A loading and unloading robot and a loading and unloading method for automatic loading and unloading of boxes

Abstract

The application relates to a loading and unloading robot and a loading and unloading method for automatic loading and unloading of boxes, comprising a carrying vehicle, further comprising a storage conveying device, a loading and unloading grabbing device, a navigation positioning system, a visual scanning system and a central control system, the storage conveying device is used for placing and conveying boxes, and a grabbing station and a loading and unloading station are arranged in the storage conveying device; the boxes are conveyed and transferred between the loading and unloading station and the grabbing station; the storage conveying device further comprises a detection mechanism capable of detecting the condition of the boxes on the grabbing station; the loading and unloading grabbing device comprises a loading and unloading mechanical arm and a clamp mechanism, the clamp mechanism can grab a plurality of boxes; the navigation positioning system is used for judging the distance between the carrying vehicle and surrounding objects; the visual scanning system comprises a 3D visual camera capable of visually shooting the front of the carrying vehicle; the navigation positioning system and the visual scanning system are in communication connection with the central control system; and the central control system is in control connection with the loading and unloading mechanical arm, the clamp mechanism, the carrying vehicle and the storage conveying device respectively.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of logistics equipment technology, specifically to a loading and unloading robot and method for automatic loading and unloading of boxes. Background Technology

[0002] In the daily logistics operations of the tobacco industry, boxes containing tobacco products need to be loaded into or unloaded from trucks. During loading, the boxes need to be stacked, starting from the innermost part of the truck bed and stacked layer by layer from bottom to top, arranged in multiple layers and columns to form a stack wall. Figure 9 As shown, multiple container stacks are formed from the inside to the outside of the truck bed. During unloading, several boxes need to be unloaded layer by layer from top to bottom from the outermost stack, and multiple stacks are gradually unloaded from the outside to the inside. Traditional loading and unloading is done manually, requiring workers to neatly stack goods inside the truck bed. This method is labor-intensive and inefficient. With the increasing demands for automation in the logistics sector, the traditional method of loading vehicles manually can no longer meet the needs of enterprises. Therefore, how to efficiently load and unload trucks has become a problem that enterprises have been seeking to solve. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art described above, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a loading and unloading robot and a loading and unloading method for automatic loading, stacking or unstacking of boxes.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a loading and unloading robot for automatic loading and unloading of boxes, including a transport vehicle, and further including a storage and conveying device, a loading and unloading gripping device, a navigation and positioning system, a vision scanning system, and a central control system, all mounted on the transport vehicle. The storage and conveying device is used to place and transport boxes, and includes gripping stations and inbound / outbound stations. The storage and conveying device is capable of transporting and transferring boxes between the inbound / outbound stations and the gripping stations. The storage and conveying device also includes a detection mechanism capable of detecting the condition of boxes at the gripping stations, and the detection mechanism is communicatively connected to the central control system. The loading and unloading gripping device... The device includes a loading / unloading robotic arm mounted on a transport vehicle, and a gripping mechanism mounted on the robotic arm. The gripping mechanism is capable of grasping several boxes. A navigation and positioning system is used to determine the distance between the transport vehicle and surrounding objects, and the navigation and positioning system is communicatively connected to a central control system. The visual scanning system includes a 3D vision camera capable of visually capturing images of the front of the transport vehicle, and the visual scanning system is communicatively connected to the central control system. The central control system is connected to both the loading / unloading robotic arm and the gripping mechanism, as well as to the storage and conveying device and the transport vehicle.

[0005] Furthermore, the gripping station can accommodate multiple boxes placed side by side.

[0006] Furthermore, the storage and conveying device includes a main conveyor, multiple branch conveyors, and multiple reversing mechanisms, with each branch conveyor having a gripping station. The main conveyor transports goods in a forward-backward direction, with an inlet / outlet station at its rear end. The main conveyor has a reversing station, and one end of each branch conveyor connects to a reversing station on the main conveyor, with a reversing mechanism at each connection point. The reversing mechanism allows boxes to enter the branch conveyor from the reversing station on the main conveyor. The central control system is connected to the reversing mechanism. The storage and conveying device also includes a reversing detection component for detecting the status of boxes at the reversing stations on the main conveyor, and the reversing detection component is communicatively connected to the central control system.

[0007] Furthermore, the storage and conveying device includes a main conveyor, multiple branch conveyors, and multiple reversing mechanisms, with each branch conveyor having a gripping station. The main conveyor transports goods in a forward-backward direction, with an inlet / outlet station at its rear end. The main conveyor has a reversing station, and one end of each branch conveyor connects to a reversing station on the main conveyor, with a reversing mechanism at each connection point. The reversing mechanism allows boxes to enter the branch conveyor from the reversing station on the main conveyor. The central control system is connected to the reversing mechanism. The storage and conveying device also includes a reversing detection component for detecting the status of boxes at the reversing stations on the main conveyor, and the reversing detection component is communicatively connected to the central control system.

[0008] Furthermore, the main conveyor includes inlet and outlet conveyor belts and conveyor rollers. The loading and unloading stations are set on the inlet and outlet conveyor belts. The front end of the inlet and outlet conveyor belts is connected to the rear end of the conveyor rollers. The reversing station is set on the conveyor rollers.

[0009] Furthermore, the reversing mechanism includes a lifting frame, multiple reversing conveyor belts mounted on the lifting frame, and a lifting drive assembly. The reversing conveyor belts are located in the gaps between connected rollers in the conveyor roller table. The lifting drive assembly can drive the lifting frame to move up and down, causing the reversing conveyor belts to be higher or lower than the conveyor roller table. When the reversing conveyor belts are raised, they connect with the branch conveyor belts. The central control system is connected to the lifting drive assembly for control.

