Automatic box taking and returning device

Abstract

The invention provides an automatic box taking and returning device which is used for taking and returning a material box placed on a goods shelf and comprises a horizontal guide rail corresponding to the goods shelf. Two groups of vertical guide rails which can move along the horizontal guide rails and are vertical to the horizontal guide rails are arranged; the box taking platform is arranged between the vertical guide rails in a mode of moving along the vertical guide rails, the box taking platform comprises a bearing platform and a hooking mechanism arranged above the bearing platform in the height direction, and the hooking mechanism further comprises a sliding guide rail arranged in the taking-out direction of the material box; the sliding table bottom plate moves through a sliding guide rail; the lifting assembly is installed on the sliding table bottom plate and comprises a lifting guide rail arranged in the vertical direction and a movable lifting sliding block, the hooking assembly is provided with a hook arm and a hook part, and the end, away from the goods shelf direction, of the hooking assembly is hinged to the bottom of the lifting sliding block. The automatic material box taking and returning device can adapt to various goods shelves in different forms, and safe and efficient automatic taking and returning of the material box are achieved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of intelligent warehousing equipment, in particular to an automatic box taking and returning device. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the popularization of automatic warehousing systems, automatic box taking and returning devices are widely used in high-density shelf systems. The existing automatic box taking and returning devices often adopt a fork-holding type or a lifting type structure, and the box is taken or returned by a mechanical arm or fork teeth. However, such structures often have poor adaptability and cannot be used with shelves that are inclined and have a stop edge or anti-falling limit. In addition, when the boxes are placed closely with a small spacing, the movement of the automatic box taking and returning device is limited, affecting the accurate and stable taking and returning of the boxes.

[0003] In addition, the existing structure often uses simple limit control, and the positioning accuracy depends on the mechanical rigidity, which requires high box placement. Moreover, when a box is stuck, the device cannot respond quickly. Therefore, there is a need to provide an automatic box taking and returning device that can adapt to various shelves, has a compact structure, accurate movement, and ensures stable and reliable operation, so as to improve the efficiency and reliability of box storage and retrieval. SUMMARY

[0004] To solve the above problems, the present application provides an automatic box taking and returning device for taking and returning boxes placed on a shelf. The box taking and returning device has a simple and reliable taking action, can adapt to various forms of shelves, and combines a visual and torque detection intelligent control system to achieve safe and efficient automatic taking and returning of the boxes.

[0005] The present application provides an automatic box taking and returning device for taking and returning boxes placed on a shelf, comprising: a horizontal guide rail corresponding to the shelf; two groups of vertical guide rails perpendicular to the horizontal guide rail and movable along the horizontal guide rail, the distance between the two groups of vertical guide rails being greater than the width of the box; a box taking platform disposed between the vertical guide rails and movable along the vertical guide rails, the box taking platform comprising a bearing platform and a hooking mechanism disposed above the bearing platform in the height direction, wherein the hooking mechanism further comprises: a horizontal sliding table assembly comprising a sliding guide rail arranged in the taking direction of the box, and a sliding table bottom plate movable along the sliding guide rail in the taking direction of the box; a lifting assembly mounted on the sliding table bottom plate, the lifting assembly comprising a lifting guide rail arranged in the vertical direction and a lifting slider movable along the lifting guide rail, a hooking assembly having a hook arm and a hook portion arranged at one end of the hook arm facing the shelf, and the other end of the hooking assembly away from the shelf being hinged to the bottom of the lifting slider.

[0006] According to the technical scheme, the horizontal guide rail corresponding to the shelf is arranged, the vertical guide rail movable along the horizontal guide rail is arranged, and the box taking platform is movably arranged between the vertical guide rails, so that the box taking platform is freely movable in the horizontal and vertical directions, thereby ensuring that the box taking platform can be moved to different positions of the shelf, and the automatic box taking and returning device can perform the taking and returning operation at different positions of the shelf. The distance between the two groups of vertical guide rails is greater than the width of the material box, so that interference with the shelf or the material box during the taking of the material box is avoided. The overhook mechanism is arranged above the box taking platform, the overhook mechanism is stretched downward from top to bottom, the material box is hooked at the upper edge of the material box, the taking and returning operation is completed, the bottom lifting and fork holding structures are avoided to intrude into the space of the shelf, and the adaptability of the automatic box taking and returning device to various types of shelves and the flexibility of the layout are improved.

