Automatic material carrying equipment and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of material transportation, and discloses automatic material carrying equipment and a control method thereof.The automatic material carrying equipment comprises at least one storage device and a conveying mechanism, the storage device comprises a storage mechanism and a carrying mechanism, the conveying mechanism extends in the first direction, and the storage mechanism is arranged on one side of the conveying mechanism in the second direction; the carrying mechanism is slidably connected to the side, facing the conveying mechanism, of the storage mechanism in the third direction. And efficient interaction of the materials between the main conveying path and the high-density multi-layer storage area is achieved. According to the invention, the material storage and taking operation is realized mainly through horizontal continuous conveying of the fixedly extending conveying mechanism and interlayer taking and placing of the locally independent vertical sliding carrying mechanism in each storage device, and the whole process does not need frequent cross-layer scheduling and complex path planning of a plurality of mobile devices at a shared channel or a lifting point; therefore, traffic conflicts and congestion hidden dangers are effectively eliminated, and the overall throughput efficiency of the system is greatly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of material handling technology, and more specifically, to an automated material handling equipment and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] Automated material handling equipment is widely used in modern logistics warehousing, intelligent manufacturing, and e-commerce sorting. With the rapid development of intelligent warehouses, the demand for efficient storage, rapid retrieval, and automated handling of materials is increasing. Traditional material handling methods can no longer meet the high throughput requirements of large-scale, high-density storage scenarios. Therefore, various automated material handling equipment has emerged, such as automated guided vehicles (RGVs), stacker cranes, shuttle cars, and automated guided vehicles (AGVs / AMRs). These equipment achieve automated material transfer through mechanical structures, sensors, and control systems, improving the efficiency and accuracy of warehousing operations.

[0003] Current automated material handling equipment typically uses mobile carts or robots to move along fixed or flexible paths between multi-level racks to store and retrieve materials. For example, AGV or AMR equipment has high path flexibility and can avoid obstacles based on real-time planning. However, in large-scale multi-level rack storage and retrieval scenarios, frequent cross-level movement or complex path planning is required, which can easily lead to traffic conflicts and congestion at aisles or lifting points, thus limiting the overall system throughput efficiency.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need to provide an automated material handling equipment and its control method to solve the problem that existing automated material handling equipment is prone to traffic conflicts and congestion, which limits the overall throughput efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main objective of this invention is to provide an automated material handling device and its control method, which aims to solve the technical problems mentioned in the background section.

[0006] The present invention adopts the following technical solution: An automated material handling device and its control method include at least one storage device and a conveying mechanism. The storage device includes a storage mechanism and a carrying mechanism. The conveying mechanism extends along a first direction, and the storage mechanism is disposed on one side of the conveying mechanism along a second direction. The carrying mechanism is slidably connected to the storage mechanism on the side facing the conveying mechanism along a third direction. The storage mechanism is arranged with several storage trays in a third-direction array. The transport mechanism includes a sliding seat, which is slidably connected to several storage trays. A transport tray is rotatably connected to the sliding seat. Pick-up and place arms are slidably connected to opposite sides of the transport tray. When the sliding seat slides to the point where the transport tray is flush with the target storage tray or the conveying mechanism, the opening side of the transport tray turns towards the target storage tray or the conveying mechanism. The pick-up and place arms slide out along the opening side of the transport tray to grab or place the material.

[0007] Furthermore, the storage mechanism includes two symmetrically arranged sliding supports, which extend along a third direction, and a plurality of the transport trays are respectively fixedly arranged on opposite sides of the two sliding supports; The sliding bracket has a receiving cavity, and the sliding bracket has a sliding through hole on the side facing the conveying mechanism, which is arranged in a third direction. A lifting drive assembly is provided in the receiving cavity. The driving end of the lifting drive assembly penetrates the sliding through hole and is fixedly connected to the sliding seat, so that the sliding seat reciprocates in a third direction.

[0008] Furthermore, the lifting drive assembly includes a drive bracket disposed between two sliding brackets, the drive bracket supporting the two sliding brackets respectively, a lifting motor fixedly connected to the drive bracket, and the lifting motor being driven by a gearbox to a first pulley, the first pulley being distributed below the drive bracket; The upper end of the sliding bracket is rotatably connected to a second pulley via an inverted T-shaped connecting block. The first pulley and the second pulley are rotatably connected to a lifting belt. The lifting belt is distributed within the receiving cavity. The lifting belt is fixedly connected to a driving block. The driving block penetrates the sliding through hole and is fixedly connected to the sliding seat.

[0009] Furthermore, clamping blocks are connected to opposite ends of the drive block, and clamping grooves with convex and concave fits are provided in the clamping blocks. The clamping grooves are fixedly connected to the lifting belt, and a buffer member extending along the length direction of the lifting belt is connected to one side of the clamping block. The buffer member is fixedly connected to the drive block. The lifting belt is fitted with a guide block at one end away from the drive block. The guide block is rotatably connected to a pulley along the diagonal, and the pulley abuts against the inner wall of the sliding bracket.

[0010] Furthermore, the sliding seat has an L-shaped structure, and a rotating motor is provided at the bottom end of the sliding seat. The drive shaft of the rotating motor passes through the sliding seat and is connected to a first gear. A second gear is connected to the bottom end of the transport disk. The first gear and the second gear mesh, and the diameter of the second gear is larger than that of the first gear, so that the transport disk and the sliding seat are rotatably connected.

[0011] Furthermore, the transport disk has sliding sidewalls extending along a third direction on opposite sides, and guide rails are provided on opposite sides of the sliding sidewalls. The guide rails are slidably connected to the sliding rails. The pick-and-place arm is fixedly connected to the side of the sliding rail facing away from the guide rail. A pusher plate is fixedly connected between the two pick-and-place arms, and a pick-and-place drive assembly is connected to the side of the two pick-and-place arms that is far away from each other, so that the pick-and-place arm reciprocates along the opening side of the transport disk.

[0012] Furthermore, the pick-and-place drive assembly includes a pick-and-place motor on the side of the pick-and-place plate away from the opening of the transport tray. The drive end of the pick-and-place motor is connected to a pick-and-place pulley via a rotating shaft. Another pick-and-place pulley is rotatably connected to the side of the sliding sidewall away from the pick-and-place motor. The two pick-and-place pulleys are rotatably connected to a pick-and-place belt. The pick-and-place belt is fixedly connected to the pick-and-place arm via a pick-and-place end block.

[0013] Furthermore, the conveying mechanism includes two conveying frames arranged opposite each other, and a plurality of rollers arranged along a second direction are rotatably connected between the two conveying frames. The plurality of rollers are arranged sequentially along a first direction, one of which is connected to the drive shaft of the conveying motor. A conveying belt is rotatably connected between each pair of rollers, and the two conveying belts are staggered along the second direction.

