Goods conveying device and warehouse logistics system

Abstract

A cargo conveying device and a warehouse logistics system, the cargo conveying device is used for a shelf (SH), and the cargo conveying device comprises: an access mechanism (10) configured to store cargoes (GO) into shelf storage locations (SL) on the shelf (SH) or take the cargoes (GO) out of the shelf storage locations (SL); the driving mechanism (20) is connected with the storing and taking mechanism (10) and is configured to drive the storing and taking mechanism (10) to move relative to the goods shelf (SH); and the first laser radar (30) is arranged on the storing and taking mechanism (10) and is configured to scan the goods shelf storage positions (SL) so that the storing and taking mechanism (10) can store and take the goods (GO).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of warehousing and logistics, and in particular to a cargo conveying device and a warehousing and logistics system. Background Art

[0002] In the field of warehousing and logistics, bin access systems can achieve efficient handling of bins in and out of the warehouse, improving efficiency and reducing costs. The bin access system includes a lifting and horizontally movable loading platform, which is used to transfer bins between the bins and storage locations on the shelves.

[0003] In some related technologies, to ensure accurate and safe bin access, bin access systems utilize various sensing devices, such as cameras and photoelectric sensors, to obtain storage location and bin information during access. In other related technologies, bin access systems employ single-point lasers for distance or inclination measurement. Utility Model Content

[0004] Research has found that the related technologies that use multiple sensing devices for coordination require the installation and setting of multiple sensing devices. These sensing devices require the cargo platform to cooperate in performing multiple actions to achieve information acquisition, which is complex to control and has high costs. The related technologies that use single-point laser for distance measurement or inclination measurement also require the cargo platform to perform actions for coordination, and the information it obtains is limited, and the installation location requirements are high. Therefore, these existing technologies all have factors that affect the reliability of cargo storage and access.

[0005] In view of this, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a cargo conveying device and a warehousing logistics system, which can improve the reliability of cargo storage and retrieval.

[0006] In one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cargo conveying device for a shelf, comprising:

[0007] a storage and retrieval mechanism, configured to store goods into a shelf storage location on the shelf or to retrieve goods from the shelf storage location;

[0008] a driving mechanism connected to the access mechanism and configured to drive the access mechanism to move relative to the shelf; and

[0009] The first laser radar is arranged on the storage and retrieval mechanism and is configured to scan the shelf storage location so that the storage and retrieval mechanism can retrieve goods.

[0010] In some embodiments, the storage and access mechanism has a carrying portion for carrying goods, and the first laser radar is located on at least one side of the carrying portion along a first direction, and the first direction intersects with the goods storage and access direction of the storage and access mechanism.

[0011] In some embodiments, the driving mechanism is configured to drive the access mechanism to move relative to the shelf along at least one direction parallel to a reference plane, wherein the reference plane is parallel to both the first direction and the vertical direction.

[0012] In some embodiments, the first direction is perpendicular to the cargo access direction of the access mechanism and is parallel to a horizontal plane.

[0013] In some embodiments, the cargo conveying device includes two groups of first laser radars, each group of first laser radars includes one or more first laser radars, and the two groups of first laser radars are respectively located on both sides of the carrying portion along the first direction.

[0014] In some embodiments, the two groups of first laser radars are spaced the same distance from the supporting portion in the first direction and are installed at the same height in the vertical direction.

[0015] In some embodiments, the rotating scanning plane formed by the first laser radar is parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0016] In some embodiments, the first lidar is configured to perform at least one of the following operations:

[0017] Scanning the goods in the shelf storage location to be picked up on the shelf to obtain point cloud data of the goods surface to determine the distance between the goods and the access mechanism in the goods access direction of the access mechanism;

[0018] Scanning the shelf storage location to be stocked on the shelf to determine whether the shelf storage location is occupied;

[0019] By scanning at least one side of the shelf storage location adjacent to the shelf storage location to be stocked, point cloud data of the surface of the goods in the at least one adjacent shelf storage location is obtained to determine whether the space separated by the goods in the at least one adjacent shelf storage location has sufficient space to store the goods.

[0020] In some embodiments, the cargo conveying device further comprises:

[0021] The second laser radar is arranged on the access mechanism and is configured to scan the lower side of the access mechanism to determine whether there is any foreign matter on the lower side of the access mechanism.

[0022] In some embodiments, the storage and retrieval mechanism has a carrying portion for carrying goods, and the second laser radar is located on the lower side of the carrying portion.

[0023] In some embodiments, the rotating scanning plane formed by the second laser radar is perpendicular to the horizontal plane.

[0024] In some embodiments, the driving mechanism is configured to drive the access mechanism to move relative to the shelf in at least one direction parallel to a reference plane, and the rotating scanning plane formed by the second laser radar is parallel to the reference plane.

[0025] In some embodiments, the cargo conveying device further comprises:

[0026] The third laser radar is arranged on the storage and retrieval mechanism and is configured to scan the multi-layer shelf storage locations of the shelf in the vertical direction.

[0027] In some embodiments, the rotating scanning plane or rotating scanning arc formed by the third laser radar is configured to cover the height range of all shelf storage locations of the shelf.

