Material box storing and taking system and method

Abstract

The invention provides a material box storing and taking system and method. The system comprises a plurality of material frame units, a warehouse in-out robot, a carrying robot and a sorting robot, and the multiple material frame units are stacked to form a three-dimensional storage area; the in-warehouse and out-warehouse robot is used for feeding the material box into a designated warehouse position of the material frame or taking out the material box from the designated warehouse position of the material frame; after receiving the material box transferred by the in-warehouse and out-warehouse robot, the material box transfer robot transfers the material box to a designated position; and the material box warehouse-in and warehouse-out robot takes out the material box storing the target material from the corresponding material frame to the sorting robot according to the work order. The scheme has the advantage of high flexibility.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a material box storage and retrieval system and a storage and retrieval method Background Art

[0002] At present, the storage solution for small parts materials on the market is generally to place them in standard material boxes and build material racks to store standard material boxes; when the number of parts is large enough, a three-dimensional warehouse or ctu robot will be used to handle the storage of the material boxes; the construction of material racks has poor flexibility, and the docking of the factory warehouse and the production line requires the addition of a docking line or a handling robot. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the issues of poor flexibility in conventional rack construction, inconvenient docking inside and outside the warehouse, and the need to retrieve goods in their entirety using conventional CTUs, a new bin storage and retrieval system has been developed. The system includes:

[0004] Multiple stackable rack units are stacked to form a three-dimensional storage area. The rack units include a stand, a bottom bracket connected to the bottom of the stand, and multiple layers of pallets detachably mounted on the stand from top to bottom. The stand has multiple vertically arranged columns, and the top and bottom of the columns respectively have a cup mouth and a cup bottom. The cup mouth and the cup bottom are nested to achieve vertical stacking of multiple rack units. Each pallet is suitable for storing multiple boxes.

[0005] The material box in-and-out robot is used to deliver the material box to the designated storage location of the material rack, or to take it out from the designated storage location of the material rack; the material box in-and-out robot includes a chassis, a gantry vertically arranged on the chassis, a lifting rack arranged on the gantry, and a hooking device arranged on the rack; according to the work order instruction, it moves to the target material rack unit, aligns the lifting rack with the target pallet layer, and uses the hooking device to extend into the gap between the pallet and the material box to complete the storage and retrieval action;

[0006] The container handling robot receives the container from the inbound and outbound robot, plans the path according to the control unit, and transports the container to the designated location;

[0007] The bin sorting robot, which is used for inbound and outbound storage, takes out the bins storing the target materials from the corresponding racks according to the work order and sends them to the sorting robot. The sorting robot is used to take out the materials from the target bins according to the work order.

[0008] The control unit is used to parse work orders and break them down into storage, handling, and sorting subtasks; monitor the status of rack locations, robot positions, and task progress in real time; dynamically plan robot paths to avoid conflicts, and issue instructions to each robot.

[0009] In some embodiments, the columns are provided with overlapping positions at intervals along their height extension direction, and the support plates are horizontally installed on the overlapping positions of the columns, which are laterally protruding snap-in platforms or open hole structures. The support plates are further fixedly connected by a detachable connecting mechanism.

[0010] In some embodiments, the hooking device includes:

[0011] The base can be rotated and raised;

[0012] The sliding and telescopic device is provided on the base and includes a multi-stage slide rail provided along the length direction of the base and a first driving mechanism for driving the multi-stage slide rail to extend and retract relative to the movable cabinet; wherein, in the fully extended state, the first stage slide rail is located at the front end in the telescopic direction;

[0013] The hooking mechanism is slidably connected to the first-level slide rail and includes a lifting bracket, a hook claw slidably connected to the lifting bracket, and the hook claw is driven by the second driving mechanism to rise and fall along the lifting bracket.

[0014] In some embodiments, the container handling robot includes:

[0015] a chassis having a wheel assembly provided at the bottom thereof;

[0016] A gantry is provided on the chassis, and a gripping mechanism is slidably connected thereto, wherein the gripping mechanism is driven by a first driving mechanism to rise and fall along the gantry;

[0017] The gripping mechanism includes at least one pair of symmetrically arranged arm mechanisms, the arm mechanisms being driven to extend and retract forward and backward by a second drive mechanism, and a hook being provided at the front end of the arm mechanisms, the hook being driven by a third drive mechanism to switch between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the hook is connected to both sides of the material box between the arm mechanisms on both sides, and in the second position, the hook is detached from the material box between the arm mechanisms on both sides;

[0018] The transfer rack is arranged on the chassis and is located on one side of the door frame. The chassis is provided with a plurality of storage locations, and the storage locations are located on the moving path of the grabbing mechanism;

[0019] 3D laser sensor, used to identify the three-dimensional spatial position and posture of the material box;

[0020] The controller adjusts the posture of the container handling robot based on information fed back by the sensor system, grabs the corresponding container, and stores it in a storage location;

[0021] The material identification device is used to identify and record the material box information or the material information in the material box.

[0022] In some embodiments, the picking robot includes a chassis having a wheel assembly at the bottom thereof;

[0023] Mast, mounted on the chassis;

[0024] A rack is provided on the gantry, and is provided with at least two cargo box hooking devices, the cargo box hooking devices are used to load cargo boxes onto the rack, or unload cargo boxes from the rack; the cargo boxes on the cargo box hooking devices include a first cargo box and a second cargo box, the first cargo box is used to store materials to be sorted, and the second cargo box is used to store sorted materials;

[0025] A robotic arm is provided on the gantry and is raised and lowered synchronously with the carriage. A picking mechanism for picking up materials is provided at the end of the movement of the robotic arm. The picking mechanism is located above the cargo box hook device and is driven by the robotic arm to carry the materials and transfer them between the cargo boxes on at least two cargo box hook devices.

[0026] A mechanical arm lifting mechanism drives the mechanical arm to move up and down along the gantry independently of the rowing frame;

[0027] Material identification device, used to identify the location of materials in the cargo box;

[0028] The controller is used to control the movement of the robot arm to move the target material from the first container to the second container based on the information returned by the material identification device.

[0029] In some embodiments, the picking robot includes a swivel mechanism and a tilting mechanism, which are connected to the frame and are used to adjust the angle at which the cargo box hooking device on the frame docks with the cargo box; the frame includes a fixed seat frame, a mounting seat and a diagonal support bracket; the fixed seat frame is installed on the door frame, the cargo box hooking device is arranged on the mounting seat, the mounting seat is supported by the diagonal support bracket, and the diagonal support bracket is arranged between the fixed seat frame and the mounting seat; the diagonal support bracket is hinged to one end of the fixed frame seat to form a first rotation center, and the other end of the diagonal support bracket is driven by the tilting mechanism to rotate and lift around the first rotation center; the swivel mechanism is arranged between the fixed frame seat and the mounting seat.

[0030] In some embodiments, the tilting mechanism includes a first driving mechanism and a connecting rod assembly, the upper end of the connecting rod assembly is connected to the diagonal support bracket, and the lower end of the connecting rod assembly is connected to the fixed frame seat. The first driving mechanism drives the overall height change of the connecting rod assembly; the rotating mechanism includes a second driving mechanism and a rotating gear. The second driving mechanism engages with the rotating gear through the transmission gear, driving the rotating gear to drive the mounting seat to rotate and adjust.

[0031] In some embodiments, the transfer rack is a multi-layer structure, multiple storage locations are stacked in the height direction, and the height interval between adjacent storage locations is greater than the height of the material box; a pair of guide connecting plates, the guide connecting plates are fixed to the first section, one guide connecting plate is connected to at least two guide wheels arranged in the front and rear directions, and the guide wheels of the pair of guide connecting plates are respectively located in the guide grooves on both sides of the first section; the grasping mechanism also includes a first in-place sensor and a second sensing sensor, the sensing end of the first in-place sensor is set in the direction close to the material box, for detecting whether the hook moves to the first position; the sensing end of the second in-place sensor is set in the direction away from the material box, for detecting whether the hook moves to the second position.

[0032] In some embodiments, the bottom of the base is mounted on a mounting seat via a cross roller bearing, and the mounting seat can be raised and lowered and slidably mounted on a door frame. The base includes a base plate and a surrounding plate circumferentially arranged around the base plate. The base is open to the front, and the surrounding plate is inclined at the opening end toward the direction of expanding the opening; the hooking device includes a positioning device, and the positioning device includes a code reading device and a laser sensor; the code reading device is used to locate the cargo box and identify the cargo box information by scanning the coded information on the cargo box; the laser sensor is used to identify the position and posture of the cargo box.

