Material carrying system and carrying method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a material carrying system and a carrying method thereof. The material carrying system comprises a track suspended in the air, and a loading and unloading crown block and a cargo carrying crown block which work cooperatively are movably arranged on the track; the cargo carrying crown block comprises a first moving mechanism moving on the track and a cargo carrying assembly arranged on the first moving mechanism, and the cargo carrying assembly comprises a plurality of placing positions; the cargo carrying crown block comprises a second moving mechanism moving on the track and a loading and unloading mechanism arranged on the second moving mechanism, and one loading and unloading crown block can be matched with one cargo carrying crown block to load and unload materials at a plurality of placing positions of the cargo carrying crown block. The loading and unloading structure is innovatively separated from the storage structure, so that the cargo carrying crown block is provided with a plurality of placement positions to improve the storage capacity, and meanwhile, the cargo carrying crown block is matched with the loading and unloading crown block to realize loading and unloading of a plurality of materials on the cargo carrying crown block, so that the cargo carrying crown block can realize carrying of the plurality of materials in the process of executing one carrying task; and the carrying efficiency can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automated material handling equipment, and in particular to material handling systems and methods thereof. Background Technology

[0002] OHT stands for Overhead Hoist Transfer, which is a type of material handling equipment in Automated Material Handling Systems (AMHS). It moves through a network of tracks in the air and uses lifting devices to lift, transport, and precisely deliver materials.

[0003] The current overhead crane structure is shown in patent documents such as CN116161557A and CN119143001A.

[0004] This type of overhead crane can only move one material at a time, and the carrying capacity of a single crane is relatively weak, which limits the improvement of carrying efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems existing in the prior art and to provide a material handling system and a material handling method thereof.

[0006] The objective of this invention is achieved through the following technical solution: The material handling system includes a track suspended in the air, on which loading and unloading cranes and cargo cranes are movably mounted to work together; The cargo crane includes a first moving mechanism that moves on the track and a cargo loading component disposed on the first moving mechanism, the cargo loading component including multiple placement positions; The loading and unloading crane includes a second moving mechanism that moves on the track and a loading and unloading mechanism disposed on the second moving mechanism. The loading and unloading crane can cooperate with the cargo crane to load and unload materials at multiple placement positions on the cargo crane.

[0007] Preferably, the cargo assembly includes a frame; When a cargo unit is provided on the frame, the cargo unit includes multiple placement positions; When the frame is provided with multiple cargo units, each cargo unit includes at least one placement position.

[0008] Preferably, one of the cargo units includes at least one carrier plate with at least one placement position. The carrier plate is connected to a telescopic mechanism that drives it to move along a second direction to move the placement position on the carrier plate to the outside of the frame. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and the first direction is the extension direction of the axis of the first moving wheel of the first moving mechanism.

[0009] Preferably, each of the cargo units includes two vertically staggered and close-to-each-other carrier plates, each carrier plate having a placement position. The two sides of the carrier plates are movably disposed in guide grooves provided on the frame. Each carrier plate is connected to a telescopic mechanism that drives it to move along a second direction so that the placement position on the carrier plate moves to the outside of the frame.

[0010] Preferably, the guide groove is provided with rollers attached to the top and bottom surfaces of the carrier plate.

[0011] Preferably, one of the cargo units includes a sliding frame with at least one carrier plate disposed thereon, the sliding frame being connected to a traversing mechanism that drives it to move in a second direction so that the carrier plate on it is located outside the frame.

[0012] Preferably, the sliding frame is provided with a lower carrying plate and an upper carrying plate distributed vertically. The lower carrying plate is located at the rear end of the sliding frame, and the upper carrying plate is driven by a transverse module to move between the front end and the rear end of the sliding frame.

[0013] Preferably, the upper carrier plate is movably disposed in the sliding grooves on the support rails on both sides of the sliding frame and / or the sliding strip on the outer side of the support rail is movably embedded in the guide groove on the inner side of the support beam.

[0014] Preferably, when the placement position can be moved to the outside of the frame, the loading and unloading mechanism includes at least a gripping mechanism, which is disposed on the lifting mechanism that drives its lifting and lowering. When the placement position cannot be moved outside the frame, the loading and unloading mechanism includes a gripping mechanism, which is mounted on a lifting mechanism that drives its lifting and lowering, and the lifting mechanism is connected to a translation mechanism that drives its translation at least along a first direction.

[0015] The present invention also discloses a material handling method for any of the above-described material handling systems, comprising the following steps: The material handling control system receives multiple material handling tasks, each of which requires the handling of one material. The handling control system instructs a cargo crane to move sequentially to the material location to be transported for each handling task, and loads multiple materials onto different placement positions of the cargo crane using loading and unloading cranes and / or ordinary cranes. The handling control system controls the cargo crane to move sequentially to the destination of each material to be transported, and unloads the materials on the cargo crane to the corresponding destination through the loading and unloading crane.

