Composite carrying robot and carrying method

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of material carrying, in particular to a composite carrying robot which comprises a first carrying unit, a second carrying unit, a height adjusting unit, a cache mechanism and a controller, and the second carrying unit and the first carrying unit are arranged on different height layers. Wherein the first carrying unit has multiple physical interaction forms, and three taking and placing actions of clamping, forking and dragging of materials can be executed by changing the structural configuration of the first carrying unit; the second carrying unit has the material bearing and conveying functions and is provided with at least two material occupied spaces so as to support the material exchange task between the caching mechanism and the target equipment. By integrating the first carrying unit with three physical interaction forms of clamping, forking and dragging and the second carrying unit with material bearing and conveying functions, wide adaptation to different types and different external equipment interfaces is achieved, and the universality and flexibility of the carrying robot are remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of material handling technology, and in particular to a composite handling robot and handling method. Background Technology

[0002] In the fields of intelligent manufacturing and logistics automation, material handling robots, as core equipment for material flow, have been applied in various scenarios, including warehousing and sorting, and workshop process transfer, effectively improving material handling efficiency and reducing manual labor intensity. As industrial production models shift towards multi-variety, small-batch production, material types are becoming increasingly diversified, placing higher demands on the adaptability of material handling robots.

[0003] In existing technologies, the functional design of handling robots generally suffers from a lack of diversity, with their actuators typically customized for specific material types. For example, in the fabrication of optical modules, the modules need to be baked multiple times. The structure of the baking equipment varies depending on the process. Some baking equipment has an internal transmission structure, allowing the baking tray or rack carrying the optical modules to be transported for input and output. However, some baking equipment lacks an internal transmission structure, requiring the baking tray or rack to be forked, clamped, or dragged to achieve the input and output process.

[0004] The aforementioned material handling methods are generally not interchangeable. This functional limitation necessitates that companies configure multiple models of handling robots for different types of needs, increasing equipment procurement costs and workshop layout complexity, while also requiring additional manpower for equipment scheduling and maintenance. This inability to adapt to the urgent need for equipment versatility in flexible manufacturing restricts the overall operational efficiency of automated production lines. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a composite handling robot and handling method to solve the problems in the prior art.

[0006] The technical solution of this invention is: a composite handling robot, comprising: The robot itself; A composite handling assembly, installed on the robot body, includes a first handling unit and a second handling unit disposed at a different height level from the first handling unit, as well as a height adjustment unit that drives the first handling unit and / or the second handling unit to lift and lower to adapt to material pick-up and drop points and target equipment interfaces at different heights; The caching mechanism consists of multiple identical caching units and works in conjunction with the second transport unit. The controller is used to control the first handling unit and the second handling unit to cooperate in performing multimodal handling tasks based on the target device interface characteristics and material characteristics; The first handling unit has multiple physical interaction modes and can perform three picking and placing actions of material clamping, forking and dragging by changing its structural configuration. It can also drive the two execution ends to move towards or away from each other through a bidirectional synchronous coordination mechanism to adapt to materials of different sizes. The second handling unit has material carrying and transmission functions and has at least two material occupancy spaces to support the material exchange tasks between the buffer mechanism and the target device.

[0007] Preferably, the two execution ends of the first transport unit are arranged non-coaxially in the first horizontal direction to form spatial avoidance, so as to avoid mechanical interference in the dragging mode.

[0008] Preferably, the first transport unit includes a first drive component that drives the execution end to translate along a second horizontal direction, and a rotatable joint component that realizes various physical interaction forms thereof.

[0009] Preferably, the joint assembly includes a vertical rotation drive assembly for driving the actuator to rotate about a vertical axis, and a horizontal flip drive assembly for driving the actuator to flip about a horizontal axis.

[0010] Preferably, the controller selects the mode for performing the handling task based on at least one or more of the following conditions: whether the target device interface has an automatic transmission structure, whether the material to be handled has a support bracket, and the material's appropriate pick-and-place method.

[0011] A method of handling includes the following steps: S1. Receive handling instructions and identify the target equipment interface characteristics and material characteristics; S2. Based on the characteristics, control the first handling unit to adapt and transform into the corresponding structural configuration that performs clamping, forking, or dragging actions; S3. The height adjustment unit adjusts the height of the first handling unit and / or the second handling unit to adapt it to the target equipment interface or material pick-up and drop-off point. S4. The first handling unit cooperates with the second handling unit to perform material picking and placing operations, and performs material receiving, transfer and transmission operations, as well as coordinates the buffer mechanism to perform material storage and retrieval operations.

[0012] Preferably, when the target device interface has an automatic transfer structure, in step S4, the second handling unit is controlled to dock with the automatic transfer structure of the target device to receive or send out materials.

[0013] Preferably, when the target equipment does not have an automatic transfer structure, the first handling unit after the control transformation structure configuration directly takes out the material from the target equipment and places it on the second handling unit, or takes out the material from the second handling unit and places it on the target equipment.

[0014] Preferably, when it is necessary to move new materials from the buffer mechanism to the target device to replace old materials on the target device, the method further includes: receiving and temporarily storing new materials from the buffer mechanism through at least two material occupancy spaces on the second transport unit, and receiving old materials from the target device; and then moving the new materials to the target device.