[0033] The present invention further provides a material box access method, which comprises the following steps:

[0034] Step 1) The control unit receives the work order, analyzes the material requirement information in the work order, and determines the rack unit and storage location of the target material box;

[0035] Step 2) Based on the bin height information, the position of the pallets in the rack unit is controlled, and the spacing between adjacent pallets is adjusted to accommodate the bin height; the bin loading and unloading robot is controlled to move to the target rack unit and align the target pallet layer by lifting and lowering the rack; the sliding and telescopic device of the hooking device is controlled to extend so that the hooking mechanism reaches the target bin position;

[0036] Step 3) Control the hook to descend and hook the material box, then lift the material box, and then retract it through the sliding telescopic device to remove the material box from the pallet;

[0037] Step 4) The bin loading and unloading robot moves the taken-out bin to the handover position with the bin handling robot; the bin handling robot uses a 3D laser sensor to identify the three-dimensional spatial position and posture of the bin, adjusts its posture, and then grabs the bin;

[0038] Step 5) The bin handling robot transfers the bin to the bin sorting robot according to the path planned by the control unit; the bin picking device of the bin sorting robot loads the bin to the first bin position on the rack; the material identification device identifies the position of the material in the first bin, and the controller controls the robot arm to move the target material from the first bin to the second bin; after sorting is completed, the bin picking device unloads the bin from the rack, and the bin handling robot transfers the processed bin to the designated storage or outbound location;

[0039] Step 6) The control unit monitors the rack storage status, the position of each robot and the task progress in real time, and dynamically plans the robot path to avoid conflicts.

[0040] The present invention supports the free combination of vertical expansion and horizontal arrangement through the modular design of stackable rack units, adapts to different warehouse space forms, and avoids the rigid limitations of traditional rack construction; the spacing between pallets is adjustable, and is compatible with mixed storage of multiple specifications of bins, which significantly improves the utilization rate of storage space and reduces storage waste caused by differences in bin sizes.

[0041] The present invention realizes the automation of the entire process of "storage-transfer-sorting" through the division of labor and cooperation among material box in-and-out robots, handling robots, and sorting robots: it solves the pain points of traditional warehousing systems such as poor flexibility, low efficiency, and high cost, and is particularly suitable for the high-frequency, multi-category material management needs of e-commerce, manufacturing, pharmaceutical logistics and other fields. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the material rack unit of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the in-and-out warehouse robot provided by the present invention;

[0044] Figure 3 It is a structural diagram of the hooking device (multi-stage slide rail extended state);

[0045] Figure 4 is a structural diagram of the base;

[0046] Figure 5 for Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure after the base is hidden;

[0047] Figure 6 for Figure 3 Structural diagram from another angle;

[0048] Figure 7 for Figure 3 A in the enlarged view.

[0049] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the handling robot;

[0050] Figure 9 for Figure 8 Structural diagram from another angle;

[0051] Figure 10 Schematic diagram of the connection structure of the third driving mechanism;

[0052] Figure 11 It is a structural diagram of the guide connecting plate on one side;

[0053] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the guide connecting plate installation structure;

[0054] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the hook installation structure;

[0055] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the wheel assembly installation structure;

[0056] Figure 15 This is a structural diagram of the picking robot;

[0057] Figure 16 for Figure 15 Schematic diagram of the structure of the hidden cargo box;

[0058] Figure 17 Schematic diagram of the structure of the rack;

[0059] Figure 18 for Figure 16 Structural diagram from another angle;

[0060] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram of the structure after the fixed frame is hidden;

[0061] Figure 20 Schematic diagram of the structure of the robotic arm in this application;

[0062] Figure 21 This is a structural diagram of the cargo box hook device;

[0063] Figure 22 is a structural diagram of the base;

[0064] Figure 23 for Figure 21 Structural diagram from another angle;

[0065] Figure 24 for Figure 21 Structural diagram from another angle;

[0066] Figure 25 for Figure 21 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0067] Figure 26Schematic diagram for wheel assembly installation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0068] The present invention provides a material box storage and retrieval system, which comprises a plurality of stackable material rack units, a material box in-and-out robot, a material box handling robot, a material box sorting robot and a control unit.

[0069] Multiple rack units 100 are stacked vertically to form a three-dimensional storage area. The structure of a single rack unit 100 is as follows: Figure 1 As shown, the rack unit includes a stand 106, a base 105 connected to the bottom of the stand 106, and multiple layers of pallets 103 mounted on the stand 106 from top to bottom. The stand 106 has multiple vertical columns, each with a cup opening 101 and a cup bottom 102 at the top and bottom, respectively. In this way, multiple rack units can be stacked up and down by cooperating with the cup opening 101 and the cup bottom 102. The multiple columns are spaced apart along their height extension direction with overlapping positions 103. The pallet 103 is horizontally assembled on the stand using these multiple overlapping positions to achieve detachable pallet. For example, the columns are spaced apart along the height direction with overlapping positions 104. The overlapping positions 104 are transversely protruding snap-in platforms or open-hole structures for fixing the pallet 103.

[0070] In this embodiment, the rack is a tubular structure to facilitate assembly and disassembly. The uprights and base 105 are both tubular fittings, and are fixedly connected via bolts and threaded holes and other connecting mechanisms 107. The support plate 103 is horizontally overlapped on the overlapped portion 103 of the upright 106 and locked with a detachable connecting mechanism such as a latch and a pre-reserved socket on the upright to achieve quick assembly and disassembly. In some embodiments of the present invention, the structure of the cup mouth 101 and the cup bottom 102 includes but is not limited to a limit groove and a limit pin to ensure that the stacked rack units are accurately aligned and stable in load-bearing.

[0071] The rack unit provided by the present invention realizes rapid vertical stacking of the rack unit 100 by nesting the cup mouth 101 and the cup bottom 102. A single stacking operation takes a short time and does not require welding or complex fixing tools.

[0072] A single rack unit can be used independently or connected to form multiple rows of storage areas to adapt to the dynamic adjustment needs of the warehouse layout. By selecting different heights of the overlap position on the column, the pallet layer height can be adjusted to accommodate various types of bins at different heights.

[0073] Pallets of different heights can be set in the same rack unit to meet the needs of mixed storage of materials of different sizes and achieve high space utilization.

[0074] Each pallet is suitable for storing multiple boxes; the box in-and-out robot is used to deliver the boxes to the designated storage location of the rack, or take them out from the designated storage location of the rack;

[0075] See also Figure 2 The material box in and out warehouse robot includes a chassis, a gantry vertically arranged on the chassis, a lifting rack arranged on the gantry, and a hooking device arranged on the rack; it moves to the target material rack unit according to the work order instruction, aligns the target pallet layer by lifting the rack, and uses the hooking device to extend into the gap between the pallet and the material box to complete the access action; after the material box handling robot receives the material box handed over by the in and out warehouse robot, it plans the path according to the control unit and transports the material box to the designated location; the material box in and out warehouse robot takes out the material box storing the target material from the corresponding material rack according to the work order to the sorting robot, and the sorting robot is used to take out the material from the target material box according to the work order; the control unit is used to parse the work order and decompose it into access, handling, and sorting sub-tasks; monitor the material rack storage status, robot position and task progress in real time; dynamically plan the robot path to avoid conflicts, and issue instructions to each robot.

[0076] The chassis setting of the material box in-and-out robot refers to the material box handling robot described below. Preferably, the in-and-out robot is provided with a transfer shelf, and its specific setting refers to the material box handling robot. The setting of the shelving and hooking device of the material box handling robot refers to the material box sorting robot.

[0077] In this embodiment, the pallets are detachably connected to the columns, allowing the spacing between adjacent pallets to be adjusted according to the height of the bins. Through the modular design of stackable rack units, this invention supports the free combination of vertical expansion and horizontal arrangement, adapting to different warehouse space forms and avoiding the rigid limitations of traditional rack construction. The adjustable spacing between pallets allows for mixed storage of bins of various sizes, significantly improving storage space utilization while reducing storage waste caused by varying bin sizes.

[0078] The present invention realizes the automation of the entire process of "storage-transfer-sorting" through the division of labor and cooperation among material box in-and-out robots, handling robots, and sorting robots: it solves the pain points of traditional warehousing systems such as poor flexibility, low efficiency, and high cost, and is particularly suitable for the high-frequency, multi-category material management needs of e-commerce, manufacturing, pharmaceutical logistics and other fields.

