Sorting machine and sorting system

Abstract

The invention discloses a sorting machine and a sorting system, and the sorting machine comprises a first track, a second track, a plurality of sorting modules, a plurality of connecting pieces, and at least one driving unit which is arranged in a module chain and is used for driving the sorting modules to circularly run along the tracks; each of the first track and the second track comprises a base and a convex guide rail which is arranged on the base and is connected with the base; each sorting module comprises a supporting column and a sorting module, the first guide wheel set is arranged at the upper end of the supporting column and makes rolling contact with the guide rail vertical face of the first rail. The second guide wheel group is arranged at the lower end of the supporting column and is in rolling contact with the guide rail vertical surface of the second rail; the auxiliary guide wheel is arranged at the bottom of the supporting column, is in rolling contact with the surface of the base of the second track and is used for bearing the vertical load of the sorting module and assisting in guiding; and the sorting vehicle group is mounted on the supporting column. According to the sorting machine, the number of wheels is greatly reduced, the rail machining precision requirement and the purchase cost are lowered, and potential fault points are remarkably reduced.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of goods sorting, in particular to a sorting machine and a sorting system. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the modern industrial fields such as logistics storage and e-commerce sorting, an automatic sorting system is the core equipment to improve efficiency. Among them, the sorting system based on the circulating operation module is widely used due to its continuous operation capability. The core of such a system is how to realize the efficient, stable and reliable circulation movement of the sorting module.

[0003] The early sorting system usually adopts a chain transmission scheme (for example, the patent applications with publication numbers CN115870236A and CN116713197A). In this scheme, each sorting module is connected with the upper and lower transmission chains respectively, and all the modules are driven to walk synchronously by the chains. However, this technical scheme has obvious drawbacks. Since the modules themselves need to bear the full weight of the transmission chains, in order to prevent the chains from being severely sagged, abnormally meshed and even accelerated wear due to too large span, the spacing between the modules is strictly limited. This directly restricts the flexibility of system layout, and the inherent characteristics of the chains result in larger running noise and higher energy loss. The maintenance cost and service life of long-term operation are challenged.

[0004] To overcome the defects of chain transmission, subsequent technical development has developed a hinged module scheme (such as CN219448097U). In this scheme, adjacent lifting power modules are directly connected through a hinge, forming a continuous "module chain", and are driven by the self-contained active walking mechanism or an external power unit. This eliminates the heavy chains, reduces power consumption and allows more flexible layout. However, this scheme usually focuses on the improvement of space utilization, such as using multi-layer structure of the chute and the bin to save floor area. Its single-line sorting efficiency has not been significantly improved compared with the traditional way, and the system throughput is bottlenecked.

[0005] In addition, in the process of pursuing higher performance and reliability, some schemes try to ensure the running accuracy through complex mechanical structures, such as the walking guide structure adopted by CN119460595A. The track cross-sectional shape design is complex, which needs to configure a large number of guide wheels and bearing wheels to work together, resulting in a bulky system structure, high manufacturing cost, and high requirements for processing precision, installation and debugging, and daily maintenance. The economic benefit and practicability are poor.

[0006] Therefore, there is an urgent need in the field for a new sorting system driving and guiding scheme that can have the characteristics of high efficiency, high reliability, low maintenance cost and excellent economy. While ensuring significant improvement of sorting efficiency, it simplifies the mechanical structure and reduces the manufacturing and operation and maintenance cost. SUMMARY

[0007] In view of the above problems, the present application is proposed in order to provide a sorting machine and a sorting system which overcome the above problems or at least partially solve the above problems.

