Goods taking structure, goods taker, and goods delivery apparatus

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a kind of goods taking structure, goods taking device and goods distribution equipment, the goods taking structure is used to take goods such as medicine from goods shelf orientation goods taking device, including goods receiving slide, goods picking member and drive mechanism, goods receiving slide includes fixed slide and retractable slide, retractable slide is movably arranged on fixed slide, retractable slide is configured to have goods receiving position and storage position;Goods picking member is movably arranged relative to retractable slide and fixed slide, has goods picking position and retracted position;Drive mechanism is used to drive goods picking member and retractable slide to move close to or away from goods shelf;Goods taking structure is configured to have idle state and working state according to instruction, in idle state, goods picking member is located in retracted position, retractable slide is located in storage position, in working state, goods picking member moves to goods picking position, retractable slide moves to goods receiving position, and during the movement of goods picking member from goods picking position to retracted position, retractable slide can be kept in goods receiving position, so it can effectively improve the success rate of goods taking of goods taking structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of cargo distribution equipment technology, specifically to a picking structure, a picking device, and cargo delivery equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Goods delivery equipment can be used in various environments such as pharmacies and supermarkets. In existing technologies, the picking pick is fixedly mounted on the telescopic plate of the receiving slide. The telescopic plate moves synchronously to pick up the goods from the shelf. However, in this method, when the picking pick retracts and pulls the goods off the shelf, the telescopic plate also retracts simultaneously. This increases the distance between the telescopic plate and the shelf, and there is a chance that the goods will not fall onto the telescopic plate of the receiving slide. The success rate of picking up goods cannot be guaranteed, and the applicability is low. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a pickup structure, pickup device, and cargo delivery equipment, which can effectively reduce the risk of cargo falling in related technologies and improve the success rate of pickup.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, a first aspect of this disclosure provides a picking structure for retrieving goods from a shelf-oriented picking device, comprising: a receiving slide including a fixed slide and a telescopic slide movably disposed on the fixed slide, the telescopic slide being configured to have a receiving position approaching the shelf in a telescopic direction and a storage position away from the shelf; a picking component movably disposed relative to the telescopic slide and the fixed slide, having a picking position extending out of the telescopic slide in a picking direction and a retracted position retracting from the telescopic slide; and a drive mechanism for driving the picking component and the telescopic slide to move towards or away from the shelf; the picking structure is configured to have an idle state and an operating state according to an instruction, wherein in the idle state the picking component is located in the retracted position and the telescopic slide is located in the storage position, and in the operating state the picking component moves to the picking position and the telescopic slide moves to the receiving position, and the telescopic slide is able to remain in the receiving position during the movement of the picking component from the picking position to the retracted position.

[0005] Optionally, the drive mechanism is configured to be connected to the picking component, and the picking structure further includes an unlockable holding mechanism. The picking structure is configured such that, in the working state, the picking component first moves to the picking position and then drives the telescopic slide to move to the receiving position. The telescopic slide is held in the receiving position by the holding mechanism. After the picking component moves to the retracted position, it can unlock the holding mechanism and drive the telescopic slide back to the storage position.

[0006] Optionally, the telescopic direction is a first direction, the picking direction is a second direction, and the second direction is angled upwards with respect to the first direction; the picking component is slidably disposed on the telescopic slide, one of the picking component and the telescopic slide is provided with a first groove extending along the first direction, and the other is provided with a slider, the slider moves within the first groove and is limited by both ends of the first groove to realize that the picking component drives the telescopic slide to move.

[0007] Optionally, the picking component includes a picking body and a slide connected together. One end of the picking body has a picking part, and the other end is hinged to the slide. The top wall of the slide is provided with a first slide groove, the bottom wall of the telescopic slide is provided with the slider, and the telescopic slide is also provided with a second slide groove extending along the second direction. The picking body is slidably connected to the second slide groove.

[0008] Optionally, the telescopic slide has a first clearance groove for accommodating the picking part on the side near the picking part, and second sliding grooves are formed on the two side walls of the first clearance groove along the first direction. The two side walls of the picking body along the first direction have outwardly extending sliding rods that slide in cooperation with the second sliding grooves. In the picking position, the picking part extends out of the first clearance groove, and in the retracted position, the picking part is stored in the first clearance groove. The two second sliding grooves are symmetrically arranged about the center line of the first direction. The end of each of the two second sliding grooves near the opening of the first clearance groove also has an extension section that extends along the first direction and communicates with the opening of the first clearance groove.

[0009] Optionally, the cargo-picking body includes a base plate having a first end and a second end opposite to each other along its own length. The first end is hinged to the slide via a pivot. The cargo-picking part is disposed at the second end and configured to be in the cargo-picking position. The cargo-picking part has a first stop surface for supporting the bottom wall of the cargo and a second stop surface for abutting against the side wall of the cargo. The first stop surface and the second stop surface are arranged at an angle. The top end of the second stop surface is a smooth arc surface. A protrusion is also formed on the side of the cargo-picking part opposite to the first stop surface. The protrusion has a third stop surface for stopping cargo behind the target cargo.

[0010] Optionally, the retaining mechanism includes an elastic retaining part and an unlocking part, and the telescopic slide has a locking part. In the receiving position, the elastic retaining part is locked to the locking part, and the unlocking part is configured to overcome and drive the elastic retaining part to move in the direction of overcoming elasticity after the picked-up item moves to the retracted position, so as to unlock the locking part.

