RGV shuttle vehicle and control method thereof

Abstract

The present invention belongs to the field of warehouse automation and relates to an RGV shuttle and a control method thereof. The RGV shuttle is provided with a sub-carriage track and a compensation track mechanism on the mother car platform, the upper fork is slidably mounted on the lower fork, the mobile trolley is slidably mounted on the upper fork, a latch pop-up mechanism is mounted on the lower surface of the mobile trolley body, the latch pop-up mechanism includes a latch lifting electric cylinder, the compensation track mechanism includes a compensation track, a first compensation track seat and a second compensation track seat, and the second compensation track seat is rotatably mounted above the first compensation track seat. The control method of the RGV shuttle is that when the mother car arrives at the target workstation, if it is the proximal workstation, the compensation track remains in a vertical state, and if it is the distal workstation, the compensation track rotates to a horizontal state, the mobile trolley moves to the end of the upper fork close to the first workstation and clamps the sub-carriage, after the mobile trolley pulls the sub-carriage into place, the latch is recovered to the initial state, and the mobile trolley is reset. The present invention ensures reliable clamping of the sub-carriage and improves the adaptability and reliability of the RGV shuttle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of automation equipment, and in particular relates to an RGV shuttle vehicle and a control method thereof, which can be used for material transportation in the casting and curing process of transformer coils. Background Art

[0002] During transformer production, transformer coils undergo long-distance transfer between workstations during the pouring and curing process. This process typically requires the use of an RGV (Rail Guided Vehicle) shuttle. The RGV shuttle utilizes a parent-child structure, with the child and parent vehicles being two separate pieces of equipment. The child vehicle consists of a pallet and child track wheels mounted beneath it. The pallet holds the materials or equipment to be transported. The parent vehicle is equipped with child tracks and compensation tracks that mate with the child track wheels. The child vehicle is normally parked on the child track at the starting point. During transport, the parent vehicle reaches the transfer destination at the docking station. The compensation tracks on the parent vehicle mate with the child track and the workstation track at the end point. The telescopic fork on the parent vehicle extends, grabs, and pushes and pulls the unpowered child vehicle, moving it along the child track, compensation track, and workstation track from the starting point to the end point, completing the transfer of the transformer coils.

[0003] Existing forks on RGV shuttles present the following technical issues: Due to the fully automated operation requirements of the RGV shuttle, the forks need to automatically lock and release with the sub-trolley. Therefore, the gripping mechanism at the end of the existing forks typically utilizes a complex hook or claw mechanism, which is costly and complex to grasp. Errors in positioning or distance measurement of the sub-trolley body can easily lead to gripping errors or failure to properly grasp the sub-trolley. Furthermore, since the sub-trolleys typically carry heavy loads, the forks also need to withstand significant push and pull stresses. Complex fork mechanisms often struggle to withstand these stresses, resulting in a high failure rate for existing forks. Furthermore, the telescopic movement of existing forks is typically achieved through a chain drive, which suffers from poor transmission stability and is prone to jamming during operation. Furthermore, after prolonged use, the chain can become worn and fatigued, leading to chain breakage and other failures. This not only increases equipment maintenance costs but also significantly reduces production efficiency, hindering the automation of transformer production and transportation.

[0004] In addition, there is a large gap between the existing compensating rail and the sub-vehicle rail, and the sub-vehicle will get stuck when passing through the connection part, and the wheels of the sub-vehicle will be subjected to strong impact, which not only affects the smooth operation of the sub-vehicle, but also accelerates the wear of the sub-vehicle wheels and reduces the service life of the sub-vehicle; the existing compensating rail does not have a gauge adjustment function, and has extremely high requirements for installation accuracy. The installation process of the compensating rail is complicated and it is difficult to ensure the installation quality. Once the installation of the compensating rail deviates, it will affect the normal operation of the sub-vehicle and increase the installation and maintenance costs. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention designs an RGV shuttle vehicle and a control method thereof. The technical solutions adopted by the present invention are as follows:

[0006] The trolley is a vehicle that is moved along the platform of the gantry crane, and the trolley is a vehicle that is moved along the platform of the gantry crane, and the trolley is a vehicle that is moved along the platform of the gantry crane, and the trolley is a vehicle that is moved along the platform of the gantry crane, and the trolley is a vehicle that is moved along the platform of the gantry crane, and the trolley is a vehicle that is moved along the platform of the gantry crane, and the trolley is a vehicle that is moved along the platform of the gantry crane, and the trolley is a vehicle that is moved along the platform of the gantry crane, and the trolley is a vehicle that is moved along the platform of the gantry crane, and the trolley is a vehicle that is moved along the platform of the gantry crane, and the trolley is a vehicle that is moved along the platform of the gantry crane, and the trolley is a vehicle that is moved along the platform of the gantry crane, and the trolley is a vehicle that is moved along the platform of the gantry crane, and the trolley is a vehicle that is moved along the platform of the gantry crane The first compensation rail seat is provided with a first compensation rail seat and a second compensation rail seat, and the first compensation rail seat is provided with a second compensation rail seat. The first compensation rail seat is provided with a second compensation rail seat, and the second compensation rail seat is provided with a second compensation rail seat. The second compensation rail seat is provided with a second oblong hole, and the end of the compensation rail is fixedly installed on the second compensation rail seat by means of a second bolt passing through the second oblong hole and a second nut. The lower part of the sub-trolley track is provided with an oblong hole, and the sub-trolley track is fixedly installed on the mother vehicle platform by means of a bolt passing through the oblong hole and a nut. The position of the compensation rail matches the position of the sub-trolley track, and a fixing component is provided on the outside of one of the sub-trolley tracks.

