A four-way shuttle and its control method

Abstract

This invention provides a four-way shuttle and its control method, comprising: a vehicle body, including a lifting component mounted on a support plate; a wheel assembly, including first wheel components and second wheel components disposed around the perimeter of the vehicle body; a transmission assembly, including a first long shaft and a first short shaft for connecting two first wheel transmission components, and a second long shaft and a second short shaft for connecting two second wheel components; a baffle assembly, including multiple baffles respectively disposed inside the wheel assembly; and a switching assembly, including a reversing component and a tangential component, wherein the reversing component is disposed on the first long shaft, and both ends of the tangential component are respectively connected to the baffles and either the first wheel component or the second wheel component. This invention solves the problem in the prior art of lacking a low-cost, small-sized, and stable four-way shuttle and its control method.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of energy-saving technology, and in particular to a four-way shuttle and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of modern logistics, automated storage and retrieval systems (AS / RS) have become key equipment for achieving efficient warehousing and intelligent logistics. Among these, high-density storage systems, by optimizing space utilization, can significantly reduce land costs and operating energy consumption, making them a key development direction for the industry. In such systems, the performance of the equipment that enables the automated storage, retrieval, and handling of goods within the racking and aisle is crucial.

[0003] As a core handling device in dense storage systems, the four-way shuttle effectively solves the problem of insufficient flexibility in traditional shuttle and stacker crane systems due to its ability to move flexibly in four directions (front, back, left, and right) within a plane. In existing technologies, a typical four-way shuttle usually lifts goods by using a top plate, raising their height above the rack support surface, thus enabling movement along four-way tracks. Upon reaching the target location, the top plate lowers, lowering the goods below the support surface, and placing them in the designated storage location on the rack. This "lift-transfer-lower" working mode is the foundation for achieving efficient and precise transfer of goods on a two-dimensional planar grid.

[0004] However, existing four-way shuttle technology still has significant drawbacks. The operation relies on multiple independent drive components, each responsible for reversing, lifting the top panel, and four-way movement. This results in a complex system structure, high cost, and a large space requirement, limiting the miniaturization and compact design of the shuttle. Furthermore, during cargo transport, the increased center of gravity makes the cargo prone to swaying or even tipping over, posing safety hazards. While some existing solutions improve cargo stability by adding baffle structures, this typically requires additional drive components, further increasing the overall size and cost of the vehicle and limiting its flexibility in application scenarios. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on this, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a four-way shuttle, which aims to solve the problem that there is a lack of a low-cost, small-sized and stable four-way shuttle and its control method in the prior art.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a four-way shuttle vehicle includes: a vehicle body for transporting goods, including a lifting component disposed on a support plate; a wheel assembly including a first wheel component and a second wheel component symmetrically disposed on two mutually perpendicular directions of the vehicle body; a transmission assembly including a first long shaft and a first short shaft for connecting the two first wheel transmission components, and a second long shaft and a second short shaft for connecting the two second wheel components; a baffle assembly including a plurality of baffles disposed on the inner sides of the first wheel component and the second wheel component; and a switching assembly including a reversing component and a tangential component. The reversing component is disposed on the first long shaft and is used to control the engagement and disengagement between the first short shaft and the first long shaft, and synchronously control the second short shaft and the second long shaft to perform opposite connection states. The two ends of the tangential component are respectively connected to the baffles and the first wheel component or the second wheel component, and are used to enable the baffles on the same side to move synchronously in opposite directions to the first wheel component or the second wheel component. When the first short shaft is engaged with the first long shaft, the reversing component drives the second wheel component to rise; when disengaged, it drives it to fall.