[0011] Optionally, the elastic retaining part includes a fixed seat, a stop block, and an elastic element. The fixed seat is fixedly installed on the fixed slide rail. One end of the stop block is hinged to the fixed seat, and the other end is pressed against the elastic element. The locking part includes a second relief groove formed on the inner wall surface of the telescopic slide rail near the fixed slide rail and recessed inward. In the receiving position, the side of the stop block where the elastic element is located abuts against the limiting surface of the second relief groove to retain the telescopic slide rail in the receiving position. The unlocking part includes an unlocking pressure block provided on the picking piece. The unlocking pressure block is configured to press against the stop block and compress the elastic element after the picking piece moves to the retracted position, thereby disengaging the stop block from the limiting surface and unlocking the retaining mechanism.

[0012] Optionally, the top wall of the fixed slide is provided with two first tracks extending along a first direction at intervals, and the bottom wall is provided with a second track extending along the first direction, with the second track located between the two first tracks. The picking structure also includes a mounting base movably disposed on the second track. The picking component is fixedly mounted on a first connecting part of the mounting base, and the fixed slide is also provided with a third clearance groove for avoiding the first connecting part. The telescopic slide is movably disposed on the first track. The driving mechanism includes a drive motor and a transmission mechanism. The drive motor drives the mounting base to move through the transmission mechanism, so as to move the picking component and the telescopic slide closer to or away from the shelf.

[0013] Optionally, the transmission mechanism includes a driving pulley, a driven pulley, and a timing belt. The driving pulley is rotatably connected to the output shaft of the drive motor about its own axis. The driven pulley is rotatably fixed on the bottom wall of the fixed slide rail about its own axis. The timing belt is wrapped around the driving pulley and the driven pulley and can transmit power as the driving pulley rotates. The mounting base also has a second connecting part fixedly installed on the belt body of the timing belt.

[0014] In a second aspect, this disclosure also provides a picking device, including a picking hopper, a pusher, and a picking structure as described above. The picking hopper has a storage compartment, and the storage compartment is provided with a drop-off port for goods to enter. The fixed slide of the picking structure is inclined upward along the telescopic direction and is provided at the drop-off port for goods picked up from the shelf onto the telescopic slide to enter the storage compartment through the drop-off port. The pusher is provided in the storage compartment for delivering the goods in the storage compartment.

[0015] In a third aspect, this disclosure also provides a goods delivery device, including a shelf, a track mechanism, and a pickup device as described above. The shelf is a multi-layer structure arranged along the height direction, and each layer has multiple inclined forward and downward extending aisles. The lower end of each aisle has a discharge port and a stop located at the discharge port. The bottom wall of each aisle has a fourth clearance groove for avoiding the picking item. The pickup device is movably disposed on the front side of the shelf via the track mechanism. When the receiving slide of the pickup structure is held in the receiving position, the track mechanism drives the pickup device to move upward. The picking item picks up the goods through the fourth clearance groove and moves from the picking position to the retracted position to pull the goods forward past the stop and fall into the receiving slide.

[0016] Through the above-mentioned technical solution, namely the picking structure provided in this disclosure, the picking structure can drive the picking component and the telescopic slide to move independently towards or away from the shelf through the drive mechanism. During the movement of the picking component from the picking position to the retracted position, it pulls goods such as medicines off the shelf. That is, during the process of picking up goods from the shelf by the picking component, it can ensure that the telescopic slide is always kept at the receiving position. This not only realizes that the telescopic slide retracts after the picking component, but also prevents the distance between the telescopic slide and the shelf from changing. It avoids the risk that the goods may not fall onto the telescopic slide after being picked up from the shelf due to the picking component being fixedly installed on the telescopic slide and moving synchronously with the telescopic slide, which is common in related technologies. This effectively improves the success rate of picking up goods. Furthermore, since the overall structure of the picking mechanism is designed to switch between idle and working states based on control commands issued by, for example, a controller, when the picking mechanism is idle, the corresponding telescopic slide is in the storage position, and the picked item is in the retracted position within the telescopic slide. This effectively reduces the overall space occupied by the picking mechanism and improves space utilization. When it is necessary to pick up goods through the picking mechanism, control commands can be issued by, for example, a controller to switch the picking mechanism from the idle state to the working state, thereby realizing the orientation of goods in the shelf to the picking device, which has good operability.

[0017] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the present disclosure, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pickup device provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the pickup structure provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure in an idle state;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the pickup structure provided in the exemplary embodiment of this disclosure in an idle state from another angle;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a front view of the pickup structure provided in the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure in an idle state;

[0023] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Cross-sectional view at position AA;

[0024] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the telescopic slide of the picking structure provided in the exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, with the picking item in the storage position and the picking position.

[0025] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the picking-up structure provided in the exemplary embodiment of this disclosure in the working state;

[0026] Figure 8 This is a front view of the pickup structure provided in the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure in its working state;

[0027] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 Cross-sectional view at position BB;

[0028] Figure 10 yes Figure 9 A magnified view of the area at position D in the middle;

[0029] Figure 11 yes Figure 8 Cross-sectional view at position CC;

[0030] Figure 12 This is a cross-sectional view of the telescopic slide of the picking structure provided in the exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, with the picking item in the retracted position and the receiving position being met.

[0031] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the picking structure provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure in the working state with the telescopic slide removed;

[0032] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the telescopic sliding structure of the picking-up structure provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure;

[0033] Figure 15 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the goods delivery equipment provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure;

[0034] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the operation of the picking structure provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, wherein the picking item has not yet been inserted into the cargo channel;

[0035] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of the operation of the picking structure provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, wherein the picking item extends into the cargo channel;

[0036] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of the working state of the picking component of the picking structure provided in the exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, which picks up the goods from the cargo channel and drops them onto the receiving slide.