[0028] In some embodiments, the third laser radar is located on at least one side of the storage and access mechanism along a first direction, the driving mechanism is configured to drive the storage and access mechanism to move relative to the shelf along at least one direction parallel to a reference plane, the first direction intersecting the cargo access direction of the storage and access mechanism, and the reference plane is configured to pass through a beam of a multi-layer shelf storage location of the shelf in a vertical direction;

[0029] The rotating scanning plane formed by the third laser radar is perpendicular to the reference plane; or the rotating scanning plane or rotating scanning arc formed by the third laser radar intersects with the reference plane at an angle, and the intersection position is located outside the access mechanism.

[0030] In some embodiments, the cargo conveying device includes two groups of third laser radars, each group of third laser radars includes one or more third laser radars, and the two groups of third laser radars are respectively located on both sides of the carrying part along the first direction.

[0031] In some embodiments, the third lidar is configured to perform at least one of the following operations:

[0032] The inspection is carried out by scanning the multi-layer shelf storage locations of the shelf in the vertical direction to determine whether there is an abnormal state in the shelf storage locations of each layer;

[0033] The height information of the beams of each shelf storage location is obtained by scanning the multiple layers of shelf storage locations on the shelf in the vertical direction, so that the driving mechanism can perform height positioning on the access mechanism.

[0034] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a warehousing logistics system is provided, comprising:

[0035] Shelves; and

[0036] The aforementioned cargo conveying device.

[0037] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a first laser radar is provided on the storage and retrieval mechanism to scan the shelf storage locations, so that the storage and retrieval mechanism can deposit or withdraw goods according to the scanning conditions of the goods storage locations, thereby improving the reliability of goods storage and retrieval. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

[0039] The present disclosure can be more clearly understood from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0040] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of scenarios according to some embodiments of the warehousing and logistics system disclosed herein;

[0041] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the scanning area of ​​the first laser radar according to an embodiment of the cargo conveying device of the present disclosure;

[0042] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the installation structure of the access mechanism, the first laser radar and the second laser radar in the embodiment of the cargo conveying device according to the present disclosure;

[0043] Figure 4-Figure 6 They are schematic diagrams of three operations implemented by the first laser radar according to an embodiment of the cargo conveying device disclosed herein;

[0044] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a scanning area of ​​a second laser radar according to an embodiment of the cargo conveying device of the present disclosure;

[0045] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of scanning for foreign objects below the storage and retrieval mechanism using a second laser radar according to an embodiment of the cargo conveying device disclosed herein;

[0046] Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the installation structure of the access mechanism, the first laser radar and the third laser radar in the embodiment of the cargo conveying device according to the present disclosure;

[0047] Figure 10 yes Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the installation structure of the embodiment shown in another viewing angle;

[0048] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of a scanning area of ​​a third laser radar according to an embodiment of the cargo conveying device of the present disclosure;

[0049] Figure 12 It is a schematic diagram of another scanning area of ​​the third laser radar in the embodiment of the cargo conveying device according to the present disclosure.

[0050] It should be understood that the size of each part shown in the drawings is not drawn according to the actual proportional relationship.In addition, the same or similar reference numerals represent the same or similar components.

[0051] Description of reference numerals:

[0052] 10- access mechanism; 11- carrying portion; 12- operating portion; 13- housing;

[0053] 20-driving mechanism; 21-vertical rail; 22-traveling wheel; 23-elevator;

[0054] 30-First LiDAR;

[0055] 40-second laser radar;

[0056] 50-third laser radar;

[0057] x-first direction; y-second direction; z-third direction; rp-reference plane;

[0058] SH-shelf; GO-cargo; GV-yard transport trolley; SL-shelf storage space; HB-beam; GT-cargo conveyor; FM-foreign matter. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0059] Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The description of the exemplary embodiments is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the present disclosure, its application, or use. The present disclosure can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. These embodiments are provided to make the present disclosure thorough and complete and to fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. It should be noted that unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement of parts and steps, the composition of materials, numerical expressions, and numerical values ​​set forth in these embodiments should be interpreted as being merely exemplary and not as limiting.

[0060] The terms "including," "having," and any variations thereof in the specification and claims of this disclosure and the accompanying drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, technical terms such as "first," "second," and the like are used solely to distinguish between different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity, specific order, or primary-secondary relationship of the technical features being referred to.

[0061] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the association relationship between associated objects, indicating that three possible relationships exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. Furthermore, if the character " / " appears in the present disclosure, it generally indicates that the associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0062] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the term "multiple" refers to more than two (including two). Similarly, "multiple groups" refers to more than two groups (including two groups), and "multiple pieces" refers to more than two pieces (including two pieces).

[0063] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the term "at least one" refers to one or more than two (including two). Similarly, "at least one group" refers to one or more than two (including two groups), and "at least one piece" refers to one or more than two (including two pieces). In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the term "at least part" refers to part or all.

[0064] Unless otherwise specified, in the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the technical terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present disclosure and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operate in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0065] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, technical terms such as "installed," "connected," "connected," and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integration; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to internal connectivity between two components or interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present disclosure based on specific circumstances.