[0007] In addition, a four-way shuttle vehicle according to the above embodiments of the present invention may also have the following additional technical features:

[0008] Preferably, the reversing component includes a sleeve sleeved on the first long shaft and a driving member for driving the sleeve to move linearly. A first bevel gear is provided on the outer side of the sleeve, and a second bevel gear adapted to the first bevel gear is provided on the second long shaft and the second short shaft. A limiting block is provided at one end of the inner side of the sleeve, and a gear ring is provided at the other end. The limiting block is embedded in the limiting groove of the first long shaft, and a first gear adapted to the gear ring is provided on the first short shaft.

[0009] Preferably, both the first wheel component and the second wheel component include a plurality of wheels, a first connecting plate connected to the drive shaft of the plurality of wheels, and a second connecting plate connecting two parallel first connecting plates, wherein the second connecting plates of the first wheel component and the second wheel component are staggered.

[0010] Preferably, the reversing component includes two transmission rods respectively disposed on both sides of the first long shaft;

[0011] The second connecting plate of the first wheel component and the first connecting plate of the second wheel component are both provided with a Z-shaped transmission groove adapted to the transmission rod, and the two transmission grooves are point-symmetrical about a point on the axis of the first long shaft.

[0012] Preferably, the tangential component includes a transmission plate, two first fixing plates respectively disposed parallel to the baffle and the first connecting plate, and two second fixing plates disposed parallel to the support plate. The two sides of the transmission plate are rotatably connected to the first fixing plate and the second fixing plate respectively, and the distance between the second fixing plate and the baffle is greater than the distance between the second fixing plate and the first connecting plate.

[0013] Preferably, the baffle is hinged to movable plates at both ends of its top, and a reaction plate is sleeved on its outer side. The top of the reaction plate is fixedly connected to the support plate. The baffle is provided with a transmission component, which is connected to the baffle body and the movable plate respectively. When the baffle moves vertically relative to the fixed reaction plate, the transmission component converts the vertical displacement of the baffle into the deflection motion of the movable plate.

[0014] Preferably, the transmission component includes a vertical shaft connected to the movable plate and a horizontal shaft disposed at the bottom of the vertical shaft and rotatably connected to the baffle. The vertical shaft and the horizontal shaft are respectively provided with mutually adapted third bevel gears, and the horizontal shaft is also provided with a second gear. The inner top area of ​​the reaction plate is provided with a rack adapted to the second gear.

[0015] Preferably, the ends of the first long shaft, the second long shaft, the first short shaft, and the second short shaft are each provided with a third fixing plate, and each of the third fixing plates is connected to the support plate;

[0016] Each of the third fixing plates is also connected to the corresponding wheel assembly via a universal joint drive component;

[0017] The universal joint drive component is used to maintain a transmission connection between each wheel and its corresponding axle when the shuttle is moving.

[0018] Preferably, both the baffle and the support plate are provided with hollow grooves so that the baffle, the support plate, the wheels and the shelf do not interfere with each other.

[0019] Furthermore, the present invention also provides a four-way shuttle control method for controlling the aforementioned four-way shuttle to transport goods, the method comprising:

[0020] The four-way shuttle is controlled to move to the preset starting position by the drive transmission assembly; the lifting component is controlled by the control module to lift the goods, and at this time the baffle in the direction of the four-way shuttle movement is raised; the position module determines whether the four-way shuttle needs to change direction. If so, the switching component is controlled to switch the first wheel transmission assembly and the second wheel transmission assembly, and the baffle is switched; the four-way shuttle is controlled to move to the preset ending position by the drive transmission assembly, and the lifting component is controlled by the control module to lower the goods.