[0015] Preferably, when exchanging new and old materials, and when the first handling unit is performing its operation, the height adjustment device adjusts the first handling unit to ensure that, in the vertical direction, the height of the first handling unit is at least two materials higher than that of the second handling unit, so as to avoid interference between the new and old materials.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are: (1) This invention integrates a first handling unit with three physical interaction modes—clamping, forking, and dragging—and a second handling unit with material carrying and transmission functions, thereby achieving broad adaptability to different types and external equipment interfaces. The robot can autonomously select the optimal handling method based on the characteristics of the target equipment and materials, significantly improving the versatility and flexibility of the handling robot; (2) By coordinating the collaborative operations between the first transport unit, the second transport unit, and the buffer mechanism through the controller, intelligent scheduling and efficient execution of multimodal transport tasks are realized; Especially when the buffer mechanism is full, by setting at least two material occupancy spaces for the second handling mechanism, it supports interference-free exchange of old and new materials, achieving seamless integration of continuous handling and material buffering. At the same time, it also increases the temporary storage capacity of the handling robot. (3) By arranging the two actuators non-coaxially in the horizontal direction, spatial avoidance is achieved, thus preventing mechanical interference during dragging. At the same time, the height adjustment unit enables independent lifting control of the first and second transport units, allowing for simultaneous transport and buffering of multiple layers of materials in the vertical direction, thereby improving the robot's space utilization and transport efficiency. (4) One composite handling robot can replace multiple traditional special handling equipment, reducing the types and quantities of special equipment, reducing procurement costs and the complexity of production workshop layout, while also reducing the investment in equipment scheduling and maintenance, and meeting the needs of intelligent manufacturing for equipment versatility and economy. (5) The second height adjustment device is a non-powered setting, which reduces moving parts and electrical connections, lowers the failure rate, and improves the overall stability of the system; at the same time, the structure is simpler and more compact, and disassembly and maintenance are more convenient, reducing long-term use costs. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the composite handling robot described in this invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the composite handling robot described in this invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the composite handling assembly described in this invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second height adjustment device of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first transport unit of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first transport unit of the present invention when it is in clamping mode; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first transport unit of the present invention when it is in the forklift mode; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first transport unit of the present invention when it is in drag mode; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the tensioning mechanism described in this invention; Figure 10 This is an exploded structural diagram of the tensioning mechanism described in this invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second transport unit of the present invention; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the cache unit described in this invention; Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first blocking module of the present invention.

[0018] Among them: robot body 1; Buffer mechanism 2, buffer unit 21, second roller frame 211, second transfer roller 212, second guide side strip 213, second transition roller 214, second blocking module 215, buffer frame 22; Transport frame 3; The system comprises: a first conveying unit 4, a first drive assembly 41, a second driver 411, a second transmission mechanism 412, a first lead screw 413, a second guide assembly 414, a second guide rail 4141, a second slider 4142, a bidirectional synchronous coordination mechanism 42, a third driver 421, a third transmission mechanism 422, a second lead screw 423, a third guide assembly 424, a third guide rail 4241, a third slider 4242, a second platform 43, a third platform 44, an actuator 45, and a joint assembly 46. Vertical rotation drive assembly 461, horizontal tilt drive assembly 462, rotating bracket 463, dragging part 47, connecting part 471, dragging part 472, tensioning mechanism 48, adjusting body 481, limiting slide groove 4811, limiting guide groove 48111, sliding guide groove 48112, adjusting part 4812, disassembly groove 4813, tensioning wheel 482, tensioning wheel shaft 483, adjusting bolt 484, limiting slider 485, sliding guide part 4851, limiting guide part 4852; Second conveying unit 5, first station 5a, second station 5b, first roller frame 51, first transfer roller 52, first guide side strip 53, first transition roller 54, first blocking module 55, limit blocking frame 551, guide groove 5511, guide sleeve 552, limit blocking shaft 553, lifting block 554, second cam follower 5541, elastic element 555, limit blocking driver 556, rotary wheel 557, first cam follower 558, sensor 559, sensor bracket 5591; First height adjustment device 6, first driver 61, first transmission mechanism 62, first lifting module 63, first guide assembly 64, first guide rail 641, first slider 642; First Platform 7; Second height adjustment device 8, sliding limit mechanism 81, first connecting plate 811, fourth slider 812, limit frame 813, guide rod 814; Material 9. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0020] Example 1

[0021] like Figures 1-13As shown, this invention provides a composite handling robot and handling method to solve the technical problems of existing handling devices having limited functionality and difficulty in adapting to the diverse handling needs in flexible production. Its core lies in a system architecture that integrates a first handling unit with a changeable structural configuration, a second handling unit, a height adjustment unit capable of adjusting the height of the first and second handling units individually or simultaneously, and a buffer mechanism through a composite robot design. This enables efficient and automated material flow between various handling methods and various external equipment interface structures.

[0022] The structure of the composite handling robot mainly includes: robot body 1, composite handling components, buffer mechanism 2, and controller.

[0023] The robot body 1 serves as the mobile chassis for the entire robot. It can utilize platforms with autonomous mobility, such as AGVs, IGVs, and AMRs, to provide the necessary maneuverability for material handling.

[0024] like Figure 2 As shown, the composite handling assembly is mounted on the robot body 1. It includes a handling frame 3, a first handling unit 4, a second handling unit 5 disposed at a different height from the first handling unit 4, and a height adjustment unit that drives the first handling unit 4 and / or the second handling unit 5 to lift and lower to adapt to material pick-up and drop points and target equipment interfaces at different heights.

[0025] like Figures 2-4 As shown, the height adjustment unit includes a first height adjustment device 6 connected to the transport frame 3, a first platform 7 connected to the first height adjustment device 6, and a second height adjustment device 8 connected to the first platform 7.

[0026] like Figure 3 As shown, the first height adjustment device 6 is used to drive the lifting and lowering movement of the first platform 7 and the first transport unit 4 mounted thereon, to adapt to target equipment or buffer unit 21 of different heights. The first height adjustment device 6 includes a first driver 61, a first transmission mechanism 62, and a first lifting module 63. The first driver 61 is preferably a servo motor, which is fixedly mounted on the top of the transport frame 3. The first lifting module 63 is preferably a linear module, and two are symmetrically arranged, parallel and vertically aligned. The first platform 7 is rigidly connected to the moving parts of the two first lifting modules 63, thereby achieving overall lifting and lowering under the synchronous drive of the two modules. The first transmission mechanism 62 is preferably a synchronous belt transmission structure, with its driving pulley mounted on the output shaft of the first driver 61, and the driven pulley mounted at the input end of the first lifting module 63. A synchronous belt connects the driving pulley and the driven pulley. Through the synchronous transmission of the first transmission mechanism 62, the power output from the first driver 61 is synchronously transmitted to the two first lifting modules 63, thereby driving the lifting and lowering movement of the first platform 7.

[0027] To ensure the stability of the lifting motion, the first height adjustment device 6 is also provided with a first guide component 64, which consists of a first guide rail 641 that is vertically and fixedly installed on the transport frame 3 and a first slider 642 that is fixedly installed on the first platform 7. The first guide rail 641 and the first slider 642 cooperate with each other and are provided in multiple sets to jointly form a guide constraint to prevent the first platform 7 from shifting or twisting in the horizontal direction during the lifting process.

