arm;

[0017] During the process of forking up the goods, if the inductor detects that the support arm is unbalanced, the lifting of the fork arm is paused. The control system controls the fork arm to move towards the heavier side until the support arm resumes balance, and then continues to lift the fork arm.

[0018] Further, an extension rod extending downward is provided in the middle of the protrusion. An elastic body for accommodating the extension rod is provided at the bottom of the notch opening. The inductor is provided between the extension rod and the side wall of the elastic body.

[0019] Further, an elastic accommodating groove is provided between the inductor and the side wall of the elastic body. The accommodating groove always presses the inductor against the extension rod.

[0020] Further, the goods-in-place detection grooved photoelectric sensor is fixedly connected to the fork arm. A butting rod fixedly connected to the support arm is provided above the goods-in-place detection grooved photoelectric sensor. A slot hole through which the light emitted by the goods-in-place detection grooved photoelectric sensor can pass is provided on the butting rod, and when the butting rod deflects along with the support arm, it can occlude the goods-in-place detection grooved photoelectric sensor.

[0021] A stacking electric side-shift attachment for circular goods of an AGV provided by the present application has a "V"-shaped polyurethane block at the tip of the fork arm, and can directly fork up coil-like goods or bar-like materials to overcome the above-mentioned technical problems existing in the related prior art. Through a preset goods area and related instructions, in cooperation with related sensors, electric side-shift for picking up and placing goods is realized, making up for the difficulties in picking up and placing goods caused by the parking error of the AGV trolley. The positioning accuracy is high, the adjustment response speed is fast, the structure is compact and reliable, the operation is convenient, and the forking, stacking and transferring of such goods are greatly simplified. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification illustrate embodiments disclosed in the present application and, together with the specification, are used to explain the principles disclosed in the present application.

[0023] Referring to the accompanying drawings, the present disclosure can be more clearly understood from the following detailed description, wherein:

[0024] Figure 1 is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 is a front view of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the distance relationship between the fork arm and the tray fork hole in the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 is a front view of the polyurethane block in the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 In the present invention Figure 4 is an enlarged view of A in

[0029] In the figure: 1, fork arm; 2, notch; 3, polyurethane block; 31, support arm; 32, protrusion; 33, inductor; 34, extension rod; 35, elastomer; 36, receiving groove; 37, abutting rod; 38, detection plate; 4, goods-in-place detection groove-type photoelectric; 5, shelf detection photoelectric; 6, laser range finder; 7, ultrasonic sensor; 8, goods detection photoelectric; 9, goods detection groove-type photoelectric; 10, circular guide rail fixing seat; 11, driving recorder; 12, circular guide rail slider; 13, rear fork frame; 14, middle position detection groove-type photoelectric; 15, guide rail; 16, camera; 17, front fork frame; 18, servo motor; 19, reducer; 20, coupling; 21, lead screw mechanism; 22, lead screw nut. Specific Embodiments

[0030] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present application without creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0031] Embodiment 1