[0016] The advantages of the technical solution of this invention are mainly reflected in: This invention changes the conventional design of overhead cranes by innovatively separating the loading / unloading structure from the storage structure. This allows the cargo crane to have multiple placement positions to increase storage capacity. Simultaneously, it works in conjunction with the loading / unloading crane to allow for the loading and unloading of multiple materials on the cargo crane. This enables the cargo crane to handle multiple materials during a single transport task, especially during a cross-regional operation, thus improving transport efficiency. Furthermore, this structure does not require changes to the existing track structure, making it convenient to use directly on existing equipment.

[0017] The overhead crane of the present invention includes two vertically distributed load plates in each load unit, each connected to a telescopic mechanism that drives them to move in a second direction. This structure not only facilitates the installation of more load units, but also allows each load plate to be easily switched between multiple positions, thereby facilitating efficient loading operations. At the same time, the two sides of each load plate are rolled between rollers, which can effectively support the load plate to ensure that it can effectively carry materials, and can also effectively reduce the resistance when the load plate moves horizontally, ensuring smooth horizontal movement. Furthermore, the sliding grooves on both sides can easily connect the telescopic mechanism to both sides of each load plate without affecting the lower load unit, thereby ensuring the balance of driving force on both sides of the load plate.

[0018] The cargo unit of the present invention can effectively shorten the travel distance and size of the two carrier plates by allowing the sliding frame to extend outside the frame, which is beneficial to reducing the size of the cargo unit; at the same time, the sliding frame can fully support the carrier plates during loading and unloading, avoiding the deformation of the carrier plates from affecting the positional accuracy and causing problems with inaccurate loading and unloading.

[0019] When the material handling system of the present invention is working, the loading and unloading crane moves with the cargo crane, so there is no need to plan a separate route for the loading and unloading crane, which facilitates control. When sending handling tasks, the system prioritizes the collection of handling tasks with the same starting point and the same ending point in the same working area and sends them to the handling control system. This effectively avoids the problem that the cargo crane and loading and unloading crane need to move over a large area due to the large span between the starting point and the ending point of multiple handling tasks, which increases the difficulty of path planning and makes it impossible to guarantee the timeliness. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a partial perspective view of the material handling system of the present invention, in which the overhead crane is empty of material; Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the cargo-carrying component of the cargo handling crane in the material handling system of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of two placement positions on a carrier plate distributed along a first direction in the cargo crane of the present invention. The right side of the diagram shows the part of the carrier plate located inside the frame during loading and unloading. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of two placement positions on a carrier plate distributed along a second direction in the cargo crane of the present invention. The right part of the diagram shows the part of the carrier plate located inside the frame when the placement position on the carrier plate extends outside the frame. Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the upper loading plate of the cargo unit extending outside the frame in this invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the upper loading plate of the cargo unit being moved to the third position after being loaded with materials, while the lower loading plate remains in the fifth position in this invention. Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the lower loading plate of the cargo unit moving to the fourth position in this invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the lower loading plate of the cargo unit moving to the fifth position after loading materials, while the upper loading plate remains in the third position in this invention. Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram showing a portion of the sliding frame of the cargo crane of the present invention extending outside the frame; Figure 10 This is a partial schematic diagram of the material handling system of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a partial perspective view of a cargo crane carrying materials in the material handling system of the present invention; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the cargo crane and loading / unloading crane of the present invention connected by a disconnectable connecting assembly; Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the transportation method of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The objectives, advantages, and features of this invention will be illustrated and explained through the following non-limiting description of preferred embodiments. These embodiments are merely typical examples of applying the technical solutions of this invention, and all technical solutions formed by equivalent substitutions or equivalent transformations fall within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0022] In the description of the solution, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "rear," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience and simplification of description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0023] Example 1 The material handling system disclosed in this invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, as shown below. Figure 1 As shown, it includes a track 100 suspended in the air. The specific structure of the track 100 can be designed according to the layout of various devices, and is not limited here. In addition, the track 100 can be a conventional track structure or a grid-shaped track 100 disclosed in the patent document with application publication number CN114080364A.

[0024] As attached Figure 1 As shown, the innovative improvement of this invention lies in: The track 100 may also be movably equipped with a loading and unloading crane 200 and a cargo crane 300 for cooperative operation; The overhead crane 300 is used to load multiple materials 400 to achieve simultaneous transportation of multiple materials 400. The overhead crane 300 includes a first moving mechanism 210 that moves on the track 100 and a cargo loading component 220 disposed on the first moving mechanism 210. The cargo loading component 220 includes multiple placement positions 221. The loading and unloading crane 200 includes a second moving mechanism 310 that moves on the track 100 and a loading and unloading mechanism 320 disposed on the second moving mechanism 310. The loading and unloading crane 200 can cooperate with the cargo crane 300 to load and unload materials 400 at multiple placement positions 221 of the cargo crane 300.

