A new double-fall protection tray stacker

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of warehousing and transportation equipment technology, and discloses a novel double-anti-fall protection pallet stacker crane. It includes a stacker crane body, guide rails symmetrically arranged on both sides of the stacker crane body, a loading platform located in the middle of the guide rails, and anti-fall mechanisms symmetrically arranged on both sides of the top of the loading platform. The anti-fall mechanisms include a fixed block located on the top of the loading platform, symmetrically formed grooves on the inner wall of the fixed block, symmetrically arranged clamping blocks inside the fixed block, brake pads located on opposite sides of the clamping blocks, the clamping blocks being slidably connected to the nearest groove, a crossbar located at the bottom of the fixed block, a driven wheel located in the middle of the crossbar, a rotating arm symmetrically arranged in the middle of the crossbar, and brackets symmetrically arranged at the bottom of the fixed block, with driving wheels jointly arranged at opposite ends of the two brackets. By incorporating the anti-fall mechanisms, the crane responds in real-time to the cable status, and can promptly brake the loading platform when the cable becomes slack or breaks, avoiding the risk of falling. Traditional stacker cranes, however, cannot prevent this when the cable fails.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of warehousing and transportation equipment technology, and in particular to a novel double-anti-fall protection pallet stacker. Background Technology

[0002] Pallet stacker cranes are automated warehousing equipment primarily used for the efficient handling, stacking, and storage of palletized goods. Through lifting mechanisms, robotic arms, or conveyor systems, they precisely store palletized goods into designated shelves or retrieve them to sorting areas, significantly improving warehouse space utilization and operational efficiency. This equipment reduces manual operation and error rates, making it suitable for logistics centers, manufacturing, and cold chain warehousing, and is one of the core pieces of equipment for achieving intelligent logistics and automated warehousing. Its stability and high precision make it an important tool for modern supply chain management.

[0003] Traditional stacker cranes are widely used in warehousing, but due to limitations in their structure and operating principles, they often have some significant problems. For example, during long-term operation, the cables of traditional stacker cranes are prone to slack or breakage due to continuous load and wear, but traditional designs lack effective mechanical fall protection mechanisms. Their loading platforms typically rely solely on limit baffles or gravity hooks as fall protection measures. These devices have obvious safety flaws. In an emergency where the cable suddenly breaks, traditional mechanical hooks require the inertial impact of the loading platform's fall or the descent speed to reach a certain threshold before braking is triggered. This passive response method results in braking delay, potentially causing the loading platform to fall uncontrollably a greater distance before stopping. This delayed braking not only may damage goods but also poses a serious safety hazard. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the problem that existing stacker cranes lack response mechanisms for cable slack and breakage, a novel double-fall protection pallet stacker crane is proposed.

[0005] Its purpose is to brake the loading platform when the stacker crane slacks beyond the safe range or breaks.

[0006] The technical solution of the present invention is a novel double anti-fall protection pallet stacker, including a stacker body, guide rails symmetrically arranged on both sides of the stacker body, a loading platform arranged in the middle of the guide rails, and an anti-fall mechanism symmetrically arranged on both sides of the top of the loading platform.

[0007] The fall protection mechanism includes a fixed block set on the top of the loading platform, symmetrically opened grooves on the inner wall of the fixed block, symmetrically arranged clamping blocks inside the fixed block, brake pads set on the opposite side of the clamping blocks, the clamping blocks being slidably connected to the nearest groove, a crossbar set at the bottom of the fixed block, a driven wheel set in the middle of the crossbar, a rotating arm symmetrically arranged in the middle of the crossbar, a bracket symmetrically arranged at the bottom of the fixed block, a driving wheel set at one end of the two brackets, the driven wheel being meshed with the driving wheel, telescopic units symmetrically arranged on both sides of the driving wheel, and a safety unit set on the top of the fall protection mechanism.

[0008] The fixed block provides support for the telescopic unit and the safety unit. The sliding groove limits the movement direction of the clamping block. The two clamping blocks move upward, causing the corresponding brake pads to contact the guide rail. While the driving wheel rotates, it drives the crossbar to rotate through the driven wheel. While the crossbar rotates, it drives the swing arm to swing.

[0009] Furthermore, side support plates are provided on both sides of the bottom of the fixed block, and the two ends of the crossbar are rotatably connected to the two support plates.

