Four-way shuttle vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of transportation devices, in particular to a four-way shuttle vehicle. The four-way shuttle vehicle comprises an upper vehicle body and a lower vehicle body which are used for achieving transverse walking and longitudinal walking respectively, a lower vehicle frame of the lower vehicle body comprises a mounting cavity defined by a bottom plate and side plates on the periphery of the lower vehicle body, and an upper vehicle frame of the upper vehicle body is located in the mounting cavity. The bottom plate of the lower vehicle frame is provided with an upper wheel set receding opening used for receding the wheel sets of the upper vehicle body and the portions, where the wheel sets are installed, of the upper vehicle frame. When the upper vehicle body descends to the set position relative to the lower vehicle body, the wheel sets of the upper vehicle body and the portions, where the wheel sets are installed, of the upper vehicle frame extend to the space below the bottom plate from the upper wheel set receding opening. The height of the vehicle body can be reduced, the bottom plate of the lower vehicle body can be lifted to be higher, the ground clearance is increased, and the trafficability of the four-way shuttle vehicle is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of transportation equipment technology, and specifically to a four-way shuttle vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Four-way shuttles are mainly used for storing and retrieving goods on shelves. They are storage robots that can move in four directions (front, back, left, and right) in a plane. They have the advantages of flexible storage and high flexibility, and can adapt to any complex warehouse structure. Their main purpose is to provide fast storage and retrieval services for "goods-to-man" picking, and they are considered an important part of the future intelligent logistics system.

[0003] Chinese invention patent application CN115339829A discloses a direct-drive four-way shuttle vehicle. This four-way shuttle vehicle includes a fixed body and a floating body connected to each other. Inside the fixed body is a set of lifting motors and four sets of lifting mechanisms driven and connected by these motors. The fixed end and lifting end of each lifting mechanism are respectively connected to a set of lifting connecting plates fixed to one side of the fixed body and another set of lifting connecting plates fixed to one side of the floating body. The lifting connecting plates on the fixed body side... The pallet is fixedly connected to the fixed frame. A lifting connecting plate on one side of the floating vehicle is also fixedly connected to the floating frame. When the lifting mechanism's lifting end rises or falls vertically relative to the fixed end, the floating vehicle changes position vertically relative to the fixed vehicle. When the floating vehicle is in the descending position, the horizontal wheels on the floating vehicle contact the horizontal rail, and the vertical wheels on the fixed vehicle disengage from the vertical rail, allowing the shuttle to travel along the horizontal rail. When the floating vehicle is in the ascending position, the vertical wheels contact the vertical rail, and the horizontal wheels disengage from the horizontal rail, allowing the shuttle to travel along the vertical rail. Inside the fixed frame, there is a set of pallet lifting motors and four other lifting mechanisms driven and connected by these motors. The fixed end of each lifting mechanism is installed on the fixed frame. The lifting ends of two adjacent lifting mechanisms are simultaneously connected to the same pallet. The two pallets are arranged parallel to each other. The pallet lifting motor drives the lifting mechanism to rise, and the connected pallet rises accordingly, raising the pallet from its storage location to carry goods. Conversely, the pallet descends and returns to its storage location.

[0004] The fixed and floating bodies of the aforementioned four-way shuttle form the lower and upper bodies, respectively. To facilitate the installation of internal parts, the frame of the fixed body is a box-shaped structure formed by a bottom plate and four side plates. The bottom plate and four side plates form an installation cavity, in which the frame of the floating body and most of its components are installed. The wheels of the floating body are located outside the fixed body. The side plates of the fixed body have clearance openings to avoid the wheel axles. When the floating body descends to its limit relative to the fixed body, the overall body height is relatively high due to the position of the bottom plate of the fixed body and the frame of the floating body against each other. Moreover, only about half the height of the floating body wheels can be used to create ground clearance, which is small. This body structure has poor passability and is not flexible enough in some scenarios. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a four-way shuttle vehicle to solve the problem that the current four-way shuttle vehicles have poor maneuverability due to the limitations of the vehicle body structure.