[0010] Furthermore, the gripping station is provided with a stopping limit baffle on its side, which abuts against the gripping station when the box moves to the gripping station on the branch conveyor.

[0011] Furthermore, the clamping mechanism of the loading and unloading gripping device includes multiple sub-clamps and a tension adjustment component. The multiple sub-clamps are arranged in a straight line, and each sub-clamp is used to grip a box. The tension adjustment component can adjust the distance between two adjacent sub-clamps. The central control system independently controls the operation of each sub-clamp.

[0012] Furthermore, the clamping mechanism includes a vacuum suction cup.

[0013] Furthermore, the clamping mechanism includes a clamping bracket, a plurality of sub-clamps are mounted on the clamping bracket and arranged in a straight line, the sub-clamps are capable of linear movement on the clamping bracket, and the tension adjustment assembly is mounted on the clamping bracket.

[0014] The present invention also provides a loading and unloading method for automatically loading and unloading boxes, used for loading and unloading boxes in a vehicle compartment, employing the aforementioned loading and unloading robot, including loading and / or unloading operations:

[0015] A. Loading operations, used to load boxes into the car body and stack them into a box stack wall, including the following operations:

[0016] A1. Box loading operation: The loading and unloading robot is placed in the truck bed. The boxes enter the storage and conveying device through the loading and unloading station. The storage and conveying device transports the boxes to the grabbing station.

[0017] A2. A single packing operation includes the following steps:

[0018] A21. The loading and unloading robot scans the container stack wall inside the carriage through the vision scanning system, and determines the position and quantity N of the containers to be placed according to the pre-set stacking order of the container stack wall. Based on the range of motion of the loading and unloading robotic arm, it determines the parking position that the loading and unloading robot needs to stop at. The navigation and positioning system determines whether the loading and unloading robot is at the parking position. If not, the central control system controls the transport vehicle to move to the parking position.

[0019] A22. The central control system controls the loading and unloading gripping device to work. The loading and unloading robotic arm drives the clamping mechanism to move to the gripping station to grab N boxes. Then, the visual scanning system determines the placement position of the boxes, controls the movement of the loading and unloading robotic arm, places the boxes in the clamping mechanism at that position, and releases the clamping mechanism.

[0020] B. Unloading operations, used to unload boxes from existing stacks within the car body, including the following operations:

[0021] B1. Preparation for operation: Place the loading and unloading robot inside the carriage or outside the door, and keep a certain distance from the stack wall inside the carriage;

[0022] B2. Single unloading operation, including the following steps:

[0023] B21. The loading and unloading robot scans the stack of boxes in the carriage through the vision scanning system, and determines the position and quantity N of the boxes to be picked up according to the pre-set stacking order. Based on the range of motion of the loading and unloading robotic arm, it determines the parking position where the loading and unloading robot should stop. The navigation and positioning system determines whether the loading and unloading robot is at the parking position. If not, the central control system controls the transport vehicle to move to the parking position.

[0024] B22. The central control system controls the loading and unloading gripping device to work. The loading and unloading robotic arm drives the clamping mechanism to move to the position where the boxes need to be picked up and picks up N boxes. Then the loading and unloading robotic arm moves the clamping mechanism above the gripping station and places the boxes on the gripping station, and releases the clamping mechanism.

[0025] B3. Box Outbound Operation: The storage conveyor transports the boxes from the gripping station to the inbound / outbound station, and then they leave the loading / unloading robot from the inbound / outbound station.

[0026] As described above, the loading and unloading robot and method of the present invention have the following beneficial effects:

[0027] 1. It can be used for automatic loading, stacking or unstacking of boxes in enclosed indoor spaces such as truck compartments. It can meet the needs of automatic loading and unloading in the limited space of box trucks, realize the automation of loading and unloading work, save manpower, reduce the intensity of manual labor, and improve the efficiency of loading operations.

[0028] 2. The loading and unloading robot can operate continuously. It can load and unload different numbers of boxes each time according to the actual situation, making it flexible and adaptable to different usage needs.

[0029] 3. When loading and unloading boxes, the loading and unloading robot is accurate in picking up and placing, stable and reliable, and can effectively avoid operational errors. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the loading and unloading robot of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the loading and unloading robot of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 3 This is a top view schematic diagram of the loading and unloading robot of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 4 This is a side view of the loading and unloading robot of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism in this invention.

[0035] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the loading vehicle in this invention.

[0036] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the loading and unloading robot of the present invention when loading and unloading boxes.

[0037] Figure 8 for Figure 7 Top view.

[0038] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the stacked container wall inside the carriage.

[0039] Explanation of icon numbers

[0040] 1. Transport vehicle

[0041] 11 Tracked traveling mechanism

[0042] 2. Storage and conveying device

[0043] 21 Inbound / Outbound Workstations

[0044] 22 Grab Station

[0045] 23 Main Conveyor

[0046] 231 Import / Export Conveyor Belt

[0047] 232 Conveyor Roller Conveyor

[0048] 24 branch conveyor channels

[0049] 25. Parking limit stop

[0050] 26 Side limiting plates

[0051] 27 Testing Agencies

[0052] 28. Reversing Mechanism

[0053] 3. Loading and unloading gripping device

[0054] 31 Loading and unloading robotic arm

[0055] 32. Fixture Mechanism

[0056] 321 Sub-clamp

[0057] 322 Fixture Support

[0058] 33 Vacuum pumping mechanism

[0059] 4. Radar navigation

[0060] 5. Electrical control box

[0061] 6 boxes

[0062] 7. Crate stack wall Detailed Implementation

[0063] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification.

