Depalletizing and handling device and depalletizing method for detachable single boxes

Abstract

This invention provides a destacking and handling device and method for detachable single-box materials, solving the problem of rapid destacking of single-box materials for various stack types and specifications. In this device, a robotic arm assembly is positioned beside the incoming material conveyor line. The differential box-stacking mechanism includes a main conveyor section and a transverse pulling section connected sequentially along the material conveying direction. The main conveyor section is located within the working range of the robotic arm assembly. The transverse pulling section has a separation station, and its conveying direction is the same as or at a preset angle to the main conveyor section, used to pull the frontmost material box on the main conveyor section to the separation station. The separation station is equipped with lifting units, all of which can lift synchronously or partially synchronously. Each lifting unit can rotate independently, lifting the material box on it during ascent and sequentially transporting the lifted material boxes to the subsequent conveyor line by rotation. This enables high-efficiency destacking and transport of entire rows of material boxes and single-box materials.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of warehousing and logistics technology, and in particular to a depalletizing and handling device and method for detachable single boxes. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of modern logistics warehousing and automated conveying, depalletizing is a key link connecting storage, sorting, and packaging. In actual operations, depalletizing requirements typically include rapid depalletizing of entire layers and depalletizing of single boxes on demand.

[0003] Currently, existing technologies mainly employ the following two methods for destacking entire layers or rows and for destacking single boxes, but both have significant limitations:

[0004] The first existing technology mainly relies on sponge suction cups with zone control function for depalletizing. Currently, for depalletizing entire layers or rows of single boxes, it usually relies on sponge suction cups with zone control. When dealing with boxes of various sizes and types, the suction cups cannot be adjusted in position, resulting in poor flexibility of this solution. It cannot be applied to the rapid depalletizing of various box types, which seriously restricts the overall efficiency of the conveying system.

[0005] The second type of existing technology mainly uses conveyor lines and physical barriers for depalletizing, such as the depalletizing and handling system disclosed in Chinese Patent Application No. 202411412834.3. This type of solution typically places the entire layer of material on a conveyor line, relying on physical barriers and the differential speed or start / stop of the conveyor line to separate the boxes. See also... Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 In the middle, five boxes arranged in a corresponding stack pattern are placed on the conveyor line. A stopper 200 is installed on the conveyor line. When the conveyor line transports the boxes, the stopper blocks three of the boxes, while the other two boxes located outside the blocking range of the stopper continue to be transported forward. This realizes the separation of box 101 and box 202 from the other three boxes, and box 101 and box 202 can be destacking from the whole layer of boxes.

[0006] However, this physical blocker-based approach has the following significant drawbacks: First, during depalletizing, there is often a need to reposition the remaining materials after unpacking a single box back onto the pallet for re-entry into the warehouse for the next shipment. This application cannot accommodate this material repositioning. Second, the existing depalletizing and handling systems and methods are only suitable for a limited range of stack types and cannot handle more complex stack types. Third, when the box size and specifications change, the position and number of existing barriers need to be altered, resulting in poor adaptability.

[0007] Specifically, such as Figure 2As shown, for this type of stack, this solution cannot achieve destacking of individual boxes. It is difficult to destacking box 101 using only the stopper 200. When the conveyor rollers rotate, box 101 and box 202 are transported forward synchronously, requiring a change in the form of the hardware stopper 200. This would also cause box 303 to tilt, making it impossible to achieve the return gripping of the carton.

[0008] In summary, existing depalletizing solutions suffer from poor adaptability, are prone to material misalignment, and are unable to achieve residual material repositioning when faced with the combined requirements of multi-specification box types, complex stack types, and the need for both whole-layer and single-box depalletizing. Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for a depalletizing device that can be compatible with various stack types and specifications, enabling both rapid whole-layer depalletizing and flexible single-box depalletizing. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The purpose of this invention is to provide a destacking and handling device and method for detachable single-boxes, thereby solving the technical problem in the prior art that it is difficult to quickly destacking single-box materials for various stack types and specifications. The numerous technical effects of the preferred technical solutions provided by this invention are detailed below.

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: The present invention provides a destacking and handling device for detachable single boxes, comprising an incoming material conveyor line, a robotic arm assembly, a differential box stacking mechanism, and a rear conveyor line. The robotic arm assembly is disposed beside the incoming material conveyor line. The differential box stacking mechanism includes a main conveying section and a transverse pulling section connected sequentially along the material conveying direction; wherein: The main conveying section is located within the working range of the robotic arm assembly and is used to receive the entire layer of material boxes placed by the robotic arm assembly. The transverse pulling section has a separation station. The transverse pulling section has the same conveying direction as the main conveying section or has a preset angle with it, and is used to pull the material box at the front of the main conveying section to the separation station. The separation station is equipped with a lifting unit. All of the lifting units can lift and lower synchronously or partially synchronously. The lifting units can rotate independently. When the lifting unit rises, it can lift the material box located on it and can transport the raised material box to the subsequent conveyor line one by one by rotating.

[0011] Preferably, a conveyor belt is provided on the transverse pulling section, and the conveying direction of the conveyor belt is the same as the conveying direction of the main conveying section; The material inlet of the conveyor belt is located at the material outlet of the main conveyor section, and the separation station is located on the side of the conveyor belt away from the main conveyor section.

