Cigarette loading system and loading method

Abstract

This application relates to a cigarette loading system and method. The system and method include: a loading machine using a planning and calculation module to plan the stacking scheme of cigarette cartons in the truck bed; a recognition device to identify the placement posture of the cigarette cartons on the conveyor; and a determination of whether the posture needs adjustment. If adjustment is required, a flipping and rotating device is used to adjust the posture. Finally, a designated articulated robotic arm grasps and stacks the cartons. The solution provided in this application can plan the loading posture and identify the conveyor posture of the cigarette cartons to be loaded using a planning and calculation module and a recognition device. Based on the planning and recognition results, the tilting and rotating devices are used to adjust the posture of the cigarette cartons as needed, and the articulated robotic arm is used to flexibly grasp and stack the cartons, meeting various complex stacking patterns and requirements, thus achieving automated loading of cigarette cartons and improving the loading efficiency of the loading machine.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of cigarette loading technology, and in particular to a cigarette loading system and method for finished cigarette cartons. Background Technology

[0002] In the storage and transportation of finished cigarette cartons, automated and intelligent equipment such as automated warehouses, AGVs, and depalletizing robots have been widely used. However, the loading of cartons of cigarettes still relies entirely on manual labor. With the decrease in the number of loading workers and the continuous rise in labor costs, as well as the tobacco industry's demand for automation and digitalization upgrades, replacing manual loading of cartons of cigarettes with automated loading robots has become an inevitable trend.

[0003] The requirements and rules for stacking cigarette boxes inside a vehicle are very complex. Taking standard cigarette boxes as an example, in order to protect the quality and appearance integrity of the boxes and the recycling rate, the stacking method of the boxes must meet the following requirements: (1) The boxes must be stacked upright with the sealed end facing upwards (i.e., the brand information font on the boxes is stacked from top to bottom), and the height of the upright stacking cannot exceed 5 boxes; (2) It is strictly forbidden to stack the boxes on their sides; (3) One or two layers of flat cigarette boxes can be stacked on the top of the vehicle; (4) The side of the cigarette box with the identification code (the identification code is generally affixed to the lower right corner of the front of the cigarette box, one code per box, containing the production information, storage and transportation information, etc.) must not be stacked facing the side wall, front, rear, or top of the vehicle to avoid scratching and damaging the identification code. Therefore, cigarette boxes need to be stacked in various ways in the vehicle. Loading workers can observe and adjust the posture of the cigarette boxes while stacking and loading them to meet the above stacking requirements. However, existing loading robots and loading methods cannot meet the above stacking requirements, which poses a great challenge to the flexibility and intelligent upgrading of loading robots. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address or partially address the problems existing in related technologies, this application provides a cigarette loading system and method. This system and method can plan the loading posture and identify the transport posture of the cigarette cartons to be loaded through a planning and calculation module and an identification device. Based on the planning and identification results, the posture of the cigarette cartons is adjusted as needed through a flipping and rotating device. Articulated robotic arms are used to flexibly grasp and stack the cigarette cartons, meeting various complex stacking patterns and requirements, thereby achieving automated loading of cigarette cartons and improving the loading efficiency of the loading machine.

[0005] The first aspect of this application provides a method for loading finished cigarette cartons onto a vehicle, including:

[0006] Control the loading machine to reach the designated position and calculate and plan the stacking scheme of the cigarette boxes;

[0007] The identification device identifies the placement posture of the cigarette box entering the conveying device and transmits it to the planning and calculation module to determine whether the cigarette box needs to be placed in a special position. The module plans a scheme for the cigarette box to be flipped and rotated to change from its current placement posture to a special placement posture, and controls the flipping and rotating devices to flip and rotate the cigarette box.

[0008] If the cigarette box does not need to be placed in a special position, then determine whether the cigarette box in the normal position needs to be stacked upright and / or turned, plan a scheme for the cigarette box to be flipped and rotated to change from the current placement posture to the normal placement posture, and control the flipping device and the rotating device to flip and rotate the cigarette box.

