A method of and system for handling warehouse goods

Abstract

The application provides a warehouse goods carrying method and a carrying system. The carrying method comprises the following steps: in response to a carrying instruction of a target bin, determining position information of the target bin indicated by the carrying instruction; the target bin is one or more of a plurality of vertically stacked bins; based on a positioning mark on an outer surface of the target bin, a coordinate system relationship with the target bin is constructed; the coordinate system relationship comprises a first offset, a second offset, a third offset and a first deflection angle; a chassis of a carrying robot is driven to move according to the first offset, a fork assembly of the carrying robot is driven to move according to the second offset and to rotate according to the first deflection angle; and the fork assembly in the carrying robot is driven to carry the target bin according to the third offset.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of warehousing technology, and more specifically, relates to a method and system for handling stored goods. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of artificial intelligence, automation, and information technology, the level of intelligence in last-mile logistics is constantly improving. Intelligent logistics terminals are the trend in last-mile logistics development, and handling robots are one of the main devices that can realize intelligent logistics terminals and perform automated handling operations. Handling robots can reduce heavy manual labor and improve handling efficiency. However, the operation of related handling robots in the positioning process is complex and the positioning efficiency is not good, which in turn affects the efficiency of cargo handling. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the present invention provides a method and system for handling warehouse goods, in order to solve the technical problem of how to improve the efficiency of the positioning of the handling robot and the target bin.

[0004] The technical solution of this invention is implemented as follows:

[0005] This invention provides a method for handling stored goods, the method comprising:

[0006] In response to a handling instruction for a target bin, the location information of the target bin indicated by the handling instruction is determined; the target bin is one or more of a plurality of bins stacked vertically.

[0007] Based on the positioning marks on the outer surface of the target bin, a coordinate system relationship with the target bin is constructed; wherein, the coordinate system relationship includes a first offset, a second offset, a third offset, and a first deflection angle;

[0008] The chassis of the transport robot moves according to the first offset, and the fork assembly of the transport robot moves according to the second offset and rotates according to the first deflection angle;

[0009] The fork assembly in the transport robot is driven to move the target bin according to the third offset.

[0010] In some embodiments, the step of moving the chassis of the transport robot according to the first offset includes:

[0011] The expected path of the chassis is determined based on the first offset.

[0012] The chassis is driven to move along the expected path, and while the chassis is moving, the movement of the chassis is adjusted in real time according to the actual path of the chassis and the expected path.

[0013] In some embodiments, after the steps of driving the chassis of the handling robot to move according to the first offset, driving the fork assembly of the handling robot to translate according to the second offset, and driving it to rotate according to the first deflection angle, and before the step of driving the fork assembly of the handling robot to move the target bin according to the third offset, the method further includes:

[0014] Based on the positioning marks on the outer surface of the target bin, the coordinate system relationship with the corresponding bin is reconstructed;

[0015] Determine whether the reconstructed coordinate system relationship meets the set accuracy requirements;

[0016] If the reconstructed coordinate system does not meet the set accuracy requirements, the handling robot will be driven to move again based on the reconstructed coordinate system.

[0017] In some embodiments, the step of constructing a coordinate system relationship with the target hopper based on the positioning marks on the outer surface of the target hopper includes:

[0018] A coordinate system relationship between the target material box and the outer surface of the target material box is constructed based on the QR code.

[0019] And / or,

[0020] The coordinate system relationship between the target hopper and the outer surface of the hopper is constructed based on the hopper's body contour.

[0021] In some embodiments, a method is also included:

[0022] Based on the image of the bin group containing the target bin, determine whether the nesting of the bin group containing the target bin is safe;

[0023] If the nesting of the bin group containing the target bin is not secure, manual intervention is requested, and the handling robot is controlled to perform other tasks.

[0024] In some embodiments, the step of determining whether the nesting of the target hopper group is safe based on the image of the hopper group to which the target hopper is located includes:

[0025] The nesting of the bins in the bin group is determined based on the QR codes on the outer surface of all bins in the bin group.

[0026] And / or,

[0027] The safety of nesting of the bins is determined by the outline of the outer surface of all bins in the bin group.

[0028] This invention also provides a handling system, including a first handling robot, the first handling robot comprising:

[0029] A chassis, movably configured, the chassis being movable according to a first offset;

[0030] The column extends vertically and is fixed at one end to the chassis;

[0031] A support frame, detachably connected to the column, is available for movement relative to the column according to a second offset.

[0032] A fork assembly for lifting a target bin according to a third offset, and the fork assembly is also used to rotate relative to the support frame according to a first deflection angle;

[0033] A lifting mechanism is used to drive the support frame to move relative to the column.

[0034] In some embodiments, it also includes:

[0035] The second handling robot is used to move the target bins from the first handling robot out of the warehouse.

[0036] In some embodiments, it also includes:

[0037] A shelf, the top surface of which is used to store a set of material bins, the set of material bins including at least one material bin, and the height of the shelf being greater than or equal to the height of the chassis.

[0038] In some embodiments, the shelf is configured as one or more layers, and when the shelf is configured as one or more layers, each layer of the shelf can store the bin group.

[0039] This invention provides a method and system for handling warehouse goods. The method includes responding to a handling command for a target bin, determining the position information of the target bin indicated by the handling command, constructing a coordinate system relationship with the target bin based on the positioning representation of the target bin's outer surface, driving the chassis of a handling robot to move according to a first offset, driving the fork assembly of the handling robot to move according to a second offset and rotate according to a first deflection angle, and driving the fork assembly in the handling robot to handle the target bin according to a third offset. This invention separates the secondary positioning of the handling robot and the target bin into the chassis movement of the handling robot, the movement and rotation of the fork assembly, and the extension and retraction movement of the fork assembly itself. Compared to concentrating the control of secondary positioning on the overall adjustment of the handling robot, this reduces the time required for the handling robot to complete all positioning adjustments, improves the efficiency of secondary positioning between the handling robot and the target bin, and adjusts the positioning layout of the entire handling robot to the positioning of the fork assembly and the target bin, improving the accuracy of target bin positioning and reducing positioning difficulty. Attached Figure Description

[0040] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of a method for handling stored goods according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the handling robot according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the handling robot of the present invention handling goods in a first embodiment.