[0008] According to an aspect of the present application, a sorting machine is provided, comprising: a first track and a second track oppositely arranged, each of the first track and the second track being a closed loop structure; a plurality of sorting modules arranged at intervals between the first track and the second track; a plurality of connecting members for hingedly connecting adjacent sorting modules to form a continuous running module chain; at least one driving unit arranged in the module chain for driving the sorting modules to circulate along the tracks; wherein the first track and the second track each comprise a base and a raised rail arranged on and connected to the base; any sorting module comprises: a support column; a first guide wheel set arranged at an upper end of the support column and in rolling contact with a vertical surface of the rail of the first track; a second guide wheel set arranged at a lower end of the support column and in rolling contact with a vertical surface of the rail of the second track; an auxiliary guide wheel arranged at a bottom of the support column and in rolling contact with a surface of the base of the second track for bearing the vertical load of the sorting module and assisting in guiding; and a sorting trolley group mounted on the support column.

[0009] Optionally, in the sorting machine according to the present application, the driving unit comprises: a main mounting plate configured to be fixedly connected with the connecting member; a first compensation mounting plate movably connected to a first side of the main mounting plate in a manner that allows the first compensation mounting plate to move relative to the main mounting plate in a direction perpendicular to the vertical surface of the rail of the second track; a second compensation mounting plate movably connected to a second side of the main mounting plate, the first side and the second side being respectively located on two sides of the rail of the second track, the second compensation mounting plate being movable relative to the main mounting plate in a direction perpendicular to the vertical surface of the rail of the second track; a driving wheel fixedly mounted at a bottom of the first compensation mounting plate, a wheel surface of the driving wheel being configured to be in rolling contact with the vertical surface of the rail of the second track; a follower wheel fixedly mounted at a bottom of the second compensation mounting plate, a wheel surface of the follower wheel being configured to be in rolling contact with the vertical surface of the rail of the second track; and a driving member fixedly mounted on the first compensation mounting plate and electrically connected with the driving wheel for driving the driving wheel to move.

[0010] Optionally, in the sorting machine according to the present application, the first guide wheel set or the second guide wheel set comprises: a T-shaped connecting plate fixedly connected with an end of the support column; a first cross rod hingedly connected at a first end bottom of the T-shaped connecting plate via a connecting shaft, two ends of the first cross rod being respectively located on two sides of the vertical surface of the rail of the adjacent track; a second cross rod hingedly connected at a second end bottom of the T-shaped connecting plate via a connecting shaft, two ends of the second cross rod being respectively located on two sides of the vertical surface of the rail of the adjacent track; and a guide wheel set comprising four guide wheels, each guide wheel being mounted at one end of the first cross rod or the second cross rod, a running surface of each guide wheel being configured to abut against the vertical surface of the rail of the first track or the second track so as to roll and frictionally run on the vertical surface of the rail.

[0011] Optionally, in the sorting machine according to the present application, the auxiliary guide wheel is arranged at the bottom of the third end of the T-shaped connecting plate of the second guide wheel group, and the running surface thereof is configured to abut against the base of the second track to run by rolling friction on the base surface.

[0012] Optionally, in the sorting machine according to the present application, the driving unit further comprises a screw rod, which is sequentially threaded and connected with the first compensation mounting plate and the second compensation mounting plate to connect them in series; and a compression spring, which is sleeved on the screw rod, and the non-extendable end of which abuts against the second compensation mounting plate to apply an elastic force to the second compensation mounting plate to make it have a movement trend of approaching or moving away from the first compensation mounting plate.

[0013] Optionally, in the sorting machine according to the present application, the connecting member connects adjacent sorting modules through a connecting shaft.

[0014] Optionally, in the sorting machine according to the present application, the end of the screw rod close to the second compensation mounting plate is provided with a nut and a nut washer, and the non-extendable end of the compression spring abuts against the nut washer.

[0015] Optionally, in the sorting machine according to the present application, the auxiliary guide wheel is a universal wheel.

[0016] Optionally, in the sorting machine according to the present application, the sorting trolley group comprises at least one sorting belt, and each sorting belt is sequentially mounted on the support column.

[0017] Optionally, in the sorting machine according to the present application, the number of sorting belts is 2, and the sorting belt group further comprises an elevator, and each sorting belt is mounted on the support column in a liftable manner by the sorting machine.

