Workstation and order picking system

Abstract

The utility model discloses a work station and a goods picking system. The work station comprises a packaging assembly, a caching assembly and a converging assembly. The temporary storage assembly comprises a temporary storage rack and a plurality of temporary storage hoppers, and the multiple temporary storage hoppers are installed on the temporary storage rack and used for receiving goods conveyed by the goods receiving mechanism. The number of the temporary storage hoppers is larger than or equal to that of the sorting hoppers of the goods taking mechanism. The converging assembly is movably connected to the temporary storage rack through the movable assembly and is configured to receive the goods in at least one temporary storage hopper in the multiple temporary storage hoppers and convey the at least one goods to the packaging assembly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of warehousing and logistics, and in particular to a workstation and a picking system including the workstation. Background Art

[0002] In order to improve space utilization, goods are usually stored on shelves. When picking up goods, the system controls the picking mechanism to take out the target goods from the shelf according to the order information and transfer them to the workstation for packaging. However, with the rapid development of warehousing and logistics technology, the number of orders is increasing, and the efficiency of the picking mechanism in the related technology to transfer the target goods to the workstation cannot meet the growing number of orders. Utility Model Content

[0003] The embodiments of the present application provide a workstation and a picking system to solve the problem of low efficiency of a picking mechanism in transferring target goods to a workstation in the related art.

[0004] The workstation of the embodiment of the present application includes:

[0005] Packaging components;

[0006] A cache assembly, comprising a cache rack and a plurality of cache hoppers, wherein the plurality of cache hoppers are mounted on the cache rack and are used to receive goods delivered by a pickup mechanism; wherein the number of the cache hoppers is greater than or equal to the number of sorting hoppers of the pickup mechanism;

[0007] The merging component is movably connected to the cache rack through a movable component, and is configured to receive goods in at least one of the multiple cache hoppers and transport at least one of the goods to the packaging component.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present application, the movable component includes a third slide rail and a third slider, the third slide rail is connected to the cache rack, and the third slider is movably connected to the third slide rail;

[0009] The confluence assembly is connected to the third slider.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present application, the length direction of the third slide rail is parallel to the height direction of the cache rack.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present application, the cache rack includes two frames arranged at intervals along the length direction of the cache rack, each of the frames is connected to a plurality of cache hoppers arranged at intervals along the height direction of the cache rack; the number of the plurality of cache hoppers connected to the same frame is greater than or equal to the number of the sorting hoppers;

[0012] Along the height direction of the cache rack, the confluence assembly is movably located between the two frames.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present application, each of the frames includes two second longitudinal beams, and a plurality of guide members arranged at intervals along the height direction of the cache rack are connected between the two second longitudinal beams. The plurality of guide members respectively correspond to the plurality of cache hoppers in the frame, and each of the guide members has a guide slope for guiding the goods to slide from the picking mechanism into the cache hopper.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present application, the cache hopper includes a hopper body and a first cover assembly, the hopper body is connected to the cache frame and has a second outlet; the first cover assembly is connected to the hopper body and is used to close or open the second outlet.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present application, the first cover assembly includes:

[0016] A first cover plate, rotatably connected to the hopper body, for opening or closing the second outlet;

[0017] A first connecting rod, one end of which is hinged to a side edge of the first cover plate;

[0018] A second connecting rod, one end of which is hinged to the other end of the first connecting rod; and

[0019] The third motor is connected to the hopper body, and the output shaft of the third motor is connected to the other end of the second connecting rod.

[0020] According to some embodiments of the present application, the confluence component includes:

[0021] a confluence hopper, movably connected to the buffer rack via the movable assembly and having a third outlet; and

[0022] The second cover assembly is connected to the confluence hopper and is used to close or open the third outlet.

[0023] According to some embodiments of the present application, the second cover assembly includes:

[0024] A second cover plate, rotatably connected to the confluence hopper, for opening or closing the third outlet;

[0025] A third connecting rod, one end of which is hinged to the side of the second cover plate;

[0026] a fourth connecting rod, one end of which is hinged to the other end of the third connecting rod; and

[0027] The fourth motor is connected to the confluence hopper, and the output shaft of the fourth motor is connected to the other end of the fourth connecting rod.

[0028] According to some embodiments of the present application, the packaging component includes:

[0029] A packing machine, used for packing the goods;

[0030] The buffer table is configured to buffer the goods transported by the merging assembly and transport the goods to the packaging machine.

[0031] According to some embodiments of the present application, an exception handling component is also included;

[0032] The merging component is further configured to transport abnormal cargo to the abnormal handling component.

[0033] The picking system of the embodiment of the present application includes any of the workstations described above.

[0034] According to some embodiments of the present application, the picking system further includes a picking mechanism configured to deliver goods to a plurality of buffer hoppers of the workstation; the picking mechanism includes:

[0035] Pick-up machines; and

[0036] The sorting component comprises a plurality of sorting hoppers, wherein the number of the buffer hoppers is greater than or equal to the number of the sorting hoppers; wherein the picker is configured to take out the goods on the shelf and transport the goods to any one of the plurality of sorting hoppers.

[0037] One embodiment of the above application has at least the following advantages or beneficial effects:

[0038] The workstation of the embodiment of the present application includes a cache component and a merging component. The cache component can be used to temporarily store the goods delivered by the picking mechanism. The merging component can deliver the goods delivered by the cache component to the packaging component. When the merging component processes the goods, the picking mechanism can perform the next picking action without waiting on the spot. This can significantly improve the picking efficiency of the picking mechanism and effectively enhance the ability of the workstation to process orders. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] Figure 1 What is shown is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the picking system according to an embodiment of the present application from one viewing angle.

[0040] Figure 2 What is shown is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the picking system according to an embodiment of the present application from another viewing angle.

[0041] Figure 3 What is shown is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the pickup mechanism of an embodiment of the present application.

