Stacking machine control method and device and stacking equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to a stacking machine control method and device and stacking equipment. The method comprises the steps that a mode selection signal sent by a touch display device is received, the touch display device is arranged on the stacking machine, the mode selection signal is a signal generated when the touch display device responds to touch operation of a user, the working mode of the stacking machine is determined according to the mode selection signal, and the stacking machine is controlled to work in the working mode. According to the method, various actions of the stacker are not controlled by simply depending on complex instructions sent by an upper computer through a communication system, even if a communication line between the upper computer and the stacker breaks down, is interfered or is congested, the stacker can still work continuously, and the working efficiency of the stacker is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of control technology, and in particular to a stacker control method, device and stacking equipment. Background Art

[0002] With the development of intelligent stereoscopic warehouses, the use of stackers has become more and more frequent and common. For example, in the automotive industry, mechanical equipment, electricity, printing and papermaking, food and beverage and other industries, stackers can be personalized according to the characteristics of different industries to meet the needs of users.

[0003] In traditional solutions, a communication connection is usually established between the host computer and the stacker, for example, through industrial Ethernet. After the communication connection is established, the host computer sends an operation command to the stacker to control the stacker to start, stop, move forward, move backward, etc., to achieve material handling and stacking.

[0004] However, the method of using a host computer to control the stacker is highly dependent on the communication system. If the communication line fails, is interfered with, or the network is congested, the instructions issued by the host computer cannot be transmitted to the stacker in a timely and accurate manner, which will cause control failure, affect the normal operation of the stacker, and cause the stacker's working efficiency to decrease. Summary of the invention

[0005] Based on this, it is necessary to provide a stacker control method, device and stacking equipment that can improve the working efficiency of the stacker in order to solve the above technical problems.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present application provides a stacker control method, comprising:

[0007] receiving a mode selection signal sent by a touch display device, wherein the touch display device is disposed in the stacker, and the mode selection signal is a signal generated by the touch display device in response to a touch operation of a user;

[0008] determining the working mode of the stacker according to the mode selection signal;

[0009] The stacker is controlled to operate in the operating mode.

[0010] In one embodiment, the working mode includes a maintenance mode and a semi-automatic mode, and the controlling the stacker to work in the working mode includes:

[0011] When the working mode is the maintenance mode, receiving a motor control signal sent by a touch display device to control the motor of the stacker to operate at a preset speed, wherein the preset speed is lower than the speed of the motor when the stacker operates normally;

[0012] When the working mode is the semi-automatic mode, a task signal sent by a touch display device is received, and the stacker is controlled to execute a task corresponding to the task signal.

[0013] In one embodiment, the motor control signal carries an axis identifier of the stacker, and the step of controlling the motor of the stacker to run at a preset speed includes:

[0014] A target motor in the stacker for controlling the operation of the axis corresponding to the axis identifier is determined, and the target motor is controlled to operate at a preset speed.

[0015] In one embodiment, the motor control signal is a continuous signal, and the method further comprises:

[0016] When the motor control signal is received and the motor control signal is not received after a preset period of time, the target motor is controlled to stop running.

[0017] In one embodiment, the task signal includes a movement signal, and the controlling the stacker to perform the task corresponding to the task signal includes:

[0018] In the case where the task signal is a movement signal, analyzing the movement signal to determine the target coordinates, the movement path, and the target height of the cargo platform of the stacker;

[0019] Controlling the stacker to move horizontally to the target coordinates according to the motion path;

[0020] The cargo platform of the stacker is controlled to vertically rise and fall to the target height.

[0021] In one embodiment, the task signal includes a storage entry and exit signal, and the controlling the stacker to perform the task corresponding to the task signal includes:

[0022] In the case where the task signal is a storage in / out signal, analyzing the storage in / out signal to determine the target material that needs to be stored in / out;

[0023] The fork of the stacker is controlled to extend and retract to take out or store the target material from the shelf.

[0024] In one embodiment, the method further comprises:

[0025] When the working mode is the maintenance mode, monitoring the motor load of the stacker;

[0026] When the motor load is greater than a preset motor load threshold, a motor overload signal is pushed to the touch display device.

[0027] In one embodiment, the method further comprises:

[0028] When the working mode is the maintenance mode, monitoring the moving speed of the stacker;

[0029] When the moving speed exceeds a preset moving speed threshold, a speed abnormality signal is pushed to the touch display device.

[0030] In a second aspect, the present application further provides a stacker control device, the device comprising:

[0031] The signal receiving module is used to receive a mode selection signal sent by a touch display device; the touch display device is arranged in the stacker, and the mode selection signal is a signal generated by the touch display device in response to a user's touch operation.

[0032] The mode determination module is used to determine the working mode of the stacker according to the mode selection signal.

[0033] The control module is used to control the stacker to operate in a working mode.

[0034] In a third aspect, the present application also provides a stacking device, including a stacker, a controller and a touch display device, wherein the touch display device is arranged on the stacker, the touch display device is communicatively connected to the controller, the controller is communicatively connected to the stacker, and the controller is used to execute the steps in any one of the above-mentioned stacker control method embodiments.

[0035] In one embodiment, the controller is a PLC controller.

[0036] In one embodiment, the stacker includes a traveling mechanism, a lifting mechanism and a fork telescopic mechanism connected to the controller.

[0037] In one embodiment, the stacking device further comprises a positioning device connected to the controller.

[0038] In one embodiment, the positioning device is a laser positioner.