[0012] Preferably, the conveyor belts are arranged at intervals along a preset direction, and the preset direction is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveyor belts; The lifting unit includes independently rotatable lifting rollers, which are located between two adjacent conveyor belts and are spaced apart along the conveying direction of the rear conveyor line.

[0013] Preferably, the destacking and handling device further includes a lifting drive device and a frame, wherein: the lifting drive device is fixed on the separation station, and the lifting drive device is driven to the frame for driving the frame to lift; All of the lifting rollers are rotatably connected to the frame and rise and fall synchronously with the frame.

[0014] Preferably, the rear conveyor line and the incoming material conveyor line are located on the incoming side and the outgoing side of the differential gearbox mechanism, respectively, and the incoming side and the outgoing side are two opposite sides of the differential gearbox mechanism. The conveying direction of the rear conveyor line is the same as the conveying direction when the lifting unit rotates, and is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the main conveyor section and the conveying direction of the transverse pulling section.

[0015] Preferably, the destacking and handling device further includes a push mechanism, which is located on the side of the separation station away from the main conveyor section. The push mechanism has a push plate, wherein: The push plate has an extended state and a retracted state. When the push plate is in the retracted state, it separates from the material box on the separation station. When the push plate is in the extended state, it can push the material box on the separation station to move horizontally. At this time, the horizontal movement direction of the material box is the width direction of the rear conveyor line, thereby adjusting the position of the material box on the rear conveyor line.

[0016] Preferably, the push mechanism further includes a frame and a telescopic drive device, wherein: The frame is fixed to the side of the separation station away from the main conveying section. The telescopic drive device is fixed to the frame and is set horizontally. The push plate is connected to the telescopic end of the telescopic drive device. When the telescopic end of the telescopic drive device is extended, it can be located above the lifting part, thereby pushing the material box located on the lifting part.

[0017] Preferably, the main conveying section includes rollers or belt conveyors. When the main conveying section includes rollers, the rollers are arranged at intervals along the conveying direction of the main conveying section, and the rollers are rotatable.

[0018] Preferably, the robotic arm assembly includes a base, a robotic arm, and a gripping mechanism, wherein: The base is fixed in the area between the discharge end of the incoming material conveyor line and the inlet end of the main conveyor section. The robotic arm is located on the base, and the gripping mechanism is located at the end of the robotic arm for gripping or releasing the entire layer of material boxes.

[0019] This invention provides a destacking method based on the aforementioned destacking and handling device for destacking individual boxes, the method comprising: The robotic arm assembly grabs the entire layer of material on the incoming material conveyor line and places it on the main conveyor section; The main conveyor section transports the entire layer of material forward, and the transverse pulling section pulls the frontmost material box laterally to the separation station of the transverse pulling section, thereby separating the rows of material boxes. The lifting unit of the separation station rises to lift the material box in the front row; When a single box needs to be destabilized and shipped out, the lifting unit below the box to be shipped out is rotated to output the single box to the rear conveyor line; when an entire layer needs to be destabilized and shipped out, all the lifting units rotate to separate the entire row of boxes one by one and output them to the rear conveyor line until the entire layer of boxes is destabilized. The lifting unit below the remaining material box is kept from rotating or reversing, and the remaining material box is returned to its original position; the robotic arm assembly grabs the remaining material box left in its original position and puts it back into the material conveyor line; the remaining material box is then returned to the warehouse through the material conveyor line.

[0020] The destacking and handling device and method for detachable single boxes provided by this invention have the following advantages compared with the prior art: the robotic arm component only needs to perform the gripping and placement of the entire layer of materials, without the need for frequent single-box gripping; the main conveyor section conveys the entire layer of materials forward, and the lateral pulling section pulls the frontmost material box to the separation station, realizing the separation of material boxes from the entire layer to a single row; the lifting part on the separation station lifts the single row of material boxes by lifting and rotating, and conveys them to the rear conveyor line one by one, realizing box-level separation from single row to single box. When destacking and unloading single boxes, only the lifting part under the target material box needs to be controlled to rotate and send it out. The lifting parts under the remaining material boxes that do not need to be unloaded can remain stationary or reverse, so that the remaining material boxes can be smoothly stopped in their original positions or returned, avoiding the material tilting and attitude loss problems caused by the forced obstruction of traditional physical barriers, and improving the destacking and handling efficiency of single-row material boxes and single-piece material boxes. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention 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 of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a destacking device in the prior art; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a destacking device in the prior art during destacking. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the destacking and handling device for detachable single boxes in this embodiment; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the differential gearbox mechanism; Figure 5 It is a side view of the structure of the lifting drive device, frame and lifting rollers.