[0066] All terms (including technical or scientific terms) used in this disclosure have the same meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs, unless otherwise specifically defined. It should also be understood that terms defined in, for example, commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or highly formal sense, unless explicitly defined as such herein.

[0067] Technologies, methods, and equipment known to ordinary technicians in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, the technologies, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0068] In some related technologies, to ensure accurate and safe bin access, bin access systems utilize various sensing devices, such as cameras and photoelectric sensors, to obtain storage location and bin information during access. In other related technologies, bin access systems employ single-point lasers for distance or inclination measurement.

[0069] Research has found that the related technologies that use multiple sensing devices for coordination require the installation and setting of multiple sensing devices. These sensing devices require the cargo platform to cooperate in performing multiple actions to achieve information acquisition, which is complex to control and has high costs. The related technologies that use single-point laser for distance measurement or inclination measurement also require the cargo platform to perform actions for coordination, and the information it obtains is limited, and the installation location requirements are high. Therefore, these existing technologies all have factors that affect the reliability of cargo storage and access.

[0070] In view of this, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a cargo conveying device and a warehousing logistics system, which can improve the reliability of cargo storage and retrieval.

[0071] In one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cargo conveying device for a shelf, comprising:

[0072] a storage and retrieval mechanism, configured to store goods into a shelf storage location on the shelf or to retrieve goods from the shelf storage location;

[0073] a driving mechanism connected to the access mechanism and configured to drive the access mechanism to move relative to the shelf; and

[0074] The first laser radar is arranged on the storage and retrieval mechanism and is configured to scan the shelf storage location so that the storage and retrieval mechanism can retrieve goods.

[0075] In this embodiment, a first laser radar is provided on the storage and retrieval mechanism to scan the shelf storage locations, so that the storage and retrieval mechanism can deposit or withdraw goods according to the scanning results of the goods storage locations, thereby improving the reliability of goods storage and retrieval.

[0076] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of some embodiments of the warehousing and logistics system according to the present disclosure. Figure 1 The present disclosure provides a warehousing and logistics system, including a shelf SH and a cargo conveying device GT. The shelf SH may have at least one storage layer, such as a single layer or two or more storage layers. Each storage layer may have at least one storage location SL, such as a single storage location SL or two or more storage locations SL.

[0077] The shelf storage locations SL can be enclosed by a frame on the shelf SH, for example, by using multiple vertical beams or vertical boards arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction to separate at least one shelf storage location. The shelf storage locations SL can also be obtained by other means, such as using the space between the goods on the left and right sides as the shelf storage locations SL for the goods to be stored. This method adopts a non-fixed position storage method, and the shelf storage location SL to be used is determined based on the arrangement of the goods on the shelf SH before storage.

[0078] Goods GO from shelf SH can be retrieved and transported by the cargo conveyor GT. The cargo conveyor GT can also retrieve goods from other sources and transport them to the corresponding shelf storage location SL for storage. The starting and destination locations (or destination and starting locations) of a transport can be different shelf storage locations SL on the same shelf SH, shelf storage locations SL on different shelves SH, a shelf storage location SL and a yard transport vehicle GV, or a shelf storage location SL and another cargo conveyor GT.

[0079] Goods GO may include actual items, such as finished products, semi-finished products or raw materials, etc., and may also include containers for loading items, such as pallets, boxes, packaging boxes or packaging bags, etc., and may also include empty containers.

[0080] A warehouse logistics system can consist of a single rack SH or multiple racks SH arranged horizontally and spaced apart. Adjacent racks SH form lanes for the operation of a cargo conveyor GT, which transports goods GO within the lanes in at least one direction parallel to the rack facades. The undersides of the racks SH, the lanes, and the space surrounding the racks SH allow for the operation of a yard transport vehicle GV, which transports the goods GO.

[0081] Figure 1 The diagram shows a cargo conveying device GT positioned between two adjacent shelves SH. Three directions are shown: a first direction x, a second direction y, and a third direction z. The third direction z can be parallel to the vertical direction, and the second direction y can be parallel to the cargo access direction of the access mechanism 10 in the cargo conveying device GT. The cargo access direction can be either the direction for depositing or withdrawing cargo.

[0082] The first direction x may intersect the second direction y, for example, be perpendicular to the second direction y, or form an acute angle or an obtuse angle with the second direction y. The first direction x may also intersect the third direction z, for example, be perpendicular to the third direction z, or form an acute angle or an obtuse angle with the third direction z. The second direction y may intersect the third direction z, for example, be perpendicular to the third direction z, or form an acute angle or an obtuse angle with the third direction.

[0083] refer to Figure 1 The embodiment of the present disclosure also provides a cargo conveying device GT for use on a shelf SH, comprising: a storage and retrieval mechanism 10, a drive mechanism 20, and a first laser radar 30. The storage and retrieval mechanism 10 is configured to store goods GO into a shelf storage location SL on the shelf SH or to take goods GO out of the shelf storage location SL. The drive mechanism 20 is connected to the storage and retrieval mechanism 10 and is configured to drive the storage and retrieval mechanism 10 to move relative to the shelf SH. The first laser radar 30 is disposed on the storage and retrieval mechanism 10 and is configured to scan the shelf storage location SL so that the storage and retrieval mechanism 10 can store and retrieve goods GO.

