Stereo warehouse robot and its picking and placing method

Abstract

The application relates to a stereoscopic storage robot, which comprises a vehicle body, a lifting frame arranged at the rear end of the vehicle body, a high-position fork slidingly connected with the lifting frame in a height direction, the high-position fork being provided with a high-position fork arm, and a low-position fork movably mounted on the vehicle body in a first direction, so that the low-position fork can extend out of the front end of the vehicle body or be retracted, the first direction being perpendicular to the height direction, the low-position fork being provided with a low-position fork arm capable of ascending and descending in the height direction, the low-position fork and the high-position fork arm being arranged in a second direction, the first direction, the second direction and the height direction being perpendicular to each other. In addition, a taking and placing method of the stereoscopic storage robot is provided. The combination of the forward fork taking type carrying and the vertical carrying has a compact overall structure and smaller size, and is convenient to operate in a warehouse with more compact space requirements.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of logistics and warehousing robot technology, and in particular to automated storage and retrieval robots and their picking and placing methods. Background Technology

[0002] In automated warehouses, racks are typically installed to store goods. The movement of goods between these racks and the warehouse floor requires human intervention and handling equipment. Common methods include using manually driven forklifts or automated guided vehicles (AGVs) to move goods between the racks and the warehouse floor. Among AGVs: planar transport robots with pallet-handling forks can only move pallets on the ground and cannot move goods between the racks and the warehouse floor; reach trucks, while capable of moving goods between the racks and the warehouse floor, are limited by their operational form, being large in size, heavy in weight, and having a large turning radius, making them unsuitable for warehouses with tighter space requirements. They also require a high-load-bearing floor and are very expensive. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to propose an automated storage and retrieval system (AS / RS) robot capable of moving goods between shelves and the warehouse floor, and suitable for operation in warehouses with limited space. Furthermore, a method for picking and placing goods using the AS / RS robot is also proposed.

[0004] According to one aspect of this application, a three-dimensional warehousing robot includes: a vehicle body; a lifting frame disposed at the rear end of the vehicle body; a high-position fork slidably connected to the lifting frame along the height direction, the high-position fork having a high-position fork arm; and a low-position fork movably mounted on the vehicle body along a first direction, such that the low-position fork can extend out of the front end of the vehicle body or retract along the first direction, the first direction being perpendicular to the height direction, the low-position fork having a low-position fork arm capable of lifting and lowering in the height direction, the low-position fork and the high-position fork arm being offset in a second direction, the first direction, the second direction, and the height direction being perpendicular to each other.

[0005] In some embodiments, the lifting frame is provided with a positioning device on the side facing the front of the vehicle body, the positioning device being used to determine the position of the cargo pallet.

[0006] In some embodiments, when the high-mounted fork is in its lowest position, the high-mounted fork is positioned above the upper surface of the vehicle body.

[0007] In some embodiments, the vehicle body includes a left frame, a middle frame, and a right frame arranged along a second direction, wherein a fork receiving area is formed between the left frame and the middle frame, and a fork receiving area is formed between the right frame and the middle frame, and each of the fork receiving areas accommodates one of the aforementioned low-position forks.

[0008] In some embodiments, multiple high-mounted forks are spaced apart along the second direction, and the multiple high-mounted forks are distributed on both sides of the fork-accommodating area.

[0009] In some embodiments, the low-mounted forks are self-propelled forks that can move to the outside of the vehicle body.

[0010] In some embodiments, the low-position fork includes a base, a traveling wheel disposed on the base, a traveling drive mechanism, a lifting mechanism, and a lifting drive mechanism. The low-position fork arm is disposed on the lifting mechanism, and the lifting drive mechanism is connected to the lifting mechanism and drives the low-position fork arm to move up and down in the height direction through the lifting mechanism.

[0011] In some embodiments, the fork housing extends through the vehicle body along the height direction; the fork housing is provided with a stop on the inner side in the second direction, wherein during the retraction of the low-position forks relative to the vehicle body, the low-position fork arms can abut against the stop in response to the descent of the lifting mechanism, so that the travel wheels are raised and lifted off the ground.