[0009] After the cigarette boxes have been flipped and / or rotated, they arrive at the front of the conveyor. The system determines whether to use the left or right articulated robotic arm to perform the gripping and stacking operation, and then uses the designated articulated robotic arm to grip and stack the cigarette boxes.

[0010] Optionally, in some embodiments of the first aspect, the planning and calculation module calculates and plans a stacking scheme for the cigarette boxes, including:

[0011] The planning and calculation module calculates the stacking scheme of cigarette boxes in the car body based on the specifications and dimensions of the car body, the specifications and dimensions of the cigarette boxes, and the loading order information.

[0012] The cigarette box stacking scheme includes the number of layers, rows, and columns, the number of cigarette boxes per layer, row, and column, the combination method, and the position, orientation, and posture information of each cigarette box.

[0013] The stacking of cigarette boxes in the carriage includes:

[0014] Stack them upright with the sealed side facing up and the front side facing left.

[0015] Stack them upright with the sealed side facing up and the front side facing right.

[0016] Stack them upright with the sealed side facing up and the front side facing back;

[0017] Stack them upright with the sealed side facing up and the front side facing forward;

[0018] Lay them flat with the front facing up and the sealed end facing forward or backward.

[0019] Lay them flat with the front facing up and the sealed side facing left or right;

[0020] Lay them flat with the front side down and the sealed side facing forward or backward;

[0021] Lay them flat with the front side down and the seal facing left or right.

[0022] Optionally, in some embodiments of the first aspect, the planning calculation module identifies the placement posture of the smoke box entering the conveying device through an identification device, including:

[0023] The image information of the cigarette boxes on the conveying channel is obtained by the identification device. The image information of the cigarette boxes is processed and identified to obtain the direction, identification code and identification code position information of the cigarette boxes, and to determine the initial posture of the cigarette boxes on the loading machine conveying device.

[0024] Optionally, in some embodiments of the first aspect, the process of transmitting data to the planning and calculation module to determine whether the cigarette box needs to be placed in a special location includes:

[0025] The initial posture information of the cigarette box is transmitted to the planning and calculation module. The initial posture information of the cigarette box is compared with the corresponding stacking position posture in the cigarette box stacking scheme of the planning and calculation module to determine whether it needs to be placed in a special position. Among them, the special positions of the planning and calculation module are the positions of the cigarette box close to the front wall, side wall, rear and top of the carriage.

[0026] If the cigarette box needs to be placed in a special location, then based on the posture that the cigarette box needs to be placed in the corresponding special location, a plan will be devised to involve flipping and rotating the cigarette box to change its current posture to the posture required for the special location.

[0027] Optionally, in some embodiments of the first aspect, the planning and calculation module controls the flipping device and the rotating device to flip and rotate the tobacco box, including:

[0028] The flipping device includes a lifting mechanism and a clamping mechanism. The clamping mechanism clamps the tobacco box from both sides. The lifting mechanism raises and lowers the clamping mechanism and the tobacco box, and controls the clamping mechanism to rotate around the lifting mechanism. During the process of lifting the tobacco box, the tobacco box is flipped, thereby achieving the purpose of flipping the tobacco box.

[0029] The rotating device includes a blocking mechanism and a lifting mechanism. The blocking mechanism is located on one side of the conveying device, and there are two or more of them. The blocking mechanism blocks a part or a certain position of the tobacco box, so that the tobacco box rotates when it encounters the blocking mechanism during the forward conveying process of the conveying device. The lifting mechanism is located on the blocking mechanism and is used to lift the blocking mechanism. When it is necessary to rotate the tobacco box, the blocking mechanism rises above the conveying surface of the conveying device to block the rotation of the tobacco box.

[0030] Optionally, in some embodiments of the first aspect, the planning and calculation module grasps and stacks the cigarette boxes using a designated articulated robotic arm, including:

[0031] By using a gripper and suction cups mounted on the front end of the articulated robotic arm, the cigarette box is forked and adsorbed between the rollers below the cigarette box located at the front of the conveyor, ensuring the stability and flexibility of the gripper in forking the cigarette box. Adsorbing the cigarette box while forking it further ensures the stability of the gripping.

