A sorting apparatus

Abstract

The application discloses a sorting equipment, which comprises a main body frame, a runway type track installed on the main body frame in a horizontal direction, and upper and lower two layers of sorting components of the same structure based on a middle platform separation, wherein each layer of the sorting components comprises a package supply area, a chute area, and a lifting vehicle component provided with double-layer lifting vehicles, the upper and lower two layers of lifting vehicle components are installed on the same open mold stand column to form a lifting mold module, the upper and lower two layers of double-layer lifting vehicles of the lifting mold module perform horizontal closed-loop circular motion synchronously along with the lifting mold module, and the upper and lower two layers of double-layer lifting vehicles independently perform lifting motion, so that the double-layer lifting vehicles deliver goods received from the package supply area to corresponding chutes. Therefore, the sorting equipment in the application can fully utilize the height space and improve the sorting efficiency under the consideration of cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of goods sorting technology, and more particularly to a sorting device. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the e-commerce warehousing industry is experiencing increasingly larger volumes of storage and order picking operations, with ever-higher requirements. The speed and accuracy of goods sorting often determine order fulfillment efficiency and customer service quality. Therefore, e-commerce warehousing and logistics companies typically use automated sorting equipment to improve sorting speed and accuracy.

[0003] Existing sorting equipment for goods cannot be set too high due to the height limitations of the chute ends, which are restricted by the height of the workers. This results in the sorting equipment not making full use of vertical space unless a platform is erected on top of the equipment and another set of equipment is installed on it. However, this would be too costly and uneconomical. Therefore, it is urgent to find a solution that can make full use of vertical space and improve sorting efficiency while considering equipment costs.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need to provide a new sorting device for sorting goods to solve the above-mentioned technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, the present invention provides a sorting device to solve or at least alleviate the problems mentioned above.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a sorting device is provided, comprising a device body and an intermediate platform, the intermediate platform being disposed around the outer side of the middle portion of the device body, the device body comprising: Main frame; A runway-shaped track is installed horizontally on the main frame; Based on the intermediate platform, there are two identical sorting components, one above the other, each comprising: A package feeding area is located on one side of the main frame and connected to the main frame, and is suitable for providing goods to be sorted; The slide groove area is distributed on both sides of the main frame and connected to the main frame. The slide groove area includes multiple slide grooves arranged in multiple rows and columns. The lifting cart assembly is adapted to perform horizontal closed-loop circulation along the racetrack-shaped track. The lifting cart assembly includes a double-layer lifting cart, which is adapted to receive goods from the supply area and to perform lifting movements to sort the goods into corresponding chutes and slide them down to corresponding containers via the chutes. The two layers of the lifting vehicle assembly of the two-layer sorting component are adapted to be installed on the mold column to form a lifting module. The lifting module is adapted to perform horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement along the racetrack-shaped track so that the two layers of the double-layer lifting vehicle of the two-layer lifting vehicle assembly can perform horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement synchronously.

[0007] Optionally, in the sorting equipment according to the present invention, the racetrack-shaped track includes a racetrack-shaped upper track installed on the upper end of the main frame, a racetrack-shaped lower track installed on the lower end of the main frame, and a racetrack-shaped universal wheel track; the lifting module is installed on the main frame through the mold-opening column and is rotatably connected to the racetrack-shaped universal wheel track through the universal wheels; the equipment body includes a plurality of the lifting modules connected end to end in sequence, and the plurality of the lifting modules are adapted to perform horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement along the racetrack-shaped track based on a predetermined speed.

[0008] Optionally, in the sorting device according to the present invention, the upper and lower ends of the lifting module are respectively provided with first chain link assemblies, and the upper and lower ends of two adjacent lifting modules are respectively connected through the first chain link assemblies; the first chain link assembly is provided with a first shafted guide wheel, which is adapted to abut against the side wall of the racetrack-shaped upper track or the racetrack-shaped lower track to prevent the lifting module from tipping over.

[0009] Optionally, in the sorting device according to the present invention, the middle parts of two adjacent lifting modules are connected by an intermediate link assembly; the first lifting module and the last lifting module in the plurality of lifting modules are arranged at intervals, and the upper and lower ends of the first lifting module and the last lifting module are respectively connected by a second link assembly.

[0010] Optionally, in the sorting device according to the present invention, a walking drive assembly is installed at the lower end of the first of the plurality of lifting modules; the walking drive assembly includes a walking drive wheel and a walking driven wheel, the walking drive wheel and the walking driven wheel being adapted to clamp the two side walls of the racetrack-shaped lower track in order to provide power for the horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement of the plurality of lifting modules.

[0011] Optionally, in the sorting equipment according to the present invention, the lifting cart assembly further includes: a first lifting synchronous pulley and a second lifting synchronous pulley arranged vertically and mounted on the mold opening column; a first limiting part and a second limiting part arranged vertically and mounted on the mold opening column; a lifting drive assembly mounted on the mold opening column, including a lifting servo motor and a lifting synchronous belt, the lifting synchronous belt being wound around the first lifting synchronous pulley and the second lifting synchronous pulley to form a closed loop, and the lifting synchronous belt being fixedly connected to the double-layer lifting cart, the lifting servo motor being adapted to drive the lifting synchronous belt to perform a circular cyclic motion around the first lifting synchronous pulley and the second lifting synchronous pulley, so as to drive the double-layer lifting cart to move up and down along the mold opening column between the first limiting part and the second limiting part.

[0012] Optionally, in the sorting equipment according to the present invention, the double-layer lifting cart includes: two layers of roller belt assemblies, installed on the double-layer frame, adapted to receive the goods from the supply area and adapted to deliver the goods to the corresponding chute, wherein the roller belt assembly includes a drive roller, a driven roller, and a roller belt with a brush, the drive roller being adapted to drive the roller belt to move around the drive roller and the driven roller to deliver the goods on the roller belt to the corresponding chute; a first lifting guide wheel assembly and a second lifting guide wheel assembly, respectively installed at the upper and lower ends of the double-layer frame, and adapted to cover the mold opening column so that the double-layer lifting cart can move up and down along the mold opening column.

[0013] Optionally, in the sorting device according to the present invention, the first link assembly includes a first mounting base, a first connecting rod rotatably mounted on the first mounting base, and two first swing arms rotatably mounted at both ends of the first mounting base, with a first shaft-driven guide wheel mounted at each end of each first swing arm; the second link assembly includes a second mounting base, a second rotating shaft rotatably mounted on the second mounting base, and a second swing arm rotatably mounted on the second mounting base, with a second shaft-driven guide wheel mounted at each end of the second swing arm; wherein, during the rolling of the universal wheel of the lifting module along the racetrack-shaped universal wheel track, each first shaft-driven guide wheel of the first link assembly at the lower end of the lifting module and each second shaft-driven guide wheel of the second link assembly are adapted to clamp the two side walls of the lower racetrack-shaped track, and each first shaft-driven guide wheel of the first link assembly at the upper end of the lifting module and each second shaft-driven guide wheel of the second link assembly are adapted to clamp the two side walls of the upper racetrack-shaped track, so as to prevent the lifting module from tipping over.