[0018] Optionally, in the sorting machine according to the present application, the number of sorting belts is 4, and each sorting belt is fixedly connected to the support column at a predetermined interval.

[0019] According to still another aspect of the present application, there is provided a sorting system, comprising: a plurality of feeding machines for providing materials; the sorting machine as described above for sorting the materials provided by the feeding machines; and a bin for carrying the sorted materials.

[0020] According to still another aspect of the present application, there is provided a computing device, comprising: at least one processor; and a memory storing program instructions configured to be adapted for execution by the at least one processor, the program instructions comprising instructions for performing the above method.

[0021] According to still another aspect of the present application, there is provided a readable storage medium storing program instructions, which, when read and executed by a computing device, causes the computing device to perform the above method.

[0022] According to the scheme of the present application, by means of the "main orientation + auxiliary load bearing" wheel system layout, the horizontal freedom degree is constrained by the upper and lower orientation wheel groups, and the bottom auxiliary wheel bears the vertical load, so that the special wheel is realized. This design greatly reduces the number of wheels, reduces the track machining precision requirement and procurement cost, and significantly reduces the potential failure points. The system operation stability and reliability are significantly improved, the load distribution of each wheel group is reasonable, and the eccentric wear and vibration are avoided. The simplified wheel-rail contact relationship also improves the motion accuracy and dynamic response, laying a foundation for efficient sorting operation. The overall structure reduces the cost while comprehensively improving the comprehensive performance of the equipment.

[0023] The above description is only a summary of the technical scheme of the present application. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present application, the content of the specification can be implemented, and in order to make the above and other purposes, characteristics and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific embodiments of the present application are described below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0024] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a description of the preferred embodiments and are not meant to limit the present application. Moreover, the same reference numerals are used throughout the various drawings to designate identical elements. In the drawings:

[0025] Figure 1 A structural schematic diagram of a sorting system 100 according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0026] Figure 2 A structural schematic diagram of a sorting machine 200 according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0027] Figure 3 A structural schematic diagram of a sorting module 230 according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0028] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the arrangement of a sorting belt 2351 according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0029] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the arrangement of a sorting belt 2351 according to another embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0030] Figure 6 A structural schematic diagram of a drive unit 250 according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0031] Figure 7 A connection relationship diagram of a drive unit 250 and a guide rail 222 according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it is understood that the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited by the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure can be more thoroughly understood, and the scope of the present disclosure can be accurately conveyed to those skilled in the art.

[0033] In the evolution of automated sorting systems, to ensure the stability and trajectory accuracy of the sorting module at high speed, the design of the walking guide structure is crucial. The prior art adopts a track with a complex cross-sectional shape in pursuit of high rigidity and high precision, usually requiring multiple guide surfaces and load-bearing surfaces, and correspondingly configuring a large number of guide wheels, horizontal limit wheels and load-bearing wheels to contact and constrain the track from multiple directions such as up, down, left and right.

[0034] However, the disadvantages of such a structure are very significant. First, the manufacturing cost is high, the complex cross-sectional shape of the track requires very high extrusion molding or machining process, resulting in a sharp increase in mold cost and processing cost; at the same time, the large number of special rollers also significantly increases the material procurement cost and the complexity and time cost of assembly and debugging. Second, the reliability is challenged, too many kinematic pairs (i.e. the contact points of the wheels and the track) mean that the potential failure points also increase, it is extremely difficult to ensure that all the rollers are in perfect contact with the track and the load is evenly distributed in the long run, and small processing or installation errors can easily cause individual rollers to be suspended or overloaded, thereby causing abnormal wear and generating vibration noise, which in turn affects the stability of the system. In addition, the maintenance is poor: the daily inspection, lubrication and replacement of damaged roller systems are cumbersome, the maintenance workload is large, and the effective operation time of the equipment is affected. Therefore, although this scheme can improve performance, the inherent complexity, high cost and poor maintainability of the structure restrict its promotion in scenarios that require high cost performance and large-scale application.