[0032] The second aspect of this application provides a cigarette loading system for finished cigarette cartons, comprising:

[0033] Loading machine, planning and calculation module, conveying device, identification device, tilting device, rotating device, articulated robotic arm and walking device;

[0034] The planning and calculation module and the identification device are mounted on the loading machine. The planning and calculation module calculates the stacking scheme of the cigarette boxes in the car body based on the information of the car body, cigarette boxes and loading order; the identification device is used to identify the posture of the cigarette boxes.

[0035] The conveying device is located in the middle of the loading machine. The rear end of the conveying device receives the cigarette boxes and conveys them to the front end of the loading machine via rollers.

[0036] The flipping device and the rotating device are respectively installed in the middle and front of the conveying device. The flipping device is used to flip the cigarette box and adjust the sealing posture of the cigarette box; the rotating device is used to rotate the cigarette box and adjust the orientation of the label sticker on the cigarette box.

[0037] The articulated robotic arms are six-axis or higher articulated robots, symmetrically arranged on both sides of the loading machine. The articulated robotic arms grab the cigarette boxes at the front of the conveying device and load them into the car according to the cigarette box stacking scheme.

[0038] The traveling device is installed below the loading machine and is used for the loading machine to move inside the car body.

[0039] The technical solution provided in this application may include the following beneficial effects:

[0040] The loading posture planning and conveying posture recognition of the cigarette boxes to be loaded are carried out by the planning and calculation module and the recognition device. According to the planning and recognition results, the posture of the cigarette boxes is adjusted as needed by the flipping and rotating devices. The designated joint robotic arm is used to flexibly grab and stack the cigarette boxes to meet various complex stacking patterns and requirements of the cigarette boxes, realize the automated loading of finished cigarette cartons, and improve the loading efficiency of the loading machine.

[0041] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and do not limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0042] The above and other objects, features and advantages of this application will become more apparent from the more detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals generally represent the same components in the exemplary embodiments thereof.

[0043] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating the method for loading finished cigarette cartons onto a vehicle, as shown in the embodiments of this application.

[0044] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the cigarette loading system shown in the embodiments of this application;

[0045] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the implementation of the cigarette loading system for finished cigarette cartons in an embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 4 These are schematic diagrams illustrating various stacking postures of the cigarette loading system and loading method for finished cigarette cartons, as shown in the embodiments of this application.

[0047] Reference numerals: 1-Loading machine, 11-Planning calculation module, 12-Conveying device, 13-Identification device, 14-Tilting device, 141-Lifting mechanism, 142-Clamping mechanism, 15-Rotating device, 16-Articulated robotic arm, 161-Gripper, 17-Walking device. Detailed Implementation

[0048] Embodiments of this application will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While embodiments of this application are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this application may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make this application more thorough and complete, and to fully convey the scope of this application to those skilled in the art.

[0049] It should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., may be used in this application to describe various information, this information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, without departing from the scope of this application, first information may also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information may also be referred to as first information. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0050] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., 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.

[0051] Unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," 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. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0052] The requirements and rules for stacking cigarette boxes inside a vehicle are very complex. Taking standard cigarette boxes as an example, in order to protect the quality and appearance integrity of the boxes and the recycling rate, the stacking method of the boxes must meet the following requirements: (1) The boxes must be stacked upright with the sealed end facing upwards (i.e., the brand information font on the boxes is stacked from top to bottom), and the height of the upright stacking cannot exceed 5 boxes; (2) It is strictly forbidden to stack the boxes on their sides; (3) One or two layers of flat cigarette boxes can be stacked on the top of the vehicle; (4) The side of the cigarette box with the identification code (the identification code is generally affixed to the lower right corner of the front of the cigarette box, one code per box, containing the production information, storage and transportation information, etc.) must not be stacked facing the side wall, front, rear, or top of the vehicle to avoid scratching and damaging the identification code. Therefore, cigarette boxes need to be stacked in various ways in the vehicle. Loading workers can observe and adjust the posture of the cigarette boxes while stacking and loading them to meet the above stacking requirements. However, existing loading robots and loading methods cannot meet the above stacking requirements, which poses a great challenge to the flexibility and intelligent upgrading of loading robots.

