Platform and Method for Organizing and Managing Loose Items

Abstract

This invention provides a platform and method for managing the sorting and storage of loose items. The platform includes an item channel, a plastic bag channel, and a sorting channel. The operation process is as follows: photographing the loose items and determining their smallest storage unit; supplying the loose items to the collection area using the smallest storage unit; retrieving plastic bags of corresponding sizes based on the smallest storage unit; spraying a unique identification code onto the surface of the plastic bag; transferring the plastic bag to the collection area to hold the loose items; sealing the plastic bag containing the loose items and transferring it to the storage area for temporary storage. This invention introduces the concept of a smallest storage unit, which facilitates storage and requisition management. Simultaneously, by combining the smallest storage unit with the individual volume of the loose items, a suitable plastic bag size is determined. Different sized plastic bags are supplied and sprayed with unique identification codes, allowing loose items to be packaged and stored in the smallest storage unit, stacked in the storage area for temporary storage, and then uniformly transferred to the storage area for management.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of warehouse management technology, specifically relating to a platform and method for managing the sorting and storage of scattered items. Background Technology

[0002] Smart warehouses in the power and grid industries are the core scenario for warehouse management. The sorting and packaging of loose items such as fasteners and consumables inside them is a key link that directly affects warehouse management efficiency and the traceability of materials throughout their entire life cycle.

[0003] Existing methods for managing loose items typically involve centralized stacking, such as directly packing screws, nuts, washers, etc., into boxes, and then retrieving the corresponding number of items when needed. However, this management method poses significant risks to modern, efficient warehouse management. On the one hand, the inventory of loose items is difficult to calculate accurately, often relying on manual inventory checks, leading to difficulties in inventory management. On the other hand, the lack of control over requisitioning results in frequent instances of over-requisitioning, fraudulent requisitioning, or incorrect requisitioning of high-value or customized loose items, seriously disrupting operational progress.

[0004] Therefore, for the storage and management of loose items, packaging them in plastic wrap and retrieving them in whole packages when needed is one solution.

[0005] However, existing automated warehousing equipment only performs single functions, such as automatic sealing or barcode weighing, and does not achieve integrated linkage of "material information collection - automatic bag selection - inkjet sealing - background information registration - full life cycle management". Furthermore, it cannot adapt to the sorting needs of multi-sized scattered items in the field of power safety. The storage and selection of multi-sized sealing bags still require manual intervention, and it has not achieved true full-process automation. It also cannot be seamlessly connected with the intelligent warehouse management system of the power industry. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The main objective of this invention is to provide a platform and method for organizing and managing scattered items in the warehouse, so as to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a platform for sorting and storing loose items, which includes an item channel, a plastic bag channel, and a sorting channel; The item channel includes an item storage unit, an image recognition unit, and an item supply unit; the plastic bag channel includes a plastic bag storage unit, a plastic bag supply unit, and a coding unit; the sorting channel includes a collection area, a plastic sealing area, and a warehousing area. The item temporary storage unit is used to store the loose items; the image recognition unit is used to photograph the loose items and determine the smallest storage unit of the loose items; the item supply unit is used to supply the loose items to the collection area according to the smallest storage unit; the plastic bag temporary storage unit stores plastic bags of various sizes; the plastic bag supply unit is used to extract the plastic bag of the corresponding size based on the smallest storage unit and transfer it to the collection area to contain the loose items; the coding unit is used to spray a unique identification code on the surface of the plastic bag; the sealing area is used to seal the plastic bags containing the loose items and transfer them to the warehouse area for temporary storage.

[0008] Secondly, the present invention also provides a method for sorting and storing loose items in a warehouse, applicable to the aforementioned platform for sorting and storing loose items, comprising: Photograph scattered items and determine the smallest storage unit of the scattered items; The scattered items are supplied to the confluence area using the smallest storage unit; Extract the plastic-sealed bag of the corresponding size based on the minimum storage unit; A unique identification code is sprayed onto the surface of the plastic-sealed bag; The plastic bag is transferred to the collection area to accommodate the loose items; The plastic bags containing the loose items are sealed and transferred to the receiving area for temporary storage.