[0035] To solve the problems existing in the prior art, the scheme of the present application is proposed. The present application proposes a sorting machine and a sorting system, which realizes the specialization of rollers through the layout of "main guide + auxiliary load-bearing" roller system, with the upper and lower guide wheel groups constraining the horizontal degrees of freedom and the bottom auxiliary wheels bearing the vertical load. This design significantly reduces the number of rollers, reduces the processing precision requirement of the track and procurement cost, and significantly reduces the potential failure points. The system running stability and reliability are significantly improved, the load distribution of each roller group is reasonable, and the eccentric wear and vibration are avoided. The simplified roller-track contact relationship also improves the motion accuracy and dynamic responsiveness, laying a foundation for efficient sorting operation. The overall structure reduces the cost while improving the comprehensive performance of the equipment.

[0036] In addition, the scheme realizes the synergistic multiplication of the space utilization rate and the sorting efficiency of the sorting system by adopting a multi-layer lifting vehicle structure and a multi-layer sorting belt form. The core technical effect is that, by intensive use of the vertical space, the sorting operation surface is successfully expanded from a single layer to multiple layers without increasing the floor area, so that the sorting capacity (throughput) per unit area of the system is improved by several times, greatly relieving the contradiction between the shortage of land resources and the expansion of business scale.

[0037] In addition, the structure realizes the parallel processing capability of "space for time". The multi-layer sorting belt can work independently or cooperatively, allowing multiple orders or destinations to be sorted in the same time unit, significantly shortening the overall processing cycle of the order, improving the system response speed and processing flexibility. The lifting vehicle structure realizes the intelligent connection and accurate transfer of materials between different levels, ensuring the continuity and efficiency of the internal logistics of the system. In summary, the design is an ideal solution for high-density and high-flow sorting scenarios, and has significant advantages in e-commerce logistics, intelligent manufacturing and other fields.

[0038] Figure 1 A structural schematic diagram of a sorting system 100 according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. Figure 2 A structural schematic diagram of a sorting machine 200 according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. Figure 3 A structural schematic diagram of a sorting module 230 according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the arrangement of a sorting belt 2351 according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the arrangement of a sorting belt 2351 according to another embodiment of the present application is shown. Figure 6 A structural schematic diagram of a driving unit 250 according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. Figure 7 A connection relationship diagram of a driving unit 250 and a guide rail 222 according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0039] As shown in Figure 1 The sorting system 100 includes a plurality of feeding machines 110, a sorting machine 200, and a warehouse 120.

[0040] The feeding machine 110 can be used to provide materials, which is a key equipment in the front end of the automated sorting system, and its core role is to automatically, quickly and orderly deliver unordered or stacked packages one by one to the main sorting line (i.e. the sorting machine 200), to prepare for subsequent scanning, identification and sorting. It is essentially a "feeder" of the sorting system, and its performance directly determines the upper limit of the efficiency of the entire sorting system.

[0041] The sorting machine 200 is used for sorting the materials provided by the feeder 110. The sorting machine 200 is the core equipment of a modern logistics, warehousing and distribution center, and is an automatic system capable of automatically, quickly and accurately classifying and guiding articles (such as packages, boxes, documents, etc.) according to their destinations to corresponding bins 120. It replaces the traditional mode relying on manual visual sorting, and is the key to improving logistics efficiency, reducing operating costs and realizing intelligentization.

[0042] The bin 120 is used for carrying the sorted materials of the sorting machine 120. In a logistics automation and production system, the bin 120 refers to a standardized storage area or container used for concentrating, temporarily storing and managing materials to be processed (such as raw materials, semi-finished products and finished product packages). It is a buffer hub connecting upstream and downstream processes, and the core goal is to ensure that the materials can be "stored in an orderly manner and taken efficiently", providing stable and continuous material supply for subsequent feeding, sorting or production links.