[0014] Optionally, in the sorting equipment according to the present invention, the walking drive assembly further includes: a walking mounting base; an upper walking link and a lower walking link rotatably mounted on the upper and lower sides of the walking mounting base; two walking swing arms rotatably mounted at both ends of the walking mounting base, each of the walking swing arms having a walking belt guide wheel mounted at each end; two walking linear guide rails fixedly mounted on the upper walking link, wherein a walking floating plate is fixedly mounted on a walking slider slidably connected to the walking linear guide rails; a walking reducer fixedly mounted on the walking floating plate; a walking servo motor mounted on the input end of the walking reducer; two screws, one end of which is fixedly mounted on the walking floating plate, and a spring sleeved on the screw; and a spring pressure plate passing through the two screws. A spring is fitted onto the screw, one end of which abuts against the spring pressure plate, and the other end of which is adapted to be tightened by a nut. The driving wheel is mounted on the output end of the driving reducer, and the driven wheel is mounted on the spring pressure plate. By adjusting the compression of the spring, the driving wheel and the driven wheel clamp the two side walls of the racetrack-shaped omnidirectional wheel track, providing power for the horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement of the multiple lifting modules connected end-to-end under the drive of the driving servo motor. During the rolling of the omnidirectional wheels of the lifting modules along the racetrack-shaped omnidirectional wheel track, each guide wheel of the driving drive assembly is adapted to clamp the two side walls of the lower racetrack to prevent the lifting module from tipping over.

[0015] Optionally, the sorting equipment according to the present invention further includes: a current collector assembly, installed on the upper end of the first lifting module among the plurality of lifting modules; the current collector assembly includes a current collector linear guide rail, a current collector shaft guide wheel, and a current collector body; the current collector shaft guide wheel and the current collector body are mounted on a current collector slider that is slidably connected to the current collector linear guide rail via a current collector mounting plate; and a sliding contact line assembly, installed on the upper end of the main frame, and the sliding contact line assembly is located outside the racetrack-shaped upper track; wherein the current collector shaft guide wheel and the current collector body are located between the outside of the racetrack-shaped upper track and the sliding contact line assembly, so that the current collector body abuts against the sliding contact line assembly to supply power to the plurality of lifting modules.

[0016] Optionally, in the sorting equipment according to the invention, camera trigger sensors and a first 3D camera are adapted to be installed at both ends of the main frame. The camera trigger sensors are adapted to trigger the first 3D camera to determine whether there are goods placed on each layer of roller belt assembly of the lifting module when any of the lifting modules is detected to have moved to a predetermined position.

[0017] Optionally, in the sorting equipment according to the present invention, the package feeding area includes: one or more package feeding devices adapted to deliver goods to a double-layer lifting vehicle of the lifting vehicle assembly; an abnormal container; and a second 3D camera adapted to determine whether the goods are normally delivered to the double-layer lifting vehicle and whether the posture of the goods delivered to the double-layer lifting vehicle is normal. If the goods are not normally delivered to the double-layer lifting vehicle or the posture of the goods delivered to the double-layer lifting vehicle is abnormal, the goods are delivered to the abnormal container through the double-layer lifting vehicle.

[0018] According to the technical solution of the present invention, a sorting device is provided, including a main frame, a racetrack-shaped track installed on the main frame, and upper and lower sorting components with the same structure separated by an intermediate platform. Each sorting component includes a package feeding area, a chute area, and a lifting vehicle assembly equipped with double-layer lifting vehicles. The upper and lower lifting vehicle assemblies are installed on the same molded column to form a lifting module. The upper and lower double-layer lifting vehicles of the lifting module can synchronously perform horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement along the racetrack-shaped track with the lifting module, and the upper and lower double-layer lifting vehicles can independently perform lifting movements so that each layer of lifting vehicle delivers the received goods to the corresponding chute. Thus, a sorting device based on the present invention can fully utilize the height space to realize the function of two sorting devices, greatly improving sorting efficiency, and significantly reducing the frame cost compared to two sorting devices. It is worth noting that both the upper and lower layers of the lifting module adopt a double-layer lifting vehicle structure (equivalent to four lifting vehicles). Each closed-loop movement along the racetrack-shaped track can synchronously deliver goods through four lifting vehicles. Therefore, theoretically, the sorting efficiency of the sorting device of the present invention is four times that of existing sorting devices.

[0019] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to better understand the technical means of the present invention and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and in order to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention are described below. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To achieve the foregoing and related objectives, certain illustrative aspects are described herein in conjunction with the following description and accompanying drawings. These aspects indicate various ways in which the principles disclosed herein may be practiced, and all aspects and their equivalents are intended to fall within the scope of the claimed subject matter. The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of this disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout this disclosure, the same reference numerals generally refer to the same parts or elements.

[0021] Figure 1 , Figure 2 The following are schematic diagrams illustrating the structure of a sorting device 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figures 3-5 Schematic diagrams of the device body 100 according to some embodiments of the present invention are shown respectively; Figure 6 A partial structural schematic diagram of the device body 100 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown; Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of the first link assembly 111 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown; Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure of an intermediate link assembly 114 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown; Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of the second link assembly 113 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown; Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the structure of a walking drive assembly 112 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown; Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the current collector assembly 115 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown; Figure 12 A schematic diagram of the structure of a lifting module 110 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown; Figure 13 A schematic diagram of the structure of a double-decker elevator 1104 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown; Figure 14 , Figure 15 Schematic diagrams of the main frame 150 according to some embodiments of the present invention are shown respectively; Figure 16 A schematic diagram of the structure of the end frame assembly 151 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown; Figure 17 A schematic diagram of the structure of an arc-segment welding frame assembly 152 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown; Figure 18 A schematic diagram of the structure of a straight welding frame assembly 153 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown; Figure 19 A schematic diagram of the structure of a single slide module 125 in a slide region according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown; Figure 20 A schematic diagram of the structure of the packaging area 140 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0022] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0023] To address the issue of limited vertical space utilization in existing sorting equipment, this invention proposes a sorting device that can fully utilize vertical space while considering equipment costs, thereby improving sorting efficiency.

[0024] Figure 1 , Figure 2 The following are schematic diagrams illustrating the structure of a sorting device 300 provided according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] In embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the sorting equipment 300 includes a main body 100 and an intermediate platform 200. The intermediate platform 200 serves as a horizontal partition structure and a support platform, dividing the main body 100 into upper and lower layers. Specifically, the intermediate platform 200 is arranged around the outer side of the middle part of the main body 100, dividing the main body 100 vertically (height space) into an upper space and a lower space. Furthermore, workers can perform sorting operations on the intermediate platform 200.

[0026] Figures 3-5 Schematic diagrams of the device body 100 according to some embodiments of the present invention are shown. Figure 6 A partial structural schematic diagram of the device body 100 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown. Figure 6 The image shows magnified views of three locations (A, B, and C) on the main body of the device 100.

[0027] like Figures 3-5 As shown, the equipment body 100 includes a main frame 150, a racetrack-shaped track 130 mounted on the main frame 150, and upper and lower sorting assemblies of the same structure separated by an intermediate platform 200. The main frame 150 serves as the main load-bearing structure of the equipment body 100 and can be used to deploy or install other components of the equipment body 100.

[0028] The runway-shaped track 130 is mounted horizontally on the main frame 150. In some embodiments, such as... Figure 6As shown, the runway-shaped track 130 may include a runway-shaped upper track 131 installed on the upper end of the main frame 150 and a runway-shaped lower track 132 installed on the lower end of the main frame 150. In addition, the runway-shaped track 130 may also include a runway-shaped caster track 135 installed on the lower end of the main frame 150. The runway-shaped caster track 135 may be arranged outside the runway-shaped lower track 132 and surround the runway-shaped lower track 132.