[0028] like Figure 4 As shown, the second height adjustment device 8 is installed on the first platform 7 and connected to the second transport unit 5, used to adjust the height difference between the second transport unit 5 and the first transport unit 4. The second height adjustment device 8 includes multiple sets of sliding limiting mechanisms 81. Each sliding limiting mechanism 81 includes a first connecting plate 811 fixedly installed on the first platform 7, a fourth slider 812 fixedly connected to the first connecting plate 811, and a limiting frame 813 fixedly installed on the first roller frame 51. A vertical guide rod 814 is fixedly installed at the center of the limiting frame 813. The guide rod 814 cooperates with the fourth slider 812 to form a vertical guiding constraint. Simultaneously, the upper and lower ends of the limiting frame 813 constrain the vertical movement stroke of the fourth slider 812. Multiple second height adjustment devices 8 can be symmetrically arranged to improve the stability of the height adjustment of the second transport unit 5 relative to the first platform 7.

[0029] When the first height adjustment device 6 drives the first transport unit 4 to move vertically, and the bottom of the second transport unit 5 is suspended in the air, the fourth slider 812 is above the guide rod 814, and the upper end face of the fourth slider 812 abuts against the top face of the limiting frame 813. At this time, the distance between the second transport unit 5 and the first transport unit 4 is a fixed value. The first transport unit 4 and the second transport unit 5 can be driven in the vertical direction simultaneously by the first height adjustment device 6, so that the first transport unit 4 or the second transport unit 5 docks with the target device or buffer unit 21. When the second transport unit 5 moves downward to the point where its bottom contacts the robot body 1, the second transport unit 5 stops moving. If the first transport unit 4 continues to move downward, the fourth slider 812 slides downward relative to the guide rod 814, and the distance between the first transport unit 4 and the second transport unit 5 decreases, so that the material held on the first transport unit 4 can be placed on the second transport unit 5, or the first transport unit 4 can obtain material from the second transport unit 5. Specifically, when the bottom of the second handling unit 5 is not in contact with the robot body 1, the distance between the first handling unit 4 and the second handling unit 5 should be at least greater than the height of two materials to avoid interference between new and old materials when the buffer mechanism 2 is fully loaded and materials are exchanged. In this embodiment, the second height adjustment device 8 is non-powered, avoiding the space occupation of power drive devices, conveying devices, and other mechanisms, and facilitating the optimization of the overall layout of the composite handling robot.

[0030] like Figures 5-8 As shown, the first handling unit 4 has multiple physical interaction modes, enabling it to directly interact with target equipment or materials. It can also perform material handling operations such as clamping, forking, or dragging by changing its structural configuration according to the controller's instructions, thus making it suitable for materials of different specifications and support methods.

[0031] The first handling unit 4 includes a first drive assembly 41, a bidirectional synchronous coordination mechanism 42, a second platform 43, two third platforms 44, and two execution ends 45. The first drive assembly 41 drives the entire unit to translate along a second horizontal direction to move closer to or away from the target device. It includes a second driver 411, a second transmission mechanism 412, a first lead screw 413, and a second guide assembly 414. The second driver 411 is preferably a servo motor and is fixedly mounted on the upper end of the first platform 7. Its output power is transmitted to the first lead screw 413 through the second transmission mechanism 412 to drive the first lead screw 413 to rotate. The first lead screw 413 is rotatably connected to the lower end of the first platform 7 and simultaneously threadedly connected to the second platform 43. The second transmission mechanism 412 is preferably a belt drive. The second guide assembly 414 includes a second guide rail 4141 fixedly installed at the bottom of the first platform 7 and a second slider 4142 fixedly installed at the upper end of the second platform 43. The second guide rail 4141 and the second slider 4142 are connected in cooperation and are configured in at least two sets to jointly form a guide constraint, providing stable linear guidance for the movement of the second platform 43 in the second direction.

[0032] A bidirectional synchronous coordination mechanism 42 is mounted on the second platform 43 to drive the two actuators 45 to move synchronously towards or away from each other in the first horizontal direction, adapting to materials of different widths. It includes a third driver 421, a third transmission mechanism 422, a second lead screw 423, and a third guide assembly 424. The third driver 421 is preferably a servo motor and is fixedly mounted on the second platform 43. Its output power is transmitted to the second lead screw 423 through the third transmission mechanism 422 to drive the second lead screw 423 to rotate. The second lead screw 423 has two sections of threads with opposite directions of rotation, which are threadedly connected to the two third platforms 44 respectively. When the second lead screw 423 rotates, the two third platforms 44 move synchronously towards or away from each other in the first horizontal direction. The third guide assembly 424 includes a third guide rail 4241 fixedly installed at the bottom of the second platform 43 and a third slider 4242 fixedly installed at the top of the two third platforms 44 respectively. The third slider 4242 cooperates with the third guide rail 4241 to form a guide constraint, ensuring the parallelism and stability of the movement of the two third platforms 44.

[0033] Each third platform 44 is connected to an actuator 45 via a joint assembly 46. The joint assembly 46 enables multimodal transformation and includes a vertical rotation drive assembly 461 and a horizontal tilt drive assembly 462. The joint assembly 46 also includes a rotation bracket 463. The vertical rotation drive assembly 461 is mounted on the rotation bracket 463, and its rotating end is fixed to the third platform 44. The horizontal tilt drive assembly 462 is also mounted on the rotation bracket 463, and its rotating end is connected to the actuator 45. The vertical rotation drive assembly 461 can drive the actuator 45 to rotate about a vertical axis; the horizontal tilt drive assembly 462 can drive the actuator 45 to tilt about a horizontal axis.

[0034] The actuator 45 is preferably a long strip-shaped plate structure, and its end can be configured as a toothed plate, an anti-slip clamping surface, or other shapes. One of the actuators 45 is equipped with a dragging component 47 for docking materials in drag mode.