[0006] The technical solution of the four-way shuttle vehicle of the present invention is as follows: A four-way shuttle includes an upper body and a lower body for lateral and longitudinal travel, respectively. The lower frame of the lower body includes a mounting cavity formed by its bottom plate and four side plates. The upper frame of the upper body is located in the mounting cavity. The bottom plate of the lower frame is provided with an upper wheel assembly clearance opening for avoiding the wheel assembly of the upper body and the mounting part of the upper frame. When the upper body descends to a set position relative to the lower body, the wheel assembly of the upper body and the mounting part of the upper frame extend from the upper wheel assembly clearance opening into the space below the bottom plate.

[0007] Furthermore, the lifting mechanism used to drive the upper body to rise and fall relative to the lower body is installed at the bottom of the lower body and at the top of the upper body. The upper body has positions for supporting the lower body on the track, supporting the upper body on the track, and lifting the upper body to lift the goods during its lifting stroke relative to the lower body.

[0008] Furthermore, the upper body includes a main support plate fixed to the upper frame. The upper surface of the main support plate is used to carry goods. The top of the lifting mechanism is connected to the main support plate so as to lift the upper body by driving the main support plate.

[0009] Furthermore, the upper body includes a top plate covering the upper side of the upper frame, and the upper surface of the main support plate is higher than the upper surface of the top plate.

[0010] Furthermore, the lifting mechanism is a scissor-type lifting mechanism. The upper end of the lifting arm is connected to the main support plate. The lifting mechanism drive assembly for driving the movement of the lifting arm is installed on the bottom plate of the lower body. The bottom plate of the lower body is provided with a clearance opening for the lifting mechanism drive assembly to extend below the bottom plate.

[0011] Furthermore, the upper frame includes two spaced-apart end plates, which are vertically arranged and extend laterally. The wheel set of the upper vehicle body is mounted on the end plates. The upper frame includes a longitudinal beam fixed to the upper end of the two end plates. The longitudinal beam is located above the bottom plate. The bottom plate is provided with the aforementioned wheel set clearance opening at the position corresponding to the two end plates.

[0012] Furthermore, the upper frame is equipped with a wheel-side motor drive assembly for driving the upper body wheel set, and the bottom plate is provided with an upper wheel drive assembly clearance opening for avoiding the upper body wheel-side motor drive assembly. The upper wheel drive assembly clearance opening is correspondingly connected to the upper wheel set clearance opening.

[0013] Furthermore, the wheel assembly of the upper frame is located inside the corresponding side plate of the lower frame, and the side plate of the lower frame opposite to the wheel assembly of the upper frame is provided with a structure that forms an upper and lower guiding cooperation with the upper frame.

[0014] Furthermore, the lower frame is equipped with a wheel-side motor drive assembly for driving the wheel set of the lower vehicle body, and the bottom plate is provided with a lower wheel drive assembly avoidance opening for avoiding the wheel-side motor drive assembly of the lower vehicle body.

[0015] Furthermore, wheel sets are provided at the four corners of the upper body and the four corners of the lower body. Two wheel sets at one diagonal of the four corner wheel sets of the upper body and the lower body are equipped with wheel-side motor drive components, and the two wheel sets at the other diagonal follow. The two wheel sets equipped with wheel-side motor drive components on the upper body and the two wheel sets equipped with wheel-side motor drive components on the lower body are distributed at the four corners of the four-way shuttle.

[0016] Beneficial Effects: This invention improves upon existing four-way shuttle vehicles by creating clearance openings in the lower frame's base plate. This allows the upper vehicle's wheel assembly and the upper frame portion mounting the wheel assembly to extend below the base plate via these openings. When the upper vehicle descends, the lower vehicle rises, and the clearance openings allow for greater overlap, reducing the vehicle's overall height. Furthermore, the lower vehicle's base plate can be raised higher, increasing ground clearance and improving the shuttle's maneuverability and flexibility. Simultaneously, the clearance design for each drive component meets the requirements for fixed installation while saving space.