[0064] It should be understood that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., depicted in the accompanying drawings of this specification are merely for illustrative purposes to aid those skilled in the art in understanding and reading the content disclosed herein, and are not intended to limit the conditions under which the invention can be implemented. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in proportions, or adjustments to the size, without affecting the effects and objectives achieved by the invention, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed herein. Furthermore, the terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and "middle" used in this specification are merely for clarity and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Changes or adjustments to their relative relationships, without substantially altering the technical content, should also be considered within the scope of the invention's implementation.

[0065] See Figures 1 to 9 This invention provides a loading and unloading robot for automated loading and unloading of boxes, including a transport vehicle 1, and further including a storage and conveying device 2, a loading and unloading gripping device 3, a navigation and positioning system, a vision scanning system, and a central control system, all mounted on the transport vehicle 1. The loading and unloading robot moves via the transport vehicle 1. The storage and conveying device 2 is used to place and transport boxes 6. The storage and conveying device 2 has a gripping station 22 and an inbound / outbound station 21, and the storage and conveying device 2 can transport and transfer boxes 6 between the inbound / outbound station 21 and the gripping station 22. The storage and conveying device 2 also includes a detection mechanism 27 that can detect the status of boxes 6 on the gripping station 22, and the detection mechanism 27 is communicatively connected to the central control system. The loading and unloading gripping device 3 includes a loading and unloading robotic arm 31 mounted on the transport vehicle 1, and a clamping mechanism 32 mounted on the loading and unloading robotic arm 31. The clamping mechanism 32 can grip a number of boxes 6. The navigation and positioning system is used to determine the distance between the transport vehicle 1 and surrounding objects. The distance is measured, and the navigation and positioning system is connected to the central control system. The visual scanning system includes a 3D vision camera (not shown in the attached figure) that can take visual pictures of the front of the transport vehicle 1. The visual scanning system is connected to the central control system and can feed back the measured image signals to the central control system for calculation and processing. The central control system is connected to both the loading and unloading robotic arm 31 and the clamping mechanism 32. It can drive the movement of the loading and unloading robotic arm 31 and the gripping action of the clamping mechanism 32 on the box 6. The central control system is connected to the storage and conveying device 2 and the transport vehicle 1. It can control the transport vehicle 1 to move to the designated position.

[0066] The basic working principle of the loading and unloading robot involved in this invention is as follows: See Figure 7 and Figure 8 The loading and unloading robot can be used to load, stack, or unload boxes 6 in enclosed spaces such as carriages, containers, and warehouses. The robot moves via a transport vehicle 1, and a storage conveyor 2 is used to place and transport the boxes 6. The boxes 6 enter or leave the storage conveyor 2 from the inbound / outbound workstation 21. A detection mechanism 27 can detect the status of the boxes 6 at the gripping workstation 22, specifically detecting the number and position of the boxes 6 to determine if they meet the requirements. The detection mechanism 27 is connected to the central control system and can transmit the detected information to the central control system, which then controls the actions of the loading / unloading gripping device 3 and the storage conveyor 2 based on the status of the boxes 6 at the gripping workstation 22. The visual scanning system uses a 3D vision camera to photograph the interior of the truck bed. Based on the captured images, it determines whether the truck bed wall 7 is already in place and the stacking status of the boxes 6 within it. The image information also determines which locations are needed and can accommodate boxes 6 during loading and stacking, and which box 6 needs to be removed during unloading. The visual scanning system can utilize existing visual inspection principles. The central control system can determine the position of the transport vehicle 1 within the truck bed based on signals from the navigation and positioning system and can move it to a designated location. Furthermore, based on the images captured by the visual scanning system, during unloading, it controls the loading / unloading robotic arm 31 of the loading / unloading gripping device 3 to move, driving the clamping mechanism 32 to a specific location within the truck bed wall 7 to remove the box 6. During loading, it controls the loading / unloading robotic arm 31 of the loading / unloading gripping device 3 to move, driving the clamping mechanism 32 to a location within the truck bed wall 7 where a box 6 is missing, and places the grabbed box 6 at that location.

[0067] In this embodiment, see Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3As a preferred design, the navigation and positioning system includes radar navigation 4. Radar navigation 4 emits electromagnetic waves and determines the distance between the transport vehicle 1 and surrounding objects based on the feedback echo. The signal is then transmitted to the central control system for processing, thus determining the position of the loading / unloading robot within the site. Specifically, when inside the cargo compartment, the robot's position is determined based on the distance between the transport vehicle 1 and the side walls of the compartment, as well as the distance between the transport vehicle 1 and the interior walls of the workshop or existing stack walls 7. The principle of radar positioning in the navigation and positioning system is existing and will not be detailed further. The radar navigation 4 is located at the front of the transport vehicle 1. When the loading / unloading robot is inside the compartment, the front of the transport vehicle 1 faces the interior. During operation, the primary positional data required are the distances to the front and left / right sides. Through the navigation and positioning system, the loading / unloading robot can perceive its surrounding environment and perform preset actions as needed, such as stopping, restarting, and maneuvering around obstacles encountered along its path.