[0007] Preferably, the traveling motor of the mobile trolley is fixedly mounted on the lower surface of the traveling motor of the mobile trolley, and a third absolute encoder is built into the traveling motor of the mobile trolley. A helical gear is fixedly mounted on the output shaft of the traveling motor of the mobile trolley, and the helical gear is engaged with the helical rack located on the upper fork. A latch pop-up mechanism housing is provided on the periphery of the latch pop-up mechanism, and a lower crossbeam sensor at the end of the sub-trolley is provided at a position corresponding to the latch on the side of the latch pop-up mechanism housing, and a limit detection piece 1 and a limit detection piece 2 are respectively provided at the front and rear ends of the traveling motor of the mobile trolley.

[0008] Preferably, the upper fork includes an upper fork base frame with a rectangular frame structure, a number of upper fork walking rollers are provided on the lower parts of both sides of the upper fork base frame, a straight rack is provided at the bottom of the upper fork base frame, the straight rack is meshed with the straight gear located on the lower fork, and four upper fork limit blocks are respectively installed on both sides of the front and rear ends of the straight rack, and moving trolley channel steel rails parallel to each other are installed on both sides of the upper length direction of the upper fork, and end covers are respectively installed at both ends of the length direction of the upper fork, and a pair of upper covers are fixedly installed on the adjacent inner surfaces of a pair of end covers at both ends, and a pair of upper covers are located on both sides of the width direction of the upper fork, and the upper surface of the upper fork base frame is provided with a helical rack, which is meshed with the helical gear located on the body of the moving trolley, and a moving trolley limit sensor is provided on the inner side walls of the two end covers.

[0009] Preferably, the lower fork includes a lower fork fixing seat, and lower fork channel steel rails parallel to each other are installed on both sides of the upper length direction of the lower fork fixing seat, and two bearing seats are respectively fixedly installed on both sides of the end of the lower fork fixing seat, and the two ends of the spur gear shaft are rotatably connected to the bearing seats through bearings, and a spur gear and a spur gear shaft sprocket are fixedly installed on the spur gear shaft, and an upper fork walking motor is fixedly installed below the lower fork fixing seat, and the upper fork walking motor has a built-in first absolute encoder, and an upper fork walking motor sprocket is provided on the output shaft of the upper fork walking motor, and the upper fork walking motor sprocket is connected to the spur gear shaft sprocket through chain transmission, and a pair of upper fork limit sensors are arranged on both sides of the spur gear.

[0010] Preferably, a sensing mechanism is provided on the outer side of the first compensation rail seat at one end, and the sensing mechanism includes a detection sensor base, a detection sensor and a detection reference piece. The lower end of the detection sensor base is fixedly mounted on the mother vehicle platform, and the upper part of the detection sensor base is a fan-shaped plate. Two downward-bent arc grooves are provided on the fan-shaped plate, and detection sensors are fixedly mounted at both ends of the arc groove. The detection reference piece is fixedly mounted on the outer side of the first compensation rail seat and can rotate synchronously with the second compensation rail seat.

[0011] Preferably, the first compensation rail seat includes a pair of parallel blocks, the outer side surfaces of the pair of blocks are fixedly mounted on the upper portion of the mounting plate of the U-shaped structure, and the lower portion of the mounting plate is fixedly mounted on the outer side surface of the mother vehicle platform. The two ends of the transmission shaft are respectively rotatably connected to the first bearings in the pair of first compensation rail seats, and the transmission shaft is rotatably connected to the first compensation rail seat through the first bearing.

[0012] Preferably, an adjustment motor is fixedly arranged on the outer side of the first compensation rail seat at the other end, and the output shaft of the adjustment motor is connected to the transmission shaft through a chain transmission assembly, and the second bearings in a pair of blocks at both ends of the connecting shaft are respectively rotated to connect the first compensation rail seat, and the second compensation rail seat is fixedly installed on the connecting shaft, and the second compensation rail seat is rotationally connected to the first compensation rail seat through the connecting shaft, and the connecting shaft is connected to the transmission shaft through a gear transmission assembly on the outer side of the first compensation rail seat, and the driven wheel in the gear transmission assembly adopts an incomplete gear.

[0013] Preferably, the mother vehicle traveling mechanism includes a mother vehicle traveling motor, which is fixedly installed under the mother vehicle platform. The rotating shaft of the mother vehicle traveling motor is connected to the universal joint, and the two ends of the universal joint are rotatably connected to the mother vehicle traveling wheels. A second absolute encoder is provided on the mother vehicle traveling motor, and a group of power supply modules are provided at one end of the mother vehicle platform corresponding to the electric control cabinet. A pillar is provided in the electric control cabinet, and the battery storage device electrically connected to the power supply module is vertically layered on the pillar.

[0014] Preferably, a position sensor is fixedly installed on the outside of the mother vehicle platform below the upper fork, and several position sensors are set on the outside of the lower fork. Distance measuring component 1 and distance measuring component 2 are respectively set at the two ends above the mother vehicle platform. Distance measuring component 1 and distance measuring component 2 are located on the same straight line and outside the sub-vehicle track.

[0015] The aforementioned control method of an RGV shuttle is used to transfer a coil on a sub-carriage from a first station to a second station, where the first station is a long-distance station and the second station is a short-distance station, and includes the following steps:

[0016] When the coil transfer task is issued, the mother car stops after arriving at the first workstation according to the preset path; one end of the mother car platform equipped with the compensation track mechanism approaches the first workstation, and the compensation track rotates from a vertical state to a horizontal state, and the compensation track realizes the docking of the workstation track of the first workstation with the sub-carriage track, and the mobile car moves to the end of the upper fork close to the first workstation, and the upper fork extends toward the workstation track. When the mobile car reaches the bottom of the sub-carriage close to one end of the mother car, the pin lifting electric cylinder of the pin pop-up mechanism is actuated, and the paired pins clamp the sub-carriage close to one end of the mother car from the front and back bidirectionally; after the upper fork moves to be fully retracted, a signal is issued, and the mobile car moves to pull the sub-carriage back to the set position on the mother car, the fixing component fixes the sub-carriage, the pin lifting electric cylinder is actuated to retract the pin to the initial state, and the compensation track rotates from a horizontal state to a vertical state;

[0017] When the mother car is moved to the second station, the movable car moves to the lower part of the end of the sub-carriage away from the second station, and the latch lifting cylinder of the latch pop-up mechanism is actuated. The paired latches clamp the sub-carriage away from the second station from the front and back bidirectionally, and the fixing assembly releases the sub-carriage. After the mother car reaches the set position of the second station, the station track of the second station and the sub-carriage track are docked. The movable car moves to the upper fork close to the end of the second station, and the upper fork is extended toward the second station. After the sub-carriage is transported to the designated position of the second station, the latch lifting cylinder is actuated to retract the latch to the initial state, the upper fork is retracted, and the movable car is reset.