[0009] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention include at least the following: The loose item sorting and warehousing management platform and method provided by this invention introduces the concept of a minimum storage unit. Different minimum storage units are set for different loose items. The setting of minimum storage units can facilitate storage and requisition management. At the same time, based on the minimum storage unit and the volume of the loose item itself, the appropriate size of the plastic sealing bag can be estimated. Plastic sealing bags of different sizes are supplied through the plastic sealing bag channel and sprayed with unique identification marks. Loose items can be sealed and stored in the minimum storage unit, stacked in the warehousing area for temporary storage, and then uniformly transferred to the warehouse for management.

[0010] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, the preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below in conjunction with detailed drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0011] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a scattered items sorting and warehousing management platform provided in a typical implementation case of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0013] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the inventors of this invention, through long-term research and extensive practice, have proposed the technical solution of this invention. The following will further explain and illustrate the technical solution, its implementation process, and its principles.

[0014] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the invention. However, the invention may also be practiced in other ways different from those described herein, and therefore the scope of protection of the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0015] See Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment of the invention first provides a platform for managing the sorting and storage of loose items, which includes an item channel, a plastic bag channel, and a sorting channel. The item channel includes an item temporary storage unit, an image recognition unit, and an item supply unit. The plastic bag channel includes a plastic bag temporary storage unit, a plastic bag supply unit, and a coding unit. The sorting channel includes a collection area, a sealing area, and a storage area. The item temporary storage unit is used to store the loose items. The image recognition unit is used to photograph the loose items and determine the smallest storage unit of the loose items. The item supply unit is used to supply the loose items to the collection area using the smallest storage unit. The plastic bag temporary storage unit stores plastic bags of various sizes. The plastic bag supply unit is used to extract the plastic bag of the corresponding size based on the smallest storage unit and transfer it to the collection area to accommodate the loose items. The coding unit is used to spray a unique identification code on the surface of the plastic bag. The sealing area is used to seal the plastic bags containing the loose items and transfer them to the storage area for temporary storage.

[0016] In the above technical solution, the minimum storage unit refers to the number of single bags most suitable for storing the loose items in plastic seal packaging. It can be set automatically or adjusted automatically based on factors such as the size and weight of the loose items and the space available in the storage location. Each functional unit can be selected by those skilled in the art, and the existing market offers a wide range of mature products capable of performing the functions of the aforementioned functional units. For example, the item storage unit can be a simple storage platform, or a hopper, storage box, trolley, or other component capable of storing large quantities of loose items; the image recognition unit can include commonly used cameras and corresponding image recognition software; the item supply unit includes, but is not limited to, conveyor belts, vibratory feeders, etc., and can even employ a robotic arm, with the robotic arm's program controlling the number and frequency of gripping to ensure that the number of loose items reaching the confluence area meets the minimum storage unit requirement; the plastic bag storage unit can be a multi-compartment storage box or storage container, with each compartment holding plastic bags of a corresponding size; the plastic bag supply unit can be an automated robotic arm, or a vacuum suction cup, conveyor chain, or other structure; the coding unit offers a wide range of options, including inkjet printers or laser printers. The printing equipment, including printers, can print codes on the plastic-sealed bags at any time. For example, it can print codes immediately after the bag is removed, during the bagging process, before transferring the bag to the warehousing area, or even after transferring it to the warehousing area. The bagging methods in the confluence area are also diverse, and can be operated manually or by a robotic arm. For example, the robotic arm can open the plastic-sealed bag with the opening facing the exit of the material supply unit to directly receive loose items. Of course, there are no restrictions on other methods. The function of the sealing area is relatively simple. It only needs to heat and seal the bagged plastic-sealed bags. The preferred method is to vacuum seal them to reduce the storage volume. Similarly, it can be operated manually or by a robotic arm or an automated sealing structure. There are many reference methods in the field. The warehousing area can be used for simple temporary storage. It can be connected to the previous two areas through a conveyor belt. When the warehousing area has stored a sufficient number of plastic-sealed bags, they can be centrally transferred to the warehousing system for storage.