[0007] In an optional technical scheme, the overhook mechanism further comprises: a first driving device connected with the horizontal sliding table assembly, which drives the sliding table bottom plate to move along the sliding guide rail; and a second driving device connected with the lifting assembly, which drives the lifting sliding block to move along the lifting guide rail.

[0008] According to the technical scheme, the first driving device and the second driving device respectively provide power for the movement of the horizontal sliding table assembly and the action of the lifting assembly, the independent control realizes the forward and backward stretching and the upward and downward lifting action of the overhook assembly in the direction of taking out the material box, the accuracy of the movement of the overhook assembly is further improved, the action path is controllable and has high repetition accuracy, and therefore the reliability of the taking and returning of the material box and the smoothness of the action are improved.

[0009] In an optional technical scheme, the box taking platform further comprises: a plurality of guide rollers arranged on both sides of the box taking platform in a form corresponding to the two groups of vertical guide rails respectively, and the plurality of guide rollers and the vertical guide rails cooperate to form support and guidance.

[0010] According to the technical scheme, the plurality of guide rollers provide low-friction linear support and vertical motion guidance between the box taking platform and the vertical guide rails, significantly reduce the lifting driving load, ensure the smooth movement of the box taking platform in the vertical direction, and reduce the instability of the taking and returning of the material box caused by problems such as jamming and shaking.

[0011] In an optional technical scheme, the box taking platform further comprises: a torque sensor arranged at the hinged connection between the overhook assembly and the lifting sliding block, which is used to detect the torque borne by the overhook assembly.

[0012] According to the technical scheme, the torque sensor is arranged to realize real-time detection of the pulling / pushing torque of the hook arm assembly, the machine can be quickly stopped and an alarm can be given when the torque exceeds the set threshold, and damage to the hook arm or the material box caused by overload action is prevented.

[0013] In an optional technical solution, the bearing platform is arranged as a conveying belt, which assists the removed bin to enter the bin taking platform or conveys the bin in the bin taking platform to the shelf.

[0014] The bin transfer process realizes continuous conveying and automatic connection by assisting the bin to enter or exit the bin taking platform through the conveying belt, reduces the burden of the hook arm action, and ensures the complete removal or return of the bin.

[0015] In an optional technical solution, the bin taking platform further comprises: photoelectric sensors arranged corresponding to the bearing platform, which detect whether the bin is removed or conveyed to the target position.

[0016] According to this technical solution, the photoelectric detection is used to determine whether the bin reaches the preset position, which can realize automatic confirmation of the bin removal and conveying state, realize action logic closed loop with the control system, improve positioning accuracy, and also prevent the bin taking platform from being stuck or damaged due to movement when the bin is not completely removed or returned.

[0017] In an optional technical solution, the bin taking platform further comprises: a visual sensor arranged on one side of the bin taking platform close to the shelf in the form of facing the shelf direction.

[0018] According to this technical solution, the visual sensor is arranged to detect whether there is a bin, foreign matter or obstacle in the shelf compartment, realize pre-judgment safety control, stop the hook taking component action when an abnormal state is detected, effectively prevent collision and other situations, and further improve the reliability of the automatic bin taking and returning device.

[0019] In an optional technical solution, the automatic bin taking and returning device further comprises: a rack arranged at the bottom of the horizontal guide rail, a gear corresponding to the rack fixedly arranged on the vertical guide rail, the gear being driven by a first transmission assembly of a third driving device; a synchronous belt arranged inside the vertical guide rail, and a bevel gear mechanism corresponding to the synchronous belt fixedly arranged at the top of the vertical guide rail, the bevel gear mechanism being driven by a second transmission assembly of a fourth driving device, the bin taking platform being fixedly connected with the synchronous belt and driven by the synchronous belt to move along the vertical guide rail.

[0020] According to this technical solution, the first transmission assembly is used to realize the horizontal direction movement of the vertical guide rail and the bin taking mechanism, the second transmission assembly is used to realize the vertical direction movement of the bin taking mechanism, the rack, the gear and the synchronous belt are used for cooperative transmission, which ensures the accuracy of the movement positioning and improves the transmission efficiency.