[0018] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0019] A mobile trolley and a latch ejection mechanism are installed on the forks, ensuring reliable grip of the pallet. The trolley's latch ejection mechanism is independently controlled by electric actuators, replacing the previous simultaneous raising and lowering of the front and rear latches. This design effectively prevents overloads caused by latches striking the pallet due to positioning errors. Even with certain positioning errors in the photoelectric sensor, the latches can still accurately grip the pallet, improving the forks' adaptability and reliability in practical applications. The present invention arranges the first and second compensating rail seats in a stepped configuration, raising the center of rotation of the compensating rail. This reduces the gap between the compensating rail and the sub-carriage track when the compensating rail rotates to a horizontal position, allowing the sub-carriage to smoothly transition through the track junction, avoiding jamming and impact. This improves the stability and reliability of the sub-carriage's operation and extends the service life of the sub-carriage and its related components. The second compensating rail seat is connected to the compensating rail via the second oblong hole, and the mother vehicle platform is connected to the sub-carriage track via the first oblong hole. This allows for rapid adjustment of the spacing between the compensating rail and the sub-carriage track, allowing the compensating rail and the sub-carriage track to adapt to different workstation tracks. This invention shortens material transfer time and improves production efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In the attached figure:

[0021] Figure 1 1 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the RGV shuttle vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 1 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the fork according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 1 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the lower fork according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 1 is a schematic diagram of a partial three-dimensional structure of a lower fork according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 5 1 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the upper fork according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 6 1 is a schematic diagram of a partial three-dimensional structure of an upper fork according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 7 1 is a schematic diagram of a partial three-dimensional structure of an upper fork according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the mobile vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present invention from a top view;

[0029] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the mobile vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present invention when viewed from above;

[0030] Figure 10 2 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the latch ejection mechanism according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the sub-vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present invention when viewed from above;

[0032] Figure 12 Schematic diagram of a compensating track mechanism according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 13 This is a front view of the compensation track mechanism according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 14 This is a top view of the compensation track mechanism of the first embodiment of the present invention installed on the mother vehicle platform;

[0035] Figure 15 This is a left side view of the compensation track mechanism of the first embodiment of the invention installed on the mother vehicle platform;

[0036] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the first compensation rail seat installation sensing mechanism according to the first embodiment of the invention;

[0037] Figure 17 for Figure 16 An enlarged schematic diagram of the induction mechanism in FIG.

[0038] Figure 18 This is a structural diagram of the mother vehicle traveling mechanism according to the first embodiment of the invention;

[0039] In the figure, 1 is the lower fork, 101 is the lower fork fixing seat, 102 is the lower fork channel steel track, 103 is the upper fork travel motor, 104 is the spur gear, 105 is the spur gear shaft, 106 is the bearing seat, 107 is the upper fork travel motor sprocket, 108 is the spur gear shaft sprocket, and 109 is the upper fork limit sensor; 2 is the upper fork, 201 is the upper fork base frame, 202 is the upper fork travel roller, 203 is the spur rack, 204 is the mobile trolley channel steel track, and 205 is the upper cover Plate, 206 is the bevel rack, 207 is the upper fork limit block, 208 is the end baffle, 209 is the mobile trolley limit sensor; 3 is the mobile trolley, 301 is the mobile trolley body, 302 is the mobile trolley travel wheel, 303 is the side clamping wheel, 304 is the mobile trolley travel motor, 305 is the lower crossbeam sensor at the end of the sub-trolley, 306 is the latch, 307 is the latch lifting cylinder, 308 is the lifting plate, 309 is the latch fixing block, and 310 is the latch pop-up mechanism The outer shell is 311, the bevel gear is 312, the limit detection piece 1 is 313, the limit detection piece 2 is 4, the mother car platform is 5, the sub-car track is 6, the tray is 7, the lower cross beam at the end of the sub-car is 8, the sub-car track wheel is 9, the compensation track mechanism is 901, the compensation track is 902, the extrusion bolt is 903, the second compensation track seat is 904, the gear transmission assembly is 905, the adjustment motor is 906, the chain transmission assembly is 907, the mounting plate is 908, and the transmission shaft is 909. 09 is the first compensation rail seat, 910 is the sensing mechanism, 911 is the detection sensor base, 912 is the detection sensor, and 913 is the detection reference part; 10 is the electric control cabinet, 11 is the in-position sensor, 12 is the distance measurement component one, 13 is the distance measurement component two, 14 is the fixing component, 15 is the position sensor, 16 is the second absolute encoder, 17 is the mother vehicle travel motor mounting plate, 18 is the mother vehicle travel motor, 19 is the mother vehicle travel wheel, and 20 is the universal joint. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Example 1