[0053] To address the aforementioned issues, this application provides a method and system for loading finished cigarette cartons onto trucks. This system utilizes a planning and calculation module and an identification device to plan the loading posture and identify the transport posture of the cigarette cartons to be loaded. Based on the planning and identification results, the posture of the cigarette cartons is adjusted as needed using a flipping and rotating device. Articulated robotic arms flexibly grasp and stack the cigarette cartons, satisfying various complex stacking patterns and requirements, thereby achieving automated loading of finished cigarette cartons and improving the loading efficiency of the loading machine.

[0054] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0055] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating the method for loading finished cigarette packs onto a vehicle, as shown in an embodiment of this application.

[0056] A method for loading finished cigarette cartons onto a vehicle, comprising:

[0057] S101. Control the loading machine to reach the designated loading position and calculate and plan the stacking scheme of the cigarette boxes;

[0058] The planning and calculation module calculates and plans the stacking scheme for the cigarette boxes, including:

[0059] The planning and calculation module calculates the stacking scheme of cigarette boxes in the car body based on the specifications and dimensions of the car body, the specifications and dimensions of the cigarette boxes, and the loading order information.

[0060] The cigarette box stacking scheme includes the number of layers, rows, and columns, the number of cigarette boxes per layer, row, and column, the combination method, and the position, orientation, and posture information of each cigarette box.

[0061] When planning the stacking scheme for cigarette boxes, the following directions are designated: facing the front of the truck bed is forward; facing the rear of the truck bed is backward; facing the left side of the truck bed wall is left; facing the right side of the truck bed wall is right; facing the top of the truck bed wall is upward; and facing the bottom of the truck bed wall is downward. The designated label should be affixed to the lower right corner of the front of the cigarette box, with the top of the front sealed. The forward / backward direction is the X-axis, the left / right direction is the Y-axis, and the up / down direction is the Z-axis.

[0062] The stacking of cigarette boxes in the carriage includes:

[0063] a) Stack upright with the seal facing up and the front facing left; b) Stack upright with the seal facing up and the front facing right; c) Stack upright with the seal facing up and the front facing back; d) Stack upright with the seal facing up and the front facing forward; e) Stack flat with the front facing up and the seal facing forward or backward; f) Stack flat with the front facing up and the seal facing left or right; g) Stack flat with the front facing down and the seal facing forward or backward; h) Stack flat with the front facing down and the seal facing left or right.

[0064] S102. The placement posture of the cigarette box entering the conveying device is identified by the identification device, and transmitted to the planning and calculation module to determine whether the cigarette box needs to be placed in a special position. The module plans a scheme for the cigarette box to be flipped and rotated to change from its current placement posture to a special placement posture, and controls the flipping device and the rotating device to flip and rotate the cigarette box.

[0065] Specifically, the image information of the cigarette boxes on the conveying channel is obtained through the identification device, and the image information of the cigarette boxes is processed and identified to obtain the direction, identification code and identification code position information of the cigarette boxes, and to determine the initial posture of the cigarette boxes on the loading machine conveying device. The initial posture information of the cigarette boxes is transmitted to the planning and calculation module. The initial posture information is compared with the corresponding posture in the stacking scheme of the cigarette boxes in the planning and calculation module to determine whether they need to be placed in special positions. Among them, when stacking cigarette boxes in special positions (positions where cigarette boxes are close to the front wall, side wall, rear, and top of the carriage), the cigarette loading machine needs to stack them in a specified posture: when the cigarette box is stacked upright close to the right side of the carriage, it needs to be stacked in posture a; when the cigarette box is stacked upright close to the left side of the carriage, it needs to be stacked in posture b; when the cigarette box is stacked upright close to the front of the carriage, it needs to be stacked in posture ac; when the cigarette box is stacked upright close to the rear of the carriage, it needs to be stacked in postures ab and d; when the cigarette box needs to be placed horizontally according to the stacking height or stacking plan, it needs to be stacked in posture eh; when the horizontally placed cigarette box is close to the top of the carriage, it needs to be stacked in posture gh.