[0039] The above-mentioned stacker control method, device and stacking equipment are different from the traditional solution that relies on the remote control of the stacker by the host computer. In this solution, the user can send a mode selection signal to the control end through the local touch display device to select the working mode of the stacker. The control end then determines the working mode of the stacker according to the mode selection signal. After determining the working mode of the stacker according to the mode selection signal sent by the touch display device, the stacker is directly controlled to work in this working mode. This means that the operator can control the stacker locally through the touch display device, instead of relying solely on the complex instructions sent by the host computer through the communication system to control the various actions of the stacker. Even if the communication line between the host computer and the stacker fails, is interfered or congested, the stacker can still continue to work, thereby improving the working efficiency of the stacker. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or related technologies, the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application or related technical descriptions will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0041] Figure 1 An application environment diagram of a stacker control method in one embodiment;

[0042] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a stacker control method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a flow chart of a stacker control method in another embodiment;

[0044] Figure 4 A schematic flow chart of a stacker control method in another embodiment;

[0045] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a flow chart of a stacker control method in yet another embodiment;

[0046] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a flow chart of a stacker control method in another embodiment;

[0047] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a stacker control method in a simple embodiment;

[0048] Figure 8 A simple flow chart of a stacker control method in another embodiment;

[0049] Fig. 9 A simple flow chart of a stacker control method in another embodiment;

[0050] Fig.10 A schematic diagram of a flow chart of a stacker control method in a detailed embodiment;

[0051] Fig.11 is a structural block diagram of a stacking device in one embodiment;

[0052] Fig.12 is a structural block diagram of a stacking device in another embodiment;

[0053] Fig.13 is a structural block diagram of a stacker control device in one embodiment;

[0054] Fig.14 FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the internal structure of a computer device in one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present application more clearly understood, the present application is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and are not used to limit the present application.

[0056] The stacker control method provided in the embodiment of the present application can be applied to Figure 1 In the application environment shown, the touch display device 102 arranged on the stacker communicates with the control terminal 104 through a network or a wired connection, and the data storage system can store the data that the control terminal 104 needs to process. The data storage system can be integrated on the control terminal 104, or placed on the cloud or other network servers.

[0057] Specifically, the user performs a touch operation on the touch display device 102, and the touch display device 102 sends a mode selection signal to the control terminal 104 in response to the touch operation. The control terminal 104 determines the working mode of the stacker according to the mode selection signal, and then controls the stacker to work in the working mode.

[0058] Among them, the touch display device 102 can be, but is not limited to, various touch screens, personal computers, laptops, smart phones, tablet computers, Internet of Things devices and portable wearable devices. The Internet of Things devices can be smart speakers, smart TVs, smart air conditioners, smart car devices, projection devices, etc. Portable wearable devices can be smart watches, smart bracelets, head-mounted devices, etc. Head-mounted devices can be virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, smart glasses, etc. The control end 104 can be an independent physical server, a server cluster or distributed system composed of multiple physical servers, or a PLC controller (Programmable Logic Controller).

[0059] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 2 As shown, a stacker control method is provided, which is applied to Figure 1 Taking the control end 104 in the example, where the control end 104 is a PLC controller and the touch display device 102 is a touch screen, the following steps are included:

[0060] S100: receiving a mode selection signal sent by a touch display device.

[0061] Among them, the touch display device is arranged on the stacker, the mode selection signal is a signal generated by the touch display device in response to the user's touch operation, and the touch display device can be a display screen, which is arranged on the stacker and has an intuitive human-computer interaction interface. The human-computer interaction interface can present intuitive icons, text descriptions, dynamic graphic demonstrations, etc. to the user, and display various status information and operational options of the stacker in various forms.

[0062] When a user (such as a warehouse operator) operates by touching the screen with his finger, such as clicking on different function buttons preset on the screen, such as "automatic pickup mode" and "maintenance mode", the touch sensing circuit inside the display screen will detect the touch operation, detect the position coordinates of the user's touch point and the type of touch action (such as click, long press, slide, etc.), and convert the touch operation into a corresponding mode selection signal based on the pre-set program logic. The mode selection signal represents the working mode that the user expects the stacker to perform.

[0063] S200, determining the working mode of the stacker according to the mode selection signal.

[0064] Furthermore, when the PLC controller receives the mode selection signal sent by the touch screen, it will parse the received mode selection signal and identify the specific working mode represented therein. Specifically, the CPU of the PLC controller will decode and match the mode selection signal according to the pattern recognition algorithm and data mapping table pre-stored in its memory, and identify the working mode of the stacker, including but not limited to maintenance mode, semi-automatic mode, automatic pickup mode, etc.

[0065] S300, controlling the stacker to operate in working mode.

[0066] Following the above steps, after the working mode of the stacker is determined, the CPU of the PLC controller will start the control program sequence corresponding to the working mode.

[0067] Taking the working mode of automatic pickup mode as an example, the CPU of the PLC controller starts the corresponding automatic pickup control program sequence. For example, the CPU of the PLC controller establishes a data connection with the warehouse management system and sends a pickup request to the warehouse management system. The request contains the identification information of the stacker and the material information currently required to be obtained (such as material name, batch, storage location, etc.). Based on the received pickup request, the warehouse management system quickly searches and processes the data in its database, and then feeds back the material information of the target material (such as the precise row number, column number, layer number of the shelf, and the specific placement direction and coordinates of the material on the shelf) to the PLC controller. The PLC controller accurately calculates the motion trajectory and speed curve of each motion axis of the stacker (such as the horizontal walking axis, vertical lifting axis, and fork telescopic axis) based on the material information fed back by the warehouse management system, and then controls the stacker to automatically complete a series of operations such as moving, picking, and inventory.

