Stacking machine and warehousing system

Abstract

The embodiment of the utility model provides a stacking machine and a warehousing system. The stacking machine comprises a stand column structure; the taking and placing structure is arranged on the stand column structure and can move along the stand column structure; the chassis structure is arranged at the bottom of the stand column structure to support the stand column structure; the chassis structure comprises a chassis body, a driving steering wheel and at least two load wheels. The driving steering wheel and the load wheels are arranged at the bottom of the chassis body, the driving steering wheel is configured to drive the chassis body to go straight and steer along the operation platform, the load wheels are configured to roll along the operation platform under driving of the chassis body, the driving steering wheel and the at least two load wheels define a bearing area, and the stand column structure is located on the chassis body. And the projection on the chassis body is located in the bearing area, so that the operation structure and the assembly complexity of the stacking machine are simplified, and the use flexibility of the stacking machine is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of logistics equipment, and specifically relates to a stacker and a storage system. Background Art

[0002] A stacker is a lifting and handling machine used in the field of logistics equipment technology, which is used for picking, stacking and handling operations in workshops and warehouses.

[0003] In the related art, a stacker runs along the ground rails and the ceiling rails in the aisles of an automated warehouse, storing materials at the entrance of the aisle into a target storage location, or taking out materials from a target storage location and transporting them to the entrance of the aisle, thus completing the material storage and retrieval operations.

[0004] However, the operation of the stacker requires the on-site laying of ground tracks (hereinafter referred to as ground tracks) and on-site assembly, which results in the complicated structure and assembly for the operation of the stacker, limiting the flexibility of the stacker in use. Utility Model Content

[0005] The embodiments of the present application provide a stacker and a storage system, which simplify the structure and complex assembly of the stacker and improve the flexibility of use of the stacker.

[0006] On the one hand, an embodiment of the present application provides a stacker, comprising:

[0007] Column structure;

[0008] The pick-and-place structure is arranged on the column structure and can move along the column structure;

[0009] A chassis structure is arranged at the bottom of the column structure to support the column structure;

[0010] Wherein, the chassis structure includes a chassis body, a driving steering wheel and at least two load wheels;

[0011] The driving steering wheel and the load wheel are both arranged at the bottom of the chassis body. The driving steering wheel is configured to drive the chassis body to move straight and turn along the running platform. The load wheel is configured to roll along the running platform driven by the chassis body. The driving steering wheel and at least two load wheels enclose a load-bearing area. The column structure is located on the chassis body, and its projection on the chassis body is located in the load-bearing area.

[0012] In one implementation, the stacker further includes:

[0013] A first guide member is disposed on the top of the column structure;

[0014] The first guide member is configured to move along the guide track on the top of the lane when the stacker carrying the target object is running in the lane; the first guide member is also configured to be idle when the unloaded stacker is running outside the lane.

[0015] In one implementation, the chassis structure further includes a navigation assembly and a control system disposed on the chassis body, and the control system and the navigation assembly are electrically connected;

[0016] The control system is configured to receive a task instruction and control the navigation component to obtain environmental information to determine the position information of the stacker;

[0017] The control system is further configured to control the movement of the driving steering wheel and / or the pick-and-place structure based on the position information.

[0018] In one implementation, the control system includes an on-board control system and an electrical control system, and the on-board control system is electrically connected to the navigation component and the electrical control system respectively;

[0019] The onboard control system is configured to receive a task instruction and control the navigation component to obtain environmental information to determine the position information of the stacker;

[0020] The vehicle-mounted control system is also configured to send control instructions to the electrical control system based on the position information, and the electrical control system controls the movement of the driving steering wheel and / or the pick-and-place structure based on the control instructions.

[0021] In one implementation, the chassis structure further includes:

[0022] An obstacle avoidance component, the obstacle avoidance component is electrically connected to the control system;

[0023] The obstacle avoidance component is configured to detect obstacle information and send a detection signal to the control system. The control system is configured to receive the detection signal and, when it is determined that the distance between the obstacle avoidance component and the obstacle is less than or equal to a preset distance, control the driving steering wheel to switch the direction of travel.

[0024] In one implementation, the column structure includes a column and a lifting drive assembly, the pick-and-place structure is movably disposed on the column, the lifting drive assembly is connected to the pick-and-place structure, and is configured to drive the pick-and-place structure to move along the column;

[0025] The chassis structure also includes a power battery, which is electrically connected to at least the lifting drive assembly and the driving steering wheel to provide electrical energy to the lifting drive assembly and the driving steering wheel.

[0026] In one implementation, the lifting drive assembly includes:

[0027] The lifting drive motor is electrically connected to the power battery;

[0028] A reel connected to the lifting drive motor so as to rotate under the drive of the lifting drive motor;

[0029] A support guide is arranged on the top of the column;

[0030] The traction rope is arranged on the supporting guide member, and one end of the traction rope is wound on the drum, and the other end is connected to the pick-and-place structure. The traction rope is configured to drive the pick-and-place structure to rise and fall during the reeling and releasing process.

[0031] In one implementation, the chassis structure further includes a second guide member, which is disposed on a side wall of the chassis body;

[0032] The second guide member is configured to move the vehicle along both sides of the roadway when the chassis structure moves in the roadway.

[0033] In one implementation, the pick-and-place structure includes:

[0034] A fixed frame is movably arranged on the column structure and can be raised and lowered along the column structure;

[0035] The fork assembly is arranged on the fixed frame, and the picking-up part of the fork assembly can move relative to the fixed frame so as to be able to pick up and return goods at least along a first direction and a second direction.

[0036] In one implementation, the fork assembly includes:

[0037] The rotating member is arranged on the fixed frame and can rotate relative to the fixed frame on the first plane. The picking-up member is connected to the rotating member so that the picking-up member can also pick up and return goods along a third direction. The first direction, the second direction and the third direction are all located in the first plane.

[0038] In one implementation, the fork assembly further includes:

[0039] A side shifting member capable of moving relative to the fixed frame;

[0040] The rotating member is arranged on the side shifting member so as to move under the driving of the side shifting member.

[0041] In one implementation, a first slide groove is formed on the column structure, and a third guide member is provided on the fixed frame, and the third guide member is configured to move along the first slide groove when the fixed frame moves on the column structure.

[0042] In one implementation, the fork assembly is staggered with the chassis structure in the lifting direction.

[0043] On the other hand, an embodiment of the present application further provides a storage system, including a carrier and a stacker as described above;

[0044] A lane is formed on one side of the carrier, and the stacker moves in and outside the lane by driving the steering wheel, and when in the lane, it docks with the carrier through a pick-and-place structure.

[0045] In one implementation, the storage system further includes:

[0046] The guide track is arranged in the lane. When the stacker moves in the lane, the first guide member of the stacker moves along the guide track.

[0047] The embodiment of the present application provides a stacker and a storage system, in which a driving steering wheel is arranged in the chassis structure of the stacker, so that the driving steering wheel can drive the chassis structure and the entire stacker to move straight and turn on an operating platform such as the ground. Compared with the related art that the stacker needs to walk on a ground rail, the embodiment of the present application does not require pre-laying of the ground rail on the operating platform, and does not require on-site assembly of the stacker and the ground rail. The stacker can move straight or turn on the operating platform only by controlling the driving steering wheel to move straight or turn, thereby simplifying the structure of the storage system, simplifying the difficulty of assembling the stacker during operation, improving the working efficiency of the stacker, and also enabling the stacker to pick up and return goods, stack and transport in different lanes, thereby improving the flexibility of use of the stacker.

