A parcel sorting system

Abstract

This application relates to the field of logistics technology and discloses an express delivery sorting system. The system includes: a main loop line with multiple mainline transport vehicles for transporting express parcels; multiple branch loop lines, each located close to the main loop line and having a branch-to-branch section adjacent to the main loop line; multiple main-line section connections corresponding to the branch-to-branch sections on the main loop line; at least one branch-to-branch transport vehicle on each branch loop line; and the mainline transport vehicles are also used to transfer express parcels to branch-to-branch transport vehicles on the branch loop lines at the main-line connection sections for further transport. Through the above method, this application embodiment improves the sorting efficiency of express parcels.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of logistics technology, specifically to an express delivery sorting system. Background Technology

[0002] During the delivery process, express parcels need to be transferred in transit centers. Transit centers generally have express parcel sorting systems. The express parcel sorting system has transport carts on the loop, and storage boxes are placed near the loop. The express parcel sorting carts pick up express parcels at the inlet on the loop and transport the express parcels to the storage boxes according to the delivery destination, so that express parcels with the same delivery destination are sorted together, thus realizing the sorting and organization of express parcels.

[0003] In a parcel sorting system, parcels need to be distributed to various terminals. Sorting and transport carts are arranged along a single loop, and terminal collection boxes are evenly distributed along the loop. When there are many terminals, the logistics line can be hundreds of meters long, leading to low sorting efficiency due to the excessive length of the logistics line.

[0004] Therefore, how to improve the sorting efficiency of express delivery sorting systems has become an urgent technical problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above problems, this application provides a courier sorting system to improve the sorting efficiency of courier packages.

[0006] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, a courier sorting system is provided, the courier sorting system comprising: a main loop line on which multiple main line transport vehicles are provided for transporting courier parcels; multiple branch loop lines, each branch loop line being located close to the main loop line and having a branch line junction section close to the main loop line; the branch line junction sections on the main loop line corresponding to the multiple branch loop lines having multiple main line junction sections; at least one branch line transport vehicle on each branch loop line; the main line transport vehicles are also used to transfer courier parcels to the branch line transport vehicles on the branch loop lines for transport at the main line junction sections.

[0007] Preferably, the branch loop is set to fit the outer ring of the main loop; the main line transport trolley is equipped with a transmission assembly, which is used to form a first transmission direction parallel to the ring diameter of the main loop and pointing from the inner ring of the main loop to the outer ring of the main loop at the junction section of the main line; the express parcels on the main line transport trolley are used to move to the branch loop trolley along the first transmission direction of the transmission assembly under the transmission of the transmission assembly.

[0008] Preferably, the express sorting system further includes multiple mainline storage boxes, which are distributed around the inner circle of the main ring line; the top surface of the mainline storage box is provided with an opening, the horizontal height of the opening is lower than the horizontal height of the transmission component, and the distance between the opening and the transmission component on the horizontal plane is less than a first preset distance; the transmission component is also used to form a second transmission direction opposite to the first transmission direction; the express parcels on the mainline transport trolley are used to move along the second transmission direction of the transmission component under the transmission of the transmission component, and fall into the mainline storage box through the opening.

[0009] Preferably, the transmission assembly includes a cooperating conveyor belt and a conveyor member, wherein the conveyor belt is used to form a first transmission direction under the forward drive of the conveyor member, and is also used to form a second transmission direction under the reverse drive of the conveyor member; or, the transmission assembly includes multiple cooperating conveyor belts and conveyor members, wherein some conveyor belts are used to form the first transmission direction under the drive of the conveyor member corresponding to the conveyor belt, and other conveyor belts are used to form the second transmission direction under the drive of the conveyor member corresponding to the conveyor belt.

[0010] Preferably, the branch line transport trolley is equipped with a transmission assembly, which is used to form a transmission direction consistent with the first transmission direction at the branch line junction section.

[0011] Preferably, the horizontal height of the transmission assembly of the branch line transport trolley is lower than the horizontal height of the transmission assembly of the main line transport trolley, and the distance between the transmission assembly of the branch line transport trolley and the transmission assembly of the main line transport trolley on the horizontal plane is less than a second preset distance.