[0084] The storage and retrieval mechanism 10 can carry and transport goods GO and can also deposit or remove goods GO relative to the shelf storage location SL. Here, the storage and retrieval mechanism 10 can only deposit or remove goods GO, or can also deposit and remove goods GO.

[0085] The drive mechanism 20 is capable of moving the storage and retrieval mechanism 10 relative to the shelf SH. Movement may include vertical movement, horizontal movement, or diagonal upward or downward movement. The drive mechanism 20 may drive the storage and retrieval mechanism 10 in a manner including, but not limited to, track guidance, suspension, or robotic arm drive.

[0086] LiDAR is a target detection technology that uses lasers as a signal source. It emits laser light at a target object and collects the reflected signal, thereby obtaining information such as the target's position and speed. Depending on the needs, LiDAR can emit a fan-shaped or 360° laser beam to cover the target range.

[0087] The first laser radar 30 can utilize available laser radars of different principles as needed. For example, the first laser radar 30 can be a mechanical laser radar, where a motor drives the laser source to rotate to form a preset angular range or a 360° scanning plane. Alternatively, the first laser radar 30 can be a rotating mirror laser radar, where a rotating mirror refracts light to achieve a preset angular range or a 360° scanning plane.

[0088] This embodiment incorporates a first laser radar on the access mechanism to scan shelf locations, enabling the mechanism to deposit or withdraw goods based on the scanned locations, thereby improving the reliability of access. Compared to related technologies that employ multiple sensing devices for coordination, this embodiment eliminates the need for multiple sensing devices, thus reducing costs. Furthermore, by eliminating these devices, the coordination control requirements between them and the access mechanism are eliminated, reducing control complexity and facilitating improved access reliability.

[0089] Compared with related technologies that use single-point laser for distance measurement or inclination measurement, the first laser radar of this embodiment has a larger scanning range, can obtain more information, and reduces installation requirements, which is conducive to improving the reliability of cargo access.

[0090] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the scanning area of ​​the first laser radar in the embodiment of the cargo conveying device according to the present disclosure. Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the installation structure of the access mechanism, the first laser radar and the second laser radar in the embodiment of the cargo conveying device disclosed in the present invention. Figure 3 In some embodiments, the storage and retrieval mechanism 10 has a carrying portion 11 for carrying goods GO, and the first laser radar 30 is located on at least one side of the carrying portion 11 along a first direction x, and the first direction x intersects with the goods retrieval direction of the storage and retrieval mechanism 10.

[0091] The load-bearing portion 11 is capable of carrying goods (GO) thereon, and the first laser radar 30 is located on at least one side of the load-bearing portion 11 along a first direction x, which intersects the direction in which goods (GO) are stored and retrieved by the storage and retrieval mechanism 10. This prevents the first laser radar 30 from being in the direction in which goods (GO) enter or exit the load-bearing portion 11, thereby reducing the risk of interference with the goods (GO) or the components of the storage and retrieval mechanism 10 that perform storage and retrieval.

[0092] The first laser radar 30 can be located at the front side or the rear side of the carrying part 11 along the first direction x, or the first laser radar 30 can be arranged at both the front side and the rear side of the carrying part 11 along the first direction x.

[0093] refer to Figure 3 In some embodiments, the cargo conveying device may include two sets of first laser radars 30, each set of first laser radars 30 including one or more first laser radars 30. The two sets of first laser radars 30 are located on either side of the load-bearing portion 11 along the first direction x. This allows accurate determination of the distance and size of cargo or foreign objects within a shelf storage location by reference to the point cloud data obtained by the two sets of first laser radars 30. Furthermore, the two sets of first laser radars 30 expand the detection range, enabling more comprehensive detection and reducing the risk of missed scans due to obstruction by other components or cargo.

[0094] In some embodiments, the two sets of first laser radars 30 are spaced the same distance from the supporting portion 11 in the first direction x and are installed at the same height in the vertical direction. This ensures that the scanning data obtained by the two sets of first laser radars 30 are consistent, which helps simplify subsequent data processing.

[0095] refer to Figure 2In some embodiments, the drive mechanism 20 is configured to drive the access mechanism 10 to move relative to the shelf SH in at least one direction parallel to a reference plane rp, where the reference plane rp is parallel to both the first direction x and the vertical direction. The reference plane rp can be the front side of the shelf SH adjacent to the access mechanism 10, or another plane parallel to the front side.

[0096] The first direction x and the vertical direction are both parallel to the reference plane rp and can be used as the directions in which the drive mechanism 20 drives the access mechanism 10 to move. This is conducive to the two groups of first laser radars 30 arranged along the first direction x to form the same distance with the reference plane rp. Figure 2 In the figure, each group of first laser radars 30 includes a first laser radar 30, and the thick dotted line indicates that the two first laser radars 30 each form a circular scanning area, and the two circular scanning areas overlap, so that they can scan the shelf storage positions SL on both sides of the shelf storage position SL on the front side of the storage and retrieval mechanism 10, and can also scan the same partial area of ​​the goods GO on the front side of the storage and retrieval mechanism 10 at the same time.

