Bin storage system and climbing robot

Abstract

The present disclosure belongs to the technical field of warehousing, and particularly relates to a material box warehousing system and a climbing robot. The present disclosure provides a material box warehousing system, which comprises a shelf and a climbing robot. The shelf is provided with at least one guide rail extending in a direction perpendicular to a working surface. The climbing robot comprises a main body, only one climbing assembly and a taking and placing box mechanism. The main body travels along the working surface under the action of a walking driving mechanism. The climbing assembly is arranged on the main body and is configured to be connected with one guide rail on the shelf. After being connected, the main body is driven by a climbing driving mechanism to ascend and descend along the guide rail. The taking and placing box mechanism is movably arranged on the main body and is configured to take out a target object from a target storage position or place the target object into the target storage position under the action of a taking driving mechanism. The guide rails are arranged on both sides of each column of material boxes, so as to reduce the occupation of the guide rails on the warehousing space.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure pertains to the field of warehousing technology, and specifically relates to a bin storage system and a climbing robot. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of e-commerce and logistics, the automation and intelligence of warehousing systems have become an inevitable trend in the industry. In automated bin storage systems, climbing robots are the core equipment for realizing goods-to-person picking solutions, and can automatically complete tasks such as bin storage, retrieval, handling, and sorting.

[0003] Existing bin storage systems and climbing robots require independent climbing rails to be installed on both sides of each bin to accommodate robot climbing operations. The large number of rail structures encroaches on the effective storage space of the bin storage system, directly resulting in a reduction in bin storage density. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this disclosure is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a bin storage system and a climbing robot.

[0005] In a first aspect, this disclosure provides a bin storage system, the bin storage system including a rack and a climbing robot, the rack having at least one guide rail extending in a direction perpendicular to the working surface; the climbing robot comprising: The main body is configured to travel along the working surface under the action of a walking drive mechanism; Only one climbing component is provided on the main body and configured to dock with a guide rail on the shelf, and after docking, the main body is driven to rise and fall along the guide rail by a climbing drive mechanism; A pick-and-place mechanism is movably disposed on the main body and configured to retrieve a target item from a target storage location or place a target item into the target storage location under the action of a pick-up drive mechanism.

[0006] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the climbing component is disposed in the middle of one side of the main body.

[0007] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the climbing drive mechanism includes: A climbing motor is mounted on the main body; A climbing sprocket is rotatably mounted on the main body and is directly or indirectly connected to the climbing motor. It is configured to mesh with a climbing chain mounted on the guide rail and move up and down along the guide rail under the drive of the climbing motor.

[0008] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the climbing robot further includes: A lifting mechanism is disposed on the main body and configured to drive the main body to move up and down relative to the walking drive mechanism under the action of the lifting drive mechanism.

[0009] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the lifting mechanism is a scissor lift mechanism.

[0010] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the climbing robot further includes a telescopic arm disposed on the main body, the telescopic arm being configured to extend from the retracted position of the main body to dock with the guide rail under the action of a telescopic drive mechanism, or to retract to the retracted position.

[0011] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the pick-and-place mechanism is configured to move from an initial position relative to the main body along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf is located to a first position under the action of the pick-and-place drive mechanism, so as to avoid the guide rail, and then move from the first position toward the direction closer to the shelf to the target storage position; The pick-and-place mechanism is further configured to move from the target storage location away from the shelf to a first position under the action of the pick-and-place drive mechanism, and then move from the first position relative to the main body along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf is located back to the initial position.

[0012] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the pick-and-place mechanism is configured to move from an initial position relative to the main body along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf is located to a second position under the action of the pick-and-place drive mechanism to avoid the guide rail, and then move from the second position toward the direction closer to the shelf to the target storage location; The pick-and-place mechanism is also configured to move from the target storage location away from the shelf to a second position under the action of the pick-and-place drive mechanism, and then move from the second position relative to the main body along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf is located back to the initial position; The first position and the second position are located on both sides of the guide rail, respectively.

[0013] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the climbing component is disposed at one end of the main body; The pick-and-place mechanism is configured to move from its initial position toward the target storage location under the action of the pick-and-place drive mechanism; The pick-and-place mechanism is also configured to move from the target storage location to the initial position in a direction away from the shelf under the action of the pick-up drive mechanism.

[0014] Secondly, this disclosure also provides a climbing robot, the climbing robot comprising: The main body is configured to travel along the working surface under the action of a walking drive mechanism; Only one climbing component is provided on the main body and configured to dock with a guide rail on the shelf. After docking, the main body is driven to move up and down along the guide rail by a climbing drive mechanism. A pick-and-place mechanism is movably disposed on the main body and configured to retrieve a target item from a target storage location or place a target item into the target storage location under the action of a pick-up drive mechanism.

[0015] One of the beneficial effects of this disclosure is that the bin storage system of this disclosure has a guide rail extending perpendicular to the working surface on the shelf, and a climbing robot that can walk on the working surface. A climbing component of the climbing robot is connected to the guide rail and climbs or descends along the guide rail under the action of the climbing drive mechanism, thereby taking out the target item from the target storage location or putting the target item into the target storage location through the bin picking and placing mechanism.

[0016] Thus, the material bin storage system disclosed herein avoids the need to install guide rails on both sides of each row of material bins, thereby reducing the space occupied by the guide rails and facilitating the docking of the climbing component with the guide rails. The climbing robot of this disclosure only needs one climbing component to dock with the guide rail to climb or descend along the guide rail, thereby reducing the number of guide rails installed, lowering the docking accuracy requirements between the climbing component and the guide rail, and making it easier for the climbing component and the guide rail to dock successfully. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Embodiments of this disclosure are illustrated in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are included and form part of this specification, and together with their description serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a bin storage system and a climbing robot provided in an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 2 This is a front view structural diagram of a bin storage system provided in an embodiment of this disclosure when it is docked with a climbing robot; Figure 3 This is a front view structural diagram of a bin storage system and a climbing robot climbing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 4 This is a top view of the bin storage system and the climbing robot climbing it according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a climbing robot provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figures 1 to 5 The correspondence between the component names and the reference numerals in the figures is as follows: 1 shelf, 11 guide rails, 12 storage positions; 21 Main body, 211 Drive wheel, 22 Climbing component, 23 Box retrieval mechanism, 24 Lifting mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0020] Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0021] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit this disclosure or its application or use.