[0043] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the handling robot of the present invention handling goods in a second embodiment.

[0044] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the transport system in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0046] 1. Fork assembly; 11. Storage body; 111. Storage cavity; 112. End opening; 113. Side opening; 114. First side; 12. First handling mechanism; 13. Second handling mechanism; 14. Second lifting mechanism; 2. Chassis; 21. Roller; 22. Buffer position; 23. Rib; 3. Column; 34. Slot; 4. Support frame; 41. First support member; 42. Second support member; 5. First lifting mechanism; 56. First synchronous belt; 6. Rotary power unit; 7. Image acquisition device; 8. Shelf; 81. Shelf top surface; 82. Support column; 83. First shelf; 84. Second shelf. Detailed Implementation

[0047] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0048] The specific technical features described in the specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. For example, different combinations of specific technical features can form different embodiments and technical solutions. To avoid unnecessary repetition, the various possible combinations of the specific technical features in this invention will not be described separately.

[0049] In the following description, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used merely to distinguish different objects and do not indicate that the objects have the sameness or relationship. It should be understood that the directional descriptions "above," "below," "outside," and "inside" refer to the orientation under normal use conditions, while "left" and "right" refer to the left and right directions shown in the corresponding diagrams, which may or may not be the left and right directions under normal use conditions.

[0050] It should be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element. "A plurality of" means two or more.

[0051] This invention provides a method for handling stored goods. It should be noted that the stored goods in this embodiment can be contained in bins. For simplicity, bins are used to represent the goods, and the bins are not limited in shape, size, or other parameters. All bins in the warehouse can be one or more standard parts. Of course, in other embodiments, the stored goods may not be contained in bins, but can be represented directly by the goods themselves or by other forms. Multiple bins are stacked vertically to form a row of bins, and multiple rows of bins can be stored in the warehouse. The stacking of multiple bins described in this invention means that the stacking of bins does not require shelving support, and the surfaces of adjacent bins in the same row are at least partially in contact with each other in the vertical direction. It is understood that the warehouse floor is generally horizontal, that is, the extension direction of each row of bins is perpendicular to the ground. Of course, the warehouse floor may have uneven areas, meaning the horizontal plane is not required to be absolutely level, and the corresponding vertical direction is not required to be absolutely vertical, allowing for errors due to ground levelness and bin processing.

[0052] This invention provides a method for handling stored goods, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the handling method includes:

[0053] Step S100: In response to the handling instruction of the target bin, determine the location information of the target bin indicated by the handling instruction; the target bin is one or more of a plurality of vertically stacked bins. The number of target bins can be determined by the number of bins that the handling robot can handle at one time. The handling instruction includes an outbound instruction and an inbound instruction for the target bin. The outbound instruction indicates that the handling robot will move one or more bins from the stacked bins in the warehouse from the location specified in the instruction; the inbound instruction indicates that the handling robot will move one or more bins into the stacked bins at the location specified in the instruction.

[0054] Of course, the handling instruction may also include the set location information of the target bin to be moved to or the set location information of the target bin to be moved. In this embodiment of the invention, each bin in the warehouse has a unique identification code, and the database of the warehouse storage system stores the location information corresponding to each identification code, the type of items stored in the bin, etc. In this embodiment of the invention, the handling instruction for the target bin can be formed by querying the identification code corresponding to the target bin and calling the location information corresponding to the identification code in the database. Among them, the identification codes of the bins in the database are fixed, that is, the identification code corresponding to each bin will not change with the location of the bin. For example, a bin corresponds to the identification code with the serial number 0010; the location information of each bin can change with the entry and exit of the bin, that is, the location information corresponding to each identification code is changing. In this embodiment of the invention, the handling robot can move to the vicinity of the target bin according to the current location information of the target bin in the handling instruction.

[0055] Step S200: Based on the positioning marks on the outer surface of the target bin, a coordinate system relationship is established between the target bin and the target bin. This coordinate system relationship includes a first offset, a second offset, a third offset, and a first deflection angle. It should be noted that the positioning marks on the outer surface of the target bin in this embodiment can be the positioning marks of the target bin to be transported, or the positioning marks of bins surrounding the target bin. For example, the positioning marks of bins adjacent to the target bin, or the positioning marks of bins stacked above or below the target bin. This embodiment does not limit the type and form of the positioning marks, as long as they can achieve the relative position calibration between the transport robot and the target bin. During the calibration process, the positioning marks on the outer surface of the target bin are used as a reference to establish the coordinate system relationship between the transport robot and the target bin. Figure 2 As shown, the coordinate system relationship includes a first offset, a second offset, a third offset, and a first deflection angle. The first offset represents the distance between the handling robot and the target bin in the first direction (refer to...). Figure 2The offset of the relative position between the handling robot and the target bin in the N1 direction (as shown) and the second offset represent the offset of the relative position between the robot and the target bin in the third direction (refer to the N1 direction). Figure 2 The offset of the relative position between the handling robot and the target bin in the N3 direction (as shown in the figure) represents the offset of the relative position in the second direction (refer to the second direction). Figure 2 The offset of the relative position in the N2 direction, wherein the first direction represents the front-back direction of the handling robot, and the front-back direction represents the direction of movement of the handling robot; the second direction represents the left-right direction of the handling robot, and the left-right direction represents the direction perpendicular to the first direction in the horizontal direction. Of course, the embodiments of this application do not limit the movement form of the handling robot. The handling robot can be equipped with universal rollers, which can drive the handling robot to move in various directions along the ground, not limited to the front-back direction; the third direction represents the height direction of the handling robot, which can also be understood as the up and down direction in the absolute coordinate system of space; the first deflection angle represents the deflection angle of the handling robot relative to the target box in the plane formed by the first direction and the second direction.