[0021] This invention, through the configuration of a transmission assembly, enables the first and second wheel components of the wheel assembly to move in the corresponding directions via transmission engagement of a first long shaft and a first short shaft, and a second long shaft and a second short shaft, respectively. Furthermore, by using a reversing component on a switching assembly, the engagement and disengagement of the first short shaft and the first long shaft are controlled, while simultaneously controlling the second short shaft and the second long shaft to maintain opposite connection states, thereby switching the wheel transmission direction. When the first short shaft engages with the first long shaft, the reversing component lifts the second wheel component; when disengaged, it lowers it. This ensures that after the transmission direction is switched, the wheel parallel to the vehicle's direction of travel is lifted and suspended, preventing it from obstructing the vehicle's movement, thus completing the vehicle's reversing function. Additionally, due to the presence of a tangential component, the baffle on the same side moves synchronously in the opposite direction to either the first or second wheel component. Simultaneously, as one wheel lifts, the baffle on the same side lowers; conversely, as another wheel lowers and contacts the rack, the baffle on the same side rises. Thus, a single drive component achieves the vehicle's reversing function and the automatic switching of the baffle. Therefore, the present invention solves the problem of the lack of a low-cost, small-sized, and stable four-way shuttle vehicle and its control method in the prior art. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a four-way shuttle vehicle in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a front view of the hidden support plate and lifting components of the four-way shuttle in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the four-way shuttle car behind the hidden support plate and lifting component in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure after the sleeve is concealed;

[0026] Figure 5 for Figure 3 A magnified view of a portion at point A;

[0027] Figure 6 for Figure 3 A structural diagram from another perspective;

[0028] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A magnified view of the area at point B;

[0029] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the sleeve in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 9This is an assembly diagram of the reaction plate, movable plate, and transmission component in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a universal transmission component in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Detailed Implementation

[0033] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, it will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate several embodiments of the invention. However, the invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the disclosure of the invention more thorough and complete.

[0034] It should be noted that when a component is said to be "fixed to" another component, it can be directly on the other component or there may be an intervening component. When a component is said to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.

[0035] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the specification of this invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0036] Please see Figures 1 to 10The image shows a four-way shuttle vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, including a vehicle body 10 for transporting goods, including a lifting component 12 disposed on a support plate 11; a wheel assembly 20, including a first wheel component 21 and a second wheel component 22 respectively symmetrically disposed on two mutually perpendicular directions of the vehicle body 10; a transmission assembly 30, including a first long shaft 31 and a first short shaft 32 for connecting the two first wheel transmission components 44, a second long shaft 33 and a second short shaft 34 for connecting the two second wheel components 22; and a baffle assembly 40, including baffles respectively disposed on the first wheel component 21 and... Multiple baffles 41 on the inner side of the second wheel component 22; switching assembly 50, including reversing component 51 and tangential component 52, the reversing component 51 is disposed on the first long shaft 31, used to control the engagement and disengagement between the first short shaft 32 and the first long shaft 31, and synchronously control the second short shaft 34 and the second long shaft 33 to perform opposite connection states, the two ends of the tangential component 52 are respectively connected to the baffles 41 and the first wheel component 21 or the second wheel component 22, used to make the baffles 41 on the same side move synchronously in opposite directions with the first wheel component 21 or the second wheel component 22;

[0037] When the first short shaft 32 is engaged with the first long shaft 31, the reversing component 51 drives the second wheel component 22 to rise, and when they are separated, it drives the second wheel component 22 to fall.

[0038] Understandably, by setting the transmission assembly 30, the first wheel component 21 and the second wheel component 22 of the wheel assembly 20 achieve the linkage of the wheels 211 in the corresponding directions through the transmission cooperation of the first long shaft 31 and the first short shaft 32, and the second long shaft 33 and the second short shaft 34, respectively. Then, by switching the reversing component 51 on the switching assembly 50, while controlling the engagement and disengagement between the first short shaft 32 and the first long shaft 31, the second short shaft 34 and the second long shaft 33 are controlled to perform opposite connection states, thereby realizing the switching of the wheel transmission direction. And when the first short shaft 32 and the first long shaft 33 are engaged and disengaged, the first wheel component 211 and the second wheel component 22 of the wheel assembly 20 achieve the linkage of the first wheel component 211 in the corresponding directions. When shaft 31 is engaged, the reversing component 51 drives the second wheel component 22 to rise; when disengaged, it drives it to fall. This causes the wheel 211, parallel to the vehicle's direction of travel, to be lifted and suspended after the transmission direction is switched, preventing it from obstructing the vehicle's movement and thus completing the vehicle's reversing function. Furthermore, due to the presence of the tangential component 52, the baffle 41 on the same side moves synchronously in the opposite direction to either the first wheel component 21 or the second wheel component 22. Simultaneously with the lifting of wheel 211, the baffle 41 on the same side lowers; conversely, as the other wheel 211 lowers and contacts the shelf, the baffle 41 on the same side rises. Thus, the vehicle's reversing function and the automatic switching of the baffle 41 are achieved through a single drive component. Therefore, this invention solves the problem of the lack of a low-cost, small-sized, and stable four-way shuttle vehicle and its control method in the prior art.