[0097] In some embodiments, the first direction x is perpendicular to the direction in which the access mechanism 10 accesses goods and is parallel to the horizontal plane. This parallelism facilitates arranging the two sets of first laser radars 30 arranged along the first direction x at the same height. Setting the first direction x perpendicular to the direction in which the access mechanism 10 accesses goods can further reduce the risk of interference between the first laser radars 30 and goods (GO) or components of the access mechanism 10.

[0098] In addition, Figure 3 In the embodiment, the storage and retrieval mechanism 10 may further include an operating unit 12 capable of applying a push or pull force to the cargo. The load-bearing portion 11 of the storage and retrieval mechanism 10 may include a transmission belt assembly, which may cooperate with the operating unit 12 to facilitate the entry and exit of the cargo GO relative to the storage and retrieval mechanism 10. The conveying direction of the transmission belt assembly and the push and pull direction of the operating unit 12 may be parallel to the cargo access direction of the storage and retrieval mechanism 10.

[0099] refer to Figure 2 In some embodiments, the rotating scanning plane formed by the first laser radar 30 is parallel to the horizontal plane. The first laser radar 30 drives the laser source or the rotating mirror matched with the laser source to rotate by a motor to achieve Figure 2 The circular rotating scanning plane with the first laser radar 30 as the center is shown by the thick dotted line. The rotating scanning plane is parallel to the horizontal plane and can achieve a large-scale scanning of the shelf storage locations SL of the shelf layer corresponding to the storage and retrieval mechanism 10.

[0100] Figure 4-Figure 6They are schematic diagrams of three operations implemented by the first laser radar according to the embodiment of the cargo conveying device disclosed in the present invention. Figure 4-Figure 6 The multiple dotted lines drawn from the two first laser radars 30 are used to illustrate the laser beams emitted by the first laser radar 30 toward the shelf.

[0101] refer to Figure 4 In some embodiments, the first laser radar 30 is configured to perform the following operations: scanning the goods GO in the shelf storage location SL to be picked up on the shelf SH to obtain point cloud data of the surface of the goods GO to determine the distance between the goods GO and the storage and retrieval mechanism 10 in the goods retrieval direction of the storage and retrieval mechanism 10.

[0102] exist Figure 4 In the example, when the access mechanism 10 needs to retrieve goods GO from a shelf storage location SL, it can first scan the goods GO in the shelf storage location SL on the shelf SH using the first laser radar 30 to obtain point cloud data of the surface of the goods GO. This allows the distance between the goods GO and the access mechanism 10 in the direction of accessing the goods. In this way, when the access mechanism 10 performs a retrieval operation, its operating components can be extended to a precise distance to act on the goods GO, reducing the risk of retrieval failure due to insufficient extension distance, or the risk of damaging the goods GO or the operating components due to excessive extension distance, thereby improving the success rate of retrieval.

[0103] refer to Figure 5 In some embodiments, the first laser radar 30 is configured to perform the following operations: scanning the shelf storage location SL to be stocked on the shelf SH to determine whether the shelf storage location SL is occupied.

[0104] exist Figure 5 In the process, when the storage and retrieval mechanism 10 needs to store the goods GO it carries into the shelf storage location SL to be stored, it can first scan the shelf storage location SL to be stored on the shelf SH through the first laser radar 30, so as to promptly find out whether there are other goods or foreign objects occupying the shelf storage location SL, so as to continue to transport it to other available shelf storage locations SL, or issue a notification to clean the shelf storage location SL.

[0105] refer to Figure 6In some embodiments, the first laser radar 30 is configured to perform the following operations: by scanning at least one side shelf storage location SL adjacent to the shelf storage location SL to be stocked on the shelf SH, point cloud data of the surface of the goods GO in the adjacent at least one side shelf storage location SL is obtained to determine whether the space separated by the goods GO in the adjacent at least one side shelf storage location SL has sufficient space to store the goods GO.

[0106] exist Figure 6 For a shelf where goods GO can be freely placed, when the storage and retrieval mechanism 10 needs to store the goods GO in a shelf storage location SL, it needs to scan to determine an available shelf storage location SL with sufficient space. Accordingly, the first laser radar 30 can scan at least one shelf storage location SL on the shelf SH adjacent to the shelf storage location SL to be stored, so as to obtain point cloud data of the surface of the goods GO in the at least one adjacent shelf storage location SL.

[0107] A shelf storage location SL can be formed on both sides by goods GO, or on one side by goods GO and on the other by the shelf side panels. The obtained point cloud data can be used to calculate the minimum spacing between the goods GO on both sides, or between the goods GO and the side panels. If this minimum spacing is greater than the width of the goods GO, it indicates that the space separated by the goods GO in at least one adjacent shelf storage location SL is sufficient for storing goods GO, and goods can be deposited. Otherwise, it indicates that the space separated by the goods GO in at least one adjacent shelf storage location SL is insufficient for storing goods GO, and it is necessary to find another available shelf storage location SL.

[0108] In this embodiment, the first laser radar 30 can perform any one of the above operations, or two or all of the above operations. The first laser radar 30 can communicate with the processor or controller, scan according to the instructions of the processor or controller, and send the scanned point cloud data to the processor or controller so that the processor or controller can perform the above logical judgment and corresponding processing.

