Automatic cargo delivery device and delivery vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an automatic delivery device for goods and a delivery vehicle, the automatic delivery device for goods comprising a cabinet and a mechanical arm, the cabinet comprising a rack and a box arranged on the rack, the box having a bottom wall for carrying goods, the bottom wall being a retractable movable part; the mechanical arm is used to move the box between a designated position and the cabinet, the mechanical arm comprising a mechanical arm body and an end effector mounted at the end of the mechanical arm body, the end effector being used to grab the box and drive the movable part to retract when the box is moved to the designated position, so as to release the goods. The box can contain different types of goods, and the standardization design of the flow process is realized by using one type of box, the retractable movable part design, the automatic falling of the goods to the delivery position after the roller shutter is retracted, the delivery of only the goods at the end, the avoidance of the asset management problem caused by the delivery of the container, and the improvement of the utilization rate of the container. The power source of the roller shutter comes from the sprocket on the end effector, and the roller shutter can be driven to retract only when the end effector is connected with the box.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of goods delivery, and more specifically, to an automated goods delivery device and a delivery vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Automated delivery across the entire supply chain involves not only autonomous driving along the route but also automated loading and unloading of goods at both the front and back ends. Taking automated food delivery as an example, issues such as picking up and moving goods at both ends need to be addressed. Related technologies often use robotic arms to pick up and move goods. However, with the increasing variety of food delivery options, it's impossible to handle all types of orders with a single robotic arm. Designing containers at both the front and back ends to hold the orders requires considering asset management and container utilization issues. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a cargo delivery system to solve the asset management problems caused by deploying containers at the front and back ends.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this disclosure provides an automated goods delivery device, comprising:

[0005] A container includes a shelf and a cargo box disposed on the shelf, the cargo box having a bottom wall for carrying goods, the bottom wall being a retractable movable part;

[0006] A robotic arm is used to move the cargo box between a designated location and the container. The robotic arm includes a robotic arm body and an end effector mounted at the end of the robotic arm body. The end effector is used to grasp the cargo box and, when the cargo box is moved to the designated location, drive the movable part to retract to release the cargo.

[0007] Optionally, the opposite sidewall edges of the cargo box form a receiving channel, the sidewall edges including at least the bottom edge of the cargo box and a side edge adjacent to the bottom edge, and the movable part is a roller shutter movable between an unfolded position and a retracted position within the receiving channel, wherein,

[0008] In the unfolded position, the roller shutter is at least partially located at the bottom edge, and the roller shutter is capable of closing the bottom opening of the cargo box and carrying goods;

[0009] In the retracted position, the roller shutter is at least partially located on the side, exposing the bottom opening of the cargo box and releasing the cargo.

[0010] Optionally, the end effector includes a body, a sprocket disposed on the body, and a power component for driving the sprocket to rotate. The teeth of the sprocket can extend into the gap of the roller shutter, and the power component drives the roller shutter to move within the receiving channel by driving the sprocket to rotate.

[0011] Optionally, the roller blind includes multiple carbon rods arranged in parallel in sequence. Magnetic elements are provided in the inner cavities of the carbon rods located at both ends of the roller blind. A Hall sensor is provided on the end effector. The Hall sensor is used to determine the position of the roller blind within the receiving channel based on the position of the carbon rod with the magnetic element detected.

[0012] Optionally, the cargo box is provided with a locking part that cooperates with the movable part, and when the end effector is connected to the cargo box, it drives the locking part to unlock.

[0013] Optionally, the locking part includes a rotatable locking pin, one end of which is formed as a hook and the other end as a latch. The hook can extend into or retract into the gap between two adjacent carbon rods of the roller shutter. The side wall of the cargo box is provided with an opening, and the latch can protrude from the opening. When the end effector is connected to the cargo box, the body part presses the latch into the interior of the cargo box to drive the locking pin to rotate.

[0014] Optionally, the shelf has multiple cabinet positions for placing the cargo box, and the robotic arm is used to move the cargo box horizontally to enter or exit the cabinet position. The cabinet position has an openable and closable door on the side away from the cargo box entrance to close the opening of the cargo box.