[0039] Specifically, the reversing component 51 includes a sleeve 511 sleeved on the first long shaft 31 and a driving component 512 for driving the sleeve 511 to move linearly. A first bevel gear 513 is provided on the outer side of the sleeve 511. A second bevel gear 35 adapted to the first bevel gear 513 is provided on the second long shaft 33 and the second short shaft 34. A limiting block 514 is provided at one end of the inner side of the sleeve 511, and a gear ring 515 is provided at the other end. The limiting block 514 is embedded in the limiting groove 311 of the first long shaft 31. A first gear 321 adapted to the gear ring 515 is provided on the first short shaft 32. In specific implementation, the drive component 512 drives the sleeve 511 to move, causing the first bevel gear 513 to move closer to the second bevel gear 35 and mesh with the second bevel gear 35. At this time, the gear ring 515 moves away from the first gear 321. The power source 60 on the vehicle body 10 drives the first long shaft 31 to rotate. Through the cooperation of the limiting block 514 and the limiting groove 311, the first long shaft 31 drives the sleeve 511 to rotate. Then, through the first bevel gear 513 on the sleeve 511, the second bevel gear 35 is driven to rotate, thereby causing the second long shaft 33 and the second short shaft 34 to rotate, which in turn causes the second wheel component 22 to drive the vehicle body 10 to move. When a direction change is required, the drive component 512 determines that the sleeve 511 moves away from the second bevel gear 35, causing the gear ring 515 to mesh with the first gear 321, and the first bevel gear 513 to move away from the second bevel gear 35. At this time, the power source 60 drives the first long shaft 31 to rotate. Through the engagement of the limiting block 514 and the limiting groove 311, the first long shaft 31 drives the sleeve 511 to rotate. Then, through the engagement of the gear ring 515 on the sleeve 511 and the first gear 321 on the first short shaft 32, the first short shaft 32 is driven to rotate. Thus, the first long shaft 31 and the first short shaft 32 rotate, thereby causing the first wheel component 21 to drive the vehicle body 10 to move. In addition, it should be noted that the four-way shuttle in this invention adopts a single-drive mode, that is, when the vehicle body 10 moves in one direction, it adopts a front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive mode, thereby reducing the need for additional linkage components that drive the front and rear wheels simultaneously, and reducing the required volume.

[0040] Furthermore, both the first wheel component 21 and the second wheel component 22 include multiple wheels 211, a first connecting plate 212 connected to the drive shaft of the multiple wheels 211, and a second connecting plate 213 connecting two parallel first connecting plates 212. The second connecting plates 213 of the first wheel component 21 and the second wheel component 22 are staggered. In specific implementation, by setting the first connecting plate 212 to link multiple wheels 211 on the same side, and connecting the parallel first connecting plates 212 through the second connecting plate 213, when the first wheel component 21 or the second wheel component 22 is driven to move by the reversing component 51, only the second connecting plate 213 needs to be moved up and down to drive the required wheel 211 to move up and down as a whole, thereby realizing the linkage of wheels 211 on the same side and reducing additional transmission components, driving each wheel 211 to move separately. In addition, by staggering the two second connecting plates 213, interference between the two second connecting plates 213 is avoided when the first wheel component 21 and the second wheel component 22 move up and down.