[0014] A control method for an automated material handling equipment, applied to the automated material handling equipment as described in any of the preceding claims, the control method comprising: The transport mechanism is positioned and initialized upon receiving a handling task instruction, which includes the material's starting position, target position, and handling type. When the handling type is retrieval, based on the initial positioning state of the transport mechanism, the sliding seat is driven to rise and fall until the transport tray is flush with the starting storage tray, and the opening side of the transport tray is driven to turn towards the starting storage tray. Control the pick-and-place arm to slide out and grab the material onto the conveyor tray, drive the sliding seat to rise and fall until the conveyor tray is flush with the conveying mechanism and drive the conveyor tray to rotate in the opposite direction, control the pick-and-place arm to slide out and place the material onto the conveying mechanism. When the handling type is storage, based on the initial positioning state of the transport mechanism, the sliding seat is driven to rise and fall until the transport tray is flush with the conveying mechanism, and the open side of the transport tray is driven to turn towards the conveying mechanism. Control the pick-and-place arm to slide out and grab the material onto the transport tray, drive the sliding seat to rise and fall until the transport tray is level with the target storage tray and drive the transport tray to rotate in the opposite direction, control the pick-and-place arm to slide out and place the material onto the target storage tray; The transport mechanism is monitored and optimized based on the completion status of material placement to form a closed-loop control state for material handling.

[0015] Furthermore, the step of monitoring and optimizing the transport mechanism based on the completion status of material placement to form a closed-loop control state for material handling includes: Synchronously collect the position of the transport mechanism, the force feedback signal of the pick-and-place arm, and the visual image of the material after the material is placed, and form a complete status dataset containing position deviation data, torque anomaly data, and material placement posture data; The completed state dataset is compared with the standard pose by deviation calculation to obtain the error evaluation result of comprehensive deviation vector and weight allocation; Based on the comprehensive deviation vector and error evaluation results, the lifting speed of the sliding seat, the rotation angle of the transport disk, and the extension distance of the pick-and-place arm are compensated and adjusted to obtain an optimized set of control parameters for the transport mechanism. Based on the control parameter set of the transport mechanism, the parameters for the next transport task are loaded to form a closed-loop control state.

[0016] Beneficial effects: In this invention, by setting up a conveying mechanism extending along a first direction and at least one storage device arranged along a second direction on one side of the conveying mechanism, efficient interaction of materials between the main conveying path and the high-density multi-layer storage area is achieved. The storage device's storage mechanism is arrayed with multiple storage trays along a third direction, forming a vertically stacked storage layer. The transport mechanism is slidably connected along a third direction to the side of the storage mechanism facing the conveying mechanism. Its sliding seat can move rapidly vertically between the multiple storage trays, and through a rotating transport tray and pick-and-place arms slidably connected to opposite sides of the transport tray, precise material transfer is achieved. This invention enables material storage and retrieval operations to be mainly carried out through horizontal continuous conveying by a fixed-extension conveying mechanism, and inter-layer pick-and-place operations completed by locally independent vertical sliding transport mechanisms within each storage device. The entire process eliminates the need for frequent cross-layer scheduling and complex path planning by multiple mobile devices in shared channels or lifting points, effectively eliminating traffic conflicts and congestion risks, and significantly improving the overall system throughput efficiency. Simultaneously, it fully utilizes vertical space to achieve high-density storage, with a fixed and simple operating path, strong parallel operation capability, and clear control logic, further improving the efficiency of automated material handling operations. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an automated material handling device according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a partial structural diagram of an automated material handling device according to the present invention from another perspective; Figure 3 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of an automated material handling device according to the present invention; Figure 4 This is a side view of the transport mechanism of the present invention. Figure 5 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the transport mechanism of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the transmission mechanism of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the control method for an automated material handling equipment according to the present invention; in: 1. Storage device; 2. Storage mechanism; 21. Storage tray; 22. Sliding bracket; 23. Lifting drive assembly; 231. Drive bracket; 232. Lifting motor; 233. First pulley; 234. Connecting block; 235. Second pulley; 236. Lifting belt; 237. Drive block; 238. Clamping block; 239. Buffer; 240. Guide block; 241. Pulley; 3. Carrying mechanism; 31. Sliding seat; 32. Carrying tray; 33. Picking and placing arm; 34. Rotating motor; 35. First gear; 36. Second gear; 37. Sliding side wall; 38. Guide rail; 39. Sliding rail; 40. Push plate; 41. Picking and placing drive assembly; 411. Picking and placing motor; 412. Picking and placing pulley; 413. Picking and placing belt; 414. Picking and placing end block; 4. Conveying mechanism; 5. Conveying frame; 6. Roller; 7. Conveying belt.

[0018] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0019] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0020] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0021] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection, a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0022] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0023] Reference Figures 1 to 6 The present invention proposes an automated material handling equipment and its control method, including at least one storage device 1 and a conveying mechanism 4. The storage device 1 includes a storage mechanism 2 and a carrying mechanism 3. The conveying mechanism 4 extends along a first direction. The storage mechanism 2 is disposed on one side of the conveying mechanism 4 along a second direction. The carrying mechanism 3 is slidably connected to the side of the storage mechanism 2 facing the conveying mechanism 4 along a third direction. The storage mechanism 2 is arranged with a plurality of storage trays 21 along a third direction array. The transport mechanism 3 includes a sliding seat 31, which is slidably connected to the plurality of storage trays 21. A transport tray 32 is rotatably connected to the sliding seat 31. Pick-up and place arms 33 are slidably connected to the opposite sides of the transport tray 32. When the sliding seat 31 slides to the point where the transport tray 32 is flush with the target storage tray 21 or the conveying mechanism 4, the opening side of the transport tray 32 turns toward the target storage tray 21 or the conveying mechanism 4, and the pick-up and place arms 33 slide out along the opening side of the transport tray 32 to grab or place the material.

[0024] In the above embodiment, a conveying mechanism 4 extending along a first direction (horizontal length direction) and at least one storage device 1 disposed on one side of the conveying mechanism 4 are included. The storage device 1 consists of a storage mechanism 2 and a transport mechanism 3. The storage device 1 is arranged adjacent to the conveying mechanism 4 along a second direction (horizontal depth direction). When multiple storage devices 1 are provided, they are arranged in a spread-out manner along the first direction. The transport mechanism 3 is slidably connected to the side of the storage mechanism 2 facing the conveying mechanism 4 along a third direction (vertical height direction), thereby forming a compact connection structure between the main conveying path and the high-density storage area. The conveying mechanism 4 can be in the form of a belt conveyor, roller conveyor, or chain conveyor to realize continuous and stable horizontal conveying of materials in the first direction. Several layers of storage trays 21 are arranged in an array along a third direction inside the storage mechanism 2. Each layer of storage trays 21 is used to directly hold material boxes or pallets, forming a multi-layer vertically stacked high-density storage array. Each storage tray 21 is aligned with the conveying mechanism 4 in the depth direction to facilitate direct entry and exit of materials.

