An AGV and a material storing and taking method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses an AGV trolley and a material storing and taking method thereof. The AGV trolley comprises a moving trolley body, a driving mechanism and a fork taking mechanism. The driving mechanism is arranged in the moving trolley body, and the fork taking mechanism is rotatably connected to the top of the moving trolley body. The driving mechanism is connected with the fork taking mechanism and is used for driving the fork taking mechanism to move forward and descend to the front side of the moving trolley body or to move backward and ascend to the top of the moving trolley body. A controller, a visual module and a goods shelf connector are arranged on the moving trolley body. The controller is used for controlling the movement of the moving trolley body and controlling the driving mechanism to drive the fork taking mechanism to move. The visual module is used for identifying and positioning the material to be forked. The goods shelf connector is used for being communicatively connected with a communication sensor on a goods shelf so as to communicatively connect the AGV trolley with a goods location management system to which the goods shelf belongs. The fork taking mechanism can realize stable material transportation, and can realize the accuracy of material storing and taking statistics in cooperation with the goods location management system of the goods shelf.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automated warehouse management technology, and in particular to an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) and its material storage and retrieval method. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of the logistics industry, diverse demands have emerged in various aspects of logistics. AGV, short for Automated Guided Vehicle, is widely used in automated logistics warehousing. AGVs are increasingly being used to replace or supplement manual labor.

[0003] Currently, in the use of AGVs for material storage and retrieval, the stability of material transportation and the accuracy of material storage and retrieval statistics have always been two key areas for development.

[0004] On the one hand, when current AGVs perform material transportation, they first use the front forks of the AGV to reach into the pallet opening at the bottom of the material tray to pick it up. After picking up the material, it is directly transported from the front of the AGV. During transportation, because the stability of the material is maintained only by the front forks, there is a certain risk of it falling. Furthermore, when picking up material trays, because the front forks of existing AGVs have wheels at the bottom, when the front forks are inserted into the pallet opening of the grid-shaped pallet placed on the ground, the wheels at the bottom of the forks prevent the forks from being very close to the ground for picking up the material. Therefore, it is easy to hit the middle crossbeam of the grid-shaped pallet during picking up the material, which often leads to picking problems when picking up grid-shaped pallets and makes the transportation process unsafe. Therefore, existing AGVs are generally limited to picking up and transporting grid-shaped pallets.

[0005] On the other hand, current AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) operations are typically used for material retrieval on warehouse shelves. AGVs, under program control, can reach the target shelf and retrieve materials, enabling the transfer of materials from other locations to the target shelf or vice versa. While this transfer process is automated, it relies on control commands issued by back-end personnel at the control console. These commands must clearly specify the target shelf and shelf for retrieving or storing materials. To issue these commands, back-end personnel need to query and select the shelf status in the storage management system to ensure the AGVs do not make mistakes during transport. However, in this system where back-end personnel issue retrieval tasks, the selection of the target shelf and shelf cannot be completely separated from human judgment, thus still carrying the risk of material retrieval errors. These errors can also lead to inaccuracies in the shelf and shelf retrieval statistics within the storage management system. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) and its material storage and retrieval method, aiming to solve the problem that there is still room for improvement in the stability of material transportation and the accuracy of material storage and retrieval in the existing AGV operation.

[0007] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) vehicle, comprising: a mobile vehicle body, a drive mechanism, and a forking mechanism; the drive mechanism is disposed inside the mobile vehicle body, the forking mechanism is rotatably connected to the top of the mobile vehicle body, the drive mechanism is connected to the forking mechanism and is used to drive the forking mechanism to move forward and descend to the front side of the mobile vehicle body or move backward and rise to the top of the mobile vehicle body.

[0008] The mobile vehicle is equipped with a controller, a vision module, and a shelf connector. The controller controls the movement of the mobile vehicle and the drive mechanism to drive the forklift mechanism. The vision module identifies and locates the materials to be picked up and stored. The shelf connector communicates with the storage management system to which the shelf belongs.

[0009] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention provide a material storage and retrieval method for an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle), comprising:

[0010] When a storage instruction carrying material information is received, the AGV is controlled to move to the material picking coordinates, and the picking position of the material to be stored is located through the vision module.

[0011] According to the fork position, the fork mechanism is controlled to move forward and descend to perform fork picking, and after fork picking, it moves backward and rises to the top of the moving vehicle body;

[0012] Based on the material information, the target shelf and required storage specifications of the material to be stored are matched in the preset material storage standard table.