[0029] In some embodiments, the intermediate platform 200 can be implemented as a steel platform. However, it should be noted that the present invention does not limit the specific material of the intermediate platform, as long as it can achieve the functions of separation and load-bearing.

[0030] According to the sorting equipment 300 in this embodiment of the invention, two sorting components with the same structure can simultaneously perform goods sorting operations. Specifically, workers can perform goods sorting operations on the ground based on the lower sorting component, and can perform goods sorting operations on the intermediate platform 200 based on the upper sorting component. The specific structure of the sorting components will be described below.

[0031] like Figures 3-5 As shown, each sorting assembly includes a bag feeding area 140, a chute area 120, and a lifting trolley assembly with the same structure. That is, the upper sorting assembly includes an upper bag feeding area, an upper chute area, and an upper lifting trolley assembly; the lower sorting assembly includes a lower bag feeding area, a lower chute area, and a lower lifting trolley assembly.

[0032] The bag supply area 140 is located on one side of the main frame 150 and connected to the main frame 150. It is used to supply goods to be sorted to the lifting vehicle assembly. Specifically, the lower bag supply area (i.e., the bag supply area 140 of the lower sorting assembly) can be installed on the ground and connected to the main frame 150, and the upper bag supply area (i.e., the bag supply area 140 of the upper sorting assembly) can be installed on the intermediate platform 200 and connected to the main frame 150.

[0033] The chute area 120 is vertically mounted on the ground and is distributed on both sides of the main frame 150 and connected to the main frame 150 in the horizontal direction. The chute area 120 (the chute area on either side) may contain multiple chutes arranged in multiple rows and columns, which can be used to receive goods delivered by the lifting vehicle assembly (double-layer lifting vehicle 1104) and deliver the goods to the corresponding containers. In some embodiments, each layer of the sorting assembly may further include a container area corresponding to the chute area 120. The container area may be arranged outside the chute area 120 and docked with the chute area 120. Specifically, the container area may include multiple containers arranged in multiple rows and columns, and each container docks with a chute so that the goods delivered to the chute can slide into the corresponding container.

[0034] The lifting cart assembly can perform horizontal closed-loop circulation along the racetrack-shaped track 130. The lifting cart assembly includes a double-layer lifting cart 1104, which can receive goods from the feeding area 140 and, along with the lifting cart assembly, perform horizontal closed-loop circulation along the racetrack-shaped track 130. The double-layer lifting cart 1104 can also perform vertical lifting motion to sort / deliver goods to corresponding chutes, allowing the goods to slide down to corresponding containers, thus achieving goods sorting. It should be noted that the feeding area 140 can include one or more feeding devices (automatic or manual feeding devices), which can automatically or manually deliver goods to the double-layer lifting cart 1104 of the lifting cart assembly.

[0035] It is understood that in the sorting equipment 300 according to the embodiments of the present invention, the upper supply area and the lower supply area are respectively used to provide goods to be sorted to the double-layer lifting cart 1104 of the upper lifting cart assembly and the double-layer lifting cart 1104 of the lower lifting cart assembly; the upper chute area and the lower chute area are respectively used to receive the goods delivered by the double-layer lifting cart 1104 of the upper lifting cart assembly and the double-layer lifting cart 1104 of the lower lifting cart assembly.

[0036] In some embodiments, the two-layer lifting vehicle assembly of the two-layer sorting component can be installed on the same mold-opening column 1101 to form a lifting module 110. The lifting module 110 is installed on the main frame 150, and the lifting module 110 can perform horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement along the racetrack-shaped track 130. Thus, the two-layer double-layer lifting vehicles of the two-layer lifting vehicle assembly of the lifting module 110 (the two-layer lifting vehicle assembly installed on the same mold-opening column 1101) can perform horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement synchronously with the lifting module 110 along the racetrack-shaped track 130.

[0037] like Figure 6 As shown, the lifting module 110 can be mounted on the main frame 150 via the mold-opening column 1101. The lower end of the lifting module 110 can be rotatably connected to the racetrack-shaped track 130 (racetrack-shaped caster track 135) via casters 11015 (mounted at the bottom of the mold-opening column 1101), allowing the casters 11015 to roll along the racetrack-shaped track 130 (racetrack-shaped caster track 135) to achieve horizontal closed-loop circulation. Here, the mold-opening column 1101 supports the two-layer lifting vehicle assembly of the lifting module 110 and also serves as the lifting track for the two double-layer lifting vehicles 1104 of the two-layer lifting vehicle assembly of the lifting module 110 to perform lifting movements. The casters 11015 bear the weight of the entire lifting module 110 and enable the lifting module 110 to travel along the racetrack-shaped track 130.

[0038] It should be noted that the two-layer lifting vehicle components of the lifting module 110 move synchronously in a horizontal closed-loop cycle along the runway-shaped track 130, but their lifting movements are independent of each other. Therefore, a single sorting device 300 based on this invention can fully utilize the vertical space to achieve the functions of two sorting devices, greatly improving sorting efficiency and significantly reducing the frame cost compared to two separate sorting devices.

[0039] like Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments, the sorting equipment 300 includes a plurality of lifting modules 110 connected end-to-end in sequence. These lifting modules 110 can perform a horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement along a runway-shaped track 130 at a predetermined speed, for example, in a counter-clockwise direction. It should be noted that the plurality of lifting modules 110 connected end-to-end form a set of lifting modules, and the equipment body 100 in this invention may include one or more sets of lifting modules.

[0040] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, each lifting module 110 has a first link assembly 111 at its upper and lower ends (top and bottom). The upper and lower ends of two adjacent lifting modules 110 are connected by the first link assembly 111. Furthermore, each first link assembly 111 is provided with a first shafted guide wheel, which can abut against the side wall of the runway-shaped track 130 (runway-shaped upper track 131 or runway-shaped lower track 132) to prevent the lifting module 110 from tipping over, thereby improving the stability of the horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement of the lifting module 110.

[0041] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a first link assembly 111 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0042] like Figure 7As shown, the first link assembly 111 includes a first mounting base 1111, a first connecting rod 1112 rotatably mounted above the first mounting base 1111, and two first swing rods 1113 rotatably mounted at both ends of the first mounting base 1111. Each first swing rod 1113 has a first guide wheel 1114 mounted at both ends. The first mounting bases 1111 of the first link assembly 111 at the upper and lower ends of the lifting module 110 can be fixedly mounted on the upper end plate 11028 and lower end plate 11016 of the column of the lifting module 110, respectively. The first connecting rod 1112 is mounted above the first mounting base 1111 via two first rotating shafts 1115 and can rotate relative to the first mounting base 1111. The two first swing rods 1113 are mounted on the lower sides of both ends of the first mounting base 1111 via two first rotating shafts 1115 and can rotate relative to the first mounting base 1111. Two first shafted guide wheels 1114 can be installed at each end of each first rocker arm 1113.