[0025] The core component of the transport mechanism 3 is the sliding seat 31. This sliding seat 31, driven by linear guides, lead screws, or synchronous belts, achieves rapid and precise sliding positioning along a third direction with the storage mechanism 2, enabling it to rise and fall to any target layer height in a short time. A transport disk 32 is rotatably connected to the sliding seat 31. Driven by a motor or cylinder, the transport disk 32 can rotate flexibly around a vertical or horizontal axis, ensuring its opening side precisely faces the target storage disk 21 or the conveying mechanism 4. Pick-up and place arms 33 are slidably connected to opposite sides of the transport disk 32. These arms can employ mechanisms such as telescopic forks, suction cups, or grippers. After aligning with the opening side of the transport disk 32, they slide horizontally outwards, penetrating the target storage disk 21 or the material position on the conveying mechanism 4, achieving reliable material grabbing or placement. When materials need to be stored, the conveying mechanism 4 transports the materials to the position corresponding to the target storage device 1. The sliding seat 31 of the carrying mechanism 3 quickly moves vertically to the height of that layer. The carrying tray 32 rotates so that the opening side faces the conveying mechanism 4. The pick-and-place arm 33 extends to pull the materials into the carrying tray 32. Then the carrying tray 32 rotates in the opposite direction to align with the target storage tray 21. The pick-and-place arm 33 extends again to push the materials into the storage tray 21 to complete the storage. The material retrieval process is the opposite. The entire storage and retrieval operation is completed locally inside the storage device 1, without the need for materials or equipment to move across multiple layers of shelves. By using a coordinated approach where a fixed main conveyor 4 undertakes continuous horizontal transport and each storage device 1 has an independent vertical transport mechanism 3 responsible for precise inter-layer transfer, traffic conflicts and congestion at shared channels or intersections, as in traditional systems with multiple mobile carts or robots, are effectively avoided. This improves the overall throughput efficiency of the system and makes full use of vertical space to achieve high-density storage. The fixed and simple operating path allows each storage device 1 to operate in parallel and independently, and the control logic is clear and reliable, further enhancing the efficiency, stability, and applicability of automated material handling to large-scale warehousing scenarios.

[0026] In one embodiment, the storage mechanism 2 includes two symmetrically arranged sliding supports 22, the sliding supports 22 extending along a third direction, and a plurality of the transport trays 32 are respectively fixedly arranged on opposite sides of the two sliding supports 22; The sliding bracket 22 has a receiving cavity, and the sliding bracket 22 has a sliding through hole on the side facing the conveying mechanism 4, which is arranged in a third direction. The receiving cavity is provided with a lifting drive assembly 23, and the driving end of the lifting drive assembly 23 penetrates the sliding through hole and is fixedly connected to the sliding seat 31, so that the sliding seat 31 reciprocates in a third direction.

[0027] In the above embodiment, the storage mechanism 2 consists of two symmetrically arranged sliding supports 22. The two sliding supports 22 extend parallel to each other along a third direction (vertical height direction) to form the main frame of the storage mechanism 2. Several storage trays 21 are respectively fixedly arranged on the opposite inner surfaces of the two sliding supports 22, thereby forming a high-density storage space with a multi-layer vertical array between the two sliding supports 22. Each sliding support 22 has a receiving cavity formed inside along a third direction. The receiving cavity is used to accommodate the lifting drive assembly 23. At the same time, the side of the sliding support 22 facing the conveying mechanism 4 has a narrow sliding through hole that extends continuously along a third direction. The through hole serves as the output channel of the driving end of the lifting drive assembly 23 and also provides sliding guidance constraint for the sliding seat 31 along a third direction. The driving part of the lifting drive assembly 23 is arranged inside the receiving cavity. Its driving end extends out through the sliding through hole and is rigidly fixedly connected to the sliding seat 31, thereby directly driving the sliding seat 31 to carry the transport tray 32 to achieve rapid and stable reciprocating vertical movement between the two sliding supports 22 along a third direction.

[0028] The symmetrical double sliding bracket 22 structure makes the storage mechanism 2 structurally rigid and force-balanced, effectively resisting the lateral torque and vibration generated during the high-speed lifting of the sliding seat 31 and the movement of the pick-and-place arm 33, ensuring the positioning accuracy and operational stability of the sliding seat 31 throughout its entire stroke range. The cooperation between the receiving cavity and the sliding through hole not only protects the lifting drive assembly 23 from external dust and collision interference, but also concentrates the driving force to the sliding seat 31, avoiding the off-center loading or jamming problems that are prone to occur in traditional exposed drive mechanisms. Under the constraint of the two sliding brackets 22, the sliding seat 31 can only move in a single degree of freedom in the third direction, further simplifying the control logic and improving the system response speed. When the transport mechanism 3 needs to store or retrieve materials from different layers, the lifting drive assembly 23 only needs to drive the sliding seat 31 to quickly and vertically position itself to the target layer height. Then, the transport tray 32 rotates to align, and the pick-and-place arm 33 extends and retracts to complete the local transfer, reducing energy consumption, minimizing mechanical wear, and providing a structural basis for multiple storage devices 1 to operate independently in parallel.

[0029] In one example, the lifting drive assembly 23 includes a drive bracket 231 disposed between two sliding brackets 22. The drive bracket 231 supports the two sliding brackets 22 respectively. A lifting motor 232 is fixedly connected to the drive bracket 231. The lifting motor 232 is driven by a gearbox and connected to a first pulley 233. The first pulley 233 is distributed below the drive bracket 231. The upper end of the sliding bracket 22 is rotatably connected to a second pulley 235 via an inverted T-shaped connecting block 234. The first pulley 233 and the second pulley 235 are rotatably connected to a lifting belt 236. The lifting belt 236 is distributed in the receiving cavity. The lifting belt 236 is fixedly connected to a driving block 237. The driving block 237 penetrates the sliding through hole and is fixedly connected to the sliding seat 31.