[0035] In a further embodiment, to ensure the stable operation of the bidirectional synchronous coordination mechanism 42, the first transport unit 4 is equipped with a tensioning mechanism 48. For example... Figures 9-10 As shown, the tensioning mechanism 48 consists of an adjusting body 481, a tensioning wheel 482, a tensioning wheel shaft 483, an adjusting bolt 484, and a limiting slider 485. The adjusting body 481 is mounted on the second platform 43 and is located to the side of the third transmission mechanism 422, and it has a limiting groove 4811. The limiting groove 4811 includes a limiting guide groove 48111 and a sliding guide groove 48112, which are T-shaped in horizontal cross-section. One end of the tensioning wheel shaft 483 is rotatably connected to the tensioning wheel 482, and the other end is fixedly connected to the limiting slider 485. The tensioning wheel 482 presses against the belt of the third transmission mechanism 422. The limiting slider 485 includes a sliding guide part 4851 and a limiting guide part 4852, which are also T-shaped in horizontal cross-section. The sliding guide 4851 is installed within the sliding guide groove 48112, and the limiting guide 4852 is installed within the limiting guide groove 48111, allowing the limiting slider 485 to engage within the limiting groove 4811, preventing the tension wheel shaft 483 from rotating during adjustment. The sliding guide groove 48112 has two sidewalls. An adjusting part 4812 is connected to the top of one sidewall, positioned directly above the sliding guide groove 48112. Simultaneously, the adjusting part 4812 is positioned above the other sidewall, forming a disassembly groove 4813 between them. The width of the disassembly groove 4813 is at least greater than the vertical width of the sliding guide 4851. An adjusting bolt 484 is threadedly connected to the adjusting part 4812, with its threaded end penetrating downwards through the adjusting part 4812 and abutting against the sliding guide 4851. The adjusting bolt 484 pushes the limiting slider 485 to move within the limiting groove 4811, thereby adjusting the force of the tensioning wheel 482 pressing against the belt and thus adjusting the belt tension.

[0036] When the tensioning wheel 482 needs to be disassembled, first remove the adjusting bolt 484; then slide the limit slider 485 upward along the limit slide groove 4811 to the disassembly groove 4813; finally, remove it from the disassembly groove 4813. The overall structure is simple and easy to maintain.

[0037] Based on the above structural foundation, when the first transport unit 4 undergoes various physical interaction transformations, such as... Figure 6 As shown, in clamping mode, the two actuators 45 of the first conveying unit 4 remain parallel and opposite to each other. The horizontal flipping drive assembly 462 drives the actuators 45 to flip to the vertical direction, that is, the plate surface of the plate-shaped actuator 45 is in a vertical state, making it parallel to the side wall of the material. Then, the bidirectional synchronous coordination mechanism 42 drives the two actuators 45 to move towards each other simultaneously to clamp the material. During the lifting process of the first conveying unit 4, the material is lifted from the support positions on both sides of the material.

[0038] like Figure 7 As shown, when switching to the fork-and-grab mode, the horizontal flipping drive assembly 462 drives the execution end 45 to flip to the horizontal direction, that is, the plate surface of the plate-shaped execution end 45 is in a horizontal state, and the two execution ends 45 form a fork-like structure. At the same time, the bidirectional synchronous coordination mechanism 42 drives the two execution ends 45 to move towards or away from each other, adjusting the distance between the two execution ends 45 to fit the support bracket below the material. Then, the first drive assembly 41 drives the execution end 45 to move along the second horizontal direction, so that the execution end 45 inserts into the support bracket.

[0039] like Figure 8 As shown, when switching to drag mode, firstly, the horizontal flip drive assembly 462 drives the actuator 45 to flip to the vertical direction, with both actuators 45 parallel and opposite each other along the second horizontal direction. Then, the vertical rotation drive assembly 461 drives the two actuators 45 to rotate 90 degrees towards each other sequentially. After rotation, the two actuators 45 are parallel, and the plate-shaped actuator 45 is vertical and facing the second horizontal direction, causing the dragging component 47 to face the target device. Driven by the first drive assembly 41, the dragging component 47 moves along the second horizontal direction to approach and extend into the dragging point of the material, thus realizing the dragging operation.

[0040] The dragging component 47 includes a connecting part 471 and a dragging part 472. The connecting part 471 is mounted on the plate surface of one of the actuator ends 45. The dragging part 472 is connected to the side of the connecting part 471 away from the actuator end 45, and extends upward (or downward) relative to the connecting part 471, forming a hook-like shape together with the connecting part 471. It should also be noted that, to avoid interference between the two actuator ends 45 when switching to dragging mode, the two actuator ends 45 are arranged non-coaxially in the first horizontal direction. That is, the two planes formed by the rotation axes of the vertical rotation drive components 461 to which the two actuator ends 45 are respectively connected do not coincide with the planes formed by the line of the first horizontal direction. This ensures that the two actuator ends 45 do not interfere with each other in physical space when rotating, achieving effective misalignment and avoidance. Furthermore, the dragging part 472 is installed on the actuator end 45 relatively close to the joint component 46 to avoid interference with the material being forked in the forklift mode.

[0041] like Figure 11 As shown, the second handling unit 5 has material carrying and transmission functions, and can directly transport materials or serve as a material transfer platform. It improves the flexibility and efficiency of handling operations by establishing a material transmission channel between the first handling unit 4 and the buffer mechanism 2 or external target equipment.

[0042] The second conveying unit 5 includes a first roller frame 51 and multiple first transfer rollers 52 arranged along a second horizontal direction on the first roller frame 51. These first transfer rollers 52 are connected by a transmission belt. At least one of the first transfer rollers 52 has a power output function, preferably an electric roller structure. Adjacent first transfer rollers 52 are arranged in a configuration of 1-3 non-powered rollers to one power output roller to achieve efficient and stable transmission. The first roller frame 51 has first guide strips 53 on both sides along the first horizontal direction to guide the lateral position of the material during transmission, ensuring the accuracy of material transmission. The first roller frame 51 has first transition rollers 54 at both ends along the second horizontal direction to prevent direct collision or friction between the material and the first roller frame 51 during transmission, ensuring the stability of material transmission. It should be noted that when the buffer mechanism 2 is fully loaded, the material exchange task is performed. New and old materials need to be placed simultaneously in the second transport unit 5. Therefore, the second transport unit 5 must have at least two material-occupying spaces in the second horizontal direction. That is, the length of the multiple first transfer rollers 52 arranged in the second horizontal direction must be at least greater than the length of two materials to accommodate both new and old materials simultaneously. For ease of explanation, as follows... Figure 2 and Figure 11 As shown, the material occupancy space is located closer to the buffer mechanism 2 at the first station 5a, and the material occupancy space is located farther away from the buffer mechanism 2 at the second station 5b.

