Intelligent container unloading device

Abstract

The utility model discloses an intelligent container unloading device which comprises a main control unit, a mechanical arm mechanism, a two-way roller conveying mechanism and a telescopic lifting sliding plate mechanism. The mechanical arm mechanism, the two-way roller conveying mechanism and the telescopic lifting sliding plate mechanism are located on the container unloading opening side. The main control unit controls the mechanical arm mechanism, the bidirectional roller conveying mechanism and the telescopic lifting sliding plate mechanism to move. The mechanical arm mechanism is provided with a visual sensor and a vacuum suction cup and can automatically recognize the position of goods in the container and pull the goods outwards to the two-way roller conveying mechanism. The height of the bidirectional roller conveyor can be adjusted according to the target unloading layer number, the conveying direction is adjusted according to the cargo conveying state, and the taken-out cargoes are conveyed to the telescopic lifting sliding plate mechanism. The telescopic lifting sliding plate can adjust the telescopic length and the pitching angle according to the target goods taking layer number, and it is ensured that goods are conveyed to the sorting conveying belt. According to the container loading device, rapid unloading operation of the container loading device is achieved, the labor intensity of workers is reduced, and the problems that an existing device is inconvenient to unload and low in efficiency are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of rail transportation, in particular to an intelligent container unloading device. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of the high-speed rail freight industry, high-speed rail freight containers (UUTs), as key equipment, have been widely used in the loading and transportation of cargo. Through optimized structural design, these UUTs not only significantly improve loading efficiency and transportation safety, but also effectively protect and secure cargo, providing a strong guarantee for the efficient operation of high-speed rail freight logistics.

[0003] However, in practice, unloading cargo from containers presents numerous challenges. Traditional unloading methods often rely on manual labor, which is not only inefficient but also prone to risks such as cargo damage and personal injury. With the continuous increase in high-speed rail freight volume, the demand for more automated and intelligent cargo unloading is increasing, and traditional unloading methods are no longer able to meet practical needs.

[0004] Given these challenges, there is an urgent need to develop a new automated device for unloading cargo from high-speed rail freight containers. This device must be mechanized and automated, enabling rapid and accurate unloading of cargo from containers, significantly reducing labor costs, improving unloading efficiency, and effectively mitigating the risk of cargo damage during the unloading process. Utility Model Content

[0005] In order to solve the problems existing in the prior art, the utility model provides an intelligent container unloading device with a safe unloading process and high unloading efficiency.

[0006] The utility model is implemented as follows: an intelligent container unloading device includes a main control unit, a mechanical arm mechanism, a bidirectional roller conveying mechanism and a telescopic lifting slide mechanism located on the unloading port side of the container;

[0007] The main control unit controls the movement of the robotic arm mechanism, the bidirectional roller conveying mechanism, and the telescopic lifting slide mechanism;

[0008] The robotic arm mechanism includes a robotic arm body, on which a visual sensor and a vacuum suction cup are mounted. The visual sensor is used to scan the current viewing angle image and transmit it to the main control unit. The main control unit identifies the outline boundary of the cargo and controls the positioning and movement of the robotic arm body. The vacuum suction cup is used to suck the cargo onto the bidirectional roller conveyor mechanism under the control of the main control unit.

[0009] The bidirectional roller conveying mechanism includes a bidirectional roller conveyor and a conveying elevator. The bidirectional roller conveyor is used to adjust the height of the conveying elevator according to the target unloading layer number, and adjust the conveying direction according to the cargo delivery status to convey the taken-out cargo to the telescopic lifting slide mechanism;

[0010] The telescopic lifting skateboard mechanism is located at the end side of the bidirectional roller conveyor, and includes a telescopic skateboard, a skateboard base and a skateboard lift. The telescopic skateboard is rotatably installed on the skateboard base. The telescopic skateboard adjusts its telescopic length and pitch angle according to the target number of pickup layers. The pitch angle is controlled by the skateboard lift to transport the goods delivered by the bidirectional roller conveyor to the sorting conveyor belt.

[0011] Preferably, the robotic arm body is fixedly mounted on the ground through a robotic arm mounting base, the vacuum suction cup is mounted on the joint flange at the end of the robotic arm body, and the visual sensor is fixedly mounted on the base of the vacuum suction cup; the robotic arm body, vacuum suction cup, and visual sensor are all connected to the main control unit.