[0030] In the above embodiment, the lifting drive assembly 23 includes a drive bracket 231 disposed between two sliding brackets 22. The drive bracket 231 spans and firmly supports the two sliding brackets 22, forming a stable base for the entire storage mechanism 2. A lifting motor 232 is fixedly mounted on the drive bracket 231. The lifting motor 232 is driven by a gearbox and connected to a first pulley 233 arranged below. Specifically, there are two first pulleys 233, each located in the lower region of the drive bracket 231. The upper ends of the two sliding brackets 22 are respectively rotatably connected to second pulleys 235 through inverted T-shaped connecting blocks 234. The structure of the inverted T-shaped connecting blocks 234 allows the second pulleys 235 to rotate freely while being firmly positioned, preventing belt deviation during operation. A lifting belt 236 is tensioned between the first pulley 233 and the corresponding second pulley 235. The lifting belt 236 is mainly distributed inside the receiving cavity of the sliding bracket 22, forming a closed transmission circuit. A drive block 237 is fixedly connected to the lifting belt 236. The drive block 237 penetrates the sliding through hole laterally and is rigidly fixed to the sliding seat 31, thereby directly converting the linear motion of the lifting belt 236 into the vertical lifting motion of the sliding seat 31.

[0031] After the lifting motor 232 starts, the speed and torque are adjusted by the gearbox to smoothly drive the first pulley 233 to rotate, which in turn synchronously pulls the lifting belts 236 on both sides to circulate. The drive block 237 moves up or down with the belt, driving the sliding seat 31 to achieve rapid and precise inter-layer positioning. The design of the double-sided synchronous belt drive effectively balances the forces on both sides, avoiding tilting or jamming that may be caused by single-sided drive. At the same time, the arrangement of the inverted T-shaped connecting block 234 and the upper second pulley 235 ensures that the belt tension is evenly distributed. The entire lifting process is responsive, low in noise, and highly efficient. Moreover, belt drive has better impact resistance and self-lubricating properties than lead screw, and can adapt to frequent start-stop and variable load conditions in the storage environment.

[0032] In one example, clamping blocks 238 are respectively connected to the opposite ends of the drive block 237. The clamping block 238 is provided with a clamping groove with a convex-concave fit. The clamping groove is fixedly connected to the lifting belt 236. A buffer member 239 extending along the length direction of the lifting belt 236 is connected to one side of the clamping block 238. The buffer member 239 is fixedly connected to the drive block 237. The lifting belt 236 is fitted with a guide block 240 at one end away from the drive block 237. The guide block 240 is rotatably connected to a pulley 241 along the diagonal. The pulley 241 abuts against the inner wall of the sliding bracket 22.

[0033] In the above embodiment, clamping blocks 238 are fixedly connected to the opposite ends of the drive block 237. The clamping block 238 has a clamping groove with a convex-concave fit inside. The clamping groove firmly clamps the lifting belt 236, realizing a slip-free connection between the belt and the drive block 237. A buffer member 239 extending along the length of the lifting belt 236 is also connected to one side of the clamping block 238. The buffer member 239 is rigidly fixed to the drive block 237. It can be made of elastic materials such as rubber or polyurethane, or it can be a pneumatic or hydraulic buffer device to absorb the impact load when the belt suddenly tightens or loosens, and avoid fatigue damage at the connection between the drive block 237 and the belt. Meanwhile, a guide block 240 is fitted at the end of the lifting belt 236 away from the drive block 237. The guide block 240 is connected to multiple pulleys 241 along the diagonal direction. The pulleys 241 directly abut against the inner wall of the cavity of the sliding bracket 22, forming an auxiliary guiding and supporting function to ensure that the belt runs smoothly and linearly throughout the entire stroke without lateral swaying or friction with the cavity wall.

[0034] When the lifting motor 232 drives the belt to circulate, the drive block 237 firmly pulls the belt through the clamping block 238. The interlocking clamping grooves significantly improve the connection strength, preventing belt slippage even under high-speed start-stop or heavy-load conditions, and ensuring the repeatability of the sliding seat 31's positioning. The buffer 239 effectively attenuates the vibration transmission caused by belt tension fluctuations, protecting the drive block 237, the sliding seat 31, and the precision components on the transport plate 32. The arrangement of the guide block 240 and pulley 241 provides low-friction rolling support in the non-working section of the belt, significantly reducing belt running resistance and making the lifting process smoother and more energy-efficient. At the same time, the rolling contact method of the pulley 241 against the inner wall avoids the problem of dust accumulation or wear on the fixed guide rail.

[0035] In one example, the sliding seat 31 has an L-shaped structure, and a rotating motor 34 is provided at the bottom end of the sliding seat 31. The drive shaft of the rotating motor 34 passes through the sliding seat 31 and is connected to a first gear 35. The bottom end of the transport disk 32 is connected to a second gear 36. The first gear 35 and the second gear 36 mesh, and the diameter of the second gear 36 is larger than that of the first gear 35, so that the transport disk 32 is rotatably connected to the sliding seat 31.

[0036] In the above embodiment, the sliding seat 31 has an L-shaped structure with a support platform extending from its bottom end. A rotary motor 34 is fixedly installed at its bottom end, and the drive shaft of the rotary motor 34 penetrates the horizontal part of the sliding seat 31 and connects to the first gear 35. The bottom center of the transport disk 32 is fixedly connected to the second gear 36. The first gear 35 and the second gear 36 directly mesh, and the diameter of the second gear 36 is significantly larger than that of the first gear 35, forming a gear transmission pair for speed reduction and torque increase. When the rotary motor 34 starts, the drive shaft drives the first gear 35 to rotate. The first gear 35 drives the larger diameter second gear 36 to rotate at low speed and high torque through the meshing relationship, thereby enabling the entire transport disk 32 to rotate smoothly 360 degrees relative to the sliding seat 31. This structure uses the difference in gear diameter to achieve the speed reduction function, avoiding the use of complex planetary reducers. At the same time, the L-shaped sliding seat 31 provides stable support for the rotary motor 34, ensuring that the transport disk 32 does not produce significant shaking during rotation when carrying materials, thus improving the accuracy and reliability of material orientation adjustment in automated production lines. Through gear direct drive, the transport disk 32 can quickly respond to control signals and achieve precise angle positioning, which is suitable for handling scenarios in the automated material handling equipment of this application where the orientation of materials needs to be frequently changed.

[0037] In one example, sliding sidewalls 37 extend along a third direction on opposite sides of the transport disk 32. Guide rails 38 are provided on opposite sides of the sliding sidewalls 37. Sliding rails 39 are slidably connected to the guide rails 38. The pick-and-place arm 33 is fixedly connected to the side of the sliding rail 39 facing away from the guide rails 38. A pusher plate 40 is fixedly connected between the two pick-and-place arms 33. A pick-and-place drive assembly 41 is connected to the side of the two pick-and-place arms 33 that is far away from each other, so that the pick-and-place arm 33 reciprocates along the opening side of the transport disk 32.