[0022] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0023] In all the examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0024] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be discussed further in subsequent figures.

[0025] In this article, terms such as "up," "down," "front," "back," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate the relative positional relationship between related parts, rather than to define the absolute position of these related parts.

[0026] In this article, "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish one another, and not to indicate degree of importance, order, or prerequisite for each other.

[0027] In this document, terms such as “equal” and “same” are not strict mathematical and / or geometric limitations, but also include errors that are understandable to those skilled in the art and permissible in manufacturing or use.

[0028] It should be noted that when describing the specific structure and working principle of the bin storage system and the climbing robot, the directional terms used in this article are based on the shelves of the bin storage system, and the working surface described in this article is the ground of the bin storage system.

[0029] With the rapid development of e-commerce and logistics, the automation and intelligence of warehousing systems have become an inevitable trend in the industry. In automated bin storage systems, climbing robots are the core equipment for realizing goods-to-person picking solutions, and can automatically complete tasks such as bin storage, retrieval, handling, and sorting.

[0030] Existing bin storage systems and climbing robots require independent climbing rails to be installed on both sides of each bin to accommodate robot climbing operations. The large number of rail structures encroaches on the effective storage space of the bin storage system, directly resulting in a reduction in bin storage density.

[0031] To this end, this disclosure provides a bin storage system comprising a rack and a climbing robot. The rack has at least one guide rail extending perpendicular to the working surface. The climbing robot comprises a main body, a single climbing component, and a bin-picking mechanism. The main body is configured to travel along the working surface under the action of a walking drive mechanism. The climbing component is disposed on the main body and configured to dock with a guide rail on the rack. After docking, the climbing drive mechanism drives the main body to move up and down along the guide rail. The bin-picking mechanism is movably disposed on the main body and configured to retrieve a target item from a target storage location or place a target item into a target storage location under the action of a picking drive mechanism.

[0032] The disclosed bin storage system uses guide rails extending perpendicular to the working surface on the shelf, and a climbing robot capable of walking on the working surface. A climbing component of the climbing robot is connected to the guide rails and climbs or descends along the guide rails under the action of a climbing drive mechanism, thereby retrieving target items from or placing target items into the target storage location through a bin retrieval mechanism.

[0033] Thus, the material bin storage system disclosed herein avoids the need to install guide rails on both sides of each row of material bins, thereby reducing the space occupied by the guide rails and facilitating the docking of the climbing component with the guide rails. The climbing robot of this disclosure only needs one climbing component to dock with the guide rail to climb or descend along the guide rail, thereby reducing the number of guide rails installed, lowering the docking accuracy requirements between the climbing component and the guide rail, and making it easier for the climbing component and the guide rail to dock successfully.

[0034] For ease of understanding, please refer to the following: Figures 1 to 5 The specific structure and working principle of the bin storage system and climbing robot provided in this disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments.

[0035] Firstly, see [the following] Figure 1In one embodiment, this disclosure provides a bin storage system, which includes a shelf 1 and a climbing robot. The shelf 1 has at least one guide rail 11 extending in a direction perpendicular to the working surface. The climbing robot includes a main body 21, a single climbing component 22, and a bin retrieval mechanism 23. The main body 21 travels along the working surface under the action of a walking drive mechanism. The climbing component 22 is disposed on the main body 21 and configured to dock with a guide rail 11 on the shelf 1. After docking, the climbing drive mechanism drives the main body 21 to rise and fall along the guide rail 11. The bin retrieval mechanism 23 is movably disposed on the main body 21 and configured to retrieve a target item from a target storage location or place a target item into a target storage location under the action of a retrieval drive mechanism.

[0036] Specifically, the shelf 1 disclosed herein is provided with several storage positions 12 for classifying and storing various types of boxes and goods to meet the storage needs of different specifications. The shelf 1 also has at least one guide rail 11 extending in a direction perpendicular to the working surface. The guide rail 11 and the storage positions 12 are staggered, which not only does not occupy the storage space of the storage positions 12, but also ensures that the climbing robot can rise and fall along the guide rail 11.

[0037] Furthermore, the climbing robot has only one climbing component 22 on its main body 21. This climbing component 22 is individually coupled to the single-sided guide rail 11 to guide and limit the climbing robot, avoiding the misalignment and interference defects that easily occur when multiple climbing components 22 are coupled. Figure 5 In one embodiment, the climbing component 22 is disposed on the rear side of the climbing robot. In addition, the climbing component 22 may also be disposed on the front, left or right side of the climbing robot, and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0038] Thus, the shelf 1 disclosed herein can be flexibly adjusted and laid out. The number of guide rails 11 and the extension height of the guide rails 11 can also be flexibly increased or decreased according to different warehouses, without requiring large-scale modifications to the shelf 1, adapting to the storage needs of different scales and product categories. The climbing robot only needs to rely on a single rail on one side to complete climbing and operation, without occupying guide rails 11 on two shelves 1. It can accurately connect to the storage positions 12 on both sides of each guide rail 11 to complete the picking and placing of boxes, efficiently utilizing the vertical space of the warehouse, while avoiding spatial conflicts when multiple devices are operating, improving the space utilization rate of the shelf 1, and facilitating the automated control of the subsequent bin storage system.