[0068] In the above-mentioned stacker control method, in this solution, the user can send a mode selection signal to the control end through the local touch display device to select the working mode of the stacker, and the control end then determines the working mode of the stacker according to the mode selection signal. After determining the working mode of the stacker according to the mode selection signal sent by the touch display device, the stacker is directly controlled to work in this working mode. This means that the operator can control the stacker locally through the touch display device, instead of simply relying on the complex instructions sent by the host computer through the communication system to control the various actions of the stacker. Even if the communication line between the host computer and the stacker fails, is interfered or congested, the stacker can still continue to work, thereby improving the working efficiency of the stacker.

[0069] In one embodiment, Figure 3 As shown, the working modes include maintenance mode and semi-automatic mode, and S300 includes:

[0070] S310, when the working mode is the maintenance mode, receiving a motor control signal sent by the touch display device, and controlling the motor of the stacker to operate at a preset speed.

[0071] S320, when the working mode is the semi-automatic mode, receiving a task signal sent by the touch display device, and controlling the stacker to execute a task corresponding to the task signal.

[0072] Among them, the preset speed is less than the speed of the motor when the stacker is operating normally. Following the above embodiment, when the working mode is determined to be the maintenance mode, the PLC controller of the stacker will open a specific maintenance mode control channel and prepare to receive the motor control signal from the touch display device. The touch display device can be a touch screen provided on the stacker. The user (such as maintenance personnel) can finely control the motor of the stacker through the touch screen, so as to inspect, debug and troubleshoot the mechanical parts, electrical systems, etc. of the stacker during the maintenance process. For example, when inspecting the lifting mechanism of the stacker, the maintenance personnel need to manually control the operation of the motor to observe whether the lifting process is smooth and whether there are abnormal conditions such as jamming and abnormal noise.

[0073] Specifically, the user (such as maintenance personnel) sends a motor control signal to the PLC controller through the touch screen, and the PLC controller drives the motor of the stacker to run at a preset speed, and the preset speed is lower than the speed of the motor during normal operation, such as controlling the motor driver to run at a lower frequency, so as to output a low-speed operation voltage for the motor. The low-speed operation of the motor helps maintenance personnel to observe the operating status of the motor, transmission mechanism and other related components in more detail. For example, when checking whether the connection between the motor and the reducer is loose, the low-speed operation allows maintenance personnel to clearly see whether there is a slight displacement or abnormal vibration at the connection, so as to find problems in time and improve maintenance efficiency and maintenance accuracy.

[0074] When the working mode is semi-automatic mode, warehouse managers or operators can select the task type according to the actual storage operation requirements through the operation interface of the touch screen set on the stacker, and then create various task instructions, such as material handling tasks, storage tasks, inventory tasks, etc. The touch screen will send the corresponding task signal to the PLC controller according to the user's task instructions. The PLC controller parses the task signal and extracts the key information of the task, including but not limited to the task type, target material location, target storage location or transportation destination, etc. For example, if the task signal indicates that the material is to be transported from a certain position in shelf A area to the conveyor belt in the shipping area, the PLC controller parses the shelf row number, column number, layer number and the location information of the conveyor belt in the shipping area from the signal.

[0075] Furthermore, the PLC controller plans the execution path and action sequence of the stacker based on the parsed task information. For example, the PLC controller determines the movement path of the stacker based on the layout map of the warehouse, the current position of the stacker, and the operating status of other equipment (such as shelves, conveyor belts, other stackers, etc.). Then, the PLC controller drives the various components of the stacker to work together based on the movement path, such as controlling the stacker's walking mechanism to move to the shelf position where the target material is located, then controlling the lifting mechanism to rise or descend to the layer number where the material is located, and then controlling the fork to extend to grab the material. After the grab is successful, the material is transported to the designated destination (such as the conveyor belt in the shipping area) according to the predetermined path, and the fork is controlled to place the material on the conveyor belt.

[0076] In this embodiment, the user can change the working mode of the stacker through the touch screen, including but not limited to the maintenance mode and the semi-automatic mode. Even if there is a communication abnormality between the stacker and the remote host computer, the stacker can be controlled to work in different working modes through local control, thereby achieving efficient task execution in warehousing operations and effectively improving the practicality and adaptability of the stacker in the warehousing and logistics system.

[0077] In one embodiment, Figure 4 As shown, the motor control signal carries the axis identification of the stacker, and S310 includes:

[0078] S311, determining a target motor for controlling the operation of an axis corresponding to the axis identifier in the stacker, and controlling the target motor to operate at a preset speed.

[0079] The axis identifier is used to uniquely identify the various axes in the stacker. In the stacker, different axes have different motion functions. For example, the horizontal travel axis controls the forward and backward movement of the stacker in the shelf aisle, the vertical lifting axis is responsible for the up and down lifting of the stacker's cargo platform, and the fork telescopic axis realizes the extension and retraction of the fork. Each axis is driven by a corresponding motor.

[0080] Specifically, the motor control signals sent by the user to the PLC controller through the touch screen all carry an axis identifier, which represents the axis that the user wishes to adjust. For example, the axis identifier carried by the motor control signals is a horizontal travel axis identifier. The PLC controller quickly locates the target motor used to control the horizontal travel axis in the stacker based on the horizontal travel axis identifier.

[0081] After determining the target motor, the PLC controller controls the target motor to run at a preset speed, which is set according to the safety requirements and operating accuracy requirements of the maintenance mode. The preset speed is lower than the speed of the motor when the stacker is in normal operation, and its purpose is to improve the safety of personnel during maintenance. For example, the motor of the vertical lifting shaft runs at a higher speed in normal operation to drive the vertical lifting shaft to quickly lift and transport materials, but in the maintenance mode, the preset speed may be much lower than the normal speed, so that maintenance personnel can carefully observe the movement state of the vertical lifting shaft, the connection status of the transmission components, etc. when checking the vertical lifting shaft.