[0066] If the cigarette box needs to be placed in a special location, then based on the posture that the cigarette box needs to be placed in the corresponding special location, a plan will be devised to involve flipping and rotating the cigarette box to change its current posture to the posture required for the special location.

[0067] The flipping device includes a lifting mechanism and a clamping mechanism. The clamping mechanism clamps the tobacco box from both sides. The lifting mechanism raises and lowers the clamping mechanism and the tobacco box, and controls the clamping mechanism to rotate around the lifting mechanism. During the process of lifting the tobacco box, the tobacco box is flipped, thereby achieving the purpose of flipping the tobacco box.

[0068] The rotating device includes a blocking mechanism and a lifting mechanism. The blocking mechanism is located on one side of the conveying device, and there are two or more of them. The blocking mechanism blocks a part or a certain position of the tobacco box, so that the tobacco box rotates when it encounters the blocking mechanism during the forward conveying process of the conveying device. The lifting mechanism is located on the blocking mechanism and is used to lift the blocking mechanism. When it is necessary to rotate the tobacco box, the blocking mechanism rises above the conveying surface of the conveying device to block the rotation of the tobacco box.

[0069] S103. If the cigarette box does not need to be placed in a special position, then determine whether the cigarette box in the normal position needs to be stacked upright and / or turned, plan a scheme for the cigarette box to be flipped and rotated to change from the current placement posture to the normal placement posture, and control the flipping device and the rotating device to flip and rotate the cigarette box.

[0070] Specifically, the cigarette box is clamped from both sides by a clamping mechanism, and the clamping mechanism and the cigarette box are raised and lowered by a lifting mechanism. The clamping mechanism is controlled to rotate around the lifting mechanism, and the cigarette box is flipped during the lifting process, thereby achieving the purpose of flipping the cigarette box.

[0071] When the smoke box needs to be rotated, the blocking mechanism rises above the conveying surface of the conveying device. The blocking mechanism blocks part or a certain position of the smoke box, so that the smoke box rotates when it encounters the blocking mechanism during the forward conveying process of the conveying device.

[0072] S104. After the cigarette box has been flipped and / or rotated, it is brought to the front of the conveying device. It is determined whether the left or right articulated robotic arm is used to perform the gripping and stacking operation. The designated articulated robotic arm is used to grip and stack the cigarette box.

[0073] After determining the adjusted posture of the cigarette box, the planning and calculation module decides whether to use the left or right robotic arm to perform the grasping and stacking operation, i.e., whether to place the cigarette box on the left or right side of the carriage. The planning and calculation module then sends the grasping command to the articulated robotic arm controller to perform the grasping and stacking actions.

[0074] The articulated robotic arms are six-axis or higher articulated robots, mounted at the front of the loading machine. Two arms are arranged symmetrically on either side, with the conveyor located between the left and right articulated arms. Both the left and right articulated arms are equipped with grippers at their front ends. The articulated arms and grippers can flexibly grasp, move, and stack cigarette boxes within the truck bed. Suction cups are installed on the grippers to adhere to the cigarette boxes during picking, further ensuring stability. The grippers have multiple forks, the spacing of which is comparable to the spacing between the multiple rollers at the front of the conveyor. This allows the grippers to pick up goods from between the rollers below the cigarette boxes located at the front of the conveyor, ensuring both stability and flexibility in picking up the cigarette boxes.

[0075] To ensure the smooth transport of cigarette boxes from the rear conveyor line to the loading machine, they are generally transported horizontally with their front facing upwards. It is assumed that all cigarette boxes transported from the rear conveyor line are front-facing with the seal facing forward (identification code on the back of the front). If the cigarette boxes are transported in other orientations, the orientation can be adjusted using a planning and calculation module. The final loading scheme is shown in Table 1 below:

[0076] Table 1. Final Loading Plan

[0077]

[0078]

[0079] Corresponding to the aforementioned application function implementation device embodiments, this application also provides a cigarette finished product loading system and corresponding embodiments.