[0041] Furthermore, the reversing component 51 includes two transmission rods 516 respectively disposed on both sides of the first long shaft 31, a second connecting plate 213 of the first wheel component 21, and a first connecting plate 212 of the second wheel component 22, each having a Z-shaped transmission groove 214 adapted to the transmission rods 516, and the two transmission grooves 214 being point-symmetrical about a point on the axis of the first long shaft 31. In practical implementation, the transmission rod 516 is mounted on the sleeve 511. The movement of the sleeve 511 drives the transmission rod 516 to move linearly. Through the cooperation between the transmission rod 516 and the Z-shaped transmission groove 214, when the transmission rod 516 moves, one end of the transmission rod 516 located in the Z-shaped transmission groove 214 will be squeezed, thereby driving the transmission groove 214 to move up and down. In turn, the transmission groove 214 drives a first connecting plate 212 of the second wheel component 22 and a second connecting plate 213 of the first wheel component 21 to move up and down, thereby driving the first wheel component 21 and the second wheel component 22 to move up and down. This realizes the function of lifting the unused wheels 211 when the four-way shuttle changes direction, avoiding the unused wheels 211 from obstructing the movement of the four-way shuttle. It should be noted that, since the baffle 41 is linked with the reversing component 51, in order to avoid interference between the baffle 41 and the goods when the vehicle moves to the goods placement point, a transmission ring 518 can be sleeved on the first long shaft 31. The transmission rod 516 is set on the transmission ring 518. Two parallel retaining rings 517 are provided on the first long shaft 31 to restrict the movement of the transmission ring 518. The driving component 512 is connected to the transmission ring 518. The driving component 512 first moves by determining the transmission ring 518, thereby controlling the lifting of the baffle 41 and the lifting of the wheel 2 components. Then, under the action of the transmission ring 518 and the retaining rings 517, it drives the sleeve 511 to move, thereby realizing the reversing control. Through this design and the reasonable lifting displacement setting of the baffle 41, the height of all baffles 41 can be controlled to be lower than the height of the shelf before reversing, thereby avoiding interference between the goods and the baffle 41 when moving to the goods placement point.

[0042] Additionally, the tangential component 52 includes a transmission plate 521, two first fixed plates 522 respectively disposed parallel to the baffle 41 and the first connecting plate 212, and two second fixed plates 523 disposed parallel to the support plate 11. The two sides of the transmission plate 521 are rotatably connected to the first fixed plates 522 and the second fixed plates 523 respectively. The distance between the second fixed plates 523 and the baffle 41 is greater than the distance between the second fixed plates 523 and the first connecting plates 212. In specific implementation, when the first connecting plate 212 moves linearly to one side, the rotatable connection between the first fixed plates 522 and the transmission plate 521 causes the transmission plate 521 to move synchronously and in the same direction towards the side closest to the first connecting plate 212. Furthermore, due to the arrangement of the second fixed plates 523, the other side of the transmission plate 521 moves in the opposite direction to the movement of the first connecting plate 212, thereby causing the baffle 41 to move synchronously in the opposite direction to the movement of the first connecting plate 212. This results in the baffle 41 and the first connecting plate 212 moving synchronously in opposite directions. Furthermore, in practical implementation, since the first wheel component 21 and the second wheel component 22 only need to be raised to a small height to avoid contact with the shelf when not in use, while the baffle 41 needs to be raised a large distance and at least higher than the lifting height of the lifting component 12 to effectively restrict and block the goods, there is a difference in the required displacement on both sides. In order to avoid requiring a large space to meet the displacement requirements of both sides at the same time, the distance between the second fixing plate 523 and the baffles 41 on both sides and the first connecting plate 212 is adjusted so that the movement of the first connecting plate 212 is amplified to one side of the baffle 41, so that the first connecting plate 212 can make a small displacement, which can achieve the large displacement requirement of the baffle 41 without providing a large space.