[0048] In addition, by arranging at least two load wheels in the chassis structure, and enclosing the driving steering wheel and the at least two load wheels to form a load-bearing surface, and arranging the projection of the column structure on the chassis body within the load-bearing surface, it is possible to ensure that the center of gravity of the column structure is located on the load-bearing surface of the chassis structure, so that the stacker can stably move or remain stationary along the running platform at least when unloaded, and will not roll over. Therefore, at least outside the alley, there is no need to set a guide rail (i.e., overhead rail) to ensure the stability of the stacker, thereby simplifying the structure and assembly process of the stacker and the storage system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a stacker provided in one embodiment of the present application;

[0050] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Structural diagram of the mid-chassis structure;

[0051] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of part of the mid-chassis structure;

[0052] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of one of the structures of the mid-drive steering wheel;

[0053] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 A structural diagram from another perspective;

[0054] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 Structural diagram of the center column structure;

[0055] Figure 7 yes Figure 1A schematic diagram of the structure of the pick-and-place structure;

[0056] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 A partial enlarged view of the middle A;

[0057] Fig. 9 yes Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle fork assembly.

[0058] Description of reference numerals:

[0059] 100-column structure; 200-chassis structure; 300-pick-and-place structure; 400-guide rail;

[0060] 110-column; 120-lifting drive assembly; 130-first guide member; 210-chassis body; 220-driving steering wheel; 230-load wheel; 240-navigation assembly; 250-control system; 260-obstacle avoidance assembly; 270-second guide member; 280-power battery; 310-fixed frame; 320-fork assembly;

[0061] 111-first slide; 121-lifting drive motor; 122-reel; 123-support guide; 124-traction rope; 211-bearing area; 212-support; 221-drive motor; 222-drive wheel; 223-slewing bearing; 224-steering motor; 225-gearbox; 226-drive mounting plate; 251-vehicle control system; 252-electrical control system; 311-third guide; 321-pickup piece; 322-rotating piece; 323-side shift piece; 324-mounting frame; 325-fourth guide;

[0062] 3241-Second chute. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0063] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in the field without creative work should fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0064] It should be noted that many specific details are set forth in the following description to facilitate a full understanding of the present application. However, the present application may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application is not limited to the specific implementation methods disclosed below.

[0065] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "horizontal", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application. In the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "upper" or "lower" than a second feature may be that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium.

[0066] In this application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral one; it can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. However, if it is indicated as a direct connection, it means that the two connected entities are not connected through an intermediate structure, but are only connected to form a whole through a connecting structure. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0067] In this application, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features.

[0068] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of a stacker provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 As shown, an embodiment of the present application provides a warehousing system, which includes a warehouse and a carrier and a stacker located in the warehouse. The carrier may include but is not limited to a shelf and a conveyor line, etc., for storing target items. It should be noted that the target item may be a container for holding goods, materials and other goods, including a plastic box, a carton, a paper box, a plastic basket, etc.; it may also be an original box, such as a commodity with an original packaging box or a packaging box; it may also be the commodity, goods, etc. themselves.

[0069] Taking the carrier as a shelf as an example, there is an aisle in the automated warehouse, and the aisle can be formed by the gap between adjacent shelves. In some examples, the stacker can operate in the aisle, for example, the stacker can store the target item at the aisle entrance into the target cargo position of the shelf through the pick-and-place structure 300 to complete the storage operation of the target item; or the pick-and-place structure 300 can take out the target item from the target cargo position and transport it to the aisle entrance to complete the storage operation of the target item.

[0070] In practice, there are multiple aisles in a warehouse, and the aisles are not continuous. The stacker can operate outside the aisle to enter another aisle from one aisle, so that the same stacker can perform the work of picking up and returning goods in multiple aisles.

[0071] In the related art, in order to realize the operation of the stacker, a ground rail is provided on the operation platform of the warehouse, for example, on the ground, and a driving wheel is provided at the bottom of the stacker. By controlling the driving wheel to run along the ground rail, the entire stacker is driven to run along the ground rail. For example, a "U"-shaped ground rail is provided on the ground, and the parts at both ends of the opening of the "U"-shaped ground rail are respectively located in two lanes, and the rest is located outside the lanes. In this way, the stacker runs along the "U"-shaped ground rail, can realize turning, and switch in different lanes.

[0072] However, before the stacker in the related art is used, it is necessary to lay the ground rails on site. After the ground rails are laid, it is necessary to assemble the stacker and the ground rails on site, that is, to assemble the driving wheels of the stacker in the ground rails so that the stacker can run along the ground rails through the driving wheels to achieve docking with the shelves on both sides of the lane. This increases the structural complexity of the storage system, and also makes the assembly of the stacker and the ground rails more complicated, which reduces the operating efficiency of the stacker and increases the operating cost of the stacker.

[0073] The present application provides a stacker, which is provided with a driving steering wheel 220 on a chassis structure 200. The driving steering wheel 220 can drive the chassis structure 200 and the entire stacker to move straight and turn on the operating platform. For example, the operating platform may include but is not limited to the ground of a storage system or a platform erected on the ground.

[0074] Compared with the related art in which the stacker needs to walk on the ground rails, the embodiment of the present application does not need to pre-lay the ground rails on the operating platform, and does not need to assemble the stacker and the ground rails on site. The stacker can move straight or turn on the operating platform only by controlling the driving steering wheel 220 to move straight or turn, thereby simplifying the structure of the warehousing system, simplifying the difficulty of assembling the stacker during operation, improving the working efficiency of the stacker, and realizing the stacker to pick up and return goods, stack and transport in different aisles, thereby improving the flexibility of use of the stacker.

[0075] The specific structure of the stacker provided in the embodiment of the present application is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0076] The embodiment of the present application provides a stacker, including a column structure 100 , a pick-and-place structure 300 , and a chassis structure 200 .

[0077] Among them, the pick-and-place structure 300 is configured to pick up and place the target item. For example, the pick-and-place structure 300 can take out the target item from the target cargo position of the carrier, and can also put the target item back to the target cargo position. The pick-and-place structure 300 can be set on the column structure 100, and can move along the column structure 100. In other words, the pick-and-place structure 300 is movably set on the column structure 100, and the pick-and-place structure 300 can be raised and lowered along the column structure 100 to move to a height matching the target cargo position according to the task instruction to complete the docking with the target cargo position. Exemplarily, the lifting direction of the pick-and-place structure 300 can be the height direction of the column structure 100, which can be referred to Figure 1 In the z direction.

[0078] In some examples, a pick-and-place structure 300 may be provided on the pillar structure 100 , and a pick-and-place process of a target object is completed through the pick-and-place structure 300 .

[0079] In some other examples, a plurality of pick-and-place structures 300 may be arranged on the column structure 100. For example, the plurality of pick-and-place structures 300 may be arranged sequentially along the height direction of the column structure 100. The pick-and-place structures 300 of different heights may be docked with target cargo locations of different heights, so that the stacker may perform docking work with multiple target cargo locations at the same time, thereby improving the working efficiency of the stacker.

[0080] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Structural diagram of the mid-chassis structure. Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Partial structural diagram of the mid-chassis structure. Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the chassis structure 200 of the embodiment of the present application is arranged at the bottom of the column structure 100 to support the column structure 100. The chassis structure 200 includes a chassis body 210, a driving steering wheel 220 and at least two load wheels 230, and the driving steering wheel 220 and the load wheels 230 are both arranged at the bottom of the chassis body 210. For example, the driving steering wheel 220 and the load wheels 230 are both connected to the chassis body 210, so that when the driving steering wheel 220 and the load wheels 230 roll along the operating platform of the warehouse, such as the ground, the chassis body 210 and the column structure 100 on the chassis body 210 can be driven to run along the ground.