[0017] Specifically, in some implementations, the image recognition unit includes a camera and an image recognizer, the camera being electrically connected to the image recognizer, and the image recognizer identifying the category of the scattered items based on the image captured by the camera.

[0018] This invention also provides a preferred method for determining / adjusting the minimum storage unit. In some implementations, the image recognition unit further includes a statistical planning module. The statistical planning module is communicatively connected to the warehouse management platform to obtain the historical requisition count of the scattered items of the corresponding category. Based on the historical requisition count, multiple high-frequency requisition counts are statistically derived, and the greatest common divisor of the high-frequency requisition counts is calculated as the minimum storage unit.

[0019] The above implementation method first counts the number of frequently issued items when issuing goods. For example, if the highest frequency (top 3) number of items issued for a certain type of screw is 20, 30, and 100, then the greatest common divisor of these frequently issued items, 10, is calculated as the smallest storage unit. That is, 10 screws can be packaged in plastic bags. When issuing goods, in most cases, whole packages can be directly obtained, which is very convenient for the management and use of loose items. Of course, to implement the above method, it needs to be combined with an information-based warehouse (at least able to provide records of the number of items issued). However, this is not an insurmountable obstacle in the current era of increasingly widespread information-based warehouses.

[0020] Furthermore, the present invention also provides a more optimized calculation method, namely, in some embodiments, the calculation process of the smallest storage unit specifically includes the following steps: The top M (usually 3-6) high-frequency values ​​from the historical requisition numbers are used as candidate requisition numbers; From the candidate number of applications, N values ​​are selected as candidate arrays, and it is calculated whether the candidate array has a greatest common divisor greater than 2. Among all candidate arrays with a greatest common divisor greater than 2, the array with the largest sum of usage frequency is selected as the final array, and the greatest common divisor of the final array is used as the smallest storage unit. Where M and N are both natural numbers, and 0.5M < N ≤ M (typically, taking M as 5 as an example, N can be 3, 4, or 5).

[0021] In the above technical solution, when there are many high-frequency requisition quantities of a certain type of miscellaneous items, it is difficult for multiple high-frequency requisition quantities to have a greatest common divisor greater than 2. In this case, a larger array range can be selected first, and then a smaller array range with the greatest common divisor condition can be selected from the larger range (the selection criterion is that the total requisition frequency of the smaller array range is the highest). If it is not possible to satisfy the condition for all high-frequency requisition quantities, the common divisor corresponding to the highest frequency requisition quantity can be found, thereby maximizing the proportion of whole package requisitions in inventory management.

[0022] More preferably, in some embodiments, the calculation of the minimum storage unit is performed in multiple rounds. In the first round, N=M. When the greatest common divisor greater than 2 cannot be calculated, the value of N is reduced by one in each subsequent round.

[0023] The above calculation is first performed with a larger value for N. If no result can be obtained, the value of N is reduced by one, and the calculation continues until a result is obtained, so as to satisfy as many application scenarios as possible.

[0024] Regarding the specific structure of the embodiments of the present invention, in some implementations, the item supply unit includes a vibratory feeder and a weighing module. The inlet of the vibratory feeder is connected to the item temporary storage unit, and the outlet is connected to the weighing module. The weighing module is used to weigh the items to identify the number of loose items therein.

[0025] In some implementations, the unique identification code includes any one or a combination of two or more of one-dimensional barcodes, two-dimensional barcodes, and color-coded codes.