[0017] Furthermore, the vehicle features a split upper and lower body design, directly utilizing the upper body to carry goods. The lifting mechanism used for reversing also functions as the lifting mechanism for goods, with one set of mechanisms continuously operating to complete the entire lifting process, resulting in higher operating efficiency. The wheel-side drive system offers higher transmission efficiency and control precision, saves space, allows for the placement of more battery packs, and extends the four-way shuttle's operating range. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the four-way shuttle vehicle of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a four-way shuttle carrying a pallet; Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the installation structure of the upper frame and wheelset in the vehicle; Figure 4 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the upper body wheel assembly in the middle; Figure 5 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the installation structure of the undercarriage and wheel assembly; Figure 6 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the lifting mechanism of the four-way shuttle in the diagram; Figure 7 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the upper and lower body guide structure in the middle; Figure 8 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the installation locations of electrical components in the four-way shuttle vehicle; Figure 9 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a four-way shuttle in a lateral running state; Figure 10 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a four-way shuttle in longitudinal motion. Figure 11 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the four-way shuttle in the lifted pallet position.

[0019] In the diagram: 100, pallet; 11, main pallet; 12, cover plate; 13, casing; 14, upper frame; 141, fixing notch; 15, upper body wheel assembly; 151, upper body wheel assembly chain; 152, upper body wheel assembly running wheel; 153, upper body wheel assembly sprocket; 16, upper wheel drive motor; 17, upper wheel transmission reducer; 21. Lower frame; 211. Upper wheel assembly clearance opening; 212. Upper wheel drive assembly clearance opening; 213. Lifting mechanism drive assembly clearance opening; 214. Lower wheel drive assembly clearance opening; 22. Lower body wheel assembly; 23. Lower wheel drive motor; 24. Lower wheel transmission reducer; 25. Guide wheel; 31. Lifting mechanism drive motor; 32. Lifting mechanism transmission reducer; 33. Fixed shaft; 34. Lead screw mounting seat; 35. Ball screw; 36. Mounting base; 37. Lifting arm; 38. Sliding roller; 39. Movable nut; 41. Guiding structure; 51. Battery pack; 52. Electrical control box. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The basic concept of this invention is to utilize the clearance opening on the lower body floor to allow the upper and lower body to cross. By using the space below when the floor is raised to allow the upper body's wheel assembly and frame to pass, the overall height of the vehicle can be reduced, while ground clearance is increased, improving the four-way shuttle's maneuverability. Furthermore, the entire lifting process is completed continuously by a single lifting mechanism, resulting in higher operating efficiency.

[0021] The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to embodiments. An embodiment of the four-way shuttle of the present invention: like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, the four-way shuttle includes an upper body and a lower body for lateral and longitudinal movement, respectively. A lifting mechanism is provided between the upper and lower bodies to move the upper body relative to the lower body, thereby changing direction. In this embodiment, the upper body is used for lateral movement, and the lower body is used for longitudinal movement. Lateral and longitudinal movements are also the forward / backward and left / right directions of the four-way shuttle. The lower body includes a lower frame 21 and lower body wheel sets 22 mounted on the lower frame 21. The upper body includes an upper frame 14 and upper body wheel sets 15 mounted on the upper frame 14. There are four lower body wheel sets 22 and four upper body wheel sets 15, respectively arranged at the four corners of the corresponding frames.

