Box taking device and carrying robot

Abstract

The utility model provides a box taking device and a transfer robot. The box taking device comprises a base, a fork arm and a connecting structure. The fork arms are movably arranged on the base, the fork arms are arranged on the two opposite sides of the base, the oppositely-arranged fork arms are used for containing target objects, and the fork arms are used for moving between the base and a target goods allocation so as to take and return the target objects. The two fork arms are connected through the connecting structure, the connecting structure is configured to provide mutual constraining force for the two fork arms, the outward turning or inward retracting degree of the fork arms in the direction perpendicular to the box taking direction caused by lateral force is reduced, the collision probability of the fork arms and other objects is reduced, and the box taking and returning success rate is increased.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of warehouse picking equipment, and in particular to a box-retrieving device and a handling robot. Background Art

[0002] A handling robot (also called a logistics robot) is an important device in a warehousing system. It can automatically place target items (such as boxes) on target carriers (such as shelves) to complete the loading process (such as the box return process). In addition, it can also remove target items from the target carrier and then transport them to a designated location.

[0003] In the related art, the box-picking device of the handling robot includes two fork arms and fingers arranged on the fork arms. When taking or returning a box, the fork arms are driven by a driving member to extend into the side of the box, and the fingers rotate at the rear side of the box, thereby clamping the box out of the shelf, or pushing the box from between the fork arms into the shelf.

[0004] However, when the fork arm of the handling robot is extending for a long distance during the process of retrieving and returning boxes, it is very easy to be affected by the lateral force and deviate perpendicularly to the direction of retrieving the boxes, thus affecting the normal operation of retrieving and returning the boxes. Utility Model Content

[0005] The present application provides a box-retrieving device and a handling robot to solve the problem of failure of box retrieval and return caused by the fork arm being affected by the lateral force.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present application provides a box-taking device, comprising: a base, a fork arm and a connecting structure, wherein the fork arm is movably arranged on the base, and the fork arms are arranged on opposite sides of the base; the fork arms arranged opposite to each other are used to accommodate target items; the fork arms are at least configured to move between the base and the target cargo position to take back the target item;

[0007] A connecting structure, through which the two fork arms are connected, and the connecting structure is configured to provide mutual restraint force to the two fork arms.

[0008] In an optional implementation, the connection structure includes:

[0009] a first force-applying member, one end of which is connected to one of the fork arms, and when the target object is contained between the two fork arms, the first force-applying member is used to abut against the target object to push the target object to move toward the target cargo position;

[0010] A connecting member, wherein the other end of the first force applying member is connected to the other fork arm at least through the connecting member.

[0011] In some optional implementations, the two fork arms may move relative to or away from each other;

[0012] The first force applying member is movably connected to the connecting member, so that the first force applying member can move relative to the connecting member when the two fork arms move relative to or away from each other.

[0013] In some optional implementations, the connecting member includes a sliding guide rail;

[0014] The first force applying member is slidably disposed on the sliding guide rail, so that the first force applying member slides along the sliding guide rail when the two fork arms move relative to or away from each other.

[0015] In some optional implementations, the connection structure further includes a limit block, which is disposed at the end of the sliding guide rail; when the two fork arms move relative to or away from each other, the limit block is at least configured to limit the movement of the first force-applying member within the sliding guide rail.

[0016] In some optional implementations, the first force applying member is disposed on both of the fork arms;

[0017] One end of one of the first force-applying members is connected to a corresponding one of the fork arms, and one end of the other first force-applying member is connected to a corresponding other one of the fork arms. Both of the first force-applying members are movably arranged on the connecting member so that any one of the first force-applying members can be connected to another of the first force-applying members through the connecting member.

[0018] In some optional implementations, a mounting structure is provided on the fork arm along the object-picking direction;

[0019] The first force-applying member is configured to drive the connecting member to move along the object-picking direction, and is fixed to the fork arm through the mounting structure to adjust the distance between the first force-applying member and the front end of the fork arm.

[0020] In an optional implementation, the box taking device further includes:

[0021] a first force-applying member, one end of which is connected to one of the fork arms, and when the target object is contained between the two fork arms, the first force-applying member is used to abut against the target object to push the target object to move toward the target cargo position;

[0022] The connection structure comprises a connection member, one end of the connection member is connected to one of the fork arms, and the other end is connected to the other fork arm, and the connection member is located at the rear side of the first force applying member to avoid the target object.

[0023] In some optional implementations, the box-taking device further includes:

[0024] A follower tray, the follower tray is movably arranged on the base so that the follower tray can extend out of or retract into the base;

[0025] The follower tray is configured to extend into the gap between the base and the target cargo position to support the target object when the fork arm retrieves the target object.

[0026] In some optional implementations, the base is provided with an elastic component, one end of the elastic component is connected to the base, and the other end of the elastic component is connected to the follower tray;

[0027] When the fork arm is located at the base, the elastic component is in a compressed state, and when the fork arm extends out of the base, the elastic component is configured to push the follower tray to extend out of the base.

[0028] In some optional implementations, the follower tray is further provided with a force-bearing portion;

[0029] A resisting portion is provided on the fork arm, and the resisting portion is configured to contact the force-bearing portion when the fork arm retreats toward the base to push the follower tray into the base; when the fork arm extends out of the base, the force-bearing portion extends out along with the resisting portion under the elastic force of the elastic component.

[0030] In some optional implementations, the blocking portion is located between the connecting structure and the force-bearing portion.

[0031] In some optional implementations, when the fork arm retracts toward the base, the connecting structure is configured to contact the force-bearing portion to push the follower tray into the base; and the connecting structure is configured as the resisting portion.

[0032] In a second aspect, the present application further provides a transport robot, comprising a chassis, a gantry and the box-taking device described in the first aspect, wherein the gantry is disposed on the chassis, the box-taking device is disposed on the gantry and can be raised and lowered along the gantry.