[0012] Preferably, the express sorting system further includes multiple branch line storage boxes, with multiple branch line storage boxes arranged around the inner circle of each branch line; the transmission component of the branch line transport trolley is used to form a transmission direction parallel to the ring diameter of the branch line and pointing from the outer circle to the inner circle of the branch line when approaching the branch line storage box; and / or, the express sorting system further includes multiple branch line storage boxes, with multiple branch line storage boxes arranged around the outer circle of each branch line; the transmission component of the branch line transport trolley is used to form a transmission direction parallel to the ring diameter of the branch line and pointing from the inner circle to the outer circle of the branch line when approaching the branch line storage box.

[0013] Preferably, the express sorting system further includes a control center for generating control signals; a main loop and a branch loop, each with guide rails. Each guide rail includes a cooperating first and second guide member. The side of the first guide member facing away from the second guide member has multiple conductive grooves along its length, which are used to transmit control signals. The bottom of both the main line transport trolley and the branch line transport trolley has a slider that engages between the first and second guide members, forming a sliding connection between the main line transport trolley or the branch line transport trolley and the guide rails. The bottom of both the main line transport trolley and the branch line transport trolley also has conductive wheels embedded in the conductive grooves, forming a sliding and electrical connection with the conductive grooves, used to receive control signals from the conductive grooves.

[0014] Preferably, a rack is formed on the side of the second guide member facing away from the first guide member along the length direction of the second guide member, and gears that cooperate with the rack are also provided at the bottom of the main line transport trolley and the branch line transport trolley.

[0015] Preferably, the slider includes a first roller and a bearing. One end of the bearing is fixed to the main line transport trolley or the branch line transport trolley, and the other end of the bearing is rotatably connected to the first roller. The first and second guide members are provided with limiting strips facing each other on the side of the main line transport trolley or the branch line transport trolley, and the limiting strips on the first and second guide members are provided with a gap. The bearing passes through the gap, and the first roller is slidably connected to the side of the first guide member near the second guide member, and is also slidably connected to the side of the second guide member near the first guide member. The annular surfaces of the main ring line and the branch ring line are both of a certain width. The bottom of the main line transport trolley and the branch line transport trolley are also provided with multiple second rollers, which are used to roll on the annular surface.

[0016] This embodiment of the application provides multiple mainline transport trolleys along the main loop line, enabling the sorting of express parcels via these trolleys. The single loop line is divided into a main loop line and multiple branch loop lines, each branch loop line being positioned close to the main loop line and having a branch line junction section close to the main loop line. This junction section serves as the inlet for that branch loop line. Thus, express parcels can be transferred from the main loop line to the branch loop line via the main line transport trolleys located at the junction section and the branch line transport trolleys located at the junction section. This allows for parallel sorting of express parcels between the main loop line and the multiple branch loop lines, thereby improving the sorting efficiency of express parcels.

[0017] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 A perspective view of the express sorting system provided in an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0020] Figure 2 A top view of the express sorting system provided in an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0021] Figure 3 A perspective view of the main loop provided in an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0022] Figure 4 A perspective view of the branch loop provided in an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0023] Figure 5 The embodiments provided in this application are shown. Figure 2 A top view of the junction of the main ring road and the branch ring road;

[0024] Figure 6 The embodiments provided in this application are shown. Figure 2 A three-dimensional view of the junction between the main ring road and the branch ring road;

[0025] Figure 7 A perspective view of the mainline transport vehicle provided in an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0026] Figure 8 A perspective view of a portion of the guide rails provided in an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0027] Figure 9a A perspective view of the branch loop provided in an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0028] Figure 9b The embodiments provided in this application are shown. Figure 9a Enlarged view of the branch line transport trolley section;

[0029] Figure 10a A perspective view of the branch loop provided in an embodiment of this application is shown from another angle;

[0030] Figure 10b The embodiments provided in this application are shown. Figure 10a Enlarged view of the branch line transport trolley section;

[0031] Figure 11 A top view of a single loop provided in an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0032] The reference numerals in the detailed embodiments are as follows:

[0033] 1. Express delivery sorting system;

[0034] 10. Main loop line; 11. Main line transport trolley; 12. Main line junction section; 13. Transmission component a; 131. Conveyor belt a; 14. Main line storage box; 141. Opening a;

[0035] 20. Branch loop line; 21. Branch line transport trolley; 22. Branch line junction section; 23. Transmission assembly b; 231. Conveyor belt b; 24. Branch line storage box; 241. Opening b;

[0036] 30. Guide rail; 31. First guide component; 311. Conductive groove; 32. Second guide component; 321. Rack;

[0037] 41. Conductive wheel; 42. Gear; 43. Slider; 431. Bearing; 432. First roller; 44. Second roller; 45. Inlet. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The embodiments of the technical solution of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application and are therefore merely examples, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0039] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0040] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0041] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0042] In the description of the embodiments in this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three cases: A exists, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists. In addition, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the related objects before and after it have an "or" relationship.