[0043] To ensure precise positioning and safe blocking of materials during transfer on the second conveying unit 5, a first blocking module 55 is also provided at one end of the first roller frame 51 along the second horizontal direction. For example... Figure 13 As shown, the first blocking module 55 includes a limiting blocking frame 551, a guide sleeve 552, a limiting blocking shaft 553, a lifting block 554, an elastic element 555, a limiting blocking driver 556, a rotating wheel 557, an eccentrically mounted first cam follower 558, a second cam follower 5541, a sensor bracket 5591, and a sensor 559. The limiting blocking driver 556 is preferably a servo motor, fixedly mounted on the limiting blocking frame 551, with its output end connected to the rotating wheel 557. The rotating wheel 557 drives the first cam follower 558 to move eccentrically. The limiting blocking shaft 553 is vertically connected to the upper end of the lifting block 554 and passes through the guide sleeve 552 on the limiting blocking frame 551. The lower end of the lifting block 554 is connected to the bottom surface of the limiting blocking frame 551 via the elastic element 555, preferably a spring, which provides the driving force for the lifting block 554 to move upward. When the first cam follower 558 rotates to the downward position, it presses against the lifting block 554 and moves downward, causing the limiting blocking shaft 553 to move down to below the upper end face of the first transfer roller 52, thus preventing material transfer interference. When the first cam follower 558 rotates to the upward position, the elastic element 555 drives the limiting blocking shaft 553 to move upward, passing through the guide sleeve 552 to the upper end of the first transfer roller 52, forming a blocking limit. To prevent the lifting block 554 from horizontally twisting during vertical movement, a guide groove 5511 with a vertical length direction is provided on the limiting blocking frame 551. A second cam follower 5541 that mates with the guide groove 5511 is also installed on the lifting block 554, forming a guiding constraint. At the same time, a sensor bracket 5591 and a sensor 559 are provided at the guide groove 5511 to sense the position of the second cam follower 5541, thereby determining the limiting state of the first blocking module 55.

[0044] like Figure 2 and Figure 12 As shown, the buffer mechanism 2 consists of a buffer frame 22 and multiple identical buffer units 21 mounted on the buffer frame 22, and works in conjunction with the second transport unit 5. The multiple buffer units 21 are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction, and their structure includes a second roller frame 211, a second transfer roller 212, a second guide side strip 213, a second transition roller 214, and a second blocking module 215. The specific structure and connection relationships are the same as those of the second transport unit 5 described above, and will not be repeated in this embodiment.

[0045] The controller (not shown in the figure) is used to control the first handling unit 4 and the second handling unit 5 to perform multimodal handling tasks in coordination based on the target equipment interface characteristics and material characteristics.

[0046] The following are the specific handling procedures and collaborative work methods: First, receive handling instructions and identify the target equipment interface characteristics and material characteristics.

[0047] The controller receives handling task instructions from a host system or human-machine interface. These instructions include information such as the target equipment, destination location, and the attributes of the target equipment and materials. Target equipment attributes include at least whether the target equipment interface has an automated transport structure such as a roller conveyor or belt conveyor. Material attributes include at least whether the material to be handled has a support structure such as a pallet, and information on the appropriate handling method. The appropriate handling method information includes whether the material's size and weight exceed the maximum size and load-bearing capacity of the clamping mode, and whether the material has a dragging structure that can cooperate with the dragging component 47.

[0048] Subsequently, based on one or more of the aforementioned feature information, the robot body 1 navigates to the vicinity of the target device. The controller controls the first handling unit 4 to adapt and transform into a corresponding structural configuration to perform clamping, forking, or dragging actions. Simultaneously, the height adjustment unit adjusts the height of the first handling unit 4 and / or the second handling unit 5 to adapt to the target device interface or material pick-up and drop-off point. Finally, the first handling unit 4, in coordination with the second handling unit 5, performs material pick-up and drop-off actions, carrying out material receiving, transfer, and transmission operations, as well as coordinating the buffer mechanism 2 to perform material storage and retrieval operations.

[0049] During the handling process, the following situations may occur: Scenario A: The target equipment has an automatic transfer structure. The first handling unit 4 switches to a clamping state and the two actuators move back-to-back until the distance is greater than the width of the material to avoid interference. The first handling unit 4 is in standby mode and does not participate in the handling operation. The second handling unit 5 is used for docking and handling.

[0050] Specifically: When receiving materials from the target equipment, the first height adjustment device 6 adjusts the height of the second conveying unit 5 so that it aligns with the automatic conveying structure of the target equipment. The materials are directly conveyed to the second conveying unit 5 by the automatic conveying structure. The materials are temporarily stored on the second conveying unit 5, or the height of the second conveying unit 5 is adjusted again until it aligns with an empty buffer unit 21, and the materials are then conveyed to the buffer unit 21 to complete the buffering process.

[0051] When outputting materials from buffer unit 21, the process is the reverse of the above process, and will not be described in detail here.

[0052] Scenario B1: The target equipment does not have an automatic transfer structure, but the material has a supporting support. The controller controls the first handling unit 4 to change to a forklift mode and automatically adjusts the distance between the two actuators 45.

[0053] Specifically: When receiving materials from the target device, the first height adjustment device 6 adjusts the height of the first transport unit 4 so that the execution end 45 is at the same height as the material's support bracket; the first drive assembly 41 drives the execution end 45 to insert into the bottom of the support bracket along the second horizontal direction, and the first height adjustment device 6 drives the execution end 45 to move slightly upward to lift the material; the first drive assembly 41 drives the material to reset along the second horizontal direction until the material is directly above the second station 5b, completing the material picking. Afterwards, the first height adjustment device 6 drives the material to move downward, and after the bottom of the second transport unit 5 contacts the robot body 1, the distance between the first transport unit 4 and the second transport unit 5 decreases until the material is placed at the second station 5b of the second transport unit 5; the first drive assembly 41 drives the execution end 45 to move along the second horizontal direction to the first station 5a to detach the material; the first height adjustment device 6 drives the first transport unit 4 and the second transport unit 5 to move upward until the second transport unit 5 docks with an empty buffer unit 21, transferring the material to the buffer unit 21, completing the buffering process.

