A shuttle vehicle capable of realizing a stacking function

Abstract

The application discloses a shuttle capable of realizing a stacking function, and relates to the field of warehousing.The shuttle comprises a vehicle body, a docking assembly, the docking assembly being arranged on the lower layer of the vehicle body and being capable of receiving a tray after being connected with other conveying lines; a lifting assembly, the lifting assembly being arranged on the lower layer of the vehicle body and being located in the middle of the docking assembly, and the lifting assembly being capable of lifting the tray on the docking assembly; and a supporting assembly, the supporting assembly being arranged on the upper layer of the vehicle body, the supporting assembly being capable of transferring the tray to the supporting assembly after the tray is lifted, and the supporting assembly being capable of lowering the tray on the supporting assembly to the tray to be lifted before the tray on the next docking assembly is lifted, and transferring the whole stack of trays to the supporting assembly after the tray is lifted.Compared with the prior art, the application can realize the stacking on the shuttle, so that the shuttle can be saved from the back-and-forth time between different stations, and the efficiency is greatly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention discloses a shuttle vehicle capable of realizing a tray stacking function, and relates to the field of warehousing. Background Art

[0002] Shuttles are automated devices used to transport items, often used in warehousing systems. They operate on fixed tracks, delivering goods to designated locations or docking equipment. In warehousing systems, empty pallets are typically recovered by shuttles, which transport them to a separate stacking station. Once a certain number of pallets have been stacked, they are transferred to another location. For example, CN211811876U discloses a dual-station shuttle that can recycle stacked pallets. However, during this stacking process, the shuttles need to make multiple trips back and forth between the stacking stations, resulting in low efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a shuttle vehicle that can realize the stacking function to improve the overall efficiency.

[0004] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0005] A shuttle vehicle capable of realizing a stacking function of trays according to the present invention comprises:

[0006] The vehicle body is movable within the warehouse in conjunction with a track system provided on the ground;

[0007] A docking assembly is provided on the lower layer of the vehicle body and can receive pallets after docking with other conveyor lines;

[0008] A lifting assembly is provided on the lower layer of the vehicle body and is located in the middle of the docking assembly, and is capable of raising the tray on the docking assembly;

[0009] The support assembly is arranged on the upper layer of the vehicle body. The support assembly can transfer the pallet onto itself after the pallet is lifted, and before the pallet on the next docking assembly is lifted, the support assembly can drop the pallet on itself onto the pallet to be lifted, and after the pallet is lifted, transfer the entire stack of pallets onto itself.

[0010] Furthermore, the connecting assembly includes two conveying chains arranged at intervals and a first servo motor driving the two conveying chains, and an installation space is formed between the two conveying chains to install the lifting assembly.

[0011] Furthermore, the lifting assembly includes a movably arranged lifting bracket, two drive shafts are provided below the lifting bracket, first cranks are respectively installed at both ends of the two drive shafts, first pulleys are provided at the ends of the first cranks, all first pulleys are in contact with the bottom of the lifting bracket, and the lifting bracket also includes a second servo motor that drives the two drive shafts to rotate.

[0012] Furthermore, the supporting assembly includes two movable racks located above and on both sides of the lifting assembly and the docking assembly, and a third servo motor is provided corresponding to each of the two movable racks. A second crank is installed on the output shaft of the third servo motor, and a second pulley is provided at the end of the second crank. A waist-shaped ring groove is provided on the back of the movable rack, and the second pulley is inserted into the waist-shaped ring groove.

[0013] Furthermore, at least one strap is provided below the support assembly, and the strap is horizontally arranged above the lifting assembly. The strap has an A end and a B end, the A end is connected to one side of the vehicle body, and the strap is wound around the B end and is wound around a reel provided on the other side of the vehicle body, and a spiral spring is connected to the reel.

[0014] Furthermore, end A of the strap is fixed to the vehicle body.

[0015] Furthermore, end A of the strap is movably connected to the vehicle body.

[0016] Furthermore, it includes at least one pair of winders, which are respectively arranged on both sides of the vehicle body. The winder includes a winder shell, a drum, a drum motor, and a binding rope. The winder shell is rotatably connected to the vehicle body. A spring locking device is provided between the winder shell and the vehicle body. The drum motor is fixed on the vehicle body and the output shaft of the drum motor is inserted into the winder shell. The drum is fixed on the output shaft of the drum motor. One end of the binding rope is fixed on the drum and then wound on the drum, and the other end passes through the winder shell, and a docking rod is fixed on the passed end, and a hook is provided on the docking rod.