[0021] In an optional technical solution, the automatic bin taking and returning device further comprises: a roller module fixed to the vertical guide rail, and the vertical guide rail is rollingly connected with the horizontal guide rail through the roller module.

[0022] According to the technical scheme, the low-resistance rolling support connection between the vertical guide rail and the horizontal guide rail is realized by setting the roller module, the frictional resistance and vibration during the overall horizontal movement of the automatic box taking and returning device are reduced, the smooth action of the vertical guide rail is ensured, the operation efficiency of the automatic box taking and returning device is improved, and the operation life of the horizontal guide rail and the vertical guide rail is also improved.

[0023] In an optional technical scheme, the automatic box taking and returning device further comprises: an electric rail arranged in parallel with the horizontal guide rail; an electric brush fixedly installed on one side of the vertical guide rail and in sliding connection with the electric rail; and a control electric box arranged on the other side of the vertical guide rail in correspondence with the electric brush, and supplying power for the first driving device, the second driving device, the third driving device, the fourth driving device, the torque sensor, the photoelectric sensor and the visual sensor.

[0024] According to the technical scheme, the electric rail and the electric brush cooperate to form a continuous power supply and signal sliding connection system, and solve the cable winding problem during the movement of the vertical guide rail; in cooperation with the control electric box, the integrated power supply and signal management of multiple drives and multiple sensors are realized, and the operation reliability and maintenance convenience of the automatic box taking and returning device are improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the automatic box taking and returning device and the shelf combination provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0026] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the box taking platform provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0027] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the local structure of the hook taking assembly provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0028] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first transmission assembly provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0029] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second transmission assembly provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0030] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the roller module provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0031] Reference numerals: Automatic box retrieval and return device 101, horizontal guide rail 1, vertical guide rail 2, box retrieval platform 3, bearing platform 31, conveyor belt 311, hooking mechanism 32, horizontal slide assembly 321, sliding guide rail 3211, slide base plate 3212, lifting assembly 322, lifting guide rail 3221, lifting slider 3222, hooking assembly 323, hook arm 3231, hook part 3232, first drive device 324, second drive device 325, guide roller 33, torque sensor 34, photoelectric sensor 35, vision sensor 36, first transmission assembly 4, rack 41, gear 42, third drive device 43, second transmission assembly 5, synchronous belt 51, bevel gear mechanism 52, fourth drive device 53, roller module 6, electric rail 7, brush 8, control electrical box 9, shelf 102. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the automatic retrieval and return box device 101 and the shelf 102 provided in the embodiments of this application. (See attached diagram) Figure 1 As shown in the figure, an automatic bin retrieval and return device 101 for retrieving and returning bins (not shown) placed on a shelf 102 provided in this application includes: a horizontal guide rail 1, a vertical guide rail 2, and a bin retrieval platform 3.

[0034] Specifically, the horizontal guide rail 1 is correspondingly set to the shelf 102, and two sets of vertical guide rails 2 are set perpendicular to the horizontal guide rail 1 in a manner that allows them to move along the horizontal guide rail 1, with the distance between the two sets of vertical guide rails 2 being greater than the width of the material box. The box-retrieving platform 3 is set between the vertical guide rails 2 in a manner that allows it to move along the vertical guide rails 2.

[0035] Through the above implementation method, when it is necessary to retrieve or return a box in the shelf 102, the vertical guide rail 2 moves along the horizontal guide rail 1, and the box retrieval platform 3 moves along the vertical guide rail 2. This allows the box retrieval platform 3 to move quickly and accurately in both the horizontal and vertical directions, enabling the box retrieval platform 3 to be quickly positioned and moved to the shelf 102 where the box needs to be retrieved or returned. This improves the accuracy and efficiency of the automatic box retrieval device 101 when retrieving or returning boxes.

[0036] It should be noted that the number of horizontal guide rails 1 is not limited in the present application. One or more horizontal guide rails 1 can be provided according to the height of the shelf 102 and the arrangement of rows and columns of the shelf 102, which should be included in the protection scope of the present application.