[0025] In detail, the specific structures of the first moving mechanism 210 and the second moving mechanism 310 can be referred to the overhead crane traveling mechanism disclosed in the patent document cited in the background art, and will not be repeated here. Of course, when the track 100 is a grid track 100, the traveling mechanism can also refer to the structure of the traveling part disclosed in the patent document with application publication number CN114080364A.

[0026] The position of the cargo-carrying component 220 on the first moving mechanism 210 can be designed as needed. In a preferred embodiment, as shown in the attached figure... Figure 1 As shown, the cargo component 220 is disposed below the first moving mechanism 210 and below the track 100. Of course, this is not necessary; the cargo component 220 may also be disposed above the first moving mechanism 210.

[0027] As attached Figure 2As shown, the cargo-carrying assembly 220 includes a hollow frame 222. The frame 222 is a cuboid frame structure assembled from multiple horizontal and vertical bars, with an opening 223 on at least the rear side for material entry and exit. The rear side is the side facing backward when the first moving mechanism 210 moves. One layer of cargo-carrying units 224 or multiple layers of cargo-carrying units 224 can be provided on the frame 222.

[0028] When a cargo unit 224 is provided on the frame 222, the cargo unit includes multiple placement positions 221. These multiple placement positions 221 can be different locations on a carrier plate 225. In this case, as shown in the attached diagram... Figure 3 As shown, the plurality of placement positions 221 on a carrier plate 225 can be horizontally distributed along the first direction F1, as illustrated in the attached figure. Figure 4 As shown, the plurality of placement positions 221 on a carrier plate 225 can also be horizontally distributed along the second direction F2, where the first direction F1 is the extension direction of the axis of the first moving wheel 211 of the first moving mechanism 210, and the second direction F2 is perpendicular to the first direction F1. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the plurality of placement positions 221 can be multiple independent carrier plates 225, each placement position 221 disposed on one carrier plate 225. The multiple carrier plates 225 can be of equal height or have a certain height difference. Furthermore, each placement position is provided with a positioning structure, such as multiple positioning pins, or other structures, such as positioning grooves.

[0029] When multiple layers of cargo units 224 are provided on the frame 222, each cargo unit includes at least one placement position 221. For example, the cargo unit has two layers, and each layer of cargo unit 224 may have only one placement position 221, and the height difference between the placement positions 221 of the two layers of cargo unit 224 is not less than the height of the material 400 so that the material 400 can be placed in placement positions 221 at different heights. Of course, each layer of cargo unit 224 may also have multiple placement positions 221 horizontally distributed along the first direction F1 or horizontally distributed along the second direction F2.

[0030] Each of the carrier plates 225 may be fixed within the frame 222 and immovable. Alternatively, in another embodiment, each carrier plate 225 may be connected to a telescopic mechanism that drives it to move along the second direction F2. This telescopic mechanism can drive the placement position 221 on the carrier plate 225 to move from inside the frame 222 to outside the frame 222, thereby simplifying the structure of the overhead crane 200.

[0031] For example, when setting up a single-layer cargo unit, as shown in the attached... Figure 3 Appendix Figure 4As shown, the cargo unit is provided with two placement positions 221, and the two placement positions 221 are disposed on a carrier plate 225. Furthermore, the two placement positions are distributed along a first direction or a second direction. When material loading is required, a portion of the carrier plate extends outside the frame and a portion is confined within the frame.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, two cargo units 224 are provided on the frame 222. Each cargo unit includes multiple placement positions 221. Each placement position 221 is disposed on an independent carrier plate 225. The two carrier plates 225 are distributed vertically. When the two carrier plates 225 are located within the frame, they can be staggered in the second direction F2.

[0033] Each of the carrier plates 225 is movably disposed on both sides in a guide groove. The guide groove on the same side of two carrier plates 225 is disposed in an E-shaped support beam 228, which is part of the frame. Each carrier plate 225 is connected to a telescopic mechanism (not shown in the figure) that drives it to translate along the second direction F2 so that the placement position 221 on it moves to the outside of the frame 222. The telescopic mechanism may be, for example, a known servo module, or a structure composed of a motor and a lead screw, or a structure composed of a motor and a synchronous belt mechanism, and is not limited here.

[0034] To reduce wear on the carrier plate 225 during operation, rollers are provided at each guide groove, attached to the top and bottom surfaces of the carrier plate 225. The axis of the rollers extends along the first direction F1, and the positions of the rollers on a carrier plate correspond one-to-one. Meanwhile, the rollers at the upper guide groove 227 and the rollers at the lower guide groove are offset in the second direction, thereby facilitating a reduction in the thickness of the guide rail and consequently reducing the overall height of the cargo assembly.

[0035] Meanwhile, since the carrier plate 225 will bear a certain load, in order to ensure the smooth movement of the carrier plate 225 and avoid vibration caused by the imbalance of power on both sides due to only one side driving the carrier plate 225, which would affect the safety of the material 400, telescopic mechanisms can be connected to opposite sides of the carrier plate 225. In this case, the two telescopic mechanisms connected to the upper carrier plate 225 can be set at the top of the support beam 228, and the two telescopic mechanisms connected to the lower carrier plate 225 can be set at the bottom of the support beam 228.