[0043] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more (including two sets), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more (including two pieces).

[0044] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application.

[0045] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" 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. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0046] This application provides an express delivery sorting system, such as... Figures 1-2 As shown, the express sorting system 1 includes: a main loop line 10, on which multiple main line transport vehicles 11 are provided for transporting express parcels; multiple branch loop lines 20, each branch loop line 20 being set close to the main loop line 10 and having a branch line junction section 22 close to the main loop line 10; the branch line junction sections 22 on the main loop line 10 corresponding to the multiple branch loop lines 20 have multiple main line junction sections 12; there is at least one branch line transport vehicle 21 on each branch loop line 20; the main line transport vehicle 11 is also used to transfer express parcels to the branch line transport vehicle 21 of the branch loop line 20 for transportation at the main line junction section 12.

[0047] Preferably, the branch loop 20 is disposed in close contact with the outer ring of the main loop 10. For example... Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the outer side of the main loop line 10 is adjacent to multiple branch loop lines 20, forming a total of 9 loop lines.

[0048] A main line storage box 14 is arranged inside the main loop line 10, and a branch line storage box 24 is arranged on both the inner and outer sides of the branch loop line 20; four inlets 45 are evenly arranged on the loop line of the main loop line 10 to improve the inlet efficiency.

[0049] Figure 2 The solid arrows on the main loop 10 are used to indicate the running trajectories formed by multiple mainline transport vehicles 11 on the main loop 10. Figure 2 The solid arrows on the central branch loop 20 are used to indicate the running trajectories formed by multiple branch transport vehicles 21 on the branch loop 20.

[0050] When the main line transport trolley 11 passes through the inlet 45, it receives express packages. In actual use, the express sorting system 1 provided in this application embodiment can receive express packages up to 10,800 pieces / hour.

[0051] Each inlet 45 is equipped with a barcode scanner. After the express parcel is scanned at the inlet 45, it is transported by the main line transport vehicle 11. The express sorting system 1 records the identification information of the main line transport vehicle 11.

[0052] like Figure 3 The outline dimensions of the main loop line 10 shown are 28.7m x 6.9m. A total of 64 main loop storage boxes 14 can be arranged. The circumference of the main loop line 10 is 66.4m. There are 40 sets of transport vehicles, with 3 main loop transport vehicles 11 in each set.

[0053] like Figure 4 The shown branch loop line 20 consists of 8 sets, with an outline size of 14.5m x 3.9m. Each set is equipped with branch loop storage boxes 24, totaling 72 boxes. The loop circumference is 33.2m. There are 8 sets of transport vehicles, with 2 branch loop transport trolleys 21 in each set.

[0054] Among them, the branch loop line 20 can be set outside the main loop line 10 or inside the main loop line 10. That is, the branch line junction section 22 of the branch loop line 20 can also fit into the inner circle of the main loop line 10. The branch loop line 20 and the main loop line 10 can be separated, so that for factories with irregular or non-square layouts, each branch loop line 20 of the express sorting system 1 can be flexibly arranged to meet the needs of actual use.

[0055] The express parcel sorting system 1 provided in this application uses a tree-like branch structure to design multiple loops. The main loop 10 and the branch loops 20 are preferably set to nine sets of loops to operate in parallel, which can greatly improve the sorting efficiency of express parcels.

[0056] Please see Figure 3The express sorting system 1 also includes multiple main line storage boxes 14, which are distributed around the inner circle of the main ring line 10. The top surface of the main line storage box 14 is provided with an opening a141, the horizontal height of the opening a141 is lower than the horizontal height of the transmission component a13, and the distance between the opening a141 and the transmission component a13 on the horizontal plane is less than a first preset distance.

[0057] Please see Figure 4 The express sorting system 1 also includes multiple branch line storage boxes 24. Multiple branch line storage boxes 24 are arranged around the inner circle of each branch line 20. Furthermore, multiple branch line storage boxes 24 are also arranged around the outer circle of each branch line 20. Similarly, the top surface of the branch line storage box 24 is provided with an opening b241. The horizontal height of the opening b241 is lower than the horizontal height of the transmission component b23, and the distance between the opening b241 and the transmission component b23 on the horizontal plane is also less than a first preset distance, for example, 10cm.