[0037] Figure 2 FIG. 3 is a schematic structural view of a box taking platform 3 provided in an embodiment of the present application, Figure 3 FIG. 4 is a schematic structural view of a hooking assembly 323 provided in an embodiment of the present application, referring to Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown in the figures, the box taking platform 3 provided in an optional embodiment of the present application comprises a bearing platform 31 and a hooking mechanism 32 arranged above the bearing platform 31 in the height direction.

[0038] Further, the hooking mechanism 32 further comprises a horizontal sliding table assembly 321, a lifting assembly 322 and a hooking assembly 323.

[0039] Specifically, the horizontal sliding table assembly 321 comprises a sliding guide rail 3211 arranged in the taking-out direction of the material box, and a sliding table bottom plate 3212 moving in the taking-out direction of the material box through the sliding guide rail 3211. The lifting assembly 322 is installed at the middle position of the sliding table bottom plate 3212, comprising a lifting guide rail 3221 arranged in the vertical direction and a lifting sliding block 3222 movable along the lifting guide rail 3221. The hooking assembly 323 has a hook arm 3231 and a hook portion 3232 arranged at one end of the hook arm 3231 facing the shelf 102. The end of the hooking assembly 323 away from the shelf 102 is hinged to the bottom of the lifting sliding block 3222. Through the cooperation of the sliding guide rail 3211 and the sliding table bottom plate 3212, and the cooperation of the lifting guide rail 3221 and the lifting sliding block 3222, the hooking assembly 323 can move precisely and quickly in the taking-out direction of the material box and the height direction.

[0040] The automatic taking and returning box device 101 provided in the above embodiment of the present application, when the box taking platform 3 moves to the corresponding position on the shelf 102 where the material box needs to be taken out or returned through the cooperation of the horizontal guide rail 1 and the vertical guide rail 2, the bearing platform 31 corresponds to the height of the bottom of the shelf 102 where the material box is located. The hooking mechanism 32 arranged above in the height direction hooks the edge of the material box, lifts one side of the material box and takes it out of the shelf 102. The side plate of the material box can further be provided with a notch portion (not shown in the figure) for facilitating the hooking and dragging of the hooking mechanism 32, thereby further cooperating with the taking and returning action of the automatic taking and returning box. The material box lifted out of the shelf 102 by the hooking mechanism 32 is placed on the bearing platform 31 as a whole after being dragged out of the shelf 102, and is supported and transported by the bearing platform 31.

[0041] Specifically, when the hooking mechanism 32 does not perform the hooking action, neither the horizontal sliding table assembly 321 nor the lifting assembly 322 starts to act, the sliding table bottom plate 3212 is stationary at the position farthest from the shelf 102 in the direction of the bin taking-out, and the lifting slider 3222 is stationary at the highest position in the height direction.

[0042] When the bin needs to be taken out and the bin taking platform 3 has been moved to the appropriate position through the horizontal guide rail 1 and the vertical guide rail 2, the lifting assembly 322 controls the lifting slider 3222 to move from the highest position in the sliding guide rail 3211 to the lowest position, while the horizontal sliding table assembly 321 acts to control the sliding table bottom plate 3212 to move from the position farthest from the shelf 102 in the sliding guide rail 3211 to the position closest to the shelf 102. When the lifting assembly 322 and the horizontal sliding table assembly 321 both complete the movement, the hooking assembly 323 is located directly below the notch part of the bin. At this time, the lifting assembly 322 acts to control the lifting slider 3222 to move upward, and the hooking assembly 323 hooks the notch part of the bin and lifts one side of the bin. After the lifting slider 3222 moves to the highest position, the horizontal sliding table assembly 321 acts to control the sliding table bottom plate 3212 to move away from the shelf 102, thereby dragging the bin that has been lifted on one side out of the shelf 102. After the bin moves to the specified position, the lifting assembly 322 further acts to move the lifting slider 3222 downward, and after the notch part of the bin is unhooked, the horizontal sliding table assembly 321 controls the sliding table bottom plate 3212 to move backward, and the lifting assembly 322 is lifted to return to the stationary position. The bin is carried by the carrying platform 31 for carrying and transferring, thereby completing the bin taking-out process.