[0022] The lower frame 21 of the lower body is a box-shaped structure, including a mounting cavity formed by its bottom plate and four side plates. The bottom plate is horizontally arranged, and the side plates are vertically arranged. The lower ends of the four side plates are connected to the four sides of the bottom plate, and the upper ends form an opening for the upper body to be raised and lowered. The upper frame 14 of the upper body is located in the mounting cavity, that is, in the area enclosed by the four side plates of the lower frame 21. The bottom plate of the lower frame 21 is provided with an upper wheel assembly clearance opening 211 for avoiding the upper body wheel assembly 15 and the mounting part of the upper frame 14. When the upper body descends relative to the lower body to a set position, the upper body wheel assembly 15 and the mounting part of the upper frame 14 extend from the upper wheel assembly clearance opening 211 into the space below the bottom plate. When the upper body descends, the lower body rises. By utilizing the clearance openings and the space under the floor, the two bodies have more overlapping and intersecting parts, which can reduce the height of the vehicle itself and allow the floor of the lower body to rise higher, increasing the ground clearance and improving the passability of the four-way shuttle.

[0023] The upper frame 14 includes two spaced-apart end plates and multiple longitudinal beams connecting the two end plates. The end plates are vertically arranged and extend laterally. Upper body wheel sets 15 are mounted on the end plates. The two end plates are spaced apart longitudinally, and an upper body wheel set 15 is installed at each end of the extension direction of each end plate. The upper body wheel sets 15 are located on one longitudinal side of the upper frame 14. The longitudinal beams are fixed to the upper ends of the two end plates, and the lower ends of the end plates extend through the upper wheel set clearance openings 211 to the bottom plate of the lower frame 21. The longitudinal beams of the upper frame 14 are located above the bottom plate of the lower frame 21. The bottom plate of the lower frame 21 is provided with upper wheel set clearance openings 211 at the positions corresponding to the two end plates of the upper frame 14. The end plates constitute the parts of the upper frame 14 for mounting the wheel sets, allowing more of the upper body wheel sets 15 to extend below the bottom plate of the lower frame 21. In other embodiments, the upper frame wheel assembly may also be located below the main body of the upper frame, with downwardly extending mounting seats at both longitudinal ends of the upper frame, and the wheel assembly mounted on the mounting seats.

[0024] Combination Figure 4 The upper frame wheel assembly 15 includes an upper frame wheel assembly chain 151, upper frame wheel assembly running wheels 152, and upper frame wheel assembly sprockets 153. Each wheel assembly has two running wheels, each with a sprocket coaxially fixed to it. The sprockets are located on the side of the running wheels closer to the frame. The two sprockets of one wheel assembly are connected via chain drive. The two running wheels of one wheel assembly are spaced apart along their traveling direction. A rotating shaft is rotatably mounted on the end plate of the upper frame 14 via bearings. Each running wheel corresponds to one rotating shaft. A set of running wheels and sprockets are anti-rotatingly mounted on the outer end of the rotating shaft. A drive assembly is drively connected to the inner end of one of the rotating shafts. The drive assembly can rotate the rotating shaft to drive the running wheels. One running wheel is the driving wheel, and the other is the driven wheel, driven by a chain. One running wheel in the same wheel assembly has a rim, which can cooperate with the track for guidance during travel. The other running wheel does not have a rim. In this embodiment, the driven wheel has a rim. In other embodiments, each wheel assembly may have only one running wheel.

[0025] The lower body wheel assembly 22 has the same structure as the upper body wheel assembly 15, and the axle of the lower body wheel assembly 22 is mounted on two side plates on the transverse side of the lower frame 21. The arrangement direction of the lower body wheel assembly 22 is perpendicular to that of the upper body wheel assembly 15.

[0026] The drive assembly for driving the wheelsets is a wheel-side motor drive assembly. The upper body wheel-side motor drive assembly includes an upper wheel drive motor 16 and an upper wheel transmission reducer 17, while the lower body wheel-side motor drive assembly includes a lower wheel drive motor 23 and a lower wheel transmission reducer 24. The drive motor is a servo motor, and the reducer is a planetary reducer. The motor's output shaft is connected to the planetary reducer's input shaft, and the planetary reducer's output shaft is connected to the corresponding wheelset shaft. The wheel-side motor drive assembly is mounted on the corresponding frame. The lower frame 21 is welded from steel plates and is used to mount the wheelsets, lifting mechanism, motor, reducer, battery pack 51, electrical control box 52, and for bearing load during longitudinal movement. The upper frame 14 is welded and bolted from steel plates and is used to mount the wheelsets, motor, reducer, and for bearing load during lateral movement.