[0043] As shown in Figures 2-7 The sorting machine 200 includes a first track 210, a second track 220, a plurality of sorting modules 230, a plurality of connecting pieces 240 and at least one driving unit 250 arranged oppositely.

[0044] The first track 210 and the second track 220 respectively enclose the same shape and closed ring structure.

[0045] The first track 210 includes a base 211 and a protruding guide rail 212 (hereinafter referred to as an upper guide rail 212) arranged on and connected to the base 211, and the cross section of the upper guide rail 212 is rectangular or square. Similarly, the second track 220 includes a base 221 and a protruding guide rail 222 (hereinafter referred to as a lower guide rail 222) arranged on and connected to the base 221, and the cross section of the lower guide rail 222 is rectangular or square.

[0046] The plurality of sorting modules 230 are arranged at intervals between the first track 210 and the second track 220.

[0047] Any sorting module 230 includes a support column 231, a first guide wheel set 232, a second guide wheel set 233, an auxiliary guide wheel 234 and a sorting trolley set 235.

[0048] The first guide wheel set 232 and the second guide wheel set 233 are arranged at the upper and lower ends of the support column 231, respectively. The first guide wheel set 232 is in rolling contact with the guide rail surface of the upper guide rail 212 of the first track 210 (i.e., the first guide wheel set can slide on the guide rail surface of the guide rail 212), and the second guide wheel set 233 is in rolling contact with the guide rail surface of the lower guide rail 222 of the second track 220 (i.e., the second guide wheel set can slide on the guide rail surface of the guide rail 222).

[0049] In some embodiments, the first guide wheel assembly 232 includes a T-shaped connecting plate 2321, a first crossbar 2322, a second crossbar 2323, a plurality of connecting shafts 2324, and a guide wheel assembly 2325.

[0050] The T-shaped connecting plate 2321 is fixedly connected to the upper end of the support column 231.

[0051] The first crossbar 2322 is hinged to the bottom of the first end of the T-shaped connecting plate 2321 via the connecting shaft 2324, and the two ends of the first crossbar 2322 are respectively located on both sides of the guide rail surface of its adjacent guide rail (i.e., the upper guide rail 212 of the first track 210).

[0052] The second crossbar 2323 is hinged to the bottom of the second end of the T-shaped connecting plate 2321 via the connecting shaft 2324, and the two ends of the second crossbar 2323 are respectively located on both sides of the guide rail surface of its adjacent guide rail (i.e., the upper guide rail 212 of the first rail 210).

[0053] The first and second ends of the T-shaped connecting plate 2321 are two ends of a “I”-shaped structure.

[0054] The guide wheel assembly 2325 includes four guide wheels, each of which is installed at one end of the first crossbar 2322 or the second crossbar 2323 (i.e., two of the four guide wheels are fixed to the first and second ends of the first crossbar 2322, and the remaining two guide wheels are fixed to the first and second ends of the second crossbar 2323, respectively). The traveling surface of each guide wheel is configured to abut against the guide rail surface of the first track 210 so as to roll and rub against the guide rail surface.

[0055] It should be noted that the second guide wheel assembly 233 in this embodiment has the same structure as the first guide wheel assembly 232. The second guide wheel assembly 233 also includes a T-shaped connecting plate 2331, a first crossbar 2332, a second crossbar 2333, multiple connecting shafts 2334 and a guide wheel assembly 2335. The components it contains have the same structure and function as the corresponding components of the first guide wheel assembly 232, and will not be described again here.

[0056] The auxiliary guide wheel 234 is arranged at the bottom of the support column 231 near the second guide wheel group 233. Specifically, the auxiliary guide wheel 234 is arranged at the third end of the T-shaped connecting plate of the second guide wheel group 233, and its running surface is configured to roll in contact with the surface of the base 221 of the second track 220 so as to roll and rub against the base surface. The auxiliary guide wheel 234 can bear the vertical load of the sorting module 230 and assist in guidance. At the same time, the auxiliary guide wheel 234 works in conjunction with the second guide wheel group 233, which is responsible for lateral guidance, to constrain the posture of the sorting module 230 during operation, prevent it from tipping over, and ensure smooth operation.