[0017] Beneficial effects: The present invention can achieve stacking of plates on a shuttle car through the alternating coordination of the support assembly, the connecting assembly, and the lifting assembly, thereby eliminating the shuttle car's round-trip time between different workstations and greatly improving efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present application and constitute a part of the present application. The illustrative embodiments of the present application and their descriptions are used to explain the present application and do not constitute an improper limitation on the present application. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional state of the present invention after receiving a pallet;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the plane state of the present invention after receiving a pallet;

[0022] Figure 4-Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the stacking process of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 10 Schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the connection assembly of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 11 It is a plan view schematic diagram of the lifting assembly of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the lifting assembly of the present invention when viewed from above;

[0026] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the lifting assembly of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 14 and Figure 15 Schematic diagrams of the three-dimensional structure of the support assembly of the present invention at different viewing angles;

[0028] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of an unstable pallet state;

[0029] Figure 17 Schematic diagram of the installation position of the strap;

[0030] Figure 18 Schematic diagram of the structure of the strap;

[0031] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram of the installation position of the winding machine;

[0032] Figure 20 Schematic diagram of the internal structure of the winding machine;

[0033] Figure 21 Schematic diagram of the cross-section structure of the winding machine;

[0034] Figure 22 It is a schematic diagram of the matching structure of the butt rod and the butt joint of the winding machine;

[0035] Figure markings: body 1, connecting assembly 2, conveyor chain 201, first servo motor 202, stopper 203, lifting assembly 3, lifting bracket 301, drive shaft 302, first crank 303, first pulley 304, second servo motor 305, supporting assembly 4, movable rack 401, third servo motor 402, second crank 403, second pulley 404, waist-shaped ring groove 405, pallet 5, strap 6, A end 6a, B end 6b, winder 7, winder housing 701, docking head 701a, reel 702, reel motor 703, binding rope 704, spring locking device 705, docking rod 706, round head 706a, protrusion 706b, hook 707. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] To make the purpose, technical solutions, and advantages of this application more clear, the technical solutions of this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the specific embodiments of this application and the corresponding drawings. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0037] The following combination Figure 1-Figure 22 , describes in detail the technical solutions provided by each embodiment of this application.

[0038] A shuttle vehicle capable of realizing a stacking function according to this embodiment includes:

[0039] The vehicle body 1 has guide wheels and drive wheels at the bottom, which can be used with a track system set on the ground to enable the vehicle body 1 to move the entire body within the warehouse;

[0040] The docking assembly 2 is arranged on the lower layer of the vehicle body 1 and can receive the pallet 5 after docking with other conveyor lines;

[0041] The lifting assembly 3 is also provided on the lower layer of the vehicle body 1, but is located in the middle of the docking assembly 2, and is capable of lifting the tray 5 on the docking assembly 2;

[0042] The supporting assembly 4 is arranged on the upper layer of the vehicle body 1. The supporting assembly 4 can transfer the pallet 5 onto itself after the pallet 5 is lifted, and before the pallet 5 on the next docking assembly 2 is lifted, the supporting assembly 4 can drop the pallet 5 on itself onto the pallet 5 to be lifted. After the pallet 5 is lifted, the entire stack of pallets 5 is transferred onto itself. In this way, the pallets 5 can be stacked by alternating cooperation between the supporting assembly 4 and the lifting assembly 3.

[0043] Preferably, the docking assembly 2 of the present invention includes two spaced-apart conveyor chains 201, which are driven by a first servo motor 202. After the docking assembly 2 is docked with another conveyor line, the pallet 5 is transferred to the docking assembly 2 and then driven by the conveyor chains 201 until the pallet 5 is completely transferred to the docking assembly 2. The docking assembly 2 is provided with a stopper 203 for positioning the pallet 5. In addition to this embodiment, the docking assembly 2 may also use roller transmission, but chain transmission is used because sufficient installation space can be formed between the two spaced-apart conveyor chains 201 for installing the lifting assembly 3, so chain transmission is preferably used.