[0026] Corresponding to the aforementioned platform, this embodiment of the invention also provides a method for organizing and managing scattered items in the warehouse, which includes the following steps: Photograph scattered items and determine the smallest storage unit of the scattered items; The scattered items are supplied to the confluence area using the smallest storage unit; Extract the plastic-sealed bag of the corresponding size based on the minimum storage unit; A unique identification code is sprayed onto the surface of the plastic-sealed bag; The plastic bag is transferred to the collection area to accommodate the loose items; The plastic bags containing the loose items are sealed and transferred to the receiving area for temporary storage.

[0027] Furthermore, regarding increasing the proportion of whole-package requisition in the method provided by this invention, in some embodiments, the calculation process of the minimum storage unit specifically includes the following steps: Obtain the requisition records of the scattered items through the warehouse management system; The top M most frequent values ​​in the historical requisition numbers are used as candidate requisition numbers; Iterate through the candidate quantities and select N values ​​as candidate arrays. Calculate whether the candidate array has a greatest common divisor greater than 2 (when it is less than or equal to 2, the plastic sealing packaging becomes meaningless). Among all candidate arrays with a greatest common divisor greater than 2, the array with the largest sum of usage frequency is selected as the final array, and the greatest common divisor of the final array is used as the smallest storage unit. Where M and N are both natural numbers, and 0.6M < N ≤ M.

[0028] In some implementations, the calculation of the minimum storage unit is performed in multiple rounds. In the first round, N=M. When the greatest common divisor greater than 2 cannot be calculated, the value of N is reduced by one in each subsequent round.

[0029] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below through several embodiments and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the selected embodiments are only for illustrating the present invention and do not limit the scope of the present invention.

[0030] Example The platform provided in this embodiment is a belt conveyor structure. The conveying speed can be steplessly adjusted through the central control module to meet the needs of the flow of parts / various loose consumables for power safety tools. The conveying surface is made of non-slip and wear-resistant rubber to prevent materials from shifting or getting stuck during the flow.

[0031] Equipped with an industrial camera, vibratory feeder, and weighing module, all three are flush with the conveyor surface of the material loading station to ensure smooth material flow. The industrial camera is a fixed industrial-grade camera with a 360° adjustable lens, precisely oriented towards the temporary storage unit, enabling automatic and accurate imaging and image recognition of electrical materials to extract category information of the scattered items with a fast response time. The weighing module is a high-precision pressure sensor-type weighing platform with a weighing accuracy of ≤±0.1g. Its surface is covered with an anti-slip buffer silicone layer, ensuring both accurate weighing and preventing damage from hard collisions between electrical safety equipment and other materials. It can determine the quantity based on weight information.

[0032] The multi-size plastic bag storage unit is located on the side and seamlessly connects with the inkjet printing unit. It serves as the core module for the automated supply of multi-size plastic bags and is connected to the central control module for linkage control, adapting to the packaging needs of various sizes of scattered materials. For example, it can have three plastic bag storage areas, respectively adapted to store plastic bags of 100×150mm, 150×200mm, and 200×300mm sizes, meeting the packaging needs of various sizes of materials such as electrical safety tools.

[0033] The coding unit is an adjustable industrial-grade inkjet printer. The coding position, font size, and speed can all be precisely adjusted through the central control module to adapt to the coding needs of different sized plastic bags. It can receive material information transmitted from the central control module in real time and print material identification, weight, warehousing time, minimum storage unit code, full life cycle management code, and other information on the surface of the plastic bag. The coding uses waterproof, wear-resistant, and scratch-resistant materials, which are suitable for the long-term storage needs of power warehouses. The coding logic is consistent with the back-end warehouse management system, which is easy to achieve unified management. The loading unit is a pneumatic pushing structure, including a pushing plate and a pneumatic drive component. The surface of the pushing plate is equipped with a buffer silicone pad, which can effectively prevent damage caused by hard collision with electrical safety tools and other materials during the pushing process. After the inkjet printing is completed, the materials to be sorted can be pushed smoothly and without damage into the inkjet-printed plastic bag according to the instructions of the central control module. After the pushing is completed, the pushing plate automatically resets, waiting for the next operation.