[0036] To facilitate the explanation of the loading and unloading sequence, the upper loading plate in a cargo unit is defined as the upper loading plate 230, and the lower loading plate is defined as the lower loading plate 231. The upper loading plate 230 moves between a first position, a second position, and a third position, while the lower loading plate switches between a fourth position and a fifth position. In the first position, the upper loading plate extends beyond the frame; in the second position, it is located at the rear end 232 of the guide groove; in the third position, it is located at the front end of the guide groove; in the fourth position, the lower loading plate extends beyond the frame; and in the fifth position, it is located at the front end of the guide groove. The lower loading plate in the fifth position is offset from the upper loading plate in the second position in a second direction.

[0037] Initially, the upper carrier plate 230 is positioned in the second position and the lower carrier plate 231 is positioned in the fifth position; this helps to shorten the travel and time when the upper and lower carrier plates extend, although this is not necessary.

[0038] When loading is required, as shown in the attached document. Figure 5 As shown, the upper carrier plate 230 needs to be moved from the second position to the first position first. After materials are loaded onto the upper carrier plate 230, the upper carrier plate 230 is moved to the third position, as shown in the attached diagram. Figure 6 As shown. When loading the lower carrier plate 231, the lower carrier plate 231 is moved to the fourth position, as shown in the attached figure. Figure 7 As shown; after loading materials onto the lower carrier plate, move the lower carrier plate 231 to the fifth position, as shown in the attached diagram. Figure 8 As shown. When unloading is required, the material on the lower carrier plate 231 must be unloaded first, and then the material on the upper carrier plate 230 must be unloaded.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment, to better support the material placed on the carrier plate when it extends beyond the frame, while shortening the travel distance and dimensions of each carrier plate, as shown in the attached figure... Figure 2 As shown, one of the cargo units includes a sliding frame 233, on which at least one carrier plate is disposed. The sliding frame 233 is connected to a transverse mechanism 234 that drives it to move along a second direction so that the carrier plate on it is located outside the frame. The specific structure of the transverse mechanism can be referred to the telescopic mechanism described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0040] As attached Figure 2As shown, the sliding frame 233 includes two support rails 235 extending along a second direction. A sliding strip 236 is provided on the outer surface of each support rail 235, and the sliding strip 236 is movably embedded in a guide groove 237 inside the support beam 228. Meanwhile, to facilitate smoother movement of the support rails 235, a set of first rollers 238 are provided in the guide groove, affixed to the top and bottom surfaces of the support rails 235. The axes of the first rollers 238 extend along a first direction.

[0041] One of the carrier plates can be fixed on the sliding frame 233. Of course, multiple carrier plates can also be provided, and the carrier plates cannot move relative to the sliding frame 233.

[0042] In a more preferred embodiment, as shown in the appendix Figure 2 As shown, the sliding frame 233 is provided with a lower carrying plate and an upper carrying plate distributed vertically. The lower carrying plate is located at the rear end of the sliding frame 233, and the upper carrying plate is driven by the transverse moving module 239 to move between the front end and the rear end of the sliding frame 233. The two sides of the upper carrying plate are movably disposed in sliding grooves 240 on the support rails 235 on both sides of the sliding frame 233, and a set of second rollers 241 are disposed in the sliding grooves 240 and attached to the top and bottom surfaces of the support rails 235. The axis of the second rollers 241 extends along a first direction. The specific structure of the transverse moving module 239 can be referred to the telescopic mechanism in the above example, and will not be described in detail here.

[0043] Such a structure is suitable for loading materials at the placement position, as shown in the attached... Figure 9 As shown, the sliding frame 233 can be partially extended outside the frame 222 by the lateral movement mechanism 234. At this time, the upper or lower carrying plate located at the inner end of the sliding frame 233 is outside the frame, allowing for material loading. During material loading, the upper carrying plate is loaded first. After loading, the sliding frame 233 moves back into the frame, and the upper carrying plate can move to the front end of the sliding frame 233. When loading another material, the sliding frame 233 extends again, placing the lower carrying plate outside the frame. After loading the lower carrying plate, the sliding frame 233 moves back into the frame. At this time, the materials on the lower and upper carrying plates are staggered and do not interfere with each other. Therefore, when unloading materials from the loading unit, the materials on the lower carrying plate must be unloaded first, followed by the materials on the upper carrying plate.

[0044] The specific structure of the loading and unloading mechanism 320 of the overhead crane 200 can be adaptively designed according to the specific structure of the cargo component 220 and whether an OHB (Over Head Buffer) is configured.