[0081] Among them, the driving steering wheel 220 is configured to drive the chassis body 210 to move straight and turn along the operating platform. For example, the driving steering wheel 220 can roll and turn in a straight line, so that when the driving steering wheel 220 rolls in a straight line, it can drive the chassis body 210 to move in a straight line. When the driving steering wheel 220 turns, it can drive the chassis body 210 to turn, so that the entire stacker can change direction and operate in different lanes.

[0082] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of one of the structures of the driving steering wheel. Figure 4 As shown, in some examples, the driving steering wheel 220 may be a single-wheel driving steering wheel 220, for example, the driving steering wheel 220 may include a driving motor 221, a driving wheel 222, a steering motor 224 and a slewing bearing 223, wherein the driving motor 221 and the steering motor 224 are arranged on the chassis body 210, and the output shaft of the driving motor 221 is connected to the driving wheel 222 to drive the driving wheel 222 to roll along the ground. The outer ring of the slewing bearing 223 is fixed on the chassis body 210, the inner ring of the slewing bearing 223 is connected to the driving wheel 222, and the steering motor 224 is connected to the inner ring of the slewing bearing 223 to drive the inner ring of the slewing bearing 223 to rotate relative to the outer ring, thereby driving the driving wheel 222 to turn, so that the driving wheel 222 drives the chassis body 210 and the entire stacker to turn.

[0083] As one of the installation methods, the driving motor 221 , the steering motor 224 and the outer ring of the slewing bearing 223 can be directly fixed on the chassis body 210 .

[0084] As another installation method, the outer rings of the drive motor 221, the steering motor 224 and the slewing bearing 223 can be fixed to the chassis body 210 through the drive mounting plate 226, that is, the drive mounting plate 226 is fixed to the chassis body 210, and the drive motor 221, the steering motor 224 and the outer rings of the slewing bearing 223 are fixed to the drive mounting plate 226 to improve the connection stability between the drive steering wheel 220 and the chassis body 210.

[0085] In addition, the driving steering wheel 220 may include a gearbox 225, the input end of the gearbox 225 is connected to the driving motor 221, and the output end of the gearbox 225 is connected to the driving wheel 222. The gearbox 225 is used to accurately control the speed at which the driving motor 221 outputs to the driving wheel 222, so that the travel speed of the driving wheel 222 is more accurate. For example, the gearbox 225 may include but is not limited to a pulley structure.

[0086] In some other examples, the driving steering wheel 220 may be a differential driving steering wheel (not shown in the figure), for example, the driving steering wheel may include two driving motors and two driving wheels, wherein the two driving motors include a first driving motor and a second driving motor, the two driving wheels include a first driving wheel and a second driving wheel, the first driving motor is connected to the first driving wheel and is configured to drive the first driving wheel to rotate, and the second driving motor is connected to the second driving wheel and is configured to drive the second driving wheel to rotate. When the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel rotate at the same speed (i.e., the same speed), the entire driving steering wheel rolls along a straight line, and when the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel rotate at a differential speed (different speeds), the driving steering wheel changes direction.

[0087] For example, when the rotation speed of the first driving wheel is lower than that of the second driving wheel, the rolling path of the second driving wheel is larger than that of the first driving wheel, so that the entire driving steering wheel rolls toward the side close to the first driving wheel, and the driving steering wheel turns toward the first driving wheel. Similarly, when the rotation speed of the second driving wheel is lower than that of the first driving wheel, the rolling path of the first driving wheel is larger than that of the second driving wheel, so that the entire driving steering wheel rolls toward the side close to the second driving wheel, and the driving steering wheel turns toward the second driving wheel.

[0088] The embodiment of the present application does not limit the structure of the driving steering wheel 220 , as long as the driving steering wheel 220 can drive the chassis body 210 to travel in a straight line and turn.

[0089] Reference Figure 2 As shown, the load wheel 230 is configured to roll along the running platform driven by the chassis body 210. On the one hand, the load wheel 230 and the driving steering wheel 220 together form a wheel train assembly of the chassis structure 200, which supports and stabilizes the chassis body 210. On the other hand, the friction between the chassis body 210 and the ground is a rolling friction force, so that the chassis body 210 can run stably along the ground.

[0090] Continue to refer to Figure 2 As shown, for example, the driving steering wheel 220 and at least two load wheels 230 enclose a bearing area 211, the column structure 100 is located on the chassis body 210, and the projection on the chassis body 210 is located in the bearing area 211, so that the center of gravity of the column structure 100 can be ensured to be located in the bearing area 211, so as to improve the stability of the stacker on the ground.

[0091] It can be understood that, in practice, the weight of the pick-and-place structure 300 is much smaller than the weight of the column structure 100, so that the stacker can stand stably on an operating platform such as the ground at least when unloaded, without shaking or tipping over. Therefore, at least outside the aisle, there is no need to set a guide rail (i.e., overhead rail) to ensure the stability of the stacker, thereby simplifying the structure and assembly process of the stacker and the storage system.

[0092] In the embodiment of the present application, the wheel train assembly formed by the driving steering wheel 220 and the load wheel 230 drives the chassis structure 200 and the entire stacker to move straight and turn on the operating platform, such as the ground. Compared with the related art that the stacker needs to walk on the ground rail, the embodiment of the present application does not need to pre-lay the ground rail on the operating platform, and does not need to assemble the stacker and the ground rail on site. The stacker can move straight or turn on the operating platform only by controlling the driving steering wheel 220 to move straight or turn, thereby simplifying the structure of the warehousing system, simplifying the difficulty of assembling the stacker during operation, improving the working efficiency of the stacker, and also enabling the stacker to pick up and return goods, stack and transport in different aisles, thereby improving the flexibility of use of the stacker.

[0093] In addition, the movement of the stacker in the embodiment of the present application relies on the wheel train assembly of the chassis structure 200, and can move more flexibly in various lanes without the need to set up complex track changing structures and auxiliary equipment, thereby simplifying the structure of the stacker and the storage system, improving the overall work efficiency of the stacker and the storage system, and saving the operating cost of the stacker.

[0094] In specific configuration, the driving steering wheel 220 may be one or more, and the load wheels 230 may be two or more. For example, there may be one driving steering wheel 220, and there may be two load wheels 230. The load-bearing area 211 formed by one driving steering wheel 220 and two load wheels 230 may be a triangular area, so as to improve the support stability of the wheel train assembly to the chassis body 210, thereby improving the load-bearing capacity of the chassis body 210.

[0095] Exemplarily, the driving steering wheel 220 is arranged at a position close to one end (e.g., the front end) of the chassis body 210, and the two load wheels 230 are arranged at intervals at a position close to the other end (e.g., the rear end) of the chassis body 210. For example, a support 212 can be arranged at the rear end of the chassis body 210, and the support 212 is located outside the chassis body 210, and the load wheel 230 is arranged in the support 212, so that the load wheel 230 is located outside the chassis body 210, thereby providing a larger load-bearing area 211 for the chassis body 210.

[0096] It should be noted that the front end of the chassis body 210 refers to the front end of the chassis body 210 along the forward direction (refer to Figure 2 Correspondingly, the rear end of the chassis body 210 refers to the rear end of the chassis body 210 along the forward direction.

[0097] In other examples, there may be two driving steering wheels 220, which are spaced apart and arranged near the front end of the chassis body 210, and two or three load wheels 230 may be arranged near the rear end of the chassis body 210 via supports 212, etc., so that the load-bearing area 211 enclosed by the driving steering wheels 220 and the load wheels 230 is a quadrilateral area.