[0080] See Figure 2A cigarette loading system for finished cigarette cartons includes: a loading machine 1, a planning and calculation module 11, a conveying device 12, an identification device 13, a flipping device 14, a rotating device 15, an articulated robotic arm 16, and a walking device 17.

[0081] The loading machine 1 is placed inside the truck bed to stack cigarette boxes. The loading machine 1 first plans the stacking scheme of the cigarette boxes in the truck bed through the planning and calculation module 11, and then identifies the placement posture of the cigarette boxes entering the conveyor device 12 from the rear conveyor line through the identification device 13, and determines whether the posture of the cigarette boxes needs to be adjusted; if the posture of the cigarette boxes needs to be adjusted, the posture of the cigarette boxes is adjusted through the flipping device 14 and the rotating device 15; then the left joint robotic arm or the right joint robotic arm grabs and stacks the cigarette boxes.

[0082] The planning and calculation module 11 is a controller containing an algorithm program. It can be installed on the loading machine 1 or not, but it transmits the calculation and planning results and execution requirements to the loading machine 1 via wired or wireless means. Based on the specifications and dimensions of the wagon compartment, the specifications and dimensions of the cigarette boxes, and the loading order information, the planning and calculation module 11 calculates and plans the cigarette box stacking scheme in the wagon compartment. The cigarette box stacking scheme includes the number of layers, rows, and columns of cigarette boxes, the number and combination of cigarette boxes in each layer, row, and column, and the position, orientation, and posture of each cigarette box. The planning and calculation module 11 is also used to calculate and determine the necessity of adjusting the posture of the cigarette boxes (determining whether the posture of the cigarette boxes conveyed to the conveying device is consistent with the posture required for the stacking position; if consistent, no adjustment is needed; if inconsistent, adjustment is needed) and the adjustment process (such as flipping and turning, turning without flipping, flipping without turning, etc.), and to determine whether to use the left or right robotic arm to perform the gripping and stacking operation.

[0083] The conveyor 12 receives cigarette boxes from the rear conveyor line at the rear of the loading machine 1 and smoothly transports them to the front of the loading machine 1. Multiple rollers are installed at the front of the conveyor 12, serving two purposes: conveying and accumulating cigarette boxes, and facilitating the grabber to fork the cigarette boxes from the conveyor.

[0084] The identification device 13 is installed on one side of the conveying device 12 to identify the posture of the cigarette box, including information such as the cigarette box direction, identification code, and identification code position, so as to facilitate the adjustment of the cigarette box posture on the loading machine 1.

[0085] The flipping device 14 is installed on the conveying device and is used to flip the cigarette box. Flipping refers to flipping along the Z-axis (i.e., the up and down direction). For example, it can flip a cigarette box that is lying flat into an upright position with the seal facing up, and can make the front of the cigarette box face forward or backward; it can also flip an upright cigarette box into a flat position.

[0086] The flipping device includes a lifting mechanism 141 and a clamping mechanism 142. The clamping mechanism 142 is used to clamp the tobacco box from both sides. The lifting mechanism 141 is used to raise and lower the clamping mechanism 142, and to lift the tobacco box through the clamping mechanism 142. The clamping mechanism 142 can rotate around the lifting mechanism 141, rotating the tobacco box during the lifting process, thereby achieving the purpose of flipping the tobacco box.

[0087] The rotating device 15 is installed at the front of the conveying device 12 and is used to rotate the tobacco box. Rotation refers to rotation along the Y-axis (i.e., the left-right direction). For example, it can rotate a front-facing upright tobacco box into a front-facing left or right upright tobacco box; it can also rotate a front-facing rear-facing upright tobacco box into a front-facing left or right upright tobacco box.