[0109] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the scanning area of ​​the second laser radar in the embodiment of the cargo conveying device according to the present disclosure. Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of scanning for foreign objects under the storage and retrieval mechanism by a second laser radar in an embodiment of the cargo conveying device disclosed herein.

[0110] As mentioned above, the driving mechanism 20 can be implemented in various forms. Figure 7The diagram illustrates an example structure of a drive mechanism 20, which may include vertical rails 21, running wheels 22, and an elevator 23. The vertical rails 21 are movably mounted on at least two crossbeams SL of the shelf SH via the running wheels 22. The running of the running wheels 22 on the crossbeams SL drives the vertical rails 21 to move laterally. The access mechanism 10 is movably mounted on the vertical rails 21 via the elevator 23, enabling vertical movement under the action of the elevator 23.

[0111] refer to Figure 3 、 Figure 7 and Figure 8 In some embodiments, the cargo conveying device further includes a second laser radar 40. The second laser radar 40 is disposed on the access mechanism 10 and is configured to scan the lower side of the access mechanism 10 to determine whether there is a foreign object FM on the lower side of the access mechanism 10.

[0112] Considering that the downward moving storage and retrieval mechanism 10 may collide with the site transport trolley GV moving on the site or the cargo GO dropped in the lane, at this time the site transport trolley GV and the cargo GO are equivalent to Figure 8 Foreign matter FM in the cargo conveying device may cause damage to the cargo conveying device due to collision, affecting the long-term stable operation of the cargo conveying device.

[0113] In this embodiment, the second laser radar 40 is used to scan the lower side of the access mechanism 10, so as to promptly detect whether there is a foreign object FM on the lower side of the access mechanism 10, so as to issue a warning, stop the driving mechanism 20 from driving the access mechanism 10 to move downward, or promptly move the foreign object FM away from the area through cleaning components, thereby eliminating the risk of collision as much as possible and ensuring the long-term stable operation of the cargo conveying device.

[0114] refer to Figure 3 and Figure 8 In some embodiments, the storage and retrieval mechanism 10 includes a carrying portion 11 for carrying goods GO, and the second laser radar 40 is located below the carrying portion 11. The second laser radar 40 can be the same device as the first laser radar 30, or can be an available laser radar with other specifications or implementation principles. The second laser radar 40 can be located below the bracket or housing of the storage and retrieval mechanism 10 to reduce obstruction of the second laser radar 40's scanning range of the lower side of the storage and retrieval mechanism 10 by the storage and retrieval mechanism 10.

[0115] exist Figure 7 In the figure, the scanning range of the second laser radar 40 is indicated by the thick dotted line. The second laser radar 40 can scan directly below and obliquely below on both sides. Figure 8In FIG. 1 , a plurality of dotted lines extending from the second laser radar 40 are used to illustrate the laser beams emitted by the second laser radar 40 toward the lower side of the carrying portion 11 . Figure 3 and Figure 8 The embodiment of the present invention illustrates a case where a second laser radar 40 is installed on the access mechanism 10, which basically meets the requirements of detecting foreign objects on the lower side. In other embodiments, two or more second laser radars 40 are installed on the access mechanism 10 to obtain more accurate detection results and a larger scanning range.

[0116] In some embodiments, the rotating scanning plane formed by the second laser radar 40 is perpendicular to the horizontal plane, which helps to reduce the risk of missed detection due to the rotating scanning plane formed by the second laser radar 40 being tilted relative to the horizontal plane.

[0117] In some embodiments, the driving mechanism 20 is configured to drive the access mechanism 10 to move relative to the shelf SH along at least one direction parallel to a reference plane rp, and the rotating scanning plane formed by the second laser radar 40 is parallel to the reference plane rp.

[0118] In this embodiment, by aligning the rotating scanning plane formed by the second laser radar 40 with the reference plane rp, the second laser radar 40 can scan a larger area along the roadway, reducing the possibility of missed detections. In other embodiments, the rotating scanning plane formed by the second laser radar 40 can also be angled slightly relative to the reference plane rp, thereby increasing the scanning range in a direction perpendicular to the reference plane rp.

[0119] Figure 9 It is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the access mechanism, the first laser radar and the third laser radar in the embodiment of the cargo conveying device disclosed in the present invention. Figure 10 yes Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the installation structure of the embodiment shown in another perspective. Figure 11 It is a schematic diagram of the scanning area of ​​the third laser radar in the embodiment of the cargo conveying device according to the present disclosure. Figure 12 It is a schematic diagram of another scanning area of ​​the third laser radar in the embodiment of the cargo conveying device according to the present disclosure.

[0120] refer to Figure 9 and Figure 11 In some embodiments, the cargo conveying device further includes a third laser radar 50, which is disposed on the storage and retrieval mechanism 10 and is configured to scan the multi-layer shelf storage locations SL of the shelf SH in the vertical direction.

[0121] In some embodiments, the access mechanism or drive mechanism in the cargo conveyor system moves close to the outside of a shelf storage location while moving relative to the shelf. Protruding objects in the shelf storage location may cause a collision. This may be due to the goods stored on the shelf being poorly positioned, with some protruding from the front side of the shelf, or other foreign objects, which may interfere with the access mechanism 10 or drive mechanism 20. By providing a third laser radar 50 to scan the multiple storage locations SL on the shelf SH in the vertical direction, such anomalies can be detected and intervened in a timely manner, reducing the risk of collision during the movement of the access mechanism 10.