[0042] Figure 4 Shown is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a sorting component according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0043] Figure 5 The schematic diagram shown is that the triggering member of the sorting assembly is located between the abutting member and the pressing member of the workstation.

[0044] Figure 6 What is shown is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a workstation according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0045] Figure 7 Shown is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a cache component according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0046] Figure 8 Shown is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a cache hopper according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0047] Fig. 9 Shown is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a confluence hopper according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0048] Fig.10 What is shown is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the picker according to an embodiment of the present application applied to a shelf.

[0049] Fig.11 What is shown is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the cargo picker according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0050] Fig.12 Shown is a partial schematic diagram of the pickup component of an embodiment of the present application.

[0051] Fig.13 Shown is a partial schematic diagram of the pickup component of an embodiment of the present application from another perspective.

[0052] Fig.14 Shown is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a guide member according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0053] Fig.15 The shown is omitted Fig.13 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the guide member in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0054] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, example embodiments can be implemented in a variety of forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this application will be comprehensive and complete and fully convey the concepts of the example embodiments to those skilled in the art. The same reference numerals in the figures represent the same or similar structures, and thus their detailed description will be omitted.

[0055] It is understood that the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in the embodiments of the present application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units that are not listed, or may optionally include other steps or components that are inherent to these processes, methods, products, or devices.

[0056] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the picking system of the embodiment of the present application includes a picking mechanism 300, a walking mechanism 400 and a workstation 500. The picking mechanism 300 is connected to the walking mechanism 400 in a liftable manner along a first direction D11. Among them, in the embodiment of the present application, the first direction D11 is a vertical direction. The workstation 500 is arranged on the ground and is used to pack the sorted goods. The walking mechanism 400 is movably arranged on the ground and moves along a third direction D33 between a position close to the workstation 500 and a position away from the workstation 500.

[0057] When picking up goods, the walking mechanism 400 drives the picking mechanism 300 to move along the third direction D33 to the vicinity of the shelf, and the picking mechanism 300 rises and falls along the first direction D11 to ensure that the picking mechanism 300 is aligned with the goods to be picked up. After the picking mechanism 300 takes the goods from the shelf and places them in the picking mechanism 300, the walking mechanism 400 drives the picking mechanism 300 to move to the vicinity of the workstation 500 again, so that the picking mechanism 300 delivers the goods to the workstation 500.

[0058] The walking mechanism 400 includes a column 410. It should be noted that, in order to simplify the diagram, Figure 1 and Figure 2 Only part of the upright column 410 of the traveling mechanism 400 is shown, and other structures are omitted. For other structures of the traveling mechanism 400, reference can be made to mature products in the prior art, and this application will not repeat them.

[0059] like Figure 3 As shown, the picking mechanism 300 of the embodiment of the present application includes a lifting frame 310, a picker 100 and a sorting assembly 320. The lifting frame 310 is connected to the column 410 of the walking mechanism 400 in a liftable manner along the first direction D11. The axial direction of the column 410 is parallel to the first direction D11. The picker 100 is movably connected to the lifting frame 310 through a moving assembly 330; the sorting assembly 320 is connected to the lifting frame 310 and includes a plurality of sorting hoppers 321; the picker 100 is configured to take out the goods on the shelf and transport the goods to any one of the plurality of sorting hoppers 321.

[0060] When the picking mechanism 300 of the embodiment of the present application is picking up goods, after the picking device 100 picks up the first target goods, it transfers the goods to one of the sorting hoppers 321, and then the picking device 100 continues to pick up the second target goods. If the second target goods are very close to the first target goods, the picking device 100 only needs to be driven to move relative to the lifting frame 310 to pick up the second target goods, without driving the walking mechanism 400 to move and / or driving the lifting frame 310 to rise and fall, and then the second target goods are transferred to one of the remaining empty sorting hoppers 321. When all the sorting hoppers 321 are loaded with goods, the walking mechanism 400 is driven back to transfer all the goods in the picking mechanism 300 to the workstation 500.

[0061] It can be seen that in the picking mechanism 300 of the embodiment of the present application, the picker 100 is movably connected to the lifting frame 310 through the moving component 330, and the sorting component 320 includes a plurality of sorting hoppers 321 for accommodating goods. Through a slight movement of the picker 100 relative to the lifting frame 310, the picker 100 can take out a plurality of goods and load them into the plurality of sorting hoppers 321 respectively, thereby significantly improving the picking efficiency of the picking mechanism 300.

[0062] like Figure 3 As shown, the moving assembly 330 includes a first moving unit 330a and a second moving unit 330b. The first moving unit 330a is used to drive the picker 100 to move along the first direction D11. The second moving unit 330b is used to drive the picker 100 to move along the second direction D22. The first direction D11, the second direction D22 and the third direction D33 are perpendicular to each other; and a plurality of sorting hoppers 321 are arranged side by side along the first direction D11 or the second direction D22.

[0063] As an example, the first moving unit 330a and the second moving unit 330b are linear slides. For example, the first moving unit 330a includes a first slide rail 331 and a first slider 332. The first slide rail 331 is connected to the lifting frame 310, and the length direction of the first slide rail 331 is parallel to the first direction D11. The first slider 332 is movably connected to the first slide rail 331 along the first direction D11.

[0064] The second moving unit 330b includes a second slide rail 333 and a second slider 334. The second slide rail 333 is connected to the first slider 332, and the length direction of the second slide rail 333 is parallel to the second direction D22. The second slider 334 is movably connected to the second slide rail 333 along the second direction D22; the picker 100 is connected to the second slider 334.

[0065] Of course, in other embodiments, the first moving unit 330a and the second moving unit 330b may also be other linear drive mechanisms, which will not be described in detail here.

[0066] In addition, the moving path of the picker 100 relative to the lifting frame 310 through the moving component 330 may not be a straight line, for example, it may also be an arc, as long as the picker 100 can pick up different target goods by moving relative to the lifting frame 310.