[0010] Furthermore, the telescopic unit includes a bushing disposed inside the bracket, a drive hole opened on the outside of the bushing, a telescopic rod disposed inside the bushing, a drive block disposed on the end of the telescopic rod near the drive wheel, a roller disposed on the end of the telescopic rod away from the drive wheel, the roller abutting against the cable on the stacker crane body, a pawl disposed on the end of the bushing near the drive wheel, toothed grooves symmetrically opened on both sides of the drive wheel, and an ejection spring disposed inside the bushing, the two ends of the ejection spring abutting against the telescopic rod and the inner wall of the bushing, respectively.

[0011] Furthermore, the bushing has symmetrical shallow grooves at one end near the drive wheel, and the pawl consists of a return spring and a rotating block. The two ends of the return spring are fixedly connected to the rotating block and the inner wall of the shallow groove, respectively, and the rotating block is rotatably connected to the bushing.

[0012] Furthermore, a guide groove is provided at the top of the telescopic rod, and a guide block is provided on the inner wall of the bracket near the roller. The guide groove and the guide block are slidably connected.

[0013] Furthermore, the safety unit includes a swing rod disposed on the top of the fixed block, a column disposed on the fixed block near the swing rod, a locking block disposed inside the column, a stop block disposed on the inner wall of the top of the column, a traction line disposed on the side of the locking block near the swing rod, the bottom of the traction line passing through the column and fixedly connected to the swing rod, and a rack disposed on the side of the guide rail near the column.

[0014] Furthermore, the swing rod is symmetrically provided with a bent rod at one end near the rack, and the bottom end of the bent rod abuts against the corresponding clamping block.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0016] 1. By incorporating a fall arrestor, the loading platform can be braked promptly in the event of cable slack or breakage, preventing the risk of a fall. In traditional stacker cranes, when cables fail, the loading platform may lose traction and fall uncontrollably, resulting in damage to goods or equipment. The fall arrestor intervenes quickly when the cable condition is abnormal, restricting the movement of the loading platform and preventing accidents. This protective measure reduces downtime caused by cable problems and lowers maintenance costs. In addition, stable loading platform operation reduces damage to goods caused by shaking or falling. By adding a fall arrestor, the overall safety performance of the stacker crane is improved, and the operation process is more reliable. This design improvement ensures the equipment remains stable during long-term use and adapts to high-intensity operating environments.

[0017] 2. By incorporating a telescopic unit, the system can respond in real time to changes in cable tension. When the cable becomes slack due to prolonged use, causing the tension to fall below a set threshold, the mechanism immediately triggers a braking function. This mechanism directly affects the movement control of the loading platform, automatically limiting its descent when insufficient tension is detected to prevent accidental displacement caused by cable slack. The system maintains the normal working state of the cable mechanically, avoiding the impact of insufficient tension on equipment stability. Once the telescopic unit determines that the cable is in an abnormally slack state, the loading platform will be locked, ensuring it remains stationary in a fixed position. This design reduces safety hazards caused by cable problems and also minimizes the disruption of work processes caused by equipment malfunctions. In this way, the stacker crane can intervene promptly when cable tension is abnormal, improving operational safety and reducing the impact of potential risks on production efficiency and equipment lifespan.

[0018] 3. By setting up a safety unit, when the telescopic unit is triggered due to cable slack, the safety unit will be activated simultaneously. This safety unit will apply secondary braking to the loading platform through mechanical engagement, forming redundant protection. At the same time as the telescopic unit moves, the rack and pinion mechanism of the safety unit will immediately intervene to directly restrict the degree of freedom of movement of the loading platform. This linkage mechanism ensures that even in extreme cases, the stability of the loading platform can still be maintained. The dual-system collaborative work improves the reliability of safety protection and avoids the limitations that may exist in a single protection mechanism. As a backup measure, the safety unit continues to provide continuous restraint after the telescopic unit completes its initial braking to prevent accidental slippage. This design concept focuses on establishing a multi-layered protection system, minimizing potential risks through the complementary cooperation of mechanical structures. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the entire invention;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the cargo platform structure of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the anti-fall mechanism and the loading platform of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the fixing block of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the relative positions of the clamping block and the guide rail of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the fall protection mechanism of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping block structure of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the bracket and the fixing block of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the telescopic rod and the bushing of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the bushing of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the tooth groove structure of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the insurance unit of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the column and the card block of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the stop structure of the present invention.