[0037] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0038] 1- Receiving slide; 110- Fixed slide; 111- Third clearance groove; 120- Telescopic slide; 121- First clearance groove; 122- Locking part; 123- Second clearance groove; 124- Limiting surface; 2- Picking component; 210- Picking body; 211- Picking part; 2111- First stop surface; 2112- Second stop surface; 2113- Arc surface; 2114- Protrusion; 2115- Third stop surface; 212- Base plate; 220- Slide seat; 221- Connecting plate structure; 230- Slide rod; 240- Rotating shaft; 3- Drive mechanism; 310- Drive motor; 320- Transmission mechanism; 321- Driving pulley; 322- Driven belt 323 - Wheel; 4 - Synchronous belt; 5 - Shelf; 6 - Cargo aisle; 7 - Outlet; 8 - Stop; 9 - Fourth clearance groove; 10 - Goods; 11 - Retaining mechanism; 12 - Elastic retaining part; 13 - Fixed seat; 14 - Stop block; 15 - Elastic element; 16 - Unlocking part; 17 - Unlocking pressure block; 18 - First slide rail; 19 - Slider; 20 - Second slide rail; 10 - Extension section; 11 - First track; 12 - Second track; 13 - Mounting seat; 14 - First connecting part; 15 - Second connecting part; 16 - Picking hopper; 17 - Storage bin; 18 - Drop outlet; 19 - Pushing element; 10 - Track mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The specific embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0040] In this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "up" and "down" generally refer to up and down within the space of the pickup unit when it is in use. X, Y, and Z directions can be referenced. Figure 15 The first and second directions can be referenced. Figure 5 , Figure 15 , Figure 16 as well as Figure 17"Inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of the component or structure itself. Furthermore, it should be noted that terms such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish one element from another and do not indicate sequence or importance. Additionally, in the description with reference to the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals in different drawings denote the same element.

[0041] The picking structure, picking device, and goods delivery equipment disclosed herein can be used in pharmacies, supermarkets, and any other field requiring goods delivery. As one embodiment, the picking structure, picking device, and goods delivery equipment provided herein can be used in pharmacies for dispensing medicines from dispensing machines. This avoids the risk that medicine boxes may not fall onto the receiving slide due to the increased distance between the receiving slide and the shelf during the dispensing process, effectively improving the success rate of dispensing medicines from the dispensing machine.

[0042] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a pickup structure is provided, with reference to Figures 1 to 17 As shown, the picking structure is used to orient goods 5 from the shelf 4 and includes a receiving slide 1, a picking component 2, and a drive mechanism 3. The receiving slide 1 includes a fixed slide 110 and a telescopic slide 120 movably disposed on the fixed slide 110. The telescopic slide 120 is configured to have a receiving position approaching the shelf 4 in the telescopic direction and a storage position away from the shelf 4. The picking component 2 is movably disposed relative to the telescopic slide 120 and the fixed slide 110 to have a picking position extending out of the telescopic slide 120 in the picking direction. The retractable slide 120 is positioned in the retracted position; the drive mechanism 3 is used to drive the picking item 2 and the telescopic slide 120 to move closer to or away from the shelf 4; the picking structure is configured to have an idle state and an operating state according to instructions. In the idle state, the picking item 2 is in the retracted position and the telescopic slide 120 is in the storage position. In the operating state, the picking item 2 moves to the picking position and the telescopic slide 120 moves to the receiving position. During the movement of the picking item 2 from the picking position to the retracted position, the telescopic slide 120 is able to remain in the receiving position.

[0043] Through the above technical solution, namely the picking structure provided in this disclosure, the picking structure can drive the picking component 2 and the telescopic slide 120 to move independently close to or away from the shelf 4 via the drive mechanism 3. During the movement of the picking component 2 from the picking position to the retracted position, it pulls goods 5, such as medicines, away from the shelf 4. That is, during the process of picking up the goods 5 from the shelf 4 by the picking component 2, it can ensure that the telescopic slide 120 always remains at the receiving position. This not only achieves the retraction of the telescopic slide 120 after the picking component 2, but also prevents the distance between the telescopic slide 120 and the shelf 4 from changing. This avoids the risk that, in related technologies, the goods 5 may not fall onto the telescopic slide 120 after being picked up from the shelf 4 because the picking component 2 is fixedly installed on the telescopic slide 120 and moves synchronously with the telescopic slide 120. This effectively improves the success rate of picking up goods. Furthermore, since the overall structure of the picking mechanism is designed to switch between idle and working states based on control commands issued by, for example, a controller, when the picking mechanism is in an idle state, the corresponding telescopic slide 120 is in the storage position, and the picking item 2 is in the retracted position within the telescopic slide 120. This effectively reduces the overall space occupied by the picking mechanism and improves space utilization. When it is necessary to pick up goods through the picking mechanism, control commands can be issued by, for example, a controller (not shown in the figure) to switch the picking mechanism from an idle state to a working state, thereby enabling the goods 5 in the shelf 4 to be directed to the picking device, which provides good operability.

[0044] It should be noted that the front end of the aisle 410 of the shelf 4 typically has a stop 430. In this case, the upward lifting motion of the picking component 2 is required so that the goods 5 can pass over the stop 430 and be pulled away from the shelf 4 by the retraction action of the picking component 2. This lifting motion can be achieved by setting a lifting mechanism between the picking structure and the picking device, or by moving the picking device upwards as a whole. This disclosure does not limit this. The following description will provide a detailed explanation in conjunction with the upward movement of the picking device in this embodiment.