[0056] Step S300, combined Figure 2 As shown, the chassis 2 driving the transport robot is based on the first offset ( Figure 2 The robot moves along the N1 direction (the offset shown). For example, the offset between the handling robot and the target bin in the first direction is the first offset. The chassis 2 driving the handling robot moves the entire handling robot along the first direction (the offset in the N1 direction is the first offset). Figure 2 The fork assembly 1 of the transport robot moves by a first offset in the N1 direction, making the offset between the transport robot and the target bin in the first direction less than a set value. The fork assembly 1 of the transport robot moves according to a second offset and rotates according to a first deflection angle. For example, the offset of the entire fork assembly relative to the target bin in a third direction is the second offset. By driving the fork assembly 1 to move relative to the column 3 in the transport robot along a third direction, the offset of the fork assembly 1 relative to the target bin in the third direction is made less than the set value. It should be noted that the connection between the fork assembly 1 and the column 3 in this embodiment can be direct or indirect. The fork assembly 1 of the transport robot rotates according to the first deflection angle. For example, in some embodiments, the column 3 and the fork assembly 1 are connected by a support frame 4. The support frame 4 and the column 3 are movably connected in a third direction, and the fork assembly 1 is rotatably connected to the support frame 4. By driving the fork assembly 1 to rotate relative to the support frame 4 around a third direction, the deflection angle of the fork assembly 1 relative to the target bin is made less than the set angle. This invention improves the alignment between the fork assembly and the target bin by adjusting the first offset, the second offset, and the first deflection angle of the handling robot relative to the target bin, thereby enhancing the accuracy and safety of the fork assembly in grasping the target bin.

[0057] In step S400, the fork assembly 1 in the handling robot is driven to move the target box according to the third offset. It should be noted that the third offset represents the offset of the fork assembly relative to the target box in the second direction (refer to the N2 direction described in 2). The fork assembly 1 is driven to extend and retract in the second direction to accurately position the relative position of the fork assembly 1's gripper and the target box in the second direction, thereby achieving accurate handling of the target box by the fork assembly, which is beneficial to improving the efficiency and safety of target box handling.

[0058] This invention provides a method for handling warehouse goods. The method includes responding to a handling command for a target bin, determining the position information of the target bin indicated by the handling command, constructing a coordinate system relationship with the target bin based on the positioning representation of the target bin's outer surface, driving the chassis of a handling robot to move according to a first offset, driving the fork assembly of the handling robot to move according to a second offset and rotate according to a first deflection angle, and driving the fork assembly in the handling robot to handle the target bin according to a third offset. This invention separates the secondary positioning of the handling robot and the target bin into the chassis movement of the handling robot, the movement and rotation of the fork assembly, and the extension and retraction movement of the fork assembly itself. Compared to concentrating the control of secondary positioning on the overall adjustment of the handling robot, this method reduces the time required for the handling robot to complete all positioning adjustments, improves the efficiency of secondary positioning between the handling robot and the target bin, and adjusts the positioning layout of the entire handling robot to the positioning of the fork assembly and the target bin, improving the accuracy of target bin positioning and reducing positioning difficulty.

[0059] In some embodiments, the step of moving the chassis of the transport robot according to a first offset includes:

[0060] The expected path of the chassis is determined based on the first offset.

[0061] Drive the chassis to move along the expected path, and adjust the chassis's movement in real time according to the actual path and the expected path.

[0062] It should be noted that during the chassis movement, the actual path of the chassis may deviate from the expected path. Therefore, this embodiment of the invention controls the chassis movement by tracking the actual path of the chassis and calibrating the actual offset between the actual path of the chassis and the target hopper in real time. In other words, by controlling the movement trajectory of the chassis of the handling robot, the chassis can move and track the target along a predetermined path. For example, the position of the target hopper can be detected by sensors or image acquisition devices, and then the movement of the chassis of the handling robot can be adjusted by a control algorithm so that the chassis of the handling robot can accurately follow the expected path.

[0063] In some embodiments, after the steps of driving the chassis of the handling robot to move according to a first offset, driving the fork assembly of the handling robot to translate according to a second offset, and driving the fork assembly of the handling robot to rotate according to a first deflection angle, and before the step of driving the fork assembly of the handling robot to move the target bin according to a third offset, the method further includes:

[0064] Based on the positioning marks on the outer surface of the target bin, the coordinate system relationship with the corresponding bin is reconstructed. It should be noted that the positioning marks on the outer surface of the target bin can be a QR code affixed to the bin surface or the outer contour of the bin. This embodiment of the invention does not limit the type of positioning mark, nor does it limit the specific positioning technology implementation method between the handling robot and the target bin, as long as the positioning of the handling robot relative to the target bin can be achieved through the positioning marks of the target bin. In the secondary positioning process, this embodiment of the invention adjusts the position of the chassis relative to the target bin using a first offset, adjusts the position of the fork assembly relative to the target bin using a second offset and a first deflection angle, and adjusts the extension / retraction degree of the fork assembly using a third offset. During the adjustment of the chassis and fork assembly, real-time positioning can be performed based on the positioning representation on the outer surface of the target bin, reconstructing the actual relative positional relationship between the chassis and the fork assembly relative to the target bin.

[0065] Determine whether the reconstructed coordinate system relationship meets the set accuracy requirements;

[0066] If the reconstructed coordinate system does not meet the set accuracy requirements, the handling robot is driven to move again based on the reconstructed coordinate system. It should be noted that the embodiments of the present invention do not limit the specific value of the set accuracy requirements. The vertical accuracy can be further set according to the size of the handling robot and the size of the material box. For example, in some embodiments, it can be determined whether the offset of the base relative to the target material box in the first direction in the coordinate system is less than 5mm. If so, it is determined that the offset adjustment of the chassis relative to the target material box in the first direction meets the set accuracy; if it is greater than or equal to 5mm, it is determined that the offset adjustment of the chassis relative to the target material box in the first direction meets the set accuracy. It should be noted that the above embodiments are only illustrative examples of one implementation method and do not imply a specific limitation on the accuracy setting. Furthermore, the accuracy determination of the fork assembly is similar to the accuracy determination of the chassis described above.