[0057] In some embodiments, the auxiliary guide wheel 234 is a swivel wheel.

[0058] The sorting vehicle assembly 235 is mounted on the support column 231 and includes multiple sorting belts 2351, each sorting belt 2351 being sequentially mounted on the support column 231.

[0059] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, there are two sorting belts 2351. The sorting unit 235 also includes a lift 2352. Each sorting belt 2351 is mounted on the support column 231 in a liftable manner via the lift 2352. The two sorting belts 2351 share a single lifting frame and a set of lifting power (lift 2352), and lift synchronously. Each sorting belt 2351 can receive goods from the feeder 110 and feed them into the hopper 120. In this way, the number of goods received and fed doubles with each rotation of the equipment, thus doubling the efficiency.

[0060] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, there are four sorting belts 2351, each fixed to the support column 231 at a predetermined interval. Four or more sorting belts 2351 are fixedly arranged at certain intervals on the support column 231. Each sorting belt 2351 does not need to be raised or lowered. Feeding is achieved by feeding machines 110 at different heights in the feeding area. Destination items are set up in columns in the hopper 120. Goods with the same destination on different layers of sorting belts 2351 are simply delivered to the corresponding grid column. This efficiency-enhancing method sacrifices grid density, but can significantly improve sorting efficiency.

[0061] Multiple connectors 240 are used to hinge adjacent sorting modules 230 to form a continuously operating module chain.

[0062] The connector 240 is connected to the adjacent sorting module 230 via the connecting shaft 2324 and the connecting shaft 2334.

[0063] A drive unit 250 is disposed in the module chain and is used to drive the sorting module 230 to run cyclically along the track. The drive unit 250 is fixed in the module chain by connectors 240, and one drive unit 250 can be disposed every few connectors 240.

[0064] like Figures 6-7 As shown, the drive unit 250 includes a main mounting plate 251, a first compensation mounting plate 252, a second compensation mounting plate 253, a drive wheel 254, a follower wheel 255, a drive component 256, a lead screw 257, and a compression spring 258.

[0065] The main mounting plate 251 is configured to be fixedly connected to the connector 240. The connector 240 has an opening for fitting the main mounting plate 241 through the opening and snapping it onto the connector 240.

[0066] The first compensation mounting plate 252 is movably connected to the first side of the main mounting plate 251 in a manner that allows the first compensation mounting plate 252 to move relative to the main mounting plate 251 in a direction perpendicular to the rail face of the second track 220 (i.e. the first compensation mounting plate 252 and the main mounting plate 251 can move relative to each other in a horizontal direction).

[0067] The second compensation mounting plate 253 is movably connected to the second side of the main mounting plate 251.

[0068] The first side and the second side of the main mounting plate 251 are respectively located on two sides of the lower rail 222 of the second track 220, and the second compensation mounting plate 253 can move relative to the main mounting plate 251 in a direction perpendicular to the rail face of the second track 220.

[0069] The drive wheel 254 is fixedly installed on the bottom of the first compensation mounting plate 252, and the wheel face thereof is arranged to form rolling contact with the rail face of the second track 220.

[0070] The driven wheel 255 is fixedly installed on the bottom of the second compensation mounting plate 253, and the wheel face thereof is arranged to form rolling contact with the rail face of the second track 220.

[0071] The drive member 256 is fixedly installed on the first compensation mounting plate 252 and electrically connected to the drive wheel 254 for driving the drive wheel 254 to move.

[0072] The lead screw 257 is sequentially arranged through and connected to the first compensation mounting plate 252 and the second compensation mounting plate 253, connecting the two in series.