[0023] In the diagram: 101, Box 1; 102, Box 2; 103, Box 3; 200, Blocker; 1, Incoming Material Conveyor Line; 21, Base; 22, Robotic Arm; 23, Gripping Mechanism; 3, Differential Box Dispatch Mechanism; 30, Mechanism Frame; 31, Main Conveying Section; 311, Roller; 32, Lateral Pulling Section; 321, Conveyor Belt; 33, Separation Station; 34, Lifting Roller; 35, Lifting Drive Device; 36, Frame; 4, Rear Conveyor Line; 51, Push Plate; 52, Machine Frame; 53, Telescopic Drive Device; 6, Material Box; 61, Frontmost Material Box. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be described in detail below. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of this invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other implementation methods obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0025] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "length," "width," "height," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," and "side," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0026] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a destacking device in the prior art. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a destacking device in the prior art during the destacking process. Figure 1 In the middle, five boxes arranged in a corresponding stack pattern are placed on the conveyor line. The conveyor line is equipped with a stopper. When the conveyor line transports the boxes, the stopper blocks three of the boxes, while the other two boxes outside the blocking range continue to be transported forward. This achieves the separation of box 101 and box 202 from the other three boxes, and box 101 and box 202 can be destacking from the whole layer of boxes.

[0027] However, this physical barrier-based solution has the following significant drawbacks: First, during depalletizing, there is often a need to reposition the remaining materials after depalletizing a single box back onto the pallet for re-entry into the warehouse for the next shipment; this solution cannot achieve this repositioning. Second, existing depalletizing and handling systems and methods are only suitable for a limited range of stack types and cannot handle more complex stack types. Third, when box dimensions change, the position and number of existing barriers 200 need to be altered, resulting in poor adaptability. Figure 2 As shown, for this type of stack, this solution cannot achieve destacking of individual boxes. It is difficult to destacking box 101 using only the stopper 200. When the conveyor rollers rotate, box 101 and box 202 are transported forward synchronously. The form of the hardware stopper 200 needs to be changed. If the width of the stopper 200 cannot cover the entire width of box 303, it will cause box 303 to be skewed, making it impossible to achieve the return gripping of the carton.

[0028] To address the aforementioned issues, this invention provides a destacking and handling device for single-box destacking. When destacking and shipping single boxes, only the lifting part under the target material box needs to be rotated to send it out. The lifting part under the remaining material boxes that do not need to be shipped can remain stationary or reverse, allowing the remaining material boxes to remain stably in their original positions or return to their original locations. This avoids the problems of material tilting and loss of posture caused by the forced obstruction of traditional physical barriers.

[0029] The following is combined Figures 3-5 The technical solution provided by this invention will be described in more detail below.

[0030] As shown in the figure Example 1: See Figures 3-5 As shown, the destacking and handling device for detachable single boxes provided by the present invention includes an incoming material conveying line 1, a robotic arm assembly, a differential box stacking mechanism 3, and a rear conveying line 4. The robotic arm assembly is located next to the incoming material conveying line 1, and the differential box stacking mechanism 3 is used to receive the entire layer of materials placed by the gripping mechanism 23 and to separate and stack the materials into boxes.

[0031] The differential speed box-loading mechanism 3 of this embodiment includes a frame 30, a main conveying section 31 and a transverse pulling section 32 connected sequentially along the material conveying direction; wherein: the main conveying section 31 is located within the working range of the robotic arm assembly and is used to receive the entire layer of material boxes 6 placed by the robotic arm assembly; the transverse pulling section 32 has a separation station 33, the main conveying section 31 and the transverse pulling section 32 are located on the same frame 30, and the conveying direction of the transverse pulling section 32 is the same as that of the main conveying section 31 or has a preset angle. Figure 3 The transverse pulling section 32 has the same conveying direction as the main conveying section 31. The transverse pulling section 32 is used to pull the material box 61 at the front of the main conveying section 31 to the separation station 33. The separation station 33 is equipped with a lifting unit. All lifting units can lift and lower synchronously or partially synchronously. The lifting units can rotate independently. When the lifting unit rises, it can lift the material box 6 located on it and can transport the raised material box 6 to the rear conveying line 4 one by one by rotating.

[0032] See Figure 3 The material conveyor line 1 is used to transport the material boxes 6 to be destacking to a designated area so that the robotic arm assembly can grasp them. This conveyor line can take various forms, such as roller conveyor lines, belt conveyor lines, or chain conveyor lines.

[0033] See Figure 3 Separation station 33 is an area on the transverse pulling section 32, where material boxes 6 are separated into single boxes or single rows.

[0034] See Figure 3 The lifting unit is installed on the separation station 33 and can be raised, lowered, and rotated. When the lifting unit rises, it can lift the material box 6 and transport the material box 6 one by one to the subsequent conveyor line 4 by rotating, realizing the outbound delivery of a single box. The subsequent conveyor line 4 is used to receive the single material box 6 output from the separation station 33 and transport it to the subsequent sorting, packaging, or outbound process.

[0035] See Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, when the main conveyor section 31 conveys the entire row of material boxes 6 to the inlet end of the transverse pulling section 32, the transverse pulling section 32 starts, pulling the first material box 61 away from the subsequent material boxes 6, and conveying the first material box 61 to the separation station 33; the separation station 33 can be a preset stop area where the material boxes 6 await further processing. See also Figure 3 and Figure 4 When the material box 6 is conveyed to the separation station 33 by the horizontal pulling section 32 and stops, the lifting part located below the material box 6 receives the lifting command and lifts the corresponding material box 6, so that the corresponding material box 6 is separated from the conveying surface of the horizontal pulling section 32.