[0098] Of course, the driving steering wheel 220 or the load wheel 230 can also be arranged near the left end or near the right end of the chassis body 210, so that the load-bearing area 211 surrounded by the driving steering wheel 220 and the load wheel 230 is a pentagonal or hexagonal area, etc. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the position and number of the driving steering wheel 220 and the load wheel 230, and can be adjusted according to actual needs such as load capacity and driving speed.

[0099] Reference Figure 1 As shown, in order to improve the stability of the stacker when carrying the target object, the stacker of the embodiment of the present application may further include a first guide member 130, which is disposed on the top of the column structure 100. In addition, a guide rail 400 may be disposed on the top of the lane. When the stacker carrying the target object is running in the lane, the first guide member 130 may move along the guide rail 400 on the top of the lane to limit the column structure 100 in the horizontal direction (for example, perpendicular to the forward direction, see Figure 1 The stacker can move in the y direction (in the middle), so that the stacker carrying the target items will not shake or tip over, thereby improving the walking stability in the lane and ensuring that the entire stacker is more stable when the pick-up and place structure 300 on the column structure 100 takes and returns the goods, thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of the stacker in taking and returning the goods.

[0100] Of course, in some examples, when the empty stacker is moving in the lane, the first guide member 130 may also be made to move along the guide track 400 to improve the stability of the empty stacker in the lane.

[0101] In addition, when the unloaded stacker is running outside the lane, it is not necessary to match the first guide member 130 with the guide track 400, that is, the first guide member 130 is idle. It can be understood that the stacker of the embodiment of the present application has a relatively stable structure. For example, the projection of the column structure 100 in the height direction is located in the load-bearing area 211 formed by the wheel train assembly, so that the center of gravity of the entire column structure 100 is located in the load-bearing area 211. In this way, the stacker itself will not shake or overturn when it is unloaded, and it does not need to be used with the guide track 400. Therefore, it is not necessary to set the guide track 400 outside the lane, that is, the guide track 400 can only be set inside the lane, thereby simplifying the operation auxiliary equipment of the stacker and making the operation of the unloaded stacker outside the lane more flexible.

[0102] When set, the first guide member 130 can be a slider or a roller. For example, the first guide member 130 can be a roller that rolls along the guide track 400 to reduce the friction between the first guide member 130 and the guide track 400, so that the first guide member 130 can move smoothly along the guide track 400. Exemplarily, the roller can be a structure such as a roller or a ball, as long as the top of the column structure 100 is in rolling contact with the guide track 400.

[0103] In addition, the first guide member 130 may be one or more. Multiple first guide members 130 such as rollers may be arranged at intervals along the forward direction of the stacker to further improve the stability of the stacker perpendicular to the forward direction.

[0104] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 Another structural diagram of the perspective. Figure 5 As shown, in order to realize automatic control of the stacker, the chassis structure 200 of the embodiment of the present application may further include a navigation component 240 and a control system 250 disposed on the chassis body 210 , and the control system 250 is electrically connected to the navigation component 240 .

[0105] The control system 250 is configured to receive task instructions and control the navigation component 240 to obtain environmental information to determine the position information of the stacker. The control system 250 is also configured to control the movement of the driving steering wheel 220 and / or the pick-and-place structure 300 based on the position information.

[0106] Exemplarily, the control system 250 may be connected to a host computer such as a computer signal. The host computer may send a task instruction such as a storage instruction to the control system 250. The control system 250 is configured to receive the task instruction and control the navigation component 240 to obtain environmental information to determine the position information of the stacker. For example, after the control system 250 receives the storage instruction, it controls the navigation component 240 on the stacker to obtain the environmental information around it. For example, the navigation component 240 may be a QR code camera, and the environmental information may be QR code information, that is, the control system 250 may control the QR code camera to shoot a preset QR code on the ground to obtain the QR code information, so that the position information of the stacker can be determined according to the QR code information pre-stored in the control system 250, that is, the current position of the stacker is determined.

[0107] For another example, the navigation component 240 may also be a laser scanner, and the environmental information may be the surrounding environment of the stacker's current position. That is, after the control system 250 receives the task instruction, it may control the laser scanner to scan the environment around the stacker, and determine the position information of the stacker based on the surrounding environment and the environmental information pre-stored by the control system 250.

[0108] The location information of the stacker may include but is not limited to coordinate information.

[0109] After determining the current position information of the stacker, the control system 250 controls the movement of the driving steering wheel 220 and / or the pick-and-place structure 300 based on the position information. Exemplarily, based on the current position information of the stacker, the control system 250 can determine the moving distance of the stacker from the target cargo position, and based on the moving distance, the rotation speed and travel time of the driving steering wheel 220 can be determined, thereby controlling the driving steering wheel 220 to operate until the driving steering wheel 220 drives the entire stacker to operate to the target cargo position, and the control system 250 controls the pick-and-place structure 300 to move on the column structure 100 until the pick-and-place structure 300 moves to the target cargo position and docks with the target cargo position to achieve the picking and placing of the target items.

[0110] For example, the control system 250 can specifically control the driving motor 221 driving the steering wheel 220 to work, so as to control the driving wheel 222 driving the steering wheel 220 to roll or turn in a straight line along the ground, thereby realizing the straight-line travel or turning of the stacker.

[0111] In some examples, the control system 250 may be a terminal such as a control server or an electronic device to simplify the component structure of the stacker.

[0112] In some other examples, the control system 250 may include an onboard control system 251 and an electrical control system 252 , and the onboard control system 251 is electrically connected to the navigation component 240 and the electrical control system 252 , respectively.

[0113] Exemplarily, the vehicle control system 251, such as a control server, can be connected to a host computer, such as a computer, by signal. The host computer can send a task instruction, such as a warehousing instruction, to the vehicle control system 251. The vehicle control system 251 is configured to receive the task instruction and control the navigation component 240 to obtain environmental information to determine the location information of the stacker.

[0114] After determining the current position information of the stacker, the vehicle-mounted control system 251 is further configured to send a control instruction to the electrical control system 252 based on the position information, and the electrical control system 252 controls the movement of the driving steering wheel 220 and / or the pick-and-place structure 300 based on the control instruction. Exemplarily, based on the current position information of the stacker, the vehicle-mounted control system 251 can determine the moving distance of the stacker from the target cargo position, and send a control instruction containing the moving distance to the electrical control system 252, and the electrical control system 252 can determine the rotation speed and travel time of the driving steering wheel 220 based on the moving distance, thereby controlling the driving steering wheel 220 to run until the driving steering wheel 220 drives the entire stacker to run to the target cargo position, and the electrical control system 252 controls the pick-and-place structure 300 to move on the column structure 100 until the pick-and-place structure 300 moves to the target cargo position and docks with the target cargo position to achieve the picking and placing of the target items.

[0115] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the center column structure. Figure 6 As shown, in some examples, the column structure 100 may include a column 110 and a lifting drive assembly 120. Exemplarily, the column 110 may be formed by two longitudinal beams arranged opposite to each other and a plurality of transverse beams located between the two longitudinal beams, the pick-and-place structure 300 is movably arranged on the column 110, for example, it may be arranged on the longitudinal beam of the column 110, the lifting drive assembly 120 is connected to the pick-and-place structure 300, and is configured to drive the pick-and-place structure 300 to move along the column 110, for example, the lifting drive assembly 120 may drive the pick-and-place structure 300 to move up and down along the longitudinal beam of the column 110, so that the pick-and-place structure 300 moves to a position corresponding to the target cargo position, thereby docking with the target cargo position.