[0015] Optionally, the cabinet is provided with a guide, and the cargo box is provided with a guide hole that matches the shape of the guide, and the size of the guide hole gradually decreases along the moving direction of the cargo box into the cabinet.

[0016] Optionally, the cabinet is equipped with an electromagnet, and the cargo box is equipped with a magnetic adsorption component, wherein the electromagnet and the magnetic adsorption component can be connected on and off.

[0017] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a delivery vehicle is provided, on which the aforementioned automated goods delivery device is installed.

[0018] Through the above technical solution, the automated goods delivery device provided in this disclosure allows the cargo box to hold different types of goods. It utilizes a single cargo box to achieve a standardized design for the flow process, featuring a retractable movable part. After the roller shutter retracts, the goods automatically fall to the delivery position. Only goods are delivered at the end, avoiding asset management problems caused by container placement and improving container utilization. The end effector of the robotic arm can grasp the cargo box and also drive the roller shutter to retract or unfold via a sprocket. The power source for the roller shutter comes from the sprocket on the end effector. The roller shutter can only be retracted when the end effector is connected to the cargo box. When the cargo box is used alone, the roller shutter can always be in the unfolded position, preventing abnormal falling of goods when not in delivery mode.

[0019] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the present disclosure, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an automated goods delivery device provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0022] Figure 2 and Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a delivery vehicle provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0023] Figure 4 and Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a container in an automated goods delivery device provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0024] Figures 6 to 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a shelf in an automated goods delivery device provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0025] Figures 9 to 17 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the cargo container in an automated cargo delivery device provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0026] Figure 18 and Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the robotic arm in an automated goods delivery device provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0027] Figure 20 and Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an end effector in an automated goods delivery device provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0029] 10-Containers.

[0030] 100 - Shelf; 110 - Frame structure; 120 - Electromagnet; 130 - Guide component; 140 - Cabinet door.

[0031] 200 - Cargo box; 201 - Top wall; 202 - First side wall; 203 - Second side wall; 2021 - Opening; 2022 - Power input port; 210 - Grip part; 220 - Movable part; 221 - Carbon rod; 222 - First fixing ring; 230 - Reception channel; 240 - Locking part; 241 - Locking pin; 2411 - Hook-shaped part; 2412 - Snap protrusion; 250 - Opening; 260 - Magnetic adsorption part; 270 - Guide hole.

[0032] 300 - Robotic arm; 310 - Multi-axis robotic arm; 320 - End effector; 321 - Body; 3210 - Weight reduction hole; 322 - Sprocket; 3220 - Mounting shaft; 323 - Power component; 324 - Transmission component; 325 - Mounting component; 326 - Hall sensor; 327 - Snap-fit ​​edge; 328 - Connection hole; 329 - Contact part.

[0033] 400 - Delivery vehicle. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The specific embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0035] It should be noted that all actions involving the acquisition of signals, information, or data in this disclosure are carried out in compliance with the relevant data protection laws and policies of the country where the location is situated, and with authorization from the owner of the relevant device.

[0036] In this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "up," "down," "left," and "right" generally refer to the definition under normal use of the automated goods delivery device provided in this disclosure; "front," "rear," "front," and "back" refer to the direction of movement of the cargo box, with the cargo box moving forward into the shelf compartment and moving backward out of the shelf compartment; "inner" and "outer" refer to the inside and outside of the outline of the corresponding component; the terms "first," "second," etc., are used to distinguish different components and do not have sequential or importance. Furthermore, in the following description, when referring to the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise explained, the same reference numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements.