[0039] In addition, the climbing robot is equipped with an independent walking drive mechanism, which is located at the bottom of the main body 21 and serves as the actuator for its horizontal movement. Specifically, the walking drive mechanism includes a drive motor, a bracket, drive wheels 211, casters, and a reducer. The main body 21 is fixedly mounted on the bracket, and the two drive wheels 211 are rotatably mounted opposite each other on both sides of the bracket. Each drive wheel 211 is connected to a separate drive motor through a reducer, thereby realizing differential speed control of the two drive wheels 211. Each reducer and drive motor are fixedly mounted on the bracket. At the same time, a caster is provided at each of the four corners of the bracket to maintain the stability of the main body 1.

[0040] See Figure 4 and Figure 5 In one embodiment, the climbing component 22 of this disclosure is disposed in the middle of one side of the main body 21.

[0041] Thus, by placing the climbing component 22 in the middle of one side of the main body 21, the climbing robot can be subjected to balanced forces when docking with the guide rail 11, and the center of gravity of the main body 21 can be stabilized during the lifting and lowering process, avoiding tilting or deflection. Compared with the edge of the main body 21, the climbing component 22 in the middle can better fit the guide rail 11 and improve the stability when lifting and lowering along the guide rail 11.

[0042] In one embodiment, the climbing drive mechanism of this disclosure includes a climbing motor and a climbing sprocket. The climbing motor is mounted on the main body 21. The climbing sprocket is rotatably mounted on the main body 21 and is directly or indirectly connected to the climbing motor. It is configured to mesh with a climbing chain mounted on a guide rail 11 and move up and down along the guide rail 11 under the drive of the climbing motor.

[0043] In detail, the climbing motor of the climbing drive mechanism of this disclosure is mounted on the main body 21, and the climbing sprocket is rotatably mounted on the main body 21 via a fixed shaft and extends out from an opening at a corresponding position on the climbing assembly 22. Thus, when the climbing assembly 22 is connected to the guide rail 11, it meshes with the climbing chain mounted on the guide rail 11. The climbing motor and the climbing sprocket are connected by a drive mechanism. Specifically, a first gear can be fitted onto the output shaft of the climbing motor, and the first gear meshes with a second gear. The second gear is then coaxially fixed to the climbing sprocket.

[0044] Therefore, by adjusting the gear ratio between the first and second gears, the power output by the climbing motor can be decelerated or accelerated, and then transmitted to the climbing sprocket. Furthermore, the climbing motor and the climbing sprocket are not coaxial, allowing for adjustment of the transmission direction. Moreover, through the transmission of the first and second gears, the climbing motor and the climbing sprocket do not need to be coaxial, thus allowing the climbing motor to avoid obstruction by the climbing assembly 22, preventing spatial layout conflicts, and ensuring the continuity of power transmission.

[0045] When the climbing drive mechanism is activated, the output shaft of the climbing motor drives the first gear to rotate, and the first gear transmits power to the second gear. Then, the second gear drives the climbing sprocket to rotate. Thus, the climbing motor can drive the climbing sprocket to engage with the climbing chain set on the guide rail 11 to climb or descend.

[0046] In this way, the present disclosure connects the climbing motor and the climbing sprocket by setting a first gear and a second gear. The first gear with a smaller number of teeth drives the second gear with a larger number of teeth, which can gradually reduce the transmission speed and amplify the output torque. This allows the climbing sprocket to stably mesh with the climbing chain on the guide rail 11 and climb or descend.

[0047] Furthermore, the climbing chain on the guide rail 11 is a rigid chain, which has a simple structure and balanced force distribution, reducing the probability of damage to the climbing chain. In contrast, flexible chains are prone to lateral bending or torsion, causing the climbing sprocket to deviate; while the rigid chain has higher overall rigidity and can maintain a straight running trajectory when transmitting power over long distances on the guide rail 11, avoiding the risk of chain jamming of the climbing sprocket. Moreover, the rigid chain transmits power through rigid engagement with the climbing sprocket, resulting in high transmission efficiency.

[0048] See Figure 2 and Figure 3 In one embodiment, the climbing robot of this disclosure further includes a lifting mechanism 24, which is disposed on the main body 21 and configured to drive the main body 21 to move up and down relative to the walking drive mechanism under the action of the lifting drive mechanism.

[0049] Specifically, the lifting mechanism 24 of this disclosure can actively lift the main body 21, enabling the climbing component 22 to quickly align and dock with the guide rail 11, thereby driving the climbing robot to smoothly rise and fall along the guide rail 11 under the action of the climbing drive mechanism. At the same time, it can also flexibly adjust the height of the loading and unloading mechanism 23 and the material box, facilitating subsequent processing operations.

[0050] Furthermore, when the climbing robot carries the material box to the manual picking station and is in standby mode, the lifting mechanism 24 can act in advance to raise the material box to a comfortable height suitable for manual operation, avoiding strenuous actions such as bending over for the operator, effectively optimizing the working experience and improving the picking efficiency.

[0051] Furthermore, this disclosure does not require modification to the bottom walking drive mechanism of the climbing robot. Relying on the lifting mechanism 24, the climbing robot has a simple and compact layout, reducing its space occupation. This allows the climbing robot to move freely in the narrow area at the bottom of the shelf 1 without any obstruction. While saving production costs, it also significantly increases the storage space of the material bin storage system.

[0052] See Figure 2In one embodiment, the lifting mechanism 24 of this disclosure is a scissor lift mechanism.