[0045] Furthermore, it should be noted that the extension direction is the first direction, the picking direction is the second direction, and the second direction is angled upwards relative to the first direction. Figure 5 , Figure 15 , Figure 16 as well as Figure 17 The first and second directions are illustrated exemplarily. The first direction is an inclined direction that allows the goods 5 to automatically slide down to the dispensing port 1320 of the medicine dispenser when it falls onto the receiving slide 1. The second direction is a higher protrusion beyond the first direction, so that when the picking device 2 picks up the goods, it can pick up the goods 5 from the shelf 4. For details, please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 16 and Figure 17 The diagram shows the working principle of the picking-up structure.

[0046] The drive mechanism 3 can be constructed in any suitable manner according to actual application requirements. For example, in some embodiments, refer to... Figures 3 to 14 As shown, the drive mechanism 3 can be configured to be connected to the picking component 2. The picking structure can also include an unlockable holding mechanism 6. In the working state, the picking structure is configured such that the picking component 2 first moves to the picking position and then drives the telescopic slide 120 to move to the receiving position. The telescopic slide 120 is stably held at the receiving position by the holding mechanism 6 to prevent the telescopic slide 120 from sliding due to gravity. This avoids the risk that the distance between the telescopic slide 120 and the shelf 4 changes during the picking process, which may prevent the goods 5 from falling onto the telescopic slide 120. This effectively improves the success rate of picking. The drive mechanism 3 enables the synchronous movement of the picking component 2 and the telescopic slide 120. At the same time, the holding mechanism 6 also enables the picking component 2 and the telescopic slide 120 to have a certain extension movement. The overall structure is relatively simple and has low manufacturing cost. It can also effectively reduce the space occupied by the entire picking structure. In addition, after the picking item 2 moves to the retracted position, it can unlock the holding mechanism 6 and drive the telescopic slide 120 to move back to the storage position, thereby realizing the storage of the entire picking structure, further reducing the overall space occupied by the picking structure and improving space utilization.

[0047] It should be noted that the specific implementation of the above-mentioned drive mechanism 3, which is configured to be one and connected to the picking component 2 to achieve synchronous movement of the picking component 2 and the telescopic slide 120, is exemplary. In some embodiments not shown, the number of drive mechanisms 3 can also be configured to be two and connected to the picking component 2 and the telescopic slide 120 respectively. In this way, the delayed movement of the two can be achieved by issuing different control commands through the controller. As long as it can be ensured that the telescopic slide 120 can be stably positioned at the receiving position by the holding mechanism 6 during the picking process of the picking component 2, that is, during the movement from the picking position to the retracted position, it is acceptable. Those skilled in the art can adapt the specific structure of the drive mechanism 3 according to the actual application requirements. This disclosure does not make specific limitations here.

[0048] Additionally, in some implementations, references Figures 11 to 14 As shown, the retaining mechanism 6 may include an elastic retaining part 610 and an unlocking part 620. The telescopic slide 120 has a locking part 122. In the receiving position, the elastic retaining part 610 is locked to the locking part 122. The unlocking part 620 is configured to overcome and drive the elastic retaining part 610 to move in the direction of overcoming elasticity after the picking piece 2 moves to the retracted position, so as to unlock the locking part 122. This achieves the goal of keeping the telescopic slide 120 stably in the receiving position by the retaining mechanism 6.

[0049] The elastic retaining part 610 can be constructed in any suitable manner, for example... Figure 11 As shown, the elastic retaining part 610 may include a fixed base 611, a stop block 612, and an elastic member 613. The fixed base 611 is fixedly mounted on the fixed slide rail 110. One end of the stop block 612 is hinged to the fixed base 611, and the other end is pressed against the elastic member 613. The corresponding locking part 122 may include a second relief groove 123 formed on the inner wall surface of the telescopic slide rail 120 near the fixed slide rail 110 and recessed inward. In this way, in the receiving position, the side of the stop block 612 with the elastic member 613 can abut against the limiting surface 124 of the second relief groove 123 to stably hold the telescopic slide rail 120 in the receiving position. In addition, as Figure 11 and Figure 13 As shown, the unlocking part 620 may include an unlocking block 621 disposed on the picking piece 2. The unlocking block 621 is configured to press against the stop block 612 and compress the elastic member 613 after the picking piece 2 moves to the retracted position, thereby disengaging the stop block 612 from the limiting surface 124, so as to unlock the holding mechanism 6, thereby enabling the telescopic slide 120 to switch from the receiving position to the storage position.

[0050] Of course, it should be noted that the above-mentioned elastic retaining part 610 is exemplarily constructed with an unlockable structure. In some embodiments not shown, the elastic retaining part 610 may also be a frictional resistance formed between the telescopic slide 120 and the fixed slide 110 to prevent relative movement between the telescopic slide 120 and the fixed slide 110. In this way, when the telescopic slide 120 is in the receiving position, the frictional resistance can stably keep the telescopic slide 120 in the receiving position. When the picking piece 2 moves to the retracted position, it further drives the telescopic slide 120 to move and overcome the above-mentioned frictional resistance, thus synchronously driving the telescopic slide 120 back to the storage position. This disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0051] Furthermore, the elastic element 613 can be constructed in any suitable manner; for example, the elastic element 613 can be as follows: Figure 11 The spring-loaded structure shown allows the stop block 612 to be pressed down by the unlocking block 621 after the picking piece 2 has moved to the retracted position. This causes the spring-loaded structure to move in a direction that overcomes elasticity, disengaging the stop block 612 from the limiting surface 124 of the telescopic slide 120, thus unlocking the holding mechanism 6. Of course, in some embodiments not shown, the elastic element 613 may also be constructed as an elastic structure such as a compression spring or a torsion spring, and this disclosure does not specifically limit it in this way.