[0012] This application also proposes a method for picking up and placing goods using an automated storage and retrieval system (AS / RS) robot, comprising: applying the above-mentioned AS / RS robot, the method comprising: controlling one of the low-position forks and the high-position forks to pick up a goods pallet placed in a first storage location and move it above the upper surface of the vehicle body; and controlling the other of the low-position forks and the high-position forks to pick up the goods pallet placed on the upper surface of the vehicle body and place it in a second storage location.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first storage location is one of the pallet storage surfaces on the ground or a shelf, and the second storage location is the other of the pallet storage surfaces on the ground or a shelf.

[0014] In some embodiments, controlling one of the low-end forks and the high-end forks to pick up a cargo pallet placed in a first storage location and move it above the upper surface of the vehicle body includes:

[0015] Control the low-position forks to extend out of the front end of the vehicle body in a first direction and pick up the cargo pallet placed on the ground; control the low-position forks to retract in the first direction and move the cargo pallet above the high-position forks;

[0016] Controlling another fork among the low-end and high-end forks to pick up a cargo pallet placed on the upper surface of the vehicle body and place it in a second storage location includes:

[0017] Control the high-mounted forks to lift the cargo pallet along the height direction; control the movement of the automated storage and retrieval system (AS / RS) robot to position the cargo pallet above the pallet storage surface of the rack; control the high-mounted forks to descend and place the cargo pallet on the pallet storage surface.

[0018] In some embodiments, controlling the lower forks to retract in a first direction and move the cargo pallet above the higher forks includes:

[0019] Control the high-position forks to be in the lowest position;

[0020] Control the low-position forks to place the cargo pallet onto the upper surface of the vehicle body.

[0021] In some embodiments, the low-position fork includes a base, a traveling wheel disposed on the base, a traveling drive mechanism, a lifting mechanism, and a lifting drive mechanism. The low-position fork arm is disposed on the lifting mechanism, and the lifting drive mechanism is connected to the lifting mechanism and drives the low-position fork arm to move up and down in the height direction through the lifting mechanism.

[0022] Controlling the lower forks to retract along a first direction and move the cargo pallet above the higher forks includes:

[0023] The low-position fork arms are controlled to descend and abut against the vehicle body, so that the travel wheels are raised and lifted off the ground.

[0024] The technical solution of this application utilizes a low-position forklift that can move forward to pick up pallets from the ground, and then, during the retraction process back into the vehicle body, place the pallets onto the upper surface of the vehicle body, allowing the high-position forklift to lift the pallets and place them on the shelves. This achieves the flow of goods between the shelves and the warehouse floor. Alternatively, the operation process can be reversed. The technical solution of this application combines forward forklift handling and vertical handling, resulting in a compact overall structure and smaller size, making it suitable for operation in warehouses with more limited space. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the automated storage robot of this application.

[0026] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A top-down view of an automated storage and retrieval system (AS / RS) robot.

[0027] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the low-position forks of an automated warehouse robot in the forward forking state.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an automated warehouse robot picking up a pallet of goods with its forks.

[0029] Figure 5 and Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the forward forklift and lifting of a pallet of goods by an automated warehouse robot at different angles.

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the low-level forks of an automated storage and retrieval system (AS / RS) in a forward-forking and lifting state.

[0031] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the low-position forks in the forward fork-taking and lifting state.

[0032] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a structure where the low-position forks are not in the forward fork picking and lifting state.

[0033] Figure 10 This is another structural diagram showing the low-position forks not in the forward fork-taking and lifting state.

[0034] Figure 11 and Figure 12 This diagram illustrates different angles at which the low-position forks retract to retract the cargo pallet.

[0035] Figure 13 and Figure 14 This diagram illustrates different angles at which the low-position forks place the cargo pallet onto the vehicle body.

[0036] Figure 15 and Figure 16 This is a diagram showing different angles at which the high-mounted forks lift the pallet of goods.

[0037] Figure 17 and Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram showing the different angles of the high-level forklift lifting state of the automated warehouse robot.

[0038] Figure 19 This is a diagram illustrating how an automated warehouse robot moves a pallet of goods and places it on a shelf.

[0039] Figure 20 This is a partial three-dimensional structural diagram of an automated warehouse robot before it moves a pallet of goods to a shelf and places it on the shelf.

[0040] Figure 21 A schematic diagram illustrating how an automated warehouse robot moves a pallet of goods and places it on a shelf.

[0041] Figure 22A partial 3D structural diagram illustrating how an automated warehouse robot moves pallets and places them on shelves.