[0079] Hooking device

[0080] This embodiment provides a cargo box hooking device, such as Figure 3-7 As shown, the cargo box hooking device includes a base 1; a sliding telescopic device 2 is provided on the base 1, wherein, in the fully extended state, the first-level slide rail 21 is located at the front end of the telescopic direction; a hooking mechanism 3 is slidably connected to the first-level slide rail 21, and includes a lifting bracket 34, and a hook claw 31 is slidably connected to the lifting bracket 34, and the hook claw 31 is driven by the second driving mechanism 33 to rise and fall along the lifting bracket 34.

[0081] In one embodiment, the base 1 is rotatable and liftable. Specifically, the bottom of the base 1 is mounted on a mounting base via a cross roller bearing, and the mounting base is slidably mounted on the door frame. This structure enables the base 1 to be rotatable and liftable, so that the base 1 can be moved to the side of the shelf where the target cargo box is located to prepare for subsequent removal of the target cargo box. In other embodiments, the base 1 can also be rotatable and liftable using other structures.

[0082] In this embodiment, the base 1 includes a bottom plate and a surrounding plate 11 circumferentially arranged around the bottom plate. The base 1 is open to the front, and the surrounding plate 11 is inclined at the open end in the direction of expanding the opening, so as to facilitate the entry of the cargo box into the range of the base 1. In the length direction of the base 1, the width of the surrounding plate 11 and the base 1 is narrowed at the rear. The wider front part is used to accommodate the target cargo box, and the narrower rear part is installed with a retracted hook mechanism on the first-level slide rail. In addition, the narrower rear part is installed with a drive motor 241 of the first drive mechanism 24 for driving the sliding telescopic device 2 to extend and retract, thereby separating the drive device and the cargo box, preventing the cargo box from moving too far and colliding with the above-mentioned hook device and drive motor 241, and the rear retracted structure can reduce the overall volume of the base 1 and reduce its overall occupied space.

[0083] The sliding and telescopic device 2 includes a multi-stage slide rail (a first-stage slide rail 21, a second-stage slide rail 22, and a third-stage slide rail 23) arranged along the length direction of the base 1, and a first drive mechanism 24 that drives the multi-stage slide rail to extend and retract relative to the mobile cabinet; when fully extended, the first-stage slide rail 21 is located at the front end of the telescopic direction. By adjusting the telescopic length of the multi-stage slide rail, it is possible to pick up goods from deep and shallow storage locations on the shelf. The first drive mechanism 24 of the sliding and telescopic device 2 includes a drive motor 241 and a synchronous belt assembly (a first synchronous belt 242 and a second synchronous belt 243) that is connected to the drive motor 241. The synchronous belt drive structure is simple and can simplify control.

[0084] In this embodiment, the multi-stage slide rail includes a first-stage slide rail 21, a second-stage slide rail 22, and a third-stage slide rail 23. The hooking device 3 is slidably arranged on the first-stage slide rail 21. The first-stage slide rail 21 and the second-stage slide rail 22 are connected by a first synchronous belt assembly; the second-stage slide rail 22 and the third-stage slide rail 23 are connected by a second synchronous belt assembly. The second synchronous belt 243 is driven to rotate by a first drive motor 241, and the second synchronous belt 243 is linked to the first synchronous belt 242. In this embodiment, the multi-stage slide rails are nested, and the overall space occupied after contraction is small. In addition, an in-position sensor is provided to control the maximum telescopic position of each stage of the slide rail. The structure and working principle of the in-position sensor are conventional technical means in this field and will not be described in detail here.

[0085] The second-stage slide rail 22 includes a first transverse connecting seat 221 disposed at the rear end in the direction of movement and a second transverse connecting seat 222 disposed at the front end in the direction of movement. The first transverse connecting seat 221 is fixed to the second synchronous belt 243. The first transverse connecting seat 221 is provided with a synchronous pulley on one side of the first synchronous belt 242. The synchronous pulley on the other side of the first synchronous belt 242 is mounted on the second transverse connecting seat 222. The first-stage slide rail 21 is fixed to the first synchronous belt 242, and the other end of the first synchronous belt 242 is fixed to the base 1 or the third-stage slide rail 23. In this embodiment, the second synchronous belt 243 is disposed along the centerline of the third-stage slide rail 23. When the multi-stage slide rail is retracted, a pair of first synchronous belts 242 are located on either side of the first synchronous belt 242 in the width direction to prevent interference between the synchronous belts when the multi-stage slide rail is retracted. Furthermore, the use of a pair of first synchronous belts 242 to connect the first-stage slide rail 21 at the front end in the direction of movement makes its movement more stable. In this embodiment, the third-level slide rail 23 is fixed on the base 1, and the second-level slide rail 22 and the third-level slide rail 23 can extend forward relative to the third-level slide rail 23, so that the sliding telescopic device 2 can extend forward relative to the base 1 and enter the depth of the shelf storage location.

[0086] In a preferred embodiment, when the multi-stage rails are fully extended, they at least partially conform to the bottom surface of the target container storage location on the shelf. This conforming design disperses the impact of the container's weight on the rails, making the container's movement more stable when retracted.

[0087] The hooking mechanism 3 is slidably connected to the first-stage slide rail 21 via a slider, and can move forward and backward along the first-stage slide rail 21. In this embodiment, the hooking device 3 is driven by a third drive mechanism 32 to move along the first-stage slide rail 21. The third drive mechanism 32 includes a third drive motor and a rack and pinion assembly. The third drive motor and the hooking device 3 are mounted on the same slider. The slider is slidably connected to the first-stage slide rail 21. The rack 231 is arranged along the first-stage slide rail 21. The gear is engaged with the rack 231 and is driven to rotate by the third drive motor. The rack and pinion transmission has the characteristics of high precision and high rigidity, which ensures the position accuracy of the hooking mechanism 3 when it moves along the first-stage slide rail 21. The rack and pinion structure can withstand large loads and is suitable for carrying heavy cargo boxes, and the transmission structure is simple.

[0088] After the cargo box is moved onto the first-stage slide rail 21 by the hook mechanism 3, the sliding and telescopic device 2 is retracted to move it onto the base 1. Figure 1 As shown, a buffer block 22 is provided at the rear of the first-stage slide rail 21, which is arranged toward the container. The buffer block 22 can absorb the impact energy when the container is withdrawn or has positioning errors, and prevent the container from colliding with the slide rail.

[0089] The hook mechanism 3 includes a lifting bracket 34, and a hook claw 31 is slidably connected to the lifting bracket 34. The hook claw 31 is driven by the second driving mechanism 33 to move up and down along the lifting bracket 34. Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the hook 31 is slidably connected to the lifting bracket 34 via a movable base 35. The movable base 35 includes a hook connection portion located in front of the lifting bracket 34 and a lifting connection portion located at the upper end of the lifting bracket 34. The hook 31 is mounted in front of the hook connection portion, located near the lower end of the lifting bracket 34. When the hook 31 moves to the side of the target cargo box, it can be lifted and lowered against the side of the cargo box. This allows the frontmost hook 31 to reach the target cargo box and achieve a large longitudinal lift distance, facilitating connection with cargo boxes of different sizes. The lifting connection portion cooperates with the upper end of the lifting bracket 34 to lower the movable base 35. A second drive mechanism 33 is located at the rear of the lifting bracket 34, with its output end connected to the lifting connection portion, driving the movable base 35 to raise and lower the hook 31. In this embodiment, the hook 31 is L-shaped and faces upward. It can be connected and disconnected from the cargo box hook portion by moving up and down, resulting in a simple structure.

[0090] Preferably, in this embodiment, the second drive mechanism 33 includes a second drive motor, whose motor shaft is arranged along the lifting direction of the hook 31. The output end of the second drive motor drives the lifting bracket 34 to move up and down after being reversed by the ball screw assembly, and the structure is compact.

[0091] In order to realize the automatic control of the cargo box hooking device, the cargo box hooking device also includes a positioning device and a controller. The positioning device is used to identify and locate the target cargo box and determine its position and posture in three-dimensional space; the controller adjusts the hooking action according to the information feedback from the positioning device.