[0040] like Figure 1 、 Figure 2As shown, the present invention discloses an RGV shuttle vehicle, including a mother vehicle, a sub-vehicle and a fork, the mother vehicle includes a mother vehicle platform 4, the sub-vehicle includes a sub-vehicle track 5, and the fork includes a lower fork 1, an upper fork 2 and a mobile trolley 3. A pair of parallel sub-vehicle tracks 5 are fixedly mounted on the mother vehicle platform 4, the sub-vehicle is slidably connected to the pair of sub-vehicle tracks 5, the lower fork 1 is fixedly mounted on the mother vehicle platform 4 between the pair of sub-vehicle tracks 5, the upper fork 2 is slidably mounted on the lower fork 1, and the upper fork 2 can slide horizontally along the lower fork 1, and the mobile trolley 3 is slidably mounted on the upper fork 2, and the mobile trolley 3 can slide horizontally along the upper fork 2. An electric control cabinet 10 is fixedly mounted on one end of the mother vehicle platform 4, and a control component is placed in the electric control cabinet 10. An in-position sensor 11 is fixedly mounted on the outer side of the mother vehicle platform 4 below the upper fork 2, and the in-position sensor 11 is used to detect whether the upper fork 2 is in an extended state or a fully retracted state. A plurality of position sensors 15 are provided on the outside of the lower fork fixing seat 101 of the lower fork 1. The position sensors 15 are used to detect and determine the position of the mobile trolley 3 and control the mobile trolley 3 to slow down and stop before reaching the set position. Because the docking station may be located on both sides of the mother vehicle platform 4 in different directions, a distance measuring component 1 12 and a distance measuring component 2 13 are provided at both ends above the mother vehicle platform 4. The distance measuring component 1 12 and the distance measuring component 2 13 are located on the same straight line and on the outside of the sub-trolley track 5. The distance measuring component 1 12 and the distance measuring component 2 13 both include a distance measuring column and a photoelectric sensor installed on the top of the distance measuring column to detect whether the sub-trolley is in place. The photoelectric sensors are tilted toward the docking station and determine the position of the sub-trolley by preset parameters. For example, if the preset distance parameter is 100, the sub-trolley is detected to determine whether the distance parameter between the sub-trolley and the photoelectric sensor is 100. If it does not match the set parameter, the sub-trolley is controlled to move forward or backward for adjustment. A fixing assembly 14 is also provided on the outside of the sub-trolley track 5. The fixing assembly 14 has the same structure as the latch ejection mechanism in the fork and is used to fix the sub-trolley after it is moved into position to prevent it from slipping. A compensating track mechanism 9 is provided on the mother vehicle platform 4 and is located in a straight line with the sub-trolley track 5.

[0041] like Figure 3 、 Figure 4 As shown, the lower fork 1 includes a lower fork fixing seat 101, which is fixedly installed on the mother vehicle platform 4. Lower fork channel steel rails 102 parallel to each other are installed on both sides of the upper length direction of the lower fork fixing seat 101, and the upper fork walking rollers 202 on both sides of the upper fork 2 can be embedded in the groove structure of a pair of lower fork channel steel rails 102 and roll back and forth.

[0042] Two bearing blocks 106 are fixedly mounted on either side of the lower fork mounting base 101. Each end of the spur gear shaft 105 is rotatably connected to a bearing block 106 via a third bearing. A spur gear 104 and a spur gear shaft sprocket 108 are fixedly mounted on the spur gear shaft 105. The upper fork travel motor 103 is fixedly mounted below the lower fork mounting base 101. An upper fork travel motor sprocket 107 is mounted on the output shaft of the upper fork travel motor 103. The upper fork travel motor sprocket 107 is connected to the spur gear shaft sprocket 108 via a chain drive.

[0043] The upper fork travel motor 103 rotates the spur gear shaft 105 and spur gear 104 via a sprocket chain drive. The spur gear 104 meshes with the spur rack 203 at the bottom of the upper fork 2, driving the upper fork 2 back and forth. The upper fork travel motor 103 incorporates a first-class built-in absolute encoder, which not only achieves high-precision positioning but also features a power-off memory function, ensuring rapid and accurate resumption of operation under various operating conditions. This reduces downtime and further enhances the automation level and production efficiency of the entire RGV shuttle.

[0044] A pair of upper fork limit sensors 109 are provided on both sides of the spur gear 104 to detect whether the upper fork 2 has reached the limit position. The upper fork limit sensors 109 can be specifically selected from travel switches or Hall sensors and used in conjunction with the upper fork limit block 207 of the upper fork 2.

[0045] like Figure 5 、 Figure 6 As shown, the upper fork 2 comprises a rectangular frame-like upper fork base frame 201, with a plurality of upper fork travel rollers 202 positioned on either side of the lower portion of the upper fork base frame 201. A spur rack 203 is positioned at the bottom of the upper fork base frame 201, meshing with a spur gear 104. Four upper fork stoppers 207 are mounted on the spur rack 203, one on each side of the front and rear ends of the spur rack 203. When the upper fork limit sensor 109 detects the passage of a stopper 207, the upper fork 2 is determined to have reached its limit position. Parallel trolley channel steel tracks 204 are mounted on either side of the upper fork base frame 201 along its length. The trolley travel wheels 302 are adapted to roll back and forth within the channel-shaped structure of the trolley channel steel tracks 204. End caps 208 are mounted on each of the longitudinal ends of the upper fork 2. The front and rear ends of the upper caps 205 are fixedly mounted to the adjacent inner surfaces of the two end caps 208. The end cover 208 and the upper cover 205 are used to protect and dustproof the internal gear rack structure of the upper fork 2. The upper surface of the upper fork base frame 201 is also provided with a bevel rack 206, which is meshed and driven by the bevel gear 311.

[0046] like Figure 7As shown, a trolley limit sensor 209 is provided on each inner sidewall of the two end covers 208 to detect whether the trolley 3 has reached its limit position. In this embodiment, the trolley limit sensor 209 is a U-shaped photoelectric switch used in conjunction with the limit detection pieces (limit detection piece 1 312 and limit detection piece 2 313).