[0027] The bottom plate of the lower frame 21 is provided with an upper wheel drive assembly avoidance opening 212 for avoiding the wheel-side motor drive assembly of the upper vehicle body. The upper wheel drive assembly avoidance opening 212 is correspondingly connected to the upper wheel set avoidance opening 211. When the upper vehicle body descends relative to the lower vehicle body until the upper vehicle body wheel set 15 is supported on the corresponding track, a part of the upper wheel drive motor 16 and the upper wheel transmission reducer 17 can extend under the bottom plate of the lower frame 21 through the upper wheel drive assembly avoidance opening 212. This facilitates the arrangement of the wheel-side motor, simplifies the transmission structure, and saves space. In other embodiments, instead of using a wheel-side motor to drive a wheel set alone, a single motor can be used in conjunction with a chain drive to drive each wheel set.

[0028] The bottom plate of the lower frame 21 is also provided with a lower wheel drive assembly avoidance opening 214 for avoiding the wheel-side motor drive assembly of the lower vehicle body. The lower wheel drive motor 23 and the lower wheel transmission reducer 24 are fixedly installed on the bottom plate, and part of them can extend to the bottom plate of the lower frame 21 through the upper wheel drive assembly avoidance opening 212, which facilitates the arrangement of the wheel-side motor, simplifies the transmission structure, and saves space.

[0029] The wheel-side motor drive assembly is installed inside the frame, with the upper and lower vehicle bodies arranged perpendicularly. Wheel sets are located at the four corners of the upper and lower vehicle bodies. Two wheel sets at one diagonal of each corner wheel set are equipped with wheel-side motor drive assemblies, while the other two diagonal wheel sets follow the motor drive. The two wheel sets with wheel-side motor drive assemblies on the upper and lower vehicle bodies are distributed at the four corners of the four-way shuttle. To save space while providing drive capability, the drive assemblies of the upper and lower vehicle bodies can be staggered to avoid excessive vehicle height. In other embodiments, where space permits, each wheel set can also be equipped with a wheel-side motor drive assembly.

[0030] The upper body also includes a cover 13 and a cover plate 12. The cover 13 includes a top plate and four side baffles. The top plate is located on the upper side of the upper frame 14 and is fixed. The four side baffles are located around the lower frame 21, with the upper end of the baffles fixed to the top plate and the lower end extending outwards. The four side baffles are fixed relative to the upper frame 14, and the lower body is located within the area enclosed by the four side baffles. The cover 13 can cover the gap between the upper body and the lower body, as well as the wheel assembly of the lower body, thereby improving protection. An openable cover plate 12 is provided in the central area of ​​the top plate to facilitate maintenance of internal components such as the battery pack 51 and the electrical control box 52.

[0031] The lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the upper vehicle body relative to the lower vehicle body is mounted at the bottom of the lower vehicle body and at the top of the upper vehicle body. During its lifting stroke relative to the lower vehicle body, the upper vehicle body has positions for supporting the lower vehicle body on the track, supporting the upper vehicle body on the track, and lifting the upper vehicle body to hold up goods. When the upper vehicle body's wheels are supported on the track, the lower vehicle body is derailed and can move laterally. When the lower vehicle body's wheels are supported on the track, the upper vehicle body is raised and derailed, allowing it to move longitudinally. When the upper vehicle body is further raised, the pallet 100 can be lifted using the upper vehicle body to transport goods. A single lifting mechanism achieves both reversing and pallet / goods lifting, saving space and improving efficiency. In other embodiments, a two-purpose lifting mechanism can be provided: one lifting mechanism for reversing and another lifting mechanism specifically for lifting the pallet.