[0033] It can be seen from the above technical solutions that the present application provides a box-taking device and a handling robot, wherein the box-taking device includes a base, a fork arm and a connecting structure. The fork arm can be movably arranged on the base, and fork arms are arranged on opposite sides of the base, and the fork arms arranged opposite to each other are used to accommodate target items, and the fork arms are used to move between the base and the target cargo position to retrieve and return the target items. The two forks are connected by a connecting structure, and the connecting structure is configured to provide mutual restraint force to the two forks, reduce the outward or inward turning of the forks perpendicular to the box-taking direction due to the lateral force, and make the target item move parallel to the fork arm, thereby improving the success rate of retrieving and returning the box. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] The accompanying drawings are only used to illustrate the embodiments and are not to be considered as limiting the present application. In addition, the same reference symbols are used to represent the same components throughout the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings:

[0035] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing a box-taking device being deflected by a lateral force;

[0036] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a box-taking device provided in one embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0037] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the structure of a fork arm provided in one embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0038] Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing the structure of a sliding guide rail provided in an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0039] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of a fork arm component provided in one embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0040] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of a follower tray provided in one embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0041] Figure 7 A moving trend diagram of a follower tray provided in an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0042] Illustration Description:

[0043] Among them, 10-base; 11-follow-up tray; 111-force-bearing part; 112-elastic component; 12-bellows cover;

[0044] 20'-telescopic arm; 20-fork arm; 21-telescopic member; 22-second force-applying member; 23-installation structure; 231-gear position hole group

[0045] 30-connecting structure; 31-connecting member; 32-first force applying member; 33-limiting block; 34-sliding guide rail; slider-35;

[0046] 40-resistance part;

[0047] FD-first direction; SD-second direction; TD-third direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] 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.

[0049] The box-taking device in the embodiment of the present application can be applied to a transport robot and perform the picking process of the transport robot. Among them, the transport robot is used to temporarily place, transport and pick target items. Therefore, the transport robot can be applied to warehouses, logistics centers, picking centers and logistics supply chains. Taking the transport robot in the picking center link as an example, the transport robot can pick the target items between multiple carriers in response to the picking process sent by the picking center. Therefore, the transport robot can include a box-taking device for taking and returning the target items between different carriers. Among them, the carrier is a tool for carrying objects or articles. The carrier can be a movable carrier, such as a movable shelf, a turnover vehicle or a cage vehicle, etc., or it can be a fixed carrier, such as a shelf, an item table, etc. The embodiment of the present application takes the shelf as an example.

[0050] The shelf is used to carry items, and a plurality of storage spaces may be configured on the shelf, and the plurality of storage spaces may be arranged along at least one of the length direction, width direction, and height direction of the shelf. For example, the shelf may include three layers of storage spaces, and each layer of storage spaces has a plurality of storage spaces arranged in an array.

[0051] Items may include but are not limited to goods, boxes containing goods, goods with packaging boxes, etc. Taking picking as an example, the transport robot can move the target item from one position (such as the initial position) to another position (such as the target position) through a box-taking device. For example, the transport robot can transport the picked target items to the target location of the target shelf according to the category to complete the box return process; or it can take out the target item (i.e., the item to be picked) from the target location of the target shelf to complete the box-taking work, so as to facilitate the transport of the target item to the picking workstation for picking.

[0052] During the process of retrieving and returning objects by the handling robot, the box-retrieving device can align with the target cargo location by moving horizontally and / or vertically, and then the box-retrieving device can extend toward the target cargo location through the fork arm until the fork arm reaches the target cargo location, and the target item can be transferred. For example, during the process of retrieving a box, when the fork arm extends to both sides of the target item, the front fingers at the front end of the fork arm can rotate to the rear side wall of the target item, and take out the target item during the retraction of the fork arm, thereby completing the picking action. During the process of returning a box, the target item is located inside the two forks, and the rear fingers on the forks can push the target item toward the target cargo location during the process of extending the forks, until the fork arm reaches the target cargo location, and the target item is also moved to the target cargo location, completing the returning action.

[0053] However, in the process of retrieving and returning the target item, friction will be generated between the shelf and the target item. Taking the box retrieval process as an example, when the fork arm drives the target item back, friction will be generated between the shelf and the target item in the opposite direction of the return direction, resulting in a reaction force of the friction, that is, the lateral force of the fork arm, acting on the fork arm.

[0054] Figure 1 Schematic diagram showing the deflection of the fork arm due to lateral force. Figure 1 The fork arm is arranged on the telescopic arm 20', and the fork arm is located at the front end of the telescopic arm 20'. The ability of the fork arm to withstand lateral force will change with the stroke length of the fork arm. When the stroke of the fork arm is longer, the ability of the fork arm to withstand lateral force is poor. Figure 1 As shown in the figure, the fork arm is turned outward in the direction of picking up objects, causing it to hit the adjacent material box during the picking process, causing the position of the adjacent material box to change, affecting the success rate of picking up the box, and even causing damage to the adjacent material box. In addition, since the direction of the lateral force is unstable, when the lateral force acts on the fork arm, the fork arm can also turn inward to the opposite side. The outward or inward turning of the fork arm will make it impossible for the fingers at the corresponding positions on the two fork arms to align, causing the target object to be pushed or pulled crooked during the process of the fork arm picking up or returning the box, resulting in failure to pick up or return the box.

[0055] In order to improve the stability of the box taking device when the fork arm extends for a long distance, some embodiments of the present application provide a box taking device. Figure 2 The structural diagram of the box-taking device provided by one embodiment of the present application is shown in FIG. Figure 2 As shown, the box-taking device according to the embodiment of the present application includes a base 10 , a fork arm 20 and a connecting structure 30 .

[0056] The base 10 can be used to temporarily place the target object. In order to adapt to objects of different volumes and shapes, the base 10 can be set to a block structure, a one-way open groove structure, etc. For example, for a spherical target object, it is easy to roll during the movement of the base 10. Therefore, the target object can be placed in the base 10 with a groove structure, thereby limiting the movement range of the target object and improving the stability of the base 10 in transporting objects.