[0054] When the material in the buffer unit 21 is being output, the execution end 45 moves to directly above the first station 5a. Driven by the first height adjustment device 6, the second transport unit 5 docks with the buffer unit 21; the material on the buffer unit 21 is directly transferred to the second station 5b on the second transport unit 5; then, driven by the first height adjustment device 6, it moves downward until the bottom of the second transport unit 5 touches the robot body 1, the distance between the first transport unit 4 and the second transport unit 5 decreases, and the execution end 45 stops when it is at the same height as the material's support bracket; the first drive assembly 41 drives the execution end 45 to move along the second horizontal direction towards the second station 5b to pick up the material. Afterward, the first height adjustment device 6 drives the material to move upward until it is level with the target equipment, and under the drive of the first drive assembly 41, it is transported to the target equipment along the second horizontal direction.

[0055] Scenario B2: The target equipment lacks an automatic conveying structure, and the material lacks a supporting frame; the material can be handled using a clamping method. The controller controls the first conveying unit 4 to change into a clamping configuration.

[0056] Specifically: When receiving material from the target equipment, the first height adjustment device 6 adjusts the height of the first conveying unit 4 so that the height of the execution end 45 is consistent with the height of the material on the target equipment; the first drive assembly 41 drives the execution end 45 to move along the second horizontal direction to both sides of the material; the bidirectional synchronous coordination mechanism 42 drives the two execution ends 45 to move towards each other to clamp the material, and lifts the material slightly upward by the first height adjustment device 6. The first drive assembly 41 drives the material to reset along the second horizontal direction until the material is directly above the first station 5a (or the second station 5b), completing the material picking. Afterwards, the first height adjustment device 6 drives the material to move downwards; after the bottom of the second conveying unit 5 contacts the robot body 1, the distance between the first conveying unit 4 and the second conveying unit 5 decreases until the material is placed at the first station 5a (or the second station 5b) of the second conveying unit 5 and stops; the bidirectional synchronous coordination mechanism 42 drives the two execution ends 45 to move back to back to detach from the material. Then, the first height adjustment device 6 drives the first transport unit 4 and the second transport unit 5 to move upward until the second transport unit 5 docks with an empty buffer unit 21, and the material is transferred to the buffer unit 21 to complete the buffering.

[0057] When the material in the buffer unit 21 is being output, the actuator 45 moves to directly above the first station 5a (or the second station 5b). Driven by the first height adjustment device 6, the second transport unit 5 docks with the buffer unit 21; the material on the buffer unit 21 is directly transferred to the first station 5a (or the second station 5b) on the second transport unit 5; then, driven by the first height adjustment device 6, it moves downward until the bottom of the second transport unit 5 touches the robot body 1, the distance between the first transport unit 4 and the second transport unit 5 decreases, and the two actuators 45 stop when they reach the same height as the material; the bidirectional synchronous coordination mechanism 42 drives the two actuators 45 to move towards each other to clamp the material. Afterward, the first height adjustment device 6 drives the material to move upward until it is level with the target equipment, and under the drive of the first drive assembly 41, it is transported to the target equipment along the second horizontal direction; then, under the drive of the bidirectional synchronous coordination mechanism 42, it disengages from the material.

[0058] Situation B3: The target equipment does not have an automatic transmission structure, and the material does not have a support bracket. The material cannot be clamped, but it can be dragged. When the position of the material on the target equipment corresponds to the height of the lower end of the second handling unit 5 when it touches the robot body 1, the controller controls the first handling unit 4 to change to drag mode.

[0059] When receiving materials from the target equipment, the first drive assembly 41 drives the dragging member 47 to move along the second horizontal direction to the dragging point where the dragging part 472 extends into the material; then, the first height adjustment device 6 drives the dragging member 47 to move slightly upward (or downward), so that the dragging part 472 and the dragging point are connected; the first drive assembly 41 drives the dragging member 47 to reset along the second horizontal direction, dragging the material to the second station 5b of the second transport unit 5; the first height adjustment device 6 and the first drive assembly 41 sequentially drive the dragging member 47 to reset slightly downward (or upward), and the dragging member 47 to move along the second horizontal direction towards the first station 5a, so that the dragging member 47 disengages from the dragging point of the material; finally, the first height adjustment device 6 drives the first transport unit 4 and the second transport unit 5 to move upward, until the second transport unit 5 docks with an empty buffer unit 21, and the material is transferred to the buffer unit 21 to complete the buffering.

[0060] Case C: When the buffer mechanism 2 is fully loaded, meaning that all its buffer units 21 contain materials, and it is necessary to move the new materials on the buffer mechanism 2 to the target device to replace the old materials on the target device, only materials applicable to the clamping mode can be replaced.

[0061] First, the first height adjustment device drives the first and second transport units to move vertically, so that the second transport unit docks with the buffer unit; the new material on the buffer unit 21 is transferred to the second station 5b of the second transport unit 5. The first height adjustment device drives the actuator to align with the height of the old material on the target device; the first drive assembly drives the actuator to move along the second horizontal direction and grips the old material under the drive of the bidirectional synchronous coordination mechanism 42. Then, the first height adjustment device drives the first and second transport units to move upward, so that the bottom of the second transport unit does not contact the robot body; the first drive assembly then drives the old material to move along the second horizontal direction, passing over the new material on the second station 5b to directly above the first station 5a. Then, through the adjustment of the first height adjustment device 6, the first and second transport units move downward until the bottom of the second transport unit touches the robot body, and the old material gripped by the actuator 45 is placed at the first station 5a of the second transport unit 5. Finally, the second conveying unit 5 is driven by the first height adjustment device 6 to dock with the empty buffer unit 21, and the old material is transferred to the buffer unit; the execution end picks up the new material that has moved to the first station 5a, and then docks with the target equipment under the drive of the first height adjustment device, and sends the new material to the target equipment, thus completing the replacement of the old and new materials.

[0062] Example 2

[0063] Based on the structure of Embodiment 1, the second height adjustment device 8 further includes a fourth driver (not shown in the figure) disposed on the first platform 7. The fourth driver can be a servo motor, which is connected to the second transport unit 5 through a transmission structure (not shown in the figure) such as a lead screw assembly or a connecting rod assembly. The power output of the fourth driver achieves the purpose of adjusting the relative height between the second transport unit 5 and the first transport unit 4. In this embodiment, the height of the first transport unit 4 is adjusted by the first height adjustment device 6; the height of the second transport unit 5 is adjusted collaboratively by the first height adjustment device 6 and the second height adjustment device 8.