[0092] In one specific embodiment, the positioning device includes a code reader 41, which is used to locate the cargo box and identify the cargo box information by scanning the coded information on the cargo box. The code reader 41 can be a QR code recognition device. A QR code containing material information is provided on the cargo box or in a storage location on a shelf. The QR code is positioned toward the outside of the shelf. The code reader 41 can then determine the cargo box information and identify the target cargo box. In this embodiment, the code reader 41 is located at the front end of the base 1. When the multi-stage slide rails are extended, the code reader 41 is located below the extended slide rails.

[0093] The positioning device also includes a laser sensor 42, which is used to identify the three-dimensional spatial position and posture of the cargo box. The laser sensor 42 can identify the contours of the cargo box, adapt to complex scenarios such as tilting and stacking of the cargo box, and ensure accurate adaptation of the hooking action. Based on the information fed back by the laser sensor 42, the hooking action such as the telescopic length of the sliding telescopic device 2 and the lifting height of the hook 31 can be controlled. In a specific embodiment, the laser sensor 42 can be a 2D laser sensor or a 3D laser sensor 42. The specific implementation of the laser sensor to identify the position and posture of an object in space is a conventional technical means in the field of automatic pathfinding and is not described in detail here. In this embodiment, the laser sensor 42 is arranged at the front end of the hooking device 3. In a specific embodiment, the laser sensor 42 is mounted on the lifting bracket 34 and is located at the lower end of the hook 31.

[0094] This embodiment provides a method for controlling a cargo box hooking device, including the cargo box hooking device described in Example 1. The method includes the following steps:

[0095] The cargo box hooking device is controlled to move to one side of the shelf, and the sliding and telescopic device 2 is in a retracted state.

[0096] In this step, the barcode reader 41 identifies the container information, and the laser sensor 42 identifies the container's outline and posture. This information is then combined to automatically locate the target container and control the container pickup device to move to the side of the shelf. To ensure the stability of the container pickup device during movement, the sliding and retractable device 2 is retracted during the movement of the base 1.

[0097] When the target cargo box is at the deep end of the shelf, the sliding and telescopic device 2 that controls the cargo box hooking device to rise thereon can enter the shelf.

[0098] The hooking mechanism 3 is controlled to move to the front end of the first-stage slide rail 21 , and the telescopic length of the sliding telescopic device 2 is adjusted according to the position and posture of the target cargo box in three-dimensional space.

[0099] After the sliding telescopic device 2 drives the hook mechanism 3 to move to one side of the target cargo box, the hook claw 31 is controlled to rise to establish a connection with the connecting part of the target cargo box, and then the sliding telescopic device 2 retracts to drive the target cargo box.

[0100] When the target cargo box is at the opening of the shelf, the cargo box hooking device is controlled to descend until the upper end surface of its sliding and telescopic device 2 is aligned with the bottom surface of the target cargo box storage position, and the height of the hook claw 31 is adjusted until it re-establishes connection with the connecting part of the target cargo box.

[0101] The hooking mechanism 3 drives the cargo box to move onto the first-stage slide rail 21 until it retracts to a predetermined position.

[0102] It can be understood that for cargo boxes in a shallow layer or at an opening, there is no need to extend the multi-level slide rails. The hook device 3 only needs to be moved to the front end of the first-level slide rail 21, and then the hook claw 31 can be controlled to rise and fall to connect with the cargo box. The above steps of controlling the cargo box hook device to descend until the upper end surface of its sliding and telescopic device 2 is aligned with the bottom surface of the target cargo box storage position when the target cargo box is at the opening of the shelf, and adjusting the height of the hook claw 31 until it re-establishes connection with the connecting part of the target cargo box can be directly executed.

[0103] Thus, by dynamically adjusting the device height, slide rail extension length, and hook 31 position, the above method can adapt to the needs of retrieval of containers from different locations on the shelf, such as deep, shallow, or open. When retrieving containers from deep storage, step-by-step control ensures a smooth retrieval process, reducing the risk of containers swaying or falling, ensuring safe and efficient handling, and optimizing the control process. Combined with feedback from the positioning device, this achieves fully automated control, reducing the need for manual intervention and making it suitable for high-density intelligent warehousing systems.

[0104] Container handling robot

[0105] This embodiment discloses a box handling robot, such as Figure 8-14 As shown, it includes a chassis 1, a wheel assembly is provided at the bottom of which drives the robot to move; a gantry 2 is arranged on the chassis 1, and a gripping mechanism 3 is slidably connected thereon, and the gripping mechanism 3 is driven by a first driving mechanism 21 to rise and fall along the gantry 2; the gripping mechanism 3 includes at least one pair of symmetrically arranged arm mechanisms 31, and the arm mechanisms 31 are driven to extend and retract forward and backward by a second driving mechanism, and a hook 32 is provided at the front end of the arm mechanism 31, and the hook 32 is driven by a third driving mechanism 323 to switch between the first position and the second position. In the first position, the material box between the hook 32 and the arm mechanisms 31 on both sides A connection is established on both sides, and in the second position, the hook 32 is disengaged from the material box between the arm mechanisms 31 on both sides; the transfer shelf 4 is arranged on the chassis 1, located on one side of the door frame 2, and the chassis 1 is provided with multiple storage positions 41, and the storage positions 41 are located on the moving path of the grasping mechanism 3; the 3D laser sensor 5 is used to identify the three-dimensional spatial position and posture of the material box; the controller adjusts the posture of the material box handling robot based on the information fed back by the sensor system, and grasps the corresponding material box and stores it in the storage position 41; the material identification device 6 is used to identify and record the material box information or the material information in the material box.

[0106] In the above scheme, the grasping mechanism 3 grasps the material box from both sides through a set of symmetrically arranged arm mechanisms 31 and their front-end hooks 32. The grasping mechanism 3 drives the material box to move by moving it forward and backward and up and down. The grasping mechanism 3 has a strong load-bearing capacity. The transfer rack 4 is provided to accommodate multiple material boxes. The material identification device 6 identifies and records the material information and its storage location 41 on the transfer rack 4, so that multiple material boxes can be moved at a time, and not limited to the same material, which can improve material handling efficiency. The 3D laser sensor 5 identifies the three-dimensional spatial position and posture of the material box, which can achieve the grasping and handling of disorderly stacked material boxes, reducing the need for manual intervention.

[0107] In this embodiment, the wheel assembly includes a set of drive wheels 11 disposed in the middle of the chassis 1 and two sets of universal wheels 12 disposed on the front and rear sides of the chassis 1. The drive wheels 11 are floatingly mounted on the chassis 1. In this embodiment, the drive wheels 11 are mounted on a floating mounting plate 112. The floating mounting plate 112 is connected to the chassis 1 via a hinge shaft. The floating mounting plate 112 can rotate about the hinge shaft and float up and down relative to the chassis 1. A first compression spring 113 is disposed between the floating mounting plate 112 and the chassis 1. The floating mounting plate 112 floats up and down, causing the first compression spring 113 to expand and contract synchronously. The floating mounting plates 112 are disposed on both sides of the chassis 1, resulting in a compact structure. With the first compression spring 113 configured as described above, when the drive wheel 11 moves upward, the floating mounting plate 112 compresses the first compression spring 113 upward. When the drive wheel 11 moves downward, the reaction force of the first compression spring 113 presses down on the floating mounting plate 112, thereby effectively absorbing ground impact.

[0108] Furthermore, at least one set of universal wheels 12 is mounted on either side of a bridge 13, which extends along the width of the chassis 1 and is hinged to the chassis 1 at its center. This allows the universal wheels 12 to rise and fall along the chassis 1, ensuring that at least one set of universal wheels 12 and one set of drive wheels 11 remain in contact with the ground during movement, ensuring stability.

[0109] The gantry 2 is mounted on the chassis 1, and the gripping mechanism 3 is positioned on the gantry 2 for lifting and lowering. In this embodiment, slideways are provided along both sides of the gantry 2, along which the gripping mechanism 3 is raised and lowered. The gantry 2 can be a single-layer gantry 2 or a multi-layer gantry 2 similar to those used in conventional transport trucks, to achieve the desired lift height. In this embodiment, the first drive mechanism 21 is an electric cylinder, which drives the gripping mechanism 3 along the gantry 2.