[0012] Preferably, the visual sensor is a 3D visual camera.

[0013] Preferably, an RFID reader is provided on the robot arm body, and the RFID reader is connected to the main control unit; the RFID reader is used to read the RFID tag on the container and upload the container information to the main control unit, and the main control unit uploads the information to the cargo management system through the wireless communication module.

[0014] Preferably, the bidirectional roller conveyor is installed on the conveying elevator, and the bidirectional roller conveyor includes a left-side bidirectional roller conveyor and a right-side bidirectional roller conveyor, and the left-side bidirectional roller conveyor and the right-side bidirectional roller conveyor are fixedly connected; the left-side bidirectional roller conveyor, the right-side bidirectional roller conveyor and the conveying elevator are all connected to the main control unit.

[0015] Preferably, the retractable skateboard is controlled to be retracted and extended by a skateboard retractable cylinder, the skateboard retractable cylinder is installed on the outside of the retractable skateboard, and the skateboard elevator is located between the retractable skateboard and the skateboard base; the skateboard retractable cylinder and the skateboard elevator are both connected to the main control unit.

[0016] Preferably, the main control unit is connected to a wireless communication module, and the wireless communication module adopts Wifi or ZigBee protocol.

[0017] The advantages and positive effects of the utility model are:

[0018] 1. The intelligent container unloading device provided by this utility model realizes the rapid and accurate unloading of cargo from the container through the interaction of a mechanical arm mechanism, a bidirectional roller conveyor mechanism, and a telescopic lifting slide mechanism controlled by a main control unit. This significantly reduces labor costs, improves unloading efficiency, and effectively reduces the risk of cargo damage during the unloading process, making it more mechanized and automated.

[0019] 2. The intelligent container unloading device provided by the utility model installs a visual sensor on the robot arm body. The visual sensor captures the image of the current perspective and uploads it to the main control unit. The main control unit then positions and moves the robot arm body and vacuum suction cup based on the image information. The visual sensor is installed at the joint flange at the end of the robot arm body, with sufficient degrees of freedom to capture the image, solving the current problem of low container unloading efficiency.

[0020] 3. The intelligent container unloading device provided by this utility model improves the loading and unloading capacity of cargo by adopting a bidirectional roller conveyor. The vacuum suction cup actuator is only used to drag the cargo to the bidirectional roller conveyor, avoiding damage to the cargo due to insufficient suction of the suction cup. When loading and unloading heavy cargo, the safety of the unloading process can also be ensured. At the same time, the robot arm is only responsible for dragging the cargo. Compared with traditional loading and unloading robots, it has a shorter travel range and higher loading and unloading efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The following will further describe the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that these drawings are designed for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present application. In addition, unless otherwise specified, these drawings are intended only to conceptually illustrate the structures described herein and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional diagram of the unloading device provided by an embodiment of the present utility model in a ready-to-work state;

[0023] Figure 2 It is a three-dimensional diagram of the unloading state of the unloading device provided by an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0024] In the figure: 1-Container shell; 2-Container cabinet; 3-Right-side bidirectional roller conveyor; 4-Slide plate telescopic cylinder; 5-Central control cabinet; 6-Slide plate lift; 7-Retractable slide plate; 8-Slide plate base; 9-Robot arm body; 10-Robot arm mounting base; 11-Container base; 12-Conveyor lift; 13-Left-side bidirectional roller conveyor; 14-Vacuum suction cup; 15-Vision sensor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] In order to further understand the content, features and effects of the present invention, the following embodiments are given as examples and described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0026] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating directions or positional relationships, are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limitations on the present invention.

[0027] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; mechanical connections, electrical connections; direct connections, indirect connections through an intermediate medium, and internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0028] See also Figures 1 and 2 An embodiment of the present invention provides an intelligent container unloading device, including a main control unit, and a mechanical arm mechanism, a bidirectional roller conveying mechanism, and a telescopic lifting slide mechanism located on the unloading port side of the container.

[0029] The container comprises a container body shell 1 , and a container cabinet 2 is installed inside the container body shell 1 , and the two together constitute a container for storing and transporting goods.