[0067] In some embodiments, the step of constructing a coordinate system relationship with the target bin based on the positioning marks on the outer surface of the target bin includes:

[0068] The coordinate system relationship between the target bin and the QR code on its outer surface is established. In this embodiment, a 2D camera can be used to capture the QR code on the target bin's outer surface. Each bin in the warehouse has a positioning marker, which can be a QR code, barcode, or other identifier with precise location information. The positioning marker can also be a pattern with shapes such as triangles or right angles. This embodiment does not limit the shape and pattern of the positioning marker. As long as the positioning marker is set at a fixed position on the bin, the 2D camera can quickly align with the target bin at the location to be transported, facilitating accurate transport of the target bin by the forklift assembly.

[0069] In some embodiments, a coordinate system relationship between the target bin and its outer surface contour is constructed. In this embodiment, a 3D camera can be used to capture the outer contour of the target bin. By photographing the target bin, the fork assembly is driven to align with the corresponding bin based on the area where the target bin is located in the captured image. That is, during the precise alignment of the first handling mechanism with the bin, in addition to the alignment method using positioning markers described in the previous embodiment, alignment can also be achieved by directly recognizing and locating the outer contour of the bin. The image recognition module of the 3D camera identifies and locates the outer contour of the bin, helping the fork assembly to accurately handle the target bin, improving the stability of bin handling and the safety of transportation operations.

[0070] In some embodiments, a method is also included:

[0071] Based on the image of the target bin's bin group, the safety of the nesting within the bin group is determined. It should be noted that the bins stored in the warehouse of this embodiment are stacked without shelving; that is, multiple bins are stacked vertically in nested layers. Multiple stacks of bins can be stacked in a predetermined manner. Nesting refers to the upper and lower layers of adjacent bins nesting within each other, achieving circumferential positioning of adjacent bins, thereby improving the stability of the bin stack and increasing the stack height to enhance storage capacity. This embodiment of the invention uses the image of the target bin obtained in any of the positioning methods described in the preceding embodiments to determine the safety of the nesting within the bin group. One method for determining the safety of nesting is to check whether the side of the entire stack of bins in the target bin group extends in a straight line. For example, if the side of the entire stack of bins in the target bin group is not straight, it indicates that the nesting position of bins in the bin group is inaccurate, and therefore, the nesting is deemed unsafe. Alternatively, it can be determined whether the angle between the straight line of the side of the entire stack of bins and the vertical direction is less than or equal to a set angle. If the angle between the side of the bin group and the vertical direction is greater than the set angle, it indicates that the stack of bins has a high tilt angle, which means that the center of gravity of the stack of bins is off, making it prone to tipping over, thus resulting in an unsafe nesting situation. The methods for determining whether nesting is safe in the embodiments of the present invention include, but are not limited to, the above-mentioned implementation methods, as long as it is possible to determine whether the nesting of bins is safe through 2D or 3D images.

[0072] If the nesting of the target bin within the bin group is unsafe, manual intervention is requested, and the handling robot is controlled to perform other tasks. In other words, when the camera detects a problem with the bin nesting, the handling robot reports a fault code to the upper-level controller. Upon receiving the fault code, the controller stops the current handling task, reports an error, and the handling robot stops working and issues an alarm signal, which includes, but is not limited to, a red light and an alarm bell. The bin group stacking can be restored to a safe state through manual intervention. Of course, in other embodiments, the handling robot can also be used to restore the bin group stacking to a safe state.

[0073] It should be noted that the method described in the above embodiments can be applied to each handling stage in the outbound and inbound processes of the handling robot. Taking the handling robot needing to move a target box from a target location outbound as an example, the handling robot first arrives at the target location and performs secondary positioning. Before the fork assembly moves the target box, the camera first acquires an image of the box group containing the target box before the move to determine whether the nesting state of the current box group is safe. If not, the task is stopped and an alarm is triggered. If safe, the fork assembly removes the box from the target location. After removal, the camera acquires an image of the box group after the target box has been moved to determine whether the nesting of the box group after the move is safe. In some embodiments, the image of the box group after the move can also be compared with the image of the box group before the move to determine whether the position of the box at the set location is consistent. If the deviation between the positions of the boxes before and after the move is greater than a set value, it can also indicate that the nesting of the boxes is unsafe.

[0074] This invention identifies nesting issues in material bins and can determine the stacking status of material bins in real time during handling, thereby further reducing the risk of material bins tipping over and improving the safety and efficiency of handling robots in warehouses.

[0075] In some embodiments, the step of determining whether the nesting of the target bin group is safe based on the image of the bin group to which the target bin is located includes:

[0076] The nesting of the bins is determined by scanning the QR codes on the outer surfaces of all bins in the bin group. A 2D camera is used to scan and identify the QR codes on the bins. The bin's pose is then compared to the QR code's position to obtain the bin's pose. The algorithm compares the ideal position with the current position to obtain the first, second, first deflection angle, and third deviation values ​​of the transport robot relative to the target bin. The transport robot's chassis adjusts its posture based on these deviations to ensure that the fork assembly can pick up and place bins. During each secondary positioning process, the transport robot's positioning deviation error exists and shows a convergence trend over time. Therefore, the transport robot continuously approaches the ideal position during its movement. The convergence effect is directly related to the underlying hardware response and the selection of algorithm parameters.

[0077] This invention uses a 2D camera to attach a QR code to the material box. The 2D camera identifies the QR code on the material box to determine the position and posture of the handling robot relative to the material box. This further solves the problem of difficult chassis adjustment of the handling robot and helps to improve the adjustment accuracy of the handling robot.

[0078] In some embodiments, the nesting safety of the bin group is determined based on the box contours of the outer surfaces of all bins in the bin group. The bin contours are identified using a 3D camera to obtain the position of the handling robot relative to the bins; the pose of the QR code on the bin is identified by taking a picture with the 3D camera; the positioning coordinate error value of the handling robot can be obtained based on the ideal position and the current position; a control law is designed to converge the error value, ultimately determining the amount of adjustment required for the handling robot in the N1 / N2 / N3 / θ directions. After the handling robot moves closer to the ideal trajectory, the fork assembly rotates to a certain pose. Within one response cycle, the chassis control layer of the handling robot adjusts the chassis in the N1 direction, and then the forks rotate in the N3 / θ directions to complete the positioning deviation convergence. During each secondary positioning process of the handling robot, the positioning deviation error value persists and shows a convergence trend over time until the handling robot reaches the ideal position.