[0044] Preferably, the lifting assembly 3 includes a movably arranged lifting bracket 301, two drive shafts 302 are provided below the lifting bracket 301, and a first crank 303 is installed at each end of the two drive shafts 302, and a first pulley 304 is provided at the end of the first crank 303. The first pulleys 304 are all in contact with the bottom of the lifting bracket 301, and the lifting bracket 301 also includes a second servo motor 305 for driving the two drive shafts 302 to rotate; the working principle of the lifting assembly 3 is to transmit the rotational motion of the drive shaft 302 to the lifting bracket 301 that is in contact with the first pulley 304 at its end through the first crank 303, so that the lifting bracket 301 can move back and forth in a straight line up and down. In addition to this embodiment, the lifting assembly 3 can also be lifted and lowered by a screw rod, but the advantage of this embodiment is that the rotation speed of the drive shaft 302 can be precisely controlled by a servo motor and the response is fast, so that the lifting and lowering speed of the lifting assembly 3 can be precisely controlled. Similarly, the rotation speed of the above-mentioned conveying chain 201 can also be precisely controlled by a servo motor, which allows the speed of the lifting assembly 3 and the connecting assembly 2 to remain synchronized when the operating speed of the entire equipment needs to be changed.

[0045] Preferably, the support assembly 4 includes two movable bays 401 located above and on either side of the lifting assembly 3 and the docking assembly 2. The movable bays 401 are driven by a third servo motor 402. A second crank 403 is mounted on the output shaft of the third servo motor 402. A second pulley 404 is provided at the end of the second crank 403. The back of the movable bays 401 is provided with a waist-shaped annular groove 405, into which the second pulley 404 is inserted. The principle of the support assembly 4 is that the movable bays 401 on both sides are inserted into the grooves of the pallet 5 from both sides to secure and support the pallet 5. The movable bays 401 are powered by the third servo motor 402, and the rotational motion of the third servo motor 402 is converted into linear reciprocating motion of the movable bays 401 through the cooperation of the second crank 403 and the groove on the back of the movable bays 401. In addition to this embodiment, the movable racks 401 can also be driven by a screw, etc. However, similarly, a servo motor drive is easier to control, and when the operating speed of the entire equipment needs to be changed, the speed of the support assembly 4 can also be synchronized. It should also be noted that the relative movement of the two movable racks 401 to secure the pallet 5 allows the pallet 5 to be centered during depalletization, allowing it to smoothly reach the docking assembly 2. It should be explained in detail that depalletization refers to the process of disassembling a stack of empty pallets 5 in the reverse order of stacking, separating them into individual empty pallets 5 for supply to the storage system.

[0046] Reference Figure 4-Figure 9 The more detailed working process of the present invention when stacking the discs is as follows:

[0047] The tray 5 is transported to the lifting bracket 301 via the conveying chain 201 (eg Figure 4 );

[0048] The lifting bracket 301 lifts the tray 5 (as Figure 5 );

[0049] The movable inserting racks 401 on both sides clamp the tray 5 in the middle and support it, while lifting the bracket 301 to reset (as shown in FIG. Figure 6 );

[0050] After the next tray 5 reaches the lifting bracket 301 through the conveying chain 201, the movable racks 401 on both sides are reset to put down the tray 5 on it (as shown in FIG. Figure 7 );

[0051] The lifting bracket 301 lifts the tray 5 as a whole (such as Figure 8 );

[0052] The movable inserting racks 401 on both sides clamp the tray 5 in the middle and support it, while lifting the bracket 301 to reset (as shown in FIG. Figure 9 ).

[0053] Repeat this cycle to complete the stacking.

[0054] As a preferred, considering the shuttle in the process of running and supporting assembly 4 caused by the function of the tray 5 instability may lead to the tray 5 fall, the present application is also provided with at least one strap 6 under the supporting assembly 4, the strap 6 across the lifting assembly 3 above, the strap 6 has A end 6a and B end 6b, A end 6a is connected on one side of the vehicle body 1, the strap 6 is wound on a reel provided on one side of the vehicle body 1, and a volute spring (not shown in the figure) is connected on the reel; in the process of stacking, as one tray 5 is lifted up, because the volute spring can be tightened and relaxed, the volute spring will not affect the tray 5 stacking, the strap 6 can be automatically lengthened, and at the same time, the strap 6 can be tightened by the tightening force of the volute spring, so as to keep the tray 5 stable. It should be pointed out that the specific structure is not given in the figure, but the strap 6 and the related structure can refer to the existing tape measure structure. It should be pointed out that the shuttle is unstable in the process of running because of the inertial force of the shuttle in the process of running, and the instability caused by the centering function of the supporting assembly 4 refers to the lateral displacement of the tray 5 caused by the instability of the running, that is, as shown in the figure, the tray 5 of the third layer and the tray 5 above it are displaced relative to the center position because of the start or stop of the shuttle, because of the displacement, the tray 5 of the third layer is lowered and is pushed from both sides by the supporting assembly 4 to the center, which is a good function, but if the speed of the supporting assembly 4 is very fast, it will cause the upper tray 5 to be more unstable (as Figure 17 ).