[0013] Obtain the inlet and outlet coordinates of the target shelf, and control the mobile vehicle to move to the inlet coordinates;

[0014] The AGV is triggered at the inlet coordinates by the rack connector, enabling it to communicate with the storage management system of the target rack. After the connection is established, it sends a storage request to the storage management system. After the request is approved, it receives a storage execution task from the storage management system and controls the AGV to move to an idle storage cell that meets the storage requirements provided in the storage execution task. The AGV then controls the forklift mechanism to store the material to be stored in the idle storage cell. After storage is completed, the AGV leaves via the exit coordinates.

[0015] The identification module on the target shelf identifies the AGV that leaves through the exit coordinates. When the AGV performing the storage task is identified and the loading status is empty, the storage is confirmed to be complete and the storage status in the storage management system is updated.

[0016] This invention discloses an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) and its material storage and retrieval method. The AGV includes a mobile body, a drive mechanism, and a forklift mechanism. The drive mechanism is located inside the mobile body, and the forklift mechanism is rotatably connected to the top of the mobile body. The drive mechanism is connected to the forklift mechanism and drives it to move forward and descend to the front of the mobile body or move backward and rise to the top of the mobile body. The mobile body is equipped with a controller, a vision module, and a rack connector. The controller controls the movement of the mobile body and the drive mechanism to drive the forklift mechanism. The vision module identifies and locates the materials to be stored. The rack connector communicates with a communication sensor on the rack, enabling the AGV to communicate with the rack's location management system. The forklift mechanism of this invention can achieve stable material transportation and, in conjunction with the rack's location management system, ensure accurate material storage and retrieval statistics. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the following description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of the AGV trolley in its fully retracted state, as provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the AGV cart in a semi-deployed state provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified structural diagram of part A in the middle;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a structural schematic diagram of the AGV vehicle in its fully deployed state, as provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the material storage and retrieval method for an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a sub-process of the material storage and retrieval method for an AGV provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 7This is another sub-process diagram of the material storage and retrieval method for AGV vehicles provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 8 This is another sub-process diagram of the material storage and retrieval method for AGV vehicles provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 9 This is another sub-process diagram of the material storage and retrieval method for AGV vehicles provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 10 This is another sub-process diagram of the material storage and retrieval method for AGV vehicles provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Instruction manual drawing reference numerals:

[0029] 1. Moving vehicle body; 2. Drive mechanism; 21. Motor; 22. Lead screw; 23. Sliding plate; 24. Rack; 3. Fork-taking mechanism; 31. Swing arm; 311. First gear shaft; 312. Second gear shaft; 313. Third gear shaft; 32. Front fork. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] It should be understood that, when used in this specification and the appended claims, the terms "comprising" and "including" indicate the presence of the described features, integrals, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components and / or collections thereof.

[0032] It should also be understood that the terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0033] It should also be further understood that the term "and / or" as used in this specification and the appended claims refers to any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes such combinations.

[0034] Please see Figure 1-4The present invention discloses an AGV trolley, comprising: a mobile body 1, a drive mechanism 2, and a forklift mechanism 3; the drive mechanism 2 is disposed inside the mobile body 1, the forklift mechanism 3 is rotatably connected to the top of the mobile body 1, the drive mechanism 2 is connected to the forklift mechanism 3 and is used to drive the forklift mechanism 3 to move forward and descend to the front side of the mobile body 1 or move backward and rise to the top of the mobile body 1.

[0035] The mobile vehicle body 1 is equipped with a controller, a vision module, and a shelf connector. The controller is used to control the movement of the mobile vehicle body 1 and to control the drive mechanism 2 to drive the forklift mechanism 3. The vision module is used to identify and locate the materials to be forked and stored. The shelf connector is used to communicate with the communication sensors on the shelf so that the AGV can communicate with the storage management system to which the shelf belongs.

[0036] In this embodiment, the controller controls the AGV to perform functions such as movement, picking up, and communication connection. In particular, this embodiment improves the picking and transportation method of the picking mechanism 3. The driving mechanism 2 can drive the picking mechanism 3 to move forward and descend to the front of the mobile vehicle body 1, so as to be fully unfolded and pick up the material. After picking up, the driving mechanism 3 moves backward and rises to the top of the mobile vehicle body 1, so that the material remains stable during transportation.

[0037] Currently, the pallets used for storing materials mainly include three-section pallets and two-section pallets. Three-section pallets have three crossbeams at the bottom, and the forklift mechanism 3 can stably lift the pallet by placing it between the two crossbeams. However, two-section pallets have crossbeams at the bottom, making it difficult for the forklift mechanism 3 to maintain stability after lifting the pallet. Therefore, this embodiment optimizes the lifting and transportation method of the forklift mechanism 3. In this embodiment, the movement of the forklift mechanism 3 is driven by the drive mechanism 2 throughout the entire process, eliminating the need for wheels at the bottom. For two-section pallets placed on the ground, the forklift mechanism 3 can be driven forward and lowered to the front of the mobile vehicle 1, where it can be lifted very close to the ground. During lifting, it will not hit the crossbeams of the two-section pallet, thus achieving a stable lifting effect. After lifting, it moves backward and rises to the top of the mobile vehicle 1, where the top of the mobile vehicle 1 supports the two-section pallet, ensuring its stability during transportation.