[0079] It should be noted that the bin stacking status determination in the embodiments of the present invention can be achieved by using a 2D camera or a 3D camera to obtain images of the bins. The acquisition device can be set up separately or can be shared with the positioning process of the handling robot.

[0080] This invention determines whether the nesting of material bins is safe by recognizing the QR code on the outer surface of the bin or the outer contour of the bin. The recognition accuracy is high, which helps to reduce the difficulty of recognition and judgment and improve the safety of the handling robot operation.

[0081] This invention also provides a handling system, including a first handling robot. The first handling robot includes a fork assembly 1, a chassis 2, a column 3, a support frame 4, and a first lifting mechanism 5. The fork assembly 1 is used to lift a target bin. The fork assembly 1 is provided with one or more movable handling mechanisms to achieve the lifting of the target bin. It should be noted that the target bin can be a single bin or multiple bins. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the first handling robot in this application embodiment lifting the target material box according to the first implementation method. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the first handling robot in this application embodiment lifting a target bin according to a second implementation method. Wherein, Figure 3 In the schematic diagram shown, the first handling robot is in the process of grabbing a target bin (a1) at a time; Figure 4 The schematic diagram shows the first handling robot grabbing multiple target bins (a1, a2, a3...an) at once. This application does not limit the number of target bins that the fork assembly 1 can lift, as long as the fork assembly 1 can lift the target bins. The fork assembly is also used to rotate relative to the column (or support frame) according to a first deflection angle, thereby adjusting the first deflection angle.

[0082] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the first handling robot in the embodiments of this application, with reference to... Figure 2 The upright column 3 extends vertically and is connected to the chassis 2 at one end. The fork assembly 1 is connected to the upright column 3 via a support frame 4. The chassis 2 is movable and can move the fork assembly 1 horizontally to a position close to the target bin or near the location where the target bin is to be stored. The movable chassis 2 means that the chassis 2 can move relative to the ground or other surfaces. In some embodiments, the chassis 2 is provided with rollers 21 on the side close to the ground. The chassis 2 can be moved horizontally by driving the rollers 21, thereby enabling the first handling robot to move the target bin horizontally. After responding to the storage or retrieval command of the target bin, the rollers 21 of the chassis 2 can be driven to move, so that the first handling robot moves to a position close to the target bin or near the location where the target bin is to be stored according to the position information in the command.

[0083] It should be noted that the aforementioned "horizontal direction" includes the front-back direction of the first direction and the left-right direction of the second direction. The horizontal direction is the extension direction of the plane containing the first and second directions. That is to say, the first handling robot in this embodiment of the invention can move in all horizontal directions, front-back, left-right. It should also be noted that the aforementioned "front-back, left-right" refers to the direction in the paper shown in the schematic diagram of this invention. The direction containing the first direction is the direction of the roller 21 moving forward and backward in a straight line in the actual application scenario. The direction of extension of the column 3 indicates the direction of the maximum dimension of the column 3. In this embodiment of the invention, the direction of the maximum dimension of the column 3 indicates the height direction of the column 3. That is to say, under normal working conditions, the height direction of the column 3 is in the vertical direction, and the vertical surface of the column 3 has the maximum outline dimension of the column 3. Under normal operating conditions, the ground or other surface on which the chassis 2 moves is a horizontal plane, and the surface of the column 3 perpendicular to the horizontal plane is a vertical plane. However, this does not mean that the horizontal and vertical planes need to be absolutely horizontal and vertical. The horizontal plane allows for the existence of ground unevenness and slope, and the vertical plane allows for the existence of machining errors in the chassis 2 and column 3. As long as they are approximately horizontal and vertical under normal operating conditions, it is acceptable. During the secondary positioning process, the chassis can be used to move in the first direction according to the first offset based on the coordinate system relationship between the chassis and the target material box constructed based on the positioning marks on the outer surface of the target material box.

[0084] The fork assembly 1 is connected to the column 3 via a support frame 4. In some embodiments, the column 3 is provided with a slot 34 for the support frame 4 to be inserted into. Specifically, refer to... Figure 2The handling robot also includes a rotary power unit 6, which drives the fork assembly 1 to rotate relative to the support frame 4 in a vertical direction. The support frame 4 includes a first support member 41 and a second support member 42 connected perpendicularly to each other, that is, the support frame 4 is generally L-shaped. Of course, in some other embodiments, the support frame 4 can also be set to other shapes, such as a U-shape. However, setting the support frame 4 to L-shape can increase the open area of ​​the side of the support frame 4 near the fork assembly 1, so as to facilitate the movement of the fork assembly 1 into the support frame 4. The fork assembly can adjust the extension distance of the fork assembly in the length direction according to the third offset to achieve secondary positioning of the fork assembly and the target bin in the gripping direction.

[0085] The second support member 42 is movably connected to the column 3 in the vertical direction. That is, the second support member 42 is connected to the first synchronous belt 56, which drives the second support member 42 to move relative to the column 3 in the vertical direction. The column 3 serves as a vertical guide for the second support member 42, facilitating stable sliding of the second support member 42 in the vertical direction. (Refer to...) Figure 2 The second support member 42 is at least at its upper limit in the first and second directions. As mentioned above, the horizontal direction includes both the first and second directions; therefore, the vertical direction is perpendicular to both the first and second directions. In other words, the second support member 42 is connected to the column 3 at its upper limit in the horizontal direction and is movably connected in the vertical direction. During the lifting and lowering of the fork assembly 1 relative to the column 3, the fork assembly 1 maintains a stable connection with the column 3 in the horizontal direction.