[0038] In the above embodiment, sliding sidewalls 37 extend from opposite sides of the transport disk 32 along a third direction. Guide rails 38 are fixed to the inner surfaces of the two sliding sidewalls 37, and matching sliding rails 39 are slidably connected to the guide rails 38. Pick-up and release arms 33 are fixedly connected to the outer surfaces of the sliding rails 39, and a pusher plate 40 is laterally fixed between the two pick-up and release arms 33, forming a pusher assembly capable of reciprocating motion as a whole. A pick-up and release drive assembly 41 is connected to the outer side of the pick-up and release arms 33, driving the entire assembly to reciprocate linearly along the opening side of the transport disk 32. When the pick-up and release drive assembly 41 is activated, the pick-up and release arms 33 drive the sliding rails 39 to slide smoothly along the guide rails 38, enabling the pusher plate 40 to extend out of the transport disk 32 to push materials or retract to avoid obstacles. This ensures that the movement trajectory of the pick-up and release arms 33 is strictly constrained by the guide rails 38, preventing deviation or jamming, and ensuring that the pusher plate 40 always remains parallel to the material contact surface, improving the stability and accuracy of material pick-up and release. The fixed connection between the pusher plate 40 and the pick-and-place arm 33 simplifies the mechanical structure, while the double-sided sliding design disperses the driving force, improving load-bearing capacity and smoothness of movement.

[0039] In one embodiment, the pick-and-place drive assembly 41 includes a pick-and-place motor 411 on the side of the pick-and-place plate away from the opening of the transport tray 32. The drive end of the pick-and-place motor 411 is connected to a pick-and-place pulley 412 via a rotating shaft. Another pick-and-place pulley 412 is rotatably connected to the side of the sliding sidewall 37 away from the pick-and-place motor 411. The two pick-and-place pulleys 412 are rotatably connected to a pick-and-place belt 413. The pick-and-place belt 413 is fixedly connected to the pick-and-place arm 33 via a pick-and-place end block 414.

[0040] In the above embodiment, the pick-and-place drive assembly 41 is located on the pick-and-place plate away from the opening of the transport tray 32, and includes a fixedly installed pick-and-place motor 411. The drive end of the pick-and-place motor 411 is directly connected to a pick-and-place pulley 412 via a rotating shaft. The side of the sliding sidewall 37 away from the pick-and-place motor 411 is rotatably connected to another driven pick-and-place pulley 412 via a bearing. A pick-and-place belt 413 is tensioned and wound between the two pick-and-place pulleys 412. The pick-and-place belt 413 is rigidly connected to the pick-and-place arm 33 via a pick-and-place end block 414 fixed thereon. When the pick-and-place motor 411 rotates forward and backward, the active pick-and-place pulley 412 drives the belt to circulate. The belt pulls or pushes the pick-and-place arm 33 through the pick-and-place end block 414, so that it, together with the pusher plate 40, achieves precise reciprocating linear motion along the guide rail 38. The synchronous belt drive structure has the advantages of smooth transmission, low noise, and simple maintenance, and the double pulley tensioning design ensures that the belt does not slip or loosen during high-frequency reciprocating motion. The fixed connection between the pick-and-place end block 414 and the pick-and-place arm 33 enables the direct and efficient transmission of driving force, avoiding energy loss in intermediate links. The entire component has a compact structure and a rapid response, enabling fast and accurate material pushing and retraction within a limited space.

[0041] In one embodiment, the conveying mechanism 4 includes two conveying frames 5 arranged opposite to each other, and a plurality of rollers 6 arranged along a second direction are rotatably connected between the two conveying frames 5. The plurality of rollers 6 are arranged sequentially along a first direction, one of the rollers 6 is connected to the drive shaft of the conveying motor, and a conveying belt 7 is rotatably connected between each pair of rollers 6, and the two pairs of conveying belts 7 are staggered along the second direction.

[0042] In the above embodiment, the conveying mechanism 4 consists of two oppositely arranged conveyor frames 5, with several rollers 6 arranged along a second direction rotatably connected between the two conveyor frames 5. The rollers 6 are evenly distributed along a first direction. One end roller 6 is directly connected to the drive shaft of the conveyor motor, while the remaining rollers 6 transmit power through conveyor belts 7 sleeved between adjacent rollers 6. The adjacent conveyor belts 7 are staggered along the second direction, forming an interlaced transmission path. When the conveyor motor starts, it drives the rollers 6 to rotate, transmitting power sequentially to all rollers 6 via the conveyor belts 7, causing all rollers 6 to rotate synchronously at the same speed. The surface of the rollers 6 directly contacts the bottom of the material, achieving smooth conveying. The staggered belt drive structure avoids belt interference and makes the structure more compact, reducing the overall height of the conveying mechanism 4. The combination of rollers 6 and belts ensures sufficient torque transmission and achieves low-noise, lubrication-free operation, making it suitable for automated material handling lines operating continuously for extended periods. The multiple rollers 6 evenly support the material, ensuring the material maintains a stable posture and does not tilt during conveying, significantly improving conveying efficiency and reliability.

[0043] refer to Figure 7 A control method for an automated material handling equipment, applied to the automated material handling equipment as described in any of the preceding claims, the control method comprising: S1: Receive the handling task instruction to perform positioning initialization of the transport mechanism. The handling task instruction includes the starting position, target position and handling type of the material. In step S1, the control system receives the handling task instruction and simultaneously initializes the positioning of the transport mechanism, thus laying the initial state foundation for the retrieval or storage operation. The handling task instruction specifically includes the material's starting position, target position, and handling type. The starting position refers to the specific level or coordinates where the material is currently located, the target position refers to the final storage tray or designated endpoint of the conveyor mechanism to which the material needs to be transported, and the handling type distinguishes between "retrieval" (i.e., taking the material from the storage tray and sending it to the conveyor mechanism) and "storage" (i.e., storing the material on the conveyor mechanism into the target storage tray).

[0044] During the initialization process, the conveyor motor of the conveying mechanism is activated. The conveyor motor drives several rollers between two oppositely positioned conveyor frames to rotate and connect via a conveyor belt. The rollers are arranged sequentially along the first direction (horizontal conveying direction) to form a stable material conveying platform, thereby ensuring that the conveying mechanism is always ready to receive or provide materials. Simultaneously, the lifting drive assembly of the storage mechanism is activated. The lifting motor rotates forward or backward, driving the first pulley via a gearbox. The first pulley is rotatably connected to the second pulley at the upper end of the sliding bracket via a lifting belt. One end of the lifting belt is fixedly connected to a drive block. The opposite ends of the drive block are firmly fixed to the lifting belt by the convex-concave clamping grooves provided in the clamping block. A buffer is also connected to one side of the clamping block and fixed to the drive block, thereby providing buffer protection to absorb the impact of movement. A guide block is sleeved on the other end of the lifting belt away from the drive block. The guide block rotates diagonally and connects to a pulley, abutting against the inner wall of the sliding bracket to ensure a smooth trajectory and precise guidance during the lifting process.