[0032] Please refer to Figures 1 - 2, A stacking electric side-shifting attachment for circular goods of an AGV. The specific components include a rear fork frame 13, which is assembled inside the gantry of the AGV trolley. A circular guide rail fixing seat 10 is installed on the rear fork frame 13, and a guide rail 15 is fixedly installed on the circular guide rail fixing seat 10. The guide rail 15 is movably connected with a circular guide rail slider 12, and the circular guide rail slider 12 is fixedly connected with a front fork frame 17. The front fork frame 17 can slide left and right on the guide rail 15. Fork arms 1 are fixedly connected to both sides of the front fork frame 17. A servo motor 18 is provided on the rear fork frame 13. The servo motor 18 is drivingly connected with a speed reducer 19. The speed reducer 19 is drivingly connected with a lead screw mechanism 21 through a coupling 20. A lead screw nut 22 is movably sleeved on the lead screw mechanism 21, and the lead screw nut 22 is fixedly connected with the front fork frame 17. The output shaft of the speed reducer 19 and the input shaft of the lead screw mechanism 21 are both connected through a flat key and a coupling 20. The servo motor 18 and the speed reducer 19 provide driving power. The lead screw mechanism 21 and the lead screw nut 22 interact to make the fork arms 1 move left and right on the guide rail 15 through the circular guide rail slider 12, so as to realize the overall side shift of the front fork frame 17 and the fork arms 1. A driving recorder 11 and a camera 16 are provided on the rear fork frame 13. Driving recorders 11 are provided on both sides of the rear fork frame 13. The driving recorder 11 is higher than the fork arms 1 and is used to record the real-time state of the AGV trolley picking up and placing goods. The camera 16 is arranged on one side and is used to record the real-time state between the AGV trolley and the goods shelf. Median detection groove-shaped optoelectronics 14 and corresponding baffles are respectively provided in the middle parts of the rear fork frame 13 and the front fork frame 17. The centering position of the fork arms 1 is judged through the median detection groove-shaped optoelectronics 14, and then the real-time position during the side shift of the fork arms 1 is detected through the absolute value coding of the servo motor 18 and fed back to the control system of the AGV trolley, so as to ensure the safe picking up and placing of goods by the AGV trolley. A goods shelf detection part is provided on the outer side of the fork arms 1. The goods shelf detection part includes a goods shelf detection optoelectronic 5 and a laser distance sensor 6. When the fork arms 1 side shift, the goods shelf can be detected and the distance between the fork arms 1 and the goods shelf can be detected, so as to ensure the safe picking up and placing of goods by the AGV trolley. A goods detection part is provided at the front end of the fork arms 1. The goods detection part includes an ultrasonic sensor 7 and a goods detection optoelectronic 8, which can detect the object in front and the distance of the object in front, so as to ensure the safe picking up of goods from the goods shelf by the AGV trolley and prevent the fork arms 1 from colliding with the goods on the goods shelf. An obstacle detection part is provided on the inner side of the fork arms 1. The obstacle detection part is a goods detection groove-shaped optoelectronic 9, which is used to detect whether there are goods between the two fork arms 1.

[0033] The AGV arrives at the target goods area according to the navigation. Before lifting the goods, the AGV moves towards the goods. If the fork arms 1 are aligned with the pallet fork holes, there is no obstruction in front of the fork arms 1, and the fork arms 1 directly insert into the pallet fork holes; if the fork arms 1 are not aligned with the pallet fork holes, there will be an obstruction in front of the fork arms 1. The goods detection part detects the object in front and feeds back the distance of the goods in front to the control system. Please refer to Figure 3, given the distance Y from the driving recorder 11 to the tray, the magnification of the driving recorder 11 to the tray position can be calculated. In the image, the actual distance X from the fork arm 1 to the fork hole can be obtained through the distance from the fork arm 1 to the fork hole. After the control system moves the circular guide rail fixing seat 10 by a corresponding distance to align with the fork hole, the goods tray is lifted up.

[0034] When delivering the goods to the shelf, after the fork arm 1 is inserted into the shelf, the position of the fork arm 1 relative to the shelf is adjusted according to the shelf distance detected by the shelf detection component, and the tray is sent to the target position of the shelf.

[0035] Notches 2 are provided on both fork arms 1 for the fixing rods of the coil goods or the surface of the bar materials. A polyurethane block 3 and a goods-in-place detection groove-shaped photoelectric sensor 4 are provided in the notch 2. The polyurethane block 3 can prevent the goods from being damaged. The goods-in-place detection groove-shaped photoelectric sensor 4 detects whether the goods are above the notch 2. The side wall of the goods-in-place detection groove-shaped photoelectric sensor 4 is fixedly connected to the fork arm 1. A transmitter and a receiver are provided on the goods-in-place detection groove-shaped photoelectric sensor 4. When there is an occlusion above the goods-in-place detection groove-shaped photoelectric sensor 4, the light is reflected to the receiver. After the receiver receives the light, it sends a signal indicating that the goods are detected to the control system. When handling bar materials, when the goods-in-place detection groove-shaped photoelectric sensor 4 detects an occlusion, that is, the bar reaches above the notch 2. According to the diameter of the bar, after the bar is detected, the fork arm 1 is then controlled to move forward a certain distance to align the axis of the bar with the goods-in-place detection groove-shaped photoelectric sensor 4. At this time, the AGV controls the attachment to move upward to lift the bar.