[0086] By aligning the surfaces of the support frame 4 with the horizontal and height references of the upright 3, the assembled fork assembly 1 can be aligned with the height reference of the upright 3. It should be noted that the aforementioned "reference alignment" means that the vertical surface of the fork assembly 1 and the vertical surface of the upright 3 are approximately flush within the machining error range of the finishing process. Compared to the implementation where one or more handling mechanisms are respectively arranged on the vertical surface of the upright 3, this embodiment of the invention achieves the assembly of the fork assembly 1 and the upright 3 through the connection between the support frame 4 and the upright 3. Only the assembly error between the support frame 4 and the upright 3 needs to be corrected to correct the assembly error of each component in the fork assembly 1 relative to the upright 3. This simplifies the operation process of one or more handling mechanisms respectively aligning with the upright 3, reduces the cumulative error caused by one or more handling mechanisms assembling with the upright 3 separately, and improves the assembly consistency of one or more handling mechanisms.

[0087] With the support frame 4 connected to the column 3, the first lifting mechanism 5 can drive the support frame 4 to move vertically relative to the column 3. That is, the first lifting mechanism 5 can drive the support frame 4 to rise and fall relative to the column 3, thereby achieving the lifting and lowering of the fork assembly 1. The vertical travel of the fork assembly 1 is related to the height of the column 3. The support frame 4 can move the fork assembly 1 to any position within the height range of the column 3, for example, to achieve the adjustment of the second offset. The height of the column 3 is much greater than the height of the support frame 4. The larger height of the column 3 makes it prone to vertical machining errors, which is detrimental to the machining of the column 3. In this embodiment of the invention, the support frame 4 is detachably connected to the column 3, and the fork assembly 1 is detachably connected to the support frame 4. When there is a small machining error in the vertical surface of the column 3, it is only necessary to detachably adjust the assembly gap between the support frame 4 and the column 3 to compensate for the small machining error in the vertical surface of the column 3. When there is a large machining error in the vertical surface of the column 3, there is no need to rework the column 3. It is only necessary to disassemble and adjust the flatness of each surface in the support frame 4 or the perpendicularity between adjacent surfaces to compensate for the large machining error in the vertical surface of the column 3, thereby reducing the machining difficulty of the column 3.

[0088] After the first handling robot's drive roller 21 moves to a position close to the target bin or near the location where the target bin is to be stored, it drives the first lifting mechanism 5, causing the fork assembly 1 to rise or fall to the height of the layer containing the target bin. One or more handling mechanisms maintain a high degree of assembly consistency. Even if the first lifting mechanism 5 causes the fork assembly 1 to change its relative position to the column 3, each handling mechanism still maintains a high vertical reference, facilitating the precise lifting and lowering of the target bin by the fork assembly 1. This improves the accuracy of the first handling robot in picking up and placing the target bin, and facilitates the accurate placement and retrieval of the target bin.

[0089] It should be noted that the embodiments of the present invention do not limit the specific structure of the first lifting mechanism 5. For example, the first lifting mechanism 5 can be implemented by using synchronous pulleys and belts, gears and racks and rollers and thick steel wire ropes to achieve the lifting of the fork assembly 1. Regardless of the structure of the first lifting mechanism 5, as long as the first lifting mechanism 5 can achieve the lifting of the fork assembly 1, it is acceptable.

[0090] This invention provides a handling system comprising a first handling robot. By separating the secondary positioning of the handling robot and the target bin into the movement of the robot's chassis, the movement and rotation of the fork assembly, and the extension and retraction of the fork assembly itself, compared to concentrating the control of secondary positioning on the overall adjustment of the handling robot, this system reduces the time required for the handling robot to complete all positioning adjustments, improves the efficiency of secondary positioning between the handling robot and the target bin, and adjusts the positioning layout of the entire handling robot to focus on the positioning of the fork assembly and the target bin, thereby improving the accuracy of target bin positioning and reducing positioning difficulty. Furthermore, the support frame 4 is detachably connected to the column 3, and the fork assembly 1 is detachably connected to the support frame 4; that is, the fork assembly 1 is connected to the column 3 via the support frame 4. Only the assembly error between the support frame 4 and the column 3 needs to be detachably checked to correct the assembly error of each component in the fork assembly 1 relative to the column 3. This simplifies the operation process of one or more handling mechanisms in the fork assembly 1 separately checking the column 3, reduces the cumulative error caused by the separate assembly of one or more handling mechanisms with the column 3, and improves the assembly consistency of one or more handling mechanisms. With the support frame 4 connected to the column 3, the first lifting mechanism 5 (first synchronous belt 56) can drive the support frame 4 to move vertically relative to the column 3, so that the fork assembly 1 rises or falls relative to the column to the height of the target bin. One or more handling mechanisms in the fork assembly 1 maintain a high degree of assembly consistency. After the fork assembly 1 moves to any height position within the height range of the column 3, each handling mechanism still maintains a high vertical reference, reducing the risk of target bin misalignment and improving the accuracy of the handling robot in picking up and placing goods.

[0091] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the handling robot also includes an image acquisition device 7 and a controller (not shown in the figure). The image acquisition device 7 is fixed to the fork assembly 1. The image acquisition device 7 is used to acquire images of the target bins to be handled. The controller can recognize the image information and adjust the position of the fork assembly 1 according to the image information to achieve alignment between the fork assembly 1 and the corresponding bins, that is, the first handling mechanism 12 is aligned with the bin group, and the second handling mechanism 13 is aligned with the target bin. When the handling robot moves to the vicinity of the target bin, using the image acquisition device 7 to align the fork assembly 1 enables the handling mechanism to handle the corresponding bins more accurately. In other words, the image acquisition device 7 in this embodiment of the invention can be used to achieve image acquisition for secondary positioning and image acquisition for bin nesting problem identification as described in any of the above method embodiments.