[0045] Through the coordinated operation of the lifting drive components, the lifting belt drives the drive block to move up and down along the sliding bracket. Since the drive block is fixedly connected to the sliding seat through the sliding through hole, the sliding seat is ultimately driven to initialize its positioning along a third direction (vertical lifting direction) to a position flush with the conveying mechanism. This flush positioning state means that the height of the transport tray is exactly at the same level as the roller platform of the conveying mechanism, facilitating the smooth transition and transfer of subsequent materials. At this point, the initial positioning of the transport mechanism is completed, and the initial flush positioning state of the sliding seat is obtained. This state ensures seamless docking between the transport mechanism and the conveying mechanism, and also provides a starting point reference for lifting adjustments, transport tray rotation alignment, and pick-and-place arm operations performed according to the handling type.

[0046] S2: When the handling type is retrieval, based on the initial positioning state of the transport mechanism, drive the sliding seat to rise and fall until the transport tray is flush with the starting storage tray, and drive the opening side of the transport tray to turn towards the starting storage tray; In step S2, when the handling type is retrieval, a precise alignment operation is performed based on the initial positioning state of the transport mechanism. The lifting motor is driven to rotate forward and backward, and the first pulley is driven by the gearbox to rotate and connect to the second pulley at the upper end of the sliding bracket, which is connected to the lifting belt. The lifting belt is fixedly connected to the drive block, and the two ends of the drive block are firmly fixed to the lifting belt by the inner and outer grooves of the clamping block. At the same time, a buffer is connected to one side of the clamping block and fixed to the drive block to absorb the impact vibration during the lifting process. A guide block is sleeved on the end of the lifting belt away from the drive block, which rotates diagonally and connects to the pulley to abut against the inner wall of the sliding bracket, ensuring that the sliding seat moves smoothly back and forth in the vertical direction (third direction), thereby accurately lifting and lowering the transport tray to the position where the height is level with the initial storage tray. During this process, a photoelectric sensor or a laser rangefinder can be integrated to monitor the height of the sliding seat in real time. When the sensor detects a signal that the transport tray is level with the starting storage tray, the lifting motor stops, achieving closed-loop control for height alignment. Subsequently, after the sliding seat stops in place, the rotating motor at its bottom is activated. The rotating motor drive shaft penetrates the sliding seat and connects to the first gear, which meshes with the second gear at the bottom of the transport tray. Utilizing the reduction and torque increase transmission relationship of the second gear, which has a larger diameter than the first gear, the transport tray rotates stably and slowly relative to the sliding seat, precisely aligning the open side of the transport tray towards the starting storage tray. This creates conditions for the pick-and-place arm to slide out and grab materials. At the same time, a rotary encoder or limit switch sensor can be equipped to monitor the rotation angle, ensuring the alignment accuracy of the open side. This results in the transport tray's open side being precisely aligned with the starting storage tray. This process fully utilizes the combination of mechanical transmission and sensor feedback to ensure positioning accuracy and operational stability when retrieving materials.

[0047] S3: Control the pick-and-place arm to slide out and grab the material to the conveyor plate, drive the sliding seat to rise and fall until the conveyor plate is flush with the conveying mechanism and drive the conveyor plate to rotate in the opposite direction, control the pick-and-place arm to slide out and place the material to the conveying mechanism. In step S3, based on the initial positioning state of the transport mechanism, the control system drives the lifting motor to rotate in both directions. The lifting belt pulls the sliding seat, which is fixedly connected to the drive block, to precisely lift and lower in the vertical direction (third direction) so that the height of the transport disk is level with the starting storage disk. At this time, the position of the sliding seat can be monitored in real time by a displacement sensor or limit switch installed near the sliding seat to ensure that the lifting and lowering stops after reaching the correct position. At the same time, the rotation motor at the bottom of the sliding seat is started. The first gear connected to its drive shaft meshes with the second gear at the bottom of the transport disk. By utilizing the reduction and torque increase transmission relationship that the diameter of the second gear is larger than that of the first gear, the transport disk is rotated stably, and the opening side of the transport disk is precisely turned towards the direction of the starting storage disk. The alignment accuracy of the opening side can be confirmed with the help of a rotary encoder or angle sensor. The pick-and-place drive assembly is activated. The pick-and-place motor drives the pick-and-place pulley to rotate the pick-and-place belt through the rotating shaft. The pick-and-place belt is fixedly connected to the pick-and-place end block and drives the pick-and-place arm to slide out synchronously along the opening side of the transport tray. The two pick-and-place arms are fixed to the push plate in opposite directions and are slidably connected to the sliding rail through the guide rail, so that the pick-and-place arms can smoothly extend into the starting storage tray. The push plate clamps and grabs the material. At the same time, the pressure sensor or vision sensor installed on the pick-and-place arm can detect whether the gripping force is appropriate and whether the material is gripped stably, so as to safely transfer the material to the transport tray, forming the gripping completed state.

[0048] After the material is grasped, the lifting motor is driven to raise the sliding seat until the transport tray is level with the height of the conveying mechanism. The displacement sensor is used to confirm that the tray is level. Then, the rotating motor is driven in reverse so that the first gear drives the second gear to rotate the transport tray in the opposite direction, turning the opening side back towards the conveying mechanism. The gear reduction effect ensures smooth rotation. Finally, the pick-and-place drive assembly is activated again so that the pick-and-place arm slides out along the opening side and places the material smoothly onto the roller of the conveying mechanism through the pusher plate. The roller is connected by the conveyor belt to form a material conveying platform, thus completing the transfer of material from the transport tray to the conveying mechanism.

[0049] S4: When the handling type is storage, based on the initial positioning state of the transport mechanism, drive the sliding seat to rise and fall until the transport tray is flush with the conveying mechanism, and drive the open side of the transport tray to turn towards the conveying mechanism. In step S4, based on the initial positioning state of the transport mechanism, the sliding seat is driven to rise and fall until the transport tray is flush with the conveying mechanism, and the opening side of the transport tray is driven to turn towards the conveying mechanism, thereby realizing the precise transfer preparation of materials from the conveying mechanism to the target storage tray. Specifically, the initial positioning state refers to the activation of the lifting motor by the lifting drive component after receiving the handling task instruction, which drives the lifting belt to move the drive block and clamping block, so that the sliding seat is precisely initialized to a position flush with the conveying mechanism. At the same time, a position sensor (such as a photoelectric sensor or encoder) is equipped to provide real-time feedback on the height of the sliding seat to ensure accurate initial alignment.