[0037] Taking the food delivery scenario as an example, in order to achieve automated delivery of goods at both the front and back ends, in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, as follows: Figure 1As shown, an automated goods delivery device is provided. This device comprises two parts: a container 10 and a robotic arm 300. The container 10 includes a shelf 100 and a cargo box 200 disposed on the shelf 100. The robotic arm 300 includes a multi-axis robotic arm 310 and an end effector 320 disposed at the end of the multi-axis robotic arm 310. Through the cooperation of the end effector 320 and the cargo box 200, the robotic arm 300 can move the cargo box 200 between the container 10 and a delivery position, automatically placing the goods at the delivery position. Afterwards, the empty cargo box 200 is returned to the shelf 100, completing the automated goods delivery operation. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the automated delivery device can be installed on the delivery vehicle 400. The delivery vehicle 400 can move the container 10 and the robotic arm 300 to the delivery point, and simultaneously realize automated driving along the route and automated loading and unloading of goods at the front and rear ends, realizing full-chain automation of automated delivery. This disclosure includes designs for both parts. The following will describe in detail the cooperation between the two parts and the components between them in conjunction with specific embodiments.

[0038] Figure 1 An automated goods delivery apparatus provided by an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0039] Figure 2 and Figure 3 The present disclosure illustrates a delivery vehicle 400 provided in an exemplary embodiment. Figure 1 The automated delivery device shown can be installed as a whole on the delivery vehicle 400. In other embodiments, the robotic arm 300 and the container 10 can also be placed on the ground or in the workshop.

[0040] Figure 4 and Figure 5 The exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure shows a container 10, including a shelf 100 and a plurality of boxes 200 placed on the shelf 100. The number of boxes 200 on the shelf 100 is not limited and can be designed as needed.

[0041] Figures 6 to 8 The shelf 100 provided in the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The structure of the shelf 100 is not limited and can be the frame structure 110 shown in the figure, having multiple compartments.

[0042] Figures 9 to 17 The present disclosure shows a cargo box 200 provided in an exemplary embodiment. The cargo box 200 can exist alone or be placed on the shelf 100 as one of a plurality of cargo boxes on the shelf 100. The present disclosure does not limit this, and the latter will be described in detail below.

[0043] Figure 18 and Figure 19The present disclosure illustrates a robotic arm 300, which includes a multi-axis robotic arm 310 and an end effector 320 mounted at the end of the multi-axis robotic arm 310. The multi-axis robotic arm 310 may be a six-axis robotic arm or other types of robotic arms, and mainly functions to transport and move a cargo box 200, which can move the cargo box 200 to a delivery location or to a shelf 100.

[0044] Figure 20 and Figure 21 An end effector 320 provided in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The end effector 320 can be installed at the end of any movable component, not limited to a robotic arm, such as a motion module capable of multi-directional movement. Specifically, the following will describe the end effector 320 installed at the end of a multi-axis robotic arm 310 as an example.

[0045] To enable the end effector 320 to grasp the container 200, thereby allowing the robotic arm 300 to move the container 200 between the container 10 and the delivery position, in this disclosure, as follows... Figure 10 As shown, the cargo box 200 is provided with a gripping part 210. The end effector 320 moves the cargo box 200 by gripping the gripping part 210. The gripping part 210 can be any suitable structure that cooperates with the end effector 320. In an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the gripping part 210 includes two mounting seats fixed to the side wall of the cargo box 200 and a handle connected between the two mounting seats. A gripping space is formed between the handle, the mounting seats, and the side wall of the cargo box 200. Figure 20 and Figure 21 As shown, the end effector 320 includes a body portion 321, and a snap-fit ​​edge 327 is provided on the upper side of the body portion 321. The snap-fit ​​edge 327 can extend from bottom to top into the gripping space for snap-fit, thereby realizing the connection between the robotic arm 300 and the cargo box 200. In other embodiments, the gripping part 210 can also be a handle, a claw, a gripping hole, etc. The device that moves the cargo box 200 is not limited to the robotic arm; the cargo box can be moved under any external force. It can also be a drone, an operator, etc. This disclosure does not limit this.

[0046] like Figure 9 As shown, the cargo box 200 has a bottom wall for carrying goods. This bottom wall can be a retractable movable part 220. When the movable part 220 is unfolded, it serves as the bottom wall of the cargo box 200, allowing goods to be placed on it. The robotic arm 300 moves the cargo box 200, which contains goods, freely. When the cargo box 200 moves to a designated position, such as... Figure 11 As shown, the movable part 220 retracts and is automatically released under the weight of the cargo.