[0068] In this embodiment, see Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 The 3D vision camera of the vision scanning system is also located at the front of the transport vehicle 1, which can take visual pictures of the front of the vehicle to capture the situation of the container stack wall 7 inside the vehicle. The loading and unloading robotic arm 31 of the loading and unloading gripping device 3 is preferably also located near the front of the transport vehicle 1 to facilitate the unloading of the containers 6.

[0069] In this embodiment, see Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3As a preferred design, the gripping station 22 can accommodate multiple boxes 6 placed side by side. Specifically, in this embodiment, the gripping station 22 can accommodate three boxes 6. When loading boxes 6 into the carriage, when the detection mechanism 27 detects that three boxes 6 have entered the gripping station 22 and are in place, the central control system automatically controls the storage conveyor 2 to stop conveying boxes 6 to the gripping station 22. Subsequently, the loading and unloading gripping device 3 is controlled to grab boxes 6 from the gripping station 22. When unloading in the carriage, when the loading and unloading gripping device 3 grabs a box 6 and places it in the gripping station 22, it is detected by the detection mechanism 27. At this time, there may not be three boxes 6 placed. The central control system controls the storage conveyor 2 to move the boxes 6 from the gripping station 22 and send them to the loading / unloading station 21. After the boxes 6 leave the gripping station 22, the detection mechanism 27 transmits a signal to the central control system, indicating that the gripping station 22 has been cleared and can be used for the next box 6 placement. The detection mechanism 27 can be any existing suitable mechanism, such as an infrared detector, a contact sensor, or a visual inspection mechanism 27, as long as it can achieve the above-mentioned detection purpose. Furthermore, in other embodiments, when the box 6 is large, the gripping station 22 can also only accommodate one box 6, and only one box 6 is gripped each time it is loaded or unloaded.

[0070] In this embodiment, see Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3As a preferred design, the storage and conveying device 2 includes a main conveyor 23, multiple branch conveyors 24, and multiple reversing mechanisms 28. Each branch conveyor 24 is equipped with a gripping station 22, and each gripping station 22 is equipped with a corresponding detection mechanism 27. The conveying movements of the main conveyor 23 and the branch conveyors 24 are controlled by a central system. The main conveyor 23 conveys goods in a front-to-back direction, and its rear end is the loading / unloading station 21, that is, the box 6 enters from the rear of the loading / unloading robot. A reversing station is provided on the main conveyor 23. One end of a branch conveyor 24 is connected to the reversing station of the main conveyor 23, and a reversing mechanism 28 is provided at each connection point. The reversing mechanism 28 enables the box 6 to enter the branch conveyor 24 from the reversing station of the main conveyor 23. The central control system is connected to the reversing mechanism 28. Each branch conveyor 24 has a gripping station 22. The storage and conveying device 2 also includes a reversing detection component for detecting the status of the box 6 at the reversing station of the main conveyor 23, and the reversing detection component is communicatively connected to the central control system. Specifically, in this embodiment, there are two branch conveyors 24, located on the left and right sides of the main conveyor 23, one near the front and one near the rear. The two branch conveyors 24 are connected to the front and rear reversing stations on the main conveyor 23, respectively, and each reversing station is provided with a reversing detection component. The loading and unloading gripping device 3 can grip the boxes alternately at the two gripping stations 22, thereby improving work efficiency. Using the above method, when loading boxes 6 into the carriage, the two branch conveyor channels 24 can operate simultaneously. The main conveyor channel 23 alternately delivers boxes 6 to the branch conveyor channels 24. When the gripping station 22 on one of the branch conveyor channels 24 is not full of boxes 6, when the boxes 6 on the main conveyor channel 23 are conveyed to their corresponding reversing station, they are detected by the reversing detection component there, and a signal is output to the central control system. The central control system controls the main conveyor channel 23 to stop conveying, and the boxes 6 stop at the reversing station. Then, it controls the corresponding reversing mechanism 28 to move the boxes 6 from the reversing station to the branch conveyor channel 24 and convey them to the gripping station 22. Then, the reversing mechanism 28 resets, the main conveyor channel 23 resumes movement, and the above operation is repeated until the gripping station 22 of the branch conveyor channel 24 is full of boxes 6. At this time, according to the signal from the detection mechanism 27, the central control system controls the branch conveyor channel 24 to stop moving, and the boxes 6 on the main conveyor channel 23 will no longer be transferred to the branch conveyor channel when they are conveyed to their corresponding reversing station. When all the boxes 6 at the reversing stations on all branch conveyor channels 24 are full, the main conveyor channel 23 stops conveying. When the loading and unloading robot is used for unloading from the carriage, the working process is reversed, with the two branch conveyor channels 24 taking turns placing boxes 6 and conveying them to the main conveyor channel 23.

[0071] In this embodiment, further, see... Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3The main conveyor 23 in the storage and conveying device 2 includes an inlet / outlet conveyor belt 231 and a conveyor roller 232. The loading / unloading station 21 is located on the inlet / outlet conveyor belt 231, ensuring the box 6 is placed stably. Both the inlet / outlet conveyor belt 231 and the conveyor roller 232 extend in a straight line in the front-to-back direction. The front end of the inlet / outlet conveyor belt 231 is connected to the rear end of the conveyor roller 232. A reversing station is located on the conveyor roller 232, and one end of the branch conveyor 24 is connected to the conveyor roller 232. Preferably, two guide side plates (not shown in the attached drawings) are also provided above the inlet / outlet conveyor belt 231, arranged opposite each other. The space between the two guide side plates gradually narrows from back to front. When the box 6 enters the loading / unloading station 21, it is positioned between the two guide side plates. When the box 6 is loaded, it first enters the loading / unloading station 21 on the inlet / outlet conveyor belt 231, is driven forward, and enters the conveyor roller 232. The guide side plates prevent the box 6 from shifting during transport.