[0057] like Figure 2 As shown, the box-taking device includes a telescopic mechanism, which can be extended or retracted along the first direction FD. The telescopic mechanism includes a telescopic member 21 and a fork arm 20, wherein the fork arm 20 is a plate-like structure or a rod-like structure and can be movably arranged on the base 10. Fork arms 20 are provided on opposite sides of the base 10, and a storage space for accommodating target items is formed between the two forks. A telescopic member 21 is also provided between the fork arm 20 and the base 10. The telescopic member 21 is a mechanical arm that can be telescoped along the first direction FD. One end of the telescopic member 21 forms a sliding connection with the side wall of the base 10, and the other end is connected to the fork arm 20. The fork arm 20 can slide along the first direction FD through the telescopic member 21, and the fork arm 20 is extended out of the base 10 to pick up the target item located at the target cargo position, and after the target item has been picked up, the fork arm 20 is pulled back to the base 10, thereby completing the box-taking action. The telescopic member 21 can extend to different lengths according to the distance between the box-taking device and the shelf to ensure that the target item can fall into the target cargo position on the shelf.

[0058] Among them, the first direction FD is the direction in which the box picking device picks up the target item. The first direction FD can be determined according to the relative position of the box picking device and the target item. Therefore, the first direction FD can also change according to the rotation angle of the box picking device. For example, after completing an item picking process, the first direction FD is directly in front of the box picking device. When the box picking device rotates 90° clockwise or counterclockwise, the first direction FD will change according to the turning angle and become directly in front of the box picking device after the turn.

[0059] When retrieving a target object and the fork arm 20 is extended for a long distance, the fork arm 20 will be subjected to the lateral force generated by the friction force of the target object against the shelf. Due to the lateral force, the two fork arms 20 will turn inward or outward when the extension stroke is long, causing the fingers on the two fork arms 20 to be unable to align, pushing or pulling the target object crookedly.

[0060] To this end, the two fork arms 20 are connected by a connecting structure 30, and the connecting structure 30 is configured to provide mutual restraint force to the two fork arms 20. For example, one end of the connecting structure 30 is connected to one of the fork arms 20, and the other end is connected to the other fork arm 20. Since the two fork arms 20 are respectively located on the left and right sides of the base 10, the two fork arms 20 can be defined as the left fork arm 20 and the right fork arm 20. In order to alleviate the influence of inversion or eversion, the left fork arm 20 will provide a restraint force to resist the lateral force to the right fork arm 20 through the connecting structure 30, and the right fork arm 20 will also synchronously provide a reverse restraint force to the left fork arm 20, thereby offsetting the lateral force by providing restraint force to each other to maintain the fork arm 20 moving in a vertical state, and alleviate the problem that the fingers are not aligned due to the relative inversion or eversion of the fork arms 20, causing the fingers to push or pull the target item in an inclined posture, resulting in failure to retrieve and return the box.

[0061] In addition, the setting of the connecting structure 30 can also maintain the fork arm 20 moving in a vertical state, thereby avoiding interference with adjacent items such as material boxes, ensuring that the positions of adjacent material boxes will not move, ensuring the success rate of box retrieval, and also preventing the fork arm 20 from causing damage to adjacent material boxes.

[0062] In some examples, the box-picking device may include a first force-applying member 32 (or a rear finger, a box-pushing member, etc.), wherein the first force-applying member 32 is used to push the target item to move along the first direction FD. One end of the first force-applying member 32 is connected to one of the forks 20, wherein the first force-applying member 32 may be provided on at least one of the two forks 20, for example, the left fork arm 20 and / or the right fork arm 20. When the target item is accommodated between the two forks 20, the first force-applying member 32 moves with the left fork arm 20 and / or the right fork arm 20, and in the process of extending the forks 20 on both sides, the first force-applying member 32 abuts against the target item, thereby pushing the target item to move to the target cargo position.

[0063] In some embodiments (not shown in the figures), the connection structure 30 may include a connection member 31 , one end of the connection member 31 is connected to one of the fork arms 20 , and the other end of the connection member 31 is connected to the other fork arm 20 .

[0064] The first force-applying member 32 includes a front side and a rear side that are arranged opposite to each other, wherein the front side of the first force-applying member 32 is the side that contacts the target object. The connecting member 31 can be located at the front side or the rear side of the first force-applying member 32. Taking the example of the connecting member 31 being arranged at the rear side of the first force-applying member 32, the connecting member 31 can avoid the target object, so that the target object directly contacts the front side of the first force-applying member 32, and the force-bearing area between the first force-applying member 32 and the target object is increased, so that the contact surface of the target object is evenly stressed, thereby reducing damage to the target object.

[0065] In order to adapt to objects with different cross-sectional areas, the connecting structure 30, such as the connecting member 31, can be a plate-shaped structure or a rod-shaped structure. For example, for objects with larger volumes, the contact area between the rod-shaped structure and the object is smaller, and the thrust is all applied to the contact area, which may damage the object. Therefore, the connecting structure 30 can use a plate-shaped structure to increase the contact area with the object and reduce damage to the object.

[0066] For target objects with regular shapes, such as cubic objects, the connection structure 30 can also be set to different shapes according to the strength and stability requirements of the connection, such as an enclosure structure composed of two L-shaped push rods facing each other, wherein one end of the L-shaped push rod can be fixed to the fork arm 20, and the other end forms a vertical structure with the fork arm 20 and fits with the edges and corners of the cubic object, making the object pushing more stable.

[0067] It should be noted that the box-picking device in the embodiment of the present application can complete multiple picking actions of the same type of items in one picking task. After completing a picking task, the box-picking device can replace the connecting structure 30 to adapt to items of different lengths, widths, shapes or volumes.

[0068] The two fork arms 20 can also move along the second direction SD to adjust the distance between the two fork arms 20, so as to adapt to target objects of different widths. Therefore, in some embodiments, the connector 31 can be a telescopic structure, such as a telescopic member, a telescopic rail, a telescopic arm or a telescopic bracket. Taking the connector 31 as a telescopic rail as an example, the telescopic rail can include a first telescopic end and a second telescopic end, wherein one end of the first telescopic end is connected to the fork arm 20 on the left, one end of the second telescopic end is connected to the fork arm 20 on the right, and the other end of the first telescopic end forms a sliding connection with the other end of the second telescopic end. When the two fork arms 20 move relative to or back to back along the second direction SD, the first telescopic end and the second telescopic end slide relative to each other to drive the connector 31 to extend and retract.