[0043] Specifically, the top two ends of the baffle 41 are respectively hinged to movable plates 42, and a reaction plate 43 is sleeved on its outer side. The top of the reaction plate 43 is fixedly connected to the support plate 11. The baffle 41 is provided with a transmission component 44, which is connected to the baffle 41 body and the movable plate 42 respectively. When the baffle 41 produces a vertical displacement relative to the fixed reaction plate 43, the transmission component 44 converts the vertical displacement of the baffle 41 into the deflection motion of the movable plate 42. In practice, although the shaking of goods when the four-way shuttle lifts them is usually in the direction of the shuttle's movement, external influences, such as airflow or vibrations from the vehicle's movement on adjacent shelves, can also cause slight shaking of the goods in the direction perpendicular to the vehicle's movement. To further improve the stability of the goods transported by the vehicle, movable plates 42 are provided at both ends of the top of the baffle 41. After the baffle 41 rises to a certain height, its continued upward movement will cause the movable plates 42 to rotate, making the movable plates 42 perpendicular to the baffle 41. Thus, the baffle 41 and the movable plates 42 support and block the goods from all sides, ensuring stable transport of the goods.

[0044] Preferably, the transmission component 44 includes a vertical shaft 441 connected to the movable plate 42 and a horizontal shaft 442 disposed at the bottom of the vertical shaft 441 and rotatably connected to the baffle 41. The vertical shaft 441 and the horizontal shaft 442 are respectively provided with mutually adapted third bevel gears 443. The horizontal shaft 442 is also provided with a second gear 444. The inner top region of the reaction plate 43 is provided with a rack 431 adapted to the second gear 444. In a specific implementation, when the baffle 41 moves upward, the second gear 444 and the rack 431 interact and rotate, thereby driving the horizontal shaft 442 to rotate. The horizontal shaft 442, through the third bevel gear 443, drives the vertical shaft 441 to rotate, which in turn drives the movable plate 42 to rotate, thus converting the vertical displacement of the baffle 41 into the deflection motion of the movable plate 42. Furthermore, it should be noted that to prevent the movable plate 42 from rotating when it is below the support plate 11, thus avoiding interference with the support plate 11 or the shelf, a rack 431 is provided on the top inner side of the reaction plate 43. This ensures that the baffle 41 moves to a certain height, i.e., the movable plate 42 rises above the height of the shelf used to support goods, before it rotates. Additionally, a damping component can be provided in the area where the baffle 41 contacts the second gear 444 to prevent the second gear 444 from rotating on its own when the baffle 41 moves upward, thus preventing the movable plate 42 from rotating. In a specific implementation, the movable plate 42 can be L-shaped. In the initial state, one end of the movable plate 42 extends out of the support plate 11 and is perpendicular to the direction of movement after vehicle switching, while the other end is perpendicular to the connected baffle 41. In the enclosed state, one end of the movable plate 42 extends into the support plate 11 and is parallel to the direction of movement after vehicle switching, while the other end is parallel to the connected baffle 41.

[0045] Preferably, the ends of the first long shaft 31, the second long shaft 33, the first short shaft 32, and the second short shaft 34 are each provided with a third fixing plate 36, and each third fixing plate 36 is connected to the support plate 11; each third fixing plate 36 is also connected to the corresponding wheel assembly 20 through a universal joint drive component 37; the universal joint drive component 37 is used to maintain the transmission connection between each wheel 211 and its corresponding shaft when the shuttle moves. In a specific implementation, the universal joint drive component 37 can be composed of a universal joint, that is, two universal joint forks 371 arranged in opposite directions and two universal joint forks 371 arranged in opposite directions. One side of the two universal joint forks 371 arranged in opposite directions is connected to each other through a spline shaft 372, and the other side is connected to the two universal joint forks 371 arranged in opposite directions through a cross shaft 373, and the two universal joint forks 371 arranged in opposite directions are respectively connected to the rotating shaft and the first long shaft 31, the second long shaft 33, the first short shaft 32, or the second short shaft 34. Alternatively, a flexible coupling can also be used.