[0047] like Figure 8 、 Figure 9 As shown, the mobile trolley 3 includes a mobile trolley body 301 of a plate-like structure, and four mobile trolley running wheels 302 are installed on the lower surface of the mobile trolley body 301. The four mobile trolley running wheels 302 are arranged in pairs at both ends of the mobile trolley body 301. The mobile trolley running wheels 302 can be embedded in the groove structure of the mobile trolley channel steel rail 204 and roll back and forth. Four side clamping wheels 303 are also installed on the lower surface of the mobile trolley body 301 near the position of the mobile trolley running wheels 302. The side clamping wheels 303 are attached to the inner side of the mobile trolley channel steel rail 204 to reduce the shaking of the mobile trolley 3 in the left and right directions. The mobile trolley running motor 304 is fixedly installed in the middle position of the lower surface of the mobile trolley body 301. The mobile trolley running motor 304 has a built-in third absolute encoder. The output shaft of the mobile trolley running motor 304 is fixedly mounted with a bevel gear 311, which is engaged with the bevel rack 206. The combination of helical gears and helical racks can effectively reduce vibration and noise during operation compared to traditional chain drives, avoid jamming of the mobile trolley 3, and improve transmission capacity for transporting larger loads. It has significant advantages such as high load-bearing capacity, smooth transmission, high precision, and good reliability. It extends the service life of the equipment, reduces maintenance costs, and ensures efficient and stable operation of the transformer coil transport process.

[0048] like Figure 10As shown, two latch ejection mechanisms are mounted on the left and right sides of the lower surface of the mobile trolley body 301. These latch ejection mechanisms include a latch lift electric cylinder 307 mounted on the lower surface of the mobile trolley body 301. The push rod of the latch lift electric cylinder 307 is fixedly connected to one side of the upper surface of the lifting plate 308. The other side of the upper surface of the lifting plate 308 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the latch 306. A latch fixing block 309 is a block-shaped component with a circular through-hole in the middle. The latch fixing block 309 is mounted on the lower surface of the mobile trolley body 301. The latch 306 is a cylindrical body that slidably fits into the circular through-hole of the latch fixing block 309. Circular holes are formed in the mobile trolley body 301 at positions corresponding to the four latches 306. Driven by the latch lift electric cylinder 307, the latches 306 can extend upward through the circular holes in the mobile trolley body 301. The latch ejection mechanism is surrounded by a latch ejection mechanism housing 310, which protects the mechanism's internal structure and prevents dust. A carriage end lower beam sensor 305 is located on the side of the latch ejection mechanism housing 310, corresponding to the latch 306. These sensors detect when the trolley 3 has reached a position below the carriage end lower beam 7.

[0049] The front and rear sides of the mobile trolley body 301 are respectively equipped with a first limit detection piece 312 and a second limit detection piece 313. The first limit detection piece 312 cooperates with the mobile trolley limit sensor 209 at one end of the upper fork 2, while the second limit detection piece 313 cooperates with the mobile trolley limit sensor 209 at the other end of the upper fork 2. When the mobile trolley 3 moves forward or backward to an extreme position, the corresponding limit sensor will emit a limit position reaching signal. The extension length of the first limit detection piece 312 and the second limit detection piece 313 can be customized according to space requirements.

[0050] like Figure 11 As shown, the trolley includes a pallet 6, and trolley end lower cross beams 7 are respectively installed at both ends of the lower surface of the pallet 6 in the width direction. A plurality of trolley track wheels 8 are provided on both sides of the length direction below the pallet 6. The trolley track wheels 8 cooperate with the trolley track 5. A plurality of middle lower cross beams are also provided between the two trolley end lower cross beams 7 to improve the mechanical strength of the trolley.

[0051] Taking into account that the positioning error may cause the pin 306 to fail to pop out at the correct position, resulting in the pin 306 failing to clamp the lower cross beam 7 at the end of the trolley or the pin 306 hitting the pallet 6, the pin 306 can take the following clamping action: first, the moving trolley 3 moves to the end of the upper fork 2 and stops, the upper fork 2 moves horizontally along the lower fork 1 and extends to the bottom of the trolley, the two front trolley end lower cross beam sensors 305 will first detect the passing of the near-end trolley end lower cross beam 7, at this time the moving trolley 3 continues to move forward until the two front trolley end lower cross beam sensors 305 can no longer detect the trolley end lower cross beam 7, and the two rear trolley end lower cross beam sensors 305 can detect the trolley end lower cross beam 7, at which time the two front pins 306 pop out. Then, as the trolley 3 slowly moves back, the lower crossbeam 7 at the end of the trolley will align with the two forward latches 306. At this point, the two rearward lower crossbeam sensors 305 will no longer detect the lower crossbeam 7, causing the two rearward latches 306 to pop out, thus completing the front-to-back bidirectional clamping of the trolley by the latches 306. This action effectively prevents the latches 306 from hitting the pallet 6 due to positioning errors, improving the adaptability and reliability of the forks in actual applications.

[0052] like Figure 12-17 As shown, the compensating track mechanism 9 includes a compensating track 901, a mounting plate 907, a first compensating track seat 909, and a second compensating track seat 903. Two first compensating track seats 909 are symmetrically arranged, each comprising a pair of L-shaped blocks arranged parallel to each other. The outer end faces of the L-shaped blocks are bolted to the upper portion of the mounting plate 907. The mounting plate 907 is a U-shaped steel plate, and the lower portion of the mounting plate 907 is bolted to the outer surface of the mother vehicle platform 4. A transmission shaft 908 is rotatably disposed between the pair of first compensating track seats 909. The ends of the transmission shaft 908 pass through the first bearings in the two first compensating track seats 909, and the transmission shaft 908 is rotatably connected to the first compensating track seats 909 via the first bearings.

[0053] A second compensating track seat 903 is rotatably mounted above the first compensating track seat 909. The second compensating track seat 903 is rotatably connected to the first compensating track seat 909 via a connecting shaft. The second compensating track seat 903 is located between a pair of L-shaped blocks of the first compensating track seat 909. The ends of the connecting shaft pass through second bearings in the two L-shaped blocks. The connecting shaft is rotatably connected to the pair of L-shaped blocks via the second bearings. The second compensating track seat 903 is fixedly mounted on the connecting shaft. An adjustment motor 905 is fixedly mounted on the outer side of the first compensating track seat 909 on the left side. The output shaft of the adjustment motor 905 is connected to the transmission shaft 908 via a chain drive assembly 906. Activating the adjustment motor 905 can control the rotation of the transmission shaft 908. The second compensation rail seat 903 includes a left side plate, a right side plate and a rear side plate which are fixed together by bolts. The rear side plate is located on the outside. The left side plate and the right side plate are arranged parallel to each other on both sides of the rear side plate. The left side plate and the right side plate are rectangular plates with cut corners on the upper part. The upper cut corners of the left side plate and the right side plate are away from the work station rail.