[0036] After the lifting unit lifts the material box 6, if it is necessary to transport a single material box 6 to the subsequent conveyor line 4, the lifting unit below the corresponding material box 6 will rotate. (See also...) Figure 3 For the frontmost material box 61, when it is necessary to release a single material box 6 labeled A, the lifting part under the single material box 6 labeled A rotates, and the single material box 6 labeled A is conveyed to the rear conveyor line 4.

[0037] As an alternative implementation, see [link to implementation details]. Figure 3 A conveyor belt 321 is installed on the transverse pulling section 32. The conveying direction of the conveyor belt 321 is the same as that of the main conveying section 31. The material receiving end of the conveyor belt 321 is located at the material discharge end of the main conveying section 31. The separation station 33 is located on the side of the conveyor belt 321 away from the main conveying section 31.

[0038] See Figure 3 and Figure 4 The conveyor belt 321 can be one or more parallel continuous annular belts. The conveyor belt 321 is usually driven by a motor and supported by idlers to form a smooth conveying surface. The conveyor belt 321 on the transverse pulling section 32 is aligned with the conveying direction of the main conveying section 31, ensuring that the material box 6 does not change its forward direction when it is transferred from the main conveying section 31 to the transverse pulling section 32, thereby ensuring the smoothness and continuity of the material box 6's transmission.

[0039] See Figure 3 and Figure 4 The conveyor belt 321 of the transverse pulling section 32 pulls the material box 61 in the front row forward, separating the material box 61 in the front row from the other material boxes 6.

[0040] See Figure 3 and Figure 4The starting position of the conveyor belt 321 of the transverse pulling section 32 connects to the end of the main conveying section 31, ensuring that the material box 6 can smoothly transition from the main conveying section 31 to the conveyor belt of the transverse pulling section 32, avoiding possible jamming or falling of the material box 6 during the transfer process. When the material box 6 is conveyed forward by the conveyor belt 321, it will be guided or pulled to the side of the conveyor belt 321 away from the main conveying section 31, that is, the location of the separation station 33. The material box 6 stops at the separation station 33 after the transverse pulling, providing a clear positioning reference for the subsequent single-box separation operation of the lifting unit.

[0041] The structural layout of this embodiment enables the material box 6 to maintain a stable posture and precise positioning during lateral pulling, effectively preventing the material box 6 from being misaligned or tilted, improving the accuracy and efficiency of the subsequent single-box destacking by the lifting unit, and ensuring the smoothness of the entire destacking and handling process.

[0042] When the conveyor belt 321 is pulled laterally, it is necessary to ensure that the lifting part can effectively lift the material box 6 and rotate independently, while avoiding interference with the normal operation of the conveyor belt 321, so as to ensure the stable transmission and flexible handling of the material box 6.

[0043] To achieve the above effects, as an optional implementation method, see [link to implementation details]. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The conveyor belts 321 are arranged at intervals along a preset direction, which is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveyor belts 321; the lifting part includes independently rotatable lifting rollers 34, which are located between two adjacent conveyor belts and are arranged at intervals along the conveying direction of the rear conveyor line 4.

[0044] The lifting roller 34 in this embodiment can be an electric roller in the prior art, which can be purchased directly from the market, and its structure will not be described in detail here.

[0045] See Figure 3 and Figure 4 The interval arrangement of the conveyor belts 321 creates a channel between adjacent conveyor belts 321 for installing the lifting rollers 34.

[0046] See Figure 3 and Figure 4 The surface of the lifting roller 34 can be made of a material with a certain friction, such as rubber or polyurethane, to ensure good gripping force when lifting and conveying the material box 6 and to prevent the material box 6 from slipping.

[0047] See Figure 3 and Figure 4The lifting roller 34 is arranged in the channel between two adjacent conveyor belts. When the lifting roller 34 is in the descending position, its top is not higher than the conveying surface of the conveyor belt 321, and the material box 6 is supported by the conveyor belt 321 and pulled laterally. When it is necessary to lift the material box 6, the lifting roller 34 rises and extends from the channel between the conveyor belts 321, lifting the material box 6 off the conveyor belt 321. This ensures that the lifting roller 34 does not interfere with the conveyor belt 321 when performing the lifting function, thus ensuring the smooth operation of the entire differential box conveying mechanism 3.

[0048] See Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, multiple lifting rollers 34 are arranged at intervals along the conveying direction of the rear conveyor line 4, that is, the direction of movement when the material box 6 is transferred to the rear conveyor line 4. This interval arrangement allows the lifting rollers 34 to provide stable support for material boxes 6 of different lengths and ensures that the material box 6 can smoothly transition when it is rotated and conveyed to the rear conveyor line 4.

[0049] As an optional implementation method, combined with Figures 3-5 The destacking and handling device also includes a lifting drive device 35 and a frame 36, wherein: the lifting drive device 35 is fixed on the separation station 33, the lifting drive device 35 is driven to the frame 36, and is used to drive the frame 36 to lift; all lifting rollers 34 are rotatably connected to the frame 36 and lift synchronously with the frame 36.