[0053] Specifically, the scissor lift mechanism includes two pairs of scissor arms arranged opposite each other on both sides of the main unit. Each pair of scissor arms is hinged in the middle to form an X shape. The hinge point allows the two arms to rotate relative to each other, but not to move axially. In one pair of scissor arms, the two ends of the first scissor arm are respectively hinged to the main body 21 and the pick-and-place mechanism 23. The two ends of the second scissor arm are slidably connected to the corresponding slide grooves on the main body 21 and the pick-and-place mechanism 23 by means of sliders. At the same time, the scissor lift mechanism also includes two electric push rods, one end of which is hinged to the main body 21, and the other end is respectively hinged to one of the corresponding scissor arms in the pair. By extending and retracting, each pair of scissor arms is opened or closed.

[0054] Thus, relying on the scissor-fork lifting mechanism, the climbing component 22 and the picking and placing box mechanism 23 can be lifted independently, realizing quick docking with the single-sided guide rail 11 and picking and placing the boxes for sorting. At the same time, no modification is required to the bottom walking drive mechanism of the climbing robot. The climbing robot has a simple and neat layout, high space utilization, and can move freely in the narrow area at the bottom of the shelf 1.

[0055] In one embodiment, the lifting mechanism 24 of this disclosure is a screw lifting mechanism.

[0056] In detail, the screw lifting mechanism includes two screws, two nuts, a motor, and a coupling. The two screws are arranged opposite each other on both sides of the main body 21. The lower end of the screw is mounted on the main body 21 through the coupling. The two nuts are threadedly connected to the screws respectively, and the pick-and-place box mechanism 23 is fixedly connected to the two corresponding nuts. In this way, the motor drives the screws to rotate through the coupling, the nuts move up and down along the screw axis, and the pick-and-place box mechanism 23 moves up and down accordingly.

[0057] In one embodiment, the climbing robot of this disclosure also includes a telescopic arm disposed on the main body 21, which is configured to extend from the storage position of the main body 21 to dock with the guide rail 11 under the action of a telescopic drive mechanism, or to retract to the storage position.

[0058] In detail, when the climbing robot of this disclosure moves on the work surface, it can retract its telescopic arm to the storage position to avoid collision between the telescopic arm and the supporting legs of the shelf 1, which would hinder the normal movement of the climbing robot and make the climbing robot move more flexibly under the shelf 1. Furthermore, by adjusting the lifting mechanism 24, the height position of the telescopic arm can be precisely changed, thereby flexibly completing the alignment and docking of the telescopic arm with the single-sided guide rail 11.

[0059] The telescopic drive mechanism is located between the telescopic arm and the main body 21. A rotating bearing is fixedly installed in the middle of the connecting rod. The rotating shaft is fixedly installed in the inner ring of the rotating bearing and is connected to the telescopic motor for transmission. The rotation axis of the rotating shaft extends in the vertical direction. The telescopic motor is fixedly installed on the main body 21.

[0060] Furthermore, both ends of the intermediate connecting rod and the auxiliary connecting rod are provided with rotating bearings. Rotating shafts are fixedly installed inside the rotating bearings at both ends of the intermediate connecting rod. The rotating bearing at one end of the auxiliary connecting rod is sleeved on the rotating shaft at one end of the intermediate connecting rod, and the other end is sleeved on the rotating shaft fixedly installed on the telescopic arm of the climbing assembly 22, so that both ends of the auxiliary connecting rod can rotate relative to the intermediate connecting rod and the telescopic arm respectively.

[0061] Thus, when the telescopic arm is in the retracted position, the intermediate connecting rod and the auxiliary connecting rod fold and retract. Then, when the telescopic arm is ready to dock with the guide rail 11, the telescopic motor drives the rotating shaft to rotate, which in turn drives the intermediate connecting rod to rotate, so that the auxiliary connecting rod pushes one side of the telescopic arm to dock with the guide rail 11. When the telescopic arm is ready to disengage from the guide rail 11, the telescopic motor drives the rotating shaft to rotate in the opposite direction, which in turn drives the intermediate connecting rod to rotate, so that the auxiliary connecting rod pulls the telescopic arm of the climbing component 22 into the retracted position to separate it from the guide rail 11.

[0062] Specifically, driven by the lifting mechanism of the scissor lift, the main body 21 moves upward, and the telescopic arm can quickly engage with the guide rail 11 to complete the docking. Afterward, the scissor lift can retract, pulling the walking drive mechanism of the lower part of the climbing robot to the initial compact state to avoid affecting the normal operation of other equipment. Then, the telescopic arm climbs with the help of the guide rail 11, and the guide rail 11 restricts the deviation and swaying of the climbing robot during the lifting process, thereby guiding the whole machine to stably complete the climbing and lowering actions along the guide rail 11. After the operation is completed, the climbing robot descends to the preset position at the bottom of the guide rail 11, the scissor lift opens, so that the walking drive mechanism of the lower part of the climbing robot lands stably on the working surface. After the climbing component 22 docks and disengages from the guide rail 11, the scissor lift retracts, driving the main body 21 to descend.

[0063] In this way, the main body 21 is firmly connected to the scissor fork lifting mechanism, without the need for additional auxiliary adjustment components. The overall layout is simple and compact. At the same time, in conjunction with the walking drive mechanism of the climbing robot, it ensures the stable operation of the equipment during movement and climbing.

[0064] See Figure 5 In one embodiment, the picking drive mechanism includes a first drive mechanism disposed on the lifting mechanism 24 and configured to drive the picking and placing mechanism 23 to move along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf 1 is located so that the picking and placing mechanism 23 corresponds to the target storage position.

[0065] Specifically, in combination Figure 4 The first drive mechanism set on the main body 21 can drive the picking and placing mechanism 23 to move along the left or right side of the climbing robot until the picking and placing mechanism 23 corresponds to the target storage position. The first drive mechanism, through a linear drive structure, can flexibly adjust the left and right displacement of the picking and placing mechanism 23 according to the lateral spacing of the target storage position. It can complete the precise alignment of the picking and placing mechanism 23 with the storage positions 12 on both sides without moving the main body 21 of the climbing robot, thereby improving the flexibility and efficiency of the bin storage and retrieval.