[0047] In the cargo box 200 provided in this disclosure, different types of goods can be placed inside the cargo box 200. A robotic arm 300 is used to grasp and move different types of goods, realizing the standardized design of the container. The entire circulation process is standardized using a single cargo box, saving design costs. When the cargo box 200 moves to the delivery location, the movable part 220 retracts, and the goods automatically fall to complete the delivery action. The empty cargo box can be moved back to the shelf 100. Only goods are placed at the end without placing containers, avoiding the additional investment in recycling cargo boxes and avoiding asset management problems and container utilization problems caused by placing containers.

[0048] The movable section 220 can be folded and unfolded in various ways, such as by pulling or rolling. In an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, such as... Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, the cargo box 200 has a receiving channel 230 formed on the opposite sidewall edge. The sidewall edge includes at least the bottom edge of the cargo box 200 and a side edge adjacent to the bottom edge. The movable part 220 can be a roller shutter installed at both ends in the receiving channel 230. The roller shutter can move between an unfolded position and a retracted position in the receiving channel 230. In the unfolded position ( Figure 12 The roller shutter is at least partially located at the bottom edge, and the roller shutter is capable of closing the bottom opening of the cargo box 200 and carrying goods; in the retracted position ( Figure 13 The roller shutter is at least partially located on the side, exposing the bottom opening of the cargo box 200 and releasing the cargo.

[0049] In this embodiment, as Figure 11 As shown, the cargo box 200 can be a square structure formed by a top wall 201, a bottom wall, a first side wall 202, and two opposing second side walls 203. The bottom edge, one side edge (right side), and part of the top edge of the two opposing second side walls 203 are provided with receiving channels 230. The location where the receiving channels 230 are provided is thickened. The roller shutter moves between the unfolded position and the retracted position by overall translation within the receiving channels 230. Of course, in other embodiments, the receiving channels 230 can be provided only at the bottom edge. The roller shutter can be made of flexible material and can be rolled up on one side of the bottom opening, which can also achieve the effect of automatically releasing the goods.

[0050] There are various ways to extend and retract the movable part 220. The cargo box 200 itself may have an internal drive mechanism. In an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, when the robotic arm 300 and the cargo box 200 are connected, the end effector 320 drives the movable part 220 to extend and retract, such as... Figure 9 and Figure 14As shown, the roller shutter includes multiple carbon rods 221 arranged in parallel. The ends of two adjacent carbon rods 221 are connected by a first fixing ring 222, and two adjacent first fixing rings 222 are connected by a second fixing ring, thus connecting the multiple carbon rods 221 to achieve overall translation of the roller shutter. There is a gap between two adjacent carbon rods 221. A power input port 2022 is provided on the side wall of the cargo box 200. Figure 20 and 21 As shown, a sprocket 322 and a power unit 323 for driving the sprocket 322 to rotate are provided on the lower side of the main body 321. The power unit 323 is installed in the power input port 2022 and has teeth that extend into the gap to drive the roller shutter to move. The power unit 323 can be a motor. When the roller shutter is unfolded, it can serve as the bottom plate of the cargo box 200 for placing goods. When the roller shutter is retracted, the bottom plate disappears and the goods fall off automatically. In addition, the power source of the roller shutter comes from the sprocket 322 on the end effector 320. The roller shutter can only be driven to retract when the end effector 320 is connected to the cargo box 200. When the cargo box 200 is used alone, the roller shutter can always be in the unfolded position to prevent the goods from falling off abnormally when not being delivered.