[0030] The robotic arm mechanism includes a robotic arm body 9, which is equipped with a visual sensor 15 and a vacuum suction cup 14. The visual sensor 15 is used to scan the current viewing angle and transmit it to the main control unit. The main control unit then identifies the outline of the goods and controls the positioning and movement of the robotic arm body 9. The vacuum suction cup 14 is used to suck the goods onto the bidirectional roller conveyor mechanism under the control of the main control unit. The visual sensor 15 is used to capture the current viewing angle and upload it to the main control unit for analysis of the image information, including the goods, the location of the goods within the shelf, and the outline of the goods. The main control unit then positions and moves the robotic arm body and vacuum suction cup based on this image information.

[0031] The bidirectional roller conveying mechanism includes a bidirectional roller conveyor and a conveying elevator 12. The bidirectional roller conveyor is used to adjust the height through the conveying elevator 12 according to the target unloading layer number, and adjust the conveying direction according to the cargo conveying status to convey the taken out cargo to the telescopic lifting slide mechanism.

[0032] The telescopic lifting slide mechanism is located at the end side of the bidirectional roller conveyor, and includes a telescopic slide 7, a slide base 8 and a slide lift 6. The telescopic slide 7 is rotatably mounted on the slide base 8. The telescopic slide 7 adjusts its telescopic length and pitch angle according to the target number of pickup layers. The pitch angle is controlled by the slide lift 6 to ensure that the goods delivered by the bidirectional roller conveyor are safely and efficiently transported to the sorting conveyor belt.

[0033] As a preferred embodiment, the robotic arm body 9 is fixedly mounted on the ground via a robotic arm mounting base 10. The vacuum suction cup 14 is mounted on the joint flange at the end of the robotic arm body 9, and the visual sensor 15 is fixedly mounted on the base of the vacuum suction cup 14. The robotic arm body 9, vacuum suction cup 14, and visual sensor 15 are all connected to the main control unit. The visual sensor 15 is mounted at the joint flange at the end of the robotic arm body 9, allowing sufficient degrees of freedom to capture images, achieving unmanned and highly efficient cargo unloading throughout the entire process. In specific implementation, the robotic arm body 9 utilizes a six-axis tandem robotic arm to increase its flexibility.

[0034] As a preferred embodiment, the visual sensor 15 is a 3D visual camera.

[0035] As a preferred embodiment, an RFID reader is provided on the robotic arm body 9, and the RFID reader is connected to the main control unit; the RFID reader is used to read the RFID tag on the container and upload the container information to the main control unit. The main control unit uploads the information to the cargo management system through the wireless communication module to facilitate cargo management.

[0036] As a preferred embodiment, the bidirectional roller conveyor is installed on the conveying elevator 12. The bidirectional roller conveyor is divided into two parts, left and right, including a left bidirectional roller conveyor 13 and a right bidirectional roller conveyor 3. The left bidirectional roller conveyor 13 and the right bidirectional roller conveyor 3 are fixedly connected and together constitute a bidirectional roller conveyor. The left bidirectional roller conveyor 13 and the right bidirectional roller conveyor 3 correspond to the left and right parts of the container, respectively. The transmission direction of the left and right parts can be adjusted according to the cargo transmission status, thereby improving the cargo transmission efficiency. In specific implementation, the conveying elevator 12 adopts a conveying lifting cylinder. The bidirectional roller conveyor is installed on the conveying lifting cylinder, and the lifting height of the bidirectional roller conveyor is controlled by the conveying lifting cylinder. The drive of the left bidirectional roller conveyor 13, the drive of the right bidirectional roller conveyor 3, and the conveying lifting cylinder are all connected to the main control unit, and cooperate with the motion state of the robotic arm mechanism to adjust the transmission speed, transmission direction and lifting height.