[0054] The connecting shaft between the second compensating rail base 903 and the first compensating rail base 909 is connected to a transmission shaft 908 via a gear transmission assembly 904 on the outside of each first compensating rail base 909. When the adjustment motor 905 controls the transmission shaft 908 to rotate, the rotating transmission shaft 908 controls the rotation of the second compensating rail base 903 via the gear transmission assembly 904. The driven wheels in the gear transmission assembly 904 use partial gears. When the compensating rail 901 rotates to a horizontal position, the partial gears prevent obstruction to the sub-vehicle moving along the track.

[0055] Compensating rails 901 are bolted to the second compensating rail mount 903. Compensating rails 901 have the same structure as the sub-trolley rail 5. A drive shaft 908 passes through the ends of compensating rails 901, which are bolted to the inner surface of the rear side panels of the second compensating rail mount 903. Compensating rails 901 can rotate with the second compensating rail mount 903. A set of oblong holes 2 are defined on the rear side panels of the second compensating rail mount 903 at the connection point with the compensating rails 901. Bolts installed in these oblong holes facilitate adjustment of the spacing between the pair of compensating rails 901. Extrusion bolts 902 are provided on the outer sides of the pair of second compensating rail mounts 903, serving as a reference when adjusting the spacing between the two compensating rails 901. When the compensation rail 901 is in use (horizontally), it is adjacent to the sub-trolley track 5, forming a compensating transition structure for the sub-trolley to move smoothly to the work station track; when the compensation rail 901 is not in use (vertically), a certain gap is left between the compensation rail 901 and the end of the sub-trolley track 5. This gap is a redundant distance reserved for the rotation of the compensation rail 901.

[0056] A sensing mechanism 910 is provided on the right side of the first compensation rail seat 909 at the right end. The sensing mechanism 910 is used to confirm whether the compensation rail 901 is in a vertical or horizontal state. The sensing mechanism 910 includes a detection sensor base 911, a detection sensor 912, and a detection reference member 913. The lower end of the detection sensor base 911 is fixedly mounted on the mother vehicle platform 4 by bolts. The upper portion of the detection sensor base 911 is a fan-shaped plate with two downwardly curved arc grooves. The ends of the arc grooves are respectively fixedly provided with detection sensors 912. The right side of the first compensation rail seat 909 is provided with a detection reference member 913 fixedly connected to the right end of the connecting shaft. The detection reference member 913 is a thin L-shaped plate that can rotate with the compensation rail 901. When the compensation rail 901 is in use (horizontally), the position of the detection reference member 913 corresponds to a group of detection sensors 912 away from the workstation rail. The detection sensor 912 is used to determine the position of the detection reference part 913, and to determine the state of the compensation rail 901 according to the position of the detection reference part 913: when a group of detection sensors 912 close to the work station rail scans the detection reference part 913, the compensation rail 901 is in a vertical state; when a group of detection sensors 912 far from the work station rail scans the detection reference part 913, the compensation rail 901 is in a horizontal state.

[0057] The initial state of the compensation track 901 is vertical. When in use, the adjustment motor 905 is started, and the adjustment motor 905 controls the rotation of the transmission shaft 908 through the chain transmission assembly 906. The rotating transmission shaft 908 drives the compensation track 901 to rotate through the gear transmission assembly 904. During the rotation of the compensation track 901, when a group of detection sensors 912 away from the work station track scans the detection reference part 913, it is judged that the compensation track 901 is in a horizontal state, and the adjustment motor 905 is controlled to stop. The subsequent mother car pushes the sub-trolley from the sub-trolley track 5 along the compensation track 901 to the work station track through the fork, and finally smoothly transports materials such as transformer coils to the docking station.

[0058] like Figure 18 As shown, the mother vehicle is moved and connected through the mother vehicle travel mechanism provided under the mother vehicle platform 4. The mother vehicle travel mechanism includes a mother vehicle travel motor 18. The mother vehicle travel motor 18 is fixedly installed under the mother vehicle platform 4 through the mother vehicle travel motor mounting plate 17 and bolts. The shaft of the mother vehicle travel motor 18 is connected to a universal coupling 20. The two ends of the universal coupling 20 are rotatably connected to the mother vehicle travel wheels 19. The rotation of the mother vehicle travel wheels 19 can be controlled by the mother vehicle travel motor 18. A second absolute value encoder 16 is provided on the mother vehicle travel motor 18. The second absolute value encoder 16 can determine the travel distance of the mother vehicle by sensing the number of revolutions of the shaft of the mother vehicle travel motor 18.

[0059] A set of power modules is installed at one end of the mother vehicle platform 4, corresponding to the electrical control cabinet 10. The electrical control cabinet 10 is equipped with a support column. The storage devices electrically connected to the power modules are arranged vertically and layered on the support column, saving the RGV shuttle's floor space. Cables are buried in the mother vehicle's moving path. When the power modules on the mother vehicle pass through the cables, they generate current through movement in the magnetic field, achieving contactless power supply. This contactless power supply solution uses existing technology and will not be elaborated on here. Example 2

[0060] The control method of the RGV shuttle described in Example 1 includes the following steps:

[0061] When a transfer task is issued, the mother vehicle's travel motor 18 is activated, and the mother vehicle travels along the ground track according to the preset path. During travel, the second absolute value encoder 16 monitors the mother vehicle's travel distance. When the mother vehicle reaches the docking position of the first workstation, the second absolute value encoder 16 sends a mother vehicle in position signal, controlling the mother vehicle's travel motor 18 to stop. The first workstation is a remote workstation (presumably located at the rear of the mother vehicle), requiring the use of a compensating track mechanism 9.