[0045] Specifically, when there is no OHB500 in the material handling system, and the placement position 221 can be moved to the outside of the frame 222, and the placement position 221 is distributed along the second direction F2, then the loading and unloading mechanism 320 only needs to include a gripping mechanism 321 and a lifting mechanism 322 that drives the gripping mechanism 321 to move up and down. At this time, when loading material 400, the loading and unloading crane 200 moves to directly above the material 400 and grips the material 400 through the loading and unloading mechanism 320, then lifts the material 400 above the placement position 221. Then, one placement position 221 extends out of the frame 222. Next, the loading and unloading mechanism 320 drives the material 400 to move down and place it on the placement position 221. Then, the placement position 221 retracts back into the frame 222. After loading is completed, the gripping mechanism 321 of the loading and unloading mechanism 320 remains in the highest position. When unloading is required, the placement positions 221 of the overhead crane 300 are extended in a predetermined order. After each extension, the loading and unloading mechanism 320 grips the material 400 on the placement position 221 and lifts it upward a certain distance. Then the carrier plate 225 where the placement position 221 is located retracts, and the loading and unloading mechanism 320 places the gripped material 400 to the corresponding endpoint.

[0046] When the placement position 221 can be moved to the outside of the frame 222, and multiple placement positions 221 are horizontally distributed along the first direction F1, the loading and unloading mechanism 320 requires not only the gripping mechanism 321 and the lifting mechanism 322, but also a translation mechanism 323 to drive the lifting mechanism 322 or the gripping mechanism 321 to move along the first direction F1. In this case, the gripping mechanism 321 needs to translate along the first direction F1 to load and unload the material 400 at different pick-up and placement positions.

[0047] Based on the above embodiments, as shown in the appendix Figure 1 Appendix Figure 10 Appendix Figure 11 As shown, when the system is equipped with OHB500, the loading and unloading mechanism 320 also needs to be equipped with a translation mechanism 323 that drives the lifting mechanism 322 or the gripping mechanism 321 to move along the first direction.

[0048] When the placement position 221 is fixed within the frame 222 and cannot move, and a cargo unit has multiple placement positions distributed along the second direction F2, the loading and unloading mechanism 320 requires not only the gripping mechanism 321 and the lifting mechanism 322, but also a translation mechanism 323 to drive the lifting mechanism 322 or the gripping mechanism 321 to move along the first direction F1. When the placement position 221 is fixed within the frame 222 and cannot move, and a cargo unit has multiple placement positions distributed along the first direction F1, the loading and unloading mechanism 320 requires not only the gripping mechanism 321 and the lifting mechanism 322, but also a translation mechanism 323 to drive the lifting mechanism 322 or the gripping mechanism 321 to move along the first direction F1 and the second direction F2. In this case, the translation mechanism can drive the gripping mechanism 321 to extend into the frame 222 to load and unload the material 400.

[0049] The specific structures of the gripping mechanism 321 and the lifting mechanism 322 are known technologies and will not be described in detail here. The specific structure of the translation mechanism can be designed as needed. For example, when only one direction of movement is required, the translation mechanism can be the structure disclosed in patent documents such as CN217050302U and CN221253649U. When the translation mechanism needs to achieve lateral movement in two directions, the translation mechanism can be based on the telescopic device disclosed in the above-mentioned patents, with the addition of a rotating mechanism or another telescopic device, which will not be described in detail here.

[0050] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, each cargo crane 300 can be configured with a separate loading / unloading crane 200, that is, each cargo crane 300 is bound to its matching loading / unloading crane 200.

[0051] In the above embodiments, the cargo crane and the loading / unloading crane are independent of each other. In a more preferred embodiment, as shown in the attached figure... Figure 12 As shown, the opposite ends of the first and second moving mechanisms are connected by a detachable disconnectable connection assembly 001. The detachable connection assembly 001 is, for example, an electromagnet 002 and an object 003 that can be attracted by the electromagnet 002, or it can be a known tool quick-change disc, or other feasible structures, which are not limited here.

[0052] Preferably, the detachable connection assembly 001 is described using an electromagnet 002 and an object 003 as an example. The electromagnet 002 is mounted on the second moving mechanism, and the object 003 is mounted on the first moving mechanism. When the first and second moving mechanisms need to be connected as a single unit, the electromagnet 002 generates a magnetic force to attract the object 003, thereby connecting the first and second moving mechanisms together, allowing them to move synchronously. When the first and second moving mechanisms need to be disconnected, the electromagnet 002 is de-energized, ceasing to attract the object 003, thus disconnecting the first and second moving mechanisms, allowing the cargo crane and loading / unloading crane to move independently.

[0053] Furthermore, to avoid vibration during connection, the electromagnet 002 and / or the attracted object 003 can be connected to the second moving mechanism and / or the first moving mechanism via a known elastic shock absorber 004. Further, to ensure that the first and second moving mechanisms are connected in a suitable state during movement, a distance sensor (not shown in the figure) is installed on the loading / unloading crane. The loading / unloading crane can determine whether the distance between the loading / unloading crane and the cargo crane meets the requirements based on the signal from the distance sensor. When the distance meets the requirements, the loading / unloading crane can control the electromagnet 002 to attract the attracted object 003. When the distance does not meet the requirements, the loading / unloading crane can accelerate first. When it is determined that the distance between the loading / unloading crane and the cargo crane is suitable, the loading / unloading crane controls the electromagnet 002 to attract the attracted object 003, while simultaneously maintaining the same speed for both the loading / unloading crane and the storage unit.