[0038] When the AGV trolley stores the transported materials on the shelf, it communicates with the communication sensor on the shelf through the shelf connector, so that the AGV trolley can communicate with the storage management system of the shelf. This enables accurate material storage and retrieval statistics to be achieved in conjunction with the storage management system of the shelf each time it is stored or retrieved.

[0039] The fork-taking mechanism 3 of the present invention will be described in detail below:

[0040] In one embodiment, the fork-taking mechanism 3 includes two swing arms 31 and a front fork 32; the two swing arms 31 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the top of the mobile vehicle body 1, and the drive mechanism 2 is connected to one end of the two swing arms 31 and is used to drive the two swing arms 31 to swing; the two sides of the front fork 32 are respectively connected to the other ends of the two swing arms 31.

[0041] When the drive mechanism 2 drives the two swing arms 31 to swing, the front fork 32 moves forward and down or backward and up, and the front fork 32 remains parallel to the horizontal plane when it moves.

[0042] In this embodiment, when the two swing arms 31 are driven forward by the drive mechanism 2, the connecting fork 32 moves forward and descends to the front side of the moving vehicle body 1. When the two swing arms 31 are driven backward, the connecting fork 32 moves backward and rises to the top of the moving vehicle body 1, thereby realizing the unfolding (i.e., forward descent) and retraction (i.e., backward rise) of the fork-taking mechanism 3.

[0043] To ensure the stability of the material after it is picked up, the front fork 32 includes a U-shaped part and two forks. The two sides of the U-shaped part are crank arms that are inclined towards the front of the moving vehicle body 1. The two crank arms of the U-shaped part are connected to two swing arms 31 respectively. The two forks are set on the U-shaped part and extend forward. The material is picked up by inserting the two forks into the slots of the pallet. The picked-up material is located between the two crank arms. The two crank arms can protect the material for stability. The swing arms 31 drive the front fork 32 to move backward and rise to the top of the moving vehicle body 1. The material is then supported by the top of the moving vehicle body 1. In this way, the entire process of picking up and transporting materials can have very good stability.

[0044] It should be noted that during the movement of the front fork 32 driven by the two swing arms 31, it is also necessary to ensure that the front fork 32 remains parallel to the horizontal plane to ensure the balance of the material. To this end, in this embodiment, a first gear shaft 311 is fixedly provided at one end of the swing arm 31, and a second gear shaft 312 and a third gear shaft 313 are rotatably provided at the other end of the swing arm 31. A transmission chain (not shown in the figure) is sleeved on the first gear shaft 311 and the second gear shaft 312. The second gear shaft 312 and the third gear shaft 313 are meshed together. The two sides of the front fork 32 are fixedly connected to the two third gear shafts 313 respectively. The drive mechanism 2 is meshed with the first gear shaft 311. In this way, during the process of the swing arms 31 driving the front fork 32 to move forward and down or backward and up, the rotation generated by the front fork 32 when moving forward and backward is counteracted by the cooperation of the first gear shaft 311, the second gear shaft 312, the third gear shaft 313 and the transmission chain, so that the front fork 32 can remain parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0045] Specifically, with Figure 2Taking a specific perspective as an example, during the forward movement and descent of the front fork 32, the drive mechanism 2 drives the first gear shaft 311 to rotate counterclockwise. Simultaneously, the swing arm 31 rotates counterclockwise. At the same time, the first gear shaft 311, via a transmission chain, drives the second gear shaft 312 to rotate counterclockwise, which in turn drives the third gear shaft 313 to rotate clockwise. This causes the front fork 32 to rotate clockwise and move forward and descend. In other words, the swing arm 31 rotates counterclockwise while the front fork 32 rotates clockwise in a synchronous counter-clockwise direction, thus counteracting the rotation generated during the forward movement and descent of the front fork 32, allowing it to remain parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0046] Similarly, during the process of driving the front fork 32 to move backward and rise, the swing arm 31 rotates clockwise while the front fork 32 rotates counterclockwise in a synchronous opposite direction, thereby counteracting the rotation generated when the front fork 32 moves backward and rises, so that the front fork 32 can remain parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0047] It should be noted that the axial directions of the first gear shaft 311, the second gear shaft 312, and the third gear shaft 313 are parallel. The first gear shaft 311 and the second gear shaft 312 are each provided with at least two rings of gears. One ring of gear on the first gear shaft 311 is used to mesh with the drive mechanism 2. The other ring of gear on the first gear shaft 311 is fitted with a transmission chain to one ring of gear on the second gear shaft 312. The other ring of gear on the second gear shaft 312 is meshed with the third gear shaft 313.