[0073] The compression spring 258 is sleeved on the lead screw 257, and the extendable end thereof abuts against the second compensation mounting plate 253 for applying an elastic force to the second compensation mounting plate 253 to make it have a movement trend of approaching or moving away from the first compensation mounting plate 252. The end of the lead screw 257 close to the second compensation mounting plate 253 is arranged with a nut and a nut washer, and the non-extendable end of the compression spring 258 abuts against the nut washer.

[0074] The driving unit 250 is under the action of the compression spring 258 and the screw rod 257, the first compensation mounting plate 252 and the second compensation mounting plate 253 are pressed downward to the lower guide rail 222, the driving wheel 254 and the follower wheel 255 are pressed on the vertical surface of the lower guide rail 222, and the driving wheel 254 is provided with a positive pressure for walking on the vertical surface. When passing through the arc segment guide rail, the sorting module 230 and the main mounting plate 251 move to the arc center relative to the lower guide rail 222, and since the first compensation mounting plate 252 and the second compensation mounting plate 253 can move relative to the main mounting plate 251, the components mounted thereon can also move together, and at the same time, the driving wheel 254 and the follower wheel 255 are always pressed on the vertical surface of the lower guide rail 222 under the action of the spring 257, and the driving wheel 254 is provided with a positive pressure for walking on the vertical surface. This scheme not only has a compact structure and can be installed at the position of the connecting rod, but also saves the ring line space, and has strong applicability and can work normally on the arc segment guide rail.

[0075] The sorting machine 200 provided by the application realizes special wheel for special use through the "main guide + auxiliary load bearing" wheel system layout, the horizontal freedom degree is constrained by the upper and lower guide wheel group, and the vertical load is borne by the bottom auxiliary wheel. This design greatly reduces the number of wheels, reduces the machining precision requirement of the track and the procurement cost, and significantly reduces the potential fault points. The system running stability and reliability are significantly improved, the load distribution of each wheel group is reasonable, and the eccentric wear and vibration are avoided. The simplified wheel and track contact relationship also improves the motion accuracy and dynamic responsiveness, lays a foundation for efficient sorting operation, and comprehensively improves the comprehensive performance of the equipment while reducing the cost.

[0076] In addition, the scheme realizes the synergistic multiplication of the space utilization rate and the sorting efficiency of the sorting system through the adoption of the multi-layer lifting vehicle structure and the multi-layer sorting belt form. The core technical effect lies in that, through the intensive use of the vertical space, the sorting operation surface is successfully expanded from a single layer to multiple layers without increasing the floor area, so that the sorting capacity (throughput) per unit area of the system is improved by several times, greatly relieving the contradiction between the land resource shortage and the business scale expansion.

[0077] In addition, the structure realizes the parallel processing capability of "space for time". The multi-layer sorting belt can work independently or cooperatively, allowing multiple orders or destinations to be sorted in the same time unit, significantly shortening the overall order processing cycle and improving the system response speed and processing flexibility. The lifting vehicle structure realizes the intelligent connection and accurate transfer of materials between different levels, ensuring the coherence and efficiency of the internal logistics of the system. In summary, the design is an ideal solution for high-density and high-flow sorting scenarios, and has significant advantages in e-commerce logistics, intelligent manufacturing and other fields.

[0078] In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the application can be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description.

[0079] As used herein, unless otherwise indicated, the use of the ordinal adjectives "first", "second", "third", etc., are to add specificity and difference to a term, and are not intended to indicate a temporal or chronological order or sequence. Terms such as "first", "second", "third", etc., are used to distinguish between different elements, and are not intended to indicate a temporal or chronological order or sequence.