[0055] As an optional embodiment, the A end 6a of the strap 6 can be fixed on the vehicle body 1, for example, it can be nailed on the vehicle body 1 with screws. However, considering that the strap 6 is fixed in this way, it will always be above the transport route of the docking assembly 2, and if the shuttle wants to transport goods, it will be blocked by the strap 6, which makes the shuttle lose the original function of transporting goods. Therefore, in this embodiment, the A end 6a is preferably movably connected on one side of the vehicle body 1, which can be connected in a way similar to the lock of a car safety belt. However, even if it is movably connected, it still needs to be manually controlled, and further improvement is needed.

[0056] To this end, this embodiment also provides another alternative to the strap 6 and its related structure. In this embodiment, it includes at least one pair of winders 7, which are respectively arranged on both sides of the vehicle body 1. The winder 7 includes a winder housing 701, a drum 702, a drum motor 703, and a binding rope 704. The winder housing 701 is rotatably connected to the vehicle body 1, and a spring locking device 705 is provided between the winder housing 701 and the vehicle body 1. The drum motor 703 is fixed on the vehicle body 1 and the output shaft of the drum motor 703 is inserted into the winder housing 701. The drum 702 is fixed on the output shaft of the drum motor 703. One end of the binding rope 704 is fixed on the drum 702 and then wound on the drum 702, and the other end passes through the winder housing 701, and a docking rod 706 is fixed on the passed end, and a hook 707 is provided on the docking rod 706.

[0057] Under normal circumstances, the drum motor 703 can loosen or tighten the binding rope 704 by forward and reverse rotation. However, when it is tightened to the limit, because the docking rod 706 is thicker than the binding rope 704 perforation on the drum 702, if the drum motor 703 continues to tighten, the binding rope 704 continues to tighten, pulling the docking rod 706, and the docking rod 706 will pull the winder housing 701, and the winder housing 701 will overcome the resistance of the spring locking device 705 and rotate together.

[0058] In this solution, the working principle of the entire pair of winding machines 7 is:

[0059] Before stacking, the binding ropes 704 of the two winders 7 are tightened to the limit and then continue to rotate, causing the docking rods 706 and the winder housing 701 to rotate together. The rotation directions of the two winders 7 are opposite, so the two docking rods 706 will approach each other and eventually engage with each other.

[0060] When stacking, the tray 5 is lifted up, and the winding machine 7 relaxes to match the lifting height of the tray 5, so that the tray 5 can be stacked smoothly;

[0061] When the trays are unpacked, the trays 5 are sent away one by one, and the winding machine 7 is gradually tightened, and finally returns to the state before the first step of stacking the trays, where the tying rope 704 is tightened to the limit and the two docking rods 706 are connected;

[0062] When transporting items, the two docking rods 706 are in a connected state when the items enter the shuttle vehicle through the docking system, so the two docking rods 706 can be automatically knocked apart during the entry of the items.

[0063] Specifically, the spring locking device 705 can adopt a spring ball positioning plug, which can be directly screwed into the bottom of the vehicle body 1, and its spring ball is stuck in the corresponding hole on the top wall of the winder housing 701 to limit it. When the drum motor 703 is wound to the limit, the winder housing 701 will overcome the spring resistance inside the spring ball positioning plug.

[0064] The advantage of this spring locking device 705 is that it can ensure that the winder housing 701 does not rotate when the binding rope 704 is normally retracted and released, and does not hinder the movement of the winder housing 701 when the binding ropes 704 of the winders 7 on both sides need to be docked.

[0065] Specifically, it should be noted that in order to ensure smooth docking, the docking rod 706 is a hard rod, and the docking rod 706 is wrapped in the binding rope 704, so the docking rod 706 can be straightened when tightened to the limit, and the tail end of the docking rod 706 is a round head 706a and there is a protrusion 706b on the round head 706a, and there is a matching groove on the docking joint 701a on the winding machine housing 701. When tightening, the docking rod 706 slides through the circle 706a and is positioned after the protrusion 706b is engaged. This design can ensure that the hook 707 on the docking rod 706 is at the required angle.