[0043] When the bin needs to be put back, the bin is carried by the carrying platform 31 and moved to the corresponding position of the shelf 102 through the horizontal guide rail 1 and the vertical guide rail 2, the lifting assembly 322 acts to control the lifting slider 3222 to move downward from the highest position to the lowest position, and after the lifting assembly 322 completes the action, the horizontal sliding table assembly 321 acts to move from the position farthest from the shelf 102 to the position closest to the shelf 102. During the movement, the hooking assembly 323 abuts against the side plate of the bin and pushes the bin into the shelf 102 through the hooking assembly 323, thereby achieving the bin putting-back, and after the bin putting-back action is completed, the horizontal sliding table assembly 321 and the lifting assembly 322 return to the stationary position, thereby continuing the bin taking-out or putting-back in the next round.

[0044] It should be noted that although the bin is lifted by the hooking assembly 323 and then dragged out of the shelf 102 in the embodiments of the present application, this does not limit the present application. According to the different structures of the shelf 102, the bin can be directly dragged out of the shelf 102 after being hooked, which should be included in the protection scope of the present application.

[0045] In addition, it should be noted that, although the embodiment of the present application is described by pushing the bin directly into the shelf 102 through the hooking assembly 323, but not to limit the present application, when it is not possible to be directly pushed into the shelf 102 due to the structure of the shelf 102, the bin can also be hooked and lifted by the hooking assembly 323 and then pushed into the shelf 102. Different specific operations are set according to different structures of the shelf 102, which should be included in the protection scope of the present application.

[0046] Further, the length of the lifting guide rail 3221 in the lifting assembly 322, i.e. the length of the sliding guide rail 3211 in the horizontal sliding table assembly 321, is adapted to the length and height of the bin, and the length of the lifting guide rail 3221 in the lifting assembly 322 is less than the length of the sliding guide rail 3211 in the horizontal sliding table assembly 321, which ensures that the lifting guide rail 3221 can quickly complete the lowering action during the action of taking out the bin, and avoids the problem of collision between the hooking assembly 323 and the bin slot caused by the fact that the lifting assembly 322 fails to completely descend during the process of simultaneous action of the horizontal sliding table assembly 321 and the lifting assembly 322.

[0047] Through the above-mentioned embodiments, the horizontal sliding table assembly 321, the lifting assembly 322 and the hooking assembly 323 are cooperated to realize the precise control of the bin in the taking-out direction and the height direction with double degrees of freedom. At the same time, through the precise cooperation between the sliding guide rail 3211 and the sliding table bottom plate 3212, and between the lifting guide rail 3221 and the lifting sliding block 3222, the hook arm 3231 can quickly, accurately and repeatedly positionally move in the taking-out direction and the vertical direction.

[0048] The length of the lifting guide rail 3221 is designed to be less than the length of the sliding guide rail 3211, so that the action stroke of the lifting assembly 322 is short and the response speed is fast, and the lifting action can be completed in advance during the fast extension and contraction of the horizontal sliding table, thereby effectively avoiding the collision or mis-hanging phenomenon caused by different actions during the taking-out or returning process.

[0049] Further, through the action cooperation during the taking-out or returning of the bin, the automatic bin taking and returning device 101 provided by the present application can be adapted to various shelves 102 with different structures. The hooking assembly 323 directly hooks the slot part at the side plate of the bin, avoiding the problem that the forked structure needs to be inserted into the shelf 102, which requires a higher spacing for the bin. The bin is lifted by the hooking assembly 323 and then dragged out, so that the automatic bin taking and returning device 101 can be adapted to the shelf 102 with a blocking edge, and the automatic taking and returning of the bin is not affected by the blocking edge.

[0050] The automatic bin retrieval and return device 101 provided in the same application embodiment, through a composite control design of mechanical guidance and multi-axis coordination, achieves precise hooking, smooth dragging and smooth placement of bins without being restricted by the structure of the shelf 102, while maintaining a compact structure, further ensuring the efficient and stable operation of the automatic bin retrieval and return process.

[0051] Continue reading Figure 2 As shown, the hooking mechanism 32 also includes a first driving device 324 and a second driving device 325.