[0050] In this embodiment, a lifting drive device 35 and a frame 36 are installed on the separation station 33, and all lifting rollers 34 are rotatably connected to the frame 36, rising and falling synchronously with the frame 36. This solves the problems of poor stability and difficulty in ensuring synchronization of the lifting rollers 34 during the lifting process. The lifting drive device 35 provides stable and reliable lifting power to the frame 36, and the frame 36, as a unified support platform, ensures that all lifting rollers 34 maintain consistent relative position and height during the lifting process. When the material box 6 is lifted or lowered, it receives uniform and stable support, improving the separation efficiency of the material box 6 and avoiding the risk of the material box 6 tilting, jamming, or being damaged.

[0051] Regarding the synchronous lifting method of some lifting rollers 34 (lifting parts): The frame can be a segmented frame, that is, divided into multiple independent sub-frames along the conveying direction. Each frame is rotatably connected to two or more lifting rollers 34, or each lifting roller 34 is independently equipped with a miniature lifting drive component at its bottom, such as an independent small cylinder or electric push rod. In the partial synchronous lifting mode, the control system drives only the sub-frame carrying the target material box to rise according to visual recognition or preset stacking data, so that the corresponding lifting rollers 34 lift the specific material box, while the lifting rollers 34 below the other material boxes that do not need to be lifted remain in the descending position, that is, below the conveying surface of the conveyor belt 321.

[0052] In practical applications, how to rationally set the inlet and outlet paths and subsequent conveying directions of material bin 6 to ensure smooth material flow and effective connection of the entire production line is an issue that needs further consideration. Improper layout of the inlet and outlet paths may lead to excessively long material flow lines and too many transfer links, resulting in reduced efficiency and increased floor space.

[0053] For the above issues, please refer to Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the rear conveyor line 4 and the incoming material conveyor line 1 are located on the incoming side and the outgoing side of the differential box-stacking mechanism 3, respectively. The incoming side and the outgoing side are two opposite sides arranged on the differential box-stacking mechanism 3. The conveying direction of the rear conveyor line 4 is the same as the conveying direction when the lifting part rotates, and is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the main conveying section 31 and the conveying direction of the transverse pulling section 32.

[0054] See Figure 3 The incoming material conveyor line 1 and the rear conveyor line 4 are respectively located on opposite sides of the differential speed stacking mechanism 3. This layout allows materials to enter the differential speed stacking mechanism 3 from one side for depalletizing, and the processed materials to exit from the other side. This structure avoids unnecessary back-and-forth of materials inside the equipment, optimizing the overall layout and space utilization. After the material boxes 6 are separated into rows and output individually by the differential speed stacking mechanism 3, they can turn 90 degrees to enter the rear conveyor line 4. This change of direction effectively utilizes space, making the equipment layout compact, and provides a flexible interface for subsequent packaging, palletizing, or sorting processes, avoiding the need for additional turning mechanisms.

[0055] In this embodiment, the lifting unit transports the material box 6 to the rear conveyor line 4 separately. However, after the material box 6 is rotated and output to the rear conveyor line 4 by the lifting roller 34, its lateral position on the rear conveyor line 4 may be deviated, causing the material box 6 to be unable to be precisely aligned, affecting the smoothness of subsequent processing.

[0056] For the above issues, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the destacking and handling device also includes a push mechanism, which is located on the side of the separation station 33 away from the main conveying section 31. The push mechanism is used to adjust the lateral position of the material box 6. When the material box 6 is conveyed to the separation station 33 and is ready to be output to the downstream conveying line 4, the push mechanism can accurately position the material box 6 laterally.

[0057] See Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the push mechanism has a push plate 51, wherein the push plate 51 has an extended state and a retracted state. When the push plate 51 is in the retracted state, the push plate 51 is separated from the material box 6 on the separation station 33. When the push plate 51 is in the extended state, the push plate 51 can push the material box 6 on the separation station 33 to move horizontally. At this time, the horizontal movement direction of the material box 6 is the width direction of the rear conveyor line 4, thereby adjusting the position of the material box 6 on the rear conveyor line 4.

[0058] The extended state of push plate 51 refers to the working state in which push plate 51 extends from the push mechanism body, contacts the material box 6 located on the separation station 33, and applies a pushing force to it. In this state, push plate 51 can push material box 6 to move horizontally. See also Figure 3 and Figure 4 In the figure, the push plate 51 is in the retracted state; the retracted state of the push plate 51 means that the push plate 51 is retracted into the push mechanism body and separated from the material box 6, so as not to interfere with the normal conveying of the material box 6 or the operation of the lifting part.

[0059] When extended, the pusher plate 51 can push the material box 6 on the separation station 33 along the width direction of the rear conveyor line 4. This adjusts the lateral position of the material box 6, correcting any lateral deviation that may occur after it is output by the lifting unit. The lateral position of the material box 6 can be adjusted by controlling the stroke and thrust of the pusher plate 51. When the material box 6 enters the rear conveyor line 4, it can be positioned to a preset lateral centerline or a specific position, thus meeting the positional accuracy requirements of subsequent automated processes such as barcode scanning, labeling, sorting, or palletizing.