[0072] In this embodiment, further, see... Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 The reversing mechanism 28 includes a lifting frame, multiple reversing conveyor belts mounted on the lifting frame, and a lifting drive assembly (not shown in the attached drawings). The reversing conveyor belts are located in the gaps between adjacent rollers in the conveyor roller table 232. The lifting drive assembly can drive the lifting frame to move up and down, making the reversing conveyor belts higher or lower than the conveyor roller table 232. When the reversing conveyor belts are raised, they are aligned with the branch conveyor table 24. The central control system is connected to the lifting drive assembly and can control the automatic lifting and lowering of the lifting conveyor belt sections. The movement of the reversing conveyor belts is also controlled by the central control system. With this design, when the reversing mechanism 28 is working, the lifting drive assembly drives the lifting frame to rise, and the reversing conveyor belts rise, lifting the box 6, which is parked at the reversing station of the main conveyor table 23, a certain distance. After the reversing conveyor belts are aligned with the branch conveyor table 24, they begin to move, transporting the box 6 onto the branch conveyor table 24. After the box 6 leaves the reversing conveyor belt, the reversing mechanism 28 resets, the lifting frame descends, and the reversing conveyor belts return to below the conveyor roller table 232, waiting for the next operation. Of course, the reversing mechanism 28 can also adopt other suitable structures, such as using a push rod to push the box 6 from the conveyor roller 232 to the branch conveyor 24.

[0073] In this embodiment, see Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3As a preferred design, the branch conveyor 24 uses a conveyor belt for transport. A stopping limit baffle 25 is provided on the side of the gripping station 22, located on one side of the gripping station 22 along the transport direction of the branch conveyor 24. When the box 6 moves on the branch conveyor 24 to the gripping station 22, it abuts against the stopping limit baffle 25, thus stopping at a fixed point on the gripping station 22. Side limit plates 26 are provided on both sides of the branch conveyor 24 in the width direction to constrain and guide the box 6 during transport on the branch conveyor 24.

[0074] In this embodiment, see Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 5 As a preferred design, the clamping mechanism 32 of the loading and unloading gripping device 3 includes multiple sub-clamps 321 and a tension adjustment assembly. The multiple sub-clamps 321 are arranged in a straight line, and the number of sub-clamps 321 is equal to the number of boxes 6 that the gripping station 22 can accommodate. Each sub-clamp 321 is used to grip one box 6. The tension adjustment assembly can adjust the distance between two adjacent sub-clamps 321. The central control system independently controls the operation of each sub-clamp 321. Specifically, the sub-clamps 321 are mounted on a clamping bracket 322 and arranged in a straight line. The sub-clamps 321 can move linearly on the clamping bracket 322, which is connected to the loading and unloading robotic arm 31. The tension adjustment assembly is located on the clamping bracket 322 and is connected to each sub-clamp 321. It can drive the sub-clamps 321 to move linearly and synchronously adjust the distance between any two adjacent sub-clamps 321. Depending on the need to disassemble boxes 6 each time, the clamping mechanism 32 can grab 1 to 3 boxes 6 each time. At this time, the corresponding clamp 321 can be controlled to grab them. It is flexible and convenient to use. On the one hand, it can adapt to the needs of boxes 6 of various sizes. On the other hand, when grabbing multiple boxes 6, it can make the boxes 6 close together, so that the boxes 6 inserted into the box stack wall 7 are more compact when loading in the car.

[0075] In this embodiment, see Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 5 As a preferred design, the sub-clamp 321 of the clamping mechanism 32 includes multiple vacuum suction cups. Correspondingly, the loading and unloading gripping device 3 also includes a vacuuming mechanism 33, which includes a vacuum pump. The vacuum pump is connected to the vacuum suction cups through pipelines, enabling the vacuum suction cups to generate a vacuum adsorption effect or to release adsorption. The clamping mechanism 32 is attached to the surface of the box 6 by multiple vacuum suction cups, facilitating the gripping of the box 6. When gripping the box 6 at the gripping station 22, the sub-clamp 321 is located on the upper side of the box 6, and the clamping bracket 322 is in a horizontal state. This also facilitates loading the box 6 into the box stack wall 7 inside the carriage and facilitating the gripping of the box 6 from the box stack wall 7. When gripping the box 6 at the box stack wall 7, the sub-clamp 321 is located on the outward-facing side of the box 6, and the clamping bracket 322 is in a vertical state.

[0076] In this embodiment, see Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 5 As a preferred design, the loading and unloading robotic arm 31 preferably adopts a multi-axis robotic arm with multiple motion dimensions, which is flexible in movement and precise in positioning. Existing mature robotic arm products can be used. The central control system can control the movement of the multi-axis robotic arm, precisely moving the gripper mechanism 32 to the designated position. During the handling process, the gripper mechanism 32 can rotate the box 6. Preferably, a six-dimensional torque sensor is also installed at the flange end of the loading and unloading robotic arm 31. The six-dimensional torque sensor can detect the load torque of the robotic arm. By monitoring the load torque during robot operation and using the feedback data and algorithms, it intelligently determines whether the held object has collided or been excessively squeezed, effectively preventing damage from collisions or compression of goods.