[0036] The polyurethane block 3 includes a "V"-shaped support arm 31. The support arm 31 is made of a rigid material, and a polyurethane layer is laid on the upper surface. A semi-cylindrical protrusion 32 is provided at the bottom of the support arm 31. A support seat corresponding to the protrusion 32 is provided at the bottom of the notch 2. Elastic bodies 35 are provided between both sides of the support arm 31 and the fork arm 1. The elastic bodies 35 have a certain elasticity to keep the support arm 31 in a centered state, but contract under pressure to generate space for deflection to one side. The elastic force of the elastic bodies 35 can be adjusted by gaskets or other means, and no specific limitation is imposed. An inductor 33 is provided on the support arm 31. The inductor 33 can sense the pressure balance state on both sides of the support arm 31. Due to the insufficient movement accuracy of the AGV, it is difficult to ensure that the axis of the bar is aligned with the goods-in-place detection groove-shaped photoelectric sensor 4. When lifting the bar, the bar deviates to one side and first contacts one side of the support arm 31. The support arm 31 is unbalanced in force and deflects to one side. At this time, the control system controls the fork arm 1 to move towards the heavier side until the support arm 31 resumes balance. After balance, the fork arm 1 continues to be lifted. If the support arm 31 is unbalanced again, the above process is repeated. The forward and backward movement of the fork arm 1 can be the forward and backward movement of the attachment or can be achieved through the overall movement of the AGV. The specific movement method is determined by the type of AGV.

[0037] In the middle of the protrusion 32, there is an extension rod 34 extending downward. At the bottom of the notch 2, there is an elastic body 35 for accommodating the extension rod 34. As the support arm 31 deflects, the extension rod 34 rotates to one side. The sensor 33 is provided between the side wall of the extension rod 34 and the elastic body 35. When the extension rod 34 moves to one side, it will cause a change in the pressure on the sensor 33. There is an elastic accommodation groove 36 between the sensor 33 and the side wall of the elastic body 35. The side wall of the elastic body 35 is arranged in the sleeve, and the accommodation groove 36 is arranged in the sleeve. The sleeve is filled with an elastic filler, so that the accommodation groove 36 always presses the sensor 33 against the extension rod 34. Whether the support arm 31 is in a balanced state is judged by the continuous pressure change of the sensor 33.

[0038] Above the goods-in-place detection groove-shaped photoelectric 4, there is a contact rod 37 fixedly connected to the support arm 31. The contact rod 37 is provided with a slot hole that allows the light emitted by the goods-in-place detection groove-shaped photoelectric 4 to pass through. And when the contact rod 37 deflects with the support arm 31, it can block the goods-in-place detection groove-shaped photoelectric 4. The contact rod 37 can detect whether the support arm 31 is in a balanced state in the initial state. If it is not balanced, the support arm 31 is restored to the balanced state by adjusting or replacing the elastic body 35. At the same time, the contact rod 37 can also detect whether the support arm 31 is balanced and cooperate with the sensor 33 to function.

Claims

1. A stacking electric side-shifting attachment for circular goods used in an AGV, characterized in that, It includes a rear fork frame (13), a front fork frame (17) and a control system. Fork arms (1) are fixedly connected to both sides of the front fork frame (17). The rear fork frame (13) is assembled inside the gantry of the AGV cart. It is characterized in that: A lead screw mechanism (21) and a lead screw nut (22) are respectively arranged between the rear fork frame (13) and the front fork frame (17). The lead screw nut (22) is drivingly connected to a servo motor (18). The lead screw mechanism (21) rotates to drive the lead screw nut (22) to move horizontally, thereby driving the front fork frame (17) to move horizontally; A driving recorder (11) is arranged on the rear fork frame (13). When the AGV reaches the target position, the driving recorder (11) takes pictures of the position of the goods or the shelf relative to the fork arm (1) and transmits the data to the control system. The control system calculates the amount that the servo motor (18) needs to rotate and controls the servo motor (18) to rotate the corresponding amount to eliminate the stop position error of the AGV; Notches (2) are arranged on both of the two fork arms (1). Polyurethane blocks (3) are arranged in the notches (2). The polyurethane blocks (3) include "V"-shaped support arms (31). A semi-cylindrical protrusion (32) is arranged at the bottom of the support arm (31). A support seat corresponding to the protrusion (32) is arranged at the bottom of the notch (2). Elastic bodies (35) are arranged between both sides of the support arm (31) and the fork arm (1). The elastic bodies (35) have a certain elasticity to keep the support arm (31) in a centered state. An inductor (33) is arranged on the support arm (31). The inductor (33) can sense the pressure balance state on both sides of the support arm (31); During the process of lifting the goods, if the inductor (33) detects that the support arm (31) is unbalanced, the lifting of the fork arm (1) is paused. The control system controls the fork arm (1) to move towards the overweight side until the support arm (31) resumes balance, and then continues to lift the fork arm (1).