[0088] The rotating device 15 includes a blocking mechanism and a lifting mechanism. The blocking mechanism is used to block a portion or a specific position of the tobacco box, such as blocking the left 1 / 3 or right 1 / 3 of the tobacco box, so that the tobacco box can rotate when it encounters the blocking mechanism during the forward conveying process of the conveyor. The lifting mechanism is used to raise or lower the blocking mechanism, so that the blocking mechanism is higher or lower than the conveying surface of the conveyor. Two or more blocking mechanisms are provided, which can rotate the tobacco box multiple times.

[0089] When the smoke box needs to be rotated, the blocking mechanism rises above the conveying surface of the conveying device to prevent the smoke box from rotating. For example, when the blocking mechanism blocks the left 1 / 3 of the smoke box, the smoke box can rotate from a front-facing upright position to a front-facing right upright position; when the blocking mechanism blocks the right 1 / 3 of the smoke box, the smoke box can rotate from a front-facing rear upright position to a front-facing left upright position.

[0090] The articulated robotic arms 16 are six-axis or higher articulated robots, installed at the front of the loading machine. Two arms are arranged symmetrically, one on the left and one on the right. The conveying device 12 is located between the left and right articulated robotic arms. Both the left and right articulated robotic arms are equipped with grippers 161 at their front ends. The articulated robotic arms 16 and grippers 161 can flexibly grasp, move, and stack cigarette boxes within the truck bed. The grippers 161 have multiple forks, the spacing of which is comparable to the spacing between the multiple rollers at the front of the conveying device 12. This allows the grippers 161 to pick up goods from between the rollers below the cigarette boxes located at the front of the conveying device 12, ensuring both stability and flexibility in picking up the cigarette boxes. The grippers 161 are also equipped with suction cups to adhere to the cigarette boxes during picking, further ensuring the stability of the grip.

[0091] The conveyor 12 conveys the cigarette boxes in a front-to-back direction, and the articulated robotic arms 16 pick up the cigarette boxes from both sides of the conveyor 12. That is, the left articulated robotic arm picks up the cigarette box from the left side of the conveyor 12, and the right articulated robotic arm picks up the cigarette box from the right side of the conveyor 12.

[0092] The traveling device 17 is installed below the loading machine 1 and is used for the loading machine 1 to move inside the car.

[0093] The various embodiments of this application have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical application, or improvement of the technology in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method for loading finished cigarette cartons onto a vehicle, characterized in that, include: Control the loading machine to reach the designated position and calculate and plan the stacking scheme of the cigarette boxes; The identification device identifies the placement posture of the cigarette box entering the conveying device and transmits it to the planning and calculation module to determine whether the cigarette box needs to be placed in a special position. The module plans a scheme for the cigarette box to be flipped and rotated to change from its current placement posture to a special placement posture, and controls the flipping and rotating devices to flip and rotate the cigarette box. If the cigarette box does not need to be placed in a special position, then determine whether the cigarette box in the normal position needs to be stacked upright and / or turned, plan a scheme for the cigarette box to be flipped and rotated to change from the current placement posture to the normal placement posture, and control the flipping device and the rotating device to flip and rotate the cigarette box. After the cigarette boxes have been flipped and / or rotated, they arrive at the front of the conveyor. It is determined whether the left or right articulated robotic arm is needed to perform the gripping and stacking operation. The designated articulated robotic arm then grips and stacks the cigarette boxes.

2. The method for loading finished cigarette cartons onto a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The calculation and planning of the cigarette box stacking scheme includes: The planning and calculation module calculates the stacking scheme of cigarette boxes in the car body based on the specifications and dimensions of the car body, the specifications and dimensions of the cigarette boxes, and the loading order information. The cigarette box stacking scheme includes the number of layers, rows, and columns, the number of cigarette boxes per layer, row, and column, the combination method, and the position, orientation, and posture information of each cigarette box. The stacking of cigarette boxes in the carriage includes: Stack them upright with the sealed side facing up and the front side facing left. Stack them upright with the sealed side facing up and the front side facing right. Stack them upright with the sealed side facing up and the front side facing back; Stack them upright with the sealed side facing up and the front side facing forward; Lay them flat with the front facing up and the sealed end facing forward or backward. Lay them flat with the front facing up and the sealed side facing left or right; Lay them flat with the front side down and the sealed side facing forward or backward; Lay them flat with the front side down and the seal facing left or right.