[0033] In the picture:

[0034] 1. Stacker crane body; 2. Guide rail; 3. Loading platform; 4. Anti-fall mechanism; 41. Fixing block; 42. Slide groove; 43. Clamping block; 44. Brake pad; 45. Crossbar; 46. Driven wheel; 47. Swing arm; 48. Bracket; 49. Drive wheel; 410. Bushing; 411. Drive hole; 412. Telescopic rod; 413. Drive block; 414. Roller; 415. Pawl; 416. Tooth groove; 417. Ejection spring; 418. Swing rod; 419. Column; 420. Clamping block; 421. Stop block; 422. Traction line; 423. Rack. Detailed Implementation

[0035] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0036] Example 1, referring to Figures 1-14 This invention provides a novel double-anti-fall protection pallet stacker, comprising a stacker body 1, guide rails 2 symmetrically fixedly connected to both sides of the stacker body 1, a loading platform 3 slidably connected to the middle of the guide rails 2, and anti-fall mechanisms 4 symmetrically installed on both sides of the top of the loading platform 3. The anti-fall mechanism 4 includes a fixed block 41 fixedly connected to the top of the loading platform 3, symmetrically formed grooves 42 on the inner wall of the fixed block 41, symmetrically slidably connected clamping blocks 43 inside the fixed block 41, brake pads 44 fixedly connected to the opposite side of the clamping blocks 43, the clamping blocks 43 being slidably connected to the nearest groove 42, and a crossbar 45 rotatably connected to the bottom of the fixed block 41. The driven wheel 46 in the middle of the 5 is symmetrically fixedly connected to the rotating arm 47 in the middle of the crossbar 45, and the bracket 48 is symmetrically fixedly connected to the bottom of the fixed block 41. The driving wheel 49 is rotatably connected to the opposite end of the two brackets 48. The driven wheel 46 is engaged with the driving wheel. The telescopic unit is symmetrically mounted on both sides of the driving wheel 49, and the safety unit is mounted on the top of the fall arrest mechanism 4. The fixed block 41 provides support for the telescopic unit and the safety unit. The slide groove 42 limits the movement direction of the clamping block 43. The two clamping blocks 43 move upward and drive the corresponding brake pad 44 to contact the guide rail 2. While the driving wheel 49 rotates, it drives the crossbar 45 to rotate through the driven wheel 46. While the crossbar 45 rotates, it drives the rotating arm 47 to swing.

[0037] Specifically, the fixed block 41 is the connection fulcrum between the anti-fall mechanism 4 and the loading platform 3. When the driving wheel 49 rotates, it drives the driven wheel 46 to rotate. The driven wheel 46 drives the rotating arm 47 to swing upward through the crossbar 45. When the rotating arm 47 swings upward, it lifts the clamping block 43 upward. Because the clamping block 43 is constrained by the sliding groove 42, it can only move along the sliding groove 42. When the clamping block 43 moves upward, it will drive the brake pad 44 to move towards the corresponding guide rail 2. After the guide rail 2 is connected to the brake pad 44, if the clamping block 43 moves downward relative to the guide rail 2, it will increase the contact force between the brake pad 44 and the guide rail 2, thereby increasing the braking effect of the brake pad 44.

[0038] Reference Figure 6 The bottom sides of the fixed block 41 are provided with side support plates, and the two ends of the crossbar 45 are rotatably connected to the two support plates.

[0039] Specifically, the fixing block 41 constrains the crossbar 45 through the support plate, so that the crossbar 45 can only rotate in its original position.

[0040] Reference Figures 1-14The telescopic unit includes a bushing 410 rotatably connected to the inner side of the bracket 48, a drive hole 411 opened on the outer side of the bushing 410, a telescopic rod 412 slidably connected to the inside of the bushing 410, a drive block 413 fixedly connected to the end of the telescopic rod 412 near the drive wheel 49, a roller 414 rotatably connected to the end of the telescopic rod 412 away from the drive wheel 49, the roller 414 abutting against the cable on the stacker body 1, a pawl 415 rotatably connected to the end of the bushing 410 near the drive wheel 49, toothed grooves 416 symmetrically opened on both sides of the drive wheel 49, and an ejection spring 417 abutting against the inside of the bushing 410, the two ends of the ejection spring 417 abutting against the telescopic rod 412 and the inner wall of the bushing 410 respectively.