[0058] like Figure 7 As shown in Figure 9, the transmission assembly a13 on the main line transport trolley 11 includes a conveyor and a conveyor belt a131, and the transmission assembly b23 on the branch line transport trolley 21 includes a conveyor and a conveyor belt b231. That is, both the main line transport trolley 11 and the branch line transport trolley 21 can be equipped with matching motors and belts. The express parcels are placed on the belt, and when the belt rotates, the parcels are placed into the collection box for sorting. The motor drives the belt to achieve forward and reverse transmission. Specifically, the motor can be a bidirectional drive motor to achieve forward and reverse transmission of the express parcels on the trolley, or the trolley can have multiple matching unidirectional rotating motors and belts, with different motors arranged in forward and reverse directions to achieve forward and reverse transmission of the express parcels on the trolley.

[0059] Specifically, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 5 The transmission assembly a13 is used to form a first transmission direction in the main line junction section 12 that is parallel to the ring diameter of the main loop line 10 and points from the inner ring of the main loop line 10 to the outer ring of the main loop line 10; the express parcels on the main line transport trolley 11 are used to move along the first transmission direction of the transmission assembly a13 to the branch line transport trolley 21 under the transmission of the transmission assembly a13; the transmission assembly a13 is also used to form a second transmission direction in the non-main line junction section 12 of the main loop line 10 that is parallel to the ring diameter of the main loop line 10 and points from the outer ring of the main loop line 10 to the inner ring of the main loop line 10; the express parcels on the main line transport trolley 11 are used to move along the second transmission direction of the transmission assembly a13 under the transmission of the transmission assembly a13 to the main line storage box 14.

[0060] Furthermore, the branch line transport trolley 21 is equipped with a transmission assembly, which is used to form a transmission direction consistent with the first transmission direction at the branch line junction section 22. The transmission assembly b23 of the branch line transport trolley 21 is used to form a transmission direction parallel to the ring diameter of the branch loop 20 and pointing from the outer ring of the branch loop 20 to the inner ring of the branch loop 20 when it is close to the branch line storage box 24; Alternatively, the express sorting system 1 also includes multiple branch line storage boxes 24, with multiple branch line storage boxes 24 arranged around the outer ring of each branch loop 20; the transmission assembly of the branch line transport trolley 21 is used to form a transmission direction parallel to the ring diameter of the branch loop 20 and pointing from the inner ring of the branch loop 20 to the outer ring of the branch loop 20 when it is close to the branch line storage box 24, so as to realize the transportation of express parcels to the branch line storage boxes 24 located on both sides of the branch loop 20.

[0061] Figure 2 The dashed arrow in the image indicates the first transport direction formed by the main line transport trolley 11 at its current position. Figure 5 The dashed arrow on the main loop 10 is used to indicate the second transport direction formed by the main line transport trolley 11 at its current position. Figure 5 The solid arrow on the main loop 10 is used to indicate the first transport direction formed by the main transport trolley 11 at its current position. Figure 5 The solid arrow in the middle of the branch line junction section is used to indicate the transmission direction formed by the branch line transport trolley 21 at the junction, which is parallel to the first transmission direction; Figure 5 A pair of solid and dashed arrows facing each other in opposite directions are used to indicate the transmission direction that the branch transport trolley 21 can form when transferring express parcels to the branch storage box 24.

[0062] Each branch loop 20 partially connects with a portion of the main loop 10, forming a branch loop connection section 22 that serves as the "inlet" for the branch loop 20. Due to the coordinated design of the trolleys (main line transport trolley 11 or branch line transport trolley 21) and the guide rails on the main loop 10 or branch loop 20, the express sorting system 1 can precisely control the trolley's speed and position. At the connection point, the express sorting system 1 can control the branch line transport trolley 21 to align with the main line transport trolley 11 and run at the same speed. Both trolleys simultaneously drive the belt, transferring express packages from the main loop 10 to the trolleys on the branch loop 20. After this relay is completed during operation, the trolleys on the branch loop 20 then transport the express packages to the corresponding storage boxes. For details, please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 6 At the junction, the conveyor belts of the main line transport trolley 11 and the branch line transport trolley 21 are parallel in direction and move at the same speed, so that the express parcels can travel along... Figure 6 It moves in the direction of the dotted line in the diagram.