2. The stacking electric side-shifting attachment for circular goods used in an AGV according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rear fork frame (13) is fixedly connected to a guide rail (15) through a circular guide rail fixing seat (10). The front fork frame (17) is movably connected to the guide rail (15) through a circular guide rail slider (12).

3. The stacking electric side-shifting attachment for circular goods used in an AGV according to claim 2, characterized in that, A goods detection member is arranged at the front end of the fork arm (1) and can detect an object in front. An obstacle detection member is arranged inside the fork arm (1) and can detect whether there are goods or obstacles between the two fork arms (1); A shelf detection member is arranged outside the fork arm (1) and can detect a side shelf. The goods detection member, the obstacle detection member and the shelf detection member are all connected to the control system. The shelf detection member can detect the distance between the fork arm (1) and the shelf. The control system moves the front fork frame (17) according to the distance measured by the shelf detection member to adjust the distance between the fork arm (1) and the shelf to a target value.

4. The stacking electric side-shifting attachment for circular goods used in an AGV according to claim 3, characterized in that, The goods detection component can detect the distance to the object in front. The driving recorders (11) are provided on both sides of the rear fork frame (13). When the front fork frame (17) is centered, the shooting direction of the driving recorder (11) coincides with the fork arm (1). After the AGV moves to the target position, the goods detection component detects whether there is goods directly in front of the fork arm (1). If there is goods, it detects the distance between the fork arm (1) and the goods. It calculates the amount to be adjusted based on the distance between the fork arm (1) and the target position in the image captured by the driving recorder (11), and controls the front fork frame (17) to move the corresponding amount.

5. The stacking electric side-shifting attachment for circular goods used in an AGV according to claim 3, characterized in that, The rear fork frame (13) and the front fork frame (17) are respectively provided with a middle position detection groove type photoelectric (14) for judging whether the front fork frame (17) is centered and a corresponding baffle.

6. The stacking electric side-shifting attachment for circular goods used in an AGV according to claim 1, characterized in that, A goods in place detection groove type photoelectric (4) is provided in the notch (2). The goods in place detection groove type photoelectric (4) is used to detect whether there is goods. The goods in place detection groove type photoelectric (4) is connected to the control system. When handling cylindrical goods, when the goods in place detection groove type photoelectric (4) detects occlusion, the control system, according to the diameter of the goods, detects the goods and then controls the fork arm (1) to move forward a distance equal to the radius of the goods. After the axis of the cylindrical goods is aligned with the goods in place detection groove type photoelectric (4), the goods are lifted.

7. The stacking electric side-shifting attachment for circular goods used in an AGV according to claim 6, characterized in that, An extension rod (34) extending downward is provided in the middle of the protrusion (32). An elastic body (35) for accommodating the extension rod (34) is provided at the bottom of the notch (2). The inductor (33) is provided between the side wall of the extension rod (34) and the elastic body (35).

8. The stacking electric side-shifting attachment for circular goods used in an AGV according to claim 7, characterized in that, An elastic accommodating groove (36) is provided between the inductor (33) and the side wall of the elastic body (35). The accommodating groove (36) always presses the inductor (33) against the extension rod (34).

9. The stacking electric side-shifting attachment for circular goods used in an AGV according to claim 7, characterized in that, The goods in place detection groove type photoelectric (4) is fixedly connected to the fork arm (1). A contact rod (37) fixedly connected to the support arm (31) is provided above the goods in place detection groove type photoelectric (4). The contact rod (37) is provided with a slot hole through which the light emitted by the goods in place detection groove type photoelectric (4) can pass, and when the contact rod (37) deflects along with the support arm (31), it can block the goods in place detection groove type photoelectric (4).

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