[0041] Specifically, the bracket 48 restricts the connected bushing 410 and telescopic rod 412, allowing the bushing 410 to rotate only in place and the telescopic rod 412 to move only along its own axis. The push-out spring 417 keeps the telescopic rod 412 moving away from the bushing 410. As the telescopic rod 412 moves, it drives the drive block 413 to move simultaneously. The drive block 413 rotates the bushing 410 through the drive hole 411. Simultaneously, the rotation of the bushing 410 drives the pawl 415 to rotate. The pawl 415 engages with the toothed groove 416, allowing only the pawl 415 to rotate. Only when moving towards the guide rail 2 can the drive wheel 49 be driven to rotate. The roller 414 maintains contact with the corresponding cable under the action of the telescopic rod 412. When the cable is taut, the force is transmitted to the ejector spring 417 through the roller 414 and the telescopic rod 412, causing the ejector spring 417 to remain contracted. If the cable is too slack or breaks, the ejector spring 417 will push the telescopic rod 412 out. The telescopic rod 412 causes the bushing 410 to rotate through the drive block 413 and the drive hole 411. The bushing 410 drives the drive wheel 49 to rotate through the pawl 415.

[0042] Reference Figures 8-11 The bushing 410 has shallow grooves symmetrically opened at one end near the drive wheel 49. The pawl 415 consists of a return spring and a rotating block. The two ends of the return spring are fixedly connected to the rotating block and the inner wall of the shallow groove, respectively. The rotating block is rotatably connected to the bushing 410.

[0043] Specifically, the gripper can retract into the shallow groove after being squeezed, and can be reset by the action of the return spring.

[0044] Reference Figure 9 The top of the telescopic rod 412 is provided with a guide groove, and the inner wall of the bracket 48 near the roller 414 is provided with a guide block. The guide groove and the guide block are slidably connected.

[0045] Specifically, the bracket 48 constrains the telescopic rod 412 through the guide block and guide groove to prevent the telescopic rod 412 from rotating.

[0046] Example 2, refer to Figures 1-14 This is the second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that: the safety unit includes a swing rod 418 rotatably connected to the top of the fixed block 41, a column 419 fixedly connected to the fixed block 41 near the swing rod 418, a locking block 420 rotatably connected inside the column 419, a stop block 421 slidably connected to the inner wall of the top of the column 419, a traction line 422 fixedly connected to the side of the locking block 420 near the swing rod 418, the bottom of the traction line 422 passing through the column 419 and fixedly connected to the swing rod 418, and a rack 423 fixedly connected to the side of the guide rail 2 near the column 419.

[0047] Specifically, the upward movement of the clamping block 43 pushes the swing rod 418 to rotate. While the swing rod 418 rotates, it pulls the traction line 422. The traction line 422 pulls the locking block 420, causing the locking block 420 to rotate in the direction of force. During the process of the locking block 420 rotating to its maximum stroke, it will press the inclined surface of the stop block 421, causing the stop block 421 to move upward. After the locking block 420 rotates to its maximum stroke, it is released from the stop block 421. The stop block 421 resets under the action of gravity and blocks the locking block 420, preventing the locking block 420 from rotating in the opposite direction. After being pulled, the locking block 420 will engage with the rack 423, losing its freedom of vertical movement, thereby braking the loading platform 3.

[0048] Reference Figures 12-14 The swing arm 418 has a symmetrically arranged bent rod at one end near the rack 423, and the bottom end of the bent rod abuts against the corresponding clamping block 43.

[0049] Specifically, during the upward movement of the clamping block 43, the bending rod is pushed upward, and the force is transmitted through the bending rod to drive the swing rod 418. The rest of the structure is the same as that of Embodiment 1.

[0050] Based on embodiments 1-2, the working principle of this invention is as follows: When the stacker crane is running, if the cable suddenly breaks, causing the loading platform 3 to descend, or if the tension is insufficient to overcome the force of the ejector spring 417, the ejector spring 417 will push the telescopic rod 412 to move away from the drive wheel 49. When the telescopic rod 412 passes through the drive block 413 and the drive hole 411, the bushing 410 rotates. Simultaneously, the bushing 410 rotates, causing the drive wheel 49 to rotate via the pawl 415. The drive wheel 49, through the driven wheel 46 and the crossbar 45, causes the rotating arm 47 to swing upward, pushing the clamping block 43 upward. As the clamping block 43 moves upward, it drives the brake pad 44 to move closer to the guide rail 2. The friction between the body and the guide rail 2 brakes the loading platform 3. The further the loading platform 3 moves downward, the greater the friction between the guide rail 2 and the brake pad 44. Through the above process, the state of the cable is responded to in a timely manner. While the clamping block 43 moves upward, it drives the swing rod 418 to swing downward at the end away from the guide rail 2. While swinging, it pulls the locking block 420 through the traction line 422, causing the locking block 420 to rotate into a state of engagement with the rack 423. Through the mutual constraint between the locking block 420 and the rack 423, the loading platform 3 is braked to prevent the friction between the brake pad 44 and the guide rail 2 from being insufficient to brake the loading platform 3.