[0034] The three-dimensional heat-sealing unit includes symmetrically arranged heat-sealing heads and heat-sealing drive components. The heat-sealing heads are made of high-temperature resistant silicone, providing excellent heat-sealing performance and preventing adhesion to the plastic bags. The heat-sealing temperature and time can be precisely adjusted via a central control module, with adjustment ranges of 80-200℃ and 1-5s, respectively, adapting to the sealing needs of plastic bags made of different materials such as PE and POF. The heat-sealing drive component is an electric screw structure, ensuring smooth operation and uniform pressing force. It can drive the heat-sealing heads to achieve stable pressing, ensuring a tight and flat plastic seal, effectively improving the moisture-proof, dirt-proof, and damage-proof effects of electrical material storage, forming a standardized minimum storage unit, facilitating automated storage, retrieval, and inventory in intelligent warehouses.

[0035] Finally, the conveyor belt structure transports the materials to the warehousing area. The conveying speed is linked with the previous workstations to ensure the continuity of material flow. The core function is to smoothly transport the standardized materials that have been sealed to the designated storage area, completing the on-site operation of material sorting, which facilitates subsequent linkage and integration with the intelligent warehouse management system.

[0036] The central control module in the aforementioned platform is an industrial-grade microcontroller (optional PLC S7-200 SMART), which is the control core of the entire platform. It can seamlessly connect with the intelligent warehouse management system of the power industry and has a built-in background information registration system, which fits the integrated solution logic of Yunshuo Intelligent's "software + hardware".

[0037] Work process The screws to be sorted are placed stably in the temporary storage unit. The camera identifies the item as a screw and determines its model. By retrieving the usage records of this screw model, the most frequently used quantities are identified as 100, 50, 20, 13, and 15. After calculation, 13 is discarded, and the greatest common divisor of the remaining quantities is calculated to be 5. Therefore, 5 is determined as the smallest storage unit.

[0038] Based on the part size, a plastic bag of the corresponding size is selected, and a medium-sized plastic bag is smoothly picked up and then transferred to the coding module. The coding position is automatically adjusted to the center of the front of the plastic bag, with a font size of 12, and accurate coding is completed on the surface of the plastic bag. After coding is completed, the robotic arm smoothly pushes the part into the plastic bag, and automatically resets after the material is pushed out.

[0039] The plastic bags containing the accessories are smoothly conveyed to the sealing unit by the production line. The heat sealing drive drives the heat sealing head to press and complete the heat sealing process, forming a standardized minimum storage unit of sealed material. The sealing layer is tight and flat, which is suitable for the long-term storage needs of power warehouses.

[0040] The sealed parts and materials are smoothly transported to the warehousing area, awaiting centralized transfer and storage.

[0041] The technical solutions provided in the above embodiments can be widely applied to various large-scale intelligent warehouses in the power and grid industries. They are suitable for the automated sorting and packaging of power safety tools and various power materials. Furthermore, minor adjustments can be made to meet the needs of other industries, adapting to the material sorting requirements of intelligent warehouses in logistics, factories, and other sectors. As a core supporting equipment for Yunshuo Intelligent's integrated intelligent warehousing solution, this invention significantly enhances the product's core competitiveness, providing customers with a more complete and efficient intelligent warehousing solution. It possesses high practical value, promotional value, and market prospects. It should be understood that the above embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical concept and features of the present invention, and are intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of the present invention and implement it accordingly. They should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent changes or modifications made in accordance with the spirit and essence of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A platform for organizing and managing scattered items in an inventory warehouse, characterized in that, This includes the item aisle, the plastic bag aisle, and the sorting aisle; The item channel includes an item storage unit, an image recognition unit, and an item supply unit; the plastic bag channel includes a plastic bag storage unit, a plastic bag supply unit, and a coding unit; the sorting channel includes a collection area, a plastic sealing area, and a warehousing area. The item temporary storage unit is used to store the loose items; the image recognition unit is used to photograph the loose items and determine the smallest storage unit of the loose items; the item supply unit is used to supply the loose items to the collection area according to the smallest storage unit; the plastic bag temporary storage unit stores plastic bags of various sizes; the plastic bag supply unit is used to extract the plastic bag of the corresponding size based on the smallest storage unit and transfer it to the collection area to contain the loose items; the coding unit is used to spray a unique identification code on the surface of the plastic bag; the sealing area is used to seal the plastic bags containing the loose items and transfer them to the warehouse area for temporary storage.