[0043] Furthermore, such as Figure 6 As shown, an intermediate link assembly 114 can also be provided in the middle of each lifting module 110. The middle parts of two adjacent lifting modules 110 can be connected through the intermediate link assembly 114, thereby strengthening the connection between the lifting modules 110. It should be noted that, since the lifting modules 110 in this invention are relatively high, the connection between two adjacent lifting modules 110 can be strengthened through the intermediate link assembly 114 to improve the overall rigidity of the sorting equipment 300 and improve the operating accuracy of the sorting equipment 300.

[0044] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure of an intermediate link assembly 114 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0045] like Figure 8 As shown, the intermediate link assembly 114 includes an intermediate mounting base 1141, an intermediate connecting rod 1142 rotatably mounted above the intermediate mounting base 1141, and an intermediate rotating shaft 1143. The intermediate mounting base 1141 is fixedly mounted on the intermediate plate 11026 in the middle of the lifting module 110. The intermediate connecting rod 1142 can be mounted on the intermediate mounting base 1141 via two intermediate rotating shafts 1143 and can rotate relative to the intermediate mounting base 1141.

[0046] In some embodiments, the device body 100 may include a set of lifting modules (a plurality of lifting modules 110 connected end to end in sequence). Figure 6As shown, in a set of multiple lifting modules 110 connected end-to-end (a set of lifting modules), the upper and lower ends of the first lifting module 110 and the last lifting module can be respectively equipped with second link assemblies 113. It should be noted that the first lifting module 110 and the last lifting module are arranged at intervals to facilitate the access of maintenance personnel, and the upper and lower ends (four points each at the upper and lower ends) of the first lifting module 110 and the last lifting module can be connected by the second link assemblies 113. Here, the length of the second link assembly 113 is greater than the length of the first link assembly 111.

[0047] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of the second link assembly 113 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0048] like Figure 9 As shown, the second link assembly 113 includes a second mounting base 1131, a second rotating shaft 1132 rotatably mounted on the second mounting base 1131, a second swing arm 1134 rotatably mounted on the second mounting base 1131, and two second shaft-driven guide wheels 1135. The second mounting base 1131 can be fixedly mounted on the lower end plate 11016 and upper end plate 11028 of the column of the lifting module 110. The second collar 1133 is mounted on the second mounting base 1131 via a second rotating shaft 1132 and can rotate relative to the second mounting base 1131. The second swing arm 1134 is mounted on the lower side of the second mounting base 1131 via two second rotating shafts 1132 and can rotate relative to the second mounting base 1131. Second shaft-driven guide wheels 1135 are respectively mounted at both ends of the second swing arm 1134.

[0049] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the lower end of the first lifting module 110 (as a power lifting module) in a series of sequentially connected lifting modules 110 (a set of lifting modules) is equipped with a walking drive assembly 112. This walking drive assembly 112 provides power for the horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement of the series of sequentially connected lifting modules 110. In other words, the walking drive assembly 112 drives the series of sequentially connected lifting modules 110 to perform horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement along the runway-shaped track 130.

[0050] In some embodiments, the walking drive assembly 112 includes a walking drive wheel and a walking driven wheel 1128. The walking drive wheel 1127 and the walking driven wheel 1128 can clamp the two side walls of the runway-shaped lower track 132 to provide power for the horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement of multiple lifting modules connected end to end in sequence.

[0051] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the structure of a walking drive assembly 112 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0052] like Figure 10 As shown, the walking drive assembly 112 includes a walking servo motor 1121, a walking reducer 1122, two walking linear guide rails 1123, a walking fixed plate 1124, a slider connecting block 1125, a walking floating plate 1126, a walking drive wheel 1127, a walking driven wheel 1128, a walking lower connecting rod 1129, two screws 11210, a spring 11211 sleeved on each screw, a spring pressure plate 11212, a walking upper connecting rod 11213, a walking rotating shaft 11214, a walking mounting base 11215, two walking swing arms 11216, and four walking guide wheels with shafts 11217.

[0053] The travel mounting base 11215 is fixedly mounted on the lower end plate 11016 of the column of the lifting module 110 (the first lifting module 110 / power lifting module). The upper travel link 11213 and the lower travel link 1129 are rotatably mounted on the upper and lower sides of the travel mounting base 11215, respectively. Specifically, the upper travel link 11213 and the lower travel link 1129 are mounted on the upper and lower sides of the travel mounting base 11215 through the travel pivot 11214, and can rotate relative to the travel mounting base 11215.

[0054] Two travel levers 11216 are rotatably mounted at both ends of the travel mounting base 11215. Specifically, the two travel levers 11216 are respectively mounted at both ends of the travel mounting base 11215 via travel pivots 11214 and can rotate relative to the travel mounting base 11215. Each travel lever 11216 has a travel belt guide wheel 11217 mounted at both ends.

[0055] Two linear guide rails 1123 can be fixedly installed on the lower side of the upper walking link 11213 via a walking fixing plate 1124. Specifically, a walking fixing plate 1124 is fixedly installed on the lower side of the upper walking link 11213, and the two linear guide rails 1123 are fixedly installed on the lower side of the walking fixing plate 1124.

[0056] The traveling floating plate 1126 can be fixedly mounted on the traveling slider that is slidably connected to the traveling linear guide 1123 via the slider connecting block 1125. Specifically, the slider connecting block 1125 is fixedly mounted on the traveling slider of the traveling linear guide 1123, and the traveling floating plate 1126 is fixedly mounted on the lower side of the slider connecting block 1125. The traveling reducer 1122 is fixedly mounted on the upper side of the traveling floating plate 1126.

[0057] The walking servo motor 1121 is installed at the input end of the walking reducer 1122, and the walking drive wheel 1127 is installed at the output end of the walking reducer 1122. Thus, the walking drive wheel 1127 can move under the driving action of the walking servo motor 1121.

[0058] One end of each of the two screws 11210 is fixedly mounted on the traveling floating plate 1126. A spring pressure plate 11212 passes through the two screws 11210. A spring 11211 is fitted onto each screw 11210. One end of the spring 11211 abuts against the spring pressure plate 11212, and the other end of the spring 11211 can be pressed to a preset pressure using a nut. The traveling driven wheel 1128 is mounted on the spring pressure plate 11212. In this way, by adjusting the compression of the spring 11211, the driving wheel 1127 and the driven wheel 1128 can tightly hug / clamp the two side walls of the racetrack-shaped universal wheel track 135. Then, under the driving action of the driving servo motor 1121 (the driving servo motor 1121 drives the driving wheel 1127 to move), it can provide power for the horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement of multiple lifting modules 110 connected end to end in sequence, so as to drive the multiple lifting modules 110 connected end to end in sequence to perform horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement along the racetrack-shaped track 130.

[0059] In some embodiments, the sorting device 300 further includes a current collector assembly 115. For example... Figure 6 As shown, a current collector assembly 115 can be installed on the upper end of the first lifting module 110 of a group of lifting modules 110 connected end to end in sequence. Specifically, the current collector assembly 115 can be installed on the first link assembly 111 at the upper end of the first lifting module 110. The current collector assembly 115 is used to provide power to the group of lifting modules 110 connected end to end in sequence.

[0060] In some embodiments, the sorting equipment 300 further includes a sliding contact line assembly. The sliding contact line assembly is mounted on the upper end of the main frame 150 and is located outside the racetrack-shaped upper track 131.