[0110] The gripping mechanism 3 in this embodiment comprises a pair of symmetrically arranged arm mechanisms 31. These arm mechanisms 31 are two-stage structures. In other embodiments, a multi-stage structure with more than two stages may be employed, depending on the desired telescopic length. In this embodiment, the arm mechanism 31 comprises: a first section 311, fixed in the fore-aft direction, having an I-shaped cross-section and guide slots formed on either side; a second section 312, driven by a second drive mechanism to telescope forward and backward relative to the first section 311; and a pair of guide connecting plates 313, each of which is fixed to the first section 311. Each guide connecting plate 313 is connected to at least two guide wheels 314 arranged in the fore-aft direction, with the guide wheels 314 of the pair of guide connecting plates 313 positioned in the guide slots on either side of the first section 311. In this embodiment, the first section 311 is longer, which, combined with the at least four guide wheels 314 in the guide slots, ensures the stability of the movement of the second section 312 and enhances the overall strength of the arm mechanism 31. This allows the gripping mechanism 3 to carry the container and move vertically and forward and backward relative to the gantry 2.

[0111] In this embodiment, the guide wheel 314 is positioned within the guide groove. The guide connecting plate 313 is provided with an axle that engages with the guide wheel 314 through a plug-in arrangement. The axle can adjust the clearance between the guide wheel 314 and the bottom of the guide groove. This arrangement allows the guide connecting plate 313 to be connected to the guide wheel 314 by snapping together from both sides during installation. The guide wheel 314 also provides external position restraint for the guide wheel 314. The axle and guide connecting plate 313 are threaded together, allowing the clearance between the guide wheel 314 to be adjusted by adjusting the threads, ensuring smooth guidance of the guide wheel 314.

[0112] In this embodiment, the pair of arm mechanisms 31 are driven to extend and retract synchronously by the same second drive motor. Specifically, the second drive mechanism includes a second drive motor and a synchronous belt. The output of the second drive motor is transmitted to all arm mechanisms 31 in the pair of arm mechanisms 31 via the synchronous belt. In this embodiment, the second section 312 of one arm mechanism 31 is driven by a ball screw mechanism in conjunction with the second drive motor. One end of the screw is connected to the second section 312, and the screws on both sides are connected to the output of the same second drive motor via a synchronous belt, thereby enabling them to be driven by the same second drive motor.

[0113] The hook 32 in this embodiment is arranged at the front end of the second section 312 of the arm mechanism 31, and a first mounting seat 324 is provided at the front end of the arm mechanism 31, and the hook 32 and the third driving mechanism 323 are mounted on the first mounting seat 324; the first in-position sensor 321 and the second in-position sensor 322 are arranged on the hook 32; the upper end of the hook 32 is connected to the first mounting seat 324 through a rotating shaft, and the lower end of the hook 32 is set as a hook connection part, and the first in-position sensor 321 is arranged near the lower end of the hook 32, for detecting the distance between the hook 32 and the material box; the second in-position sensor 322 is arranged near the upper end of the hook 32, and the second in-position sensor 322 determines whether to rotate to the second position by detecting the position of the positioning edge 3241 on the first mounting seat 324. In this embodiment, after the hook 32 rotates a certain angle toward the container, the second in-position sensor 322 can sense the positioning edge 3241. After the hook 32 rotates a certain angle away from the container, the second in-position sensor 322 cannot detect the positioning edge 3241. Therefore, the positioning edge 3241 is provided in conjunction with the second in-position sensor 322 to control the retracted position of the hook 32. By using two independent sensors, the first in-position sensor 321 and the second in-position sensor 322, to locate the position of the hook 32 in two directions, the first position and / or the second position are not fixed for containers of different sizes, thus being able to adapt to containers of different sizes.

[0114] The transfer rack 4 is a multi-layer structure, with multiple storage locations 41 stacked in the height direction, and the distance between adjacent storage locations 41 in the height direction is greater than the height of the material box. Each storage location 41 of the transfer rack 4 is located on the moving path of the gripping mechanism, so that the material box picked up by the gripping mechanism 3 can be placed on the storage location 41. Figure 1 As described above, the transfer rack 4 is arranged in front of the gantry 2, and the storage positions 41 are open to the front. It is understood that each storage position 41 is provided with a positioning device, or in other embodiments, the placement position or retrieval position of the loading box at each storage position 41 can be achieved by adjusting the telescopic position of the arm mechanism 31 and the size of the gantry 2.

[0115] The material box handling robot of this embodiment includes a 3D laser sensor 5, a material identification device 6 and a controller. The 3D laser sensor 5 is used to identify the three-dimensional spatial position and posture of the material box; the controller adjusts the posture of the material box handling robot based on the information fed back by the sensor system, and grabs the corresponding material box and stores it in the storage position 41; the material identification device 6 is used to identify and record the material box information or the material information in the material box. Through the above cooperation, the robot can identify and carry disorderly arranged material boxes, extract them and place them on the transfer rack 4. Figure 1As shown, in this embodiment, the upper end of the gantry 2 is provided with a bracket extending toward the front, and a 3D laser sensor 5 and a material identification device 6 for positioning and identifying the material box are arranged on the bracket, which has a better field of view and can accurately identify the position of the material box that is invalidly discharged on the front side, thereby assisting the robot in achieving accurate positioning. The specific implementation of the 3D laser sensor 5 to identify the three-dimensional spatial position and posture of an object is a conventional technical means in this field. The basic process is to generate point cloud data by laser scanning, and after processing and feature extraction, the three-dimensional spatial position and posture of the object to be identified can be realized through coordinate transformation. In order to improve the recognition accuracy, in a preferred embodiment, a depth camera is also provided to cooperate with the 3D laser sensor 5 to identify the three-dimensional spatial position and posture of the material box.

[0116] In a specific embodiment, a QR code containing material information is provided in the material box, and the material identification device 6 is a code reading device, so that the material information can be quickly identified. In other embodiments, the material identification device 6 can also directly identify the material information in the material box through image recognition.

[0117] It should be noted that the container handling robot of this embodiment has an automatic navigation system that can automatically adjust its posture and move automatically to transfer the container it is handling between various processes. This automatic navigation system can refer to the automatic driving system of robots or vehicles such as AGVs, and will not be described in detail here.

[0118] This embodiment provides a control method for a container handling robot, which is applied to the container handling robot described in Example 1. The method includes the following steps:

[0119] S1, using the 3D laser sensor 5 to identify the posture of the material box and generate three-dimensional space coordinates;

[0120] S2, controlling the container handling robot to adjust its posture based on the recognition information of the 3D laser sensor 5, and driving the grasping mechanism 3 to move along the gantry 2 to the grasping height.

[0121] Specifically, a container to be grasped is first selected and used as the target container during a grasping process. The robot's position is adjusted based on the target container's three-dimensional coordinates. The grasping mechanism 3 then slides along the gantry 2 to the side of the target container. The arm mechanism 31 is then driven forward to extend toward the container, and the hook 32 is controlled to move toward the container until the signal output by the first in-position sensor 321 indicates that the container has been grasped. At this point, the hook 32 is able to establish contact with both sides of the container. The grasping mechanism 3 then carries the container to the height corresponding to an empty storage location 41.

[0122] S3, drives the grasping mechanism 3 to extract the target material box through the hook 32, and stores the target material box in the storage position 41; the arm mechanism 31 drives the target material box to retract into the storage position 41. After moving into position, the hook 32 is controlled to reverse until the signal output by the second in-position sensor 322 indicates that it has moved into position. At this time, the hook 32 completely releases the target material box.

[0123] S4, records the storage position of the currently extracted material box on the transfer rack 4, including identifying the material information of the currently extracted material box through the material identification device 6; numbering the multiple storage positions 41 of the transfer rack 4, and marking the empty / full status of the storage positions 41; storing the target material box in the storage position 41 marked as empty, storing the number of the storage position 41 and the material information in a one-to-one correspondence, and modifying the status mark of the current storage position 41 to indicate full.

[0124] This allows for management of the storage locations 41 of the material boxes on the transfer rack 4, facilitating subsequent material flow management. For example, during the material warehousing phase, the handling robot can automatically move to the corresponding shelf for automatic warehousing processing based on the material information of each storage location 41 on the transfer rack 4.

[0125] Bin picking robots

[0126] See also Figures 15-26 , this embodiment provides a picking robot, comprising:

[0127] Chassis 1, with a wheel assembly at the bottom;

[0128] Mast 2, mounted on chassis 1;

[0129] A rack 3 is provided on the gantry 2, and is provided with at least two cargo box hooking devices 4 on the rack 3, and the cargo box hooking devices 4 are used to load cargo boxes onto the rack 3 or unload cargo boxes from the rack 3; the cargo boxes on the cargo box hooking devices 4 include a first cargo box and a second cargo box, the first cargo box is used to store materials to be sorted, and the second cargo box is used to store sorted materials;

[0130] A robotic arm 5 is provided on the gantry 2 and rises and falls synchronously with the rowing frame 3. A picking mechanism 52 for picking up materials is provided at the end of the movement of the robotic arm 5. The picking mechanism 52 is located above the cargo box hooking device 4 and is driven by the robotic arm 5 to carry the materials and transfer them between the cargo boxes on at least two cargo box hooking devices 4.