[0066] Meanwhile, the first drive mechanism will not interfere with the movement of the main body 21 and the guide rail 11 during the adjustment process, and does not require additional lateral space in the warehouse. Through its flexible left and right adjustment, it can adapt to the layout of storage positions 12 with different spacings, without the need to modify the structure of the warehouse rack 1, further reducing the adaptation cost.

[0067] In one embodiment, the first drive mechanism includes a first drive motor, a synchronous belt drive mechanism, and a gear and rack drive mechanism. The first drive motor is mounted on the main body 21. The synchronous belt drive mechanism is connected to the first drive motor, and the synchronous belt of the synchronous belt drive mechanism is configured to move along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf 1 is located under the action of the first drive motor. The gears of the gear and rack drive mechanism are rotatably mounted on the synchronous belt. The gear and rack drive mechanism includes two racks that are parallel to each other and mesh with the gears. One rack is fixedly mounted on the main body 21, and the other rack is fixedly mounted on the pick-and-place box mechanism 23. Both racks extend along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf 1 is located.

[0068] In detail, the first drive mechanism of this disclosure is powered by a first drive motor, and the first drive motor is connected to a synchronous belt drive mechanism disposed on the main body 21. The synchronous belt of the synchronous belt drive mechanism moves along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf 1 is located under the action of the first drive motor. The synchronous belt drive mechanism includes a driving pulley, a driven pulley, and a synchronous belt tensioned on the driving pulley and the driven pulley. The first drive motor can be connected to the driving pulley through a multi-stage gear transmission, thereby driving the synchronous belt to rotate.

[0069] Furthermore, the first drive mechanism of this disclosure also includes a gear and rack transmission mechanism, wherein the gear of the gear and rack transmission mechanism is rotatably mounted on a synchronous belt and meshes with two racks that extend along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf 1 is located and are arranged parallel to each other, wherein one rack is fixedly mounted on the main body 21 and the other rack is fixedly mounted on the pick-and-place box mechanism 23.

[0070] Thus, when the first drive motor drives the driving wheel to rotate, the tensioned synchronous belt drives the driven wheel to rotate together. This synchronous belt can drive the gear to move along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf 1 is located, and the gear meshes with the rack on the main body 21. As a result, the gear rotates under the action of the rack on the main body 21. At the same time, since the gear meshes with the rack fixedly installed on the pick-and-place mechanism 23, when the gear rotates, it drives the rack on the pick-and-place mechanism 23 to move along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf 1 is located, thereby driving the pick-and-place mechanism 23 to move along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf 1 is located.

[0071] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the picking drive mechanism of this disclosure further includes a second drive mechanism, which includes a second drive motor and a chain sprocket transmission mechanism. The second drive motor is mounted on the picking and placing box mechanism 23. Two chain sprocket transmission mechanisms are spaced apart on the first drive mechanism along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf 1 is located, and are connected to the second drive motor for transmission. The chains of the two chain sprocket transmission mechanisms move in the direction close to the shelf 1 or away from the shelf 1 under the action of the second drive motor.

[0072] In detail, the second drive mechanism of this disclosure is powered by a second drive motor. The second drive motor is connected to two chain and sprocket drive mechanisms mounted on the first drive mechanism. The drive chains of the two chain and sprocket drive mechanisms move along the direction closer to or away from the shelf 1 under the action of the second drive motor. The drive sprocket of the chain and sprocket drive mechanism is rotatably mounted on the pick-and-place box mechanism 23. Two driven sprockets are mounted on both sides of the drive sprocket and are rotatably connected to the pick-and-place box mechanism 23. The drive sprocket and the two driven sprockets mesh with the drive chain, and the drive chain is tensioned by the two driven sprockets. Furthermore, a drive sprocket is also mounted between the drive sprocket and the corresponding driven sprocket. The drive sprocket meshes with the drive chain and is fixedly connected to the pick-and-place box mechanism 23.

[0073] Furthermore, the driving sprockets of the two chain sprocket transmission mechanisms of this disclosure are connected by a transmission shaft to enable the two chain sprocket transmission mechanisms to rotate synchronously. A transmission gear is fixedly installed on the transmission shaft, and a second drive motor is installed next to the transmission shaft. Another transmission gear is installed on the output shaft of the second drive motor and meshes with the transmission gear on the transmission shaft. In this way, the second drive motor drives the transmission shaft to rotate, thereby causing the driving sprockets of the two chain sprocket transmission mechanisms to rotate synchronously, which in turn drives the corresponding chains and driven sprockets to rotate. This causes the transmission sprockets to drive the picking and placing mechanism 23 to move, thereby causing the picking and placing mechanism 23 installed on the picking drive mechanism to move in the direction closer to the shelf 1 or away from the shelf 1.

[0074] Furthermore, the picking and placing mechanism 23 can be a robotic arm, thereby reducing the need for a picking drive mechanism. After the climbing robot climbs along the guide rail 11 to the target layer on the shelf 1, the robotic arm directly picks up the target item from the target storage location or sends the target item into the target storage location along the direction close to the shelf 1.

[0075] Secondly, this disclosure also provides a climbing robot, which includes a main body 21, a single climbing component 22, and a box-picking and placing mechanism 23. The main body 21 travels along the working surface under the action of a walking drive mechanism. The climbing component 22 is disposed on the main body 21 and configured to dock with a guide rail 11 on the shelf 1. After docking, the climbing drive mechanism drives the main body 21 to rise and fall along the guide rail 11. The box-picking and placing mechanism 23 is movably disposed on the main body 21 and configured to retrieve a target item from the target storage location or place a target item into the target storage location under the action of a picking drive mechanism.