[0082] In this embodiment, the target motor is determined by the axis identification and its operation is controlled at a preset speed. In the maintenance mode of the stacker, accurate, safe and low-speed control operations on a single axis can be achieved, which helps maintenance personnel to perform detailed inspections, debugging and troubleshooting of the stacker.

[0083] In one embodiment, Figure 5 As shown, the stacker control method also includes:

[0084] S330, when a motor control signal is received and no motor control signal is received after a preset time period, controlling the target motor to stop running.

[0085] Among them, the motor control signal is a continuous signal, and the user can continuously send the motor control signal through the touch screen. When the user no longer continuously touches the touch screen, that is, when the motor control signal sent by the touch screen stops, the corresponding target motor also stops running.

[0086] Specifically, if the user expects the target motor to keep running at a preset speed, the motor control signal can be continuously sent through the touch screen. For example, in the maintenance mode of the stacker, the maintenance personnel can manually control the target motor to run at a lower preset speed to observe the operation of the corresponding mechanical parts. At this time, the maintenance personnel touches the corresponding control elements on the touch screen (such as virtual buttons, sliders, etc., which are pre-set to trigger the sending of motor control signals), such as the virtual button that controls the operation of the horizontal walking axis motor of the stacker. The touch sensing circuit and related software program inside the touch screen will convert the touch action into a corresponding motor control signal and transmit it to the PLC controller through the communication link. As long as the maintenance personnel's finger does not leave the button, the motor control signal will be maintained and the target motor will continue to run. Once the maintenance personnel stops the touch operation, it means that no new motor control signals will be generated and sent, and the target motor will stop running.

[0087] It should be noted that when there is a short-term interference in the communication line or abnormal signal transmission, the motor control signal may be lost occasionally. Once the motor control signal is detected to have stopped, it may cause the target motor to start and stop frequently and unnecessarily. Therefore, the target motor is controlled to stop only when the motor control signal stops for more than a preset time period. Specifically, when the PLC controller receives the motor control signal, the timer inside the PLC controller will start synchronously from the time the motor control signal is interrupted. During the preset time period, the PLC controller will continue to monitor whether there is a new motor control signal incoming. If a new motor control signal is received within the preset time period, the target motor can still continue to operate stably.

[0088] In this embodiment, by setting a preset time period, when the stacker is in maintenance mode, even if the motor control signal is occasionally interrupted for a very short time due to communication failure or the like, as long as the interruption time does not exceed the preset time period, the PLC controller will still maintain the operating state of the motor, thereby improving the continuity and stability of the maintenance personnel's operation.

[0089] In one embodiment, Figure 6 As shown, the task signal includes a movement signal, and S320 includes:

[0090] S321, when the task signal is a movement signal, the movement signal is analyzed to determine the target coordinates, movement path, and target height of the cargo platform of the stacker.

[0091] S322, controlling the stacker to move horizontally to the target coordinates according to the motion path.

[0092] S323, controlling the cargo platform of the stacker to vertically rise and fall to a target height.

[0093] Specifically, when the task signal is a moving signal, the PLC controller will parse the moving signal according to the preset decoding rules, and extract important information such as the target coordinates of the stacker, the motion path, and the target height of the cargo platform, where the target coordinates refer to the position where the stacker needs to arrive at in the end. In a stereoscopic warehouse environment, the positioning can be performed using the dimensions of the rows, columns, and layers of the shelves. For example, the information carried by the moving signal can be represented by a string of data, and the PLC controller identifies some of the bits representing the horizontal coordinate values ​​of the target coordinates, some of the bits representing the vertical coordinate values, and specific bits representing the node coordinate sequence of the motion path and the value of the target height of the cargo platform according to the pre-set decoding rules. Then, according to the analyzed target coordinates, motion path, and the target height of the cargo platform of the stacker, the stacker is controlled to move horizontally to the target coordinates according to the motion path, and the cargo platform of the stacker is controlled to rise and fall vertically to the target height.

[0094] Exemplarily, the PLC controller controls the stacker's traveling mechanism to move horizontally along the track according to the motion path, wherein the traveling mechanism is composed of a traveling motor, transmission components (such as gears, chains, synchronous belts, etc.) and traveling wheels, etc., and is used to drive the stacker to move horizontally on the preset track to reach different cargo positions. For example, the PLC controller sends a control signal to the traveling motor driver of the traveling mechanism, and the traveling drive motor starts at a predetermined speed and acceleration, driving the stacker to move horizontally along the shelf lane to the row position of the target shelf. During the movement process, the stacker can also use a positioning device (such as a laser ranging sensor, an encoder, etc.) to monitor its own position deviation in real time, and the PLC controller adjusts the traveling drive motor according to the position deviation.

[0095] After the stacker reaches the target coordinates, the PLC controller will control the stacker's lifting mechanism to drive the cargo platform to lift vertically, where the lifting mechanism includes components such as lifting motors, drums, wire ropes (or other forms such as hydraulic push rods), and guide devices. For example, when the stacker moves horizontally to the target coordinate position, the PLC controller will send a control command to the lifting mechanism, and the driver will adjust the operating parameters of the lifting motor in the lifting mechanism according to the command, so that the motor drives the drum to rotate, and the cargo platform is pulled by the wire rope to perform vertical lifting and lowering along the guide rail, so as to achieve the storage and retrieval of materials at different height levels.

[0096] In this embodiment, after receiving the movement signal, the PLC controller can orderly complete a series of operations including analyzing the signal, controlling the horizontal movement of the stacker, and controlling the vertical movement of the stacker's loading platform, thereby achieving efficient, precise and safe material handling and warehousing tasks and improving the working efficiency of the stacker.