[0131] A robotic arm lifting mechanism 6 drives the robotic arm 5 to move up and down along the gantry 2 independently of the rowing frame 3;

[0132] Material identification device, used to identify the location of materials in the cargo box;

[0133] The controller is used to control the movement of the robot arm 5 to move the target material from the first container to the second container based on the information returned by the material identification device.

[0134] In this embodiment, the wheel assembly includes a set of drive wheels 11 arranged in the middle of the chassis 1 and two sets of universal wheels 12 arranged on the front and rear sides of the chassis 1. The drive wheels 11 are floatingly mounted on the chassis 1. The drive wheels 11 in this embodiment are mounted on a floating mounting plate 112. The floating mounting plate 112 is connected to the chassis 1 by a hinge shaft. The floating mounting plate 112 can rotate around the hinge shaft and float up and down relative to the chassis 1. A first compression spring (not shown in the figure) is provided between the floating mounting plate 112 and the chassis 1. The floating mounting plate 112 floats up and down, driving the first compression spring to expand and contract synchronously. The floating mounting plate 112 is arranged on both sides of the chassis 1 and has a compact structure. According to the above-mentioned arrangement of the first compression spring, when the drive wheel 11 moves upward, the floating mounting plate 112 compresses the first compression spring upward. When the drive wheel 11 moves downward, the reaction force of the first compression spring presses down the floating mounting plate 112, so that the first compression spring can effectively absorb ground impact.

[0135] Furthermore, at least one set of universal wheels 12 is mounted on either side of a bridge 13, which extends along the width of the chassis 1 and is hinged to the chassis 1 at its center. This allows the universal wheels 12 to rise and fall along the chassis 1, ensuring that at least one set of universal wheels 12 and one set of drive wheels 11 remain in contact with the ground during movement, ensuring stability.

[0136] The picking robot is driven by chassis 1 and moves freely. It includes an autonomous driving system that controls the picking robot to automatically find its way within the warehouse and automatically drive along a planned route. The autonomous driving system includes one or more 3D sensors and, optionally, one or more proximity sensors. Autonomous driving systems for robots are conventional technologies in the field. The picking robot in this embodiment is equipped with an autonomous driving system that can coordinate with the intelligent warehousing system to control the robot to freely shuttle between different shelves and workstations to retrieve target containers.

[0137] The gantry 2 is arranged on the chassis 1. In this embodiment, the gantry 2 is a multi-stage overlapping gantry to provide a larger lifting stroke. The structure of the multi-stage overlapping gantry and its lifting control method are conventional technical means in this field and will not be described in detail here. For the sake of convenience, the first-stage gantry that can be lifted and lowered within the maximum stroke range of the gantry 2 is defined as the first-stage gantry 21. Figure 2As shown, in this embodiment, the robotic arm 5, the rack 3, and the robotic arm lifting mechanism 6 are mounted on the first-stage gantry 21, enabling simultaneous upgrading of the robotic arm 5 and the rack 3. Furthermore, the robotic arm 5 can be driven by the robotic arm lifting mechanism 6 to rise and fall independently of the rack 3. For example, when the rack 3 needs to be raised or lowered to load or unload a container, the first-stage gantry 21 is raised or lowered, driving the rack 3 and the robotic arm 5 to rise and fall synchronously. This arrangement eliminates the need to separately control the robotic arm 5 to avoid the rack 3 during loading or unloading of the container, simplifying control. A swivel mechanism 35 and a tilt mechanism 34 are connected to the rack 3 to adjust the angle at which the container hooking device 4 on the rack 3 engages the container. Specifically, the rack 3 in this embodiment includes a fixed frame 31, a mounting base 32, and a diagonal brace 33. The fixed frame 31 is mounted on the gantry 2. In this embodiment, the fixed frame 31 includes an upwardly extending connection portion 311, through which it is attached to the gantry 2. The cargo box hooking device 4 is arranged on the mounting base 32. In this embodiment, at least two cargo box hooking devices 4 are provided on the mounting base 32. The cargo boxes placed in the cargo box hooking device 4 include a first cargo box and a second cargo box, wherein the first cargo box refers to the cargo box storing the target material before sorting, and the second cargo box refers to the cargo box used to place the sorted target material.

[0138] The mounting seat 32 is supported by a diagonal support bracket 33, which is arranged between the fixed seat frame 31 and the mounting seat 32; the diagonal support bracket 33 is hinged to one end of the fixed frame seat 31 to form a first rotation center, and the other end of the diagonal support bracket 33 is driven by the tilting mechanism 34 to rotate and lift around the first rotation center; the slewing mechanism 35 is arranged between the fixed frame seat 31 and the mounting seat 32. Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the diagonal support bracket 33 is fixed to the lower end of the mounting seat 32 and is located in the middle of the mounting seat 32. The mounting seat 32 is connected to the fixed seat frame 31 through the diagonal support bracket 33.

[0139] In this embodiment, the tilt mechanism 34 includes a first drive mechanism 341 and a connecting rod assembly 342. The upper end of the connecting rod assembly 342 is connected to the diagonal support bracket 33, and the lower end of the connecting rod assembly 342 is connected to the fixed seat frame 31. The first drive mechanism 341 drives the connecting rod assembly 342 to change its overall height. Figure 5As shown, the connecting rod assembly 342 in this embodiment includes a first connecting rod unit and a second connecting rod unit. The first and second connecting rod units are H-shaped to enhance their support strength. The upper end of the first connecting rod unit is hinged to the mounting base 32, the lower end of the first connecting rod unit is hinged to the upper end of the second connecting rod unit, and the lower end of the second connecting rod unit is hinged to the fixed base frame 31. The first driving mechanism 341 is connected to the middle portion of the connecting rod assembly 342, pushing and pulling the connecting rod assembly 342 from the middle, thereby causing the overall height of the connecting rod assembly 342 to change. Since the relative position of the fixed base frame 31 is fixed, the tilt angle of the mounting base 32 and its upper cargo box hook device 4 can be adjusted via the diagonal support bracket 33 after the overall height of the connecting rod assembly 342 changes. In one specific embodiment, the first driving mechanism 341 can be an electric push rod or electric cylinder, whose telescopic end is directly connected to the connecting rod assembly 342, resulting in a simple transmission structure and high transmission efficiency. The electric push rod or electric cylinder is arranged horizontally, resulting in a compact installation structure.

[0140] The cargo box hooking device 4 in this embodiment includes a base 41; a sliding and telescopic device 42 is provided on the base 41, wherein, in the fully extended state, the first-level slide rail 421 is located at the front end of the telescopic direction; the hooking device 43 is slidably connected to the first-level slide rail 421, and includes a lifting bracket 434, and a hook claw 431 is slidably connected to the lifting bracket 434, and the hook claw 431 is driven by the second driving mechanism 33 to rise and fall along the lifting bracket 434.

[0141] The base 41 includes a bottom plate and a surrounding plate 411 arranged circumferentially around the bottom plate. The base 41 is open to the front, and the surrounding plate 411 is inclined at the open end in the direction of expanding the opening, so as to facilitate the entry of the cargo box into the range of the base 41. In the length direction of the base 41, the width of the surrounding plate 411 and the base 41 is narrowed at the rear. The wider front part is used to accommodate the target cargo box, and the narrower rear part is installed with the retracted hooking device 43 on the first-level slide rail 421. The drive motor 241 of the drive mechanism for driving the sliding and telescopic device 42 to extend and retract is installed at the narrower rear part, thereby separating the drive device and the cargo box, preventing the cargo box from moving too far and colliding with the above-mentioned hooking device 43 and drive motor 241. The rear retracted structure can also reduce the overall volume of the base 41 and its overall occupied space.