[0052] In some implementations, reference Figures 4 to 14As shown, the picking component 2 is slidably mounted on the telescopic slide 120. One of the picking component 2 and the telescopic slide 120 can be provided with a first groove 7 extending in a first direction, and the other is provided with a slider 8. In this way, when the picking component 2 moves from the retracted position to the picking position, or from the picking position to the retracted position, the slider 8 can move within the first groove 7. This allows the picking component 2 and the telescopic slide 120 to have a certain delay in movement, effectively improving the success rate of picking up goods. Furthermore, the picking component 2 drives the telescopic slide 120 to move by limiting the two ends of the first groove 7. In this way, a drive mechanism 3 can synchronously drive the picking component 2 and the telescopic slide 120 to move synchronously.

[0053] in, Figure 5 The exemplary example shows that the picking device 2 may include a picking body 210 and a slide 220 connected to each other. One end of the picking body 210 has a picking part 211, and the other end is hinged to the slide 220. A first groove 7 is provided on the top wall of the slide 220, and a slider 8 is provided on the bottom wall of the telescopic slide 120. A second groove 9 extending in a second direction is also provided on the telescopic slide 120. The picking body 210 is slidably connected to the second groove 9, so that the picking device 2 can switch between the picking position and the retracted position.

[0054] Additionally, in some implementations, references Figure 5 As shown, the telescopic slide 120 can have a first clearance groove 121 for accommodating the picking part 211 on the side near the picking part 211, and a second slide groove 9 is formed on the two side walls of the first clearance groove 121 along the first direction. The picking body 210 has a slide rod 230 that extends outward and slides in cooperation with the second slide groove 9 on the two side walls along the first direction. In the picking position, the picking part 211 extends out of the first clearance groove 121, and in the retracted position, the picking part 211 is stored in the first clearance groove 121. In this way, by opening the second slide groove 9 on the first clearance groove 121, the overall structure of the telescopic slide 120 is not only more compact and the space occupancy rate is lower, but also the picking part 211 can be stored in the first clearance groove 121, further reducing the space occupancy rate and providing more space for the spatial layout of the goods delivery equipment.

[0055] Furthermore, in some implementations, reference is made to... Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the two second chutes 9 can be arranged symmetrically about the centerline of the first direction to improve the stability of the sliding of the picking piece 2. Furthermore, each of the two second chutes 9 has an extension section 910 that extends along the first direction and connects to the opening of the first clearance groove 121 at the end near the opening of the first clearance groove 121, so that the on-site operator can install the picking body 210 into the second chutes 9 through the extension section 910.

[0056] Furthermore, the picking body 210 can be constructed in any suitable manner; for example, in some embodiments, refer to Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the picking body 210 may include a base plate 212 having a first end and a second end opposite to each other in its own length direction. The first end is hinged to the slide 220 by a pivot 240. The picking part 211 is provided at the second end and is configured to be in the picking position. The picking part 211 has a first stop surface 2111 for supporting the bottom wall of the goods 5 and a second stop surface 2112 for abutting against the side wall of the goods 5. The first stop surface 2111 and the second stop surface 2112 are arranged at an angle, so that when the picking part 211 contacts the goods 5, it can stably support the goods 5 and pick up the goods 5 from the shelf 4 during the process of the picking part 211 moving from the picking position to the retracted position, which has good maneuverability.

[0057] in, Figure 9 The specific structure of the picking section 211 is shown as an example. Of course, the above specific structure is exemplary. Those skilled in the art can adapt the specific structure of the picking section 211 according to actual needs. The purpose is to realize a first stop surface 2111 for supporting the bottom wall of the goods 5 and a second stop surface 2112 for abutting against the side wall of the goods 5. This disclosure does not specifically limit the specific structure of the picking section 211.

[0058] Furthermore, in some implementations, reference is made to... Figure 10 As shown, the top end of the second stop surface 2112 can be a smooth arc surface 2113, so that the goods 5 can slide onto the receiving slide 1. In addition, a protrusion 2114 can be formed on the side of the picking part 211 opposite to the first stop surface 2111. The protrusion 2114 has a third stop surface 2115 for stopping the goods 5 behind the target goods 5, so as to realize the stopping of the goods behind the target goods 5.

[0059] In some implementations, reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the top wall of the fixed slide 110 can be provided with two first tracks 10 extending along the first direction at intervals, and the bottom wall is provided with a second track 11 extending along the first direction, with the second track 11 located between the two first tracks 10. In this way, by setting the first track 10 and the second track 11 on the opposite upper and lower sides of the fixed slide 110 respectively, and the second track 11 located in the middle of the two first tracks 10, not only is the overall stability high, but the overall space occupied area can also be reduced and the space utilization rate can be improved.

[0060] Additionally, in some implementations, references Figure 3 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 13 As shown, the picking structure may also include a mounting base 12 movably disposed on the second track 11, and the picking component 2 is fixedly mounted on the first connecting portion 1210 of the mounting base 12. Specifically, as shown... Figure 13 As shown, the slide 220 of the picking component 2 is provided with a connecting plate structure 221. This connecting plate structure 221 is detachably connected to the first connecting part 1210 of the mounting base 12 by means of, for example, locking bolts (not shown in the figure). The fixed slide rail 110 is also provided with a third clearance groove 111 for avoiding the first connecting part 1210. In this way, when the mounting base 12 moves along the second track 11, it can drive the slide 220 to move synchronously. In addition, the telescopic slide rail 120 is movably arranged on the first track 10. The drive mechanism 3 includes a drive motor 310 and a transmission mechanism 320. The drive motor 310 drives the mounting base 12 to move through the transmission mechanism 320. In this way, when the drive mechanism 3 drives the mounting base 12 and moves the slide 220 until the two ends of the first slide groove 7 of the slide 220 are in contact with the slider 8 on the telescopic slide rail 120, it is possible to realize that the picking component 2 and the telescopic slide rail 120 can move towards or away from the shelf 4 synchronously through a single drive mechanism 3.