[0060] Through the above technical solution, before or after the material box 6 is rotated and output to the rear conveyor line 4 by the lifting unit, the pusher mechanism can perform lateral positioning of the material box 6 through its push plate 51. When the material box 6 is on the separation station 33, the push plate 51 of the pusher mechanism can extend from the retracted state, contact and push the material box 6 to move horizontally along the width direction of the rear conveyor line 4 until the material box 6 reaches the preset position. Once the positioning is completed, the push plate 51 retracts, and the material box 6 can be conveyed to the rear conveyor line 4 by the lifting roller 34, which facilitates the stable conveying of the material box 6 in the center position of the rear conveyor line 4, prevents the material box 6 from deviating, avoids jamming caused by position deviation, and improves the operating efficiency and reliability of the entire logistics system.

[0061] As an alternative implementation, see [link to implementation details]. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The push mechanism also includes a frame 52 and a telescopic drive device 53. The frame 52 is fixed on the side of the separation station 33 away from the main conveying section 31. The telescopic drive device 53 is fixed on the frame 52 and is set horizontally. The push plate 51 is connected to the telescopic end of the telescopic drive device 53. When the telescopic end of the telescopic drive device 53 is extended, it can be located above the lifting part, thereby pushing the material box 6 located on the lifting part.

[0062] The switching between the extended and retracted states of the push plate 51 is controlled by the telescopic drive device 53 of the push mechanism to achieve precise intervention and release of the material box 6. The telescopic drive device 53 can be implemented in various forms, such as a cylinder, hydraulic cylinder, electric push rod, or lead screw drive mechanism.

[0063] In this embodiment, when the telescopic drive device 53 extends, the push plate 51 can be positioned above the lifting roller 34, thereby effectively pushing the material box 6 located on the lifting part. This solves the interference problem between the push plate 51 and the lifting roller 34, ensuring that the material box 6 can move stably and smoothly when being pushed for horizontal position adjustment, and avoiding jamming or damage caused by structural interference.

[0064] As an alternative implementation, see [link to implementation details]. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The main conveying section 31 includes rollers 311 or a belt conveyor. When the main conveying section 31 includes rollers 311, the rollers 311 are arranged at intervals along the conveying direction of the main conveying section 31, and the rollers 311 are rotatable. The spaced arrangement and rotatable nature of the rollers 311 allows the material box 6 to move smoothly with low friction, effectively avoiding jamming or damage to the material box 6 during the conveying process, and is especially suitable for material boxes 6 that bear heavy loads or have flat bottoms.

[0065] When the main conveyor section 31 includes a belt conveyor, its continuous and stable conveying mode can better adapt to material boxes 6 of different sizes and shapes.

[0066] The above structure ensures that the entire layer of material boxes 6 on which the robotic arm components are placed is reliably received and accurately transported to the lateral pulling section 32.

[0067] As an alternative implementation, see [link to implementation details]. Figure 3The robotic arm assembly in this embodiment includes a base 21, a robotic arm 22, and a gripping mechanism 23. The base 21 is fixed in the area between the discharge end of the incoming material conveyor line 1 and the inlet end of the main conveyor section 31. The robotic arm 22 can effectively cover the incoming material conveyor line 1 and the main conveyor section 31, thereby enabling the gripping of an entire layer of material boxes 6 on the incoming material conveyor line 1 and precise placement onto the main conveyor section 31. The robotic arm 22 is located on the base 21, and the gripping mechanism 23 is located at the end of the robotic arm 22, used for gripping or releasing the entire layer of material boxes 6.

[0068] The robotic arm 22 typically consists of multiple rotatable or telescopic joints to achieve flexible spatial positioning. The gripping mechanism 23 functions to reliably grip and release the material box 6 based on its characteristics, such as size, material, and weight. The gripping mechanism 23 may include vacuum suction cups, pneumatic grippers, mechanical grippers, etc., which generate suction or clamping forces to stably grip the entire layer of material boxes 6.

[0069] The working principle of the destacking and handling device for detachable single boxes in this embodiment is as follows: See Figure 3 and Figure 4 When unloading a whole layer or row of goods, after the entire layer of goods is unloaded, the material box 6 is conveyed to the discharge end of the incoming material conveyor line 1. The robotic arm assembly grabs the entire layer of material boxes on the pallet as a whole, and after grabbing, moves smoothly to place the entire layer of material boxes neatly on the main conveyor section 31. The roller 311 rotates, pushing the entire layer of goods forward. The conveyor belt 321 of the transverse pulling section 32 pulls the frontmost material box 61 to the leftmost separation station 33 in the figure. Then, the lifting roller 34 rises and rotates in sequence to separate the material boxes 6 labeled A and B. The material boxes 6 labeled A and B are output separately to the rear conveyor line 4 for subsequent packaging or loading processes, until the entire pallet of material boxes 6 is unloaded.

[0070] The equipment supports single-box on-demand depalletizing and outbound processing. When the system triggers a single-box outbound request, the preceding steps are the same: the conveyor belt pulls the frontmost material box 61 to the leftmost separation station 33 in the diagram, and the corresponding lifting roller 34 rises, sending material box 6 labeled A into the rear conveyor line 4; material box 6 labeled B is rotated back by the lifting roller 34 and then grabbed back onto the pallet on the incoming material conveyor line 1 by the robotic arm assembly. After the operation is completed, the empty pallet or the pallet with residual material is returned to the warehouse via the incoming material conveyor line 1, and the depalletizing process ends. The equipment enters standby mode, waiting for the next outbound operation instruction.