[0051] To obtain the position of the roller shutter within the containment passage 230, in this disclosure, as... Figure 20 As shown, a Hall sensor 326 is located near the sprocket 322 on the main body 321. A slot is provided on one side edge of the main body 321, through which the probe of the Hall sensor 326 passes and is fixed to the upper side of the sprocket 322. The installation position of the Hall sensor 326 can be designed as needed, while avoiding interference with the rotation of the sprocket 322. Magnetic elements are provided in the inner cavities of the carbon rods 221 at both ends of the roller shutter. The Hall sensor 326 is used to determine the position of the roller shutter within the receiving channel 230 by detecting the position of the carbon rods with magnetic elements, thereby determining whether the roller shutter has moved into position. Figure 12 In the middle, the left end of the roller shutter is located at the end of the receiving channel 230, and has moved to its maximum unfolded position. Figure 13 In the middle, the right end of the roller shutter is located at the end of the receiving channel 230, and has moved to the retracted limit position. The Hall sensor 326 determines whether the roller shutter has moved to the desired position by detecting the position of the carbon rod 221 with magnetic components. Figure 12 or Figure 13 The extreme positions shown indicate the start and stop of the power unit 323.

[0052] Furthermore, to prevent the roller shutter from accidentally retracting when in the unfolded position, in this disclosure, such as Figure 10 and Figure 15As shown, the cargo box 200 is provided with a locking part 240 that cooperates with the movable part 220. When the locking part 240 is unlocked, the roller shutter can move within the receiving channel 230. When the locking part 240 is locked, the roller shutter is limited to any position within the receiving channel 230. The locking part 240 can prevent the roller shutter from being accidentally rolled up, thus avoiding the accidental falling of goods during transportation, making it safer and more reliable.

[0053] The locking part 240 can be any suitable structure that cooperates with the roller blind. In an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 16 and Figure 17 As shown, the locking part 240 includes a rotatable locking pin 241. One end of the locking pin 241 can be formed as a hook-shaped part 2411, and the other end can be formed as a latching protrusion 2412. The hook-shaped part 2411 can extend into or retract into the gap between two adjacent carbon rods 221 of the roller shutter. An opening 2021 is provided on the side wall of the cargo box 200, and the latching protrusion 2412 can protrude from the opening 2021. Through the cooperation of the latching protrusion 2412 and the opening 2021, the locking pin 241 can be held in the locked position, which plays a limiting role in the roller shutter. By driving the locking pin 241 to rotate, the limiting of the roller shutter can be unlocked.

[0054] The power to rotate the locking pin 241 can come from the internal structure of the cargo box itself. In this disclosure, the power to drive the locking pin 241 to rotate comes from the end effector 320, such as... Figure 20 As shown, on the lower side of the main body 321, there is a contact portion 329 corresponding to the position of the opening 2021 on the cargo box 200. An elastic element (not shown) is sleeved on the rotating shaft where the locking pin 241 is located. When the end effector 320 is connected to the cargo box 200, the contact portion 329 abuts against the latching protrusion 2412 and compresses the elastic element, pressing the latching protrusion 2412 into the interior of the cargo box 200, which can drive the locking pin 241 to rotate. Figure 17 The locked state shown has been switched to Figure 16 In the unlocked state shown, when the end effector 320 is disconnected from the cargo box 200, the locking pin 241 can be switched back to the unlocked state under the elastic force of the elastic element. Figure 17 The locked state shown prevents goods from accidentally falling out during the retraction of the roller shutter.