[0037] As a preferred embodiment, the retractable skateboard 7 is controlled to extend and retract via a skateboard telescopic cylinder 4, which is mounted on the outside of the retractable skateboard 7 and controls the telescopic length of the retractable skateboard 7. The skateboard elevator 6 is located between the retractable skateboard 7 and the skateboard base 8. In a specific implementation, the skateboard elevator 6 uses a skateboard lifting cylinder, one end of which is mounted on the skateboard base 8 and the other end is mounted on the bottom of the retractable skateboard 7, controlling the pitch angle of the retractable skateboard 7. The skateboard telescopic cylinder 4, the retractable skateboard 7, the skateboard elevator 6, and the skateboard base 8 together constitute a telescopic lifting skateboard mechanism. The skateboard telescopic cylinder 4 and the skateboard lifting cylinder are all connected to the main control unit to coordinate with the target unloading layer to adjust the telescopic length and pitch angle of the retractable skateboard 7.

[0038] As a preferred embodiment, the main control unit is connected to a wireless communication module and controls the movement of the robotic arm mechanism, the bidirectional roller conveyor mechanism, and the telescopic lift slide mechanism. Specifically, the main control unit is installed in the central control cabinet 5 and includes a control system for the robotic arm mechanism, the bidirectional roller conveyor mechanism, and the telescopic lift slide mechanism.

[0039] The robotic arm mechanism control system includes a visual sensor intelligent recognition module, a robotic arm body motion control module, a vacuum suction cup motion control module, and a container RFID tag recognition module, which respectively control the actions of the visual sensor, robotic arm body, vacuum suction cup, and RFID reader.

[0040] The roller conveyor mechanism control system includes a left-side bidirectional roller conveyor drive module, a right-side bidirectional roller conveyor drive module, and a conveying lift cylinder control module, which respectively control the actions of the left-side bidirectional roller conveyor, the right-side bidirectional roller conveyor, and the conveying lift.

[0041] The telescopic lifting slide mechanism control system includes a slide telescopic cylinder control module and a slide lifting cylinder control module, which respectively control the actions of the slide telescopic cylinder and the slide lifter.

[0042] As a preferred embodiment, the wireless communication module adopts Wifi or ZigBee protocol.

[0043] As an example, the automated unloading process of a container container includes an unloading preparation process and an unloading process, wherein the unloading preparation process is as follows:

[0044] In order to avoid interference with the unloading device, the container is unloaded according to the principle of top to bottom and left to right. At the initial position, the two-way roller conveyor mechanism is at the lowest position, the telescopic lifting slide mechanism is at the lowest and shortest position, and the robot arm body 9 is in the initial state. The initial state of the robot arm body 9 does not interfere with the pick-up and placement operations of the container. The robot arm body 9 first moves to the highest level and leftmost position of the container cabinet 2; then the conveying elevator 12 of the two-way roller conveyor mechanism rises, and the two-way roller conveyor is raised to the highest level position of the container cabinet 2. At this height, the goods on the highest level can be dragged out smoothly; finally, the retractable slide 7 of the telescopic lifting slide mechanism is pushed by the slide telescopic cylinder 4 and the slide elevator 6 to the lower part of the right two-way roller conveyor 3, so that the goods can slide down to the sorting conveyor belt under the action of gravity;

[0045] Complete the ULD unloading preparation process.

[0046] The unloading process is as follows:

[0047] First, the robot arm 9 is controlled to move from left to right. At several fixed points, the visual sensor 15 identifies all cargo information and cargo boundary information on the current layer. This information is then uploaded to the main control unit, which then optimizes the trajectory planning according to the set algorithm, generating the motion path for the robot arm 9 and vacuum suction cup 14. Simultaneously, the action list for the bidirectional roller conveyor is planned based on the set sequence of cargo pickup actions for the robot arm 9. To increase cargo loading and unloading speed, the bidirectional roller conveyor 13 on the left and the bidirectional roller conveyor 3 on the right are combined to form a bidirectional roller conveyor. This arrangement avoids the safety hazard of unloaded cargo accidentally falling when the bidirectional roller conveyor reverses direction when the currently unloaded cargo is dragged onto the bidirectional roller conveyor.

[0048] After unloading the current level of cargo, the telescopic lift slide mechanism first moves to the lower level's set position. Then, the bidirectional roller conveyor, driven by the conveyor elevator 12, descends to the lower level's set position. Finally, the robotic arm moves to the leftmost position of the lower level cabinet, repeating the process for the highest level. After all cargo in the container has been unloaded, the unloading device returns to its initial position.