[0071] This rapid destacking solution for detachable boxes enables destacking of smaller boxes by increasing the density of the lifting rollers 34. If the material box 6 on the separation station 33 does not correspond to the center position of the rear conveyor line 4, the material box 6 on the separation station 33 can be pushed by the push plate 51 to control the material box 6 to be centered on the rear conveyor line 4, facilitating subsequent process operations.

[0072] In addition to the material boxes shown in this plan, the materials can also be other various forms of materials.

[0073] This embodiment can realize rapid whole-layer handling and destacking as well as handling and destacking of scattered single materials; it can realize material re-grabbing, and put materials that do not need to be sent out back onto the pallet for re-entry into the warehouse for the next time to be sent out. It has low cost and simple structure; this solution can perform whole-layer grabbing and whole-layer placement, and can realize whole-row pushing out, as well as grabbing and conveying single materials, with high efficiency.

[0074] It should be noted that the "differential speed" in the "differential speed box-sorting mechanism" described in this embodiment refers to the general concept of using the difference in motion state between different conveying units or between different driving components within the same conveying unit to achieve relative displacement and separation of materials. Specifically, differential speed includes the following forms: (1) speed difference: for example, the conveying linear speeds of the main conveying section 31 and the transverse pulling section 32 are different, and the speed difference is used to separate the front and rear materials; (2) start and stop state difference: for example, some of the lifting rollers 34 on the separation station 33 rotate to convey materials, while other lifting rollers 34 remain stationary, and the difference between motion and stillness is used to separate the single box from the remaining materials; (3) motion direction difference: for example, some lifting rollers 34 rotate forward to send out the target material box, while the adjacent lifting rollers 34 rotate in reverse to return the material box that does not need to be sent out, thereby achieving the diversion of the material box. For another example, the change in the conveying direction between the conveyor belt 321 and the lifting rollers 34 in the transverse pulling section 32 achieves the separation of the single box of the material box. Through the aforementioned differential speed control, this device can flexibly handle various complex stacking patterns and achieve non-destructive separation of materials without relying on physical obstructors.

[0075] Example 2: See Figure 3 and Figure 4 This embodiment provides a destacking method based on the destacking and handling device for destacking individual boxes described in the above embodiment. The method includes: Before operation, the equipment performs a system self-test after power-on, checking the incoming material conveyor line 1, the transverse pulling section 32, the lifting roller 34, the robotic arm assembly, and the signals of various photoelectric and limit sensors. Only when there are no alarms or signal abnormalities can it enter the operation mode. When unloading a whole layer of goods, after the whole layer of goods is unloaded, the palletized material box 6 with the goods is positioned on the discharge side of the incoming material conveyor line 1 via the pallet positioning, and automatically positioned and limited locked after entering the position.

[0076] First, the robotic arm assembly grabs the entire layer of material on the incoming material conveyor line 1 and places it on the main conveyor section 31; wherein, see Figure 3 The gripping mechanism 23 can employ vacuum suction cups, clamps, or other tools suitable for the shape and material of the material box 6 to ensure the stability and safety of the gripping process. During placement, the robotic arm assembly will accurately align the entire layer of material boxes 6 with the starting position of the main conveyor section 31 based on preset coordinates or visual recognition results, preparing for subsequent box separation operations.

[0077] See Figure 3 and Figure 4 The main conveyor section 31 transports the entire layer of material forward, while the transverse pulling section 32 pulls the frontmost material box 61 laterally to the separation station 33 of the transverse pulling section 32, thus separating the rows of material boxes 6. This process achieves physical separation between the rows of material boxes 6, ensuring that subsequent single-box or whole-row processing is not interfered with by the material boxes 6 behind. (See also...) Figure 3 The material box 61 at the front is separated from the other material boxes 6.

[0078] See Figure 3 and Figure 4 The lifting section (lifting roller 34) of the separation station 33 rises to lift the material box 61 in the front row. The purpose of the lifting roller 34 is to lift the material box 6 from the conveying surface of the transverse pulling section 32, so that it is suspended in the air, providing support for subsequent rotational conveying or pushback operations.

[0079] See Figure 3 and Figure 4 When a single box needs to be destacking and shipped out, the lifting part under the material box 6 to be shipped out rotates to output the single material box 6 to the rear conveyor line 4; when the single material box 6 labeled A needs to be shipped out, the lifting roller 34 under the single material box 6 labeled A rotates to transport the single material box 6 labeled A to the rear conveyor line 4. At this time, the lifting roller 34 under the single material box 6 labeled B does not rotate, thus achieving precise single box separation and shipping.

[0080] See Figure 3 and Figure 4 When the entire stack of materials needs to be unstacked and shipped out, all lifting units rotate to separate the entire row of material boxes 6 one by one and output them to the rear conveyor line 4 until the entire stack of material boxes 6 is completely unstacked; in other words, when material boxes 6 labeled A and B need to be shipped out, all lifting rollers 34 below material boxes 6 labeled A and B rotate to separate the entire row of material boxes 6 one by one and output them to the rear conveyor line 4 until the entire stack of material boxes 6 is completely unstacked, thus improving the efficiency of unstacked shipment.