[0063] Preferably, such as Figure 6As shown, the horizontal height of the transmission component b23 of the branch line transport trolley 21 is lower than the horizontal height of the transmission component a13 of the main line transport trolley 11. The distance between the transmission component b23 of the branch line transport trolley 21 and the transmission component a13 of the main line transport trolley 11 on the horizontal plane is less than a second preset distance, for example, 6cm, to avoid damage to express packages from falling.

[0064] At the junction, in addition to belt conveyor for transferring express parcels, express parcels can also be transferred using robotic arms, side flaps, springs, etc. Express parcels can slide from the side flap of the main line transport trolley 11 to the branch line transport trolley 21. Alternatively, the main line transport trolley 11 can be equipped with springs and locking blocks. When the locking blocks are released, the express parcels are bounced onto the branch line transport trolley 21 by the springs.

[0065] It should be noted that the first transmission direction and the second transmission direction in the embodiments of this application are both directions relative to the inner and outer circles of the loop when the car is currently in position. Therefore, during the movement of the car, its first transmission direction and second transmission direction will change in the world coordinate system.

[0066] To achieve individual control of the car, refer to Figures 7-10b The specific design of the trolley and guide rail is as follows:

[0067] Preferably, the express sorting system 1 further includes a control center for generating control signals; a main loop 10 and a branch loop 20, both of which have guide rails 30 formed on them. Each guide rail 30 includes a cooperating first guide member 31 and a second guide member 32. The side of the first guide member 31 facing away from the second guide member 32 has multiple conductive grooves 311 along its length, which are used to transmit control signals. The bottom of both the main line transport trolley 11 and the branch line transport trolley 21 is provided with sliders 43, which hold... Connected between the first guide member 31 and the second guide member 32, it forms a sliding connection between the main line transport trolley 11 or the branch line transport trolley 21 and the guide rail 30; the bottom of the main line transport trolley 11 and the branch line transport trolley 21 is also provided with a conductive wheel 41 embedded in the conductive groove 311. The conductive wheel 41 forms a sliding connection and an electrical connection with the conductive groove 311, and is used to receive control signals on the conductive groove 311, so as to realize individual control of each trolley through the cooperation of the conductive groove 311 and the conductive wheel 41. At the same time, it can also provide power to the trolley through the conductive groove 311.

[0068] The express sorting system 1 is divided into one main loop line 10 and eight branch loop lines 20. The nine loops are each a system. When a single cart malfunctions, only the malfunctioning cart needs to be moved away, without causing the entire line to stop.

[0069] Preferably, a rack 321 is formed on the side of the second guide member 32 facing away from the first guide member 31 along the length direction of the second guide member 32. The bottom of the main line transport trolley 11 and the branch line transport trolley 21 are also provided with gears 42 that cooperate with the rack 321, so as to achieve precise control of the speed and position of the trolley movement.

[0070] Preferably, the slider 43 includes a first roller 432 and a bearing 431. One end of the bearing 431 is fixed to the main line transport trolley 11 or the branch line transport trolley 21, and the other end of the bearing 431 is rotatably connected to the first roller 432. The first guide member 31 and the second guide member 32 are provided with opposing limiting strips on their sides facing the main line transport trolley 11 or the branch line transport trolley 21, and a gap is formed between the opposing limiting strips on the first guide member 31 and the second guide member 32. The bearing 431 passes through the gap, and the first roller... Wheel 432 is slidably connected to the side of the first support guide 31 near the second support guide 32, and is also slidably connected to the side of the second support guide 32 near the first support guide 31; the ring surfaces of the main ring line 10 and the branch ring line 20 both have a certain width, and the bottom of the main line transport trolley 11 and the branch line transport trolley 21 are also provided with multiple second rollers 44. The second rollers 44 are used to roll on the ring surface to limit the trolley through the limit strip, and to improve the stability of the ring line supporting the trolley through the second rollers 44.

[0071] To provide a more detailed description of the express sorting system 1 in this application embodiment, this application embodiment also provides a top view of a single loop used in traditional logistics sorting. Specifically, refer to... Figure 11 In traditional logistics sorting lines, all carts operate on a single track. Figure 11 The solid arrows are used to indicate the running trajectory of multiple cars. They are connected in series by mechanical links and are densely distributed (like links in a chain). They cannot be controlled individually, and the number of cars is large, resulting in high cost. In the embodiment of this application, each car is controlled individually, and the servo motor of the car drives the gear 42 to move.