[0042] Figure 23 This is a schematic diagram illustrating how an automated warehouse robot moves a pallet of goods to a shelf and then drives away.

[0043] Explanation of component labels in the attached diagram:

[0044] 100. Automated Storage and Retrieval System (AS / RS) Robot; 10. Vehicle Body; 101. Front End; 102. Rear End; 103. Upper Surface; 104. Positioning Device; 110. Left Side Frame; 120. Middle Frame; 130. Right Side Frame; 140. Fork Reception Area; 141. Stop; 150. Front Cantilever Drive Assembly; 160. Rear Cantilever Drive Assembly; 20. Lifting Frame; 210. Lifting Drive Assembly; 30. High-Position Fork; 310. High-Position Fork Arm; 40. Low-Position Fork; 410. Low-Position Fork Arm; 420. Base; 421. 431. Limiting slot; 432. Traveling drive wheel; 441. Traveling drive motor; 442. Traveling gearbox; 451. Push rod one; 452. Push rod two; 453. Inner scissor differential rod; 454. Outer scissor differential rod; 461. Lifting drive motor; 462. Lifting reducer; 463. Coupling; 464. Ball screw; 465. Bearing seat one; 466. Bearing seat two; 467. Slider; 200. Goods pallet; 201. Fork slot; 300. Shelf; 301. Pallet storage surface. Detailed Implementation

[0045] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0046] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0047] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0048] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0049] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0050] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0051] This application proposes an automated storage and retrieval system (AS / RS) robot, which can be used for storing, retrieving, and moving goods in a warehouse. For example, the AS / RS robot of this application can realize the flow of goods between shelves and the warehouse floor. A detailed description is provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0052] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 ,in Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the automated storage robot of this application. Figure 2 for Figure 1 A top-down view of an automated storage and retrieval system (AS / RS) robot.

[0053] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, an embodiment of the automated storage and retrieval system (AS / RS) robot 100 of this application includes a vehicle body 10, a lifting frame 20, a high-position fork 30, and a low-position fork 40. The lifting frame 20 is disposed at the rear end 102 of the vehicle body 10. The high-position fork 30 is slidably connected to the lifting frame 20 along the height direction Z, and the high-position fork 30 has a high-position fork arm 310. The low-position fork 40 has a low-position fork arm 410 capable of lifting and lowering along the height direction Z. The low-position fork 40 is movably mounted on the vehicle body 10 along a first direction X, so that the low-position fork 40 can extend out of the front end 101 of the vehicle body 10 or retract along the first direction X, where the first direction X is perpendicular to the height direction Z. The low-position fork 40 and the high-position fork arm 310 are offset in a second direction Y, which is perpendicular to both the first direction X and the height direction Z.

[0054] The vehicle body 10 serves as the mounting base for the lifting frame 20, the high-position fork 30, and the low-position fork 40. The vehicle body 10 is placed on the ground. Exemplarily, the vehicle body 10 can be an automatically moving device. Exemplarily, the vehicle body 10 can also be moved by an operator. When the vehicle body 10 moves, it moves the lifting frame 20, the high-position fork 30, and the low-position fork 40 together.

[0055] The vehicle body 10 has a front end 101 and a rear end 102. In this application, the first direction X is the direction from the rear end 102 of the vehicle body 10 to the front end 101 of the vehicle body 10. The height direction Z is the height direction of the vehicle body 10. The vehicle body 10 of the automated storage and retrieval system 100 is generally placed on the ground for use, so that the first direction X and the second direction Y are both horizontal; the height direction Z is vertical.

[0056] A lifting frame 20 is installed at the rear end 102 of the vehicle body 10, with its length direction aligned with the height direction Z of the vehicle body 10. The lifting frame 20 is slidably engaged with one end of the overhead fork 30. Furthermore, a lifting drive assembly 210 is provided on the side of the lifting frame 20 facing away from the front end 101 of the vehicle body 10. The lifting drive assembly 210 is used to drive the overhead fork 30 to lift. Exemplarily, the lifting drive assembly 210 includes a lifting motor and a rack and pinion transmission mechanism. The rotational motion of the output shaft of the lifting motor is converted into the lifting motion of the overhead fork 30 through the rack and pinion transmission mechanism.