[0122] exist Figure 11 In the figure, the scanning range of the third laser radar 50 is shown by the thick dotted line. According to the laser intensity of the third laser radar 50, its scanning range can cover more than two layers of shelves, so that the detection of abnormalities on the upper or lower side can be achieved at least in the height direction.

[0123] In the above embodiments, at least one of the first laser radar 30, the second laser radar 40, and the third laser radar 50 can be a single-line laser radar to form a scanning plane to obtain a point cloud straight line. In other embodiments, a scanning arc surface can be obtained by using a scanning inclination angle other than 0°.

[0124] refer to Figure 9 、 Figure 11 and Figure 12 In some embodiments, the third laser radar 50 is located on at least one side of the storage and retrieval mechanism 10 along a first direction x, and the driving mechanism 20 is configured to drive the storage and retrieval mechanism 10 to move relative to the shelf SH along at least one direction parallel to a reference plane rp. The first direction x intersects with the cargo retrieval direction of the storage and retrieval mechanism 10, and the reference plane rp is configured to pass through the crossbeam HB of the multi-layer shelf storage position SL of the shelf SH in the vertical direction.

[0125] The crossbeams HB of each layer of shelf storage SL are all located on the front side of the shelf SH, so the reference plane rp is equivalent to the front side of the shelf SH. The rotating scanning plane formed by the third laser radar 50 can be perpendicular to the reference plane rp, so as to scan whether there are any abnormalities on each layer of the shelf column facing the access mechanism 10. The rotating scanning plane formed by the third laser radar 50 can also intersect with the reference plane rp at an angle, and the intersection position is located on the outside of the access mechanism 10. This enables the third laser radar 50 to also scan other columns of shelves in the horizontal direction, so that abnormalities can be discovered more early when the access mechanism 10 moves, and a certain braking distance is reserved for the access mechanism 10.

[0126] The third laser radar 50 can also form a rotating scanning arc by using the laser source or rotating mirror's beam direction at an angle to the rotation axis. This rotating scanning arc is then arranged to intersect the reference plane rp at an angle, with the intersection located outside the access mechanism 10. This conical rotating scanning arc enables synchronized scanning of adjacent shelves, improving efficiency and safety. Furthermore, it allows for earlier detection of anomalies during movement of the access mechanism 10, preserving sufficient braking distance for the access mechanism 10.

[0127] refer to Figure 10 In some embodiments, the cargo conveying device includes two groups of third laser radars 50, each group of third laser radars 50 includes one or more third laser radars 50, and the two groups of third laser radars 50 are respectively located on both sides of the carrying part 11 along the first direction x.

[0128] exist Figure 10 In the embodiment, two third laser radars 50 can be respectively installed on the left and right sides of the housing 13 of the access mechanism 10. This can reduce the obstruction of the third laser radars 50 by the components of the access mechanism 10. Using two sets of third laser radars 50 for scanning can expand the scanning range and promptly detect abnormalities in different directions within the lane.

[0129] refer to Figure 12 In some embodiments, the rotating scanning plane or rotating scanning arc surface formed by the third laser radar 50 is configured to cover the height range of all shelf storage positions SL of the shelf SH.

[0130] To ensure that the access mechanism 10 can scan a vertical row of storage locations at any height, the laser output intensity can be adjusted so that the rotating scanning plane or rotating scanning arc formed by the third laser radar 50 can radiate half the height of the top shelf storage location and the storage locations on the shelf below (which can be temporary storage locations). This helps the third laser radar 50 achieve a more comprehensive inspection of the shelf SH and reduce omissions.

[0131] Figure 12 The dotted triangle drawn from the third laser radar 50 on the right side is used to illustrate the range of the laser beam emitted by the third laser radar 50 toward the shelf. Figure 12 In some embodiments, the third laser radar 50 is configured to perform the following operations: perform inspection by scanning the multiple layers of shelf storage locations SL on the shelf SH in the vertical direction to determine whether there is an abnormal state in each layer of shelf storage locations SL.

[0132] exist Figure 12In the embodiment, when the access mechanism 10 is in a position to the left, the third laser radar 50 on its right side can scan all the shelf layers to the right. In this way, by moving the access mechanism 10 from left to right or from right to left, the third laser radar 50 can realize the inspection of the multi-layer shelf storage positions SL of the shelf SH in the vertical direction from left to right or from right to left, so as to timely discover abnormal situations such as goods not being properly placed and protruding from the front side of the shelf.

[0133] The third laser radar 50 can grasp the degree of protrusion of the goods GO relative to the front side of the shelf SH through inspection. Sometimes, although the goods GO protrude, it may be caused by vibration and other reasons. It will not affect the operation of the access mechanism 10 or the drive mechanism 20 at present, but it may protrude further outward in the future. At this time, these situations can be grasped in time through inspection, and continued observation can be carried out later to organize the goods in time.