[0051] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A novel double-anti-fall protection pallet stacker, comprising a stacker body (1), guide rails (2) symmetrically arranged on both sides of the stacker body (1), and a loading platform (3) disposed in the middle of the guide rails (2), characterized in that: It also includes anti-fall mechanisms (4) symmetrically arranged on both sides of the top of the loading platform (3); The anti-fall mechanism (4) includes a fixed block (41) set on the top of the loading platform (3), a sliding groove (42) symmetrically opened on the inner wall of the fixed block (41), a clamping block (43) symmetrically set inside the fixed block (41), a brake pad (44) set on the opposite side of the clamping block (43), the clamping block (43) being slidably connected to the nearest sliding groove (42), a crossbar (45) set at the bottom of the fixed block (41), a driven wheel (46) set in the middle of the crossbar (45), a rotating arm (47) symmetrically set in the middle of the crossbar (45), a bracket (48) symmetrically set at the bottom of the fixed block (41), a driving wheel (49) set between the two brackets (48), the driven wheel (46) being meshed with the driving wheel (49), telescopic units symmetrically set on both sides of the driving wheel (49), and a safety unit set on the top of the anti-fall mechanism (4). The fixed block (41) provides support for the telescopic unit and the safety unit. The slide groove (42) limits the moving direction of the clamping block (43). The two clamping blocks (43) move upward to drive the corresponding brake pads (44) to contact the guide rail (2). While the driving wheel (49) rotates, it drives the crossbar (45) to rotate through the driven wheel (46). While the crossbar (45) rotates, it drives the swing arm (47) to swing. The telescopic unit includes a bushing (410) disposed inside the bracket (48), a drive hole (411) opened on the outside of the bushing (410), a telescopic rod (412) disposed inside the bushing (410), a drive block (413) disposed on the end of the telescopic rod (412) near the drive wheel (49), a roller (414) disposed on the end of the telescopic rod (412) away from the drive wheel (49), the roller (414) abutting against the cable on the stacker body (1), a pawl (415) disposed on the end of the bushing (410) near the drive wheel (49), tooth grooves (416) symmetrically opened on both sides of the drive wheel (49), and an ejector spring (417) disposed inside the bushing (410), the two ends of the ejector spring (417) abutting against the telescopic rod (412) and the inner wall of the bushing (410) respectively; The safety unit includes a swing rod (418) disposed on the top of the fixed block (41), a column (419) disposed on the fixed block (41) near the swing rod (418), a locking block (420) disposed inside the column (419), a stop block (421) disposed on the inner wall of the top of the column (419), a traction line (422) disposed on the side of the locking block (420) near the swing rod (418), the bottom of the traction line (422) passing through the column (419) and fixedly connected to the swing rod (418), and a rack (423) disposed on the side of the guide rail (2) near the column (419).

2. The novel double-fall protection pallet stacker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom sides of the fixed block (41) are provided with support plates, and the two ends of the crossbar (45) are rotatably connected to the two support plates.

3. The novel double-fall protection pallet stacker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bushing (410) has shallow grooves symmetrically opened at one end near the drive wheel (49). The pawl (415) consists of a return spring and a rotating block. The two ends of the return spring are fixedly connected to the rotating block and the inner wall of the shallow groove, respectively. The rotating block is rotatably connected to the bushing (410).

4. The novel double-fall protection pallet stacker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top of the telescopic rod (412) is provided with a guide groove, and the inner wall of the bracket (48) near the roller (414) is provided with a guide block. The guide groove and the guide block are slidably connected.

5. The novel double-fall protection pallet stacker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The swing rod (418) has a symmetrically arranged bent rod at one end near the rack (423), and the bottom end of the bent rod abuts against the corresponding clamping block (43).

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