[0097] In one embodiment, Figure 7 As shown, the task signal includes a storage entry and exit signal, and S320 includes:

[0098] S324, when the task signal is a storage in / out signal, the storage in / out signal is analyzed to determine the target material that needs to be stored in / out, and the fork of the stacker is controlled to be extended and retracted to take out or store the target material from the shelf.

[0099] Similarly, after receiving the in-and-out signal, the PLC controller also needs to parse the in-warehouse signal to obtain the identification of the target material that needs to be in or out of the warehouse. It can also parse the specific location information of the shelf where the target material is located, and the identification information of whether the operation is in-warehouse or out-warehouse.

[0100] Furthermore, the PLC controller can determine the target materials that need to be in and out of the warehouse, the specific location of the target materials, and whether the operation is out of the warehouse or in the warehouse based on the analysis results. Exemplarily, the PLC controller controls the stacker to accurately reach the location of the target material through horizontal movement and vertical lifting and other actions, and then controls the stacker's fork telescopic mechanism to perform telescopic operations, wherein the stacker's fork telescopic mechanism is a direct execution component for taking out or storing materials on the shelf, and is mainly composed of a fork motor, a transmission chain or a screw nut and other transmission components and a fork body. For example, the fork telescopic mechanism is controlled to drive the fork to extend and insert into the bottom of the target material, and then lift the target material onto the shelf, or pull the target material onto the loading platform, and the fork telescopic mechanism then drives the fork to retract.

[0101] In this embodiment, the fork extension and retraction operation works in coordination with the horizontal travel mechanism and vertical lifting mechanism of the stacker. The stacker must accurately move the cargo platform and the fork to the shelf position where the target material is located through horizontal travel and vertical lifting, align the fork with the material, and then perform the fork extension and retraction operation. The precise timing and action sequence coordination between the various mechanisms of the stacker enables the material picking and placing operations to be completed efficiently, thereby improving the work efficiency of the stacker.

[0102] In one embodiment, Figure 8 As shown, the stacker control method also includes:

[0103] S340, when the working mode is the maintenance mode, monitor the motor load of the stacker, and when the motor load is greater than a preset motor load threshold, push a motor overload signal to the touch display device.

[0104] Specifically, when the stacker is in maintenance mode, if the motor is overloaded, it may cause damage to the stacker and threaten the safety of the operator. For example, when the motor of the stacker is overloaded for a long time, the winding inside the motor will generate too much heat due to the excessive current, which will cause a short circuit fault in the motor, making the motor unable to work normally and affecting the working efficiency of the stacker.

[0105] Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the motor load of the stacker in real time. For example, a current sensor is installed on the power supply line of the motor of the stacker, which can monitor the current size of the motor in real time when it is running. The motor load is determined by analyzing the current size. When the current exceeds the set overload current threshold, the PLC controller will determine that the motor load is greater than the preset motor load threshold and the motor is in an overload state. Once the PLC controller detects an overload, it will immediately cut off the power supply of the motor to stop the motor from running, and push the overload alarm prompt information to the touch display device to inform the operator that the stacker has an overload problem so that timely countermeasures can be taken.

[0106] In addition to overload protection, the PLC controller can also perform collision monitoring on the stacker. Specifically, when the stacker is operating in a stereoscopic warehouse, it usually needs to shuttle in narrow shelf aisles and move between different work areas. If a collision occurs, whether it is a collision with a shelf, other stackers or surrounding fixed facilities, it may cause damage to the stacker and may also cause safety accidents such as material falling. Positioning devices, such as lidar sensors and ultrasonic sensors, are deployed on the stacker. When the stacker travels along the aisle and approaches the shelf, the positioning device can monitor the distance change between the stacker and the shelf in real time. Once the distance is less than the set safety distance threshold, the PLC controller will determine that the stacker may be at risk of collision and push an alarm signal to the touch display device.

[0107] In this embodiment, through the overload protection mechanism and the collision monitoring mechanism, the stacker can effectively prevent and respond to possible dangerous situations such as overload and collision in a complex storage environment, thereby improving the integrity of the stacker itself and the safety of the operator and the surrounding environment, and improving the working efficiency of the stacker.

[0108] In one embodiment, Fig. 9 As shown, the stacker control method also includes:

[0109] S350, when the working mode is the maintenance mode, monitoring the moving speed of the stacker, and when the moving speed exceeds a preset moving speed threshold, sending a speed abnormality signal to the touch display device.

[0110] Specifically, for the horizontal walking mechanism of the stacker, an encoder or other speed sensor deployed on the stacker can be used to monitor its moving speed. For example, the encoder is connected to the shaft of the walking motor or the transmission component of the walking wheel to convert the rotational motion of the walking mechanism into an electrical signal output. The PLC controller can monitor the moving speed of the stacker based on the electrical signal output by the encoder.

[0111] When the PLC controller recognizes that the stacker's moving speed exceeds the preset moving speed threshold, it will determine that the stacker's moving speed is abnormal. Subsequently, the PLC controller immediately generates a speed abnormality signal and pushes the signal to the touch display device through the corresponding communication interface. At the same time, in order to further enhance the reminder effect, the PLC controller can also trigger a sound alarm, such as a continuous beep or voice prompt, so that maintenance personnel can promptly find the cause of the speed abnormality and take corresponding maintenance measures.

[0112] In this embodiment, through the moving speed monitoring mechanism and the abnormal signal push mechanism, the moving speed can be effectively controlled in the stacker maintenance mode, reducing the safety hazards caused by abnormal moving speed, and improving the stability and reliability of the stacker during the maintenance process.

[0113] In order to make a clearer description of the stacker control method in this application, the following is combined with the attached Fig.10 and one A detailed embodiment is provided to explain the invention, and the detailed embodiment comprises the following steps:

[0114] S401, receiving a mode selection signal sent by a touch display device, and determining an operating mode of the stacker according to the mode selection signal.