[0055] In an embodiment where the cargo box 200 is mounted on the shelf 100, such as Figure 1As shown, the shelf 100 is a frame structure 110 with multiple cabinet positions. The cabinet positions are used to place the goods boxes 200. The robotic arm 300 is used to move the goods boxes 200 horizontally to enter or exit the cabinet positions. The gripping part 210 of the goods box 200 can be set on the first side wall 202. The square structure is formed with an opening 250 for storing goods at the position opposite to the first side wall 202. The cabinet position has an openable and closable cabinet door 140 on the side away from the entrance of the goods box 200 to close the opening 250. The shelf 100 and the goods box 200 are combined to form a compartment cabinet similar to a takeaway cabinet. The cabinet door 140 can automatically open. On the side where the cabinet door 140 is located, the user can open the cabinet door 140 and put the goods into the goods box 200 through the opening 250. When unloading, the robotic arm 300 removes the goods box 200 from the shelf 100 from the opposite side. In addition, each of the multiple cabinet doors 140 carries different order information. When storing goods, by scanning the QR code on the delivery vehicle 400, the cabinet door 140 corresponding to the order information will automatically pop open. Users can manually or have the robotic arm 300 place the goods through the opening 250. Of course, the cabinet door 140 that pops open with the button is also within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0056] The frame structure 110 can guide the entry and exit of the cargo container 200, and further, such as Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, each shelf 100 is equipped with a guide 130, and the cargo box 200 is equipped with a guide hole 270 that matches the shape of the guide 130. The size of the guide hole 270 gradually decreases along the direction of movement of the cargo box 200 into the shelf. The guide 130 can be an arrow-shaped structure pointing in the direction of entry into the shelf, and the guide hole 270 can be a triangular hole. During the process of pushing the cargo box 200 back onto the shelf 100, the guide 130 gradually enters the guide hole 270, guiding the movement of the cargo box 200 and compensating for any deviation in the cargo box 200's return to the shelf 100. By designing the size of the guide hole 270, a deviation of ±10mm can be compensated, preventing the cargo box 200 from not reaching its designated position.

[0057] Multiple boxes 200 are placed on the shelf 100, and the entire container 10 is placed on the delivery vehicle 400. During the journey, to prevent the boxes 200 from falling off the shelf 100, each compartment of the shelf 100 is equipped with an electromagnet 120, and the boxes 200 are equipped with magnetic adsorption components 260. The electromagnets 120 and the magnetic adsorption components 260 can be connected on and off. During the journey of the delivery vehicle 400, the electromagnets 120 are de-energized and attract the magnetic adsorption components 260 to prevent the boxes 200 from falling off and to ensure the connection between the boxes 200 and the shelf 100. When unloading is required, the electromagnets 120 are energized, the magnetic force disappears, and the boxes 200 can be easily removed from the shelf 100.

[0058] In this disclosure, both the guide hole 270 and the magnetic adsorption component 260 are disposed on the top wall 201 of the cargo box 200. The positions of the guide component 130 and the electromagnet 120 can be designed according to the positions of the guide hole 270 and the magnetic adsorption component 260 on the cargo box 200. The magnetic adsorption component 260 can be a thin sheet structure, which will not affect the movement of the cargo box 200. In addition, the cargo box 200 provided in this disclosure does not contain electrical components, has higher waterproof and dustproof performance, and is easy to clean.

[0059] Furthermore, in this disclosure, a snap-fit ​​edge 327 extending into the gripping part 210 is located on the upper side of the body part 321, and a sprocket 322 is located on the lower side of the body part 321. The teeth of the sprocket 322 can engage with the gaps in the carbon rod 221, thereby connecting the cargo box 200 to the end effector 320 on the upper and lower sides respectively. This ensures the reliability and stability of the connection between the cargo box 200 and the end effector 320, thereby enabling the robotic arm 300 to move the cargo box 200. The snap-fit ​​edge 327 can be an arc-shaped edge with a gradually decreasing thickness in the upward direction, facilitating insertion into the gripping space for snap-fit.

[0060] In this disclosure, such as Figure 20 and Figure 21 As shown, the sprocket 322 is located on the front of the main body 321, and the power component 323 is located on the back of the main body 321. The power component 323 and the sprocket 322 are connected by a transmission component 324. The main body 321 has a through hole through which the transmission component 324 passes. The power component 323 can be a motor, which drives the sprocket 322 to rotate via a synchronous belt. Since the sprocket 322 is engaged with the roller blind at this time, it can drive the roller blind to move, realizing the opening and closing of the roller blind. In addition, the power component 323 and the sprocket 322 are located on the front and back of the main body 321, respectively, maximizing the use of the space in the main body 321 to achieve the driving effect on the sprocket 322.