[0072] Furthermore, based on logistics data, parcels can be categorized into high-frequency and general categories. Parcels that appear frequently at their destination are classified as high-frequency parcels. Each destination corresponds to a storage box, and the parcel sorting system records the location of all storage boxes.

[0073] The main line storage box 14 is used as a high-frequency parcel storage box. It is arranged inside the main loop line 10 and is transported to the corresponding storage box position by the main line transport trolley 11 for direct sorting. The main loop line is only 66.4M long and has 120 transport trolleys. The dense arrangement allows high-frequency parcels to be sorted very quickly.

[0074] The branch line storage box 24 is used as a general parcel storage box. It is arranged on each branch loop line 20. The trolley on the main loop line 10 transports express parcels to the corresponding branch loop line 20, transfers them to the branch loop line 20, and then the trolley on the branch loop line 20 transports them to the corresponding storage box to complete the sorting.

[0075] Each branch loop line has 16 transport carts, totaling 128 carts. Therefore, the overall transport capacity of branch loop line 20 is higher than that of main loop line 10. Furthermore, high-frequency parcels have already been sorted on main loop line 10, so branch loop line 20 has a large capacity redundancy and will not experience congestion on main loop line 10.

[0076] The main loop line 10 has 40 conveyor sets, each with 3 trolleys, totaling 120 trolleys; each branch loop line 20 has 8 conveyor sets, each with 2 trolleys, totaling 16 trolleys. The trolleys circulate along their respective loop lines. The main loop line 10 and the 8 branch loop lines 20 form 9 internal circulation routes, working together to greatly improve sorting efficiency.

[0077] like Figure 11 The traditional single-loop sorting line shown, based on 640 storage boxes, has a total length of 384 meters, with an average delivery distance of 192 meters (384 meters / 2) per package, and 922 carts. Each package is transported on a single loop, with the longest delivery distance reaching 384 meters. Furthermore, because it only has a single loop, each package circulates indiscriminately, resulting in low transmission efficiency.

[0078] In this embodiment, the total length of the sorting line is 332 meters, with a total of 640 storage boxes. It uses a tree-like branching structure, with the main loop line 10 and eight branch loop lines 20 operating in parallel, significantly shortening the package transportation distance. The average transportation distance per package is 48.1 meters (64 / 640*66.4 / 2+72*8 / 640*(66.4+33.2) / 2), and there are 248 carts (40*3+8*8*2). The longest package transportation distance is only 99.6 meters (66.4+33.2).

[0079] Compared to traditional single-loop sorting lines, the express sorting system 1 provided in this application embodiment reduces the average delivery distance per package by 75%, the line length by 14%, and the number of carts by 68%, significantly improving sorting efficiency. Simultaneously, the substantial reduction in the number of carts not only saves on equipment investment costs and significantly reduces operating energy consumption, but also saves on space.

[0080] This embodiment of the application provides multiple mainline transport trolleys 11 on the main loop line 10, enabling the sorting of express parcels via the mainline transport trolleys 11. The single loop line is divided into a main loop line 10 and multiple branch loop lines 20. Each branch loop line 20 is located close to the main loop line 10 and has a branch line junction section 22 close to the main loop line 10. This junction section 22 serves as the inlet for the branch loop line 20. Thus, the mainline transport trolley 11 located at the main line junction section 12 and the branch line transport trolley 21 located at the branch line junction section 22 facilitate the transfer of express parcels from the main loop line 10 to the branch loop line 20, allowing parallel sorting of express parcels between the main loop line 10 and the multiple branch loop lines 20, thereby improving the sorting efficiency of express parcels.