[0066] It should be noted that the terms "comprises," "includes," or any other variations thereof are intended to encompass non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, commodity, or apparatus that includes a series of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not explicitly listed, or includes elements inherent to such process, method, commodity, or apparatus. In the absence of further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprises a..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, commodity, or apparatus that includes the element.

[0067] The above are merely embodiments of the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. For those skilled in the art, the present application may have various modifications and variations. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present application should all be included within the scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. A shuttle vehicle capable of realizing the stacking function, characterized in that: include: A vehicle body (1), wherein the vehicle body (1) cooperates with a track system provided on the ground and can be moved within the warehouse; A docking assembly (2), the docking assembly (2) being arranged on the lower layer of the vehicle body (1), and the docking assembly (2) being capable of docking with other conveyor lines and receiving the pallet (5); A lifting assembly (3), wherein the lifting assembly (3) is arranged on the lower layer of the vehicle body (1), and the lifting assembly (3) is located in the middle of the docking assembly (2), and is capable of lifting the tray (5) on the docking assembly (2); A support assembly (4), wherein the support assembly (4) is arranged on the upper layer of the vehicle body (1), and the support assembly (4) can transfer the pallet (5) onto itself after the pallet (5) is lifted, and before the pallet (5) on the next connecting assembly (2) is lifted, the support assembly (4) can drop the pallet (5) on itself onto the pallet (5) to be lifted, and after the pallet (5) is lifted, transfer the entire stack of pallets (5) onto itself; At least one pair of winders (7), the pair of winders (7) being respectively arranged on both sides of the vehicle body (1), the winders (7) comprising a winder housing (701), a reel (702), a reel motor (703), and a binding rope (704), wherein the winder housing (701) is rotatably connected to the vehicle body (1), a spring locking device (705) is provided between the winder housing (701) and the vehicle body (1), the reel motor (703) is fixed to the vehicle body (1), and an output shaft of the reel motor (703) is inserted into the winder housing (701), the reel (702) is fixed to the output shaft of the reel motor (703), one end of the binding rope (704) is fixed to the reel (702) and then wound around the reel (702), and the other end passes through the winder housing (701), and a docking rod (706) is fixed to the end that passes through, and a hook (707) is provided on the docking rod (706); Before stacking, the binding ropes (704) of the two winding machines (7) are tightened to the limit and then continue to rotate, so that the docking rod (706) and the winding machine housing (701) rotate together. The rotation directions of the two winding machines (7) are opposite, so the two docking rods (706) will approach each other and eventually bite together. When stacking, the tray (5) is lifted, and the winding machine (7) relaxes the length to match the lifting height of the tray (5), so that the tray (5) can be stacked smoothly; When the trays are removed, the trays (5) are sent away one by one, and the winding machine (7) is gradually tightened, and finally returns to the state before the first step of stacking the trays, where the binding rope (704) is tightened to the limit and the two docking rods (706) are connected; When transporting items, the items enter the shuttle vehicle through the docking system. Since the two docking rods (706) are in a connected state, the two docking rods (706) can be automatically knocked apart during the entry of the items.

2. A shuttle vehicle capable of realizing the stacking function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connecting assembly (2) comprises two conveying chains (201) arranged at intervals and a first servo motor (202) driving the two conveying chains (201); an installation space is formed between the two conveying chains (201) to install the lifting assembly (3).

3. A shuttle vehicle capable of realizing the stacking function according to claim 2, characterized in that: The lifting assembly (3) includes a movable lifting bracket (301), two driving shafts (302) are provided below the lifting bracket (301), first cranks (303) are respectively installed at both ends of the two driving shafts (302), and first pulleys (304) are provided at the ends of the first cranks (303), and all the first pulleys (304) are in contact with the bottom of the lifting bracket (301). The lifting bracket (301) also includes a second servo motor (305) for driving the two driving shafts (302) to rotate.

4. A shuttle vehicle capable of realizing the stacking function according to claim 3, characterized in that: The support assembly (4) includes two movable racks (401) located above and on both sides of the lifting assembly (3) and the docking assembly (2), each corresponding to the two movable racks (401) being provided with a third servo motor (402), a second crank (403) being mounted on an output shaft of the third servo motor (402), a second pulley (404) being provided at the end of the second crank (403), a waist-shaped annular groove (405) being provided on the back of the movable rack (401), and the second pulley (404) being inserted into the waist-shaped annular groove (405).

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