[0054] Therefore, when the cargo crane and the loading / unloading crane move in a straight line, they are connected and move synchronously. When the cargo crane and the loading / unloading crane are about to enter a turning section, a fork in the road, or a merging point, the loading / unloading crane controls the electromagnet 002 to disconnect from the object 003, at which point the cargo crane and the loading / unloading crane can move separately. After the cargo crane and the loading / unloading crane have passed through the turning section, fork in the road, or merging point in sequence, the loading / unloading crane controls the electromagnet 002 to attract the object 003, restoring the cargo crane and the loading / unloading crane to the connected state, thus connecting them together and moving synchronously.

[0055] As attached Figure 10As shown, the material handling system also includes a material handling control system 700 that communicates with and controls the operation of the overhead crane and the loading / unloading crane. The material handling control system 700 communicates with the Material Control System (MCS), and the material control system 800 communicates with the Manufacturing Execution System (MES). The Manufacturing Execution System 900 generates handling requirements according to the production plan and sends them to the Material Control System 800. When the Material Control System 800 receives a handling requirement (including the origin of the material, the destination to be handled, the material type, etc.), the Material Control System 800 generates a handling task containing the relevant information of the handling requirement and sends it to the Material Handling Control System 700.

[0056] Example 2 The present invention also discloses a material handling method for the material handling system described above, comprising the following steps: If the number of multiple handling tasks received by the handling control system 700 within a time period does not exceed the amount of material 400 that a cargo crane 300 can load, that is, the material to be handled by multiple handling tasks can be stored on a cargo crane at the same time, then the handling control system 700 can select a cargo crane 300 and its matching loading and unloading crane 200 to execute the multiple handling tasks.

[0057] For example, a cargo crane 300 has two cargo units, each cargo unit having two carrier plates 225 that can move along the second direction F2, that is, the cargo crane 300 can load four materials 400. If the handling control system 700 receives four handling tasks simultaneously or within a short period of time, the handling control system 700 can select one of the cargo cranes 300 and its matching loading and unloading cranes 200 to perform the four handling tasks.

[0058] After determining that multiple handling tasks require the cooperation of a freight crane and a loading / unloading crane, the handling control system 700 can first determine the material to be handled by the freight crane first, and then determine the specific freight crane and loading / unloading crane based on the starting point of the material to be handled first. When determining the material to be handled first, it can be based on the order in which the handling control system 700 receives the multiple handling tasks; that is, the material corresponding to the first handling task received by the handling control system 700 is taken as the material to be handled first. Of course, it can also be determined in other ways, such as based on the order in which the starting points of the materials to be handled in multiple handling needs are located on the tracks; this is not limited here.

[0059] After determining the specific cargo crane and loading / unloading crane, the handling control system 700 can plan the movement path for the cargo crane 300 and instruct the cargo crane 300 and loading / unloading crane 200 to move sequentially to the material 400 to be transported in each handling task, and load multiple materials 400 onto different placement positions of the cargo crane 300 by the loading / unloading crane 200.

[0060] When determining the specific execution sequence (material loading sequence) of multiple handling tasks, the handling control system can determine the loading sequence of multiple materials based on the order of their starting points on the track. Alternatively, it can determine the loading sequence in other ways, such as by estimating the total travel time of the overhead crane 300 moving sequentially to multiple starting points according to different positions. For example, if the handling control system 700 determines that a overhead crane and a loading / unloading crane need to perform four handling tasks, with the starting points (initial positions of the materials to be handled) being A, B, C, and D respectively, and determines that the total travel time for the overhead crane to move sequentially to starting point ABCD is 50 seconds; the total travel time for the overhead crane to move sequentially to starting point ACBD is 55 seconds; the total travel time for the overhead crane to move sequentially to starting point BACD is 60 seconds; the total travel time for the overhead crane to move sequentially to starting point BDAC is 56 seconds, etc., and determines that the shortest total travel time for the overhead crane to move sequentially to starting point ABCD is 50 seconds, then the loading sequence can be determined as moving sequentially to starting point ABCD for loading.

[0061] Furthermore, the material handling control system 700 can plan the next movement path when the overhead crane 300 is loading materials at each starting point.

[0062] For example, when the handling control system 700 in the above example determines that the cargo truck will move sequentially to starting points A, B, C, and D for material loading, the handling control system 700 first plans the movement path of the cargo truck from its current position to starting point A. When the cargo truck loads materials at starting point A (placing the materials at the starting point on a placement position of the cargo truck), the handling control system 700 plans a movement path for the cargo truck from starting point A to starting point B. Similarly, when the cargo truck loads materials at starting point B, the handling control system 700 plans a movement path for the cargo truck from starting point B to starting point C; and similarly, when the cargo truck loads materials at starting point C, the handling control system 700 plans a movement path for the cargo truck from starting point C to starting point D.