[0067] like Figure 3 As shown, the lifting frame 310 includes two first longitudinal beams 311 arranged at intervals along the second direction D22, and multiple sorting hoppers 321 are connected to the two first longitudinal beams 311 and arranged side by side along the first direction D11; wherein the area between the two first longitudinal beams 311 is divided into multiple first windows 311a by the multiple sorting hoppers 321, and the multiple first windows 311a correspond to the multiple sorting hoppers 321 respectively.

[0068] For example, after the picker 100 picks up the first target cargo, through the coordinated movement of the first mobile unit 330a and the second mobile unit 330b, the picker 100 can be aligned with one of the first windows 311a, so that the first target cargo in the picker 100 passes through the first window 311a and slides into one of the sorting hoppers 321.

[0069] like Figure 4 As shown, each sorting hopper 321 has a first outlet 321a for goods to slide out; the sorting component 320 also includes a shielding member 322, which is movably connected to the lifting frame 310 between a first position and a second position, and the shielding member 322 has a plurality of second windows 322a; when the shielding member 322 is located at the first position, the shielding member 322 simultaneously closes the plurality of first outlets 321a; when the shielding member 322 is located at the second position, the plurality of second windows 322a are respectively connected to the plurality of first outlets 321a.

[0070] During the picking process of the picker 100, the shielding member 322 is located at the first position, so that the shielding member 322 closes the multiple first outlets 321a of the multiple sorting hoppers 321 to prevent the goods from slipping out of the first outlets 321a of the sorting hoppers 321. After the picker 100 finishes picking up the goods and the walking mechanism 400 drives the picking mechanism 300 to return to the workstation 500, the shielding member 322 is located at the second position, and the goods in each sorting hopper 321 automatically slide to the workstation 500 through the second window 322a corresponding to the sorting hopper 321.

[0071] As an example, the shielding member 322 is movably connected to the lifting frame 310 along the lifting direction (first direction D11) of the lifting frame 310. Since the first direction D11 is a vertical direction, the shielding member 322 can move from the second position to the first position by its own gravity.

[0072] The sorting assembly 320 further includes an elastic member 323 connected to the lifting frame 310 and the shielding member 322, and used to provide an elastic force for the shielding member 322 to move toward the first position. By providing the elastic member 323, it is ensured that the shielding member 322 remains in the first position during the picking process of the picking mechanism 300, and the goods in the sorting assembly 320 are prevented from slipping due to the shielding member 322 accidentally opening the first outlet 321a of the sorting hopper 321.

[0073] In one embodiment, the elastic member 323 may be a tension spring, but is not limited thereto.

[0074] like Figure 5 As shown, the top of the shielding member 322 has a trigger member 322b. The workstation 500 has a resisting member 501, and the orthographic projections of the resisting member 501 and the trigger member 322b on a target plane have overlapping first projections. The target plane is perpendicular to the lifting direction (first direction D11) of the lifting frame 310. When the lifting frame 310 descends, the resisting member 501 is used to resist the trigger member 322b, so that the shielding member 322 moves from the first position to the second position.

[0075] In the embodiment of the present application, when the walking mechanism 400 drives the picking mechanism 300 to move to the vicinity of the workstation 500, the trigger member 322b is located above the abutting member 501. The orthographic projections of the abutting member 501 and the trigger member 322b on a target plane have overlapping first projections. When the lifting frame 310 drives the picking mechanism 300 to descend, the abutting member 501 abuts against the trigger member 322b, so that the shielding member 322 moves from the first position to the second position. It can be seen that by setting the abutting member 501 and the trigger member 322b, when the lifting frame 310 descends, the shielding member 322 can automatically open the first outlet 321a of the sorting hopper 321, thereby allowing the goods in the sorting hopper 321 to slide to the workstation 500.

[0076] like Figure 5 As shown, the workstation 500 further has a pressing member 502. The orthographic projections of the pressing member 502 and the trigger member 322b on the target plane have overlapping second projections. When the lifting frame 310 rises, the pressing member 502 is used to stop the trigger member 322b.

[0077] After all the goods in the sorting hopper 321 slide into the workstation 500, the walking mechanism 400 will drive the picking mechanism 300 to perform the next picking action. Under normal circumstances, after the trigger member 322b leaves the abutting member 501, the shielding member 322 will move from the second position to the first position under the action of its own gravity and / or the elastic force of the elastic member 323. However, under abnormal circumstances, such as when the shielding member 322 does not slide smoothly relative to the lifting frame 310, the shielding member 322 is prone to get stuck and cannot move to the first position under the action of gravity and / or elastic force, resulting in the first outlet 321a of the sorting hopper 321 still being in an open state. At this time, if a picking action is performed, the goods will slide out of the first outlet 321a of the sorting hopper 321.

[0078] In the embodiment of the present application, by providing the pressing member 502 , it is possible to avoid the blocking member 322 being unable to return to the first position due to an abnormal situation, thereby ensuring that the next picking action is carried out normally.

[0079] like Figure 5 As shown, the pressing member 502 and the abutting member 501 are arranged opposite to each other in the first direction D11, and the orthographic projections of the pressing member 502 and the abutting member 501 on the target plane have overlapping third projections.

[0080] It should be noted that, in the first direction D11, at least part of the trigger member 322b is located between the pressing member 502 and the abutting member 501. In order to ensure the normal lifting of the lifting frame 310 and avoid the interference of the pressing member 502, the movement of the walking mechanism 400 and the lifting frame 310 is carried out in stages:

[0081] In the process of returning to the workstation 500, the walking mechanism 400 drives the picking mechanism 300 to move to the third position. When the picking mechanism 300 is in the third position, the trigger member 322b is located outside the space surrounded by the abutting member 501 and the pressing member 502, that is, the orthographic projections of the trigger member 322b and the abutting member 501 on the target plane do not overlap. Afterwards, the walking mechanism 400 translates along the third direction D33 to move the picking mechanism 300 to the fourth position. When the picking mechanism 300 is in the fourth position, at least part of the trigger member 322b is located between the abutting member 501 and the pressing member 502; finally, the lifting frame 310 drives the picking mechanism 300 to descend and move to the fifth position. In the process of the picking mechanism 300 moving from the fourth position to the fifth position, the abutting member 501 abuts against the trigger member 322b to move the shielding member 322 from the first position to the second position.