[0081] After partially destacking (single box or part of the whole layer), the lifting part under the remaining material box 6 is not rotated or reversed, and the remaining material box 6 is returned or left in its original position; the robotic arm assembly grabs the remaining material box 6 left in its original position as a whole and puts it back into the material conveyor line 1; so that the remaining material box 6 is returned to the warehouse through the material conveyor line 1.

[0082] The specific features, structures, or characteristics described in this specification may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0083] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0084] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A destacking and handling device for detachable single boxes, characterized in that, The system includes an incoming material conveyor line, a robotic arm assembly, a differential speed box-stacking mechanism, and a rear conveyor line. The robotic arm assembly is located beside the incoming material conveyor line. The differential speed box-stacking mechanism includes a main conveying section and a transverse pulling section connected sequentially along the material conveying direction. The main conveying section is located within the working range of the robotic arm assembly and is used to receive the entire layer of material boxes placed by the robotic arm assembly. The transverse pulling section has a separation station. The transverse pulling section has the same conveying direction as the main conveying section or has a preset angle with it, and is used to pull the material box at the front of the main conveying section to the separation station. The separation station is equipped with a lifting unit. All of the lifting units can lift and lower synchronously or partially synchronously. The lifting units can rotate independently. When the lifting unit rises, it can lift the material box located on it and can transport the raised material box to the subsequent conveyor line one by one by rotating.

2. The destacking and handling device for detachable single boxes according to claim 1, characterized in that, A conveyor belt is provided on the transverse pulling section, and the conveying direction of the conveyor belt is the same as that of the main conveying section. The material inlet of the conveyor belt is located at the material outlet of the main conveyor section, and the separation station is located on the side of the conveyor belt away from the main conveyor section.

3. The destacking and handling device for detachable single boxes according to claim 2, characterized in that, The conveyor belts are arranged at intervals along a preset direction, and the preset direction is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveyor belts; The lifting unit includes independently rotatable lifting rollers, which are located between two adjacent conveyor belts and are spaced apart along the conveying direction of the rear conveyor line.

4. The destacking and handling device for detachable single boxes according to claim 3, characterized in that, The destacking and handling device further includes a lifting drive device and a frame, wherein: the lifting drive device is fixed on the separation station, and the lifting drive device is driven to the frame to drive the frame to lift; All of the lifting rollers are rotatably connected to the frame and rise and fall synchronously with the frame.

5. The destacking and handling device for detachable single boxes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rear conveyor line and the incoming material conveyor line are respectively located on the incoming side and the outgoing side of the differential gearbox mechanism. The incoming side and the outgoing side are two opposite sides arranged on the differential gearbox mechanism. The conveying direction of the rear conveyor line is the same as the conveying direction when the lifting unit rotates, and is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the main conveyor section and the conveying direction of the transverse pulling section.

6. The destacking and handling device for detachable single boxes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The destacking and handling device further includes a push mechanism, which is located on the side of the separation station away from the main conveyor section. The push mechanism has a push plate, wherein: The push plate has an extended state and a retracted state. When the push plate is in the retracted state, it separates from the material box on the separation station. When the push plate is in the extended state, it can push the material box on the separation station to move horizontally. At this time, the horizontal movement direction of the material box is the width direction of the rear conveyor line, thereby adjusting the position of the material box on the rear conveyor line.

7. The destacking and handling device for detachable single boxes according to claim 6, characterized in that, The push mechanism further includes a frame and a telescopic drive device, wherein: The frame is fixed to the side of the separation station away from the main conveying section. The telescopic drive device is fixed to the frame and is set horizontally. The push plate is connected to the telescopic end of the telescopic drive device. When the telescopic end of the telescopic drive device is extended, it can be located above the lifting part, thereby pushing the material box located on the lifting part.

8. The destacking and handling device for detachable single boxes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main conveying section includes rollers or belt conveyors. When the main conveying section includes rollers, the rollers are arranged at intervals along the conveying direction of the main conveying section, and the rollers are rotatable.

9. The destacking and handling device for detachable single boxes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robotic arm assembly includes a base, a robotic arm, and a gripping mechanism, wherein: The base is fixed in the area between the discharge end of the incoming material conveyor line and the inlet end of the main conveyor section. The robotic arm is located on the base, and the gripping mechanism is located at the end of the robotic arm for gripping or releasing the entire layer of material boxes.

10. A method for destacking, characterized in that, Based on the destacking and handling device for detachable single boxes according to any one of claims 1-9, the method includes: The robotic arm assembly grabs the entire layer of material on the incoming material conveyor line and places it on the main conveyor section; The main conveyor section transports the entire layer of material forward, and the transverse pulling section pulls the frontmost material box laterally to the separation station of the transverse pulling section, thereby separating the rows of material boxes. The lifting unit of the separation station rises to lift the material box in the front row; When a single box needs to be destabilized and shipped out, the lifting unit below the box to be shipped out is rotated to output the single box to the rear conveyor line; when an entire layer needs to be destabilized and shipped out, all the lifting units rotate to separate the entire row of boxes one by one and output them to the rear conveyor line until the entire layer of boxes is destabilized. The lifting unit below the remaining material box is kept from rotating or reversing, and the remaining material box is returned to its original position; the robotic arm assembly grabs the remaining material box left in its original position and puts it back into the material conveyor line. The remaining material bins are returned to the warehouse via the incoming material conveyor line.

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