[0032] The upper body includes a main support plate 11 fixed to the upper frame 14. The upper surface of the main support plate 11 is used to support goods, i.e., pallets 100. The top of the lifting mechanism is connected to the main support plate 11 so as to lift the upper body by driving the main support plate 11. Using a main support plate 11 that is fixed separately to the frame facilitates the fixed installation of the lifting mechanism and is easy to manufacture. In other embodiments, a separate main support plate may not be provided, and the top of the lifting mechanism may be directly connected to the upper frame, with the upper surface of the upper frame serving as the goods-bearing surface.

[0033] The top plate of the cover 13 has a clearance opening to allow the main support plate 11 to pass, thus exposing the main support plate 11. The upper surface of the main support plate 11 is higher than the upper surface of the top plate, and the thickness of the main support plate 11 is greater than the thickness of the top plate. The main support plate 11 is mainly used for load bearing, ensuring stability and reliability. In other embodiments, the main support plate may also be flush with the top plate.

[0034] Two main support plates 11 are provided and spaced apart laterally. The main support plates 11 extend longitudinally. The end plates of the upper frame 14 are provided with fixing notches 141 for fitting and fixing the main support plates 11. The longitudinal ends of the main support plates 11 are respectively fixed to the fixing notches 141 on the upper edge of the ends of the two end plates. This can save space, reduce the vertical height of the vehicle body, and facilitate the installation of main support plates 11 with a relatively large thickness. In other embodiments, the fixing notches may not be provided.

[0035] Combination Figure 6 In this embodiment, the lifting mechanism is a scissor lift mechanism, including a lifting mechanism drive motor 31, a lifting mechanism transmission reducer 32, a fixed shaft 33, a lead screw mounting seat 34, a ball screw 35, a mounting base 36, lifting arms 37, sliding rollers 38, and movable nuts 39. Two pairs of lifting arms 37 are arranged crosswise; each lifting arm 37 is a fork arm. The drive motor is a servo motor, and the reducer is a planetary reducer. The mounting base 36 is fixed to the bottom plate of the lower frame 21. The lifting mechanism drive motor 31 and the lifting mechanism transmission reducer 32 constitute the lifting mechanism drive assembly for driving the movement of the fork arms. The lifting mechanism drive assembly is mounted on the bottom plate of the lower frame. One of the two pairs of lifting arms 37 has its lower end hinged to the fixed shaft 33 and its upper end connected to the main support plate 11 via the sliding roller 38. The other lifting arm 37 has its lower end connected to the mounting base 36 via the sliding roller 38 and its upper end hinged to the main support plate 11. The mounting base 36 and the main support plate 11 are respectively provided with sliding grooves for guiding the corresponding sliding rollers 38. The fixed shaft 33 and the lead screw mounting seat 34 are both fixed on the mounting base 36. The ball screw 35 is rotatably mounted on the mounting base 36 and the lead screw mounting seat 34, and is connected to the output shaft of the reducer. A movable nut 39 is threaded onto the ball screw 35, and the movable nut 39 is guided and moved on the mounting base 36. The lower end of the lifting arm 37, which is not connected to the fixed shaft 33, is fixed to the movable nut 39. The motor, in conjunction with the lead screw and nut pair, drives the lifting arm 37 to raise and lower the main support plate 11, thereby achieving cargo lifting and switching of the wheel assembly's running direction.

[0036] Combination Figure 5 The lower body's floor plate is also provided with a clearance opening 213 for the lifting mechanism drive assembly, allowing it to extend below the floor plate, thus saving space. In other embodiments, if space permits, the clearance opening for the lifting mechanism drive assembly may not be provided.