[0061] The transmission mechanism 320 can be constructed in any suitable manner. For example, the transmission mechanism 320 may include a driving pulley 321, a driven pulley 322, and a synchronous belt 323. The driving pulley 321 is rotatably connected to the output shaft of the drive motor 310 around its own axis. The driven pulley 322 is rotatably fixed on the bottom wall of the fixed slide rail 110 around its own axis. The synchronous belt 323 is wrapped around the driving pulley 321 and the driven pulley 322 and can transmit power as the driving pulley 321 rotates. The mounting base 12 also has a second connecting part 1220 fixedly installed on the belt body of the synchronous belt 323. In this way, the mounting base 12 can be driven to move by the drive motor 310. Since the synchronous belt 323 has good elasticity, it can mitigate impact and vibration during operation, resulting in smooth movement and low noise. This ensures high stability during the movement of the picking structure. At the same time, the overall structure has the advantages of simple structure, easy manufacturing, convenient installation and maintenance, and low cost. Furthermore, the drive motor 310 can be any suitable motor such as a servo motor or a stepper motor, and this disclosure does not make any specific limitation.

[0062] Based on the above embodiments and with reference to Figure 18 As shown, this disclosure exemplarily describes the operation of a picking structure that, according to control commands issued by, for example, a controller, removes goods from a shelf-oriented picking device, as follows:

[0063] First, a control command can be issued by, for example, a controller, instructing a pickup device equipped with a pickup structure to move movably to a preset pickup position via the track mechanism 15. When the pickup structure, which is in standby mode, needs to perform a pickup operation, the controller then issues a command to the drive mechanism 3, causing the pickup structure to switch from an idle state to an operating state, i.e., as shown below. Figure 5 As shown, the picking part 211, located in the first clearance groove 121 of the telescopic slide 120, is first driven by the drive mechanism 3 to move along the second slide 9 to the position shown. Figure 6 The selection location shown is now being referenced. Figure 6 As shown, the inner wall of one end of the first groove 7 of the slide block 220 of the picking piece 2 is in contact with the slider 8 of the telescopic slide 120. Continuing under the drive of the drive motor 310, the slide block 220 will drive the telescopic slide 120 to move synchronously until the telescopic slide 120 moves to the position shown. Figure 9 The receiving location is shown; and at this time, as indicated... Figure 11 As shown, the limiting surface 124 of the second clearance groove 123 of the telescopic slide 120 will abut against the stop block 612, thereby keeping the telescopic slide 120 stably in the receiving position, thus completing the process of switching the picking structure from the idle state to the working state.

[0064] It should be noted that the control logic of the controller described above is exemplary. In some other implementations, the picking structure may first switch from an idle state to a working state, and then the controller may control the picking device to move to the preset picking position. This disclosure does not specifically limit this.

[0065] Furthermore, once the pickup device moves to the preset pickup position and the pickup structure is in operation (see reference...), Figure 18 medium state Figure 1 ),refer to Figure 15 , Figure 16 as well as Figure 18 As shown, in this embodiment, the lifting and picking action of the picking component 2 is achieved by the overall upward movement of the picking device. That is, the controller continues to issue control commands, instructing the track mechanism 15 to drive the picking device to move vertically upward along the Z direction, so that the picking component 2 can pass through the fourth clearance slot 440 of the aisle 410 of the shelf 4, thereby realizing the picking of goods 5 in the aisle 410 by the picking component 2 (see reference). Figure 18 medium state Figure 2 Then, when the cargo 5 is lifted by the picker 2 to a position higher than the stop 430 of the conveyor 410, the controller continues to send control commands to the drive mechanism 3, causing the picker 2 to move from the picking position to the retracted position. Thus, as the picker 2 moves from the picking position to the retracted position, it can pull the cargo 5 forward past the stop 430 of the conveyor 410 (see reference). Figure 18 medium state Figure 3 And it lands on the telescopic slide 120 (see reference). Figure 18 medium state Figure 4 Finally, the goods enter the receiving device through the unloading port 1320; and it should be noted that, as the picking item 2 moves from the picking position to the retracted position, the telescopic slide 120 can always remain at the receiving position, that is, as Figure 17 As shown, the end of the telescopic slide 120 can always be close to the end of the aisle 410 of the shelf 4, and the distance between the two will not increase. This can avoid the risk that the goods 5 may not fall onto the telescopic slide 120, and greatly improve the success rate of picking up goods.

[0066] Finally, after the picking mechanism removes the goods 5 from the shelf 4, the controller issues a control command, instructing the track mechanism 15 to drive the picking device to move vertically downwards along the Z direction, and simultaneously instructing the picking mechanism to switch from the working state to the idle state, i.e., as shown. Figure 9 As shown, the picking piece 2 is first driven by the drive mechanism 3 to move to the position shown. Figure 12 The retracted position is shown, and the picking part 211 of the picking item 2 is housed in the first clearance groove 121 of the telescopic slide 120. Continue referring to... Figure 12 As shown, the inner wall of the other end of the first groove 7 of the slide block 220 of the picking component 2 is in contact with the slider 8 of the telescopic slide 120. It should also be noted that when the picking part 211 of the picking component 2 moves to the retracted position, as... Figure 11 and Figure 13 As shown, the unlocking block 621 on the slide 220 presses against the stop block 612, compressing the elastic element 613. This causes the stop block 612 to disengage from the limiting surface 124 of the telescopic slide 120. Continuing under the drive of the drive motor 310, the slide 220 will drive the telescopic slide 120 to move synchronously until the telescopic slide 120 moves to the desired position. Figure 5 The storage locations shown ultimately allow the picking mechanism to enter standby mode (see reference). Figure 18 medium state Figure 5 ).