[0115] S402, when the working mode is the maintenance mode, receiving a motor control signal sent by the touch display device, determining a target motor for controlling the operation of an axis corresponding to the axis identifier in the stacker, and controlling the target motor to operate at a preset speed.

[0116] S403, when a motor control signal is received and no motor control signal is received after a preset time period, controlling the target motor to stop running.

[0117] S404, monitoring the motor load of the stacker, and when the motor load is greater than a preset motor load threshold, sending a motor overload signal to the touch display device.

[0118] S405, monitoring the moving speed of the stacker, and when the moving speed exceeds a preset moving speed threshold, sending a speed abnormality signal to the touch display device.

[0119] S406, when the working mode is the semi-automatic mode, receiving the task signal sent by the touch display device, and when the task signal is a movement signal, parsing the movement signal, determining the target coordinates, the motion path, and the target height of the stacker's cargo platform, controlling the stacker to move horizontally to the target coordinates according to the motion path, and controlling the stacker's cargo platform to rise and fall vertically to the target height.

[0120] S407, when the task signal is a storage in / out signal, the storage in / out signal is analyzed to determine the target material that needs to be stored in / out, and the fork of the stacker is controlled to be extended and retracted to take out or store the target material from the shelf.

[0121] It should be understood that, although the various steps in the flowcharts involved in the above-mentioned embodiments are displayed in sequence according to the indication of the arrows, these steps are not necessarily executed in sequence according to the order indicated by the arrows. Unless there is a clear explanation in this article, the execution of these steps does not have a strict order restriction, and these steps can be executed in other orders. Moreover, at least a part of the steps in the flowcharts involved in the above-mentioned embodiments can include multiple steps or multiple stages, and these steps or stages are not necessarily executed at the same time, but can be executed at different times, and the execution order of these steps or stages is not necessarily to be carried out in sequence, but can be executed in turn or alternately with other steps or at least a part of the steps or stages in other steps.

[0122] The present application also provides a stacking device 200, such as Fig.11 As shown, the stacking equipment 200 includes a stacker 210, a controller 220 and a touch display device 230. The touch display device 230 is arranged on the stacker 210. The touch display device 230 is communicatively connected with the controller 220. The controller 220 is communicatively connected with the stacker 210. The controller 220 is used to execute the stacker control method of any one of the above embodiments.

[0123] Among them, the stacker 210 is the core executive component of the stacking equipment, and is responsible for the actual operations such as material storage, retrieval, and transportation in the three-dimensional warehouse. The stacker 210 has multiple motion mechanisms. For example, the horizontal walking mechanism allows it to move between shelf aisles, the vertical lifting mechanism is responsible for the lifting and lowering of the cargo platform between different shelf layers, and the fork telescopic mechanism is used to grab and place materials. These mechanisms work together to achieve efficient flow of materials in the warehouse.

[0124] The controller 220 receives the signal from the touch display device 230, and sends corresponding control instructions to the stacker 210 according to the preset control logic and algorithm, so as to control the stacker to accurately perform various tasks. At the same time, the controller 220 can also monitor the operating status of the stacker 210 in real time, and collect information such as position, moving speed, motor load, etc.

[0125] The touch display device 230 is arranged on the stacker 210 and can be a touch screen for local human-computer interaction. The operator can directly select the working mode of the stacker 210, issue instructions, and perform other operations such as the stacker 210 by touching icons, buttons, and other elements on the screen. The touch display device 230 can also display important information such as the working status and fault prompts of the stacker 210 in real time.

[0126] It should be noted that the stacker control method implemented by the stacking device 200 in this embodiment has been described in detail in the above method embodiment and will not be repeated here.

[0127] In one embodiment, the controller 220 is a PLC controller.

[0128] Among them, the PLC controller has a positioning function and an encoder interface, and can perform closed-loop control. After the touch screen sends a control signal to the PLC controller, the PLC controller can communicate with the frequency converter via PROFINET to control the stacker 210 to perform the operation corresponding to the control signal, such as controlling the stacker 210 to start and stop at low speed.

[0129] In one embodiment, Fig.12 As shown, the stacker 210 includes a traveling mechanism 211 , a lifting mechanism 212 , and a fork telescopic mechanism 213 connected to a controller 220 .

[0130] Among them, the walking mechanism 211 can include a walking motor, transmission components (such as gears, chains or synchronous belts, etc.) and walking wheels. The controller 220 will output appropriate control signals to the driver of the walking motor according to the pre-set program and the received task-related signals (such as target coordinates, motion path information, etc.), and adjust the motor's speed, direction and other parameters. The driver of the walking motor changes the voltage, current or frequency supplied to the motor according to these signals, thereby driving the walking wheels to rotate, so that the stacker 210 can move accurately in the horizontal direction along the track according to the planned path, and go to the target shelf position to perform operations such as material storage and retrieval.

[0131] The lifting mechanism 212 is responsible for the vertical lifting of the cargo platform of the stacker 210, and may be composed of a lifting motor, a reel, a steel wire rope (or other forms such as a hydraulic push rod), and a guide device. When the controller 220 receives a corresponding control instruction, for example, when performing a material picking and placing task and the cargo platform needs to be lifted to the height corresponding to the shelf layer where the target material is located, the controller 220 sends a signal to the driver of the lifting motor, and the driver drives the motor to operate, and the motor drives the reel to rotate, and the cargo platform is pulled by the steel wire rope to perform vertical lifting and lowering motion along the guide rail.

[0132] The fork extension mechanism 213 is used to realize the grabbing and placing of materials, and can be composed of a fork motor, a transmission component such as a transmission chain or a screw nut, and a fork body. After receiving the command of the controller 220, for example, when the target material position is determined during the storage and retrieval task, and the material needs to be taken out or stored, the driver of the fork motor will adjust the motor operation according to the command of the controller 220, and drive the fork to extend or retract along the track through the transmission component.