[0057] The low-mounted forks 40 can extend out of the front end 101 of the vehicle body 10 or retract along the first direction X. For example, the low-mounted forks 40 can be fully extended out of the front end 101 of the vehicle body 10, i.e., outside the vehicle body 10. Alternatively, the low-mounted forks 40 can be partially extended out of the front end 101 of the vehicle body 10. The shape of the low-mounted fork arm 410 is not limited; for example, the low-mounted fork arm 410 is plate-shaped.

[0058] The low-position forks 40 can move relative to the vehicle body 10 along the first direction X. Thus, as... Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the low-position fork 40 is in a forward forking state, in which the low-position fork arm 410 of the low-position fork 40 can pick up the goods pallet 200. The low-position fork arm 410 of the low-position fork 40 can rise in the height direction; thus, as Figures 6 to 8 As shown, when the low-position fork 40 is in the forward forking position, the low-position fork arm 410 can also lift the pallet 200 after picking it up. Meanwhile, refer to... Figure 1 , Figures 9 to 14 As shown, the low-position fork 40 can retract rearward relative to the vehicle body 10; and when the low-position fork 40 retracts relative to the vehicle body 10, the low-position fork arm 410 can descend in the height direction, thereby enabling the cargo pallet 200 to be placed on the upper surface 103 of the vehicle body 10.

[0059] The lifting fork 30 includes a lifting fork arm 310, which is used to lift a cargo pallet 200 carrying goods. The shape and number of the lifting fork arms 310 are not limited. Figures 15 to 18 As shown, the high-mounted fork arm 310 can move up and down along the lifting frame 20, thereby enabling the high-mounted fork arm 310 to pick up and lift the cargo pallet 200.

[0060] refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 The low-position fork 40 and the high-position fork arm 310 are staggered in the second direction Y. In this way, the low-position fork arm 410 and the high-position fork arm 310 can work independently.

[0061] In this application, the cargo pallet 200 is a device for carrying goods. (Reference) Figure 6 The bottom of the pallet 200 is provided with a fork slot 201, which is used to cooperate with the low fork arm 410 or the high fork arm 310. That is, the low fork arm 410 or the high fork arm 310 can be just accommodated in the fork slot 201, thereby supporting the pallet 200.

[0062] The technical solution of this application utilizes a low-position forklift 410 that can move forward to pick up a pallet 200 from the ground. Then, during the retraction process back to the vehicle body 10, the pallet 200 is placed on the upper surface of the vehicle body 10, allowing the high-position forklift 310 to lift the pallet 200 and place it on the rack 300. This achieves the flow of goods between the rack 300 and the warehouse floor. Alternatively, the operation process can be reversed. Furthermore, the technical solution of this application combines forward forklift handling and vertical handling, resulting in a compact overall structure and smaller size, making it suitable for operation in warehouses with more limited space.

[0063] In this application, the example described uses a cargo pallet 200 as the object to be transferred. Goods are placed on the cargo pallet 200. Of course, in some cases, the object to be transferred can also be goods. Therefore, although the example described uses a cargo pallet 200 as the object to be transferred, it should not be construed as being limited to this.

[0064] In some embodiments, reference is made to Figure 1 As shown, the lifting frame 20 is equipped with a positioning device 104 on the side facing the front end 101 of the vehicle body 10. The positioning device 104 can be used to locate the cargo pallet 200, thereby guiding the automated storage and retrieval system robot 100 to move and dock with the cargo pallet 200.

[0065] The positioning device 104 may be, for example, an image acquisition device. The image acquisition device can monitor environmental information in real time and then determine the position of the cargo pallet 200. The positioning device 104 may also be, for example, a distance sensor, which detects obstacles in front of it in real time. When the cargo pallet 200 is within its detection range, the position of the cargo pallet 200 can be determined.

[0066] In some embodiments, when the lower fork 40 retracts relative to the vehicle body 10, the top of the lower fork arm 410 of the lower fork 40 is not lower than the top of the upper fork arm 310 in the height direction. Thus, when the lower fork 40 retracts relative to the vehicle body 10, it can lower the cargo pallet 200 onto the upper surface of the vehicle body 10, using the vehicle body 10 to support the cargo pallet 200. The vehicle body 10, as the primary load-bearing component, reduces the risk of damage to the upper fork arm 310 due to prolonged stress. Of course, when the lower fork 40 retracts relative to the vehicle body 10, the lower fork arm 410 may still be used to support the cargo pallet 200.