[0061] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the current collector assembly 115 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0062] like Figure 11As shown, the current collector assembly 115 includes a current collector fixing plate 1151, a current collector linear guide rail 1152, a current collector mounting plate 1153, a current collector shaft guide wheel 1154, a current collector body 1155, and a current collector cable tie 1156. The current collector linear guide rail 1152 can be fixedly mounted to the upper end of the first lifting module 110 via the current collector fixing plate 1151. Specifically, the current collector fixing plate 1151 is fixedly mounted on the upper side of the first connecting rod 1112 of the first link assembly 111 at the upper end of the first lifting module 110, and the current collector linear guide rail 1152 is fixedly mounted on the upper side of the current collector fixing plate 1151. The current collector with shaft guide wheel 1154 and current collector body 1155 are mounted on the current collector slider, which is slidably connected to the current collector linear guide rail 1152, via a current collector mounting plate 1153. Specifically, the current collector mounting plate 1153 is fixedly mounted on the current collector slider, which is slidably connected to the current collector linear guide rail 1152; the current collector with shaft guide wheel 1154 is mounted on the current collector mounting plate 1153; and the current collector body 1155 is mounted on the current collector mounting plate 1153. The current collector cable tie 1156 is mounted on the current collector fixing plate 1151. The current collector with shaft guide wheel 1154 and current collector body 1155 are positioned between the outer side of the runway-shaped upper track 131 and the sliding contact line assembly, so that the current collector body 1155 firmly abuts against the sliding contact line assembly, supplying power to the lifting module 110.

[0063] Figure 12 A structural schematic diagram of a lifting module 110 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0064] like Figure 12 As shown, the lifting module 110 includes a mold-opening column 1101 and upper and lower lifting vehicle assemblies mounted on the mold-opening column 1101. In some embodiments, each lifting vehicle assembly includes: a double-layer lifting vehicle 1104 mounted on the mold-opening column 1101; a first lifting synchronous pulley 1107 and a second lifting synchronous pulley 1106 mounted on the mold-opening column 1101 and arranged vertically (interval in the vertical direction); a first limiting part 1103 and a second limiting part 1105 mounted on the mold-opening column 1101 and arranged vertically; and a lifting drive assembly 1102 mounted on the mold-opening column 1101.

[0065] The lifting drive assembly 1102 includes a lifting servo motor, a lifting reducer, and a lifting synchronous belt. The lifting synchronous belt is wound around a first lifting synchronous belt pulley 1107 and a second lifting synchronous belt pulley 1106 to form a closed loop (constituting a circular conveyor belt), and is fixedly connected to the double-layer lifting vehicle 1104. The lifting servo motor can drive the lifting synchronous belt to perform a circular cyclic motion around the first lifting synchronous belt pulley 1107 and the second lifting synchronous belt pulley 1106, thereby driving the double-layer lifting vehicle 1104 to move vertically along the mold-opening column 1101 (which serves as the lifting track) between the first limiting part 1103 and the second limiting part 1105.

[0066] In some embodiments, such as Figure 12 As shown, each layer of the lifting vehicle assembly also includes: a column reinforcing rib plate 1108, a wiring harness adapter box assembly 11024, and a lifting vehicle cable chain 1109. The lifting vehicle cable chain 1109 is mounted on the molded column 1101 via a cable chain mounting plate 11021 and is used to accommodate the wiring harness of the double-layer lifting vehicle 1104.

[0067] The lifting module 110 also includes casters 11015, a vehicle counting sensor reflector 11017, and a reflector mounting plate 11018 installed at the bottom of the mold-opening column 1101. Furthermore, an upper end plate 11028 and a lower end plate 11016 are respectively provided at the upper and lower ends of the mold-opening column 1101. The casters 11015 of the lifting module 110 are installed at the bottom of the mold-opening column 1101 via the lower end plate 11016, and the vehicle counting sensor reflector 11017 is installed on the lower end plate 11016 via the reflector mounting plate 11018. The lower end plate 11016 is also used to install the first link assembly 111, the second link assembly 113, the travel drive assembly 112 of the lifting module 110, and the second lifting synchronous pulley 1106 and the column reinforcing rib plate 1108 for installing the lower-level lifting vehicle assembly. The upper end plate 11028 of the column is used to install the first lifting synchronous pulley 1107, the first chain link assembly 111, and the second chain link assembly 113 of the upper lifting vehicle assembly.

[0068] In addition, a middle plate 11026 is fitted in the middle of the mold-opening column 1101, dividing the mold-opening column 1101 into upper and lower parts. The upper part of the mold-opening column 1101 is used to install the upper-level lifting vehicle assembly, and the lower part is used to install the lower-level lifting vehicle assembly. The middle plate 11026 is used to install the middle link assembly 114 (the middle link assembly 114 is installed in the middle of the mold-opening column 1101 through the middle plate 11026), the first lifting synchronous pulley 1107 of the lower-level lifting vehicle assembly, the second lifting synchronous pulley 1106 of the upper-level lifting vehicle assembly, and the column reinforcing rib plate 1108.

[0069] Figure 13A schematic diagram of the structure of a double-decker elevator 1104 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0070] like Figure 13 As shown, the double-layer lifting vehicle 1104 includes: a double-layer frame 11042 (for mounting and supporting the double-layer lifting vehicle 1104), two-layer roller belt assemblies 11041 mounted on the double-layer frame 11042, a cover plate 11043, a first lifting guide wheel assembly 11044, and a second lifting guide wheel assembly 11045. The double-layer frame 11042 can be fixedly connected to the lifting synchronous belt of the lifting drive assembly 1102.

[0071] The two-layer roller belt assembly 11041 is used to receive goods from the feeding area 140 and deliver the goods to the corresponding chute. In some embodiments, the roller belt assembly 11041 includes a drive roller, a driven roller, and a roller belt with brushes. The drive roller can drive the roller belt to move around the drive roller and the driven roller to deliver the goods on the roller belt to the corresponding chute. It should be noted that the belt is equipped with brushes to smoothly deliver goods that are prone to rolling / slipping.

[0072] The first lifting guide wheel assembly 11044 and the second lifting guide wheel assembly 11045 are respectively installed at the upper and lower ends of the double-layer frame 11042, and the first lifting guide wheel assembly 11044 and the second lifting guide wheel assembly 11045 can cover the mold opening column 1101, so that the double-layer lifting vehicle 1104 can move up and down along the mold opening column 1101 under the drive of the lifting drive assembly 1102. Here, it can be understood that the mold opening column 1101 plays a guiding role in the lifting movement of the double-layer lifting vehicle 1104.

[0073] The cover plate 11043 is installed on three sides (left and right sides and rear side) of the double-layer frame 11042. The cover plate 11043 is used to cover the goods during the receiving and delivery of goods by the two-layer roller belt assembly 11041 to prevent the goods from falling outside the roller belt surface.

[0074] Figure 14 , Figure 15 Schematic diagrams of the main frame 150 according to some embodiments of the present invention are shown.

[0075] like Figure 14 and Figure 15 As shown, the main frame 150 includes an end frame assembly 151, an arc welding frame assembly 152, a straight welding frame assembly 153, an upper maintenance platform 154, a lower maintenance platform 155, and a maintenance platform ladder 156.