[0048] In one embodiment, the drive mechanism 2 includes a motor 21, a lead screw 22, a sliding plate 23, and two racks 24. The motor 21 is fixedly mounted on the mobile vehicle body 1. The lead screw 22 is coaxially and fixedly connected to the output shaft of the motor 21. The sliding plate 23 is threadedly connected to the lead screw 22. The sliding plate 23 is slidably mounted on the mobile vehicle body 1 and can slide along the front and rear sides. The two racks 24 are respectively fixedly mounted at both ends of the sliding plate 23. The two racks 24 are respectively meshed with two first gear shafts 311.

[0049] In this embodiment, the motor 21 drives the lead screw 22 to rotate. The rotation of the lead screw 22 can drive the sliding plate 23 to move in the front-back direction of the moving vehicle body 1, which in turn drives the two racks 24 to move in the front-back direction of the moving vehicle body 1. In this way, the two racks 24 can drive the two first gear shafts 311 to rotate, thereby realizing the back-and-forth swing of the two swing arms 31.

[0050] It should be understood that in this embodiment, other drive structures with linear driving force, such as electric actuators, hydraulic actuators, and telescopic actuators, can also be used to control the front fork 32 to move stably.

[0051] Please see Figure 5 , Figure 5This is a flowchart illustrating the material storage and retrieval method for an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] The following details the methods for storing materials to be stored:

[0053] like Figure 5 As shown, the method includes steps S501 to S506.

[0054] S501. When a storage instruction carrying material information is received, the AGV is controlled to move to the material pick-up coordinates, and the pick-up position of the material to be stored is located through the vision module.

[0055] In this step, the material information includes the material name, size specifications (based on the overall outer packaging size), date information, and quantity of materials. In the storage instruction, the back-end personnel only need to provide the material forklift coordinates and material information of the material to be stored. This is an essential part of any material storage method, such as the warehousing scenario of newly purchased materials or the warehousing consolidation scenario of scattered materials. The AGV can be a forklift, which is equipped with a vision module. After the AGV moves to the material forklift coordinates according to the storage instruction, the vision module locates the forklift position of the material to be stored and completes the forklifting through the forklifting mechanism 3 (the material is usually placed on a material pallet, and the material to be retrieved can be retrieved by forklifting the material pallet).

[0056] In some other embodiments, the storage instruction may only provide the material pick-up coordinates of the material to be stored. After the AGV reaches the material pick-up coordinates, the barcode information on the outer packaging of the material to be stored is scanned by the vision module to obtain the material information.

[0057] S502. Control the forklift mechanism 3 to move forward and descend according to the forklift position and lift the forklift, and then move backward and rise to the top of the moving vehicle body 1 after lifting the forklift.

[0058] In this step, the material to be picked up by the forklift is moved back and raised to the top of the mobile vehicle 1, where it is supported by the top of the mobile vehicle 1 and protected by two swing arms 31 on the left and right sides. This has the advantage of ensuring that the material to be picked up remains stable during transportation.

[0059] S503. Based on the material information, match the target shelf and required storage specifications of the material to be stored in the preset material storage standard table.

[0060] In this step, the preset material storage standard table includes information on all shelves in the warehouse, specifically including the shelf number, shelf coordinates, types of materials that can be stored, shelf number, dimensions of each shelf, shelf coordinates, etc. Based on the name and dimensions of the material information, the material storage standard table can at least match the dimensions of the target shelf and the required shelf.

[0061] It should be noted that if there are multiple target shelves that can store the materials to be stored, the priority between the multiple target shelves can be set to achieve the selection of the optimal target shelf.

[0062] S504. Obtain the inlet and outlet coordinates of the target shelf, and control the moving vehicle 1 to move to the inlet coordinates;

[0063] In this step, the AGV has a pre-stored warehouse map based on the three-dimensional spatial coordinates of the warehouse. The inlet and outlet coordinates of the target shelf are fixed coordinates. The AGV can generate a movement path based on its current position and the inlet or outlet coordinates, and move to the inlet or outlet coordinates based on the movement path.

[0064] S505. Trigger a connection request at the inlet coordinates via the rack connector to enable the AGV to communicate with the storage management system of the target rack. After the connection is established, send a storage request to the storage management system. After the request is approved, receive the storage execution task returned by the storage management system. Control the AGV to move to the location of the idle storage cell provided in the storage execution task that meets the storage requirements. Control the forklift mechanism 3 to store the material to be stored in the idle storage cell. After the storage is completed, control the AGV to leave via the exit coordinates.