[0050] Based on this, the driving lifting motor rotates in both directions, causing the lifting belt to pass through the sliding through hole and be fixedly connected to the sliding seat via the drive block. This enables the sliding seat to move stably back and forth in the vertical direction until the height of the transport tray is flush with the conveying mechanism. At this point, the leveling status can be monitored by a height sensor (such as a laser rangefinder) to avoid deviation. Then, the rotating motor at the bottom of the sliding seat is started. Its drive shaft is connected to the first gear and meshes with the second gear at the bottom of the transport tray. By utilizing the reduction and torque increase transmission relationship of the second gear having a larger diameter than the first gear, the transport tray rotates smoothly relative to the sliding seat, precisely turning the opening side toward the direction of the conveying mechanism. The alignment accuracy is confirmed by a rotary encoder or limit sensor, thus achieving a leveling state where the opening side of the transport tray is precisely aligned with the conveying mechanism.

[0051] S5: Control the pick-and-place arm to slide out and grab the material to the transport tray, drive the sliding seat to rise and fall until the transport tray is level with the target storage tray and drive the transport tray to rotate in the opposite direction, control the pick-and-place arm to slide out and place the material to the target storage tray; In step S5, the pick-and-place motor in the pick-and-place drive assembly is activated. The pick-and-place belt drives the two pick-and-place arms to slide synchronously outwards along the guide rails and sliding rails towards the outside of the transport tray opening. During the sliding process, the pusher plate at the front of the pick-and-place arm stably clamps and grabs the material on the target storage tray into the transport tray. The entire grabbing process is monitored by a tension sensor installed on the pick-and-place belt and a material detection sensor at the end of the pick-and-place arm, ensuring uniform grabbing force, no omissions, and correct material posture. After grabbing, the system reverses the drive of the pick-and-place motor, causing the pick-and-place arm to smoothly slide back into the transport tray with the material. The pusher plate reliably places the material in the receiving area between the sliding sidewalls on both sides of the transport tray. During placement, sensors verify whether the material has completely detached from the pick-and-place arm and is stably positioned, achieving complete closed-loop transfer control of the storage direction during automated material handling.

[0052] S6: Monitor and optimize the transport mechanism based on the completion status of material placement to form a closed-loop control state for material handling.

[0053] In step S6, the material placement completion status refers to the verification signal after the material has been accurately placed on the target storage tray or conveying mechanism. This can be confirmed by pressure sensors or vision sensors to ensure the material is stably in place without deviation, thereby triggering subsequent monitoring and optimization processes. Specifically, based on the completion status of successful material placement in the aforementioned steps, the control system will activate multiple sensors in real time to comprehensively monitor the conveying mechanism. For example, a tension sensor installed on the lifting belt monitors belt tension changes; a synchronization sensor on the pick-up and place-down belt detects the synchronicity of the pick-up and place-down arms sliding out and back; a proximity sensor or encoder at the gear meshing point monitors the meshing state of the first and second gears and the rotation speed of the rotating motor; and a speed sensor on the roller monitors the roller speed of the conveying mechanism. Simultaneously, real-time deviation detection is performed using the mechanical feedback from the buffer and guide blocks, as well as the convex-concave fit structure of the clamping groove. Once any deviation is detected... If parameter deviations occur, such as excessive tension, synchronization misalignment, or unstable rotation speed, a closed-loop feedback mechanism is immediately used for fine-tuning. For example, the drive parameters of the lifting motor or the discharge pump are adjusted to compensate for the error. At the same time, all deviation data and the data from the entire process, including positioning initialization, lifting and rotation, grabbing and placing, and pushing, are recorded to form an optimized log of the task path. Through this accumulated data, the control algorithm is continuously iterated to improve the accuracy, efficiency, and stability of subsequent handling tasks. Ultimately, a complete closed-loop control state for material handling is achieved, ensuring that the entire automated material handling equipment can operate reliably for a long time in complex warehousing environments without human intervention.

[0054] In one embodiment, the step of monitoring and optimizing the transport mechanism based on the material placement completion status to form a closed-loop control state for material handling includes: Synchronously collect the position of the transport mechanism, the force feedback signal of the pick-and-place arm, and the visual image of the material after the material is placed, and form a complete status dataset containing position deviation data, torque anomaly data, and material placement posture data; The completed state dataset is compared with the standard pose by deviation calculation to obtain the error evaluation result of comprehensive deviation vector and weight allocation; Based on the comprehensive deviation vector and error evaluation results, the lifting speed of the sliding seat, the rotation angle of the transport disk, and the extension distance of the pick-and-place arm are compensated and adjusted to obtain an optimized set of control parameters for the transport mechanism. Based on the control parameter set of the transport mechanism, the parameters for the next transport task are loaded to form a closed-loop control state.

[0055] In the above embodiments, a high-precision closed-loop feedback mechanism is constructed to achieve continuous optimization and precise control of the placement process. After each material placement is completed, the current actual position information of the transport mechanism, the force feedback signal of the pick-and-place arm, and the visual image data of the material are collected synchronously. These data are integrated in real time to form a complete placement completion status dataset, which includes position deviation data, torque anomaly data, and actual material placement posture data. Subsequently, this dataset is compared and analyzed in multiple dimensions with pre-set standard parameters. Specifically, the deviations between the actual placement position and the target position, the actual torque and the expected torque, and the current posture of the material and the standard posture are calculated separately. A comprehensive deviation vector is obtained through weighted fusion, and a weighted error assessment result reflecting the differences in the importance of each dimension is generated. Based on the obtained comprehensive deviation vector and error assessment result, the key motion parameters of the transport mechanism are compensated and adjusted accordingly, including fine-tuning the lifting speed of the sliding seat, accurately correcting the rotation angle of the transport plate, and appropriately compensating for the extension distance of the pick-and-place arm, thereby forming an optimized set of control parameters for the transport mechanism. After parameter optimization, this new set of control parameters is loaded into the instruction execution sequence of the next material handling task, ensuring that initial positioning, motion path, and speed planning all use the latest optimized values, thus achieving true closed-loop control. This iterative mechanism based on real-time data feedback and parameter adaptation enables the equipment to continuously reduce deviations, improve placement accuracy, and gradually develop more stable and reliable material handling capabilities over long-term operation.

[0056] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made based on the content of the present invention's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automated material handling device, characterized in that, It includes at least one storage device (1) and a conveying mechanism (4). The storage device (1) includes a storage mechanism (2) and a carrying mechanism (3). The conveying mechanism (4) extends along a first direction. The storage mechanism (2) is disposed on one side of the conveying mechanism (4) along a second direction. The carrying mechanism (3) is slidably connected to the side of the storage mechanism (2) facing the conveying mechanism (4) along a third direction. The storage mechanism (2) is arranged with several storage trays (21) in a third direction array. The transport mechanism (3) includes a sliding seat (31), which is slidably connected to several storage trays (21). A transport tray (32) is rotatably connected to the sliding seat (31). Pick-up and put-down arms (33) are slidably connected to the opposite sides of the transport tray (32). When the sliding seat (31) slides to the point where the transport tray (32) is flush with the target storage tray (21) or the conveying mechanism (4), the opening side of the transport tray (32) turns towards the target storage tray (21) or the conveying mechanism (4), and the pick-up and put-down arms (33) slide out along the opening side of the transport tray (32) to grab or place the material.