[0076] The end frame assembly 151 and the arc-segment welding frame assembly 152 are distributed at both ends of the main frame 150. The straight-segment welding frame assembly 153 is arrayed in the middle of the main frame 150 and connected to the arc-segment welding frame assemblies 152 at both ends. Each welding frame assembly (arc-segment welding frame assembly 152, straight-segment welding frame assembly 153) can be equipped with rails at its upper and lower ends, and the rails at the upper and lower ends of each welding frame assembly are connected end to end to form a closed-loop racetrack-shaped track 130 (including the upper racetrack-shaped track 131, the lower racetrack-shaped track 132, and the racetrack-shaped universal wheel track 135). Multiple lifting modules 110 connected end to end move horizontally in a closed loop around the main frame 150 under the constraint of the closed-loop racetrack-shaped track 130. Workers can use the maintenance platform ladder 156 to go to the upper maintenance platform 154 and the lower maintenance platform 155 to perform maintenance and debugging on the sorting equipment 300. Meanwhile, the upper maintenance platform 154 and the lower maintenance platform 155 are fixedly connected to each welding frame component, thereby improving the overall rigidity of the sorting equipment 300 and greatly reducing the vibration and noise during the operation of the sorting equipment 300.

[0077] In this embodiment, the racetrack-shaped upper track 131 installed on the upper part of the main frame 150 includes an arc-shaped upper track and a straight upper track connected end to end; the racetrack-shaped lower track 132 installed on the lower part of the main frame 150 includes an arc-shaped lower track and a straight lower track connected end to end; and the racetrack-shaped caster track 135 installed on the lower part of the main frame 150 includes an arc-shaped caster track and a straight caster track connected end to end. The casters of each lifting module 110 are rotatably connected to the racetrack-shaped caster track 135 and can roll along the racetrack-shaped caster track 135.

[0078] During the rolling of the omnidirectional wheels of the lifting module along the runway-shaped omnidirectional wheel track 135, the driving wheels 1127 and driven wheels 1128 of the driving drive assembly 112 can clamp the two side walls of the runway-shaped lower track 132 to provide power for the horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement of the multiple lifting modules 110 connected end to end. At the same time, the guide wheels 11217 of the driving drive assembly 112, the guide wheels 1114 of the first link assembly 111 at the lower end of the lifting module 110, and the guide wheels 1135 of the second link assembly 113 clamp the two side walls of the runway-shaped lower track 132. Furthermore, the guide wheels 1114 of the first link assembly 111 at the upper end of the lifting module 110 and the guide wheels 1135 of the second link assembly 113 clamp the two side walls of the runway-shaped upper track 131 to prevent the lifting module 110 from tipping over.

[0079] In this embodiment, the sliding contact line assembly includes an arc-shaped sliding contact line assembly and a straight sliding contact line assembly connected together.

[0080] In some embodiments, one or more first 3D cameras 1512 may be mounted at both ends of the main frame 150 (end frame assembly 151) to determine whether goods are placed on each layer of roller belt assembly 11041 of each lifting module 110. Further, camera trigger sensors 1515 may also be mounted at both ends of the main frame 150 (end frame assembly 151). These camera trigger sensors 1515 are used to trigger the first 3D cameras 1512 to determine whether goods are placed on each layer of roller belt assembly 11041 of any lifting module 110 when any lifting module 110 is detected to have moved to a predetermined position.

[0081] Figure 16 A schematic diagram of the structure of an end frame assembly 151 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0082] like Figure 16 As shown, the end frame assembly 151 includes two end welding brackets 1511, multiple first 3D cameras 1512, a three-color alarm light 1513, an AP antenna assembly 1514, a camera trigger sensor 1515, and a cable tray 1516. The two end welding brackets 1511 are mounted together, serving as the main support structure of the end frame assembly 151. The first 3D cameras 1512 are used to determine whether goods are placed on each layer of the roller belt assembly 11041 of each lifting module 110. Specifically, the camera trigger sensor 1515 is used to trigger the first 3D camera 1512 to photograph the goods on each layer of the roller belt assembly 11041 of any lifting module 110 when it detects that any lifting module 110 has reached a predetermined position, in order to identify the presence and orientation of the goods.

[0083] The tri-color alarm light 1513 is used to display the operating status of the sorting equipment 300. The cable tray 1516 is used to accommodate the wire harness. The control module of the sorting equipment 300 can communicate with each lifting module 110 via the AP antenna assembly 1514.

[0084] Figure 17 A schematic diagram of the structure of an arc-segment welding frame assembly 152 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0085] like Figure 17 As shown, the arc segment welding frame assembly 152 includes a lower arc segment welding frame 1521, an upper arc segment welding frame 1522, an arc segment column welding frame 1524, and an arc segment inclined tie weldment 1525. The lower arc segment welding frame 1521, the upper arc segment welding frame 1522, the arc segment column welding frame 1524, and the arc segment inclined tie weldment 1525 are fixedly connected to each other to form the main support structure of the arc segment welding frame assembly 152.

[0086] The upper end of the arc-segment welding frame assembly 152 is equipped with an upper arc-segment rail 1311 and an arc-segment sliding contact line assembly 1528. The lower end of the arc-segment welding frame assembly 152 is equipped with a lower arc-segment rail 1321 and an arc-segment universal wheel rail 1351. Specifically, the upper arc-segment rail 1311 is mounted on the upper arc-segment welding frame 1522, the lower arc-segment rail 1321 is mounted on the lower arc-segment welding frame 1521, and the arc-segment universal wheel rail 1351 is mounted on the lower arc-segment welding frame 1521. The arc-segment sliding contact line assembly 1528 is mounted on the upper arc-segment welding frame 1522 and is used to supply power to the current collector assembly 115 on the power lifting module.

[0087] As the universal wheels of the lifting module roll along the arc-shaped universal wheel track 1351, the driving wheels 1127 and driven wheels 1128 of the driving drive assembly 112 can clamp the two side walls of the lower arc track 1321 to provide power for the horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement of multiple lifting modules 110 connected end to end. At the same time, the guide wheels 11217 of the driving drive assembly 112, the guide wheels 1114 of the first link assembly 111 at the lower end of the lifting module 110 and the guide wheels 1135 of the second link assembly 113 clamp the two side walls of the lower arc track 1321. In addition, the guide wheels 1114 of the first link assembly 111 at the upper end of the lifting module 110 and the guide wheels 1135 of the second link assembly 113 clamp the two side walls of the upper arc track 1311 to prevent the lifting module 110 from tipping over.

[0088] Figure 18 A schematic diagram of the structure of a straight section welding frame assembly 153 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0089] like Figure 18 As shown, the straight section welding frame assembly 153 includes a lower straight section welding frame 1531, an upper straight section welding frame 1532, a straight section column welding frame 1533, and a straight section inclined bracing welding component 1534. The lower straight section welding frame 1531, the upper straight section welding frame 1532, the straight section column welding frame 1533, and the straight section inclined bracing welding component 1534 are fixedly connected to each other to form the main support structure of the straight section welding frame assembly 153.

[0090] The upper end of the straight section welding frame assembly 153 is equipped with a straight section upper rail 1312 and a straight section sliding contact line assembly 1538. The lower end of the straight section welding frame assembly 153 is equipped with a straight section lower rail 1322 and a straight section universal wheel rail 1352. Specifically, the straight section upper rail 1312 is mounted on the straight section upper welding frame 1532, the straight section lower rail 1322 is mounted on the straight section lower welding frame 1531, and the straight section universal wheel rail 1352 is mounted on the straight section lower welding frame 1531. The straight section sliding contact line assembly 1538 is mounted on the straight section upper welding frame 1532 and is used to supply power to the current collector assembly 115 on the power lifting module.