[0076] It should be noted that the specific structure of the climbing robot provided in this disclosure has been described in detail above, and will not be repeated here.

[0077] The climbing robot only needs one climbing component 22 to dock with the guide rail 11 to climb or descend along the guide rail 11, thereby reducing the number of guide rails 11 to be installed, lowering the docking accuracy requirements between the climbing component 22 and the guide rail 11, and making it easier for the climbing component 22 and the guide rail 11 to dock successfully.

[0078] The following section will further explain the working principle of the climbing robot and warehousing system provided in this disclosure, using application scenarios as examples.

[0079] Scene 1 In the bin storage system disclosed herein, the climbing robot travels between shelves 1. Then, according to the assigned task, it walks to the target shelf 1, enters the aisle between the target shelf 1 and the adjacent shelf 1, and moves to the target guide rail 11. Then, the scissor lift mechanism raises the main body 21 to a preset height. The telescopic motor of the telescopic drive mechanism drives the intermediate connecting rod to rotate, so that the auxiliary connecting rod pushes the telescopic arm out in the direction close to the shelf 1. The telescopic arm of the climbing component begins to dock with the guide rail 11. The climbing sprocket engages with the climbing chain installed on the guide rail 11. At this time, the telescopic arm of the climbing component docks with the guide rail 11. The telescopic drive mechanism stops working, and the scissor lift mechanism can retract, pulling the walking drive mechanism under the climbing robot to the initial compact state to avoid affecting the normal operation of other equipment.

[0080] Then, the climbing drive mechanism starts working, driving the climbing sprocket to rotate, thereby causing the climbing sprocket to climb upward along the climbing chain on the guide rail 11.

[0081] Afterwards, the climbing robot climbs to the target layer, and the box picking mechanism 23 moves from its initial position relative to the main body 21 along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf 1 is located to the first position on one side of the guide rail 11 under the action of the picking drive mechanism, so as to avoid the guide rail 11, and then moves from the first position to the target storage position in the direction closer to the shelf 1.

[0082] After completing the bin storage and retrieval task, the bin picking and placing mechanism 23, under the action of the picking drive mechanism, moves from the target storage position away from the shelf 1 to the first position, and then moves from the first position relative to the main body 21 along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf 1 is located back to the initial position, and the bin picking and placing mechanism 23 resets. Then, the climbing robot begins to descend along the guide rail 11.

[0083] The climbing motor of the climbing drive mechanism drives the climbing sprocket to rotate, causing the telescopic arm of the climbing component to carry the main body 21 down the climbing chain on the guide rail 11 to a preset position at the bottom of the guide rail 11. The scissor fork lifting mechanism opens, so that the walking drive mechanism at the bottom of the climbing robot can land stably on the working surface. The telescopic motor drives the middle connecting rod to rotate and reset, and then pulls the telescopic arm back to the storage position through the auxiliary connecting rod and disengages it from the guide rail 11. The scissor fork lifting mechanism retracts, driving the main body 21 down. At this point, the task is completed.

[0084] By using the segmented movement of the box picking and placing mechanism 23, the mechanism can effectively avoid the obstruction of the guide rail 11 throughout the entire operation, eliminating the risk of motion interference and collision. The operation can be completed without adjusting the posture of the climbing robot, which not only ensures the smoothness of the box storage and retrieval process, but also improves the safety of equipment operation.

[0085] Scene 2 In the bin storage system disclosed herein, the climbing robot travels between shelves 1. Then, according to the assigned task, it walks to the target shelf 1, enters the aisle between the target shelf 1 and the adjacent shelf 1, and moves to the target guide rail 11. Then, the scissor lift mechanism raises the main body 21 to a preset height. The telescopic motor of the telescopic drive mechanism drives the intermediate connecting rod to rotate, so that the auxiliary connecting rod pushes the telescopic arm out in the direction close to the shelf 1. The telescopic arm of the climbing component begins to dock with the guide rail 11. The climbing sprocket engages with the climbing chain installed on the guide rail 11. At this time, the telescopic arm of the climbing component docks with the guide rail 11. The telescopic drive mechanism stops working, and the scissor lift mechanism can retract, pulling the walking drive mechanism under the climbing robot to the initial compact state to avoid affecting the normal operation of other equipment.

[0086] Then, the climbing drive mechanism starts working, driving the climbing sprocket to rotate, thereby causing the climbing sprocket to climb upward along the climbing chain on the guide rail 11.

[0087] At this point, two storage positions 12 are provided between two adjacent guide rails 11 on the shelf 1 of this disclosure, which increases the density of storage positions 12 on the shelf 1 and reduces the number of guide rails 11 installed. Specifically, the storage positions 12 on the shelf 1 are arranged in n columns. When n is even, the number of guide rails 11 is n / 2, and when n is odd, the number of guide rails 11 is (n+1) / 2. In this way, by reducing the number of guide rails 11, the travel distance of the climbing robot on the working surface is shortened, the processing efficiency of the bin storage system is improved, and the picking and placing flexibility of the climbing robot of this disclosure is increased.

[0088] After the climbing robot climbs to the target layer, the picking and placing mechanism 23, under the action of the picking drive mechanism, moves from its initial position relative to the main body 21 along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf 1 is located to a first position on one side of the guide rail 11 to avoid the guide rail 11, and then moves from the first position toward the direction closer to the shelf 1 to the target storage position. Alternatively, the picking and placing mechanism 23 can also move from its initial position relative to the main body 21 along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf 1 is located to a second position on the other side of the guide rail 11 under the action of the picking drive mechanism to avoid the guide rail 11, and then move from the second position toward the direction closer to the shelf 1 to the target storage position.