[0052] Specifically, the first drive device 324 is connected to the horizontal slide assembly 321, thereby driving the slide base plate 3212 to move along the sliding guide rail 3211. The second drive device 325 is connected to the lifting assembly 322, driving the lifting slider 3222 to move along the lifting guide rail 3221. The first drive device 324 and the second drive device 325 can optionally be configured as servo motors.

[0053] Through the above implementation, the first driving device 324 is connected to the horizontal slide assembly 321 and can drive the slide base plate 3212 to move back and forth along the sliding guide rail 3211, so that the hook arm 3231 can be accurately extended or retracted to realize the pulling out and pushing in of the material box; the second driving device 325 is connected to the lifting assembly 322 and can drive the lifting slider 3222 to move up and down along the lifting guide rail 3221, thereby realizing the hooking and releasing operation of the hook arm 3231.

[0054] Through the independent and coordinated control of the aforementioned dual-drive system, the hook arm 3231 can form a two-dimensional trajectory in two directions, achieving high-precision hooking path control. It also meets the requirements for independent control of the horizontal slide assembly 321 and the lifting assembly 322 during the retrieval and return of the material box. This structure allows the hook arm 3231 to complete the retrieval and return actions more stably, ensuring smooth operation and further improving the service life of the automatic retrieval and return device 101.

[0055] In an optional embodiment of this application, the box retrieval platform 3 further includes: a plurality of guide rollers 33, which are respectively arranged on both sides of the box retrieval platform 3 in the form of corresponding to two sets of vertical guide rails 2, and the plurality of guide rollers 33 cooperate with the vertical guide rails 2 to form support and guidance.

[0056] Through the above implementation method, multiple guide rollers 33 are respectively arranged on both sides of the box-retrieving platform 3, cooperating with two sets of vertical guide rails 2 to form a support and guiding structure along the direction of the vertical guide rails 2, so that the box-retrieving platform 3 is uniformly constrained when moving in the vertical direction. Through the rolling contact between the rollers and the guide rails, the frictional resistance between the box-retrieving platform 3 and the vertical guide rails 2 and the wear of the vertical guide rails 2 during the movement of the box-retrieving platform 3 can be significantly reduced, improving the overall stability and movement efficiency of the box-retrieving platform 3, thereby improving the overall box-retrieving efficiency of the automatic box-retrieving device 101.

[0057] Continue reading Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the box retrieval platform 3 also includes a torque sensor 34 disposed at the hinge connection between the hook assembly 323 and the lifting slider 3222.

[0058] Specifically, a torque sensor 34 is installed at the hinge connection between the hook assembly 323 and the lifting slider 3222 to detect the force on the hook arm 3231 during the material box retrieval and return process in real time. When the hook arm 3231 experiences abnormal force due to material box jamming, tilting, or external interference, the torque sensor 34 can immediately detect the abnormal signal and send a stop command to the control system to prevent the hook arm 3231 from continuing to apply force and causing damage or the material box to fall. This further ensures the safe and efficient retrieval and return of the material box by the automatic retrieval and return device 101, and also achieves the safety protection of the automatic retrieval and return device 101 itself, significantly improving the safety and stability of the automatic retrieval and return device 101 and extending its service life.

[0059] In an optional embodiment of this application, the carrying platform 31 is configured as a conveyor belt 311, through which the material box assisted in being taken out enters the picking platform 3, or the material box in the picking platform 3 is transported to the shelf 102.

[0060] Specifically, during the process of retrieving the bin, after the hooking mechanism 32 hooks and lifts the bin from the shelf 102 and removes it to the carrying platform 31, the hooking component 323 disengages and returns to its stationary position. At this time, the conveyor belt 311 moves to smoothly deliver the disengaged bin into the bin retrieval platform 3. During the bin return process, the conveyor belt 311 can cooperate with the hooking mechanism 32 to transport the bin to the corresponding position on the shelf 102, achieving smooth return. The conveyor belt 311 reduces the load on the hooking mechanism 32, optimizes the return action, and achieves synergistic integration of hooking and conveying functions, thereby improving the operating efficiency of the automatic bin retrieval device 101.

[0061] It should be noted that this application does not limit the specific arrangement of the conveyor belt 311; it can be as follows: Figure 2The two narrower conveyor belts 311 shown are provided on the side of the carrying platform 31. Alternatively, a single conveyor belt 311 with the same width as the box retrieval platform 3 can be used. The form of the conveyor belt 311 can be selected according to the rack 102 and the setting of the box, as well as the specific operation requirements. All of these should be included in the protection scope of this application.