[0064] In this embodiment, the following situations exist when performing the handling operation: Scenario D: The target equipment has an automatic transfer structure. The first handling unit 4 switches to a clamping state and the two actuators move back-to-back until the distance is greater than the width of the material to avoid interference. The first handling unit 4 is in standby mode and does not participate in the handling operation. The second handling unit 5 is used for docking and handling.

[0065] Specifically: When receiving materials from the target equipment, the first height adjustment device 6 and the second height adjustment device 8 work together or the first height adjustment device 6 alone adjusts the height of the second conveying unit 5 to align it with the automatic conveying structure of the target equipment. The materials are directly conveyed to the second conveying unit 5 by the automatic conveying structure. The materials are temporarily stored on the second conveying unit 5, or the height of the second conveying unit 5 is readjusted until it aligns with an empty buffer unit 21, and the materials are then conveyed to the buffer unit 21 to complete the buffering process.

[0066] When outputting materials from buffer unit 21, the process is the reverse of the above process, and will not be described in detail here.

[0067] Situation E1: The target equipment does not have an automatic transfer structure, but the material has a support frame. The controller controls the first handling unit 4 to change to a forklift mode and automatically adjusts the distance between the two actuators 45.

[0068] Specifically: When receiving materials from the target equipment, the first height adjustment device 6 adjusts the height of the first conveying unit 4 so that the execution end 45 is at the same height as the material's support bracket. The first drive assembly 41 drives the execution end 45 to insert into the bottom of the support bracket along the second horizontal direction. The first height adjustment device 6 drives the execution end 45 to move slightly upward to lift the material. The first drive assembly 41 then resets along the second horizontal direction until the material is directly above the second station 5b. Next, under the adjustment of the second height adjustment device 8, the second conveying unit 5 moves upward relative to the first conveying unit 4 until it contacts the material, stopping when the material is placed on the second conveying unit 5. The first drive assembly 41 drives the execution end 45 to move along the second horizontal direction to the first station 5a to detach from the material. The second height adjustment device 8 drives the second conveying unit 5 to move downward relative to the first conveying unit 4, at least until the execution end 45 is higher than the material, to avoid interference from the first conveying unit 4 in the material transfer. Finally, driven by the first height adjustment device 6, the second conveying unit 5 docks with an empty buffer unit 21, transferring the material to the buffer unit 21 to complete the buffering process.

[0069] When the material is being discharged from the buffer unit 21, the execution end 45 moves to directly above the first station 5a. Driven by the first height adjustment device 6, the second conveying unit 5 docks with the buffer unit 21; the material on the buffer unit 21 is directly transferred to the second station 5b on the second conveying unit 5; then, driven by the second height adjustment device 8, the distance between the execution end 45 and the first conveying unit 4 is reduced, so that the height of the execution end 45 is consistent with the height of the material support bracket on the second station 5b; the first drive assembly 41 drives the execution end 45 to move along the second horizontal direction to the second station 5b to pick up the material. Afterwards, the second conveying unit 5 moves downward, equivalent to the first conveying unit 4, and disengages from the material; the first height adjustment device 6 drives the material to move to be level with the target equipment, and under the drive of the first drive assembly 41, it is conveyed to the target equipment along the second horizontal direction.

[0070] Situation E2: The target equipment does not have an automatic conveying structure, and the material does not have a supporting frame; the material can be handled by clamping. The controller controls the first conveying unit 4 to change into clamping mode.

[0071] Specifically: When receiving material from the target equipment, the first height adjustment device 6 adjusts the height of the first conveying unit 4 so that the height of the execution end 45 is consistent with that of the material; the first drive assembly 41 drives the execution end 45 to move along the second horizontal direction to both sides of the material; the bidirectional synchronous coordination mechanism 42 drives the two execution ends 45 to move towards each other to clamp the material, and lifts the material slightly upward by the first height adjustment device 6. The first drive assembly 41 resets along the second horizontal direction until the material is directly above the first station 5a (or the second station 5b), completing the material picking. Afterwards, the second height adjustment device 8 drives the second conveying unit 5 to move upward relative to the first conveying unit 4, stopping when the material is placed at the first station 5a (or the second station 5b) of the second conveying unit 5; the bidirectional synchronous coordination mechanism 42 drives the two execution ends 45 to move away from each other to detach from the material. Afterwards, the first height adjustment device 6 drives the first conveying unit 4 and the second conveying unit 5 to move vertically until the second conveying unit 5 docks with an empty buffer unit 21, transferring the material to the buffer unit 21, completing the buffering.

[0072] When the material in the buffer unit 21 is being output, the actuator 45 moves to directly above the first station 5a (or the second station 5b). Driven by the first height adjustment device 6, the second transport unit 5 docks with the buffer unit 21; the material on the buffer unit 21 is directly transferred to the first station 5a (or the second station 5b) on the second transport unit 5; then, driven by the second height adjustment device 8, the second transport unit 5 moves upward relative to the first transport unit 4, stopping when the two actuators 45 reach the same height as the material; the bidirectional synchronous coordination mechanism 42 drives the two actuators 45 to move towards each other to clamp the material; the second height adjustment device 8 drives the second transport unit 5 to move downward relative to the first transport unit 4 to detach from the material. Afterwards, the first height adjustment device 6 drives the material to move vertically until it is level with the target equipment, and under the drive of the first drive assembly 41, it is transported to the target equipment along the second horizontal direction; then, under the drive of the bidirectional synchronous coordination mechanism 42, it detaches from the material.

[0073] Situation E3: The target equipment does not have an automatic conveying structure, and the material does not have a supporting frame. The material cannot be clamped, but it can be dragged. The controller controls the first conveying unit 4 to change to dragging mode.