3. The method for loading finished cigarette cartons onto a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The identification of the placement posture of the smoke box entering the conveying device by the identification device includes: The image information of the cigarette boxes on the conveying channel is obtained by the identification device. The image information of the cigarette boxes is processed and identified to obtain the direction, identification code and identification code position information of the cigarette boxes, and to determine the initial posture of the cigarette boxes on the loading machine conveying device.

4. The method for loading finished cigarette cartons onto a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of transmitting data to the planning and calculation module to determine whether the cigarette box needs to be placed in a special location includes: The initial posture information of the cigarette box is transmitted to the planning and calculation module. The initial posture information of the cigarette box is compared with the corresponding posture of the stacking position in the stacking scheme of the cigarette box to determine whether it needs to be placed in a special position. The special position is the position of the cigarette box close to the front wall, side wall, rear and top of the vehicle. If the cigarette box needs to be placed in a special location, then based on the posture that the cigarette box needs to be placed in the corresponding special location, a plan will be devised to involve flipping and rotating the cigarette box to change its current posture to the posture required for the special location.

5. The method for loading finished cigarette cartons onto a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control flipping and rotating device performs flipping and rotating of the tobacco box, including: The flipping device includes a lifting mechanism and a clamping mechanism. The clamping mechanism clamps the tobacco box from both sides. The lifting mechanism raises and lowers the clamping mechanism and the tobacco box, and controls the clamping mechanism to rotate around the lifting mechanism. During the process of lifting the tobacco box, the tobacco box is flipped, thereby achieving the purpose of flipping the tobacco box. The rotating device includes a blocking mechanism and a lifting mechanism. The blocking mechanism is located on one side of the conveying device, and there are two or more of them. The blocking mechanism blocks a part or a certain position of the cigarette box, so that the cigarette box rotates when it encounters the blocking mechanism during the forward conveying process of the conveying device. The lifting mechanism is located on the blocking mechanism and is used to raise and lower the blocking mechanism. When it is necessary to rotate the cigarette box, the blocking mechanism is raised above the conveying surface of the conveying device to block the rotation of the cigarette box.

6. The method for loading finished cigarette cartons onto a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of grasping and stacking cigarette boxes using a designated articulated robotic arm includes: By using a gripper and suction cups mounted on the front end of the articulated robotic arm, the cigarette box is forked and adsorbed between the rollers below the cigarette box located at the front of the conveyor, ensuring the stability and flexibility of the gripper in forking the cigarette box. Adsorbing the cigarette box while forking it further ensures the stability of the gripping.

7. A cigarette loading system for loading finished cigarette cartons onto a vehicle, used to perform the cigarette loading method according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, include: Loading machine (1), planning and calculation module (11), conveying device (12), identification device (13), flipping device (14), rotating device (15), articulated robotic arm (16) and walking device (17). The planning calculation module (11) and the identification device (13) are mounted on the loading machine (1). The planning calculation module (11) calculates the stacking scheme of the cigarette boxes in the car body according to the information of the car body, cigarette boxes and loading order. The identification device (13) is used to identify the posture of the cigarette boxes. The conveying device (12) is located in the middle of the loading machine (1). The rear end of the conveying device (12) receives the cigarette box and conveys it to the front end of the loading machine (1) through rollers. The flipping device (14) and the rotating device (15) are respectively installed in the middle and front of the conveying device (12). The flipping device (14) is used to flip the cigarette box and adjust the sealing posture of the cigarette box; the rotating device (15) is used to rotate the cigarette box and adjust the orientation of the cigarette box label. The articulated robotic arm (16) includes a left articulated robotic arm and a right articulated robotic arm. The left articulated robotic arm and the right articulated robotic arm are six-axis or more articulated robots, which are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the loading machine (1). The articulated robotic arm (16) grabs the cigarette box in front of the conveying device into the carriage and loads it into the carriage according to the cigarette box stacking scheme. The walking device (17) is installed below the loading machine (1) for the loading machine (1) to move inside the car.

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