[0091] As the universal wheels of the lifting module roll along the straight universal wheel track 1352, the driving wheels 1127 and driven wheels 1128 of the driving drive assembly 112 can clamp the two side walls of the straight lower track 1322 to provide power for the horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement of multiple lifting modules 110 connected end to end. At the same time, the guide wheels 11217 of the driving drive assembly 112, the guide wheels 1114 of the first link assembly 111 at the lower end of the lifting module 110 and the guide wheels 1135 of the second link assembly 113 clamp the two side walls of the straight lower track 1322. In addition, the guide wheels 1114 of the first link assembly 111 at the upper end of the lifting module 110 and the guide wheels 1135 of the second link assembly 113 clamp the two side walls of the straight upper track 1312 to prevent the lifting module 110 from tipping over.

[0092] In some embodiments, the chute region 120 includes a plurality of chute modules 125. Figure 19 A schematic diagram of the structure of a single slide module 125 in a slide region according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0093] like Figure 19 As shown, the chute module 125 includes a chute welding frame 121, multiple chutes 122 mounted on the chute welding frame 121, a chute indicator panel 123, and a receiving platform 124. The multiple chutes 122 are arranged in multiple rows and columns on the chute welding frame 121. The chute indicator panel 123 displays the status of each chute 122. The receiving platform 124 receives the double-layer lifting cart 1104. Specifically, when the double-layer lifting cart 1104 of the upper lifting cart assembly falls, the receiving platform 124 can catch the double-layer lifting cart 1104 to prevent it from damaging the lower sorting assembly after falling.

[0094] Figure 20 A schematic diagram of the structure of the packaging area 140 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0095] like Figure 20As shown, in some embodiments, the bag supply area 140 may include one or more bag supply devices 142 (automatic or manual), a second 3D camera 143, an abnormal container 144, and a bag supply safety fence 141. Goods can be automatically or manually delivered to the double-decker lift 1104 of the corresponding layer's lifting cart assembly using one or more bag supply devices 142. The second 3D camera 143 is used to determine whether goods are normally delivered to the double-decker lift 1104 of the lifting cart assembly and whether the posture of the goods delivered to the double-decker lift 1104 is normal. If goods are not normally delivered to the double-decker lift 1104 or the posture of the goods delivered to the double-decker lift 1104 is abnormal, the goods can be delivered to the abnormal container 144 via the double-decker lift 1104. The bag supply safety fence 141 is used to prevent other personnel from entering the sorting equipment 300.

[0096] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, each sorting assembly of the equipment body 100 may further include a barrier assembly 160. Specifically, barrier assemblies 160 may be respectively installed at both ends of the upper and lower sorting assemblies. The barrier assemblies 160 are used to prevent personnel from approaching the sorting equipment 300 and the equipment body 100. Specifically, the barrier assembly 160 of the lower sorting assembly is installed on the ground and connected to the main frame 150, while the barrier assembly 160 of the upper sorting assembly is installed on the intermediate platform 200 and connected to the main frame 150. In a specific embodiment, the barrier assembly may include a safety barrier, a maintenance door, a power cabinet, a control cabinet, etc. It should be noted that the present invention does not limit the specific construction of the barrier assembly 160.

[0097] The sorting equipment 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a main frame, a racetrack-shaped track mounted on the main frame, and two identical sorting components separated by an intermediate platform. Each sorting component includes a package feeding area, a chute area, and a lifting vehicle assembly equipped with double-layer lifting vehicles. The two layers of lifting vehicle assemblies are mounted on the same molded column to form a lifting module. The two layers of double-layer lifting vehicles in the lifting module can synchronously perform horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement along the racetrack-shaped track, and the two layers of double-layer lifting vehicles can independently perform lifting movements so that each layer of lifting vehicle delivers the received goods to the corresponding chute. Thus, a sorting equipment based on the present invention can fully utilize the height space to achieve the functions of two sorting equipment, greatly improving sorting efficiency, and significantly reducing the frame cost compared to two sorting equipment. It is worth noting that both the upper and lower layers of the lifting module adopt a double-layer lifting vehicle structure (equivalent to four lifting vehicles). Each closed-loop movement along the racetrack-shaped track can synchronously deliver goods through four lifting vehicles. Therefore, theoretically, the sorting efficiency of the sorting equipment of the present invention is four times that of existing sorting equipment.

[0098] In this specification, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. Furthermore, the terms "front," "rear," "upper," "lower," "inner," "outer," "top," "bottom," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or unit referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention.

[0099] Numerous specific details are set forth in the specification provided herein. However, it will be understood that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this specification.

[0100] Similarly, it should be understood that, in order to streamline this disclosure and aid in understanding one or more aspects of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof in the above description of exemplary embodiments of the invention. However, this method of disclosure should not be construed as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Therefore, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into that detailed description, wherein each claim itself is a separate embodiment of the invention.

[0101] Those skilled in the art will understand that modules, units, or components of the devices disclosed in the examples herein can be arranged in the devices described in this embodiment, or alternatively, can be located in one or more devices different from the devices in this example. The modules in the foregoing examples can be combined into a single module or, in addition, can be divided into multiple sub-modules.

[0102] Those skilled in the art will understand that modules in the device of the embodiments can be adaptively changed and placed in one or more devices different from that embodiment. Modules, units, or components in the embodiments can be combined into a single module, unit, or component, and further, they can be divided into multiple sub-modules, sub-units, or sub-components. Except where at least some of such features and / or processes or units are mutually exclusive, any combination can be used to combine all features disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) and all processes or units of any method or device so disclosed. Unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by an alternative feature that serves the same, equivalent, or similar purpose.

[0103] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that although some embodiments described herein include certain features included in other embodiments but not others, combinations of features from different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention and form different embodiments.

[0104] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the use of ordinal numbers such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., to describe ordinary objects merely indicates different instances of similar objects and is not intended to imply that the objects being described must have a given order in time, space, ordering, or any other manner.

[0105] Although the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand from the foregoing description that other embodiments are conceivable within the scope of the invention described herein. Furthermore, it should be noted that the language used in this specification has been chosen primarily for readability and edibility purposes, and not for the purpose of interpreting or limiting the subject matter of the invention. Therefore, many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims. The disclosure of the invention is illustrative rather than restrictive, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A sorting device, comprising a device body and an intermediate platform, the intermediate platform being arranged around the outer side of the middle portion of the device body, the device body comprising: Main frame; A runway-shaped track is installed horizontally on the main frame; Based on the intermediate platform, there are two identical sorting components, one above the other, each comprising: A package feeding area is located on one side of the main frame and connected to the main frame, and is suitable for providing goods to be sorted; The slide groove area is distributed on both sides of the main frame and connected to the main frame. The slide groove area includes multiple slide grooves arranged in multiple rows and columns. The lifting cart assembly is adapted to perform horizontal closed-loop circulation along the racetrack-shaped track. The lifting cart assembly includes a double-layer lifting cart, which is adapted to receive goods from the supply area and to perform lifting movements to sort the goods into corresponding chutes and slide them down to corresponding containers via the chutes. The two layers of the lifting vehicle assembly of the two-layer sorting component are adapted to be installed on the mold column to form a lifting module. The lifting module is adapted to perform horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement along the racetrack-shaped track so that the two layers of the double-layer lifting vehicle of the two-layer lifting vehicle assembly can perform horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement synchronously.