[0082] In the process of leaving the workstation 500 to pick up the goods, the picking mechanism 300 moves from the fifth position to the fourth position. If the shielding member 322 is not stuck due to an abnormal situation, the shielding member 322 will automatically reset to the first position, and then the walking mechanism 400 will translate along the third direction D33 to move the trigger member 322b out of the space surrounded by the abutting member 501 and the pressing member 502. If the shielding member 322 is stuck at a certain position of the lifting frame 310 due to an abnormal situation, the pressing member 502 will press the trigger member 322b during the process of the picking mechanism 300 moving from the fifth position to the fourth position, so that the shielding member 322 is reset to the first position under the action of the pressing force, so as to avoid the first outlet 321a of the sorting hopper 321 being still in the open state. Then the walking mechanism 400 will translate along the third direction D33 to move the trigger member 322b out of the space surrounded by the abutting member 501 and the pressing member 502.

[0083] like Figure 6 As shown, the workstation 500 of the embodiment of the present application includes a packaging component 530, an exception handling component 540, a cache component 510 and a confluence component 520. The cache component 510 includes a cache rack 511 and a plurality of cache hoppers 512, and the plurality of cache hoppers 512 are installed on the cache rack 511 for receiving the goods delivered by the pickup mechanism 300. The number of cache hoppers 512 is greater than or equal to the number of sorting hoppers 321. The confluence component 520 is movably connected to the cache rack 511 through a movable component 550, and is configured to receive the goods in at least one cache hopper 512 of the plurality of cache hoppers 512, and deliver at least one of the goods to the packaging component 530, and deliver the abnormal goods to the exception handling component 540.

[0084] Among them, abnormal goods refer to goods that are taken by mistake by the pickup mechanism 300, or one or more goods corresponding to an order returned by a customer.

[0085] The abnormality handling component 540 is used to handle abnormal goods. For example, in one embodiment, the abnormality handling component 540 can be a slideway, and the slideway can transport the abnormal goods to a designated location.

[0086] Of course, in other embodiments, the exception handling component 540 may also be a device for collecting abnormal goods.

[0087] In the embodiment of the present application, after the picking mechanism 300 takes out the goods from the shelf, the walking mechanism 400 drives the picking mechanism 300 to move to the vicinity of the workstation 500, and all the goods in the multiple sorting hoppers 321 of the picking mechanism 300 are transferred to the multiple buffer hoppers 512 of the buffer component 510. Afterwards, depending on whether the goods are abnormal, the merging component 520 transports the goods to the packaging component 530 or the abnormality handling component 540. At this time, since the goods in the sorting hopper 321 of the picking mechanism 300 have been transferred, the walking mechanism 400 can drive the picking mechanism 300 to return to the shelf for the next picking action, without waiting for the merging component 520 to complete the goods transfer and then return to the shelf to perform the next picking action.

[0088] It can be seen that the workstation 500 of the embodiment of the present application includes a cache component 510 and a merging component 520. The cache component 510 can be used to temporarily store the goods delivered by the pickup mechanism 300. The merging component 520 can deliver the goods delivered by the cache component 510 to the packaging component 530 or the exception handling component 540. When the merging component 520 transfers the goods, the pickup mechanism 300 can perform the next pickup action without waiting on the spot. This can significantly improve the pickup efficiency and effectively enhance the ability of the workstation 500 to process orders.

[0089] like Figure 6 and Fig. 9 As shown, as an example, the movable component 550 can be a linear slide. For example, the movable component 550 includes a third slide rail 551 and a third slider 552. The third slide rail 551 is connected to the cache rack 511, and the length direction of the third slide rail 551 is parallel to the height direction (first direction D11) of the cache rack 511. The third slider 552 is movably connected to the third slide rail 551, and the confluence component 520 is connected to the third slider 552.

[0090] Of course, in other embodiments, the movable component 550 may also be other linear drive mechanisms, which will not be described in detail here.

[0091] In addition, the moving path of the merging component 520 relative to the cache rack 511 through the movable component 550 may not be a straight line, for example, it may be an arc, as long as the target goods in different cache hoppers 512 can be picked up by moving the merging component 520 relative to the cache rack 511.

[0092] like Figure 6As shown, the cache rack 511 includes two frames 5111 spaced apart along the length direction (third direction D33) of the cache rack 511, and each frame 5111 is connected to a plurality of cache hoppers 512 spaced apart along the height direction (first direction D11) of the cache rack 511; the number of cache hoppers 512 connected to the same frame 5111 is greater than or equal to the number of sorting hoppers 321. Along the height direction (first direction D11) of the cache rack 511, the confluence assembly 520 is movably located between the two frames 5111.

[0093] It should be noted that in order to simplify the view, Figure 1 Only one of the two frames 5111 in the workstation 500 corresponds to a pickup mechanism 300, while the other frame 5111 does not correspond to a pickup mechanism 300. In fact, both frames 5111 in the present application may correspond to a pickup mechanism 300. That is to say, the two frames 5111 of the workstation 500 correspond to two sets of pickup mechanisms 300 and walking mechanisms 400, respectively, and the pickup mechanisms 300 are connected to the corresponding walking mechanisms 400 in a liftable manner. Along the third direction D33, the two walking mechanisms 400 can move in a direction approaching or moving away from each other. The two walking mechanisms 400 can respectively drive the two pickup mechanisms 300 to pick up goods on two shelves located at different positions.