[0080] While the application has been described in terms of several embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the application can be practiced with modifications and alterations limited only by the spirit and scope of the claims. Additionally, although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the application but as merely providing illustrations of specific embodiments of the application. Thus, the scope of the application should be determined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A sorting machine, comprising: The first and second tracks are set relative to each other, and both the first and second tracks are closed loop structures. Multiple sorting modules are arranged at intervals along the first track and the second track; Multiple connectors are used to hinge adjacent sorting modules to form a continuously operating module chain; At least one drive unit is disposed in the module chain for driving the sorting module to run cyclically along the track; The first track and the second track both include a base and a raised guide rail disposed on and connected to the base. Any of the sorting modules includes: Support column; The first guide wheel assembly is located at the upper end of the support column and makes rolling contact with the guide rail surface of the first track; The second guide wheel assembly is located at the lower end of the support column and makes rolling contact with the guide rail surface of the second track; An auxiliary guide wheel is located at the bottom of the support column and rolls in contact with the base surface of the second track to bear the vertical load of the sorting module and provide auxiliary guidance. The sorting cart assembly is mounted on the support column.

2. The sorting machine as described in claim 1, wherein, The driving unit includes: A main mounting plate, configured to be fixedly connected to the connector; A first compensation mounting plate is movably connected to the first side of the main mounting plate, such that the first compensation mounting plate can move relative to the main mounting plate in a direction perpendicular to the second track guide surface. The second compensation mounting plate is movably connected to the second side of the main mounting plate. The first side and the second side are respectively located on both sides of the second track guide. The second compensation mounting plate can move relative to the main mounting plate in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the second track guide. The drive wheel is fixedly installed at the bottom of the first compensation mounting plate, and its wheel surface is configured to make rolling contact with the guide rail surface of the second track. The follower wheel is fixedly installed at the bottom of the second compensation mounting plate, and its wheel surface is configured to form rolling contact with the guide rail surface of the second track. A driving component is fixedly mounted on the first compensation mounting plate and electrically connected to the driving wheel for driving the driving wheel to move.

3. The sorting machine as described in claim 1, wherein, The first guide wheel assembly or the second guide wheel assembly includes: The T-shaped connecting plate is fixedly connected to the end of the support column; The first crossbar is hinged to the bottom of the first end of the T-shaped connecting plate via a connecting shaft, with its two ends located on both sides of the guide rail surface of the adjacent guide rail; The second crossbar is hinged to the bottom of the second end of the T-shaped connecting plate via a connecting shaft, with its two ends located on both sides of the guide rail surface of the adjacent guide rail; The guide wheel assembly includes four guide wheels, each of which is installed at one end of the first or second crossbar. The traveling surface of each guide wheel is configured to abut against the guide surface of the first or second track so as to roll and rub against the guide surface.

4. The sorting machine as described in claim 3, wherein, The auxiliary guide wheel is arranged at the bottom of the third end of the T-shaped connecting plate of the second guide wheel assembly, and its traveling surface is configured to abut against the base of the second track so as to roll and rub against the base surface.

5. The sorting machine as described in claim 2, wherein, The drive unit further includes: A lead screw is sequentially threaded through and connected to the first compensation mounting plate and the second compensation mounting plate, thus connecting the two in series. A compression spring, sleeved on the lead screw, has its telescopic end abutting against the second compensation mounting plate, and is used to apply an elastic force to the second compensation mounting plate to make it move closer to or away from the first compensation mounting plate.

6. The sorting machine as described in claim 3, wherein, The connector connects adjacent sorting modules via the connecting shaft.

7. The sorting machine as described in claim 5, wherein, A nut and a nut washer are arranged at one end of the lead screw near the second compensation mounting plate, and the non-extendable end of the compression spring abuts against the nut washer.

8. The sorting machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein, The auxiliary guide wheel is a swivel wheel.

9. The sorting machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The sorting vehicle group includes: At least one sorting belt, and each sorting belt is sequentially mounted on the support column.

10. The sorting machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein, The sorting belts are in the number of 2, and the sorting belt group also includes a lift. Each sorting belt is installed on the support column in a liftable manner through the sorting machine.

11. The sorting machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein, The number of sorting belts is 4, and each sorting belt is fixed to the support column at a predetermined interval.

12. A sorting system, comprising: Multiple feeders are used to supply materials; The sorting machine as described in any one of claims 1-11 is used to sort materials provided by the feeder; A hopper is used to hold sorted materials.

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