[0067] In some embodiments, reference is made to Figure 1When the high-mounted fork arm 310 is in its lowest position, it is located above the upper surface of the vehicle body 10. In this application, when the high-mounted fork arm 310 is in its lowest position, it is also located above the upper surface of the vehicle body 10. Therefore, the high-mounted fork arm 310 is configured to always be located above the upper surface 103 of the vehicle body 10, which simplifies the design of its positional relationship with the vehicle body 10 and still allows it to cooperate with the cargo pallet 200.

[0068] In some embodiments, reference is made to Figure 2 The vehicle body 10 includes a left frame 110, a middle frame 120, and a right frame 130 arranged along a second direction. A fork-receiving area 140 is formed between the left frame 110 and the middle frame 120, and a fork-receiving area 140 is formed between the right frame 130 and the middle frame 120. Each fork-receiving area 140 accommodates a low-positioned fork 40. The second direction Y is perpendicular to both the first direction X and the height direction Z. When the vehicle body 10 is placed on the ground, the second direction Y is also horizontal. The left frame 110, the middle frame 120, and the right frame 130 can be constructed using square tubing as the main component, but are not limited to this.

[0069] In this application, two fork-receiving areas 140 are located on both sides of the intermediate frame 120. Each fork-receiving area 140 is provided with one of the aforementioned low-position forks 40. The two low-position forks 40 are used together to pick up the cargo pallet 200, which has good stability.

[0070] Additionally, refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The vehicle body 10 is also equipped with a front cantilever drive assembly 150 and a rear cantilever drive assembly 160. The front cantilever drive assembly 150 drives the front wheels, and the rear cantilever drive assembly 160 drives the rear wheels. For example, one front cantilever drive assembly 150 is installed in the left side frame 110. A rear cantilever drive assembly 160 is installed inside the rear end 102 of the vehicle body 10. This application uses a cantilever-type travel drive device, which is located inside the vehicle body 10, resulting in a smaller turning radius and facilitating cargo handling and operation in warehouses with more compact space requirements.

[0071] In some embodiments, reference is made to Figure 1Along the second direction Y, multiple high-position fork arms 310 are spaced apart, and these high-position fork arms 310 are distributed on both sides of the fork receiving area 140. For example, there are four high-position fork arms 310, with one high-position fork arm 310 on each side of each fork receiving area 140. This allows the high-position fork arms 310 and the low-position forks 40 to be staggered, ensuring that the high-position fork arms 310 do not interfere with the entry and exit of the low-position forks 40 from the fork receiving area 140. Understandably, the number of high-position fork arms 310 on each side of each fork receiving area 140 is not limited to one. Depending on the arrangement of the fork slots 201 of the pallet 200, multiple high-position fork arms 310 can be provided on each side of each fork receiving area 140.

[0072] In some embodiments, Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the low-position fork 40 is a self-propelled fork, and the low-position fork 40 can move to the outside of the vehicle body 10. In a specific implementation, a wire encoder can be installed inside the vehicle body 10 to control the forward extension distance of the low-position fork 40. In this way, the degree to which the low-position fork 40 extends beyond the front end 101 of the vehicle body 10 can be controlled as needed. It can be as follows... Figures 3 to 5 The lower fork 40 shown moves as a whole to the outside of the fork receiving area 140. Alternatively, a portion of the lower fork 40 may extend out of the fork receiving area 140.

[0073] The specific implementation of the low-position fork 40 as a self-propelled fork is not limited. Furthermore, the lifting and lowering method of the low-position fork arm 410 is not limited to the present; any lifting structure capable of lifting and lowering the object to be lifted can be applied to the low-position fork 40 of this application.

[0074] For example, refer to Figures 8 to 11 As shown, the low-position fork 40 includes a base 420, a traveling wheel disposed on the base 420, a traveling drive mechanism, a lifting mechanism, and a lifting drive mechanism. The low-position fork arm 410 is disposed on the lifting mechanism. The lifting drive mechanism is connected to the lifting mechanism and drives the low-position fork arm 410 to rise and fall in the height direction through the lifting mechanism.

[0075] The traveling wheels include a traveling drive wheel 431 and a traveling driven wheel 432. The traveling drive mechanism includes a traveling drive motor 441 and a traveling gearbox 442 disposed inside the base 420. The traveling drive wheel 431 and the traveling driven wheel 432 are connected by the traveling drive motor 441 via the traveling gearbox 442, which drives the traveling drive wheel 431 to rotate, thereby driving the low-position fork 40 to move back and forth relative to the vehicle body 10 in the first direction X.