2. The scattered items sorting and warehousing management platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, The image recognition unit includes a camera and an image recognizer. The camera is electrically connected to the image recognizer, and the image recognizer identifies the category of the scattered items based on the image captured by the camera.

3. The scattered items sorting and warehousing management platform according to claim 2, characterized in that, The image recognition unit also includes a statistical planning module, which communicates with the warehouse management platform to obtain the historical number of the scattered items of the corresponding category, calculates multiple high-frequency number of the historical number of the items based on the historical number of the items, and calculates the greatest common divisor of the high-frequency number of the items as the minimum storage unit.

4. The scattered items sorting and warehousing management platform according to claim 3, characterized in that, The calculation process for the smallest storage unit specifically includes: The top M most frequent values ​​from the historical requisition numbers are used as candidate requisition numbers. From the candidate number of applications, N values ​​are selected as candidate arrays, and it is calculated whether the candidate array has a greatest common divisor greater than 2. Among all candidate arrays with a greatest common divisor greater than 2, the array with the largest sum of usage frequency is selected as the final array, and the greatest common divisor of the final array is used as the smallest storage unit. Where M and N are both natural numbers, and 0.5M < N ≤ M.

5. The scattered items sorting and warehousing management platform according to claim 4, characterized in that, The calculation of the minimum storage unit is carried out in multiple rounds. In the first round, N=M. When the greatest common divisor greater than 2 cannot be calculated, the value of N is reduced by one in each subsequent round.

6. The platform for organizing and managing scattered items as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The item supply unit includes a vibratory feeder and a weighing module. The inlet of the vibratory feeder is connected to the item storage unit, and the outlet is connected to the weighing module. The weighing module is used to weigh the items to identify the number of loose items in it.

7. The platform for organizing and managing loose items as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The unique identification code includes any one or a combination of two or more of the following: one-dimensional barcode, two-dimensional barcode, and color ring code.

8. A method for managing the sorting and warehousing of loose items applied to the loose item sorting and warehousing management platform according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, include: Photograph scattered items and determine the smallest storage unit of the scattered items; The scattered items are supplied to the confluence area using the smallest storage unit; Extract the plastic-sealed bag of the corresponding size based on the minimum storage unit; A unique identification code is sprayed onto the surface of the plastic-sealed bag; The plastic bag is transferred to the collection area to accommodate the loose items; The plastic bags containing the loose items are sealed and transferred to the receiving area for temporary storage.

9. The method for organizing and managing loose items in warehouses according to claim 8, characterized in that, The calculation process for the smallest storage unit specifically includes: Obtain the requisition records of the scattered items through the warehouse management system; The top M most frequent values ​​in the historical requisition numbers are used as candidate requisition numbers; From the candidate number of applications, N values ​​are selected as candidate arrays, and it is calculated whether the candidate array has a greatest common divisor greater than 2. Among all candidate arrays with a greatest common divisor greater than 2, the array with the largest sum of usage frequency is selected as the final array, and the greatest common divisor of the final array is used as the smallest storage unit. Where M and N are both natural numbers, and 0.6M < N ≤ M.

10. The scattered items sorting and warehousing management platform according to claim 9, characterized in that, The calculation of the minimum storage unit is carried out in multiple rounds. In the first round, N=M. When the greatest common divisor greater than 2 cannot be calculated, the value of N is reduced by one in each subsequent round.

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