[0116] The electrical control system 252 can be specifically electrically connected to the lifting drive assembly 120 to control the lifting drive assembly 120 to drive the pick-and-place structure 300 to rise and fall. For example, when the vehicle-mounted control system 251 receives the environmental information of the navigation assembly 240 and determines that the stacker has reached the target cargo position, the vehicle-mounted control system 251 sends a control instruction to the electrical control system 252 to enable the electrical control system 252 to control the lifting drive assembly 120 to work, so that the lifting drive assembly 120 drives the pick-and-place structure 300 to move along the column 110 until the pick-and-place structure 300 moves to a height corresponding to the target cargo position, docks with the target cargo position, and picks and returns the goods.

[0117] The embodiment of the present application configures the control system 250 to include a vehicle-mounted control system 251 and an electrical control system 252, that is, assigns different tasks to different control systems to simplify the control procedures and circuit settings of each control system, thereby making the automated control of the stacker more concise and efficient.

[0118] Continue to refer to Figure 6 As shown, in one of the configurations, the lifting drive assembly 120 may include a lifting drive motor 121, a reel 122, a support guide 123, and a traction rope 124, wherein the reel 122 is connected to the output shaft of the lifting drive motor 121 to rotate under the drive of the lifting drive motor 121.

[0119] The support guide 123 is disposed on the top of the column 110 . The traction rope 124 is mounted on the support guide 123 . One end of the traction rope 124 is wound around the reel 122 , and the other end is connected to the pick-and-place structure 300 .

[0120] The traction rope 124 is configured to drive the pick-and-place structure 300 to rise and fall along the column 110 during the process of retracting and releasing the reel 122. For example, when the reel 122 reels in the traction rope 124, the traction rope 124 drives the pick-and-place structure 300 to rise, and when the reel 122 releases the traction rope 124, the traction rope 124 drives the pick-and-place structure 300 to descend.

[0121] Among them, the support guide member 123 can be a guide block or a guide pulley, wherein the guide pulley can, on the one hand, play the role of guiding the support traction rope 124 to change the extension direction of the traction rope 124, and on the other hand, the setting of the guide pulley can reduce the friction between the traction rope 124 and the support guide member 123, so that the traction rope 124 can move stably during the retraction and release process of the reel 122, thereby realizing the improvement of the lifting and lowering accuracy of the pick-up and release structure 300.

[0122] Exemplarily, the electrical control system 252 may be electrically connected to the lifting drive motor 121 to control the operation of the lifting drive motor 121 , so that the reel 122 selectively retracts and releases the traction rope 124 under the drive of the lifting drive motor 121 to drive the picking and placing structure 300 to rise and fall.

[0123] The reel 122 and the lifting drive motor 121 can be arranged on the column 110 to form an integral module with the column 110, so as to facilitate rapid disassembly and replacement between the integral module and the chassis structure 200. For example, the reel 122 and the lifting drive motor 121 can be arranged at the bottom of the column 110, which, on the one hand, facilitates the wired connection between the electrical control system 252 on the chassis body 210 and the lifting drive motor 121, and on the other hand, makes the center of gravity of the column structure 100 close to the chassis structure 200, thereby making the stability of the entire stacker higher.

[0124] In another configuration, the lifting drive assembly 120 may also be a pulley structure, for example, the lifting drive assembly 120 may include a lifting drive motor, a lifting drive wheel, a lifting driven wheel, and a synchronous belt, the lifting drive motor is connected to the lifting drive wheel, the lifting drive wheel and the lifting driven wheel are respectively arranged at the top and bottom of the column 110, the synchronous belt is sleeved on the lifting drive wheel and the lifting driven wheel, and the pick-and-place structure 300 is connected to the synchronous belt. When working, under the control of the electrical control system 252, the lifting drive motor drives the lifting drive wheel to rotate to drive the synchronous belt and the lifting driven wheel to move, so that the pick-and-place structure 300 is lifted and lowered along the column 110 during the movement of the synchronous belt.

[0125] The embodiment of the present application does not specifically limit the structural setting method of the lifting drive assembly 120, as long as it can drive the picking and placing structure 300 to rise and fall along the column 110.

[0126] It is understandable that in the related art, the stacker that cooperates with the ground rail has a certain running path because the ground rail has been pre-installed on the ground. The stacker of the embodiment of the present application has a chassis structure 200 with a driving steering wheel 220, so the running path is more flexible and variable. In order to avoid the stacker from colliding with other structures or workers, causing damage to the stacker or other structures, or causing safety hazards to workers, refer to Figure 5 As shown, the chassis structure 200 of the embodiment of the present application may also include an obstacle avoidance component 260, which is electrically connected to the control system 250, such as the electrical control system 252. The obstacle avoidance component 260 is configured to detect obstacle information and send a detection signal to the control system 250. The control system 250 is configured to control the driving steering wheel 220 to switch the travel direction when receiving the detection signal and determining that the distance between the obstacle avoidance component 260 and the obstacle is less than or equal to a preset distance.

[0127] The obstacle avoidance component 260 may include but is not limited to a laser radar, a camera and a distance trigger sensor. Accordingly, the detection signal may be a distance signal, an image signal and a trigger signal that does not carry any information.

[0128] For example, when the obstacle avoidance component 260 is a laser radar, the obstacle information detected by the laser radar is the distance between the laser radar and the obstacle. Therefore, the laser radar can send a distance signal to the control system 250, such as the electrical control system 252. After the electrical control system 252 receives the distance signal, when it determines that the distance is less than or equal to the preset distance, it controls the driving steering wheel 220 to stop working or turn.

[0129] When the obstacle avoidance component 260 is a camera, the obstacle information captured by the camera is obstacle image information. Therefore, the camera can send an image signal to the control system 250, such as the electrical control system 252. After the electrical control system 252 receives the image signal, it determines that the distance between the camera and the obstacle is less than or equal to the preset distance, and controls the driving steering wheel 220 to stop working or turn.

[0130] When the obstacle avoidance component 260 is a trigger sensor, when the trigger sensor reaches a trigger condition, a trigger signal can be sent to the control system 250, such as the electrical control system 252. After receiving the trigger signal, the electrical control system 252 controls the driving steering wheel 220 to stop working or turn, wherein the trigger condition is that the distance between the trigger sensor and the obstacle is less than or equal to a preset distance. It can be understood that in this example, the obstacle information detected by the obstacle avoidance component 260 is the obstacle itself.

[0131] It should be noted that the distance between the obstacle avoidance component 260 and the obstacle can represent the distance between the stacker and the obstacle.

[0132] In the embodiment of the present application, driving the steering wheel 220 to switch the travel direction may include driving the steering wheel 220 to stop and driving the steering wheel 220 to turn.

[0133] Taking the obstacle avoidance component 260 as a trigger sensor as an example, when the distance between the trigger sensor and an obstacle, such as a worker, is less than or equal to a preset distance during the operation of the stacker, the trigger sensor will send a trigger signal to the electrical control system 252. After receiving the trigger signal, the electrical control system 252 can control the driving steering wheel 220 to stop working, so that the stacker stops running. Of course, in some examples, after receiving the trigger signal, the electrical control system 252 can control the driving steering wheel 220 to turn, so that the stacker runs in other directions, thereby preventing the stacker from continuing to drive towards the obstacle and colliding with the obstacle, thereby reducing safety hazards.

[0134] When set, the obstacle avoidance component 260 can be set at any position of the side walls around the chassis body 210. For example, there can be multiple obstacle avoidance components 260, one of which is set at the front end of the chassis body 210 to determine the distance between the front end of the chassis body 210 and the front obstacle to prevent the front end of the stacker from colliding with the obstacle. Another one is set on the side of the chassis body 210 to determine the distance between the side of the chassis body 210 and the lateral obstacle to prevent the side of the stacker from colliding with the lateral obstacle. Another one is set at the rear end of the chassis body 210 to determine the distance between the rear end of the chassis body 210 and the rear obstacle to prevent the rear end of the stacker from colliding with the rear obstacle.