[0142] The sliding and telescopic device 42 includes a multi-stage slide rail (a first-stage slide rail 421, a second-stage slide rail 422, and a third-stage slide rail 423) arranged along the length direction of the base 41, and a driving mechanism that drives the multi-stage slide rail to extend and retract relative to the mobile cabinet; in the fully extended state, the first-stage slide rail 421 is located at the front end of the telescopic direction. By adjusting the telescopic length of the above-mentioned multi-stage slide rail, it is possible to pick up goods from deep and shallow storage locations on the shelf. The driving mechanism of the sliding and telescopic device 42 includes a driving motor 241 and a synchronous belt assembly (a first synchronous belt 4242, a second synchronous belt 4243) that is transmission-connected to the driving motor 241. The synchronous belt drive structure is simple and can simplify control.

[0143] In this embodiment, the multi-stage slide rail includes a first-stage slide rail 421, a second-stage slide rail 422, and a third-stage slide rail 423. The hooking device 43 is slidably arranged on the first-stage slide rail 421. The first-stage slide rail 421 and the second-stage slide rail 422 are connected by a first synchronous belt assembly; the second-stage slide rail 422 and the third-stage slide rail 423 are connected by a second synchronous belt assembly. The second synchronous belt 4243 is driven to rotate by the first drive motor 241, and the second synchronous belt 4243 is linked to the first synchronous belt 4242. In this embodiment, the multi-stage slide rails are nested, and the overall space occupied after contraction is small. In addition, an in-position sensor is provided to control the maximum telescopic position of each stage of the slide rail. The structure and working principle of the in-position sensor are conventional technical means in this field and will not be described in detail here.

[0144] The second-stage slide rail 422 includes a first transverse connecting seat 4221 positioned at the rear end of the movement direction and a second transverse connecting seat 4222 positioned at the front end of the movement direction. The first transverse connecting seat 4221 is fixed to the second synchronous belt 4243. A synchronous pulley on one side of the first synchronous belt 4242 is mounted on the first transverse connecting seat 4221. The synchronous pulley on the other side of the first synchronous belt 4242 is mounted on the second transverse connecting seat 4222. The first-stage slide rail 421 is fixed to the first synchronous belt 4242, and the other end of the first synchronous belt 4242 is fixed to the base 41 or the third-stage slide rail 423. In this embodiment, the second synchronous belt 4243 is positioned along the centerline of the third-stage slide rail 423. When the multi-stage slide rail is retracted, a pair of first synchronous belts 4242 are positioned on either side of the first synchronous belt 4242 in the width direction to prevent interference between the synchronous belts when the multi-stage slide rail is retracted. Furthermore, the pair of first synchronous belts 4242 are used to connect the first-stage slide rail 421 at the front end of the movement direction, thereby ensuring more stable movement. In this embodiment, the third-level slide rail 423 is fixed on the base 41, and the second-level slide rail 422 and the third-level slide rail 423 can extend forward relative to the third-level slide rail 423, so that the sliding telescopic device 42 can extend forward relative to the base 41 and enter the depth of the shelf storage position.

[0145] In a preferred embodiment, when the multi-stage rails are fully extended, they at least partially conform to the bottom surface of the target container storage location on the shelf. This conforming design disperses the impact of the container's weight on the rails, making the container's movement more stable when retracted.

[0146] The hooking mechanism 43 is slidably connected to the first-stage slide rail 421 via a slider, and can move forward and backward along the first-stage slide rail 421. In this embodiment, the hooking device 43 is driven by a driving mechanism to move along the first-stage slide rail 421. The driving mechanism for driving the hooking mechanism 43 to slide along the first-stage slide rail 421 includes a driving motor and a rack and pinion assembly. The driving motor and the hooking device 43 are mounted on the same slider, and the slider is slidably connected to the first-stage slide rail 421. The rack 4231 is arranged along the first-stage slide rail 421. The gear is engaged with the rack 4231 and is driven to rotate by the driving motor. The rack and pinion transmission has the characteristics of high precision and high rigidity, which ensures the position accuracy of the hooking mechanism 43 when it moves along the first-stage slide rail 421; the rack and pinion structure can withstand a large load, is suitable for carrying heavy cargo boxes, and has a simple transmission structure.

[0147] After the cargo box, carried by the hook mechanism 43, moves onto the first-stage slide rail 421, the sliding and telescopic device 42 retracts and moves it onto the base 41. In this embodiment, a buffer block 422 is provided at the rear of the first-stage slide rail 421, facing the cargo box. The buffer block 422 absorbs impact energy during cargo box retraction or positioning errors, preventing the cargo box from colliding with the slide rail.

[0148] The hook mechanism 43 includes a lifting bracket 434, to which a hook 431 is slidably connected. The hook 431 is driven by a driving mechanism to rise and fall along the lifting bracket 434. In this embodiment, the hook 431 is slidably connected to the lifting bracket 434 via a movable base 435. The movable base 435 includes a hook connection portion located at the front side of the lifting bracket 434 and a lifting connection portion located at the upper end of the lifting bracket 434. The hook 431 is mounted on the front side of the hook connection, located near the lower end of the lifting bracket 434. When the hook 431 reaches the side of the target container, it can be lifted and lowered against the side of the container. This allows the frontmost hook 431 to reach the target container, allowing it to reach a greater height in the longitudinal direction, making it easier to connect with containers of varying sizes. The lifting connection cooperates with the upper end of the lifting bracket 434 to lower the movable base 435. A drive mechanism is located on the rear side of the lifting bracket 434, with its output end connected to the lifting connection, driving the movable base 435 to raise and lower the hook 431. In this embodiment, the hook 431 is L-shaped and faces upward, allowing it to connect and disconnect with the container hook portion by moving up and down, resulting in a simple structure.

[0149] The slewing mechanism 35 in this embodiment includes a second drive mechanism 351 and a slewing gear. The second drive mechanism 351 meshes with the slewing gear via a transmission gear, driving the slewing gear to rotate and adjust the mounting base 32. In this embodiment, the slewing gear is positioned in the middle of the mounting base 32, making it easier to control the rotation angle of the mounting base 32. A slewing motor is used for the second drive mechanism 351. In a specific embodiment, the pickup mechanism 52 at the end of the robotic arm 5 can be a suction cup, a gripper, a magnetic device, or other structures, and the selection can be based on the specific characteristics of the material.

[0150] In this embodiment, the position of the mechanical head 51 is relatively fixed. The robotic arm 5 in this embodiment has multiple rotatable joints 5.1-5.6, which drive the end-of-action to grasp the target material within a spherical range. For example, the robotic arm 5 in this embodiment has six rotatable joints, 5.1-5.6, and adjacent joints can rotate relative to each other, allowing the robotic arm 5 to grasp materials within a wide range.

[0151] The material identification device in this embodiment includes depth cameras arranged on both sides of the manipulator head 51, and the depth cameras are used to identify one or more of the operating position of the manipulator 5, the clamping state of the picking mechanism 52, and the position of parts in the cargo box. Depth cameras are respectively arranged on both sides of the manipulator head 51, which can be adjusted with the lifting and lowering of the manipulator 5, so that the field of view of the depth camera can cover all cargo boxes on the rack 3, and there is no need to set up an additional camera mounting bracket to drive the depth camera to move and adjust its field of view. Setting depth cameras on both sides for identification from both sides respectively improves the reliability of the identification results. In this solution, the focus of the depth camera is on its setting position and setting method. The specific implementation of the depth camera to identify the position and information of objects in three-dimensional space is a conventional technical means in this field.

[0152] The control method of the above picking robot is as follows:

[0153] The following steps are involved:

[0154] Placing a second cargo box at at least one cargo box hooking device 4;

[0155] Control the picking robot to move to the designated position and pick up the designated first cargo box through the cargo box hooking device 4;

[0156] Identify the designated material in the first cargo box through the material identification device, control the robot arm 5 to pick up the designated material from the first cargo box according to the feedback information of the material identification device, and place it into the second cargo box;

[0157] After the first container is picked, the picking robot is controlled to store the first container, and the container hooking device 4 is actuated to move the first container to the storage position.

[0158] The above method further includes the steps of adjusting the height of the container retrieval device 4 to a position adjacent to the target container storage location and controlling the robotic arm 5 to raise and lower the container retrieval device 4 synchronously before the container retrieval device 4 is used to retrieve or unload the container. Before loading or unloading cargo, the slewing mechanism 35 and tilting mechanism 34 are controlled to adjust the entrance and exit positions of the currently operating container retrieval device 4 so that it is aligned with the target container or storage location, facilitating precise control of loading and unloading of the target container.