[0063] The loading and unloading crane 200, which is matched with the cargo crane 300, only needs to follow the cargo crane 300. That is, the loading and unloading crane 200 moves behind the cargo crane 300, so there is no need to plan a separate movement path for the loading and unloading crane 200.

[0064] When all materials 400 to be transported by multiple handling tasks have been loaded onto the overhead crane 300, the handling control system 700 controls the overhead crane 300 to move sequentially to the destination of each material 400, and unloads them via the loading / unloading crane 200 (removing the materials from the carrying unit and placing them at the destination). At this time, the loading / unloading crane 200 still follows the overhead crane 300. Similarly, the movement path corresponding to each unloading operation of the crane can be planned in segments according to the order of material unloading, which will not be elaborated here.

[0065] When determining the unloading sequence of materials 400 on the two-layer loading units 224, the materials located on the two lower loading plates of the loading unit need to be unloaded first. Therefore, the handling control system can determine which lower loading plate to unload first based on the travel time of the loading crane to the destination of the materials on the two lower loading plates. That is, the material with the shorter travel time is selected first. Then, the next material to be unloaded is determined based on the travel time of the loading crane to the two destinations of the materials on the upper loading plate of the loading unit that belongs to the lower loading plate of the unloaded material and the materials on the other lower loading plate. Finally, the two materials are also determined based on the travel time of the loading crane from its real-time position to their destinations.

[0066] For example, material No. 1 is located on the upper loading plate of the upper loading unit, and material No. 2 is located on the lower loading plate of the upper loading unit; material No. 3 is located on the upper loading plate of the lower loading unit, and material No. 4 is located on the lower loading plate of the lower loading unit.

[0067] Therefore, during unloading, materials No. 2 and No. 4 need to be unloaded first. After loading is completed, if the handling control system determines that the travel time from its current position to the destination of material No. 2 is less than the travel time to the destination of material No. 4, then material No. 2 will be unloaded first. When the overhead crane unloads material No. 2 at its destination, the handling control system determines the travel time from its current position to the destinations of materials No. 4 and No. 1 respectively. If the travel time to the destination of material No. 4 is less than the travel time to the destination of material No. 1, then material No. 4 will be unloaded next. Finally, the system determines the travel time from its current position to the destinations of materials No. 2 and No. 3. If the travel time from the destination of material No. 4 to the destination of material No. 2 is less than the travel time to the destination of material No. 3, then material No. 2 will be unloaded next, and material No. 3 will be unloaded last.

[0068] Of course, other principles can also be used to determine the unloading order. For example, in each segmentation mentioned above, the order can be determined based on task priority rather than passage time. This is not a limitation here.

[0069] Furthermore, in other embodiments, the loading and unloading of materials at the cargo crane 300 does not necessarily have to be achieved by the loading and unloading crane 300. In some embodiments, a regular crane 005 (an existing OHT capable of moving one material) can also work in conjunction with the cargo crane 300.

[0070] Example 3 This embodiment discloses a material handling method for the above-mentioned material handling system. In this embodiment, as shown in the attached figure... Figure 10 As shown, the material handling system also has a conventional overhead crane 005 that can only handle one material 400 running on the track 100. Its specific structure is known technology and will not be described in detail here.

[0071] Meanwhile, the material control system 800 can identify the starting point and ending point of the materials to be transported, thereby aggregating the information of multiple materials 400 to be transported (including but not limited to the type of material 400, the starting point of the material 400, and the destination to be transported) into a batch transport task and sending it to the transport control system 700. Specifically, the starting points of the multiple materials 400 aggregated into a batch transport task are located in the same work partition, and the ending points of the multiple materials 400 are located in the same work partition.

[0072] The work areas can be divided in different ways. For example, they can be divided according to different process flows, meaning that processing equipment for the same process can be divided into one work area. Alternatively, they can be divided according to the number of material placement positions (400 units), as shown in the attached diagram. Figure 11 As shown, the placement position can be port 610 of processing equipment 600, buffer position 510 of OHB500, or storage position of STOCKER device (not shown in the figure); of course, it can also be divided in other ways, such as according to the layout of the track, which is not limited here.

[0073] The following example illustrates how the material control system 800 determines whether to generate a batch handling task. Suppose a processing plant is divided into 10 work zones A, B, C, D...J, with 10 placement positions in each zone. Assume the material control system 800 determines that four materials 400 need to be handled. When the material control system 800 determines that the starting point of all four materials 400 is in work zone A and the ending point is in work zone B, the material control system 800 will generate a batch handling task including information about these four materials 400 and send it to the handling control system 700.

[0074] Furthermore, since batch handling tasks require the sequential handling of multiple materials, they cannot meet the timely processing needs of priority handling requests. Therefore, when generating batch handling tasks, the material control system 800 removes priority handling requests. At this point, for the priority handling requests, the material control system 800 generates a regular handling task and sends it to the handling control system 700.