[0069] For items of different widths included in the same picking task, the two fork arms 20 can adjust the distance between the fork arms 20 after each picking is completed, thereby reducing the failure of picking due to width mismatch and improving the picking efficiency.

[0070] Obviously, the second direction SD is different from the first direction FD. The second direction SD is the direction for adjusting the spacing of the fork arm 20 according to the width of the target item, and can be moved left and right relative to the box taking device. The first direction FD and the second direction SD can be located in the same horizontal plane to improve the stability of the feeding process.

[0071] Before the box-taking device is aligned with the initial position to take the object, the width of the target object can be obtained by a sensor, a camera, etc. The width of the target object can be determined according to the maximum projection length of the target object in the second direction SD. The box-taking device can adjust the connection structure 30 to extend and retract along the second direction SD according to the width of the target object to provide sufficient moving space for the target object.

[0072] It can be seen from the above technical solution that the box-taking device in the above embodiment is provided with fork arms 20 on both sides of the base 10, and the base 10 can drive the fork arms 20 to move along the first direction FD, so that the fork arms 20 contact the target object, so as to push the target object to move synchronously with the fork arms 20, thereby improving the synchronization of the object-taking process. The two ends of the connecting structure 30 are respectively connected to the two fork arms 20, which can resist the lateral force generated by the target goods when the fork arms 20 extend for a long distance, so that the fork arms 20 move smoothly, alleviate the degree of eversion of the fork arms 20, reduce the collision of the fork arms 20 with adjacent objects, and improve the stability of object picking.

[0073] Continue to see Figure 2 In some other embodiments, the connection structure 30 may include a first force member 32 and a connection member 31, one end of the first force member 32 is connected to one of the fork arms 20, and the other end of the first force member 32 is connected to the other fork arm 20 at least through the connection member 31, so that the two ends of the connection structure 30 are respectively connected to the two fork arms 20, and when the two fork arms 20 retrieve the target object, the first force member 32 can abut the target object, thereby pushing the target object to move to the target position. In addition, when the extension stroke of the two fork arms 20 is long, the first force member 32 can transmit the restraining force between the fork arms 20 through the connection member 31, so that the two fork arms 20 provide restraining force to each other, thereby offsetting the inversion or eversion caused by the lateral force acting on the fork arms 20.

[0074] When the distance between the two fork arms 20 is adjusted in the second direction SD, that is, when the two fork arms 20 can move relative to or away from each other along the second direction SD, the connecting structure 30 will extend or shorten following the movement of the fork arms 20 . Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a connection structure provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 3 In some examples, the first force applying member 32 is movably connected to the connecting member 31 so that the first force applying member 32 can move relative to the connecting member 31 when the two fork arms 20 move relative to or away from each other, thereby achieving the extension or shortening of the connecting structure 30.

[0075] Exemplarily, the connecting member 31 may include a sliding guide rail 34, and the first force applying member 32 is slidably disposed on the sliding guide rail 34 to achieve relative sliding between the first force applying member 32 and the sliding guide rail 34. When the two fork arms 20 move relative to each other, the first force applying member 32 will slide inward along the sliding guide rail 34, and when the two fork arms 20 move away from each other, the first force applying member 32 will slide outward along the sliding guide rail 34.

[0076] The sliding guide rail 34 can play a guiding role in the second direction SD, so that the first force member 32 and the sliding guide rail 34 can slide, so as to achieve the telescopic effect of the connection structure 30 in the second direction SD and improve the accuracy of movement. It should be understood that different sliding connection methods can also be used according to actual picking needs, such as setting pulleys, sliders, slide rails and other components at the connection between the first force member 32 and the sliding guide rail 34.

[0077] For example, in order to improve the guiding property of the movement of the first force-applying member 32, a slideway may be provided on the sliding guide rail 34, and the first force-applying member 32 may be restricted in freedom outside the second direction SD by the slider 35 and the slideway, so that the first force-applying member 32 can only slide along the second direction SD through the slideway. The slider 35 may also be sleeved on the outside of the sliding guide rail 34, and the first force-applying member 32 may be fixed to the slider 35, thereby forming a sliding connection with the sliding guide rail 34. The specific manner of the sliding connection is not limited in the embodiment of the present application.

[0078] It should be noted that, since the base 10 has a certain width limitation, the width of the target item that the base 10 can carry is within the width range of the base 10, that is, the maximum distance between the two forks 20 is the maximum width of the item that the base 10 can carry, and therefore, the maximum projection distance formed by the sliding guide rail 34 and the first force-applying member 32 in the second direction SD should not be less than the maximum distance between the forks 20. When the maximum distance between the forks 20 is less than the width of the target item, the forks 20 cannot pick up items of this size, and at this time, the item can be picked up by a box-picking device of other models or specifications.

[0079] Figure 4 FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a sliding guide rail provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 4 The connection structure 30 further includes a limit block 33, which is disposed at both ends of the sliding guide rail 34. The limit block 33 can limit the sliding range of the first force-applying member 32 on the sliding guide rail 34. When the two fork arms 20 move relative to or away from each other, the limit block 33 can limit the first force-applying member 32 to move within the sliding guide rail 34. In addition, the limit block 33 can buffer the impact force received by the first force-applying member 32 when it collides with the fork arm 20 during the sliding process along the second direction SD, thereby protecting the first force-applying member 32, improving the safety of the first force-applying member 32, and extending the service life of the connection structure 30.

[0080] The limit block 33 can also play a stopping role. When the first force member 32 slides to the edge of the sliding guide rail 34, the limit block 33 can limit the first force member 32 from sliding further, reducing the risk of the first force member 32 falling off the sliding guide rail 34. The limit block 33 can be made of high-strength metal material or non-metal material to have high strength, good wear resistance, strong corrosion resistance and other characteristics to meet the limiting strength of the first force member 32. The constituent material of the limit block 33 can be a metal material, such as high-strength steel, titanium alloy and aluminum alloy, or a non-metal material, such as glass fiber reinforced plastic, carbon fiber composite material, etc.