[0081] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and not to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of this application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the embodiments can be combined in any way. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A parcel sorting system, characterized in that, The express sorting system includes: The main loop line is equipped with multiple mainline transport vehicles, which are used to transport express parcels. Multiple branch loops, each of which is set close to the main loop and has a branch junction section close to the main loop; The branch line junctions on the main ring line corresponding to the multiple branch ring lines have multiple main line junctions. There is at least one branch line transport vehicle on the branch loop line; The mainline transport vehicle is also used to transfer the express parcel to the branch line transport vehicle on the branch loop line for transport at the mainline junction section. The branch loop is set to fit the outer ring of the main loop; The main line transport trolley is equipped with a transmission assembly, which is used to form a first transmission direction in the main line junction section that is parallel to the ring diameter of the main loop and points from the inner ring of the main loop to the outer ring of the main loop. The express parcels on the main line transport trolley are used to move along the first transmission direction of the transmission assembly to the branch loop trolley under the transmission of the transmission assembly. The express sorting system also includes multiple main line storage boxes, which are distributed around the inner circle of the main ring line. The top surface of the main cable storage box has an opening, the horizontal height of which is lower than the horizontal height of the transmission component, and the distance between the opening and the transmission component on the horizontal plane is less than a first preset distance; The transmission assembly is also used to form a second transmission direction opposite to the first transmission direction; The express parcels on the mainline transport trolley are used to move along the second transmission direction of the transmission assembly under the transmission of the transmission assembly, and fall into the mainline storage box through the opening.

2. The express sorting system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission assembly includes a cooperating conveyor belt and a conveyor component. The conveyor belt is used to form the first transmission direction under the forward drive of the conveyor component, and is also used to form a second transmission direction under the reverse drive of the conveyor component. Alternatively, the transmission assembly includes multiple cooperating conveyor belts and conveyor components, with some conveyor belts used to form the first transmission direction under the drive of the conveyor component corresponding to the conveyor belt, and other conveyor belts used to form the second transmission direction under the drive of the conveyor component corresponding to the conveyor belt.

3. The express sorting system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The branch line transport trolley is equipped with the transmission assembly, which is used to form a transmission direction consistent with the first transmission direction at the branch line junction section.

4. The express sorting system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The horizontal height of the transmission assembly of the branch line transport trolley is lower than that of the transmission assembly of the main line transport trolley, and the distance between the transmission assembly of the branch line transport trolley and the transmission assembly of the main line transport trolley on the horizontal plane is less than a second preset distance.

5. The express sorting system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The express sorting system also includes multiple branch line storage boxes, and multiple branch line storage boxes are arranged around the inner circle of each branch line; the transmission component of the branch line transport trolley is used to form a transmission direction parallel to the ring diameter of the branch line and pointing from the outer circle of the branch line to the inner circle of the branch line when it is close to the branch line storage box. And / or, The express sorting system also includes multiple branch line storage boxes, with multiple branch line storage boxes arranged around the outer ring of each branch line; the transmission component of the branch line transport trolley is used to form a transmission direction parallel to the ring diameter of the branch line and pointing from the inner ring of the branch line to the outer ring of the branch line when it is close to the branch line storage box.

6. The express sorting system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The express sorting system also includes a control center, which is used to generate control signals; The main loop and the branch loop are each provided with a guide rail. The guide rail includes a first and a second supporting member that cooperate with each other. The side of the first supporting member facing away from the second supporting member is provided with a plurality of conductive grooves along the length of the first supporting member. The conductive grooves are used to transmit the control signal. Both the main line transport trolley and the branch line transport trolley are equipped with sliders at their bottoms. The sliders are engaged between the first guide member and the second guide member to form a sliding connection between the main line transport trolley or the branch line transport trolley and the guide rail. The bottom of the main line transport trolley and the branch line transport trolley are also provided with conductive wheels embedded in the conductive groove. The conductive wheels are slidably connected and electrically connected to the conductive groove, and are used to receive control signals on the conductive groove.

7. The express sorting system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The second guide member has a rack formed on the side facing away from the first guide member along the length direction of the second guide member, and the bottom of the main line transport trolley and the branch line transport trolley are also provided with gears that cooperate with the rack.

8. The express sorting system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The slider includes a first roller and a bearing. One end of the bearing is fixed to the main line transport trolley or the branch line transport trolley, and the other end of the bearing is rotatably connected to the first roller. The first and second guide members are provided with limiting strips on the side facing the main line transport trolley or the branch line transport trolley, and the limiting strips provided on the first and second guide members are separated by a gap. The bearing passes through the gap, and the first roller is slidably connected to the side of the first bearing guide near the second bearing guide, and is also slidably connected to the side of the second bearing guide near the first bearing guide; Both the main loop and the branch loop have a certain width. The bottom of the main line transport trolley and the branch line transport trolley are also provided with a plurality of second rollers, which are used to roll on the loop surface.

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