[0077] In this embodiment, see Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 6 As a preferred design, the transport vehicle 1 uses a tracked walking mechanism 11 for movement, which is stable and can perform actions such as forward, backward, left turn, right turn, and left and right turns in place. It has a small turning radius when moving, can turn in place, facilitates climbing from outside the carriage to inside the carriage, and facilitates movement inside the carriage, while also reducing the pressure on the bottom surface of the carriage.

[0078] In this invention, the central control system has functions such as data collection, data storage and processing, and command control. Specifically, it can employ devices such as a PLC controller and a computer, capable of receiving data signals from various detection function components in the loading and unloading robot, and equipped with various other electrical components to control the movement of various moving parts in the loading and unloading robot. An electrical control box 5 is provided on the transport vehicle 1, and multiple components of the central control system can be centrally installed in the electrical control box 5.

[0079] The present invention also provides a loading and unloading method for automatic loading and unloading of boxes, for loading and unloading boxes 6 in a vehicle compartment, using the aforementioned loading and unloading robot, including loading and / or unloading operations:

[0080] A. Loading work, used to load boxes 6 into the carriage and stack them into a box stack wall 7, includes the following steps:

[0081] A1. Box entry operation: The loading and unloading robot is placed in the carriage, and the box 6 enters the storage and conveying device 2 through the loading and unloading station 21. The storage and conveying device 2 transports the box 6 to the gripping station 22.

[0082] A2. A single packing operation includes the following steps:

[0083] A21. The loading and unloading robot scans the container stack wall 7 inside the carriage through the vision scanning system, and determines the position and quantity N of the boxes 6 to be placed according to the pre-set stacking order of the container stack wall 7. Based on the range of motion of the loading and unloading robotic arm 31, it determines the parking position where the loading and unloading robot needs to stop. The navigation and positioning system determines whether the loading and unloading robot is in the parking position. If not, the central control system controls the transport vehicle 1 to move to the parking position.

[0084] In this step, specifically, the stacking sequence of the container wall 7 can be preset in the central control system. For example, the stacking sequence of the container wall 7 is from bottom to top and from left to right. That is, the bottom layer of the container wall 7 is stacked first, and the boxes 6 in each layer are placed in order from left to right. When the bottom layer is completely full, the top layer is stacked, and finally, the top layer is stacked to form a complete container wall 7. See [link / reference]. Figure 9 Initially, there may be no stacking wall 7 inside the carriage. When the visual scanning system scans the stacking wall 7 inside the carriage, if it determines from the image that there is no stacking wall 7, it determines that the position to be placed 6 is the innermost part of the carriage and the leftmost part. The number N of boxes 6 to be placed depends on the number of boxes 6 that the gripping station 22 can hold and the number of boxes 6 that the clamping mechanism 32 can grip. Specifically, in this embodiment, the clamping mechanism 32 can grip up to three boxes 6 from the gripping station 22. Therefore, the number N of boxes 6 to be placed can be at most three. When there are already some box stack walls 7 in the carriage, when the visual scanning system scans the box stack walls 7 in the carriage, it determines the position of the missing boxes 6 in the outermost box stack wall 7 based on the image information, and determines the number N of boxes 6 to be placed this time. In particular, when the position of the box 6 to be placed this time is the far right of a certain layer, and the remaining space can only hold one or two boxes 6, the system will determine the number N of boxes 6 to be placed to be 1 or 2 based on the captured image information.

[0085] In this step, each box 6 to be placed corresponds to a parking position. This parking position can be a relatively large area. When the transport vehicle 1 is in the parking position, the box 6 to be placed is within the range of motion of the loading / unloading robotic arm 31, meaning the robotic arm 31 can move the clamping mechanism 32 to that position. The parking position is determined by the distance between the transport vehicle 1 and the object in front (the inner wall of the carriage or the stack wall 7), and the distance between the transport vehicle 1 and the left and right side walls of the carriage. Each box 6 in the stack wall 7 corresponds to a specific parking position, and this correspondence can be pre-set in the central control system. When the central control system controls the transport vehicle 1 to move towards the parking position, it uses a navigation and positioning system to determine if the position of the transport vehicle 1 meets the requirements. If the requirements are met, the movement stops, and the vehicle stops at the parking position. Preferably, when the range of motion of the loading and unloading robotic arm 31 in the left and right directions includes the entire width of the carriage, it is only necessary to determine the range between the transport vehicle 1 and the object in front (the inner wall of the carriage or the stack wall 7). During the entire operation, the transport vehicle 1 only needs to move back and forth to adjust its position.

[0086] A22. The central control system controls the loading and unloading gripping device 3 to work. The loading and unloading robotic arm 31 drives the clamping mechanism 32 to move to the gripping station 22 to grab N boxes 6. Then, the visual scanning system determines the placement position of the boxes 6, controls the loading and unloading robotic arm 31 to move, places the boxes 6 in the clamping mechanism 32 in that position, and releases the clamping mechanism 32. Thus, a single box loading operation is completed.

[0087] After completing a single packing operation, repeat step A2 to scan and pack again until an entire pallet wall 7 is completed. Then continue to repeat step A2 to start stacking the next pallet wall 7. In the above manner, gradually stack multiple pallet walls 7 from the inside to the outside of the car to fill the car.

[0088] During loading operations, the box feeding operation and the single box loading operation can be performed simultaneously. Preferably, a movable feeding conveyor is set up, which extends into the carriage and is connected to the rear end of the loading and unloading robot's carrier 1. The feeding conveyor moves as the loading and unloading robot moves within the carriage. The feeding conveyor is docked with the loading and unloading station 21 of the storage conveying device 2. Boxes 6 are continuously fed into the loading and unloading robot from the feeding conveyor. The two cooperate with each other, and the loading and unloading robot can continuously perform box loading operations.