[0075] Similarly, for each other handling requirement that cannot generate a batch handling task, the handling control system 700 generates a normal handling task.

[0076] As attached Figure 13 As shown, the handling method in this embodiment includes the following process: When the material handling control system 700 receives a material handling task sent to it by the material control system 800; Since a handling task may be a regular handling task that only requires handling one material 400, or it may be a batch handling task that requires handling multiple materials 400, the handling control system 700 needs to determine whether the handling task is a batch handling task. When it is determined that the transport task is a normal transport task, the transport control system 700 determines a normal overhead crane 005 to perform the transport task and instructs the normal overhead crane 005 to complete the transport task.

[0077] When it is determined that the handling task is a batch handling task, the handling control system 700 determines the cargo crane 300 and the loading / unloading crane 200 adapted to perform the batch handling task and instructs the loading / unloading crane 200 to follow the cargo crane 300 to move sequentially to each material 400 that needs to be handled in the batch handling task so as to load each material 400 into a different placement position 221 of the cargo crane 300.

[0078] After all the materials 400 to be transported are loaded onto the overhead crane 300, the transport control system 700 performs path planning again and instructs the loading and unloading vehicle to follow the overhead crane 300 to the destination where each material 400 is to be unloaded.

[0079] Here, the specific process of determining the loading sequence, unloading sequence and path planning of each material to be transported in the batch handling task can be referred to the content described in Example 2. Of course, it can also be implemented in other ways, which are not limited here.

[0080] This invention has many other embodiments, and all technical solutions formed by equivalent transformation or equivalent transformation fall within the protection scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A material handling system, including a track suspended in the air, characterized in that: The track is movably equipped with loading and unloading cranes and cargo cranes for collaborative operation; The cargo crane includes a first moving mechanism that moves on the track and a cargo loading component disposed on the first moving mechanism, the cargo loading component including multiple placement positions; The loading and unloading crane includes a second moving mechanism that moves on the track and a loading and unloading mechanism disposed on the second moving mechanism. The loading and unloading crane can cooperate with the cargo crane to load and unload materials at multiple placement positions on the cargo crane.

2. The material handling system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cargo-carrying assembly includes a frame; When a cargo unit is provided on the frame, the cargo unit includes multiple placement positions; When the frame is provided with multiple cargo units, each cargo unit includes at least one placement position.

3. The material handling system according to claim 2, characterized in that: One of the cargo units includes at least one carrier plate with at least one placement position. The carrier plate is connected to a telescopic mechanism that drives it to move along a second direction to move the placement position on the carrier plate to the outside of the frame. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, which is the extension direction of the axis of the first moving wheel of the first moving mechanism.

4. The material handling system according to claim 3, characterized in that: Each of the cargo units includes two staggered and close-to-each-other carrier plates, each carrier plate having a placement position. The sides of the carrier plates are movably disposed in guide grooves provided on the frame. Each carrier plate is connected to a telescopic mechanism that drives it to move along a second direction so that the placement position on the carrier plate moves to the outside of the frame.

5. The material handling system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The guide groove is provided with rollers attached to the top and bottom surfaces of the carrier plate.

6. The material handling system according to claim 2, characterized in that: One of the cargo units includes a sliding frame on which at least one carrier plate is disposed, the sliding frame being connected to a traversing mechanism that drives it to move in a second direction so that the carrier plate on it is located outside the frame.

7. The material handling system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The sliding frame is provided with a lower carrying plate and an upper carrying plate distributed vertically. The lower carrying plate is located at the rear end of the sliding frame, and the upper carrying plate is driven by a transverse module to move between the front end and the rear end of the sliding frame.

8. The material handling system according to claim 7, characterized in that: The upper carrier plate is movably disposed in the sliding grooves on the support rails on both sides of the sliding frame and / or the sliding strip on the outer side of the support rail is movably embedded in the guide groove on the inner side of the support beam.

9. The material handling system according to any one of claims 2-8, characterized in that: When the placement position can be moved to the outside of the frame, the loading and unloading mechanism includes at least a gripping mechanism, which is mounted on a lifting mechanism that drives its lifting and lowering. When the placement position cannot be moved outside the frame, the loading and unloading mechanism includes a gripping mechanism, which is mounted on a lifting mechanism that drives its lifting and lowering, and the lifting mechanism is connected to a translation mechanism that drives its translation at least along a first direction.

10. The material handling method of the material handling system according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The process includes the following: The material handling control system receives multiple material handling tasks, each of which requires the handling of one material. The handling control system instructs a cargo crane to move sequentially to the material location to be transported for each handling task, and loads multiple materials onto different placement positions of the cargo crane using loading and unloading cranes and / or ordinary cranes. The handling control system controls the cargo crane to move sequentially to the destination of each material to be transported, and unloads the materials on the cargo crane to the corresponding destination through the loading and unloading crane.

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