[0065] S506. Identify the AGV vehicle leaving through the exit coordinates using the identification module on the target shelf. When the AGV vehicle performing the storage task is identified and its loading status is empty, confirm that the storage is complete and update the storage cell status in the storage management system.

[0066] In steps S505-S506, when the AGV moves to the inlet coordinates based on the movement path, it needs to establish a communication connection with the storage management system of the target shelf via the shelf connector. After the communication connection is established, the AGV executing the storage instruction can automatically send a storage request to the storage management system. The storage management system analyzes the information in the storage instruction and determines that the request is approved if there is a storage cell in the target shelf that meets the current storage requirements. It then returns to the storage execution task, and the AGV executes the storage task to store the material to be stored in the storage cell that meets the current storage requirements. After storage, the AGV needs to leave via the exit coordinates to check whether the AGV has successfully stored the material. This can be done by the identification module (such as a camera system) on the target shelf, which updates the cell status in the storage management system based on the identification results, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the storage and retrieval statistics of the shelves and cells in the storage management system.

[0067] In this embodiment, based on the processes S501-S506 described above, when issuing a storage instruction, there is no need for back-end personnel to select the target shelf and storage compartment. The subsequent storage process can be automatically executed based solely on the material information. The automatically executed flow is as follows:

[0068] Based on the storage instruction, the system automatically triggers a query to determine the target shelf where the material to be stored should be placed, as well as the inlet and outlet coordinates of the target shelf.

[0069] If the import coordinates are found, a movement path will be generated and the user will move to the import coordinates.

[0070] If the import coordinates are reached, a communication connection is triggered via the shelf connector to the storage location management system to which the target shelf belongs;

[0071] If the communication connection is successful, an automatic material storage request will be sent to the storage management system.

[0072] If a storage task is received from the storage management system, the task will be executed and the storage of the current materials to be stored will be completed.

[0073] In addition, for the storage management system, when it receives a communication connection request sent by any AGV at the inlet coordinates, it automatically establishes a communication connection and receives the storage request sent by the AGV. When the storage requirements are met, it returns to perform the storage task. When it receives a confirmation message from the identification module confirming that the AGV has completed the storage, it automatically updates the storage cell status in the storage management system.

[0074] Therefore, this invention, in the material storage management on warehouse shelves, achieves the autonomous selection of target shelves and storage cells for materials to be stored based on the intelligent interaction design between AGV vehicles and the storage location management system, and automatically stores the materials. The selection of shelves and storage cells during storage is completely free from manual judgment, and an identification module is added to detect whether the storage is successful, which greatly reduces the risk of material storage errors and improves the accuracy of material storage and retrieval statistics of shelves and storage cells in the storage location management system.

[0075] In one embodiment, such as Figure 6 As shown, step S505 includes:

[0076] S601. When the AGV arrives at the inlet coordinates, it broadcasts a connection request carrying the target shelf information through the shelf connector and connects to the storage management system to which the target shelf belongs. After connection, it sends a storage request carrying the AGV's vehicle number and storage instructions to the storage management system.

[0077] S602. Analyze the material information in the storage request through the storage location management system, and select an idle storage space on the target shelf that meets the storage requirements of the material to be stored.

[0078] S603: Temporarily lock the selected idle storage space and return the storage execution task carrying the coordinate information of the idle storage space to the AGV trolley.

[0079] S604. Control the AGV to move to the location of the idle storage space, and use the forklift mechanism 3 to store the material to be stored in the idle storage space, and leave through the exit coordinate after storage.

[0080] In this embodiment, a communication sensor is installed near the entrance coordinates of each shelf. When the AGV moves to the entrance coordinates, it triggers the shelf connector to broadcast a connection request carrying the target shelf information. When the communication sensor on the target shelf receives the connection request, it automatically establishes a communication connection, enabling the AGV to communicate with the storage management system of the target shelf at the entrance coordinates. That is, the shelf connector and communication sensor in this embodiment can achieve communication identification and connection over a short distance through sound wave signal transmission. In some other embodiments, a shelf status code can also be set on the target shelf. When the AGV moves to the entrance coordinates, the vision module scans the shelf status code on the target shelf to establish a connection. Specifically, when reaching the entrance coordinates, the vision module can be controlled to rotate a preset angle to correspond to the shelf status code at a preset position on the target shelf (this can avoid other AGVs from scanning it incorrectly).

[0081] In this embodiment, after the AGV and the storage management system are connected, the AGV and the storage management system interact intelligently to identify idle storage cells in the target shelf that meet the storage requirements of the materials to be stored. If there are multiple eligible idle storage cells, they are selected in order of their cell numbers. The selected idle storage cell is then temporarily locked to prevent misallocation caused by other AGVs storing the same materials while the current AGV is storing them. The current AGV can store the materials to be stored in the idle storage cell based on the coordinate information of the idle storage cell and leave via the exit coordinates after storage.