[0081] The limit block 33 can be fixed on the sliding guide rail 34 by screws, bolts, etc. During the fixing process, since the sliding guide rail 34 is located at the rear side of the first force-applying member 32, the first force-applying member 32 will affect the fixing of the limit block 33. Therefore, the first force-applying member 32 can also be provided with an avoidance hole, which can avoid the position of the screws and bolts of the limit block 33, thereby reducing the difficulty of installing the limit block 33 and improving the installation efficiency.

[0082] After the fork arm 20 moves to the specified position, since the sliding guide rail 34 does not limit the freedom of the first force member 32 in the second direction SD, the first force member 32 will continue to move along the direction of the lateral force when subjected to the lateral force, causing the fork arm 20 to over-extend and deflect.

[0083] To this end, in some embodiments, a movable slot can be further provided inside the sliding guide rail 34. When the first force-applying member 32 slides on the sliding guide rail 34, due to the pulling force of the fork arm 20, the first force-applying member 32 will pass through the movable slot. When the fork arm 20 stops moving, the first force-applying member 32 will be located in one of the movable slots of the sliding guide rail 34, thereby limiting the first force-applying member 32 within the moving range of the movable slot. The effect of the lateral force is smaller than the thrust of the fork arm 20. When the lateral force acts on the first force-applying member 32, the movable slot will limit the freedom of the first force-applying member 32 in the second direction, limiting the first force-applying member 32 from continuing to move, so that the lateral force acts on the fork arm 20, and the lateral force is offset by the restraining force.

[0084] In some examples, the connection structure 30 may further include two first force-applying members 32, wherein the first force-applying members 32 are disposed on both fork arms 20 and extend in the second direction SD. The two first force-applying members 32 are connected by a connecting member 31, wherein one end of one of the first force-applying members 32 is connected to a corresponding fork arm 20, such as the fork arm 20 on the left, and one end of the other first force-applying member 32 is connected to a corresponding fork arm 20, such as the fork arm 20 on the right, and both first force-applying members 32 are movably disposed on the connecting member 31, that is, the other end of one of the first force-applying members 32 is connected to the other fork arm 20, such as the fork arm 20 on the right, in turn through the connecting member 31 and the other first force-applying member 32.

[0085] When a target object is contained between the two fork arms 20, one of the first force-applying members 32 moves following the fork arm 20 on the left, and the other first force-applying member 32 moves following the fork arm 20 on the right. When the fork arms 20 on both sides are extended, the two first force-applying members 32 respectively abut against the left and right sides of the front end surface of the target object, thereby pushing the target object to move to the target cargo position.

[0086] It can be understood that the connection mode of each first force applying member 32 is the same as the connection mode of the fork arm 20 and the connecting member 31 , which can be referred to the above content and will not be described in detail in this embodiment.

[0087] When the lateral force acts on the fork arm 20, the connecting member 31 will transfer the restraining force with the same strength and opposite direction as the lateral force to the fork arm 20 on the left through the first force applying member 32 connected to the fork arm 20 on the left, so as to offset the lateral force of the fork arm 20 on the left. At the same time, the connecting member 31 will transfer the restraining force with the same strength and opposite direction as the lateral force to the fork arm 20 on the right through the first force applying member 32 connected to the fork arm 20 on the right, so as to offset the lateral force of the fork arm 20 on the left. At this time, both fork arms 20 offset the lateral force, and the connecting member 31 transfers the restraining force in opposite directions at the same time, so that the fork arm 20 and the connecting member 31 are in force balance, and the fork arm 20 continues to move in the first direction FD in a vertical state.

[0088] For example, when the two fork arms 20 are turned outward by the lateral force, the connecting member 31 will be subjected to the relative pulling force of the two fork arms 20 through the two first force-applying members 32, that is, the pulling force to the left of the left fork arm 20 and the pulling force to the right of the right fork arm 20. The connecting member 31 uses the pulling force to the left as the restraining force of the right fork arm 20 and the pulling force to the right as the restraining force of the left fork arm 20, so that the pulling forces in two different directions are offset to offset the effect of the lateral force on the two fork arms 20, reduce the probability of the target object colliding with other objects, and also make the two first force-applying members 32 keep aligned, ensure that the target object moves horizontally under the push of the two first force-applying members 32 without tilting, and improve the success efficiency of taking and returning the box.

[0089] like Figure 3 As shown, when the two first force-applying members 32 are respectively slidably disposed on the sliding guide rail 34, the sliding guide rail 34 can simultaneously restrict the two first force-applying members 32 from moving in the sliding guide rail 34. The two first force-applying members 32 can contact in the sliding guide rail 34 when the fork arm 20 is at the minimum spacing. In order to buffer the collision generated during the contact, the connection between the first force-applying member 32 and the sliding guide rail 34 can be wrapped with a buffer cover, which can be a low-hardness material such as rubber or cotton balls.

[0090] In some embodiments, the first force-applying member 32 may also be provided only on one of the fork arms 20, for example, the first force-applying member 32 is provided only on the left fork arm 20 or the first force-applying member 32 is provided only on the right fork arm. In this embodiment, one end of the connecting member 31 is connected to the first force-applying member 32, and the other end of the connecting member 31 is connected to the other fork arm 20. Taking the left fork arm 20 provided with the first force-applying member 32 as an example, when the lateral force acts on the fork arm 20, causing the two fork arms 20 to deflect inward, the left fork arm 20 transmits the lateral force to the first force-applying member 32, and at the same time, the right fork arm 20 transmits the lateral force to the connecting member 31. At this time, the lateral force acting on the connecting member 31 acts as a restraining force to counteract the lateral force acting on the first force-applying member 32, so as to offset the displacement of the fork arm 20 caused by the lateral force, reduce the probability of collision between the target item and other items, and improve the success efficiency of retrieving and returning the box.