[0037] The lifting mechanism drive assembly clearance opening 213 is a rectangular opening that runs vertically through the body and is not connected to the upper wheel assembly clearance opening 211. The upper wheel assembly clearance opening 211 extends laterally and reaches the two side plates, separating the longitudinal side plate from the bottom plate. The upper wheel drive assembly clearance opening 212 and the lifting mechanism drive assembly clearance opening 213 are arranged laterally side by side, corresponding one to one. The upper wheel drive assembly clearance opening 212 and the lifting mechanism drive assembly clearance opening 213 are located near the edge on one side of the bottom plate, and the lower wheel drive assembly clearance opening 214 is located near the edge on the other side of the bottom plate. Two sets of upper wheel drive motors 16 and upper wheel transmission reducers 17 are located between the two lifting mechanisms. The length of the main support plate 11 is greater than the wheelbase of the longitudinal wheel sets on both sides of the upper vehicle body. The two lifting mechanisms are the same type of dual-function lifting mechanism used for both reversing and lifting the pallet 100. The lifting mechanism drive motor 31 and the lifting mechanism transmission reducer 32 are arranged longitudinally.

[0038] The upper frame wheel assembly 15 is located on the inner side of the corresponding side plate of the lower frame 21. The side plate of the lower frame 21 opposite to the upper frame wheel assembly 15 is provided with a structure that forms an upper and lower guide engagement with the upper frame 14. Figure 7 The guide structure 41 formed by the upper frame 14 and the lower frame 21 has two guide seats on one side. An upper body guide seat is fixed to the end plate of the upper frame 14, and a lower body guide seat is fixed to the corresponding side plate of the lower frame 21. The upper and lower body guide seats form the guide structure 41. One of the upper and lower body guide seats has a guide hole, and the other has a guide post passing through the guide hole. In this embodiment, the guide hole is on the upper frame 14, and the guide post is on the lower frame 21. The guide seats are arranged using the space between the end plate of the upper frame 14 and the side plate of the lower frame 21, saving space and ensuring reliable guidance. The lower body guide seat has a structure to limit the guiding movement stroke of the upper body guide seat. In other embodiments, the guide hole can be directly provided on the bottom plate of the lower frame, and the upper frame can be provided with a downwardly extending guide post to cooperate with the guide hole for upper and lower guidance.

[0039] Combination Figure 7 Guide wheels 25 are installed at the four corners of the lower frame 21, that is, at the intersection of two adjacent side plates, to guide the horizontal movement of the trolley. Figure 8 The electrical control system is installed in the central area of ​​the base plate of the lower frame 21. The electrical control system includes an electrical control box 52 and a battery pack 51. The electrical control box 52 contains the electrical control equipment required for the operation of the shuttle, mainly including a PLC, servo driver, wireless communicator, etc.

[0040] The work process is as follows: When running horizontally, such as Figure 9As shown, when the lifting mechanism retracts to its lowest position, the upper vehicle wheel assembly 15 contacts the track, and the upper vehicle carries and moves laterally with the load. The upper wheel drive motor 16 and the upper wheel transmission reducer 17 provide power for the movement of the upper vehicle.

[0041] When running vertically, such as Figure 10 (Hidden underframe) As shown, firstly, the lifting mechanism drive motor 31 and the lifting mechanism transmission reducer 32 run, driving the ball screw 35 to rotate. At this time, the movable nut 39 moves on the ball screw 35, and the movable nut 39 drives the lifting arm 37 to lift. One end of the lifting arm 37 rotates around the pivot, and the other end slides the roller 38 along the main support plate 11 and the mounting base 36. The main support plate 11 is fixedly connected to the upper frame 14. When the main support plate 11 moves up and down, it drives the upper vehicle body to move, realizing the lifting action.

[0042] During lifting, the lifting mechanism first raises by 20mm. At this time, the lower body wheel set 22 begins to contact the track, and the main load-bearing body changes from the upper body to the lower body. Then the lifting mechanism continues to raise by 20mm. At this time, the shuttle can run horizontally without load, thus completing the conversion between longitudinal and lateral movement.