[0133] In one embodiment, Fig.12 As shown, the stacking device 200 further includes a positioning device 240 connected to the controller 220 .

[0134] Among them, the positioning device 240 can be used to monitor whether the stacker 210 moves accurately to the target position. Specifically, the positioning device 240 collects the real-time position information of the stacker 210 in real time, and sends the real-time position information to the controller 220. The controller 220 compares the real-time position information with the preset target coordinates, movement path, etc. Once a deviation is found, the controller 22 can adjust the control instructions of the corresponding mechanism in time.

[0135] In one embodiment, the positioning device 340 is a laser positioner.

[0136] Specifically, the laser locator is a high-precision positioning device that uses the characteristics of lasers to accurately measure the position of the stacker 210 in the stereoscopic warehouse. For example, the laser locator emits a laser beam, which is reflected back after irradiating a specific reflective target (such as a reflective plate installed at a shelf or a fixed position in the warehouse). The laser locator calculates the position coordinates of the stacker 210 relative to the reference point by detecting information such as the flight time, phase change, or angle of the reflected light of the laser. For example, by measuring the time difference from the laser emission to the reflection back, combined with the speed of light, the distance from the laser locator to the reflective target can be calculated, and then the accurate position of the stacker 210 can be determined.

[0137] Based on the same inventive concept, the embodiment of the present application also provides a stacker control device for implementing the stacker control method involved above. The implementation scheme for solving the problem provided by the device is similar to the implementation scheme recorded in the above method, so the specific limitations in one or more stacker control device embodiments provided below can refer to the limitations of the stacker control method above, and will not be repeated here.

[0138] In an exemplary embodiment, Fig.13 As shown, a stacker control device 600 is provided, comprising: a signal receiving module 610, a mode determination module 620 and a control module 630, wherein:

[0139] The signal receiving module 610 is used to receive a mode selection signal sent by a touch display device, where the touch display device is disposed in the stacker. The mode selection signal is a signal generated by the touch display device in response to a user's touch operation.

[0140] The mode determination module 620 is used to determine the working mode of the stacker according to the mode selection signal.

[0141] The control module 630 is used to control the stacker to operate in the working mode.

[0142] In an exemplary embodiment, the working mode includes a maintenance mode and a semi-automatic mode. The control module 630 is used to receive a motor control signal sent by the touch display device to control the motor of the stacker to operate at a preset speed when the working mode is the maintenance mode, and the preset speed is lower than the speed of the motor when the stacker operates normally. When the working mode is the semi-automatic mode, the control module 630 is used to receive a task signal sent by the touch display device to control the stacker to perform the task corresponding to the task signal.

[0143] In an exemplary embodiment, the motor control signal carries an axis identifier of the stacker, and the control module 630 is used to determine a target motor in the stacker for controlling the operation of the axis corresponding to the axis identifier, and control the target motor to operate at a preset speed.

[0144] In an exemplary embodiment, the motor control signal is a continuous signal, and the control module 630 is used to control the target motor to stop running when the motor control signal is received and no motor control signal is received after a preset time period.

[0145] In an exemplary embodiment, the task signal includes a movement signal, and the control module 630 is used to parse the movement signal when the task signal is a movement signal, determine the target coordinates, motion path, and target height of the stacker's cargo platform, control the stacker to move horizontally to the target coordinates according to the motion path, and control the stacker's cargo platform to rise and fall vertically to the target height.

[0146] In an exemplary embodiment, the task signal includes an in-and-out warehouse signal. The control module 630 is used to analyze the in-and-out warehouse signal when the task signal is an in-and-out warehouse signal, determine the target material that needs to be in-and-out warehoused, control the extension and retraction of the stacker's fork, and take out or store the target material from the shelf.

[0147] In an exemplary embodiment, the stacker control device 600 is also used to monitor the motor load of the stacker when the working mode is the maintenance mode, and push a motor overload signal to the touch display device when the motor load is greater than a preset motor load threshold.

[0148] In an exemplary embodiment, the stacker control device 600 is also used to monitor the moving speed of the stacker when the working mode is the maintenance mode, and push a speed abnormality signal to the touch display device when the moving speed exceeds a preset moving speed threshold.

[0149] Each module in the stacker control device can be implemented in whole or in part by software, hardware or a combination thereof. Each module can be embedded in or independent of a processor in a computer device in the form of hardware, or can be stored in a memory in a computer device in the form of software, so that the processor can call and execute operations corresponding to each module.

[0150] In an exemplary embodiment, a computer device is provided. The computer device may be a server, and its internal structure diagram may be as shown in FIG. Fig.14 As shown. The computer device includes a processor, a memory, an input / output interface (Input / Output, referred to as I / O) and a communication interface. Among them, the processor, the memory and the input / output interface are connected through a system bus, and the communication interface is connected to the system bus through the input / output interface. Among them, the processor of the computer device is used to provide computing and control capabilities. The memory of the computer device includes a non-volatile storage medium and an internal memory. The non-volatile storage medium stores an operating system, a computer program and a database. The internal memory provides an environment for the operation of the operating system and the computer program in the non-volatile storage medium. The database of the computer device is used to store data. The input / output interface of the computer device is used to exchange information between the processor and an external device. The communication interface of the computer device is used to communicate with an external terminal through a network connection. When the computer program is executed by the processor, a stacker control method is implemented.

[0151] Those skilled in the art will understand that Fig.14 The structure shown in the figure is only a block diagram of a part of the structure related to the solution of the present application, and does not constitute a limitation on the computer device to which the solution of the present application is applied. The specific computer device may include more or fewer components than those shown in the figure, or combine certain components, or have a different arrangement of components.