[0089] B. Unloading operations, used to unload boxes 6 from the existing box stack wall 7 inside the carriage, including the following operations:

[0090] B1. Preparation: Place the loading / unloading robot inside the cargo compartment or outside the door, maintaining a certain distance from the cargo stack wall 7 inside the compartment. Specifically, when the cargo compartment is full, a support platform can be mounted at the doorway, with the loading / unloading robot positioned on the platform, allowing it to be outside the doorway and easily enter the compartment later. When there is sufficient space inside the cargo compartment, the loading / unloading robot can be placed directly inside.

[0091] A2. A single unloading operation includes the following steps:

[0092] A21. The loading and unloading robot scans the stacking wall 7 of boxes 6 inside the truck bed using a vision scanning system. Based on the pre-set unpacking sequence of the stacking wall 7, it determines the location and quantity N of boxes 6 to be retrieved. According to the range of motion of the loading and unloading robotic arm 31, it determines the corresponding parking position for the robot. The navigation and positioning system checks if the robot is at the parking position. If not, the central control system controls the transport vehicle 1 to move to the parking position. This part of the process is the reverse of step A21 in the loading process described above. The unpacking sequence of the stacking wall 7 can be exactly the reverse of the stacking sequence, removing boxes 6 layer by layer from top to bottom. The unpacking order for each layer is from right to left, but it can also be from left to right. When unloading each layer of boxes 6, the quantity N of boxes 6 retrieved each time is three, until the last time the requirement of three retrievings is not met, at which point the quantity N is one or two. The determination of the parking position is the same as in step A21 of the loading process described above, and therefore will not be described in detail.

[0093] A22. The central control system controls the loading and unloading gripping device 3 to work. The loading and unloading robotic arm 31 moves the clamping mechanism 32 to the position where the boxes 6 need to be picked up and picks up N boxes 6. Then, the loading and unloading robotic arm 31 moves the clamping mechanism 32 above the gripping station 22 and places the boxes 6 on the gripping station 22, and releases the clamping mechanism 32. This completes one single box unloading operation.

[0094] After completing one unloading operation, repeat step B2 to scan and unload again until an entire pallet wall 7 is unloaded. Continue repeating step B2 to start unloading the next pallet wall 7. Following this method, unload all pallet walls 7 from the inside to the outside of the carriage.

[0095] B3. Box Outgoing Operation: The storage conveyor 2 transports the box 6 from the gripping station 22 to the loading / unloading station 21, and then leaves the loading / unloading robot from the loading / unloading station 21.

[0096] During loading operations, the unloading and single unloading operations can be performed simultaneously. Preferably, a movable unloading conveyor is set up, which extends into the carriage and is connected to the rear end of the loading and unloading robot's carrier 1. The unloading conveyor is connected to the loading and unloading station 21 of the storage conveying device 2. The boxes 6 continuously enter the unloading conveyor from the loading and unloading robot. The two cooperate with each other, and the loading and unloading robot can continuously perform the box loading operation and then transport the boxes 6 to the designated location through the unloading conveyor.

[0097] The loading and unloading robot and method of the present invention can be used for loading and unloading cigarette boxes, and can also be used for loading and unloading boxes containing other goods.

[0098] As can be seen from the above, the loading and unloading robot and loading and unloading method of the present invention have the following beneficial effects:

[0099] 1. It can be used for automatic loading, stacking or unloading of boxes 6 in enclosed indoor spaces such as truck compartments. It can meet the needs of automatic loading and unloading in the limited space of box trucks, realize the automation of loading and unloading work, save manpower, reduce the intensity of manual labor, and improve the efficiency of loading operations.

[0100] 2. The loading and unloading robot can operate continuously. It can load and unload different numbers of boxes each time according to the actual situation. It is flexible and can meet the needs of different situations.

[0101] 3. When loading and unloading boxes 6, the loading and unloading robot is accurate in picking and placing, stable and reliable, and can effectively avoid operational errors.

[0102] In summary, this invention effectively overcomes the various shortcomings of the prior art and has high industrial application value.

[0103] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in the present invention should still be covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A loading and unloading robot for automatic loading and unloading of boxes, comprising a carrier vehicle (1), characterized in that: The storage conveying device (2) is arranged on the carrier vehicle (1) and is used for placing and conveying the boxes (6). The storage conveying device (2) is provided with a grabbing station (22) and a loading and unloading station (21), and can convey and transfer the boxes (6) between the loading and unloading station (21) and the grabbing station (22). The storage conveying device (2) further comprises a detection mechanism (27) capable of detecting the condition of the boxes (6) on the grabbing station (22), and the detection mechanism (27) is connected in communication with the central control system. The loading and unloading grabbing device (3) comprises a loading and unloading mechanical arm (31) mounted on the carrier vehicle (1) and a clamp mechanism (32) mounted on the loading and unloading mechanical arm (31), and the clamp mechanism (32) can grab several boxes (6). The navigation positioning system is used for judging the distance between the carrier vehicle (1) and the surrounding objects, and is connected in communication with the central control system. The visual scanning system comprises a 3D visual camera capable of visually shooting the front of the carrier vehicle (1), and is connected in communication with the central control system. The central control system is connected in control with the loading and unloading mechanical arm (31) and the clamp mechanism (32), is connected in control with the storage conveying device (2), and is connected in control with the carrier vehicle (1). The storage conveying device (2) comprises a main conveying track (23), a plurality of branch conveying tracks (24) and a plurality of reversing mechanisms (28), and each branch conveying track (24) is provided with a grabbing station (22). The main conveying track (23) conveys in the front-rear direction, and the rear end thereof is the loading and unloading station (21). The main conveying track (23) is provided with a reversing station, one end of the branch conveying track (24) is connected with the reversing station of the main conveying track (23), and a reversing mechanism (28) is arranged at the connection position. The reversing mechanism (28) can make the boxes (6) enter the branch conveying track (24) from the reversing station of the main conveying track (23). The central control system is connected in control with the reversing mechanism (28). The storage conveying device (2) further comprises a reversing detection assembly for detecting the condition of the boxes (6) on the reversing station of the main conveying track (23), and the reversing detection assembly is connected in communication with the central control system.