[0135] It can be understood that the side of the chassis body 210 refers to the side of the chassis body 210 perpendicular to the forward direction (i.e., the width direction of the chassis body 210, refer to Figure 5 The sides are arranged opposite to each other (shown in the y direction).

[0136] By setting a control system 250, a navigation component 240 and an obstacle avoidance component 260 in the chassis structure 200, the operation path of the stacker can be accurately controlled, unmanned automated operation can be achieved, the working efficiency of the stacker can be improved, and the safety hazards in the storage system can be reduced, so that people and machines, and multiple machines can be mixed in the same working area, such as the same alley.

[0137] Continue to refer to Figure 5 As shown, the chassis structure 200 may further include a power battery 280, which may be electrically connected to the lifting drive assembly 120 and the driving steering wheel 220, respectively, to provide electrical energy to the lifting drive structure and the driving steering wheel 220. For example, the power battery 280 may be electrically connected to the lifting drive motor 121 in the lifting drive assembly 120, to provide electrical energy to the lifting drive motor 121, and ensure that the lifting drive motor 121 works normally.

[0138] In addition, the power battery 280 can be electrically connected to the drive motor 221 and the steering motor 224 in the drive steering wheel 220 to provide electrical energy to the drive motor 221 and the steering motor 224 to ensure that the drive motor 221 and the steering motor 224 operate normally, thereby ensuring that the drive steering wheel 220 drives the chassis structure 200 and the stacker to travel in a straight line or turn.

[0139] For example, the power battery 280 may include but is not limited to a lithium battery, a rechargeable battery, etc. The power battery 280 may be charged manually, by replacing the battery, or automatically, so that the normal operation of the equipment such as the lifting drive structure and the driving steering wheel 220 may be effectively avoided due to insufficient power, external power supply failure, etc., and the working time of the whole machine may be effectively increased.

[0140] It should be noted that manual charging can be charging through a charging port. For example, multiple charging ports can be set in the warehouse. By running the stacker to the charging port and docking with the charging port, the power battery 280 can be charged. Automatic charging can be a charging pile set in the warehouse, and the power battery 280 can be charged through the charging pile.

[0141] It is understandable that the related technology mainly uses busbars to power electrical devices. The busbars generate sparks and dust during movement, have low safety performance and serious dust pollution, and the friction of carbon brushes causes electrical devices to be fragile and has a short maintenance cycle. The busbars have low waterproof and dustproof levels and are not suitable for use in special environments. In addition, the busbars have exposed copper wires and copper bars, which can easily cause electric shock accidents during maintenance. Compared with powering electrical devices through busbars, the embodiment of the present application uses a power battery 280 to power electrical devices such as the lifting drive assembly 120 and the driving steering wheel 220, which can reduce the requirements of the stacker on the working environment and enable the stacker to be flexibly moved to any position in the warehouse, that is, it can be powered without contact, can adapt to more application scenarios, and is more convenient to maintain, avoiding safety hazards and graphite dust pollution caused by the use of busbars.

[0142] Continue to refer to Figure 5 As shown, in some examples, the chassis structure 200 may include a second guide member 270 disposed on a side wall of the chassis body 210 .

[0143] The second guide member 270 is configured to roll along the carriers on both sides of the alley when the chassis structure 200 runs in the alley. In this way, the running path of the chassis structure 200 can be limited to prevent the chassis structure 200 from driving the entire stacker to deviate from the running path and run into the carriers on both sides of the alley, such as shelves, thereby preventing the stacker from colliding with the shelves when running in the alley.

[0144] During the configuration, one or more second guide members 270 may be respectively provided on the two opposite side walls of the chassis body 210 along the width direction, so that both sides of the chassis structure 200 can run along the shelves on both sides of the lane through the second guide members 270, for example, they can roll along the side wall of the shelf close to the bottom to ensure that the chassis structure 200 travels straight between the two shelves. The width direction of the chassis body 210 intersects with the travel direction of the chassis body 210, for example, is perpendicular.

[0145] For example, two second guide members 270 are arranged on the two side walls opposite to each other in the width direction of the chassis body 210, one of the second guide members 270 is arranged at a position close to the front end of the chassis body 210, and the other second guide member 270 is arranged at a position close to the rear end of the chassis body 210, so as to limit the chassis structure 200 at both the front end and the rear end.

[0146] The embodiment of the present application does not specifically limit the number and position of the second guide members 270 , as long as it can ensure that the two side walls of the chassis structure 200 opposite to each other in the width direction can roll along the shelf.

[0147] Exemplarily, the second guide member 270 may include a slider or a roller, wherein the roller may include but is not limited to a roller or a ball, and the roller can achieve rolling contact with the side wall of the shelf, thereby reducing the friction between the second guide member 270 and the shelf and improving the smoothness of the movement of the second guide member 270 along the shelf.

[0148] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 Structural diagram of the pick-and-place structure. Figure 8 yes Figure 1 A partial enlarged view of the A in the middle. Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, in some examples, the pick-and-place structure 300 may include a fixed frame 310 and a fork assembly 320, wherein the fixed frame 310 is movably disposed on the column structure 100 and can be raised and lowered along the column structure 100, for example, the fixed frame 310 is movably disposed on the column 110 and can be raised and lowered along the column 110.

[0149] Reference Figure 8 As shown, in order to improve the stability of the fixing frame 310 when it is lifted and lowered along the column 110, as one of the setting modes, a slide groove, such as a first slide groove 111, can be formed on the column 110. The first slide groove 111 can extend from the bottom of the column 110 to the top of the column 110. A third guide member 311 can be provided on the fixing frame 310. At least a part of the third guide member 311 is embedded in the first slide groove 111 of the column 110, and when the fixing frame 310 is lifted and lowered along the column 110, the third guide member 311 moves along the first slide groove 111. The setting of the first slide groove 111 plays a guiding role for the movement of the fixing frame 310 on the column 110, so as to prevent the fixing frame 310 from moving in a height direction deviating from the column 110.

[0150] In addition, the third guide member 311 is embedded in the first sliding groove 111 , and also plays a role in stabilizing the fixing frame 310 on the column 110 .

[0151] As one of the configurations, the third guide member 311 may be a slider which is embedded in the first slide groove 111 of the column 110 , and slides along the first slide groove 111 when the fixing frame 310 is lifted or lowered along the column 110 .

[0152] As another setting method, the third guide member 311 can be a rolling member, such as a roller or a ball, which is embedded in the first slide groove 111 of the column 110 and rolls along the first slide groove 111 when the fixed frame 310 is raised or lowered along the column 110, so that the friction between the fixed frame 310 and the column 110 is rolling friction, thereby making the running speed of the fixed frame 310 along the column 110 more stable and controllable.

[0153] Reference Figure 7As shown, the fork assembly 320 of the pick-and-place structure 300 is disposed on the fixed frame 310, and the fork assembly 320 includes a pick-up member 321, which can move relative to the fixed frame 310 to pick up and return goods at least along a first direction and a second direction.