[0134] In addition, the third laser radar 50 can also be configured to perform the following operations: by scanning the multiple layers of shelf storage locations SL on the shelf SH in the vertical direction, the height information of the crossbeam HB of each layer of shelf storage location SL is obtained, so that the drive mechanism 20 can perform height positioning of the storage and retrieval mechanism 10. This can achieve higher-precision positioning, help the storage and retrieval mechanism 10 dock with the shelf storage location SL at an appropriate height, and ensure the smooth storage or retrieval of goods GO.

[0135] The above-mentioned embodiments of the cargo conveying device of the present disclosure are applicable to various types of warehousing and logistics systems. Therefore, in one aspect of the present disclosure, a warehousing and logistics system is also provided, including: a shelf and the cargo conveying device of any of the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0136] Thus far, various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail. To avoid obscuring the concept of the present disclosure, some details known in the art have not been described. Based on the above description, those skilled in the art can fully understand how to implement the technical solutions disclosed herein.

[0137] Although some specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail through examples, those skilled in the art will understand that the above examples are for illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the above embodiments may be modified or some technical features may be replaced with equivalents without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A cargo conveying device for a shelf (SH), characterized in that: include: A storage and retrieval mechanism (10) configured to store goods (GO) into a shelf storage location (SL) on the shelf (SH) or to retrieve goods (GO) from the shelf storage location (SL); a driving mechanism (20), connected to the storage and retrieval mechanism (10), and configured to drive the storage and retrieval mechanism (10) to move relative to the shelf (SH); and A first laser radar (30) is provided on the access mechanism (10) and is configured to scan the shelf storage location (SL) so that the access mechanism (10) can access goods (GO).

2. The cargo conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The storage and retrieval mechanism (10) has a carrying portion (11) for carrying goods (GO), and the first laser radar (30) is located on at least one side of the carrying portion (11) along a first direction (x), and the first direction (x) intersects with a goods storage and retrieval direction of the storage and retrieval mechanism (10).

3. The cargo conveying device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The driving mechanism (20) is configured to drive the access mechanism (10) to move relative to the shelf (SH) along at least one direction parallel to a reference plane (rp), wherein the reference plane (rp) is parallel to both the first direction (x) and the vertical direction.

4. The cargo conveying device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first direction (x) is perpendicular to the cargo access direction of the access mechanism (10) and is parallel to the horizontal plane.

5. The cargo conveying device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cargo conveying device comprises two groups of first laser radars (30), each group of first laser radars (30) comprises one or more first laser radars (30), and the two groups of first laser radars (30) are respectively located on both sides of the carrying portion (11) along the first direction (x).

6. The cargo conveying device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The two groups of first laser radars (30) are spaced the same distance from the supporting portion (11) in the first direction (x) and are installed at the same height in the vertical direction.

7. The cargo conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotating scanning plane formed by the first laser radar (30) is parallel to the horizontal plane.

8. The cargo conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: The second laser radar (40) is arranged on the access mechanism (10) and is configured to scan the lower side of the access mechanism (10).

9. The cargo conveying device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The storage and access mechanism (10) has a carrying portion (11) for carrying goods (GO), and the second laser radar (40) is located on the lower side of the carrying portion (11).

10. The cargo conveying device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The rotating scanning plane formed by the second laser radar (40) is perpendicular to the horizontal plane.

11. The cargo conveying device according to claim 10, characterized in that: The driving mechanism (20) is configured to drive the access mechanism (10) to move relative to the shelf (SH) along at least one direction parallel to a reference plane (rp), and the rotating scanning plane formed by the second laser radar (40) is parallel to the reference plane (rp).

12. The cargo conveying device according to claim 1 or 8, characterized in that: Also includes: A third laser radar (50) is provided on the storage and access mechanism (10) and is configured to scan the multi-layer shelf storage locations (SL) of the shelf (SH) in a vertical direction.

13. The cargo conveying device according to claim 12, characterized in that: The rotating scanning plane or rotating scanning arc surface formed by the third laser radar (50) is configured to cover the height range of all shelf storage locations (SL) of the shelf (SH).

14. The cargo conveying device according to claim 12, characterized in that: The third laser radar (50) is located on at least one side of the access mechanism (10) along a first direction (x), and the driving mechanism (20) is configured to drive the access mechanism (10) to move relative to the shelf (SH) along at least one direction parallel to a reference plane (rp), the first direction (x) intersecting the goods access direction of the access mechanism (10), and the reference plane (rp) is configured to pass through a crossbeam (HB) of a multi-layer shelf storage location (SL) of the shelf (SH) in a vertical direction; The rotating scanning plane formed by the third laser radar (50) is perpendicular to the reference plane (rp); or the rotating scanning plane or rotating scanning arc formed by the third laser radar (50) intersects with the reference plane (rp) at an angle, and the intersection position is located outside the access mechanism (10).

15. The cargo conveying device according to claim 14, characterized in that: The cargo conveying device comprises two groups of third laser radars (50), each group of third laser radars (50) comprises one or more third laser radars (50), and the two groups of third laser radars (50) are respectively located on both sides of the access mechanism (10) along the first direction (x).

16. A warehousing logistics system, characterized in that: include: Shelves (SH); and The cargo conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

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