[0091] In some embodiments, in order to accommodate target objects of different lengths, a mounting structure 23 is provided on the fork arm 20 along the picking direction. The connecting member 31 and / or the first force-applying member 32 can be installed on the fork arm 20 through the mounting structure 23. The first force-applying member 32 can drive the connecting member 31 to move along the picking direction to adjust the distance between the first force-applying member 32 and the front end of the fork arm 20, which is suitable for target objects of different lengths and improves the flexibility of object picking.

[0092] The mounting structure 23 may be a plurality of mounting positions along the object-picking direction, or a guide structure, such as a sliding guide rail, a rolling guide rail, etc., to adjust the distance between the first force-applying member 32 and the front end of the fork arm 20 by sliding or rolling. Figure 5 As shown, the mounting structure 23 may include a shift hole group 231, and the first force applying member 32 in the connecting structure 30 may adjust the distance from the front end of the fork arm 20 through the shift hole group 231. The shift hole group 231 includes a plurality of shift holes arranged along the first direction FD, and fasteners such as bolts and screws may pass through the shift holes to install or remove the first force applying member 32 on the fork arm 20.

[0093] In some embodiments, the mounting structure 23 can also be used to fix the connector 31. For example, the two ends of the connector 31 are respectively connected to different fork arms 20, that is, one end of the connector 31 is connected to one of the fork arms 20, and the other end is connected to the other fork arm 20. At this time, both ends of the connector 31 can be fixed to the two fork arms 20 through the gear position holes corresponding to the gear position on the gear position hole group 231, one end of the connector 31 can be fixed to the left fork arm 20 through the gear position hole of the left fork arm 20, and the other end of the connector 31 can be fixed to the right fork arm 20 through the gear position hole of the gear position corresponding to the left fork arm 20.

[0094] Since a batch of target objects may include target objects of various lengths, when the box-taking device is putting objects, the gear hole can be adjusted according to the maximum length of the target object, wherein the length of the target object is the maximum projection length of the target object in the first direction FD.

[0095] like Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the box-taking device further includes a second force-applying member 22 (or front finger, box-pulling member, etc.), which is disposed at the front end of the fork arm 20 and is used to pull the target item from the target cargo position, such as a shelf, back to the base 10. The second force-applying member 22 can be connected to a servo motor to drive the second force-applying member 22 to rotate along the plane where the second direction SD is located. During the movement of the fork arm 20, the second force-applying member 22 rotates to be parallel to the fork arm 20, reducing the scratching of the second force-applying member 22 with other items. When the two fork arms 20 move to both sides of the target item respectively, the servo motor provides the second force-applying member 22 with rotational mechanical energy through the rotation of the motor, so that the second force-applying member 22 rotates to a position forming a 90° angle with the fork arm 20, so that the second force-applying member 22 fits the target item, thereby improving the stability and accuracy of picking up the item.

[0096] In some embodiments, the box taking device further includes a follower tray 11 . Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of a follower tray provided in one embodiment of the present application is shown. Figure 7 FIG. 1 shows a moving direction diagram of a follower tray provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 6 The follower tray 11 is movably arranged on the base 10 so that the follower tray 11 can extend out or retract into the base 10. When the follower tray 11 carries a target object, the follower tray 11 can carry the target object and move synchronously to retrieve the target object.

[0097] When the fork arm 20 retrieves the target item, the follower tray 11 can follow the fork arm 20 to move along the first direction FD, and extend into the gap between the base 10 and the target cargo position to support the target item. For example, when the fork arm 20 moves in the direction of placing the item, the follower tray 11 and the fork arm 20 move in the direction of placing the item synchronously. After the fork arm 20 completes the picking of the item through the second force-applying member 22, when it moves in the direction of picking the item, the target item can be pulled onto the follower tray 11, and the follower tray 11 and the target item are pulled back to the base 10 together, so that the target item is supported by the follower tray 11 to prevent the target item from falling off due to excessive weight, thereby improving the safety when picking items.

[0098] Two bellows covers 12 are arranged between the follower tray 11 and the base 10. When the fork arm 20 is retracted back to the base at the maximum stroke state, the fork arm 20 will drop dust, debris and other small debris that follow the target object when picking up the object onto the base 10 due to the folded placement. Therefore, the bellows cover 12 can be used to protect the base 10, reduce dust, debris and other impurities falling onto the base 10 when the fork arm 20 is retracted, and extend the service life of the base 10.

[0099] See also Figure 7 In some embodiments, the follower tray 11 can be connected to the base 10 via an elastic component 112, one end of the elastic component 112 is connected to the base 10, and the other end of the elastic component 112 is connected to the follower tray 11. The elastic component 112 may include a spring and an elastic cable, etc., for providing elastic force for the follower tray 11 to move in the direction of placing objects. The elastic component 112 can be selected from different types and specifications according to the elastic force requirements to maintain the movement of the follower tray 11 in the direction of placing objects.

[0100] When the follower tray 11 is located at the base 10, the fork arm 20 can limit the movement of the follower tray 11 in the first direction FD, so that the elastic component 112 is in a compressed state. When the fork arm 20 moves in the placing direction, the follower tray 11 is freed from the restriction of the fork arm 20, and the elastic component 112 releases the elastic force to push the follower tray 11 to move with the fork arm 20, thereby improving the synchronization of the movement of the follower tray 11 and the fork arm 20.

[0101] Continue to see Figure 7 In order to limit the movement of the follower tray 11, the follower tray 11 is further provided with a force-bearing portion 111, which is an integrated structure with the follower tray 11. The fork arm 20 is further provided with a blocking portion 40, which can be a straight rod structure or a straight plate structure. The blocking portion 40 can contact with the force-bearing portion 111, thereby limiting the freedom of the follower tray 11 in the first direction FD.

[0102] The fork arm 20 moves in the placing direction and extends out of the base 10, and the resisting portion 40 is separated from the force-bearing portion 111. At this time, the follower tray 11 loses the freedom restriction of the resisting portion 40 in the first direction FD, and the elastic component 112 pushes the follower tray 11 to move through the elastic force. Under the action of the elastic force of the elastic component 112, the force-bearing portion 111 moves with the resisting portion 40 to extend out of the base 10 following the fork arm 20.