[0094] In an embodiment of the present application, a frame 5111 is provided on both sides of the merging component 520 along the third direction D33, and each frame 5111 is provided with multiple cache hoppers 512. In this way, the merging component 520 can receive goods from the cache hoppers 512 located on different frames 5111, and transport the goods to the packaging component 530 for packaging.

[0095] For example, two goods corresponding to an order are located on different shelves. In this case, two walking mechanisms 400 are required to drive two picking mechanisms 300 to take out the two goods and transfer them to the cache hoppers 512 on the two frames 5111 respectively.

[0096] In the embodiment of the present application, each frame 5111 is provided with three buffer hoppers 512. For the sake of convenience, the three buffer hoppers 512 provided on one frame 5111 are numbered 1, 2 and 3, respectively, and the three buffer hoppers 512 provided on the other frame 5111 are numbered 4, 5 and 6. If two goods corresponding to an order are transferred to 1 and 6 respectively by two pickup mechanisms 300, the goods in 1 and 6 can be received in sequence by the merging component 520, and after merging, the two goods are simultaneously transported to the packaging component 530 for packaging.

[0097] like Figure 6As shown, the packing assembly 530 includes a packing machine 531 and a buffering platform 532. The packing machine 531 is used to pack goods; the buffering platform 532 is configured to buffer the goods transported by the merging assembly 520 and transport the goods to the packing machine 531.

[0098] In the embodiment of the present application, the buffer platform 532 can buffer the goods to prevent the baler 531 from being damaged due to excessive momentum when the goods slide out of the merging assembly 520 .

[0099] In one embodiment, the buffer platform 532 may be a conveyor belt assembly, a conveyor roller assembly, etc., which is not particularly limited in the present application.

[0100] like Figure 7 As shown, each frame 5111 includes two second longitudinal beams 5111a arranged at intervals, and a plurality of guides 5112 arranged at intervals along the height direction (first direction D11) of the cache rack 511 are connected between the two second longitudinal beams 5111a. The plurality of guides 5112 correspond to the plurality of cache hoppers 512 in the frame 5111, respectively. Each guide 5112 has a guide slope 5112a for guiding the goods to slide from the picking mechanism 300 into the cache hopper 512. The plurality of sorting hoppers 321 of the picking mechanism 300 can correspond to the plurality of guides 5112 provided on a frame 5111, respectively, so that the goods can slide from the sorting hopper 321 into the cache hopper 512 with the help of the guides 5112.

[0101] In one embodiment, a top portion of each frame 5111 is provided with a resisting member 501 and a pressing member 502 .

[0102] like Figure 8 As shown, the cache hopper 512 includes a hopper body 5121 and a first cover assembly 5122. The hopper body 5121 is connected to the cache frame 511 and has a second outlet 5121a. The first cover assembly 5122 is connected to the hopper body 5121 and is used to close or open the second outlet 5121a. When the first cover assembly 5122 is in a closed state, it can be used to prevent the goods in the hopper body 5121 from sliding out of the second outlet 5121a.

[0103] As an example, the first cover assembly 5122 includes a first cover plate 5122a, a first connecting rod 5122b, a second connecting rod 5122c and a third motor 5122d. The first cover plate 5122a is rotatably connected to the hopper body 5121 for opening or closing the second outlet 5121a; one end of the first connecting rod 5122b is hinged to the side of the first cover plate 5122a; one end of the second connecting rod 5122c is hinged to the other end of the first connecting rod 5122b; the third motor 5122d is connected to the hopper body 5121, and the output shaft of the third motor 5122d is connected to the other end of the second connecting rod 5122c.

[0104] like Fig. 9 As shown, the confluence assembly 520 includes a confluence hopper 521 and a second cover assembly 522. The confluence hopper 521 is movably connected to the buffer frame 511 through a movable assembly 550 and has a third outlet 5211. The second cover assembly 522 is connected to the confluence hopper 521 and is used to close or open the third outlet 5211. When the second cover assembly 522 is in a closed state, the goods in the confluence hopper 521 can be prevented from slipping out of the third outlet 5211.

[0105] As an example, the second cover assembly 522 includes a second cover plate 5221, a third connecting rod 5222, a fourth connecting rod 5223 and a fourth motor 5224. The second cover plate 5221 is rotatably connected to the confluence hopper 521 for opening or closing the third outlet 5211; one end of the third connecting rod 5222 is hinged to the side of the second cover plate 5221; one end of the fourth connecting rod 5223 is hinged to the other end of the third connecting rod 5222; the fourth motor 5224 is connected to the confluence hopper 521, and the output shaft of the fourth motor 5224 is connected to the other end of the fourth connecting rod 5223.

[0106] like Fig.10 As shown, the picker 100 of the embodiment of the present application can take the goods placed on the shelf 200 from the shelf 200. The picker 100 of the embodiment of the present application includes a frame 120, a pick-up hopper 130 and a pick-up assembly 110. The pick-up hopper 130 is installed on the frame 120, and the pick-up assembly 110 is connected to the frame 120. The pick-up assembly 110 is used to guide the goods to slide into the pick-up hopper 130.

[0107] The shelf 200 includes a plurality of cargo pallets 210 arranged at intervals, each cargo pallet 210 being arranged at an angle, and the cargo pallets 210 are used to support goods. A baffle 230 is provided at the end of each cargo pallet 210, and the baffle 230 is used to prevent the goods from sliding off the cargo pallet 210 due to their own gravity. A notch 211 is also provided at the end of each cargo pallet 210, and two adjacent notches 211 in adjacent cargo pallets 210 form a notch 212. A partition 220 is also provided on each cargo pallet 210, and two adjacent partitions 220 in adjacent cargo pallets 210 form a storage space, and the storage space is used to store a plurality of goods arranged side by side along the inclination direction of the cargo pallet 210. Under the action of gravity, two adjacent goods lean against each other, and the goods located at the bottom of the plurality of goods lean against the baffle 230.