[0154] Exemplarily, the first direction and the second direction are opposite directions to each other, for example, the first direction and the second direction both intersect with the moving direction of the stacker, for example, are perpendicular to the moving direction of the stacker, wherein the first direction may be the left side direction of the stacker, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 7 The second direction is the right direction of the stacker, as shown in the y direction. Figure 1 and Figure 7 As shown in the opposite direction of y, the picking end of the picking piece 321 can be oriented in the first direction and docked with the target storage location on the left side of the alley along the first direction, so as to realize picking up and returning goods at the target storage location on the left side of the alley. The picking end of the picking piece 321 can also be oriented in the second direction and docked with the target storage location on the right side of the alley along the second direction, so as to realize picking up and returning goods at the target storage location on the right side of the alley.

[0155] In specific implementation, the picking piece 321 can rotate along a plane perpendicular to the ground, so that the picking piece 321 can selectively rotate to the first position and the second position, wherein when the picking piece 321 is in the first position, the picking end of the picking piece 321 faces the first direction, and when the picking piece 321 is in the second position, the picking end of the picking piece 321 faces the second direction. In this way, it is possible to retrieve target items in the first direction and the second direction without changing the traveling direction of the stacker through the chassis structure 200, thereby eliminating the need to provide a larger space for the stacker to change direction, reducing the width of the lane, and improving the storage density of the storage system.

[0156] Of course, in other examples, the picking up item 321 has two picking up ends, one of which faces a first direction, and the other faces a second direction. By moving the picking up item 321 along the first direction, the picking up item 321 can be docked with the target storage location on the left side of the alley, thereby realizing the retrieval and return of the target item on the left side of the alley. Correspondingly, by moving the picking up item 321 along the second direction, the picking up item 321 can be docked with the target storage location on the right side of the alley, thereby realizing the retrieval and return of the target item on the right side of the alley.

[0157] Fig. 9 yes Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle fork assembly. Fig. 9 As shown, in some other examples, the fork assembly 320 may include a rotating member 322, which is disposed on the fixed frame 310 and can rotate along a first plane relative to the fixed frame 310, and the picking member 321 is connected to the rotating member 322 so that the picking member 321 can also pick up and return goods along a third direction.

[0158] It can be understood that the first direction, the second direction and the third direction are all located on the first plane, and the first plane can be parallel to the operating platform, such as the ground. Fig. 9 The second direction is the right side of the stacker (refer to Fig. 9 For example, the third direction may be any direction between the first direction and the second direction. For example, the third direction may be the forward direction of the stacker (refer to Figure 1 and Fig. 9 In this way, the pickup piece 321 can also rotate to the third direction, that is, toward the front of the stacker, and dock with the target cargo position in front of the stacker. Therefore, when placing shelves, the warehousing system can set three shelves in sequence along three directions. For example, two shelves can be set at intervals along the first direction or the second direction, and a shelf can be set horizontally at one end of the shelves on both sides. The stacker enters the lane surrounded by the three side shelves, and the fork assembly 320 can dock with the target cargo position on the shelves on the left and right sides of the lane, or it can rotate to the third direction and dock with the target cargo position in front of the lane. In this way, on the one hand, there is no need to turn the stacker as a whole to realize the picking and returning of goods in the left, right and front directions, which reduces the driving burden of the driver. On the other hand, it improves the space utilization of the warehousing system and increases the storage density of the warehousing system.

[0159] Exemplarily, the rotating member 322 may include a rotating motor and a connecting shaft. The rotating motor is arranged on the fixed frame 310, and the output shaft of the rotating motor is connected to the connecting shaft. The connecting shaft can be perpendicular to the ground. The picking member 321 is arranged on the connecting shaft. When working, the rotating motor drives the connecting shaft to rotate, thereby driving the picking member 321 to rotate along a first plane parallel to the ground, so that the picking end of the picking member 321 can face any direction of the first plane, such as the first direction, the second direction and the third direction.

[0160] During assembly, the rotating member 322 may be directly fixed to the fixing frame 310 . For example, the rotating motor of the rotating member 322 is fixed to the fixing frame 310 , and is lifted and lowered along the column 110 under the drive of the fixing frame 310 .

[0161] In some examples, the pickup member 321 of the fork assembly 320 may be a multi-stage telescopic fork, that is, the length of the pickup member 321 may be extended or shortened. For example, when docking with a target cargo position on the left side of the lane is required, the multi-stage telescopic fork may be driven to extend in a first direction so that the telescopic fork extends to the target cargo position on the left shelf, and the target item on the telescopic fork is placed at the target cargo position, or the target item on the target cargo position is taken out, or the multi-stage telescopic fork may be driven to retract in a second direction so that the telescopic fork is separated from the target cargo position on the left side.

[0162] Correspondingly, when it is necessary to dock with the target cargo location on the right side of the aisle, the multi-stage telescopic fork can be driven to extend along the second direction to extend the telescopic fork to the target cargo location on the right shelf, and the target item on the telescopic fork can be placed at the target cargo location, or the target item on the target cargo location can be taken out, or the multi-stage telescopic fork can be driven to retract along the first direction to disengage the telescopic fork from the target cargo location on the right.

[0163] In addition, when it is necessary to dock with the target cargo location in front of the aisle, there is no need to drive the entire stacker forward. It is only necessary to drive the multi-stage telescopic fork to extend along the third direction so that the telescopic fork extends to the target cargo location of the shelf in front, and place the target item on the telescopic fork at the target cargo location, or take out the target item on the target cargo location, or drive the multi-stage telescopic fork to retract in the opposite direction of the third direction to make the telescopic fork detach from the target cargo location in front.

[0164] Continue to refer to Fig. 9 As shown, in some other examples, the fork assembly 320 may include a side shifting member 323 that can move relative to the fixing frame 310 , and the rotating member 322 is disposed on the side shifting member 323 to move driven by the side shifting member 323 .

[0165] Exemplarily, the side shifting member 323 can move along the first direction or the second direction, so that the rotating member 322 drives the picking member 321 to move along the first direction or the second direction.

[0166] For example, when the stacker needs to dock with the target cargo location on the left side of the aisle, it can first drive the picking piece 321 to rotate through the rotating piece 322 to make the picking end of the picking piece 321 face the first direction, and then drive the rotating piece 322 to move along the first direction to the left side of the fixed frame 310 through the side shifting piece 323, so that the picking piece 321 gradually extends to the target cargo location on the left and docks with the target cargo location on the left.

[0167] For another example, when the stacker needs to dock with the target cargo position on the right side of the alley, it can first drive the picking piece 321 to rotate through the rotating piece 322 to make the picking end of the picking piece 321 face the second direction, and then drive the rotating piece 322 to move along the second direction to the right side of the fixed frame 310 through the side shifting piece 323, so that the picking piece 321 gradually extends to the target cargo position on the right side and docks with the target cargo position on the right side.

[0168] For another example, when the stacker needs to dock with the target cargo location in front of the aisle, the rotating member 322 can first be used to drive the picking member 321 to rotate so that the picking end of the picking member 321 faces a third direction, such as the front of the stacker, and then the side shifting member 323 can be used to drive the rotating member 322 to move along the first direction or the second direction to the middle position of the fixed frame 310, and then the stacker can be controlled to move forward so that the picking member 321 gradually extends to the target cargo location in front and docks with the target cargo location.

[0169] Among them, the side shifting member 323 may include a side shifting drive motor and a fixed member. The fixed member is movably arranged on the fixed frame 310. The side shifting drive motor is connected to the fixed member to drive the fixed member to move along the fixed frame 310. The rotating member 322 carrying the picking member 321 is connected to the fixed member, so that the fixed member drives the rotating member 322 and the picking member 321 to move during the movement.

[0170] In some examples, the fixing member may be directly and movably disposed on the fixing frame 310 , for example, it may be slidably disposed in a slide groove, such as the second slide groove 3241 , of the fixing frame 310 through a fourth guide member 325 , such as a slider or a roller.