[0089] After completing the task of storing and retrieving the bins, the bin retrieval mechanism 23 moves from the target storage position away from the shelf to the second position under the action of the retrieval drive mechanism. Then, it moves from the second position relative to the main body 21 along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf 1 is located back to the initial position. Then, the climbing robot begins to descend along the guide rail 11.

[0090] Alternatively, after the climbing robot climbs to the target layer, it can control the box-picking mechanism 23 to store the box in the target storage location through the first position. Then, the box-picking mechanism 23 returns to the initial position and retrieves another box from the target storage location through the second position. Then, the climbing robot begins to descend along the guide rail 11.

[0091] The climbing motor of the climbing drive mechanism drives the climbing sprocket to rotate, causing the telescopic arm of the climbing component to carry the main body 21 down the climbing chain on the guide rail 11 to a preset position at the bottom of the guide rail 11. The scissor fork lifting mechanism opens, so that the walking drive mechanism at the bottom of the climbing robot can land stably on the working surface. The telescopic motor drives the middle connecting rod to rotate and reset, and then pulls the telescopic arm back to the storage position through the auxiliary connecting rod and disengages it from the guide rail 11. The scissor fork lifting mechanism retracts, driving the main body 21 down. At this point, the task is completed.

[0092] By adding a second position, the box picking and placing mechanism 23 has the ability to adjust in both directions to avoid obstacles. It can select different paths on both sides of the guide rail according to the layout of the storage rack, the position of the box and the working conditions of the site, so as to cover all target storage positions on both sides of the guide rail 11, expand the operation coverage, and make the climbing robot better adapt to the box storage scenario of the high-density storage position 12.

[0093] Scene 3 In this scenario, the climbing component 22 of this disclosure is located at one end of the main body 21. In the bin storage system, the climbing robot travels between the shelves 1. Then, according to the assigned task, it walks to the target shelf 1, enters the aisle between the target shelf 1 and the adjacent shelf 1, and moves to the target guide rail 11. Then, the scissor lift mechanism lifts the main body 21 to a preset height. The telescopic motor of the telescopic drive mechanism drives the intermediate connecting rod to rotate, so that the auxiliary connecting rod pushes the telescopic arm out in the direction close to the shelf 1. The telescopic arm of the climbing component begins to dock with the guide rail 11. The climbing sprocket engages with the climbing chain installed on the guide rail 11. At this time, the telescopic arm of the climbing component docks with the guide rail 11. The telescopic drive mechanism stops working, and the scissor lift mechanism can retract, pulling the walking drive mechanism at the bottom of the climbing robot to the initial compact state to avoid affecting the normal operation of other equipment.

[0094] Then, the climbing drive mechanism starts working, driving the climbing sprocket to rotate, thereby causing the climbing sprocket to climb upward along the climbing chain on the guide rail 11.

[0095] Afterwards, the climbing robot climbs to the target layer, and the box picking mechanism 23 moves from the initial position toward the target storage position under the action of the picking drive mechanism.

[0096] After completing the task of storing and retrieving the bins, the bin retrieval mechanism 23 moves from the target storage location to the initial position in a direction away from the shelf 1 under the action of the retrieval drive mechanism. Then, the climbing robot begins to descend along the guide rail 11.

[0097] The climbing motor of the climbing drive mechanism drives the climbing sprocket to rotate, causing the telescopic arm of the climbing component to carry the main body 21 down the climbing chain on the guide rail 11 to a preset position at the bottom of the guide rail 11. The scissor fork lifting mechanism opens, so that the walking drive mechanism at the bottom of the climbing robot can land stably on the working surface. The telescopic motor drives the middle connecting rod to rotate and reset, and then pulls the telescopic arm back to the storage position through the auxiliary connecting rod and disengages it from the guide rail 11. The scissor fork lifting mechanism retracts, driving the main body 21 down. At this point, the task is completed.

[0098] Thus, the climbing component 22 is located far from the central area of ​​the main body 21, completely avoiding the picking and placing path of the picking and placing mechanism 23, eliminating the potential for interference and collision between the picking and placing mechanism 23 and the guide rail 11 during operation. Even if the picking and placing mechanism 23 extends into the shelf 1 to complete the picking and placing of the box, it will not be restricted or blocked by the guide rail 11 throughout the entire process.

[0099] Scene 4 In this scenario, the climbing component 22 of this disclosure is located at one end of the main body 21. In the bin storage system, the climbing robot travels between the shelves 1. Then, according to the assigned task, it walks to the target shelf 1, enters the aisle between the target shelf 1 and the adjacent shelf 1, and moves to the target guide rail 11. Then, the scissor lift mechanism lifts the main body 21 to a preset height. The telescopic motor of the telescopic drive mechanism drives the intermediate connecting rod to rotate, so that the auxiliary connecting rod pushes the telescopic arm out in the direction close to the shelf 1. The telescopic arm of the climbing component begins to dock with the guide rail 11. The climbing sprocket engages with the climbing chain installed on the guide rail 11. At this time, the telescopic arm of the climbing component docks with the guide rail 11. The telescopic drive mechanism stops working, and the scissor lift mechanism can retract, pulling the walking drive mechanism at the bottom of the climbing robot to the initial compact state to avoid affecting the normal operation of other equipment.

[0100] Then, the climbing drive mechanism starts working, driving the climbing sprocket to rotate, thereby causing the climbing sprocket to climb upward along the climbing chain on the guide rail 11.

[0101] At this point, two storage positions 12 are provided between two adjacent guide rails 11 on the shelf 1 of this disclosure, which increases the density of storage positions 12 on the shelf 1 and reduces the number of guide rails 11 installed. Specifically, the storage positions 12 on the shelf 1 are arranged in n columns. When n is even, the number of guide rails 11 is n / 2, and when n is odd, the number of guide rails 11 is (n+1) / 2. In this way, by reducing the number of guide rails 11, the travel distance of the climbing robot on the working surface is shortened, the processing efficiency of the bin storage system is improved, and the picking and placing flexibility of the climbing robot of this disclosure is increased.