[0046] Preferably, both the baffle 41 and the support plate 11 are provided with perforated grooves to prevent interference between the baffle 41, the support plate 11, the wheels 211, and the shelf. In specific implementation, perforations are provided in the top and bottom areas of the baffle 41 to avoid interference with the wheels 211 and the support plate 11, and to prevent the perforations on the support plate 11 from connecting with each other, which would prevent the outer and inner areas of the support plate 11 from connecting and affecting the usable area of ​​the support plate 11. Furthermore, perforations are provided at the four corners of the support plate 11 to avoid the movable plate 42. Perforations are also provided at the corners of the baffle 41 to avoid the shelf.

[0047] In summary, by setting up the transmission assembly 30, the present invention enables the first wheel component 21 and the second wheel component 22 of the wheel assembly 20 to achieve the linkage of the wheels 211 in the corresponding directions through the transmission cooperation of the first long shaft 31 and the first short shaft 32, and the second long shaft 33 and the second short shaft 34, respectively. Furthermore, by using the reversing component 51 on the switching assembly 50 to control the engagement and disengagement between the first short shaft 32 and the first long shaft 31, the second short shaft 34 and the second long shaft 33 are controlled to perform opposite connection states, thereby realizing the switching of the wheel transmission direction. And when the first short shaft 32 and the first long shaft 33 are engaged and disengaged, the wheel assembly 20 achieves the linkage of the first wheel component 211 in the corresponding directions. When shaft 31 is engaged, the reversing component 51 drives the second wheel component 22 to rise; when disengaged, it drives it to fall. This causes the wheel 211, parallel to the vehicle's direction of travel, to be lifted and suspended after the transmission direction is switched, preventing it from obstructing the vehicle's movement and thus completing the vehicle's reversing function. Furthermore, due to the presence of the tangential component 52, the baffle 41 on the same side moves synchronously in the opposite direction to either the first wheel component 21 or the second wheel component 22. Simultaneously with the lifting of wheel 211, the baffle 41 on the same side lowers; conversely, as the other wheel 211 lowers and contacts the shelf, the baffle 41 on the same side rises. Thus, the vehicle's reversing function and the automatic switching of the baffle 41 are achieved through a single drive component. Therefore, this invention solves the problem of the lack of a low-cost, small-sized, and stable four-way shuttle vehicle and its control method in the prior art.

[0048] Furthermore, this invention also provides a four-way shuttle control method for controlling the aforementioned four-way shuttle to transport goods. The method includes: controlling the four-way shuttle to move to a preset starting position via a drive transmission assembly 30; controlling the lifting component 12 to lift the goods via a control module, while the baffle 41 in the direction of the four-way shuttle's movement is raised; determining whether the four-way shuttle needs to change direction based on a position module; if so, controlling the switching component 50 to switch between the first wheel transmission component 44 and the second wheel transmission component 44, and driving the baffle 41 to switch; controlling the four-way shuttle to move to a preset ending position via the drive transmission assembly 30, and controlling the lifting component 12 to lower the goods via the control module. In specific implementation, the four-way shuttle is controlled by the control method to achieve the automatic goods transfer function of the four-way shuttle.