[0082] It should be noted that, based on the vehicle number sent by the AGV at the inlet coordinates, once the identification module recognizes the same vehicle number at the outlet coordinates and the AGV's current loading status is empty, it can be confirmed that the AGV has successfully completed the storage task. This is also an important reason for ensuring the accuracy of the storage and retrieval statistics of shelves and storage compartments in the storage management system.

[0083] In one embodiment, such as Figure 7 As shown, step S506 includes:

[0084] S701. Identify the vehicle number and cargo status of the AGV vehicle that leaves through the exit coordinates using the identification module on the target shelf.

[0085] S702. When the vehicle number of the AGV trolley performing the storage task is identified and the loading status is empty, a confirmation message for storage completion is generated and sent to the cargo location management system.

[0086] S703. Based on the confirmation information, the temporarily locked idle storage space is updated to a storage space with materials through the storage space management system.

[0087] In this embodiment, an identification module is installed on the target shelf. The identification module is connected to the storage management system. Each time the storage management system returns a storage task to the AGV based on the AGV's storage request, it simultaneously sends the AGV's vehicle number and the information of issuing the storage task to the identification module. The identification module identifies the vehicle number and loading status of the AGV that left the exit coordinates. If it identifies the vehicle number sent by the storage management system to execute the storage task, it uses image processing to identify the loading status of the AGV. When the loading status is empty, it means that the AGV has completed the storage of the materials to be stored. Then, it generates a storage completion confirmation message and sends it to the storage management system. Finally, the storage management system can update the temporarily locked corresponding idle storage space to a storage space with materials based on the confirmation message.

[0088] The following details the method for retrieving the materials to be retrieved:

[0089] In one embodiment, such as Figure 8 As shown, the material storage and retrieval methods for AGV vehicles also include:

[0090] S801. When a material retrieval instruction carrying material information is received, the target shelf where the material to be retrieved should be stored is matched with the preset material storage standard table based on the material information.

[0091] S802. Trigger a connection request at the inlet coordinates through the rack connector to enable the AGV to communicate with the storage management system of the target rack. After the connection is established, send a material picking request to the storage management system. After the request is approved, receive the material picking execution task and move to the location of the target storage cell provided in the material picking execution task. Take the material from the target storage cell and leave through the exit coordinates after the material picking is completed.

[0092] S803. Identify the AGV vehicle leaving through the exit coordinates via the identification module on the target shelf. When an AGV vehicle that has completed the picking task is identified and the loading status is not empty, confirm that the picking is complete and update the storage cell status in the storage management system.

[0093] In this embodiment, when issuing a material retrieval command, back-end personnel can provide only the name and quantity of the material to be retrieved, without needing to provide the specific shelf and storage compartment. This allows for simple and quick issuance of retrieval commands, reducing the need for back-end personnel to manually query the location of the material and also reducing the error rate. Based on the material information, the AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) can match the target shelf containing the material in the standard material storage table. It then moves to the entrance coordinates of the target shelf and establishes a communication connection with the storage management system to which the target shelf belongs. After the communication connection is established, the AGV executing the retrieval command automatically sends a retrieval request to the storage management system. The storage management system analyzes the information in the retrieval command and, if a target storage compartment meeting the current retrieval requirements exists on the target shelf, determines that the request is approved and returns the retrieval execution task. The AGV then executes the retrieval task to retrieve the material from the target storage compartment. After picking up materials, the AGV needs to leave via the exit coordinates. This is to detect whether the AGV has successfully picked up the materials. Specifically, this can be done by the identification module on the target shelf. Based on the identification, the status of the storage compartment in the storage management system is updated, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the storage and retrieval statistics of the shelves and storage compartments in the storage management system.

[0094] Understandably, when issuing a material retrieval instruction, there is no need for back-end personnel to select the target shelf and storage compartment. The subsequent material retrieval process can be automatically executed based solely on the material information. It can be seen that in the material retrieval management of warehouse shelves, this invention, based on the intelligent interaction design between the AGV and the storage location management system, realizes the autonomous selection of the target shelf and storage compartment for the material to be retrieved based on the material information, and automatically retrieves the material. The selection of the shelf and storage compartment during material retrieval is completely free from manual judgment, and an identification module is added to detect whether the material retrieval is successful, which greatly reduces the risk of material retrieval errors and also improves the accuracy of material storage and retrieval statistics of shelves and storage compartments in the storage location management system.