[0108] When the picker 100 picks up goods, the picking component 110 moves to the bottom of the cargo plate 210, and moves from bottom to top through the notch 212, so that the picking component 110 picks up the goods at the bottom of the multiple goods, and makes the goods flip over the baffle 230 and slide to the picking component 110, and then slide through the picking component 110 into the picking hopper 130.

[0109] like Fig.11 As shown, the frame 120 includes a first crossbeam 121, two second crossbeams 122, two third longitudinal beams 123 and a back plate 124. The length direction of the first crossbeam 121 is parallel to the left-right direction D1 (the direction indicated by the arrow is left, and the reverse direction is right), the length direction of the second crossbeam 122 is parallel to the front-back direction D2 (the direction indicated by the arrow is front, and the reverse direction is rear), and the length direction of the third longitudinal beam 123 is parallel to the up-down direction D3 (the direction indicated by the arrow is up, and the reverse direction is down). The two ends of the first crossbeam 121 along the left-right direction D1 are respectively connected to the front ends of the two second crossbeams 122, and the lower ends of the two third longitudinal beams 123 are respectively connected to the rear ends of the two second crossbeams 122. The back plate 124 is connected to the two third longitudinal beams 123 and is located at the rear side of the two third longitudinal beams 123. Among them, the left-right direction D1, the front-back direction D2, and the up-down direction D3 are perpendicular to each other.

[0110] The frame 120 further includes two support beams 125 . The length direction of each support beam 125 is parallel to the up-down direction D3 , and the two support beams 125 are respectively connected to the two second cross beams 122 .

[0111] Among them, the cargo picker 100 of the embodiment of the present application includes two cargo pick-up components 110, the two cargo pick-up components 110 are relatively arranged along the left-right direction D1, and are respectively connected to two support beams 125, and the two cargo pick-up components 110 are also connected to the back panel 124.

[0112] The picking hopper 130 is located in a space enclosed by the first cross beam 121 and the two second cross beams 122 , and the picking hopper 130 is connected to the two picking assemblies 110 .

[0113] Of course, in other embodiments, the number of the picking assembly 110 can also be one, three or other numbers. The picking hopper 130 can be connected to the first crossbeam 121 and the second crossbeam 122 .

[0114] like Fig.11 As shown, the cargo hopper 130 has a fourth outlet 131 for cargo to slide out. The cargo picker 100 further includes an opening and closing assembly 140, which is used to open or close the fourth outlet 131.

[0115] As an example, the opening and closing assembly 140 includes a driving mechanism 141 and a door component 142, the door component 142 is movable between a first position closing the fourth outlet 131 and a second position opening the fourth outlet 131, and the driving mechanism 141 is connected to the pickup hopper 130 and is connected to the door component 142 to drive the door component 142 to move. It can be understood that by setting the opening and closing assembly 140, it is possible to control when the goods in the pickup hopper 130 slide out of the pickup hopper 130.

[0116] It is understandable that the driving mechanism 141 can be a motor (defined as a second motor), an electric push rod, etc., and this application does not limit this.

[0117] like Fig.12 and Fig.13 As shown, the pickup assembly 110 of the embodiment of the present application includes a ramp 111, a guide member 112, a rotating unit 113 and a first motor 114. The ramp 111 has an edge 1111. The guide member 112 is connected to the ramp 111, and at least part of the guide member 112 extends out of the edge 1111; the rotating unit 113 is rotatably connected to the part of the guide member 112 extending out of the edge 1111, and is used to generate friction with the goods, so as to drive the goods to pass through the guide member 112 and slide into the ramp 111; the first motor 114 is connected to the rotating unit 113, and is used to drive the rotating unit 113 to rotate.

[0118] like Fig.10 As shown, when the picking component 110 of the embodiment of the present application picks up goods, the guide member 112 and at least part of the rotating unit 113 pass through the notch 212 from bottom to top, and the first motor 114 drives the rotating unit 113 to rotate, and utilizes the friction between the rotating unit 113 and the goods to drive the goods through the guide member 112 and slide into the slope 111.

[0119] It can be seen that the pickup assembly 110 of the embodiment of the present application can take out the goods by rotating the rotating unit 113 and utilizing the friction force generated between the rotating unit 113 and the goods, and its pickup efficiency is significantly improved. In addition, when the goods slide into the pickup assembly 110, they are not only affected by the gravity of the goods themselves, but also by the friction force, which significantly improves the success rate of the goods sliding into the pickup assembly 110.

[0120] The slope 111 has a target angle relative to the horizontal plane, that is, the slope 111 is inclined. The slope 111 has a bottom plate 1115 and two side plates 1116. The bottom plate 1115 is connected to the two side plates 1116 on both sides along the front-to-back direction D2. The side plates 1116 can prevent the goods on the slope 111 from sliding off the side of the slope 111. The bottom plate 1115 of the slope 111 has the edge 1111.

[0121] Please continue reading Fig.12 and Fig.13 , the rotating unit 113 includes two rotating members 1131 and an annular member 1132. For the convenience of explanation, the two rotating members 1131 are respectively defined as a first rotating member 1131a and a second rotating member 1131b. The first rotating member 1131a is connected to the output shaft of the first motor 114, and the second rotating member 1131b is rotatably connected to the portion of the guide member 112 extending from the edge 1111. The annular member 1132 is arranged around the outer circumference of the two rotating members 1131, and the outer side surface of the annular member 1132 is used to generate friction with the goods. When the first motor 114 is working, it drives the first rotating member 1131a to rotate, and the first rotating member 1131a drives the annular member 1132 to rotate, and then drives the second rotating member 1131b to follow. During the rotation of the annular member 1132, the outer surface of the annular member 1132 can generate friction with the goods, and then use the friction to drag the goods from the shelf 200 into the slope 111.