[0152] In an exemplary embodiment, a computer device is provided, including a memory and a processor, wherein a computer program is stored in the memory, and the processor implements the steps in the above-mentioned stacker control method embodiment when executing the computer program.

[0153] In one embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is executed by a processor, the steps in the above-mentioned stacker control method embodiment are implemented.

[0154] In one embodiment, a computer program product is provided, comprising a computer program, which implements the steps in the above-mentioned stacker control method embodiment when executed by a processor.

[0155] It should be noted that the user information (including but not limited to user device information, user personal information, etc.) and data (including but not limited to data used for analysis, stored data, displayed data, etc.) involved in this application are all information and data authorized by the user or fully authorized by all parties, and the collection, use and processing of relevant data must comply with relevant regulations.

[0156] A person of ordinary skill in the art can understand that all or part of the processes in the above-mentioned embodiment method can be completed by instructing the relevant hardware through a computer program, and the computer program can be stored in a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium. When the computer program is executed, it can include the processes of the embodiments of the above-mentioned methods. Among them, any reference to the memory, database or other medium used in the embodiments provided in the present application can include at least one of non-volatile memory and volatile memory. Non-volatile memory can include read-only memory (ROM), magnetic tape, floppy disk, flash memory, optical memory, high-density embedded non-volatile memory, resistive random access memory (ReRAM), magnetic random access memory (MRAM), ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM), phase change memory (PCM), graphene memory, etc. Volatile memory can include random access memory (RAM) or external cache memory, etc. As an illustration and not limitation, RAM can be in various forms, such as static random access memory (SRAM) or dynamic random access memory (DRAM). The database involved in each embodiment provided in this application may include at least one of a relational database and a non-relational database. Non-relational databases may include distributed databases based on blockchains, etc., but are not limited to this. The processor involved in each embodiment provided in this application may be a general-purpose processor, a central processing unit, a graphics processor, a digital signal processor, a programmable logic device, a data processing logic device based on quantum computing, an artificial intelligence (AI) processor, etc., but are not limited to this.

[0157] The technical features of the above embodiments may be combined arbitrarily. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this application.

[0158] The above-described embodiments only express several implementation methods of the present application, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the present application. It should be pointed out that, for a person of ordinary skill in the art, several variations and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present application, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the attached claims.

Claims

1. A stacker control method, characterized in that: The method comprises: receiving a mode selection signal sent by a touch display device; the touch display device is disposed in a stacker, and the mode selection signal is a signal generated by the touch display device in response to a user's touch operation; determining the working mode of the stacker according to the mode selection signal; The stacker is controlled to operate in the operating mode.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The working mode includes a maintenance mode and a semi-automatic mode, and the controlling the stacker to work in the working mode includes: When the working mode is the maintenance mode, a motor control signal sent by the touch display device is received to control the motor of the stacker to operate at a preset speed; the preset speed is lower than the speed of the motor when the stacker operates normally; When the working mode is the semi-automatic mode, a task signal sent by a touch display device is received, and the stacker is controlled to execute a task corresponding to the task signal.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The motor control signal carries the axis identification of the stacker, and the motor of the stacker is controlled to run at a preset speed, including: A target motor in the stacker for controlling the operation of the axis corresponding to the axis identifier is determined, and the target motor is controlled to operate at a preset speed.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The motor control signal is a continuous signal, and the method further includes: When the motor control signal is received and the motor control signal is not received after a preset period of time, the target motor is controlled to stop running.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The task signal includes a movement signal, and the controlling the stacker to perform the task corresponding to the task signal includes: In the case where the task signal is a movement signal, analyzing the movement signal to determine the target coordinates, the movement path, and the target height of the cargo platform of the stacker; Controlling the stacker to move horizontally to the target coordinates according to the motion path; The cargo platform of the stacker is controlled to vertically rise and fall to the target height.

6. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The task signal includes a storage entry and exit signal, and the controlling the stacker to perform the task corresponding to the task signal includes: In the case where the task signal is a storage in / out signal, analyzing the storage in / out signal to determine the target material that needs to be stored in / out; The fork of the stacker is controlled to extend and retract to take out or store the target material from the shelf.

7. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that: The method further comprises: When the working mode is the maintenance mode, monitoring the motor load of the stacker; When the motor load is greater than a preset motor load threshold, a motor overload signal is pushed to the touch display device.

8. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that: The method further comprises: When the working mode is the maintenance mode, monitoring the moving speed of the stacker; When the moving speed exceeds a preset moving speed threshold, a speed abnormality signal is pushed to the touch display device.

9. A stacker control device, characterized in that: The device comprises: A signal receiving module, used for receiving a mode selection signal sent by a touch display device; the touch display device is arranged in the stacker, and the mode selection signal is a signal generated by the touch display device in response to a touch operation of a user; A mode determination module, used for determining the working mode of the stacker according to the mode selection signal; The control module is used to control the stacker to operate in a working mode.

10. A stacking device, characterized in that: The stacking equipment includes a stacker, a controller and a touch display device, the touch display device is arranged on the stacker, the touch display device is communicatively connected to the controller, the controller is communicatively connected to the stacker, and the controller is used to execute the stacker control method described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

11. The stacking device according to claim 10, characterized in that: The controller is a PLC controller.

12. The stacking device according to claim 10, characterized in that: The stacker comprises a traveling mechanism, a lifting mechanism and a fork telescopic mechanism connected to the controller.

13. The stacking device according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that: The stacking equipment also includes a positioning device connected to the controller.

14. The stacking device according to claim 13, characterized in that: The positioning device is a laser locator.

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