[0061] To ensure the driving effect of sprocket 322 on the roller shutter, such as Figure 20 As shown, the front of the main body 321 is provided with oppositely arranged ear plates. Multiple sprockets 322 are mounted on the mounting shaft 3220, with both ends of the mounting shaft 3220 mounted on the ear plates. The transmission component 324 can be a synchronous belt, with one end sleeved on the mounting shaft 3220 and the other end sleeved on the output shaft of the power component 323. After the end effector 320 is connected to the cargo box 200, multiple sprockets 322 can simultaneously act on the gaps in the carbon rod 221, simultaneously driving the roller shutter to move. Specifically, in Figure 14 In the embodiment shown, when the roller blind needs to be retracted, the drive sprocket 322 rotates clockwise, and the power component 323 also rotates clockwise, causing the roller blind to move upward to the retracted position; when the roller blind needs to be unfolded, the drive sprocket 322 rotates counterclockwise, and the power component 323 also rotates counterclockwise, causing the roller blind to move downward to the unfolded position.

[0062] In the end effector 320 provided in this disclosure, the upper side is engaged with the gripping part 210 through the snap-fit ​​edge 327, and the lower side is engaged with the carbon rod 221 through the gap. This enables the robotic arm 300 and the cargo box 200 to be stably gripped, thereby realizing the movement and handling of the cargo box 200. Furthermore, when the main body 321 moves downward and backward as a whole, the snap-fit ​​edge 327 can easily disengage from the gripping part 210. After the delivery action is completed, the cargo box 200 and the end effector 320 can be easily disengaged. The operation is simple and convenient.

[0063] like Figure 19 and Figure 21 As shown, the main body 321 is provided with a connection hole 328 for connecting to the end of the multi-axis robotic arm 310. The shape of the connection hole 328 can be designed according to the shape of the end of the multi-axis robotic arm 310. Here, it is a circular connection hole and is located in the middle of the main body 321. The shape and position of the connection hole 328 can be designed according to the actual situation.

[0064] In addition, such as Figure 20 and Figure 21 As shown, a detachable external mount 325 is provided on one side of the main body 321. The external mount 325 can be at least one of a camera, a detection element, or an indicator light. The camera can identify the location of the final delivery point, the gripping part 210 on the cargo box 200, and the power input port 2022. For example, the camera can be used to detect whether the final delivery location is occupied, and to accurately locate the delivery location, ensuring the accuracy of the goods delivery location. When the roller shutter is detected to have moved to the retracted limit position or the extended limit position, the indicator light will also give a corresponding prompt, such as turning on a green light, to promptly control the start and stop of the power unit 323.

[0065] In this disclosure, the main body 321 is provided with multiple weight reduction holes 3210 to minimize the weight of the end effector 320 and achieve an overall lightweight design.

[0066] Specifically, taking food delivery as an example, the working process of the automated goods delivery device provided in this disclosure will be described in detail.

[0067] The food delivery process involves the rider picking up the food from the merchant, scanning the QR code on the delivery vehicle 400, and the corresponding compartment door 140 automatically opening. The rider then places the food into the cargo box 200 and closes the door 140 to complete the food delivery.

[0068] In the delivery process, the delivery vehicle 400 automatically drives to the delivery location based on the order information, performs automatic parking, identifies the delivery point, and plans the delivery position and the movement path of the robotic arm 300. The robotic arm 300 grasps the cargo box 200 to be delivered on the shelf 100. The locking edge 327 extends into the gripping part 210, and the sprocket 322 engages with the roller shutter, completing the connection between the cargo box 200 and the end effector 320. At this time, the contact part 329 abuts against the locking protrusion 2412, driving the locking pin 241 to rotate, and the hook-shaped part 2411 disengages from the gap of the carbon rod 221, completing the unlocking. The multi-axis robotic arm 310 moves according to the prescribed movement path to place the cargo box 200 in the delivery area. At this time, the power unit 323 is activated, which drives the sprocket 322 to rotate through the transmission unit 324, driving the roller shutter to move from the unfolded position to the retracted position, and the goods automatically fall to the delivery position. Finally, the drive shutter returns to the unfolded position, and the empty box is placed back on shelf 100, completing the entire automated delivery operation.