[0049] Complete the container unloading process.

[0050] In summary, the intelligent container unloading device provided by this utility model achieves precise positioning and movement, improving unloading efficiency, by installing a visual sensor 15 at the end of the robotic arm 9 to capture images and upload them to the main control unit for analysis. Furthermore, a bidirectional roller conveyor is used to increase load capacity, and the vacuum suction cup 14 is used only to drag cargo onto the bidirectional roller conveyor, ensuring safety and increasing loading and unloading efficiency. The robotic arm 9 has a shorter travel range, offering advantages over traditional loading and unloading robots. This device enables rapid and precise unloading of cargo from containers, significantly reducing labor costs, improving unloading efficiency, and effectively minimizing the risk of cargo damage during the unloading process.

[0051] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the present invention in any form. Any simple modification, equivalent changes and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention are within the scope of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. An intelligent container unloading device, characterized in that: It includes a main control unit, a robotic arm mechanism, a bidirectional roller conveying mechanism, and a telescopic lifting slide mechanism located on the unloading port side of the container; The main control unit controls the movement of the robotic arm mechanism, the bidirectional roller conveying mechanism, and the telescopic lifting slide mechanism; The robotic arm mechanism includes a robotic arm body, on which a visual sensor and a vacuum suction cup are mounted. The visual sensor is used to scan the current viewing angle image and transmit it to the main control unit. The main control unit identifies the outline boundary of the cargo and controls the positioning and movement of the robotic arm body. The vacuum suction cup is used to suck the cargo onto the bidirectional roller conveyor mechanism under the control of the main control unit. The bidirectional roller conveying mechanism includes a bidirectional roller conveyor and a conveying elevator. The bidirectional roller conveyor is used to adjust the height of the conveying elevator according to the target unloading layer number, and adjust the conveying direction according to the cargo delivery status to convey the taken-out cargo to the telescopic lifting slide mechanism; The telescopic lifting skateboard mechanism is located at the end side of the bidirectional roller conveyor, and includes a telescopic skateboard, a skateboard base and a skateboard lift. The telescopic skateboard is rotatably installed on the skateboard base. The telescopic skateboard adjusts its telescopic length and pitch angle according to the target number of pickup layers. The pitch angle is controlled by the skateboard lift to transport the goods delivered by the bidirectional roller conveyor to the sorting conveyor belt.

2. The intelligent container unloading device according to claim 1 is further characterized in that: The robotic arm body is fixedly mounted on the ground through a robotic arm mounting base, the vacuum suction cup is mounted on the joint flange at the end of the robotic arm body, and the visual sensor is fixedly mounted on the base of the vacuum suction cup; the robotic arm body, vacuum suction cup, and visual sensor are all connected to the main control unit.

3. The intelligent container unloading device according to claim 1 or 2, further characterized in that: The visual sensor is a 3D visual camera.

4. The intelligent container unloading device according to claim 1 or 2, further characterized in that: An RFID reader is provided on the robotic arm body, and the RFID reader is connected to the main control unit; the RFID reader is used to read the RFID tag on the container and upload the container information to the main control unit, and the main control unit uploads the information to the cargo management system through the wireless communication module.

5. The intelligent container unloading device according to claim 1 is further characterized in that: The bidirectional roller conveyor is installed on the conveying elevator. The bidirectional roller conveyor includes a left-side bidirectional roller conveyor and a right-side bidirectional roller conveyor. The left-side bidirectional roller conveyor and the right-side bidirectional roller conveyor are fixedly connected; the left-side bidirectional roller conveyor, the right-side bidirectional roller conveyor and the conveying elevator are all connected to the main control unit.

6. The intelligent container unloading device according to claim 1, further characterized in that: The retractable skateboard is controlled to be retracted and extended by a skateboard retractable cylinder, the skateboard retractable cylinder is installed on the outside of the retractable skateboard, and the skateboard elevator is located between the retractable skateboard and the skateboard base; the skateboard retractable cylinder and the skateboard elevator are both connected to the main control unit.

7. The intelligent container unloading device according to claim 1 is further characterized in that: The main control unit is connected to a wireless communication module, and the wireless communication module adopts Wifi or ZigBee protocol.

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