2. The sorting equipment as described in claim 1, wherein, The runway-shaped track includes a runway-shaped upper track installed on the upper end of the main frame, a runway-shaped lower track installed on the lower end of the main frame, and a runway-shaped omnidirectional wheel track. The lifting module is installed on the main frame via the mold-opening column and is connected to the racetrack-shaped universal wheel track by universal wheels; The device body includes a plurality of lifting modules connected end to end in sequence, and the plurality of lifting modules are adapted to perform horizontal closed-loop cyclic motion along the runway-shaped track based on a predetermined speed.

3. The sorting equipment as described in claim 2, wherein, The upper and lower ends of the lifting module are respectively provided with first chain link components, and the upper and lower ends of two adjacent lifting modules are respectively connected through the first chain link components. The first link assembly is provided with a first shafted guide wheel, which is adapted to abut against the side wall of the racetrack-shaped upper track or the racetrack-shaped lower track to prevent the lifting module from tipping over.

4. The sorting equipment as described in claim 3, wherein, The middle sections of two adjacent lifting modules are connected by an intermediate link assembly; The first and last lifting modules of the plurality of lifting modules are arranged at intervals, and the upper and lower ends of the first and last lifting modules are respectively connected by a second link assembly.

5. The sorting equipment as described in any one of claims 2-4, wherein, The lower end of the first of the plurality of lifting modules is equipped with a walking drive component. The walking drive assembly includes a walking drive wheel and a walking driven wheel, which are adapted to clamp the two side walls of the racetrack-shaped lower track in order to provide power for the horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement of the plurality of lifting modules.

6. The sorting equipment as described in any one of claims 1-5, wherein, The lifting vehicle assembly also includes: The first and second lifting synchronous pulleys, arranged vertically, are installed on the mold opening column; The first and second limiting parts, arranged vertically, are installed on the mold opening column; A lifting drive assembly, mounted on the mold-opening column, includes a lifting servo motor and a lifting synchronous belt. The lifting synchronous belt is wound around the first lifting synchronous belt pulley and the second lifting synchronous belt pulley to form a closed loop. The lifting synchronous belt is fixedly connected to the double-layer lifting vehicle. The lifting servo motor is adapted to drive the lifting synchronous belt to perform a circular cyclic motion around the first lifting synchronous belt pulley and the second lifting synchronous belt pulley, so as to drive the double-layer lifting vehicle to move up and down along the mold-opening column between the first limiting part and the second limiting part.

7. The sorting equipment as described in any one of claims 1-6, wherein, The double-decker elevator includes: Double-layer frame; A two-layer roller belt assembly is installed on the double-layer frame and is adapted to receive the goods from the supply area and to deliver the goods to the corresponding chute. The roller belt assembly includes a drive roller, a driven roller, and a roller belt with a brush. The drive roller is adapted to drive the roller belt to move around the drive roller and the driven roller to deliver the goods on the roller belt to the corresponding chute. The first and second lifting guide wheel sets are respectively installed at the upper and lower ends of the double-layer frame and are adapted to cover the mold-opening column so that the double-layer lifting vehicle can move up and down along the mold-opening column.

8. The sorting equipment as described in claim 4, wherein, The first link assembly includes a first mounting base, a first connecting rod rotatably mounted on the first mounting base, and two first rocker arms rotatably mounted on both ends of the first mounting base. Each of the first rocker arms has a first guide wheel with a shaft mounted on both ends. The second link assembly includes a second mounting base, a second rotating shaft rotatably mounted on the second mounting base, and a second rocker arm rotatably mounted on the second mounting base. The two ends of the second rocker arm are respectively equipped with second guide wheels with shafts. During the rolling of the universal wheels of the lifting module along the racetrack-shaped universal wheel track, the first shaft guide wheels of the first link assembly at the lower end of the lifting module and the second shaft guide wheels of the second link assembly are adapted to clamp the two side walls of the lower racetrack-shaped track, and the first shaft guide wheels of the first link assembly and the second shaft guide wheels of the second link assembly at the upper end of the lifting module are adapted to clamp the two side walls of the upper racetrack-shaped track to prevent the lifting module from tipping over.

9. The sorting equipment as described in claim 5, wherein, The walking drive component also includes: Mobile mounting base; The upper and lower travel linkages are rotatably mounted on the upper and lower sides of the travel mounting base; Two walking swing arms are rotatably mounted at both ends of the walking mounting base, and each of the walking swing arms is equipped with a walking belt axle guide wheel at both ends; Two linear guide rails are fixedly installed on the upper connecting rod of the walking system, wherein a walking floating plate is fixedly installed on the sliding block that is slidably connected to the linear guide rails of the walking system; A travel speed reducer is fixedly installed on the travel floating plate; A walking servo motor is installed at the input end of the walking reducer; Two screws, one end of which is fixedly installed on the traveling floating plate, and a spring is sleeved on the screw; A spring pressure plate passes through the two screws, and a spring is sleeved on the screws. One end of the spring abuts against the spring pressure plate, and the other end of the spring is adapted to be tightened by a nut. The driving wheel is mounted on the output end of the driving reducer, and the driven wheel is mounted on the spring pressure plate. By adjusting the compression of the spring, the driving wheel and the driven wheel clamp the two side walls of the racetrack-shaped omnidirectional wheel track, and under the driving action of the driving servo motor, provide power for the horizontal closed-loop cyclic movement of the multiple lifting modules connected end to end. As the universal wheels of the lifting module roll along the racetrack-shaped universal wheel track, the guide wheels of each travel belt axle of the travel drive assembly are adapted to clamp the two side walls of the racetrack-shaped lower track to prevent the lifting module from tipping over.

10. The sorting equipment as described in any one of claims 2-5, wherein, Also includes: A current collector assembly is installed on the upper end of the first lifting module among the plurality of lifting modules. The current collector assembly includes a current collector linear guide rail, a current collector shaft guide wheel, and a current collector body. The current collector shaft guide wheel and the current collector body are mounted on a current collector slider that is slidably connected to the current collector linear guide rail via a current collector mounting plate. A sliding contact line assembly is installed on the upper end of the main frame, and the sliding contact line assembly is located outside the runway-shaped upper track; The current collector with a shaft guide wheel and the current collector body are located between the outer side of the runway-shaped upper track and the sliding contact line assembly, so that the current collector body abuts against the sliding contact line assembly to supply power to the plurality of lifting modules.

11. The sorting equipment according to any one of claims 1-10, wherein, The two ends of the main frame are adapted to be equipped with camera trigger sensors and a first 3D camera. The camera trigger sensors are adapted to trigger the first 3D camera to determine whether there are goods placed on each layer of roller belt assembly of the lifting module when they detect that any of the lifting modules has moved to a predetermined position.

12. The sorting equipment as described in any one of claims 1-11, wherein, The package supply area includes: One or more package delivery devices are adapted to deliver goods to a double-decker elevator assembly; Exception container; The second 3D camera is adapted to determine whether the goods are delivered normally to the double-decker elevator and whether the posture of the goods delivered to the double-decker elevator is normal. If the goods are not delivered normally to the double-decker elevator or the posture of the goods delivered to the double-decker elevator is abnormal, the goods are delivered to the abnormal container through the double-decker elevator.

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