[0067] It should be noted that when retrieving goods 5 from different positions on shelf 4, those skilled in the art can adaptively modify the control commands of the controller according to actual application needs, so that the retrieval device can move to the corresponding retrieval position according to the control commands. In this way, the corresponding retrieval operation is completed through the specific movement process of the above-mentioned retrieval structure. In addition, the process of the retrieval device being driven to move vertically along the Z direction by the track mechanism 15 to lift the goods 5 by the picking component 2 is exemplary. In other embodiments, the process of the picking component 2 of the retrieval device lifting the goods 5 may not be achieved by the track mechanism 15. The retrieval device itself may also be equipped with an upward lifting action. For example, the fixed slide 110 of the receiving slide 1 can be set at the loading port 1320 of the retrieval device by means of a lifting slide that can move vertically along the Z direction. Those skilled in the art can adaptively design the corresponding specific structure according to actual application needs. The purpose is to achieve the lifting of the goods 5 by the vertical movement of the picking component 2. This disclosure does not make specific limitations here.

[0068] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a pickup device is also provided, with reference to Figure 1 As shown, the device includes a picking hopper 13, a pusher 14, and the aforementioned picking structure. The picking hopper 13 has a storage compartment 1310, and the storage compartment 1310 is provided with a drop opening 1320 for goods 5 to enter. The fixed slide 110 of the picking structure is inclined upward along the telescopic direction and is located at the drop opening 1320, so that the goods 5 picked up from the shelf 4 onto the telescopic slide 120 enter the storage compartment 1310 through the drop opening 1320. The pusher 14 is located in the storage compartment 1310 and is used to deliver the goods 5 out of the storage compartment 1310. By providing the above-mentioned picking structure, this picking device can ensure that when the picking component 2 picks up the goods 5, the receiving slide 1 retracts after the picking component 2, thereby avoiding the risk in related technologies where the goods 5 cannot fall into the receiving slide 1 due to the synchronous movement of the receiving slide 1 and the picking component 2, effectively improving the success rate of picking up goods. Furthermore, the pickup device has all the beneficial effects of the aforementioned pickup structure, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0069] Furthermore, it should be noted that the specific structure of the aforementioned pusher 14 can be adaptively designed by those skilled in the art according to actual application requirements. For example, the pusher 14 can be constructed as follows: Figure 1 The conveyor belt shown in the storage compartment 1310 can also be constructed as a pusher structure (not shown) for pushing the goods 5, with one end of the pusher structure movably connected to the piston rod of the cylinder. This disclosure does not specifically limit such variations, but its purpose is to enable the goods 5 in the storage compartment 1310 to be sent out by the pusher 14.

[0070] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a goods delivery device is also provided, including a shelf 4, a track mechanism 15, and the aforementioned picking device. The shelf 4 is a multi-layer structure arranged along the height direction. Each layer has multiple inclined forward and downward extending aisles 410. The lower end of the aisle 410 has a discharge port 420 and a stop portion 430 located at the discharge port 420. The bottom wall of the aisle 410 has a fourth clearance groove 440 for avoiding the picking item 2. The picking device is movably disposed on the front side of the shelf 4 via the track mechanism 15. When the receiving slide 1 of the picking structure is held in the receiving position, the track mechanism 15 drives the picking device to move upward. The picking item 2 picks up the goods 5 through the fourth clearance groove 440 and performs a movement from the picking position to the retracted position to pull the goods 5 forward past the stop portion 430 and fall into the receiving slide 1. By incorporating the aforementioned pickup device, this cargo delivery equipment ensures that when the picking device 2 picks up the goods 5, the receiving chute 1 retracts after the picking device 2. This avoids the risk, common in related technologies, where the goods 5 may fail to fall into the receiving chute 1 due to the synchronous movement of the receiving chute 1 and the picking device 2, effectively improving the success rate of pickup. Furthermore, this cargo delivery equipment possesses all the beneficial effects of the aforementioned pickup device, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0071] The preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of this disclosure, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of this disclosure, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0072] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. To avoid unnecessary repetition, this disclosure will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0073] Furthermore, various different embodiments of this disclosure can be combined in any way, as long as they do not violate the spirit of this disclosure, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed in this disclosure.

Claims

1. A picking structure for picking goods from a shelf-oriented picking device, characterized in that, include: The receiving slide includes a fixed slide and a telescopic slide that is movably mounted on the fixed slide. The telescopic slide is configured to have a receiving position that approaches the shelf in the telescopic direction and a storage position that moves away from the shelf. The picking piece is movably arranged relative to the telescopic slide and the fixed slide, so as to have a picking position extending out of the telescopic slide in the picking direction and a retracted position retracted into the telescopic slide; as well as A drive mechanism is used to drive the picking item and the telescopic slide to move closer to or away from the shelf; The picking structure is configured to have an idle state and an operating state according to an instruction. In the idle state, the picking item is located in the retracted position and the telescopic slide is located in the storage position. In the operating state, the picking item moves to the picking position and the telescopic slide moves to the receiving position. During the process of the picking item moving from the picking position to the retracted position, the telescopic slide can remain in the receiving position.