[0076] For example, the lifting mechanism includes push rod one 451, push rod two 452, inner scissor differential rod 453, and outer scissor differential rod 454. The lifting drive mechanism includes a lifting drive motor 461, a lifting reducer 462, a coupling 463, a ball screw 464, a bearing housing one 465, a bearing housing two 466, and a slider 467, all disposed inside the base 420. The lifting drive motor 461 is connected to the ball screw 464 via the lifting reducer 462 and coupling 463. The two ends of the ball screw 464 are rotatably connected to bearing housing 1 465 and bearing housing 2 466 respectively. The slider 467 is fitted onto the ball screw 464 and is rotatably connected to push rod 1 451, push rod 2 452 and outer scissor differential rod 454 at their ends in sequence. The inner scissor differential rod 453 and the outer scissor differential rod 454 are also rotatably connected in their middle parts. One end of the inner scissor differential rod 453 is rotatably connected to the base 420, and the other end slides in the limiting groove 421 of the base 420 through a roller (not shown). One end of the outer scissor differential rod 454 is rotatably connected to the base 420, and the other end also slides in the limiting groove 421 of the base 420 through a roller. The other end of the outer scissor differential rod 454 is also rotatably connected to push rod 2 452.

[0077] Driven by the rotation of the lifting drive motor 461, the ball screw 464 rotates, causing the slider 467 on it to move along the direction of the ball screw 464. At this time, due to the change in the relative position of the slider 467, the displacement is transmitted, causing the outer scissor lever 454 to rotate relative to the lower plate of the low fork 40, and the inner scissor lever 453 to rotate relative to the upper plate of the low fork 40. This causes the relative distance between the upper plate of the low fork 40 and the low fork 40 to change, ultimately achieving the motion basis for lifting the cargo pallet 200.

[0078] After the low-position fork 40 is retracted, the top of the low-position fork arm 410 is not lower than the top of the high-position fork arm 310 in the height direction Z. In this way, the low-position fork arm 410 can be used to pick up the pallet 200 on the ground and place it on the upper surface of the vehicle body 10, so that the high-position fork arm 310 can lift the pallet 200.

[0079] In other embodiments, the low-position fork 40 is slidably disposed relative to the vehicle body 10 and is connected to a drive device disposed in the vehicle body 10, and moves along a first direction under the drive of the drive device.

[0080] In some embodiments, reference is made to Figure 1 Along the height direction Z, the fork receiving area 140 extends through the vehicle body 10; the fork receiving area 140 is provided with a stop 141 on the inner side in the second direction Y, wherein during the process of the low-position fork 40 retracting relative to the vehicle body 10, the low-position fork arm 410 can respond to the descent of the lifting mechanism and abut against the stop 141, so that the traveling wheel is raised and lifted off the ground.

[0081] In this embodiment, the fork-receiving area 140 extends through the vehicle body 10, thus simplifying the structural design of the vehicle body 10. For example, the left side frame 110, the middle frame 120, and the right side frame 130 of the vehicle body 10 can be constructed using square tubing as the main component. When forming the aforementioned frame, the gap between adjacent frames forms the aforementioned fork-receiving area 140.

[0082] refer to Figure 1 To prevent the wheels of the low-position fork 40 from affecting the overall movement of the automated storage and retrieval system (AS / RS) robot 100, a stop 141 is provided on the inner side of the fork receiving area 140 in the second direction Y in this embodiment. Thus, during the retraction of the low-position fork 40 relative to the vehicle body 10, the low-position fork arm 410 abuts against the stop 141, and the lifting mechanism continues to drive the low-position fork arm 410. At this time, due to the limitation of the stop 141, the fork base 420 is lifted, causing the wheels to lift and detach from the ground.

[0083] According to some embodiments of this application, a method for picking and placing goods in an automated storage and retrieval system (AS / RS) robot 100 is also proposed, which should be applicable to the AS / RS robot 100 in any of the foregoing embodiments. The following method for placing goods includes the following steps:

[0084] S100, controls one of the low-position forks 40 and the high-position forks 30 to pick up the cargo pallet 200 placed in the first storage location and move it above the upper surface of the vehicle body 10.