[0074] When receiving materials from the target equipment, the first height adjustment device 6 adjusts the height of the first conveying unit 4 so that the height of the dragging part 47 is consistent with the dragging point on the material; at the same time, the second height adjustment device 8 drives the second conveying unit 5 to move relative to the first conveying unit 4 so that the second conveying unit 5 connects with the output line of the target equipment. The first drive assembly 41 drives the dragging member 47 to move along the second horizontal direction to the dragging point where the dragging part 472 extends into the material; then, the first height adjustment device 6 drives the dragging member 47 to move slightly upward (or downward), so that the dragging part 472 and the dragging point are connected; the first drive assembly 41 drives the dragging member 47 to reset along the second horizontal direction, dragging the material to the second station 5b of the second transport unit 5; the first height adjustment device 6 and the first drive assembly 41 sequentially drive the dragging member 47 to reset slightly downward (or upward), and the dragging member 47 to move towards the first station 5a, so that the dragging member 47 is disengaged from the dragging point of the material; finally, the first height adjustment device 6 drives the first transport unit 4 and the second transport unit 5 to move in the vertical direction, until the second transport unit 5 docks with an empty buffer unit 21, and the material is transferred to the buffer unit 21 to complete the buffering.

[0075] Case F: When the buffer mechanism 2 is fully loaded, meaning that all its buffer units 21 contain materials, and it is necessary to move the new materials on the buffer mechanism 2 to the target device to replace the old materials on the target device, only materials applicable to the clamping mode can be replaced.

[0076] First, the second transport unit 5 docks with the buffer unit 21, transferring the new material from the buffer unit 21 to the second station 5b of the second transport unit 5. The first height adjustment device 6 drives the first transport unit 4 to move vertically, making the height of the execution end 45 consistent with the material on the target equipment. Under the drive of the first drive component 41 and the bidirectional synchronous coordination mechanism 42, the two execution ends 45 clamp the old material on the target equipment. The second height adjustment device 8 drives the second transport unit 5 to move downward relative to the first transport unit 4, until the distance between them is at least the height of two materials. The first drive component 41 drives the material to move from above over the new material on the second station 5b to directly above the first station 5a. Then, under the drive of the second height adjustment device 8 and the bidirectional synchronous coordination mechanism 42, the old material is placed at the first station 5a. Finally, through the coordinated drive of the first height adjustment device 6 and the second height adjustment device 8, the second transport unit 5 docks with the empty buffer unit 21, transferring the old material to the buffer unit 21, while the new material is transferred to the first workstation 5a; the bidirectional synchronous coordination mechanism drives the execution end 45 to clamp the new material, and under the coordinated drive of the first height adjustment device 6 and the second height adjustment device 8, the new material is detached from the second transport unit 5, and the new material is at the same height as the target equipment; under the drive of the first drive component 41, the new material is sent to the target equipment, completing the replacement of the old and new materials.

[0077] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical concept and features of the present invention, intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of the present invention and implement it accordingly, and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the above exemplary embodiments, and that the present invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered exemplary and non-limiting in all respects. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and thus all changes falling within the meaning and scope of the equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the present invention.

Claims

1. A composite transport robot, characterized by, The robot comprises: a robot body; a composite carrying assembly mounted on the robot body, comprising a first carrying unit, a second carrying unit arranged at a different height layer from the first carrying unit, and a height adjustment unit for driving the first carrying unit and / or the second carrying unit to ascend or descend to adapt to the height of a material taking and placing point and a target equipment interface; a buffer mechanism composed of a plurality of buffer units of the same structure, which cooperates with the second carrying unit; a controller for controlling the first carrying unit and the second carrying unit to cooperatively perform a multimodal carrying task according to the characteristics of the target equipment interface and the material; wherein the first carrying unit has multiple physical interaction modes and can perform three taking and placing actions of clamping, picking and dragging on the material by changing its structural configuration, and can adapt to materials of different sizes by driving two execution ends to move towards or away from each other through a bidirectional synchronous coordination mechanism; the second carrying unit has material carrying and transmission functions and has at least two material holding spaces to support material exchange tasks between the buffer mechanism and the target equipment.

2. The composite handling robot of claim 1, wherein: The two execution ends of the first carrying unit are arranged non-coaxially in a first horizontal direction to form a space for avoiding mechanical interference in the dragging mode.

3. The composite handling robot of claim 1, wherein: The first carrying unit comprises a first driving assembly for driving the execution ends to translate in a second horizontal direction, and a rotatable joint assembly for realizing multiple physical interaction modes.

4. A composite handling robot according to claim 3, characterised in that: The joint assembly comprises a vertical rotation driving assembly for driving the execution ends to rotate around a vertical axis, and a horizontal flipping driving assembly for driving the execution ends to flip around a horizontal axis.

5. The composite handling robot of claim 1, wherein: The controller decides the selected mode of the carrying task based on one or more of the following conditions: whether the target equipment interface has an automatic transmission structure, whether the material to be carried has a carrying support, and the material adaptation taking and placing mode.

6. A method of handling, by the composite handling robot of any one of claims 1-5, material handling, characterized by, The method comprises the following steps: S1, receiving a carrying instruction, identifying the characteristics of the target equipment interface and the material; S2, according to the characteristics, controlling the first carrying unit to adaptively change to the corresponding structural configuration for performing clamping, picking or dragging actions; S3, the height adjustment unit adjusts the height of the first carrying unit and / or the second carrying unit to adapt to the target equipment interface or the material taking and placing point; S4, the first carrying unit cooperates with the second carrying unit to perform the taking and placing actions of the material, performs the operations of receiving, transferring and conveying the material, and coordinates the buffer mechanism to perform the material storage and retrieval operations.

7. A method of handling according to claim 6, characterised in that: When the target equipment interface has an automatic transmission structure, in the step S4, the second carrying unit is controlled to directly interface with the automatic transmission structure of the target equipment to receive or send out the material.

8. A method of handling according to claim 6, characterized in that: When the target equipment does not have an automatic transmission structure, the first carrying unit after changing the structural configuration is controlled to take the material from the target equipment and place it on the second carrying unit, or take the material from the second carrying unit and place it on the target equipment.

9. A method of handling according to claim 6, characterized in that: When it is necessary to replace the old material on the target device with the new material from the buffer mechanism, the method further comprises: receiving and temporarily storing the new material from the buffer mechanism through the at least two material occupying spaces on the second carrying unit, and receiving the old material from the target device; and then carrying the new material to the target device.

10. A method of handling according to claim 9, characterised in that: When the exchange of the new material and the old material is performed, and when the first carrying unit is in action, the first carrying unit is at least two material heights higher than the second carrying unit in the vertical direction through the adjustment of the height adjusting device, so as to avoid the interference between the new material and the old material.

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