2. The load handling robot of claim 1, wherein: The grabbing station (22) can accommodate a plurality of boxes (6) arranged in parallel.

3. The load handling robot of claim 1, wherein: The main conveying track (23) comprises an entrance and exit conveying belt (231) and a conveying roller track (232). The loading and unloading station (21) is arranged on the entrance and exit conveying belt (231). The front end of the entrance and exit conveying belt (231) is connected with the rear end of the conveying roller track (232). The reversing station is arranged on the conveying roller track (232).

4. The load-handling robot of claim 3, wherein: The reversing mechanism (28) comprises a lifting frame, a plurality of reversing conveyors arranged on the lifting frame, and a lifting drive assembly, and the reversing conveyors are located in the gap between adjacent rollers in the conveying roller way (232), the lifting drive assembly can drive the lifting frame to move up and down to make the reversing conveyors higher or lower than the conveying roller way (232), and when the reversing conveyors are raised, they are opposite to the branch conveying way (24), and the central control system is connected with the lifting drive assembly.

5. The load handling robot of claim 1, wherein: The side of the grabbing station (22) is provided with a parking limiting baffle (25), and when the box (6) moves to the grabbing station (22) on the branch conveying way (24), it is opposite to the parking limiting baffle (25).

6. The load / unload robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The clamp mechanism (32) of the loading and unloading grabbing device (3) comprises a plurality of sub-clamps (321) and a tension adjusting assembly, the plurality of sub-clamps (321) are arranged in a straight line, each sub-clamp (321) is used for grabbing a box (6), the tension adjusting assembly can adjust the distance between adjacent two sub-clamps (321), and the central control system independently controls the work of each sub-clamp (321).

7. The load-handling robot of claim 1 or 6, wherein: The clamp mechanism (32) comprises a vacuum chuck.

8. The load-unload robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: The clamp mechanism (32) comprises a clamp support (322), a plurality of sub-clamps (321) are installed on the clamp support (322) and arranged in a straight line, the sub-clamp (321) can move in a straight line on the clamp support (322), and the tension adjusting assembly is installed on the clamp support (322).

9. A method for automatic loading and unloading of containers, for loading and unloading containers (6) in a vehicle compartment, characterized in that: The loading and unloading robot is used for loading and unloading work, and the loading and unloading robot comprises the loading and unloading robot as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8: A, loading work, for loading boxes into the carriage and stacking into a box wall, comprising the following operations: A1, box entering operation: placing the loading and unloading robot in the carriage, the box (6) enters the storage conveying device (2) through the loading and unloading station (21), and the storage conveying device (2) conveys the box (6) to the grabbing station (22); A2, single loading operation, comprising the following steps: A21, the loading and unloading robot scans the condition of the box wall in the carriage through the visual scanning system, determines the position and the number N of the box (6) to be placed according to the set stacking sequence of the box wall, determines the parking position corresponding to the required parking position of the loading and unloading robot according to the activity range of the loading and unloading manipulator, and judges whether the loading and unloading robot is at the parking position through the navigation positioning system, if not, the central control system controls the carrier (1) to move to the parking position; A22, the central control system controls the loading and unloading grabbing device (3) to work, the loading and unloading manipulator (31) drives the clamp mechanism (32) to move to the grabbing station (22) to grab N boxes (6), then according to the position of the box (6) determined by the visual scanning system, the loading and unloading manipulator (31) is controlled to move, the box (6) in the clamp mechanism (32) is placed at the position, and the clamp mechanism (32) is released; B, unloading work, for unloading the boxes in the box wall in the carriage, comprising the following operations: B1, preparation operation: place the loading and unloading robot inside the carriage or outside the door, and keep a certain distance from the box stack wall inside the carriage; B2, single unloading operation, including the following steps: B21, the loading and unloading robot scans the box stack wall in the carriage (6) through the visual scanning system, judges the position and number N of the box (6) needed to be taken according to the set box stack wall dismounting sequence, determines the parking position corresponding to the loading and unloading robot according to the activity range of the loading and unloading manipulator (31), and judges whether the loading and unloading robot is in the parking position through the navigation positioning system. If not, the central control system controls the carrier (1) to move to the parking position; B22, the central control system controls the loading and unloading grabbing device (3) to work, the loading and unloading manipulator (31) drives the clamp mechanism (32) to move to the position where the box (6) needs to be taken and takes N boxes (6), then the loading and unloading manipulator (31) moves the clamp mechanism (32) above the grabbing work station (22) and places the box (6) on the grabbing work station (22), and releases the clamp mechanism (32); B3, box out operation: the storage conveying device (2) conveys the box (6) from the grabbing work station (22) to the in-out work station (21), and leaves the loading and unloading robot from the in-out work station (21).

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