2. The automated material handling equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The storage mechanism (2) includes two symmetrically arranged sliding supports (22), which extend along a third direction, and a plurality of the transport trays (32) are respectively fixedly arranged on opposite sides of the two sliding supports (22); The sliding bracket (22) has a receiving cavity, and the sliding bracket (22) has a sliding through hole on the side facing the conveying mechanism (4) arranged in a third direction. The receiving cavity is provided with a lifting drive assembly (23), and the driving end of the lifting drive assembly (23) penetrates the sliding through hole and is fixedly connected to the sliding seat (31) so that the sliding seat (31) reciprocates in a third direction.

3. The automated material handling equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The lifting drive assembly (23) includes a drive bracket (231) disposed between two sliding brackets (22). The drive bracket (231) supports the two sliding brackets (22) respectively. The drive bracket (231) is fixedly connected to a lifting motor (232). The lifting motor (232) is driven by a gearbox and connected to a first pulley (233). The first pulley (233) is distributed below the drive bracket (231). The upper end of the sliding bracket (22) is rotatably connected to a second pulley (235) via an inverted T-shaped connecting block (234). The first pulley (233) and the second pulley (235) are rotatably connected to a lifting belt (236). The lifting belt (236) is distributed in the receiving cavity. The lifting belt (236) is fixedly connected to a driving block (237). The driving block (237) penetrates the sliding through hole and is fixedly connected to the sliding seat (31).

4. An automated material handling device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The driving block (237) is connected to clamping blocks (238) at its opposite ends. The clamping block (238) is provided with a clamping groove with a convex-concave fit. The clamping groove is fixedly connected to the lifting belt (236). A buffer (239) extending along the length of the lifting belt (236) is connected to one side of the clamping block (238). The buffer (239) is fixedly connected to the driving block (237). The lifting belt (236) is fitted with a guide block (240) at one end away from the drive block (237). The guide block (240) is rotatably connected to a pulley (241) along the diagonal. The pulley (241) abuts against the inner wall of the sliding bracket (22).

5. An automated material handling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sliding seat (31) has an L-shaped structure. A rotating motor (34) is provided at the bottom of the sliding seat (31). The drive shaft of the rotating motor (34) passes through the sliding seat (31) and is connected to a first gear (35). A second gear (36) is connected to the bottom of the transport disk (32). The first gear (35) meshes with the second gear (36), and the diameter of the second gear (36) is larger than that of the first gear (35), so that the transport disk (32) and the sliding seat (31) are rotatably connected.

6. An automated material handling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transport disk (32) has sliding sidewalls (37) extending along a third direction on opposite sides. Guide rails (38) are provided on opposite sides of the sliding sidewalls (37). The guide rails (38) are slidably connected to a sliding rail (39). The side of the sliding rail (39) facing away from the guide rail (38) is fixedly connected to the pick-and-place arm (33). A pusher plate (40) is fixedly connected between the two pick-and-place arms (33). The side of the two pick-and-place arms (33) that is far away from each other is connected to a pick-and-place drive assembly (41) so that the pick-and-place arm (33) reciprocates along the opening side of the transport disk (32).

7. An automated material handling device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The pick-and-place drive assembly (41) includes a pick-and-place motor (411) on the side of the pick-and-place plate away from the opening of the transport tray (32). The drive end of the pick-and-place motor (411) is connected to a pick-and-place pulley (412) via a rotating shaft. Another pick-and-place pulley (412) is rotatably connected to the side of the sliding sidewall (37) away from the pick-and-place motor (411). The two pick-and-place pulleys (412) are rotatably connected to a pick-and-place belt (413). The pick-and-place belt (413) is fixedly connected to the pick-and-place arm (33) via a pick-and-place end block (414).

8. An automated material handling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveying mechanism (4) includes two conveying frames (5) arranged opposite to each other. A plurality of rollers (6) arranged along the second direction are rotatably connected between the two conveying frames (5). The plurality of rollers (6) are arranged sequentially along the first direction. One of the rollers (6) is connected to the drive shaft of the conveying motor. A conveying belt (7) is rotatably connected between two rollers (6) and the two conveying belts (7) are staggered along the second direction.

9. A control method for automated material handling equipment, characterized in that, The control method, applied to the automated material handling equipment as described in any one of claims 1-8, comprises: The transport mechanism is positioned and initialized upon receiving a handling task instruction, which includes the material's starting position, target position, and handling type. When the handling type is retrieval, based on the initial positioning state of the transport mechanism, the sliding seat is driven to rise and fall until the transport tray is flush with the starting storage tray, and the opening side of the transport tray is driven to turn towards the starting storage tray. Control the pick-and-place arm to slide out and grab the material onto the conveyor tray, drive the sliding seat to rise and fall until the conveyor tray is flush with the conveying mechanism and drive the conveyor tray to rotate in the opposite direction, control the pick-and-place arm to slide out and place the material onto the conveying mechanism. When the handling type is storage, based on the initial positioning state of the transport mechanism, the sliding seat is driven to rise and fall until the transport tray is flush with the conveying mechanism, and the open side of the transport tray is driven to turn towards the conveying mechanism. Control the pick-and-place arm to slide out and grab the material onto the transport tray, drive the sliding seat to rise and fall until the transport tray is level with the target storage tray and drive the transport tray to rotate in the opposite direction, control the pick-and-place arm to slide out and place the material onto the target storage tray; The transport mechanism is monitored and optimized based on the completion status of material placement to form a closed-loop control state for material handling.

10. The control method for an automated material handling equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that, The step of monitoring and optimizing the transport mechanism based on the completion status of material placement to form a closed-loop control state for material handling includes: Synchronously collect the position of the transport mechanism, the force feedback signal of the pick-and-place arm, and the visual image of the material after the material is placed, and form a complete status dataset containing position deviation data, torque anomaly data, and material placement posture data; The completed state dataset is compared with the standard pose by deviation calculation to obtain the error evaluation result of comprehensive deviation vector and weight allocation; Based on the comprehensive deviation vector and error evaluation results, the lifting speed of the sliding seat, the rotation angle of the transport disk, and the extension distance of the pick-and-place arm are compensated and adjusted to obtain an optimized set of control parameters for the transport mechanism. Based on the control parameter set of the transport mechanism, the parameters for the next transport task are loaded to form a closed-loop control state.

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