[0122] As an example, the inner side of the annular member 1132 has a first tooth structure, and the outer side of each rotating member 1131 has a second tooth structure, and the first tooth structure meshes with the second tooth structure. That is, in the embodiment of the present application, the rotating unit 113 is a synchronous belt structure. When the rotating unit 113 is a synchronous belt structure, the first rotating member 1131a is a synchronous wheel, the second rotating member 1131b is a driven wheel, and the annular member 1132 is a synchronous belt.

[0123] Of course, the rotating unit 113 is not limited to the synchronous belt structure. For example, in other embodiments, the rotating unit 113 includes a friction wheel and a motor. The friction wheel is rotatably connected to the portion of the guide member 112 extending from the edge 1111. The motor is connected to the friction wheel to drive the friction wheel to rotate so that the friction wheel generates friction with the cargo, thereby driving the cargo to pass through the guide member 112 and slide into the ramp 111.

[0124] Continue reading Fig.12 and Fig.13 The bottom plate 1115 of the ramp 111 also has a slope 1112 for guiding the sliding of goods and a back side 1114 disposed opposite to the slope 1112. One side of the slope 1112 is an edge 1111, and the guide member 112 is attached to the slope 1112. The first rotating member 1131a and the first motor 114 are both located on the side where the back side 1114 is located, and at least part of the second rotating member 1131b is higher than the slope 1112. In one embodiment, the first motor 114 is fixedly connected to the bottom plate 1115 of the ramp 111. In other embodiments, the first motor 114 can also be fixedly connected to the frame 120. The first motor 114 is located on the side where the back side 1114 of the ramp 111 is located, and will not affect the sliding of goods on the slope 1112.

[0125] like Fig.13 and Fig.14 As shown, the guide member 112 includes a connecting portion 1121 and a pair of cantilevers 1122. The connecting portion 1121 is connected to the slope 111 and fits the slope surface 1112. The pair of cantilevers 1122 is connected to the connecting portion 1121 and at least partially extends out of the edge 1111; wherein at least a portion of the rotating unit 113 is rotatably connected between the pair of cantilevers 1122.

[0126] In the embodiment of the present application, the second rotating member 1131b is rotatably connected between the pair of cantilevers 1122, and at least a portion of the annular member 1132 is located between the pair of cantilevers 1122. By rotatably arranging the second rotating member 1131b between the pair of cantilevers 1122, the stability of the rotation of the second rotating member 1131b can be improved, thereby improving the stability of the rotation of the annular member 1132, and achieving the effect of stably taking out the goods.

[0127] It can be understood that the connecting portion 1121 and the slope 111 can be a separate structure or an integrated structure.

[0128] A reinforcing portion 1124 is provided at one end of the cantilever 1122 connected to the connecting portion 1121. The reinforcing portion 1124 and the connecting portion 1121 are respectively located on both sides of the thickness direction of the slope 111, and a slot 1125 for inserting the slope 111 is formed between the reinforcing portion 1124 and the connecting portion 1121. In detail, the connecting portion 1121 is located on the side where the slope surface 1112 of the bottom plate 1115 of the slope 111 is located, and the reinforcing portion 1124 is located on the side where the back surface 1114 of the bottom plate 1115 is located. When the guide member 112 is assembled with the slope 111, the side where the edge 1111 of the slope 111 is located is inserted into the slot 1125 formed by the reinforcing portion 1124 and the connecting portion 1121.

[0129] When the goods slide onto the guide member 112, since the cantilever 1122 of the guide member 112 is suspended in the air, the cantilever 1122 may bend downward under the weight of the goods. In the embodiment of the present application, by providing the reinforcing portion 1124, the overall structural strength of the guide member 112 can be improved. When the cantilever 1122 has a tendency to bend downward, the reinforcing portion 1124 can abut against the bottom plate 1115 of the slope 111 to maintain the stability of the guide member 112.

[0130] like Fig.13 and Fig.14 As shown, a stopper 1123 is provided at one end of each cantilever 1122 away from the connecting portion 1121 . The stopper 1123 protrudes from the cantilever 1122 along the thickness direction of the connecting portion 1121 , and the stopper 1123 protrudes to the left and downward direction to stop the goods.

[0131] like Fig.10As shown, when the guide member 112 lifts the goods at the bottom through the notch 212 from bottom to top, the goods slide down the slope 111 under the action of their own weight and the friction between the annular member 1132 and the goods. At this time, the remaining goods will automatically move toward the baffle 230 under the action of their own weight.

[0132] In the embodiment of the present application, when the remaining goods slide down automatically on the cargo plate 210, the stopper 1123 will stop the goods before the baffle 230. After the picker 100 moves away from the notch 212, the remaining goods will continue to slide down until they are blocked by the baffle 230. In other words, after the picker 100 takes away a piece of goods, the remaining goods slide to the baffle 230 in two stages, which can shorten the sliding distance of the goods in each stage and avoid the goods from sliding out of the baffle 230 due to large inertia due to excessive sliding distance.

[0133] like Fig.15 As shown, the edge 1111 of the slope 111 has an opening 1113 , and the opening 1113 passes through the slope surface 1112 and the back surface 1114 . The annular member 1132 is movably disposed in the opening 1113 .

[0134] In the embodiment of the present application, the annular member 1132 is movably inserted into the opening 1113 of the slope 111 , which can reduce the length of the guide member 112 extending from the edge 1111 of the slope 111 , thereby saving costs and preventing the guide member 112 from forming a long cantilever structure.

[0135] It is understandable that in other embodiments, the picking component 110 can also be other structures. For example, the picking component 110 is a fork, which moves to the bottom of the cargo board 210 and moves from bottom to top through the notch 212, so that the fork picks up the bottommost cargo among multiple cargoes and makes the cargo flip over the baffle 230 and slide into the picking hopper 130.