[0062] Start the adjustment motor 905, and the compensation track 901 rotates from the vertical state to the horizontal state. The two ends of the compensation track 901 respectively complete the docking with the work station track of the first work station on the rear side and the sub-trolley track 5 on the front side. Start the mobile trolley travel motor 304, and the mobile trolley 3 moves to the rear end of the upper fork 2. During the movement, the position sensor 15 will detect and determine the position of the mobile trolley 3. When the mobile trolley 3 is about to reach the set position at the rear end, the mobile trolley 3 is controlled to slow down first and then stop.

[0063] After the mobile trolley 3 is in place, the upper fork travel motor 103 is activated, extending the upper fork 2 toward one side of the first workstation. Before the upper fork 2 is extended, the distance it extends backward is calculated by the distance measuring component 12, and the extension distance is accurately controlled by the first absolute value encoder on the upper fork travel motor 103. After the upper fork 2 is extended backward, the mobile trolley 3 is located below the sub-trolley. When the sub-trolley end lower crossbeam sensor 305 detects the front sub-trolley end lower crossbeam 7, it sends a signal to control the two latch ejection mechanisms of the mobile trolley 3 to operate. The latch 306 of the latch ejection mechanism completes the front and rear bidirectional clamping of the front sub-trolley end lower crossbeam 7. The control controls the retraction of the upper fork 2. When the in-position sensor 11 detects that the upper fork 2 is fully retracted, it sends a signal, and the mobile trolley 3 is activated and pulls the sub-trolley back to the set position on the mother carriage. The third absolute value encoder on the mobile trolley travel motor 304 sends a signal that the mobile trolley 3 is in place, which controls the operation of the fixing component 14 to assist in fixing the sub-trolley.

[0064] Adjust the motor 905 to rotate in the opposite direction to retract the compensation track 1, and the mother car moves along the track toward the second workstation. The second workstation is a close-range workstation (assuming it is located in front of the mother car), and the compensation track mechanism 9 is not required. Because the second workstation is located in front of the mother car, the mobile trolley 3 needs to grab the lower crossbeam 7 at the rear end of the sub-carriage to ensure that the sub-carriage is fully pushed into the workstation. When the mother car moves, the pin 306 of the mobile trolley 3 is lowered. The mobile trolley 3 is controlled by the third absolute encoder to move to the set position at the rear end of the sub-carriage. The pin 306 of the mobile trolley 3 pops out to complete the front-to-back bidirectional clamping of the lower crossbeam 7 at the rear end of the sub-carriage, and the pin 306 of the fixed assembly 14 is retracted.

[0065] The mother vehicle follows the track to the designated position for the second workstation. The trolley's travel motor 304 is activated, causing the trolley 3 to move to the front end of the upper fork 2 and extend it forward. Before extending, the distance measurement component 13 measures the distance the upper fork 2 has extended. The upper fork 2 then transports the child vehicle to the second workstation. The two latch ejection mechanisms of the trolley 3 activate, retracting the latches 306. Finally, the upper fork 2 is retracted, and the trolley 3 returns to its original position.

[0066] The coil placed on the sub-carriage is processed in the second station. After the processing is completed, the mother car is put into place again and the above process is repeated to pull the sub-carriage back to the mother car.

[0067] In the embodiments of the present invention, technical features not described in detail are all existing technologies or conventional technical means and will not be described in detail here.

Claims

1. An RGV shuttle vehicle, comprising a mother vehicle, a child vehicle and a fork, characterized in that: The fork comprises a lower fork and an upper fork, the upper fork is slidably connected and installed on the lower fork, and the mobile trolley is slidably connected and installed on the upper fork. The mobile trolley comprises a mobile trolley body with a plate structure, and two latch pop-up mechanisms are installed on both sides of the lower surface of the mobile trolley body. The latch pop-up mechanism comprises a latch lifting electric cylinder installed on the lower surface of the mobile trolley body, a push rod of the latch lifting electric cylinder is fixedly connected to one end of the upper surface of the lifting plate, and the other end of the upper surface of the lifting plate is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the latch, and the latch fixing block is fixedly installed on the lower surface of the mobile trolley body, and a through hole one that matches the latch is opened at the center position of the latch fixing block, and the lower middle portion of the latch is slidably connected to the through hole one, and a latch matching the latch is opened on the mobile trolley body. The second through hole is connected to the mother vehicle platform, and the upper part of the pin is slidably connected to the second through hole; the compensating rail mechanism includes a compensating rail, a first compensating rail seat and a second compensating rail seat. A pair of first compensating rail seats are fixedly installed above one end of the mother vehicle platform, and the second compensating rail seat is rotatably installed above the first compensating rail seat. The second compensating rail seat is provided with a second oblong hole, and the end of the compensating rail is fixedly installed on the second compensating rail seat by means of a second bolt passing through the second oblong hole and matching a second nut. An oblong hole is provided at the lower part of the sub-vehicle track, and the sub-vehicle track is fixedly installed on the mother vehicle platform by means of a bolt passing through the oblong hole and matching a nut. The position of the compensation rail matches the position of the sub-vehicle track, and a fixing component is provided on the outside of one of the sub-vehicle tracks.

2. The RGV shuttle vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The traveling motor of the mobile trolley is fixedly mounted on the lower surface of the mobile trolley body. The traveling motor of the mobile trolley is equipped with a third absolute encoder. A helical gear is fixedly mounted on the output shaft of the traveling motor of the mobile trolley. The helical gear is engaged with the helical rack located on the upper fork. A latch pop-up mechanism housing is provided on the periphery of the latch pop-up mechanism. A lower crossbeam sensor at the end of the trolley is provided on the side of the latch pop-up mechanism housing at a position corresponding to the latch. Limit detection pieces 1 and 2 are provided at the front and rear ends of the mobile trolley body respectively.