[0069] In the automated goods delivery device disclosed herein, the cargo box 200 can hold different types of goods. A standardized design for the flow process is achieved using a single cargo box. The retractable movable part 220 allows goods to automatically fall to the delivery position after the roller shutter retracts. Only goods are delivered at the end, avoiding asset management problems caused by container placement and improving container utilization. The end effector 320 of the robotic arm 300 can grasp the cargo box 200 and drive the roller shutter to retract or unfold via the sprocket 322. Furthermore, when the end effector 320 is connected to the cargo box 200, it can drive the locking pin 241 to rotate, switching between locking and unlocking the roller shutter. It can also identify whether the roller shutter has moved into position and whether the delivery position is occupied, ensuring the accuracy of the entire delivery process. The entire automated goods delivery device is mounted on the delivery vehicle 400, achieving automatic driving along the route and automatic loading and unloading at both ends, realizing fully automated delivery without affecting user pickup, reducing the labor intensity of delivery personnel, and improving delivery efficiency.

[0070] The preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of this disclosure, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of this disclosure, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0071] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. In order to avoid unnecessary repetition, this disclosure will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0072] Furthermore, various different embodiments of this disclosure can be combined in any way, as long as they do not violate the spirit of this disclosure, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed in this disclosure.

Claims

1. An automated goods delivery device, characterized in that, include: A container includes a shelf and a cargo box disposed on the shelf, the cargo box having a bottom wall for carrying goods, the bottom wall being a retractable movable part; A robotic arm is used to move the cargo box between a designated location and the container. The robotic arm includes a robotic arm body and an end effector mounted at the end of the robotic arm body. The end effector is used to grasp the cargo box and drive the movable part to retract when the cargo box is moved to the designated location to release the cargo. The cargo box has a receiving channel formed on its opposite sidewall edges. Each sidewall edge includes at least the bottom edge of the cargo box and a side edge adjacent to the bottom edge. The movable part is a roller shutter that can move between an unfolded position and a retracted position within the receiving channel. In the unfolded position, the roller shutter is at least partially located at the bottom edge, and the roller shutter is capable of closing the bottom opening of the cargo box and carrying goods; In the retracted position, the roller shutter is at least partially located on the side, exposing the bottom opening of the cargo box and releasing the cargo; The end effector includes a body, a sprocket mounted on the body, and a power component for driving the sprocket to rotate. The teeth of the sprocket can extend into the gap of the roller shutter to drive the roller shutter to move within the receiving channel.

2. The automatic goods delivery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The roller blind includes multiple carbon rods arranged in parallel. Magnetic elements are provided in the inner cavities of the carbon rods located at both ends of the roller blind. A Hall sensor is provided on the end effector. The Hall sensor is used to determine the position of the roller blind in the receiving channel based on the position of the carbon rod with the magnetic element detected.

3. The automatic cargo delivery device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cargo box is provided with a locking part that cooperates with the movable part. When the end effector is connected to the cargo box, it drives the locking part to unlock.

4. The automatic goods delivery device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The locking part includes a rotatable locking pin, one end of which is formed as a hook and the other end as a latch. The hook can extend into or retract into the gap between two adjacent carbon rods of the roller shutter. The side wall of the cargo box is provided with an opening, and the latch can protrude from the opening. When the end effector is connected to the cargo box, the main body presses the latch into the interior of the cargo box to drive the locking pin to rotate.

5. The automatic goods delivery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shelf has multiple cabinet positions for placing the cargo boxes. The robotic arm is used to move the cargo boxes horizontally to enter or exit the cabinet positions. Each cabinet position has an openable and closable door on the side opposite to the cargo box entrance to close the opening of the cargo box.

6. The automated goods delivery device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The cabinet is equipped with a guide, and the cargo box is equipped with a guide hole that matches the shape of the guide. The size of the guide hole gradually decreases along the direction of movement of the cargo box into the cabinet.

7. The automatic goods delivery device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The cabinet is equipped with an electromagnet, and the cargo box is equipped with a magnetic adsorption component. The electromagnet and the magnetic adsorption component can be connected on and off.

8. A delivery vehicle, characterized in that, The automated cargo delivery device according to any one of claims 1-7 is installed on the delivery vehicle.

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