[0102] After the climbing robot climbs to the target layer, the box picking mechanism 23 moves from the initial position toward the shelf 1 to the target storage position under the action of the picking drive mechanism. Alternatively, it moves from the initial position to the guide rail 11 on the other side of the main body 21 along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf 1 is located to the third position, avoids the guide rail 11, and then moves from the third position toward the shelf 1 to the target storage position.

[0103] Then, under the action of the picking drive mechanism, the box picking mechanism 23 moves from the target storage position away from the shelf to the third position, and then moves from the third position relative to the main body 21 along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf 1 is located back to the initial position. After that, the climbing robot begins to descend along the guide rail 11.

[0104] Alternatively, the pick-and-place mechanism 23 can store the bin in the target storage location from the initial position, then the pick-and-place mechanism 23 returns to the initial position, and then retrieves another bin from the target storage location from the third position. Then, the climbing robot begins to descend along the guide rail 11.

[0105] The climbing motor of the climbing drive mechanism drives the climbing sprocket to rotate, causing the telescopic arm of the climbing component to carry the main body 21 down the climbing chain on the guide rail 11 to a preset position at the bottom of the guide rail 11. The scissor fork lifting mechanism opens, so that the walking drive mechanism at the bottom of the climbing robot can land stably on the working surface. The telescopic motor drives the middle connecting rod to rotate and reset, and then pulls the telescopic arm back to the storage position through the auxiliary connecting rod and disengages it from the guide rail 11. The scissor fork lifting mechanism retracts, driving the main body 21 down. At this point, the task is completed.

[0106] In this way, the movement areas of each mechanism are independent of each other and each performs its own function. The actions are connected smoothly and orderly, which fully guarantees the travel and working range of the box picking mechanism 23. This allows it to flexibly adapt to the target storage positions on both sides of the guide rail 11, greatly improving the working efficiency of the climbing robot and ensuring the continuous and efficient automated storage and retrieval of the bin storage system.

[0107] The various embodiments of this disclosure have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, and are not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical application, or technical improvements to the embodiments in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein. The scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A bin storage system, characterized in that, The bin storage system includes a shelf (1) and a climbing robot, wherein the shelf (1) has at least one guide rail (11) extending in a direction perpendicular to the working surface; the climbing robot includes: The main body (21) is configured to travel along the working surface under the action of the walking drive mechanism; There is only one climbing component (22), which is mounted on the main body (21) and configured to dock with a guide rail (11) on the shelf (1), and after docking, the main body (21) is driven to rise and fall along the guide rail (11) by the climbing drive mechanism; The pick-and-place mechanism (23) is movably disposed on the main body (21) and configured to retrieve the target item from the target storage location or place the target item into the target storage location under the action of the pick-up drive mechanism.

2. The bin storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The climbing component (22) is located in the middle of one side of the main body (21).

3. The bin storage system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The climbing drive mechanism includes: A climbing motor is mounted on the main body (21); A climbing sprocket is rotatably mounted on the main body (21) and is directly or indirectly connected to the climbing motor. It is configured to mesh with the climbing chain mounted on the guide rail (11) and move up and down along the guide rail (11) under the drive of the climbing motor.

4. The bin storage system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The climbing robot also includes: A lifting mechanism (24) is disposed on the main body (21) and configured to drive the main body (21) to lift relative to the walking drive mechanism under the action of the lifting drive mechanism.

5. The bin storage system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism (24) is a scissor lift mechanism.

6. The bin storage system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The climbing robot also includes a telescopic arm mounted on the main body (21), which is configured to extend from the storage position of the main body (21) to dock with the guide rail (11) under the action of the telescopic drive mechanism, or retract to the storage position.

7. The bin storage system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The pick-and-place mechanism (23) is configured to move from its initial position relative to the main body (21) along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf (1) is located to a first position under the action of the pick-and-place drive mechanism, so as to avoid the guide rail (11), and then move from the first position toward the direction closer to the shelf (1) to the target storage position; The pick-and-place mechanism (23) is also configured to move from the target storage location away from the shelf (1) to a first position under the action of the pick-and-place drive mechanism, and then move from the first position relative to the main body (21) along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf (1) is located to the initial position.

8. The bin storage system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The pick-and-place mechanism (23) is configured to move from an initial position relative to the main body (21) along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf (1) is located to a second position under the action of the pick-and-place drive mechanism, so as to avoid the guide rail (11), and then move from the second position toward the direction closer to the shelf (1) to the target storage position; The pick-and-place mechanism (23) is also configured to move from the target storage location away from the shelf to a second position under the action of the pick-and-place drive mechanism, and then move from the second position relative to the main body (21) along the extension direction of the aisle where the shelf (1) is located to the initial position; The first position and the second position are located on both sides of the guide rail (11).

9. The bin storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The climbing component (22) is disposed at one end of the main body (21); The pick-and-place mechanism (23) is configured to move from its initial position toward the target storage location under the action of the pick-and-place drive mechanism; The pick-and-place mechanism (23) is also configured to move from the target storage location to the initial position in a direction away from the shelf (1) under the action of the pick-and-place drive mechanism.

10. A climbing robot, characterized in that, The climbing robot includes: The main body (21) is configured to travel along the working surface under the action of the walking drive mechanism; There is only one climbing component (22), which is mounted on the main body (21) and configured to dock with a guide rail (11) on the shelf (1), and after docking, the main body (21) is driven to rise and fall along the guide rail (11) by the climbing drive mechanism; The pick-and-place mechanism (23) is movably disposed on the main body (21) and configured to retrieve the target item from the target storage location or place the target item into the target storage location under the action of the pick-up drive mechanism.

Images