[0043] In longitudinal operation, the lifting mechanism continues to rise 20mm to lift the pallet 100. For example... Figure 11 (Hidden underframe) As shown, at this point, the shuttle can move longitudinally with the tray at 100°.

[0044] This four-way shuttle is mainly used to carry palletized goods and transport them to the appropriate locations in a high-density automated warehouse. It employs a completely new vehicle body design, which significantly reduces the complexity of the equipment structure, manufacturing difficulty, and equipment cost, while improving the reliability and competitiveness of the equipment, thus possessing high application and economic value.

[0045] Finally, it should be noted that the above descriptions are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still make modifications to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments without creative effort, or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A four-way shuttle vehicle, comprising an upper body and a lower body for respectively realizing lateral and longitudinal movement, wherein the lower frame of the lower body includes a mounting cavity enclosed by its bottom plate and surrounding side plates, and the upper frame of the upper body is located within the mounting cavity, characterized in that, The bottom plate of the lower frame is provided with an upper wheel assembly clearance opening for the upper body wheel assembly and the part of the upper frame that mounts the upper wheel assembly to avoid the lower body. When the upper body descends to a set position relative to the lower body, the upper body wheel assembly and the part of the upper frame that mounts the upper wheel assembly extend from the upper wheel assembly clearance opening into the space below the bottom plate.

2. The four-way shuttle vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the upper body relative to the lower body is installed at the bottom of the lower body and at the top of the upper body. The upper body has positions for supporting the lower body on the track, supporting the upper body on the track, and lifting the upper body to lift the goods during its lifting stroke relative to the lower body.

3. The four-way shuttle vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that, The upper body includes a main support plate fixed to the upper frame. The upper surface of the main support plate is used to carry goods. The top of the lifting mechanism is connected to the main support plate so as to lift the upper body by driving the main support plate.

4. The four-way shuttle vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that, The upper body includes a top plate covering the upper side of the upper frame, and the upper surface of the main support plate is higher than the upper surface of the top plate.

5. The four-way shuttle according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism is a scissor lift mechanism. The upper end of the lifting arm is connected to the main support plate. The lifting mechanism drive assembly for driving the movement of the lifting arm is installed on the bottom plate of the lower body. The bottom plate of the lower body is provided with a clearance opening for the lifting mechanism drive assembly to extend below the bottom plate.

6. The four-way shuttle according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The upper frame includes two opposite end plates, which are vertically arranged and extend laterally. The wheel set of the upper vehicle body is mounted on the end plates. The upper frame includes a longitudinal beam fixed to the upper part of the two end plates. The longitudinal beam is located above the bottom plate. The bottom plate is provided with the above wheel set clearance opening at the position corresponding to the two end plates.

7. The four-way shuttle according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The upper frame is equipped with a wheel-side motor drive assembly for driving the upper body wheel set. The bottom plate is provided with an upper wheel drive assembly clearance opening for avoiding the upper body wheel-side motor drive assembly. The upper wheel drive assembly clearance opening is connected to the upper wheel set clearance opening.

8. The four-way shuttle according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The upper frame's wheel assembly is located inside the corresponding side plate of the lower frame. The side plate of the lower frame opposite to the upper frame's wheel assembly is provided with a structure that forms an upper and lower guide engagement with the upper frame.

9. The four-way shuttle according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The underframe is equipped with a wheel-side motor drive assembly for driving the wheel set of the undercarriage, and the bottom plate is provided with a lower wheel drive assembly avoidance opening for avoiding the wheel-side motor drive assembly of the undercarriage.

10. The four-way shuttle according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, Wheel sets are provided at the four corners of the upper body and the four corners of the lower body. Two wheel sets at one corner of the upper body and the lower body are equipped with wheel-side motor drive components, and two wheel sets at the other corner are driven by the same motor. The two wheel sets equipped with wheel-side motor drive components on the upper body and the two wheel sets equipped with wheel-side motor drive components on the lower body are distributed at the four corners of the four-way shuttle.

Images