[0095] In one embodiment, such as Figure 9 As shown, step S802 includes:

[0096] S901. When the AGV arrives at the inlet coordinates, it broadcasts a connection request carrying the target shelf information through the shelf connector and connects to the storage management system to which the target shelf belongs. After connection, it sends a material retrieval request carrying the AGV's vehicle number and material retrieval instructions to the storage management system.

[0097] S902. Analyze the material information in the material picking request through the warehouse location management system, and select the target warehouse on the target shelf where the material to be picked is stored. The selection rule is that the earliest production date among the same type of material is selected.

[0098] S903: Temporarily lock the selected target storage compartment and send a material handling task carrying the coordinate information of the target storage compartment to the AGV.

[0099] S904: Control the AGV to move to the target storage location, and use the forklift mechanism 3 to pick up the material to be picked up, and leave through the exit coordinates after picking up the material.

[0100] In this embodiment, after the AGV connects to the storage management system of the target shelf via the shelf connector at the inlet coordinates, the AGV and the storage management system interact intelligently to confirm that there is a target storage cell in the target shelf containing the material to be retrieved. If there are multiple matching target storage cells, the earliest production date of the material is selected as the target storage cell, and then the selected target storage cell is temporarily locked to prevent misallocation caused by other AGVs retrieving the same material while the current AGV is retrieving the material. The current AGV can move to the location of the selected target storage cell and perform the material retrieval operation based on the coordinate information of the target storage cell, and then leave via the exit coordinates after retrieving the material.

[0101] It should be noted that, based on the vehicle number sent by the AGV at the inlet coordinates, once the identification module recognizes the same vehicle number at the outlet coordinates and the AGV's loading status is not empty, it can be confirmed that the AGV has successfully completed the material retrieval task. This is also an important reason for ensuring the accuracy of the storage and retrieval statistics of shelves and storage compartments in the storage management system.

[0102] In one embodiment, such as Figure 10 As shown, step S803 includes:

[0103] S1001. Identify the vehicle number and cargo status of the AGV vehicle that leaves through the exit coordinates using the identification module on the target shelf.

[0104] S1002. When the vehicle number of the AGV that has completed the material picking task is identified and the loading status is not empty, a confirmation message for material picking completion is generated and sent to the storage location management system.

[0105] S1003. The temporary locked target storage space is updated to an idle storage space based on the confirmation information through the storage space management system.

[0106] In this embodiment, when the storage management system returns a material retrieval task based on the AGV's material retrieval request, it simultaneously sends the AGV's vehicle number and the information about issuing the material retrieval task to the identification module. The identification module identifies the vehicle number and loading status of the AGV that left the exit coordinates. If it identifies the vehicle number sent by the storage management system to execute the material retrieval task, it uses image processing to identify the AGV's loading status. When the loading status is not empty, it means that the AGV has retrieved the material to be stored. Then, it generates a confirmation message for material retrieval completion and sends it to the storage management system. Finally, the storage management system updates the temporarily locked target storage space to an idle storage space based on the confirmation message.

[0107] In some other embodiments of the present invention, the storage / retrieval instruction may also include the target shelf and target storage cell specified by the back-end personnel. Based on the storage / retrieval instruction, the AGV also needs to communicate with the storage management system to which the target shelf belongs at the entrance coordinate position of the target shelf and send a storage / retrieval request to the storage management system. The storage management system verifies the storage / retrieval information of the storage / retrieval instruction, and determines that the request is approved when the specified target storage cell meets the storage / retrieval operation, and returns the storage / retrieval execution task, which is then executed by the AGV. Finally, the identification module performs the detection of whether the storage / retrieval is successful, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the storage and retrieval statistics of shelves and storage cells in the storage management system.