[0062] Furthermore, a photoelectric sensor 35 is also provided corresponding to the carrying platform 31 to detect whether the material box has been taken out or transported to the target position. When the material box is detected to have been taken out or transported to the target position, it is determined that the taking out or returning of the material box is completed, which improves the reliability and automation of the taking out and returning action, and also avoids problems such as misalignment and jamming caused by the movement of the taking out platform 3 when the material box has not moved to the target position.

[0063] In an optional embodiment of this application, a vision sensor 36 facing the shelf 102 is also provided on the side of the retrieval platform 3 near the shelf 102.

[0064] Through the above implementation method, when the box retrieval platform 3 moves to the corresponding position where the box needs to be retrieved or returned, the visual sensor 36 collects visual information in real time within the shelf 102 to determine whether there is a box in the target compartment, whether the box is tilted, or whether there are foreign objects obstructing it. When the identification result shows an abnormality within the shelf 102, the automatic box retrieval and return device 101 stops operating and issues an alarm, thereby effectively preventing problems such as failed retrieval or collisions with foreign objects, and further improving the safety of the automatic box retrieval and return device 101 during the retrieval and return process.

[0065] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first transmission component 4 provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second transmission component 5 provided in the embodiments of this application. (See attached diagram) Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in an optional embodiment of this application, the automatic retrieval and return device 101 further includes: a first transmission component 4 and a second transmission component 5.

[0066] Specifically, the first transmission component 4 includes a rack 41 disposed at the bottom of the horizontal guide rail 1 and arranged along the horizontal guide rail 1, a gear 42 fixedly placed on the vertical guide rail 2 and meshing with the rack 41, and a third drive device 43 installed on the vertical guide rail 2. The third drive device 43 can be configured as a servo motor, whose output shaft is coaxially connected to the gear 42, and drives the vertical guide rail 2 to roll along the direction of the rack 41 by driving the gear 42 to rotate.

[0067] The second transmission component 5 includes a synchronous belt 51 arranged vertically inside or on the side of the vertical guide rail 2 to form a closed transmission loop, and a bevel gear mechanism 52 located on the top of the vertical guide rail 2 and connected to the fourth drive device 53. The fourth drive device 53 can be configured as a servo motor, whose output shaft is connected to the bevel gear mechanism 52, driving the bevel gear mechanism 52 to rotate and drive the synchronous belt 51 to move. The box retrieval platform 3 is fixedly connected to the synchronous belt 51, and the box retrieval platform 3 moves up and down along the vertical guide rail 2 by rotating the synchronous belt 51.

[0068] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the roller module 6 provided in the embodiments of this application. (See attached diagram) Figure 6 As shown, a roller module 6 is fixedly provided at the contact position between the vertical guide rail 2 and the horizontal guide rail 1. The vertical guide rail 2 is connected to the horizontal guide rail 1 by the roller module 6, thereby providing stable guidance and support when the vertical guide rail 2 moves along the horizontal guide rail 1.

[0069] The first transmission assembly 4 and the second transmission assembly 5 further ensure the efficient and stable movement of the box-retrieving platform 3. Even under high-speed operation or frequent start-stop conditions, the platform's parallelism and retrieval / return position accuracy are maintained, significantly improving system operational stability. Simultaneously, both the first transmission assembly 4 and the second transmission assembly 5 are located at the guide rail or top area, without encroaching on the working space of the shelf 102, making the overall structure of the automatic box-retrieving device 101 more compact. The roller module 6 and gear 42 meshing structure are arranged colinearly, avoiding redundant support structures and optimizing overall space utilization. The rack 41, gear 42, synchronous belt 51, and rollers all adopt a modular installation design, allowing for independent disassembly and maintenance. When a transmission unit wears out or malfunctions, it can be quickly replaced without disassembling the entire guide rail system, reducing maintenance costs and downtime.