[0092] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3The forklift assembly 1 includes a housing 11, a first conveying mechanism 12, and a second conveying mechanism 13. The housing 11 has a storage cavity 111 inside, the space of which is used to install the first conveying mechanism 12 and the second conveying mechanism 13. The storage cavity 111 is open at at least one end, allowing one or more target bins to enter through this opening. It should be noted that, referring to… Figure 2 The storage cavity 111 may have openings at both ends as shown in the schematic diagram of this application; specifically, one end and one side of the storage cavity 111 are respectively provided with openings. (Refer to...) Figure 2 and Figure 3 The target material box mainly enters the storage cavity 111 through the side opening 113. The end opening 112 is used to increase the open area of ​​the storage cavity 111 to facilitate the installation of the first handling mechanism 12 and the second handling mechanism 13 within the storage cavity 111. The end opening 112 also serves to allow space for the height of one or more target material boxes, thereby increasing the number of target material boxes that can enter the storage cavity 111 through the opening. Of course, in some embodiments, the storage cavity 111 may also have openings only on one or more sides, or openings at one or more ends, to increase the limiting area of ​​the storage cavity 111 for the target material box and improve the stability of the target material box during cargo handling. This application does not limit the specific arrangement and number of openings, but the storage cavity 111 should have an opening on at least one side.

[0093] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 Both the first transport mechanism 12 and the second transport mechanism 13 can extend and retract in the horizontal direction. It can be understood that the aforementioned "horizontal direction" refers to the direction in which the first transport mechanism 12 and the second transport mechanism 13 retract on the horizontal plane, relative to the inner and outer sides of the storage cavity 111. Figure 3 In the schematic diagram shown, both the first direction (front-back direction) and the second direction (left-right direction) are horizontal. Both the first conveying mechanism 12 and the second conveying mechanism 13 can extend and retract along the first direction, the second direction, or any direction between the first and second directions. The first conveying mechanism 12 and the second conveying mechanism 13 can extend and retract in various horizontal directions, facilitating the loading and unloading of the material box at various angles. It should be noted that, from the perspective shown in the schematic diagram, the extension and retraction directions of the first conveying mechanism 12 and the second conveying mechanism 13 are both in the second direction. Figure 3 In the schematic diagram shown, the extension and retraction directions of the first transport mechanism 12 and the second transport mechanism 13 are in the N2 direction, meaning that both the first transport mechanism 12 and the second transport mechanism 13 can extend and retract in the N2 direction. The N2 arrow indicates the direction in which the first transport mechanism 12 and the second transport mechanism 13 extend outward from the storage cavity 111; the other direction within the N2 direction is the direction in which the first transport mechanism 12 and the second transport mechanism 13 retract into the storage cavity 111.

[0094] It should be noted that both handling mechanisms can extend fully outside the storage cavity 111 to lift the material box, and both handling mechanisms can retract fully inside the storage cavity 111 for standby. Alternatively, one handling mechanism can extend outside the storage cavity 111 to lift the material box while the other retracts inside the storage cavity 111 for standby. Figure 2 In the schematic diagram shown, both the first handling mechanism 12 and the second handling mechanism 13 are retracted into the storage cavity 111 for standby; of course, the fork assembly 1 may also extend only the first handling mechanism 12 or only the second handling mechanism 13, as shown. Figure 4 As shown, the first conveying mechanism 12 retracts into the storage cavity 111 and waits for operation, while the second conveying mechanism 13 extends out of the storage cavity 111 and conveys multiple target boxes (a1, a2, a3...an) at a time.

[0095] Reference Figure 3 At least one of the first conveying mechanism 12 and the second conveying mechanism 13 can translate vertically. This can be either the first conveying mechanism 12 reciprocating vertically, or the second conveying mechanism 13 reciprocating vertically, or both the first and second conveying mechanisms 12 and 13 reciprocating vertically. When the first and second conveying mechanisms 12 and 13 extend together and grasp the target material box, the first conveying mechanism 12, and / or the second conveying mechanism 13, reciprocates vertically to release the stacked state of the target material box and the material box group, separating the target material box and the material box group. Combined with... Figure 3 As shown, "separation of the target bin and bin group" means that the top bin of the target bin and the bottom bin of the bin group are not obstructed by each other in the horizontal direction, so that the target bin can be moved into the storage cavity 111 under the action of the second conveying mechanism 13. Specifically, a1 and b1 are distributed in the direction of arrow N3, and the upper end face (c1) of a1 and the lower end face (c2) of b1 are separated in the vertical direction without contact. The first conveying mechanism 12 grabs the bottom bin (b1) in the bin group (b1, b2, b3...bn), and the second conveying mechanism 13 grabs the target bin (a1). Subsequently, one or both of the first conveying mechanism 12 and the second conveying mechanism 13 move in a direction away from each other in the vertical direction to separate the target bin from the bin group. This can achieve smooth transportation of the target bin to the storage cavity 111, and also maintain the stability of the stacked bin group and the stability of the target bin during the transfer process, thereby improving the handling efficiency and handling stability of the fork assembly 1.

[0096] Taking the second conveying mechanism 13 as an example, which can translate in the vertical direction, refer to Figure 3The fork assembly 1 also includes a second lifting mechanism 14, which drives the second transport mechanism 13 to translate vertically relative to the first transport mechanism 12. That is, the first transport mechanism 12 only extends and retracts in the horizontal direction, while the second transport mechanism 13 can extend and retract horizontally and also reciprocate vertically. It should be noted that this application does not limit the specific structure of the second lifting mechanism 14. The second lifting mechanism 14 can be driven by components such as motors, electric motors, and cylinders, and can be driven by transmission forms such as synchronous pulleys and synchronous belts, gear racks and pinions, rollers, and thick steel wire ropes. Regardless of the driving element or transmission form used, as long as the second lifting mechanism 14 can drive the second transport mechanism 13 to translate vertically, it is acceptable.

[0097] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 2 The fork assembly 1 is located on one side of the column 3 in the first direction. Figure 2 (The direction indicated by the arrow N1) is opposite to the first direction (the other side of the first direction). Figure 2 The N1 (in the direction opposite to the arrow) together with the chassis 2 form a buffer position 22. The buffer position 22 is used to store the target bins transported by the fork assembly 1. That is, after the fork assembly 1 transports the target bins from multiple stacked bins, the fork assembly 1 can place one or more target bins in the buffer position 22, so that the fork assembly 1 does not need to immediately transport the target bins to the designated position to start the transport of the next target bin, which can improve the efficiency of bin transport.