[0108] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the devices, apparatuses, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0109] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various equivalent modifications or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention, and these modifications or substitutions should all be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for storing and retrieving materials using an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle), characterized in that, The AGV includes a mobile body, a drive mechanism, and a forking mechanism. The drive mechanism is located inside the mobile body, and the forking mechanism is rotatably connected to the top of the mobile body. The drive mechanism is connected to the forking mechanism and drives the forking mechanism to move forward and descend to the front of the mobile body or move backward and rise to the top of the mobile body. The mobile body is equipped with a controller, a vision module, and a shelf connector. The controller controls the movement of the mobile body and the drive mechanism to move the forking mechanism. The vision module identifies and locates the materials to be picked up. The shelf connector communicates with a communication sensor on the shelf, enabling the AGV to communicate with the storage management system to which the shelf belongs. The forking mechanism includes two swing arms and a front fork. The two swing arms are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the top of the mobile body. The drive mechanism is connected to one end of each swing arm and drives the swing arms to swing. The two sides of the front fork are connected to the other ends of each swing arm. When the drive mechanism drives the two swing arms to swing, the front fork moves forward and descends or moves backward and rises in tandem. The material storage and retrieval method includes: When a storage instruction carrying material information is received, the AGV is controlled to move to the material picking coordinates, and the picking position of the material to be stored is located through the vision module. According to the fork position, the fork mechanism is controlled to move forward and descend to perform fork picking, and after fork picking, it moves backward and rises to the top of the moving vehicle body; Based on the material information, the target shelf and required storage specifications of the material to be stored are matched in the preset material storage standard table. Obtain the inlet and outlet coordinates of the target shelf, and control the mobile vehicle to move to the inlet coordinates; When the AGV arrives at the inlet coordinates, it broadcasts a connection request carrying the target shelf information through the shelf connector and connects to the storage management system to which the target shelf belongs. After connection, it sends a storage request carrying the AGV's vehicle number and storage instructions to the storage management system. The storage management system analyzes the material information in the storage request and selects an idle storage cell on the target shelf that meets the storage requirements of the material to be stored. The selected idle storage cell is temporarily locked, and the storage execution task carrying the coordinate information of the idle storage cell is returned to the AGV. The AGV is controlled to move to the position of the idle storage cell, and the material to be stored is stored in the idle storage cell through the forklift mechanism. After storage, it leaves through the outlet coordinates. The identification module on the target shelf identifies AGVs that have passed through the exit coordinates and left. When an AGV performing a storage task is identified and its load status is empty, the storage is confirmed to be complete and the storage cell status in the storage management system is updated.

2. The material storage and retrieval method for AGV vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The identification module on the target shelf identifies AGVs that have passed through the exit coordinates and are leaving. When an AGV performing a storage task is identified and its load status is empty, the storage is confirmed to be complete and the storage cell status in the storage management system is updated, including: The identification module on the target shelf identifies the vehicle number and cargo status of the AGV that passes through the exit coordinates and leaves. When the vehicle number of the AGV that performed the storage task is identified and the cargo status is empty, a confirmation message for storage completion is generated and sent to the cargo location management system. The storage management system updates temporarily locked idle storage spaces to filled storage spaces based on confirmation information.

3. The material storage and retrieval method for AGV vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: When a material retrieval instruction carrying material information is received, the target shelf where the material to be retrieved should be stored is matched with the preset material storage standard table based on the material information. The AGV is connected to the storage management system of the target shelf by triggering a connection request at the inlet coordinates through the shelf connector. After the connection is established, the AGV sends a material picking request to the storage management system. After the request is approved, the AGV receives the material picking execution task and moves to the target storage cell provided in the material picking execution task. The AGV picks up the material from the target storage cell and leaves through the outlet coordinates after the material picking is completed. The identification module on the target shelf identifies AGVs that have passed through the exit coordinates and left. When an AGV that has completed the picking task is identified and is not empty, the picking is confirmed to be complete and the storage cell status in the storage management system is updated.

4. The material storage and retrieval method for the AGV trolley according to claim 3, characterized in that, The process of triggering a connection request at the inlet coordinates via the shelf connector to establish communication between the AGV and the storage management system of the target shelf, sending a material retrieval request to the storage management system after connection, receiving a material retrieval execution task after the request is approved, moving to the target storage cell provided in the material retrieval execution task, retrieving the material from the target storage cell, and leaving via the outlet coordinates after completing the material retrieval includes: When the AGV arrives at the inlet coordinates, it broadcasts a connection request carrying the target shelf information through the shelf connector and connects to the storage management system to which the target shelf belongs. After connection, it sends a material retrieval request carrying the AGV's vehicle number and material retrieval instructions to the storage management system. The warehouse management system analyzes the material information in the material retrieval request and selects the target warehouse on the target shelf where the material to be retrieved is stored, wherein the selection rule is that the earliest production date among the same type of material is selected. The selected target storage compartment is temporarily locked, and a material handling task carrying the coordinate information of the target storage compartment is sent to the AGV. The AGV is controlled to move to the target storage compartment, and the forklift mechanism is used to pick up the material to be picked up. After picking up the material, the AGV leaves through the exit coordinates.

5. The material storage and retrieval method for AGV vehicles according to claim 3, characterized in that, The process of identifying AGVs that have passed through the exit coordinates via the identification module on the target shelf, and confirming the completion of material retrieval and updating the storage compartment status in the storage management system when an AGV that has completed its material retrieval task is identified and its loading status is not empty, includes: The identification module on the target shelf identifies the vehicle number and cargo status of the AGV that passes through the exit coordinates and leaves. When the vehicle number of the AGV that has completed the material picking task is identified and the loading status is not empty, a confirmation message for material picking completion is generated and sent to the storage location management system. The storage management system updates the temporarily locked target storage space to an idle storage space based on the confirmation information.

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