[0085] When the cargo pallet 200 moves above the upper surface of the vehicle body 10, it can be supported on the upper surface of the vehicle body 10, or it can still be supported on the low-position fork 40 or the high-position fork 30.

[0086] S200, controls another fork of the low-position fork 40 and the high-position fork 30 to pick up the cargo pallet 200 placed on the upper surface of the vehicle body 10 and place it in the second storage location.

[0087] The first storage location is one of the floor or shelf 300, and the second storage location is the other of the pallet storage surfaces 301 of the floor or shelf 300.

[0088] Using the above method, the low-position forks 40 can move forward to pick up the pallet 200 from the ground, and then, during the retraction process to the vehicle body 10, place the pallet 200 back onto the upper surface 103 of the vehicle body 10. This allows the high-position forks 30 to lift the pallet 200 and place it onto the pallet storage surface 301 of the rack 330. This achieves the flow of goods between the rack 300 and the warehouse floor. Alternatively, the operation can be reversed: first, the high-position forks 30 are used to transfer the pallet 200 from the rack 300 to the upper surface 103 of the vehicle body 10, and then the low-position forks 40 are used to transfer the pallet 200 to the ground.

[0089] The following section, with reference to the accompanying drawings, describes a specific application scenario of the picking and placing method of this application. Specifically, it explains how to realize the flow of goods pallets from the ground to the shelf.

[0090] S310, Control the low-position forks 40 to extend out of the front end 101 of the vehicle body 10 along the first direction X and pick up the cargo pallet 200 placed on the ground.

[0091] refer to Figures 3 to 7 The low-position forks 40 extend from the front end 101 of the vehicle body 10 along the first direction X and pick up the cargo pallet 200.

[0092] S320, control the low-position forks 40 to retract along the first direction X and move the cargo pallet 200 to a position above the high-position forks 30.

[0093] refer to Figures 11 to 14 The low-position forks 40 are retracted and the cargo pallet 200 is placed on the upper surface of the vehicle body 10. At this time, the high-position forks 30 are in their lowest position, and the cargo pallet 200 is also located above the high-position forks 30.

[0094] Further, S320 includes: S321, controlling the high-position fork 30 to be in the lowest position; S321, controlling the low-position fork 40 to place the cargo pallet 200 onto the upper surface 103 of the vehicle body 10.

[0095] In this step, the cargo pallet 200 is placed on the upper surface 100 of the vehicle body 10, using the vehicle body 10 as the main load-bearing component to reduce the risk of damage to the high-mounted fork arm 310 due to prolonged stress. Understandably, it is best to ensure that the high-mounted fork 30 is in its lowest position. Therefore, if the high-mounted fork 30 is not in its lowest position, it is controlled to be in the lowest position.

[0096] S330: Control the high-mounted forks 30 to lift the cargo pallet 200 along the height direction Z. (Reference) Figure 15 and Figure 16 The high-mounted forks 30 lift the cargo pallet to a suitable height along the height direction Z.

[0097] S340. Control the movement of the automated storage robot 100 so that the cargo pallet 200 is positioned above the pallet storage surface 301 of the shelf 300.

[0098] refer to Figure 19 and Figure 20 The automated storage and retrieval system robot 100 moves to a position where it docks with the shelf 300, so that the goods pallet 200 is located above the pallet storage surface 301 of the shelf 300.

[0099] Additionally, it should be noted that during the process of the automated storage and retrieval system (AS / RS) robot 100 moving to the shelf, there is also a docking process with the shelf 3300. This docking can occur after, during, or before the docking, when the high-mounted forks on the AS / RS robot 100 lift the pallet 200 to a position slightly above the pallet storage surface 301. That is, the order of steps S330 and S340 is not limited, and steps S330 and S340 can also be performed alternately.

[0100] S350: Control the high-mounted forks 30 to descend and place the cargo pallet 200 on the pallet storage surface 301. (Reference) Figure 21 and Figure 22 The high-mounted forks 30 descend and place the cargo pallet 200 on the pallet storage surface 301. This completes the process of the cargo pallet 200 between the ground and the shelf 300.

[0101] S360, Control the automated storage and retrieval system robot 100 to leave the shelf 300. For example... Figure 23 As shown, the automated storage and retrieval system robot 100 moves away from the shelf without affecting other equipment using the shelf 300.