[0103] It should be noted that in order to receive the target items, the follower pallet 11 can extend as far as to contact the shelf, but the fork arm 20 needs to extend into the shelf to complete the picking action. Therefore, considering the length of the follower pallet 11 itself, the moving stroke of the follower pallet 11 should be less than or equal to the moving stroke of the fork arm 20.

[0104] When the fork arm 20 moves in the direction of picking up objects, it retreats toward the base 10, and the fork arm 20 drives the blocking portion 40 to move synchronously in the direction of picking up objects. During the movement of the blocking portion 40, it contacts the force-bearing portion 111 of the follower tray 11, thereby driving the follower tray to move with the fork arm 20, and delivering the follower tray 11 and the target object to the base 10. In order to increase the contact area between the follower tray 11 and the target object, the force-bearing portion 111 can be set at one end of the follower tray 11 away from the shelf, so that when the blocking portion 40 contacts the force-bearing portion 111, the follower tray 11 can carry the target object through the maximum contact area.

[0105] In some embodiments, in order to avoid the movement of the target object, the blocking portion 40 can be located at the top of the fork arm 20 or the bottom of the fork arm 20. For example, the blocking portion 40 is arranged at the top of the fork arm 20, and when the fork arm 20 is extended and retracted, the blocking portion 40 contacts the force-bearing portion 111 on the follower tray 11, thereby driving the follower tray 11 to move. However, when the maximum height of the force-bearing portion 111 is less than the height of the blocking portion 40, the blocking portion 40 of the straight rod structure or the straight plate structure cannot form a restrictive relationship with the force-bearing portion 111 in the first direction.

[0106] To this end, when the resisting portion 40 and the force-bearing portion 111 are located at different heights, the resisting portion 40 can use other structures to achieve a limiting effect. Exemplarily, the resisting portion 40 can be set to a bent shape. For example, one end of the resisting portion 40 is vertically connected to the fork arm 20, and the other end can be a bent plate structure. When the fork arm 20 retracts, the other end of the resisting portion 40 can contact the force-bearing portion 111 by bending, thereby forming a limiting relationship in the first direction with the force-bearing portion 111 at different heights without hindering the movement of the target object.

[0107] In some other embodiments, in order to simplify the structure of the resisting portion 40, the resisting portion 40 can also be arranged on the back of the connecting structure 30, that is, the resisting portion 40 is located between the connecting structure 30 and the force-bearing portion 111. When the fork arm 20 is working to take out the box, the front end of the connecting structure 30 contacts the target object, and the resisting portion 40 is arranged at the rear end of the connecting structure 30, which will not hinder the moving trajectory of the target object. In addition, the installation height of the resisting portion 40 can be adjusted on the fork arm 20, so that the resisting portion 40 and the force-bearing portion 111 are at the same height. The resisting portion 40 with a straight rod structure or a straight plate structure can form a restrictive relationship with the force-bearing portion 111 to simplify the structure of the resisting portion 40.

[0108] In some embodiments, the connection structure 30 and the force-bearing portion 111 are located at the same height, and the connection structure 30 is located between the end of the fork arm 20 and the force-bearing portion 111. Since the distance between the connection structure 30 and the front end of the fork arm 20 can be adjusted by the mounting structure 23, for example, the first force-applying member 32 is mounted on the fork arm 20 through the maximum gear hole, so as to be used for taking and placing items of the maximum length that the base 10 can carry. At this time, the connection structure 30 is located at a position with a maximum distance from the front end of the fork arm 20.

[0109] At this time, the connection structure 30 is configured as the resisting portion 40, that is, the connection structure 30 replaces the function of the resisting portion 40 in the above embodiment. When the fork arm 20 is located in the base 10, the rear end of the connection structure 30 contacts the force-bearing portion 111 to limit the movement of the follower tray 11 in the first direction. When the fork arm 20 extends toward the base 10, the rear end of the connection structure 30 separates from the force-bearing portion 111, and the elastic component 112 pushes the follower tray 11 to move by elastic force. When the fork arm 20 transports the target item and returns to the base 10, the front end of the connection structure 30 contacts the target item until the connection structure 30 moves to the position of the force-bearing portion 111, and the rear end of the connection structure 30 contacts the force-bearing portion 111 to push the follower tray 11 into the base 10 to complete the material retrieval work. By replacing the resisting portion 40 with the connection structure 30, the consumables of the box retrieval structure can be reduced, and the structure of the box retrieval device can be simplified.

[0110] It can be seen from the above technical solutions that the box-taking device provided by the present application includes a base 10, a fork arm 20 and a connecting structure 30. The fork arm 20 can be movably arranged on the base 10, and fork arms 20 are arranged on opposite sides of the base 10. The fork arms 20 arranged opposite to each other are used to accommodate the target items, and the fork arms 20 are used to move between the base 10 and the target cargo position to retrieve and return the target items. The two fork arms 20 are connected by a connecting structure 30, and the connecting structure 30 is configured to provide mutual restraint force to the two fork arms 20, reduce the eversion or inversion of the fork arms 20 perpendicular to the box-taking direction due to the lateral force, make the target items move parallel to the fork arms 20, and improve the success rate of retrieving and returning the box.

[0111] Based on the box-removing device provided in the above embodiments, some embodiments of the present application further provide a handling robot, including a chassis, a gantry, and the box-removing device described in the above embodiments. The gantry is arranged on the chassis, and the box-removing device is arranged on the gantry. Specifically, in the embodiments of the present application, the chassis can be the same or similar to the chassis in the related art, and the gantry can be fixedly arranged on the chassis and moved under the drive of the chassis. The connection method between the gantry and the chassis can be the same or similar to that in the related art, and the embodiments of the present application will not be repeated.

[0112] The chassis is used to support the gantry and the box-retrieving device, wherein the gantry is arranged on the chassis to provide a movable track for the box-retrieving device. The box-retrieving device can be arranged on the gantry and can move up and down along the gantry. For example, after the transport robot moves to the target carrier, the box-retrieving device moves up and down along the gantry to reach the height of the cargo position where the corresponding target item is located.