[0098] It should be noted that cache position 22 represents a virtual space. Cache position 22 is approximately located on the side of the column facing negative N1. The vertical space where cache position 22 is located can be used to set up a cabinet, a multi-layered support structure with horizontal support surfaces, or a multi-layered hollow support structure as shown in the figure. Therefore, the vertical space where cache position 22 is located can hold a whole stack of material boxes, or multiple layers of material boxes can be placed in layers. Regardless of the structure of the vertical space where cache position 22 is located, as long as the target material box can be placed, it is acceptable. In this embodiment of the invention, refer to... Figure 2 To increase the number of target boxes that the handling robot can accommodate, multiple hollow supports are provided in the vertical space where the buffer position 22 is located, allowing the target boxes to be placed in a stack in the buffer position 22. Furthermore, stacks of boxes can also be stacked within the storage cavity 111, with the internal space of the storage cavity 111 storing and containing the stacks of boxes, thus improving the handling efficiency of the handling robot. (Refer to...) Figure 4 It is understood that in some embodiments, multiple ribs 23 may be provided in the buffer position 22, and the multiple ribs 23 abut against one or more side walls of the material box to improve the vertical placement stability of the entire stack of material boxes.

[0099] In some embodiments, the handling system further includes a second handling robot, which is used to move the target bins from the first handling robot out of the warehouse. The second handling robot is a robot with a simpler structure and faster handling speed than the first handling robot. This second handling robot does not need to grasp the target bins in the bin group; it only needs to promptly move the bins that the first handling robot has taken from the bin group out of or into the warehouse. The cooperation between the first and second robots improves the efficiency of bin movement in and out of the warehouse.

[0100] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the handling system also includes a rack 8, the height of which is greater than or equal to the height of the chassis 2. The top surface 81 of the rack is used to store stacked bins, each stacked bin including at least one bin; that is, the bottom bin in the stacked bins is placed against the top surface 81 of the rack. The height of the rack 8 is greater than or equal to the height of the chassis 2, and the fork assembly 1 is capable of gripping at least the bottom end of the bottom bin in the entire stacked bin row, meaning that even if the gripper position in the bin (e.g., ...) Figure 3 Regardless of the height of the slot e), the fork assembly 1 can grip any bin in the entire stacked bin row. When the ground has a certain slope or unevenness, the multiple support columns 82 of the rack 8 can be set at different heights, or the bottom surface of the rack can be set at a certain slope to maintain the flatness of the top surface 81 of the rack, ensuring that the stacked bins are stably stacked vertically and not easily tipped over, thus improving the problem of insufficient flatness of the warehouse floor.

[0101] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 5 As the height of the stacked bins increases (e.g., more than ten layers), the bins located in the middle and top layers of the entire stack become less stable and more prone to tipping over. The shelf 8 can be configured as one or more layers. When the shelf 8 is configured as one or more layers, each layer of the shelf 8 can store stacked bins. For example, if the warehouse needs to store twenty layers of bins, the shelf 8 can be configured as two layers, from bottom to top: a first shelf 83 and a second shelf 84. The twenty layers of bins are divided into two stacks. One to ten layers of stacked bins can be stored between the first shelf 83 and the second shelf 84, and the top surface of the second shelf 84 can store another stack of stacked bins ranging from eleven to twenty layers. The shelf 8 can be configured with multiple layers, which can improve the problem of stacked bins with more than ten layers easily tipping over. Furthermore, the multi-layer shelf 8 fully utilizes the vertical space of the warehouse, increasing the warehouse's storage capacity. The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for handling stored goods, characterized in that, The method includes: In response to a handling instruction for a target bin, the location information of the target bin indicated by the handling instruction is determined; the target bin is one or more of a plurality of bins stacked vertically. A coordinate system relationship between the target material box and the outer surface of the target material box is constructed based on the QR code; wherein the coordinate system relationship includes a first offset, a second offset, a third offset, and a first deflection angle; The nesting of the bin group is determined based on the QR codes on the outer surfaces of all bins in the bin group containing the target bin. The chassis of the transport robot moves according to the first offset, and the fork assembly of the transport robot moves according to the second offset and rotates according to the first deflection angle; The fork assembly in the transport robot is driven to move the target bin according to the third offset.

2. The handling method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steps for moving the chassis of the transport robot according to the first offset include: The expected path of the chassis is determined based on the first offset. The chassis is driven to move along the expected path, and while the chassis is moving, the movement of the chassis is adjusted in real time according to the actual path of the chassis and the expected path.

3. The handling method according to claim 1, characterized in that, After the steps of driving the chassis of the handling robot to move according to the first offset, driving the fork assembly of the handling robot to translate according to the second offset and rotate according to the first deflection angle, and before the step of driving the fork assembly of the handling robot to move the target bin according to the third offset, the method further includes: Based on the positioning marks on the outer surface of the target bin, the coordinate system relationship with the corresponding bin is reconstructed; Determine whether the reconstructed coordinate system relationship meets the set accuracy requirements; If the reconstructed coordinate system does not meet the set accuracy requirements, the handling robot will be driven to move again based on the reconstructed coordinate system.

4. The handling method according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes methods: If the nesting of the bin group containing the target bin is not secure, manual intervention is requested, and the handling robot is controlled to perform other tasks.

5. A handling system, characterized in that, The handling system for the handling method according to any one of claims 1-4 includes a first handling robot, the first handling robot comprising: A chassis, movably configured, the chassis being movable according to a first offset; The column extends vertically and is fixed at one end to the chassis; A support frame, detachably connected to the column, is available for movement relative to the column according to a second offset. A fork assembly for lifting a target bin according to a third offset, and the fork assembly is also used to rotate relative to the support frame according to a first deflection angle; A lifting mechanism is used to drive the support frame to move relative to the column.

6. The handling system according to claim 5, characterized in that, Also includes: The second handling robot is used to move the target bins from the first handling robot out of the warehouse.

7. The handling system according to claim 6, characterized in that, Also includes: A shelf, the top surface of which is used to store a set of material bins, the set of material bins including at least one material bin, and the height of the shelf being greater than or equal to the height of the chassis.

8. The handling system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The shelf is configured with one or more layers. When the shelf is configured with one or more layers, each layer of the shelf can store the material box group.

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