Claims

1. A material box storage and retrieval system, characterized in that: The system includes: Multiple stackable rack units are stacked to form a three-dimensional storage area. The rack units include a stand, a bottom bracket connected to the bottom of the stand, and multiple layers of pallets detachably mounted on the stand from top to bottom. The stand has multiple vertically arranged columns, and the top and bottom of the columns respectively have a cup mouth and a cup bottom. The cup mouth and the cup bottom are nested to achieve vertical stacking of multiple rack units. Each pallet is suitable for storing multiple boxes. The material box in-and-out robot is used to deliver the material box to the designated storage location of the material rack, or to take it out from the designated storage location of the material rack; the material box in-and-out robot includes a chassis, a gantry vertically arranged on the chassis, a lifting rack arranged on the gantry, and a hooking device arranged on the rack; according to the work order instruction, it moves to the target material rack unit, aligns the lifting rack with the target pallet layer, and uses the hooking device to extend into the gap between the pallet and the material box to complete the storage and retrieval action; The container handling robot receives the container from the inbound and outbound robot, plans the path according to the control unit, and transports the container to the designated location; The bin sorting robot, which is used for inbound and outbound storage, takes out the bins storing the target materials from the corresponding racks according to the work order and sends them to the sorting robot. The sorting robot is used to take out the materials from the target bins according to the work order. The control unit is used to parse work orders and break them down into storage, handling, and sorting subtasks; monitor the status of rack locations, robot positions, and task progress in real time; dynamically plan robot paths to avoid conflicts, and issue instructions to each robot.

2. The material box storage and retrieval system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The columns are provided with overlapping positions at intervals along their height extension direction. The support plates are horizontally installed on the overlapping positions of the columns and are laterally protruding clamping platforms or open hole structures. The support plates are further fixedly connected by a detachable connecting mechanism.

3. The material box storage and retrieval system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hooking device comprises: The base can be rotated and raised; The sliding and telescopic device is provided on the base and includes a multi-stage slide rail provided along the length direction of the base and a first driving mechanism for driving the multi-stage slide rail to extend and retract relative to the movable cabinet; wherein, in the fully extended state, the first stage slide rail is located at the front end in the telescopic direction; The hooking mechanism is slidably connected to the first-level slide rail and includes a lifting bracket, a hook claw slidably connected to the lifting bracket, and the hook claw is driven by the second driving mechanism to rise and fall along the lifting bracket.

4. The material box storage and retrieval system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material box handling robot includes: a chassis having a wheel assembly provided at the bottom thereof; A gantry is provided on the chassis, and a gripping mechanism is slidably connected thereto, wherein the gripping mechanism is driven by a first driving mechanism to rise and fall along the gantry; The gripping mechanism includes at least one pair of symmetrically arranged arm mechanisms, the arm mechanisms being driven to extend and retract forward and backward by a second drive mechanism, and a hook being provided at the front end of the arm mechanisms, the hook being driven by a third drive mechanism to switch between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the hook is connected to both sides of the material box between the arm mechanisms on both sides, and in the second position, the hook is detached from the material box between the arm mechanisms on both sides; The transfer rack is arranged on the chassis and is located on one side of the door frame. The chassis is provided with a plurality of storage locations, and the storage locations are located on the moving path of the grabbing mechanism; 3D laser sensor, used to identify the three-dimensional spatial position and posture of the material box; The controller adjusts the posture of the container handling robot based on information fed back by the sensor system, grabs the corresponding container, and stores it in a storage location; The material identification device is used to identify and record the material box information or the material information in the material box.

5. The material box storage and retrieval system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The picking robot comprises a chassis, the bottom of which is provided with a wheel assembly; Mast, mounted on the chassis; A rack is provided on the gantry, and is provided with at least two cargo box hooking devices, the cargo box hooking devices are used to load cargo boxes onto the rack, or unload cargo boxes from the rack; the cargo boxes on the cargo box hooking devices include a first cargo box and a second cargo box, the first cargo box is used to store materials to be sorted, and the second cargo box is used to store sorted materials; A robotic arm is provided on the gantry and is raised and lowered synchronously with the carriage. A picking mechanism for picking up materials is provided at the end of the movement of the robotic arm. The picking mechanism is located above the cargo box hook device and is driven by the robotic arm to carry the materials and transfer them between the cargo boxes on at least two cargo box hook devices. A mechanical arm lifting mechanism drives the mechanical arm to move up and down along the gantry independently of the rowing frame; Material identification device, used to identify the location of materials in the cargo box; The controller is used to control the movement of the robot arm to move the target material from the first container to the second container based on the information returned by the material identification device.

6. The material box storage and retrieval system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The picking robot includes a swivel mechanism and a tilting mechanism, which are connected to the frame and are used to adjust the angle of the cargo box hooking device on the frame to dock with the cargo box; the frame includes a fixed seat frame, a mounting seat and a diagonal support bracket; the fixed seat frame is installed on the door frame, the cargo box hooking device is arranged on the mounting seat, and the mounting seat is supported by the diagonal support bracket, which is arranged between the fixed seat frame and the mounting seat; the diagonal support bracket is hinged to one end of the fixed frame seat to form a first rotation center, and the other end of the diagonal support bracket is driven by the tilting mechanism to rotate and lift around the first rotation center; the swivel mechanism is arranged between the fixed frame seat and the mounting seat.

7. The material box storage and retrieval system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The tilting mechanism includes a first driving mechanism and a connecting rod assembly. The upper end of the connecting rod assembly is connected to the diagonal support bracket, and the lower end of the connecting rod assembly is connected to the fixed frame seat. The first driving mechanism drives the overall height change of the connecting rod assembly; the rotating mechanism includes a second driving mechanism and a rotating gear. The second driving mechanism engages with the rotating gear through the transmission gear, driving the rotating gear to drive the mounting seat to rotate and adjust.

8. The material box storage and retrieval system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The transfer rack has a multi-layer structure, and multiple storage locations are stacked in the height direction. The distance between adjacent storage locations in the height direction is greater than the height of the material box. A pair of guide connecting plates are fixed to the first section, and one guide connecting plate is connected to at least two guide wheels arranged in the front-to-back direction. The guide wheels of the pair of guide connecting plates are respectively located in the guide grooves on both sides of the first section; the grasping mechanism also includes a first in-position sensor and a second induction sensor. The sensing end of the first in-position sensor is arranged in the direction close to the material box, and is used to detect whether the hook claw moves to the first position; The sensing end of the second in-position sensor is arranged in a direction away from the material box, and is used to detect whether the hook claw moves to the second position.

9. The material box storage and retrieval system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The bottom of the base is mounted on a mounting seat via a cross roller bearing, and the mounting seat can be lifted and slidably mounted on a door frame. The base includes a base plate and a surrounding plate circumferentially arranged around the base plate. The base is open to the front, and the surrounding plate is inclined at the opening end toward the direction of expanding the opening; the hooking device includes a positioning device, and the positioning device includes a code reading device and a laser sensor; the code reading device is used to locate the cargo box and identify the cargo box information by scanning the coded information on the cargo box; the laser sensor is used to identify the position and posture of the cargo box.

10. A material box access method, characterized in that: The method comprises the following steps: Step 1) The control unit receives the work order, analyzes the material requirement information in the work order, and determines the rack unit and storage location of the target material box; Step 2) Based on the bin height information, the position of the pallets in the rack unit is controlled, and the spacing between adjacent pallets is adjusted to accommodate the bin height; the bin loading and unloading robot is controlled to move to the target rack unit and align the target pallet layer by lifting and lowering the rack; the sliding and telescopic device of the hooking device is controlled to extend so that the hooking mechanism reaches the target bin position; Step 3) Control the hook to descend and hook the material box, then lift the material box, and then retract it through the sliding telescopic device to remove the material box from the pallet; Step 4) The bin loading and unloading robot moves the taken-out bin to the handover position with the bin handling robot; the bin handling robot uses a 3D laser sensor to identify the three-dimensional spatial position and posture of the bin, adjusts its posture, and then grabs the bin; Step 5) The bin handling robot transfers the bin to the bin sorting robot according to the path planned by the control unit; the bin picking device of the bin sorting robot loads the bin to the first bin position on the rack; the material identification device identifies the position of the material in the first bin, and the controller controls the robot arm to move the target material from the first bin to the second bin; after sorting is completed, the bin picking device unloads the bin from the rack, and the bin handling robot transfers the processed bin to the designated storage or outbound location; Step 6) The control unit monitors the rack storage status, the position of each robot and the task progress in real time, and dynamically plans the robot path to avoid conflicts.

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