[0113] The box picking device of the handling robot may include a base 10, a fork arm 20 and a connecting structure 30. Fork arms 20 are provided on opposite sides of the base 10, and a storage space for accommodating target items is formed between the two fork arms. One end of the connecting structure 30 is connected to one of the fork arms 20, and the other end is connected to the other fork arm 20.

[0114] When the handling robot retrieves the target object, the box-retrieving device drives the fork arm 20 to extend to the side of the target object through the driving member provided on the base 10 to clamp the target object. When the fork arm 20 extends for a long time, the fork arm 20 will be subjected to the lateral force generated by the friction force of the target object against the shelf. Due to the effect of the lateral force, the two fork arms 20 will turn inward or outward when the extension stroke is long, resulting in the fingers on the two fork arms 20 being unable to align, pushing or pulling the target object crookedly.

[0115] In order to alleviate the impact of inversion or eversion, the left fork arm 20 will provide a restraining force to the right fork arm 20 to resist the lateral force through the connecting structure 30, and the right fork arm 20 will also synchronously provide a reverse restraining force to the left fork arm 20. By providing restraining forces to each other, the lateral force is offset to maintain the fork arm 20 moving in a vertical state, thereby alleviating the problem of misaligned fingers due to the relative inversion or eversion of the fork arm 20, causing the target item to be pushed or pulled crookedly, resulting in failure to retrieve and return the box.

[0116] It can be seen from the above technical scheme that the handling robot provided by the present application includes a chassis, a gantry and a box picking device, wherein the gantry is arranged on the chassis, and the box picking device is arranged on the gantry. The box picking device offsets the lateral force acting on the fork arm 20 through a connecting structure 30 connected to different fork arms 20 at both ends, thereby alleviating the misalignment of the fingers caused by the relative inward or outward rotation of the fork arm 20, so that the target object moves parallel to the fork arm 20, thereby improving the success rate of retrieving and returning the box.

[0117] It is easy to understand that those skilled in the art can combine, split, reorganize, etc. the embodiments of the present application to obtain other embodiments based on the several embodiments provided in the present application, and these embodiments do not exceed the protection scope of the present application.

[0118] 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 box-taking device, characterized in that: include: Base; A fork arm is movably disposed on the base, and the fork arms are disposed on two opposite sides of the base; The fork arms arranged opposite to each other are used to accommodate the target object; the fork arms are at least configured to move between the base and the target cargo position to retrieve the target object; A connecting structure, through which the two fork arms are connected, and the connecting structure is configured to provide mutual restraint force to the two fork arms.

2. The box-taking device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connection structure comprises: a first force-applying member, one end of which is connected to one of the fork arms, and when the target object is contained between the two fork arms, the first force-applying member is used to abut against the target object to push the target object to move toward the target cargo position; A connecting member, wherein the other end of the first force applying member is connected to the other fork arm at least through the connecting member.

3. The box-taking device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The two fork arms can move relative to or away from each other; The first force applying member is movably connected to the connecting member, so that the first force applying member can move relative to the connecting member when the two fork arms move relative to or away from each other.

4. The box-taking device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The connecting member comprises a sliding guide rail; The first force applying member is slidably disposed on the sliding guide rail, so that the first force applying member slides along the sliding guide rail when the two fork arms move relative to or away from each other.

5. The box-taking device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The connection structure further comprises a limit block, which is arranged at the end of the sliding guide rail; when the two fork arms move relative to or away from each other, the limit block is at least configured to limit the first force applying member from moving within the sliding guide rail.

6. The box-taking device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first force applying member is disposed on both of the fork arms; One end of one of the first force-applying members is connected to a corresponding one of the fork arms, and one end of the other first force-applying member is connected to a corresponding other one of the fork arms. Both of the first force-applying members are movably arranged on the connecting member so that any one of the first force-applying members can be connected to another of the first force-applying members through the connecting member.

7. The box-taking device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The fork arm is provided with a mounting structure along the object picking direction; The first force-applying member is configured to drive the connecting member to move along the object-picking direction, and is fixed to the fork arm through the mounting structure to adjust the distance between the first force-applying member and the front end of the fork arm.

8. The box-taking device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The box taking device also includes: a first force-applying member, one end of which is connected to one of the fork arms, and when the target object is contained between the two fork arms, the first force-applying member is used to abut against the target object to push the target object to move toward the target cargo position; The connection structure comprises a connection member, one end of the connection member is connected to one of the fork arms, and the other end is connected to the other fork arm, and the connection member is located at the rear side of the first force applying member to avoid the target object.

9. The box-taking device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The box taking device also includes: A follower tray, wherein the follower tray is movably arranged on the base so that the follower tray can extend out of or retract into the base; The follower tray is configured to extend into the gap between the base and the target cargo position to support the target object when the fork arm retrieves the target object.

10. The box-taking device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The base is provided with an elastic component, one end of the elastic component is connected to the base, and the other end of the elastic component is connected to the follower tray; When the fork arm is located at the base, the elastic component is in a compressed state, and when the fork arm extends out of the base, the elastic component is configured to push the follower tray to extend out of the base.

11. The box-taking device according to claim 10, characterized in that: The follower tray is also provided with a force-bearing portion; A resisting portion is provided on the fork arm, and the resisting portion is configured to contact the force-bearing portion when the fork arm retreats toward the base to push the follower tray into the base; when the fork arm extends out of the base, the force-bearing portion extends out along with the resisting portion under the elastic force of the elastic component.

12. The box-taking device according to claim 11, characterized in that: The resisting portion is located between the connecting structure and the force-bearing portion.

13. The box-taking device according to claim 11, characterized in that: When the fork arm retreats toward the base, the connection structure is configured to contact the force-bearing portion to push the follower tray into the base; the connection structure is configured as the resisting portion.

14. A transport robot, characterized in that: include: Chassis; A door frame, arranged on the chassis; The box taking device as described in any one of claims 1 to 13 is arranged on the door frame and can be raised and lowered along the door frame.

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