[0070] In an optional embodiment of this application, the automatic retrieval and return box device 101 is further provided with an electric rail 7 parallel to the horizontal guide rail 1, a brush 8 fixedly installed on one side of the vertical guide rail 2 and slidingly connected to the electric rail 7, and a control box 9 fixedly installed on the other side of the vertical guide rail 2 and arranged opposite to the brush 8.

[0071] Through the above implementation method, an electrical structure for sliding power supply of electric rail 7 and brush 8 is constructed, avoiding the cable entanglement problem that may be caused by the moving vertical guide rail 2 when it moves. In conjunction with the control power box 9, the integrated power supply and signal management of multiple drives and multiple sensors are realized, improving the operational reliability and maintenance convenience of the automatic retrieval and return box device 101.

[0072] The above are merely optional embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic bin retrieval and return device for retrieving and returning bins placed on a shelf, characterized in that, include: Horizontal guide rails are provided corresponding to the shelves; Two sets of vertical guide rails are provided perpendicular to the horizontal guide rails in a manner that allows them to move along the horizontal guide rails, and the distance between the two sets of vertical guide rails is greater than the width of the hopper. A box-retrieving platform is disposed between the vertical guide rails in a manner that allows it to move along the vertical guide rails. The box-retrieving platform includes a support platform and a hooking mechanism disposed above the support platform in the height direction. The hooking mechanism further includes: A horizontal slide assembly includes a sliding guide rail disposed along the removal direction of the hopper, and a slide base plate that moves along the removal direction of the hopper via the sliding guide rail. A lifting assembly, mounted on the slide base plate, includes a vertically arranged lifting guide rail and a lifting slider that can move along the lifting guide rail. The hook assembly has a hook arm and a hook portion disposed at one end of the hook arm facing the shelf, the other end of which is hinged to the bottom of the lifting slider.

2. The automatic retrieval and return box device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hooking mechanism further includes: A first driving device is connected to the horizontal slide assembly and drives the slide base plate to move along the sliding guide rail; The second driving device is connected to the lifting assembly and drives the lifting slider to move along the lifting guide rail.

3. The automatic retrieval and return box device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The retrieval platform also includes: Multiple guide rollers are arranged on both sides of the box retrieval platform, respectively corresponding to the two sets of vertical guide rails. The multiple guide rollers cooperate with the vertical guide rails to form support and guidance.

4. The automatic retrieval and return box device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The retrieval platform also includes: A torque sensor is installed at the hinge connection between the hook assembly and the lifting slider to detect the torque applied to the hook assembly.

5. The automatic retrieval and return box device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The carrying platform is configured as a conveyor belt, through which the material box is taken out and enters the box retrieval platform, or the material box in the box retrieval platform is transported to the shelf.

6. The automatic retrieval and return box device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The retrieval platform also includes: A photoelectric sensor is installed corresponding to the support platform to detect whether the material box is taken out or transported to the target position.

7. The automatic retrieval and return box device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The retrieval platform also includes: A vision sensor is positioned on the side of the retrieval platform closest to the shelf, facing the direction of the shelf.

8. The automatic retrieval and return box device according to claim 7, characterized in that, Also includes: The first transmission component includes a rack disposed at the bottom of the horizontal guide rail, and a gear corresponding to the rack fixedly disposed on the vertical guide rail, the gear being driven by a third driving device; The second transmission component includes a timing belt disposed inside the vertical guide rail, and a bevel gear mechanism corresponding to the timing belt fixedly disposed on the top of the vertical guide rail. The bevel gear mechanism is driven by a fourth drive device. The box retrieval platform is fixedly connected to the timing belt, and the timing belt drives the box retrieval platform to move along the vertical guide rail.

9. The automatic retrieval and return box device according to claim 8, characterized in that, Also includes: A roller module is fixed to the vertical guide rail, and the vertical guide rail is rotatably connected to the horizontal guide rail through the roller module.

10. The automatic retrieval and return box device according to claim 9, characterized in that, Also includes: The electric rail is arranged parallel to the horizontal guide rail; A brush is fixedly installed on one side of the vertical guide rail, and the guide rail and the brush are slidably connected to each other; The control power box is located on the other side of the vertical guide rail, corresponding to the brush, and supplies power to the first drive device, the second drive device, the third drive device, the fourth drive device, the torque sensor, the photoelectric sensor, and the vision sensor.

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