[0136] In summary, the workstation and picking system of the embodiment of the present application have at least the following advantages and beneficial effects:

[0137] The workstation 500 of the embodiment of the present application includes a cache component 510 and a merging component 520. The cache component 510 can be used to temporarily store the goods delivered by the pickup mechanism 300. The merging component 520 can deliver the goods delivered by the cache component 510 to the packaging component 530 or the exception handling component 540. When the merging component 520 transfers the goods, the pickup mechanism 300 can perform the next pickup action without waiting on the spot. This can significantly improve the pickup efficiency and effectively enhance the ability of the workstation 500 to process orders.

[0138] It is understandable that the various embodiments / implementations provided in the present application can be combined with each other without causing any contradiction, and will not be illustrated one by one here.

[0139] In the application embodiments, the terms "first", "second", and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be understood as indicating or implying relative importance; the term "plurality" refers to two or more, unless otherwise expressly defined. The terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed", etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connected" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; "connected" can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the application embodiments can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0140] In the description of the application embodiments, it should be understood that the directions or positional relationships indicated by the terms "up", "down", "left", "right", "front", "back", etc. are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the application embodiments and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or unit referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore, should not be understood as a limitation on the application embodiments.

[0141] In the description of this specification, the description of the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "specific embodiments", etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the application embodiment. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0142] The above are only preferred embodiments of the application embodiments and are not intended to limit the application embodiments. For those skilled in the art, the application embodiments may have various modifications and changes. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the application embodiments shall be included in the protection scope of the application embodiments.

Claims

1. A workstation, characterized in that: include: Packaging components (530); A cache assembly (510) comprises a cache rack (511) and a plurality of cache hoppers (512), wherein the plurality of cache hoppers (512) are mounted on the cache rack (511) and are used to receive goods transported by a pickup mechanism; wherein the number of the cache hoppers (512) is greater than or equal to the number of the sorting hoppers (321) of the pickup mechanism; The merging component (520) is movably connected to the cache rack (511) through a movable component (550), and is configured to receive goods in at least one of the multiple cache hoppers (512) and transport at least one of the goods to the packaging component (530).

2. The workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that The movable component (550) comprises a third slide rail (551) and a third slider (552), wherein the third slide rail (551) is connected to the cache rack (511), and the third slider (552) is movably connected to the third slide rail (551); The merging component (520) is connected to the third sliding block (552).

3. The workstation according to claim 2, characterized in that The length direction of the third slide rail (551) is parallel to the height direction of the cache rack (511).

4. The workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that The cache rack (511) comprises two frames (5111) arranged at intervals along the length direction of the cache rack (511), and each of the frames (5111) is connected to a plurality of cache hoppers (512) arranged at intervals along the height direction of the cache rack (511); the number of the plurality of cache hoppers (512) connected to the same frame (5111) is greater than or equal to the number of the sorting hoppers (321); Along the height direction of the cache rack (511), the confluence assembly (520) is movably located between the two frames (5111).

5. The workstation according to claim 4, characterized in that Each of the frames (5111) includes two second longitudinal beams (5111a), and a plurality of guide members (5112) are connected between the two second longitudinal beams (5111a) and are arranged at intervals along the height direction of the cache rack (511). The plurality of guide members (5112) respectively correspond to the plurality of cache hoppers (512) in the frame (5111), and each of the guide members (5112) has a guiding slope (5112a) for guiding the goods to slide from the picking mechanism into the cache hopper (512).

6. The workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cache hopper (512) includes a hopper body (5121) and a first cover assembly (5122); the hopper body (5121) is connected to the cache frame (511) and has a second outlet (5121a); ​​the first cover assembly (5122) is connected to the hopper body (5121) and is used to close or open the second outlet (5121a).

7. The workstation according to claim 6, characterized in that The first cover assembly (5122) comprises: A first cover plate (5122a) rotatably connected to the hopper body (5121) and used for opening or closing the second outlet (5121a); A first connecting rod (5122b), one end of which is hinged to a side edge of the first cover plate (5122a); A second connecting rod (5122c), one end of which is hinged to the other end of the first connecting rod (5122b); and The third motor (5122d) is connected to the hopper body (5121), and the output shaft of the third motor (5122d) is connected to the other end of the second connecting rod (5122c).

8. The workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that The confluence assembly (520) comprises: a confluence hopper (521), movably connected to the buffer rack (511) via the movable assembly (550), and having a third outlet (5211); and The second cover assembly (522) is connected to the confluence hopper (521) and is used to close or open the third outlet (5211).

9. The workstation according to claim 8, characterized in that The second cover assembly (522) comprises: A second cover plate (5221) rotatably connected to the merging hopper (521) and used for opening or closing the third outlet (5211); A third connecting rod (5222), one end of which is hinged to the side of the second cover plate (5221); a fourth connecting rod (5223), one end of which is hinged to the other end of the third connecting rod (5222); and The fourth motor (5224) is connected to the merging hopper (521), and the output shaft of the fourth motor (5224) is connected to the other end of the fourth connecting rod (5223).

10. The workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that The packaging component (530) includes: A packing machine (531), used for packing the goods; The buffer table (532) is configured to buffer the goods transported by the merging component (520) and transport the goods to the packaging machine (531).

11. The workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that Also included is an exception handling component (540); The merging component (520) is further configured to transport abnormal cargo to the abnormal handling component (540).

12. A picking system, characterized in that: A workstation comprising any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The picking system according to claim 12, characterized in that: The picking system further comprises a picking mechanism (300) configured to deliver goods to a plurality of buffer hoppers (512) of the workstation; the picking mechanism (300) comprises: A picker (100); and The sorting component (320) comprises a plurality of sorting hoppers (321), wherein the number of the buffer hoppers (512) is greater than or equal to the number of the sorting hoppers (321); wherein the picker (100) is configured to take out goods located on the shelf (200) and transport the goods to any one of the plurality of sorting hoppers (321).

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