[0171] In some other examples, in order to improve the connection stability between the fork assembly 320 and the fixed frame 310, the fork assembly 320 may further include a mounting frame 324, the mounting frame 324 is fixedly connected to the fixed frame 310, a second slide groove 3241 is formed on the mounting frame 324, and the fixed member of the side shifting member 323 can move along the second slide groove 3241. For example, the fixed member is provided with a fourth guide member 325, and the fourth guide member 325 can move along the second slide groove 3241 when the fixed member moves relative to the mounting frame 324. Exemplarily, the fourth guide member 325 can be a slider, a roller, a ball, etc. For example, the roller can roll along the second slide groove 3241, so that the fixed member drives the rotating member 322 to move along the mounting frame 324, so as to drive the pickup member 321 to move.

[0172] Reference Figure 1As shown, in some implementations, when the fork assembly 320 is specifically arranged, it can be staggered with the chassis structure 200 in the lifting direction. For example, the fork assembly 320 is arranged on one side of the column structure 100, a part of the chassis structure 200 is located at the bottom of the column structure 100, and the other part is located on the other side of the column structure 100, that is, there is no structural shielding between the fork assembly 320 and the ground. In this way, compared with the chassis structure 200 below the fork assembly 320, the fork assembly 320 of the embodiment of the present application can be lowered to a lower picking height when it is descended along the column 110 under the drive of the lifting drive assembly 120, so that the fork assembly 320 can be docked with the target cargo position at a lower position on the shelf, thereby improving the space utilization of the shelf. In addition, the fork assembly 320 can also be applicable to more target items such as pallet types, thereby making the stacker more applicable.

[0173] The above specific implementation methods further explain in detail the purpose, technical solutions and beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present application. It should be understood that the above are only specific implementation methods of the embodiments of the present application and are not used to limit the protection scope of the embodiments of the present application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made on the basis of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application should be included in the protection scope of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A stacker, characterized in that: include: Column structure (100); A pick-and-place structure (300) is disposed on the column structure (100) and is movable along the column structure (100); A chassis structure (200) is arranged at the bottom of the column structure (100) to support the column structure (100); Wherein, the chassis structure (200) comprises a chassis body (210), a driving steering wheel (220) and at least two load wheels (230); The driving steering wheel (220) and the load wheel (230) are both arranged at the bottom of the chassis body (210); the driving steering wheel (220) is configured to drive the chassis body (210) to move straight and turn along the running platform; the load wheel (230) is configured to roll along the running platform driven by the chassis body (210); the driving steering wheel (220) and at least two load wheels (230) enclose a load-bearing area (211); the column structure (100) is located on the chassis body (210), and its projection on the chassis body (210) is located within the load-bearing area (211).

2. The stacker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The stacker also includes: A first guide member (130) is arranged on the top of the column structure (100); The first guide member (130) is configured to move along the guide track (400) at the top of the lane when the stacker carrying the target object is operating in the lane; the first guide member (130) is also configured to be idle when the unloaded stacker is operating outside the lane.

3. The stacker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The chassis structure (200) further comprises a navigation component (240) and a control system (250) arranged on the chassis body (210), and the control system (250) and the navigation component (240) are electrically connected; The control system (250) is configured to receive a task instruction and control the navigation component (240) to obtain environmental information to determine the position information of the stacker; The control system (250) is also configured to control the movement of the driving steering wheel (220) and / or the pick-and-place structure (300) based on the position information.

4. The stacker according to claim 3, characterized in that: The control system (250) comprises an on-board control system (251) and an electrical control system (252), and the on-board control system (251) is electrically connected to the navigation component (240) and the electrical control system (252) respectively; The onboard control system (251) is configured to receive a task instruction and control the navigation component (240) to obtain environmental information to determine the position information of the stacker; The vehicle-mounted control system (251) is also configured to send a control instruction to the electrical control system (252) based on the position information, and the electrical control system (252) controls the movement of the driving steering wheel (220) and / or the pick-and-place structure (300) based on the control instruction.

5. The stacker according to claim 3, characterized in that: The chassis structure (200) further comprises: An obstacle avoidance component (260), the obstacle avoidance component (260) being electrically connected to the control system (250); The obstacle avoidance component (260) is configured to detect obstacle information and send a detection signal to the control system (250); the control system (250) is configured to receive the detection signal and, when determining that the distance between the obstacle avoidance component (260) and the obstacle is less than or equal to a preset distance, control the driving steering wheel (220) to switch the direction of travel.

6. The stacker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The column structure (100) comprises a column (110) and a lifting drive assembly (120); the pick-and-place structure (300) is movably arranged on the column (110); the lifting drive assembly (120) is connected to the pick-and-place structure (300) and is configured to drive the pick-and-place structure (300) to move along the column (110); The chassis structure (200) further comprises a power battery (280), wherein the power battery (280) is electrically connected to at least the lifting drive assembly (120) and the driving steering wheel (220) to provide electrical energy to the lifting drive assembly (120) and the driving steering wheel (220).

7. The stacker according to claim 6, characterized in that: The lifting drive assembly (120) comprises: A lifting drive motor (121) electrically connected to the power battery (280); A reel (122) connected to the lifting drive motor (121) so as to rotate under the drive of the lifting drive motor (121); A supporting guide member (123) is arranged on the top of the column (110); A traction rope (124) is mounted on the support guide member (123), and one end of the traction rope (124) is wound around the reel (122), and the other end is connected to the pick-and-place structure (300). The traction rope (124) is configured to drive the pick-and-place structure (300) to rise and fall during the retraction and extension process of the reel (122).

8. The stacker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The chassis structure (200) further comprises a second guide member (270), wherein the second guide member (270) is arranged on a side wall of the chassis body (210); The second guide member (270) is configured to move the vehicles along both sides of the tunnel when the chassis structure (200) is running in the tunnel.

9. The stacker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pick-and-place structure (300) comprises: A fixed frame (310) movably disposed on the column structure (100) and capable of being raised and lowered along the column structure (100); A fork assembly (320) is arranged on the fixed frame (310), and a pickup member (321) of the fork assembly (320) is movable relative to the fixed frame (310) so as to be able to pick up and return goods at least along a first direction and a second direction.

10. The stacker according to claim 9, characterized in that: The fork assembly (320) comprises: The rotating member (322) is arranged on the fixed frame (310) and can rotate relative to the fixed frame (310) on a first plane. The picking-up member (321) is connected to the rotating member (322) so that the picking-up member (321) can also pick up and return goods along a third direction. The first direction, the second direction and the third direction are all located on the first plane.

11. The stacker according to claim 10, characterized in that: The fork assembly (320) further includes: A side shifting member (323) capable of moving relative to the fixing frame (310); The rotating member (322) is disposed on the side shifting member (323) so as to move under the drive of the side shifting member (323).

12. The stacker according to claim 9, characterized in that: A first slide groove (111) is formed on the column structure (100), and a third guide member (311) is provided on the fixed frame (310). The third guide member (311) is configured to move along the first slide groove (111) when the fixed frame (310) moves on the column structure (100).

13. The stacker according to claim 9, characterized in that: The fork assembly (320) is staggered with the chassis structure (200) in the lifting direction.

14. A storage system, characterized in that: comprising a carrier and a stacker as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13; A lane is formed on one side of the carrier, and the stacker moves in and outside the lane via the driving steering wheel (220), and when in the lane, the stacker docks with the carrier via the pick-and-place structure (300).

15. The storage system according to claim 14, characterized in that: The storage system also includes: A guide track (400) is arranged in the lane, and when the stacker moves in the lane, the first guide member (130) of the stacker moves along the guide track (400).

Images