[0102] Furthermore, the above embodiments describe how the high-position fork 30 and the low-position fork 40 can be used together. However, it should also be noted that the high-position fork 30 and the low-position fork 40 can, of course, be used independently. For example, when using the high-position fork 30 alone, the low-position fork 40 can be controlled to retract into the vehicle body 10. For example, when using the low-position fork 40 alone, the high-position fork 30 can be controlled to be in its lowest position or raised to its highest position.

[0103] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0104] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional warehousing robot, characterized in that, The automated warehousing robot includes: Vehicle body; The lifting frame is fixedly installed at the rear end of the vehicle body; A high-mounted fork, slidably connected to the lifting frame along the height direction, the high-mounted fork having a high-mounted fork arm; and A low-position fork is movably mounted on the vehicle body along a first direction, allowing it to extend outward from or retract along the first direction, perpendicular to the height direction. The low-position fork has a low-position fork arm capable of lifting and lowering along the height direction. The low-position fork and the high-position fork arm are offset in a second direction. The first direction, the second direction, and the height direction are perpendicular to each other. The vehicle body includes a left frame, a middle frame and a right frame arranged along a second direction, wherein a fork receiving area is formed between the left frame and the middle frame, and a fork receiving area is formed between the right frame and the middle frame, and each of the fork receiving areas accommodates one of the aforementioned low-position forks. The low-position fork includes a base, a traveling wheel mounted on the base, a traveling drive mechanism, a lifting mechanism, and a lifting drive mechanism. The low-position fork arm is mounted on the lifting mechanism. The lifting drive mechanism is connected to the lifting mechanism and drives the low-position fork arm to move up and down in the height direction through the lifting mechanism. Along the height direction, the fork receiving area extends through the vehicle body. The fork receiving area has a stop on its inner side in the second direction. During the process of the low-position fork retracting relative to the vehicle body, the low-position fork arm can abut against the stop in response to the descent of the lifting mechanism, so that the traveling wheel is raised and lifted off the ground.

2. The automated storage and retrieval system robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting frame is equipped with a positioning device on the side facing the front of the vehicle body, which is used to determine the position of the cargo pallet.

3. The automated storage and retrieval system robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the high-position fork is in its lowest position, the high-position fork is located above the upper surface of the vehicle body.

4. The automated storage and retrieval system robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the second direction, multiple high-position forks are spaced apart, and the multiple high-position forks are distributed on both sides of the fork-accommodating area.

5. The automated storage and retrieval system robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The low-position forks are plate-shaped.

6. A method for picking and placing goods using an automated warehousing robot, characterized in that, The method, applied to the automated storage and retrieval system robot as described in any one of claims 1-5, comprises: Control one of the low-position forks and the high-position forks to pick up the cargo pallet placed in the first storage location and move it above the upper surface of the vehicle body; and Control the other fork of the low-position fork and the high-position fork to pick up the cargo pallet placed on the upper surface of the vehicle body and place it in the second storage location.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first storage location is one of the pallet storage surfaces on the ground or on a shelf, and the second storage location is the other pallet storage surface on the ground or on a shelf.

8. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, Controlling one of the low-position forks and the high-position forks to pick up a cargo pallet placed in the first storage location and move it above the upper surface of the vehicle body includes: Control the low-position forks to extend out of the front end of the vehicle body in a first direction and pick up the cargo pallet placed on the ground; control the low-position forks to retract in the first direction and move the cargo pallet above the high-position forks; Controlling another fork among the low-position forks and high-position forks to pick up a cargo pallet placed on the upper surface of the vehicle body and place it in a second storage location includes: Control the high-mounted forks to lift the cargo pallet along the height direction; control the movement of the automated storage and retrieval system (AS / RS) robot to position the cargo pallet above the pallet storage surface of the rack; control the descent of the high-mounted forks and place the cargo pallet on the pallet storage surface.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, Controlling the lower forks to retract along a first direction and move the cargo pallet above the higher forks includes: Control the high-position forks to be in the lowest position; Control the low-position forks to place the cargo pallet onto the upper surface of the vehicle body.

10. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, Controlling the lower forks to retract along a first direction and move the cargo pallet above the higher forks includes: The low-position fork arms are controlled to descend and abut against the vehicle body, so that the travel wheels are raised and lifted off the ground.

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