[0049] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0050] The above embodiments merely illustrate several implementation methods of the present invention, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A four-way shuttle vehicle, characterized in that, include: The vehicle body, used for transporting goods, includes lifting components mounted on a support plate; The wheel assembly includes a first wheel component and a second wheel component symmetrically arranged on two mutually perpendicular directions of the vehicle body; The transmission assembly includes a first long shaft and a first short shaft for connecting the two first wheel components, and a second long shaft and a second short shaft for connecting the two second wheel components. The baffle assembly includes a plurality of baffles respectively disposed inside the first wheel component and the second wheel component; The switching component includes a reversing component and a tangential component. The reversing component is disposed on the first long shaft and is used to control the engagement and disengagement between the first short shaft and the first long shaft, and to synchronously control the second short shaft and the second long shaft to perform opposite connection states. The two ends of the tangential component are respectively connected to the baffle and the first wheel component or the second wheel component, and are used to enable the baffle on the same side to move synchronously in opposite directions with the first wheel component or the second wheel component. When the first short shaft engages with the first long shaft, the reversing component causes the second wheel component to lift; when they disengage, the second wheel component is lowered. Both the first wheel component and the second wheel component include multiple wheels, a first connecting plate connected to the drive shaft of the multiple wheels, and a second connecting plate connecting two parallel first connecting plates. The second connecting plates of the first wheel component and the second wheel component are staggered. The reversing component includes two transmission rods respectively disposed on both sides of the first long shaft; The second connecting plate of the first wheel component and the first connecting plate of the second wheel component are both provided with a Z-shaped transmission groove adapted to the transmission rod. The two transmission grooves are point-symmetrical about a point on the axis of the first long shaft. The tangential component includes a transmission plate, two first fixing plates that are respectively disposed parallel to the baffle and the first connecting plate, and two second fixing plates that are disposed parallel to the support plate. The two sides of the transmission plate are rotatably connected to the first fixing plate and the second fixing plate, respectively. The distance between the second fixing plate and the baffle is greater than the distance between the second fixing plate and the first connecting plate. The baffle has movable plates hinged to its top two ends, and a reaction plate is sleeved on its outer side. The top of the reaction plate is fixedly connected to the support plate. The baffle has a transmission component inside, which is connected to the baffle body and the movable plate respectively. When the baffle has a vertical displacement relative to the fixed reaction plate, the transmission component converts the vertical displacement of the baffle into the deflection motion of the movable plate.

2. The four-way shuttle vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reversing component includes a sleeve fitted on the first long shaft and a drive member for driving the sleeve to move linearly. A first bevel gear is provided on the outer side of the sleeve, and a second bevel gear adapted to the first bevel gear is provided on the second long shaft and the second short shaft. A limiting block is provided at one end of the inner side of the sleeve, and a gear ring is provided at the other end. The limiting block is embedded in the limiting groove of the first long shaft, and a first gear adapted to the gear ring is provided on the first short shaft.

3. The four-way shuttle vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission component includes a vertical shaft connected to the movable plate and a horizontal shaft disposed at the bottom of the vertical shaft and rotatably connected to the baffle. The vertical shaft and the horizontal shaft are respectively provided with mutually adapted third bevel gears, and the horizontal shaft is also provided with a second gear. The inner top area of ​​the reaction plate is provided with a rack adapted to the second gear.

4. The four-way shuttle vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first long shaft, the second long shaft, the first short shaft, and the second short shaft are all provided with a third fixing plate at their ends, and each of the third fixing plates is connected to the support plate; Each of the third fixing plates is also connected to the corresponding wheel assembly via a universal joint drive component; The universal joint drive component is used to maintain a transmission connection between each wheel and its corresponding axle when the shuttle is moving.

5. The four-way shuttle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Both the baffle and the support plate are provided with hollowed-out grooves to ensure that the baffle, the support plate, the wheels and the shelf do not interfere with each other.

6. A four-way shuttle control method, characterized in that, The method for controlling the four-way shuttle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the method comprising: The four-way shuttle is controlled to move to the preset starting position by driving the transmission components. The lifting components are controlled by the control module to lift the goods, and at the same time, the baffles in the four-way shuttle car movement direction are raised. The position module determines whether the four-way shuttle needs to change direction. If so, the switching component is controlled to switch the first wheel component and the second wheel component, and the baffle is switched. The four-way shuttle is controlled to move to the preset endpoint position by the drive transmission component, and the lifting component is controlled to lower the goods by the control module.

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