3. The RGV shuttle vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper fork includes an upper fork base frame with a rectangular frame structure, a number of upper fork walking rollers are provided on the lower parts of both sides of the upper fork base frame, a straight rack is provided at the bottom of the upper fork base frame, the straight rack is meshed with the straight gear located on the lower fork, four upper fork limit blocks are respectively installed on both sides of the front and rear ends of the straight rack, and moving trolley channel steel rails parallel to each other are installed on both sides of the upper length direction of the upper fork base frame, and end covers are respectively installed at both ends of the length direction of the upper fork, and both ends of a pair of upper covers are fixedly mounted on the adjacent inner surfaces of a pair of end covers, and a pair of upper covers are located on both sides of the width direction of the upper fork, and the upper surface of the upper fork base frame is provided with a bevel rack, which is meshed with the bevel gear located on the mobile trolley body, and a mobile trolley limit sensor is provided on the inner side walls of each end cover.

4. The RGV shuttle vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower fork includes a lower fork fixing seat, and lower fork channel steel rails parallel to each other are installed on both sides of the upper length direction of the lower fork fixing seat, two bearing seats are respectively fixedly installed on both sides of the end of the lower fork fixing seat, and the two ends of the spur gear shaft are rotatably connected to the bearing seats through bearings, and a spur gear and a spur gear shaft sprocket are fixedly installed on the spur gear shaft, and an upper fork walking motor is fixedly installed below the lower fork fixing seat, and the upper fork walking motor is equipped with a first absolute encoder, and an upper fork walking motor sprocket is provided on the output shaft of the upper fork walking motor, and the upper fork walking motor sprocket is connected to the spur gear shaft sprocket through chain transmission, and a pair of upper fork limit sensors are arranged on both sides of the spur gear.

5. The RGV shuttle vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: A sensing mechanism is arranged on the outer side of the first compensation rail seat at one end, and the sensing mechanism includes a detection sensor base, a detection sensor and a detection reference piece. The lower end of the detection sensor base is fixedly mounted on the mother vehicle platform, and the upper part of the detection sensor base is a fan-shaped plate. Two downward-bent arc grooves are provided on the fan-shaped plate, and detection sensors are fixedly arranged at both ends of the arc groove. The detection reference piece is fixedly mounted on the outer side of the first compensation rail seat and can rotate synchronously with the second compensation rail seat.

6. The RGV shuttle vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first compensation rail seat includes a pair of parallel blocks, the outer side surfaces of the pair of blocks are fixedly mounted on the upper portion of the mounting plate of the U-shaped structure, the lower portion of the mounting plate is fixedly mounted on the outer side surface of the mother vehicle platform, and the two ends of the transmission shaft are respectively rotatably connected to the first bearings in the pair of first compensation rail seats.

7. The RGV shuttle vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that: An adjustment motor is fixedly arranged on the outer side of the first compensation rail seat at the other end, and the output shaft of the adjustment motor is connected to the transmission shaft through a chain transmission assembly. The second bearings in a pair of blocks of the first compensation rail seat are respectively rotated and connected at both ends of the connecting shaft. The second compensation rail seat is fixedly mounted on the connecting shaft, and the second compensation rail seat is rotationally connected to the first compensation rail seat through the connecting shaft. The connecting shaft is connected to the transmission shaft through a gear transmission assembly on the outer side of the first compensation rail seat, and the driven wheel in the gear transmission assembly adopts an incomplete gear.

8. The RGV shuttle vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mother vehicle travel mechanism includes a mother vehicle travel motor, which is fixedly installed under the mother vehicle platform. The rotating shaft of the mother vehicle travel motor is connected to the universal coupling, and the two ends of the universal coupling are rotatably connected to the mother vehicle travel wheels. A second absolute encoder is provided on the mother vehicle travel motor, and a group of power supply modules are provided at one end of the mother vehicle platform corresponding to the electric control cabinet. The electric control cabinet is provided with a pillar, and the storage battery electrically connected to the power supply module is vertically layered on the pillar.

9. The RGV shuttle vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that: A position sensor is fixedly installed on the outside of the mother vehicle platform below the upper fork, and several position sensors are set on the outside of the lower fork. Distance measuring component 1 and distance measuring component 2 are respectively set at both ends above the mother vehicle platform. Distance measuring component 1 and distance measuring component 2 are located on the same straight line and outside the sub-vehicle track.

10. A control method for an RGV shuttle vehicle according to claim 1, used for transferring a coil on a sub-vehicle from a first station to a second station, wherein the first station is a long-distance station and the second station is a short-distance station, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: When the coil transfer task is issued, the mother car stops after arriving at the first workstation according to the preset path; one end of the mother car platform equipped with the compensation track mechanism approaches the first workstation, and the compensation track rotates from a vertical state to a horizontal state, and the compensation track realizes the docking of the workstation track of the first workstation with the sub-carriage track, and the mobile car moves to the end of the upper fork close to the first workstation, and the upper fork extends toward the workstation track. When the mobile car reaches the bottom of the sub-carriage close to one end of the mother car, the pin lifting electric cylinder of the pin pop-up mechanism is actuated, and the paired pins clamp the sub-carriage close to one end of the mother car from the front and back bidirectionally; after the upper fork moves to be fully retracted, a signal is issued, and the mobile car moves to pull the sub-carriage back to the set position on the mother car, the fixing component fixes the sub-carriage, the pin lifting electric cylinder is actuated to retract the pin to the initial state, and the compensation track rotates from a horizontal state to a vertical state; When the mother car is moved to the second station, the movable car moves to the lower part of the end of the sub-carriage away from the second station, and the latch lifting cylinder of the latch pop-up mechanism is actuated. The paired latches clamp the sub-carriage away from the second station from the front and back bidirectionally, and the fixing assembly releases the sub-carriage. After the mother car reaches the set position of the second station, the station track of the second station and the sub-carriage track are docked. The movable car moves to the upper fork close to the end of the second station, and the upper fork is extended toward the second station. After the sub-carriage is transported to the designated position of the second station, the latch lifting cylinder is actuated to retract the latch to the initial state, the upper fork is retracted, and the movable car is reset.

Images