2. The picking structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive mechanism is configured to be connected to the picking component, and the picking structure also includes an unlockable holding mechanism. The picking structure is configured such that, in the working state, the picking component first moves to the picking position and then drives the telescopic slide to move to the receiving position. The telescopic slide is held in the receiving position by the holding mechanism. After the picking component moves to the retracted position, it can unlock the holding mechanism and drive the telescopic slide back to the storage position.

3. The picking structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The telescopic direction is a first direction, the picking direction is a second direction, and the second direction is at an angle upward to the first direction; The picking component is slidably mounted on the telescopic slide. One of the picking component and the telescopic slide is provided with a first groove extending along the first direction, and the other is provided with a slider. The slider moves within the first groove and is limited by both ends of the first groove to enable the picking component to drive the telescopic slide to move.

4. The picking structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, The picking component includes a picking body and a slide connected together. One end of the picking body has a picking part, and the other end is hinged to the slide. The top wall of the slide is provided with a first slide groove, and the bottom wall of the telescopic slide is provided with the slider. The telescopic slide is also provided with a second slide groove extending along the second direction. The picking body is slidably connected to the second slide groove.

5. The picking structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The telescopic slide is provided with a first clearance groove for accommodating the cargo picking part on the side near the cargo picking part, and a second slide groove is provided on the two side walls of the first clearance groove along the first direction. The cargo picking body is provided with a slide rod that extends outward and slides in cooperation with the second slide groove on the two side walls along the first direction. In the picking position, the picking part extends out of the first clearance groove, and in the retracted position, the picking part is stored in the first clearance groove. The two second chutes are arranged symmetrically about the centerline of the first direction; Each of the two second grooves has an extension section that extends along the first direction and connects to the opening of the first clearance groove at one end near the opening of the first clearance groove.

6. The picking structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The cargo-carrying body includes a base plate having a first end and a second end opposite to each other in its own length direction. The first end is hinged to the slide by a pivot. The cargo-carrying part is disposed at the second end and configured to be in the cargo-carrying position. The cargo-carrying part has a first stop surface for supporting the bottom wall of the cargo and a second stop surface for abutting against the side wall of the cargo. The first stop surface and the second stop surface are arranged at an angle. The top of the second stop surface is a smooth arc surface; The side of the picking section opposite to the first stop surface also has a protrusion, which has a third stop surface for stopping the goods behind the target goods.

7. The picking structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The retaining mechanism includes an elastic retaining part and an unlocking part. The telescopic slide has a locking part. In the receiving position, the elastic retaining part is locked to the locking part. The unlocking part is configured to overcome and drive the elastic retaining part to move in the direction of overcoming elasticity after the picked-up item moves to the retracted position, so as to unlock the locking part.

8. The picking structure according to claim 7, characterized in that, The elastic retaining part includes a fixed base, a stop block, and an elastic element. The fixed base is fixedly installed on the fixed slide rail. One end of the stop block is hinged to the fixed base, and the other end is pressed against the elastic element. The locking part includes a second relief groove formed on the inner wall surface of the telescopic slide rail near the fixed slide rail and recessed inward. In the receiving position, the side of the stop block where the elastic element is located abuts against the limiting surface of the second relief groove to hold the telescopic slide rail in the receiving position. The unlocking part includes an unlocking pressure block provided on the picking piece. The unlocking pressure block is configured to press against the stop block and compress the elastic element after the picking piece moves to the retracted position, thereby disengaging the stop block from the limiting surface and unlocking the retaining mechanism.

9. The picking structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The top wall of the fixed slide is provided with two first tracks that extend along a first direction at intervals, and the bottom wall is provided with a second track that extends along the first direction and is located between the two first tracks. The picking structure also includes a mounting base that is movably mounted on the second track. The picking component is fixedly mounted on a first connecting part of the mounting base, and the fixed slide is also provided with a third clearance groove for avoiding the first connecting part. The telescopic slide is movably mounted on the first track. The drive mechanism includes a drive motor and a transmission mechanism. The drive motor drives the mounting base to move through the transmission mechanism, thereby causing the picking item and the telescopic slide to move closer to or away from the shelf.

10. The picking structure according to claim 9, characterized in that, The transmission mechanism includes a driving pulley, a driven pulley, and a timing belt. The driving pulley is rotatably connected to the output shaft of the drive motor about its own axis. The driven pulley is rotatably fixed on the bottom wall of the fixed slide rail about its own axis. The timing belt is wrapped around the driving pulley and the driven pulley and can transmit power as the driving pulley rotates. The mounting base also has a second connecting part fixedly installed on the belt body of the timing belt.

11. A pickup device, characterized in that, The device includes a picking hopper, a pusher, and a picking structure as described in any one of claims 1-10. The picking hopper has a storage compartment, and the storage compartment is provided with a drop-off port for goods to enter. The fixed slide of the picking structure is inclined upward along the telescopic direction and is provided at the drop-off port to allow goods picked up from the shelf onto the telescopic slide to enter the storage compartment through the drop-off port. The pusher is provided in the storage compartment for delivering the goods out of the storage compartment.

12. A cargo delivery device, characterized in that, The device includes a shelf, a track mechanism, and a picking device as described in claim 11. The shelf is a multi-layer structure arranged along the height direction, and each layer has multiple inclined forward and downward aisles. The lower end of each aisle has a discharge port and a stop at the discharge port. The bottom wall of each aisle has a fourth clearance groove for avoiding the picking item. The picking device is movably mounted on the front side of the shelf via the track mechanism. When the receiving slide of the picking structure is held in the receiving position, the track mechanism drives the picking device to move upward. The picking item picks up the goods through the fourth clearance groove and moves from the picking position to the retracted position to pull the goods forward past the stop and fall into the receiving slide.

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