Pallet handling robot

Abstract

This application provides a pallet handling robot, which includes a chassis, a mast assembly, a fork assembly, and a lifting drive mechanism. The chassis has a receiving slot, and two tracks are provided on the side walls of the receiving slot. The tracks are U-shaped or C-shaped, with their openings pointing towards the opposite side walls, and the openings of the two tracks are arranged opposite or in opposite directions. The mast assembly is mounted on the chassis and can extend and retract relative to the receiving slot. The lower end of the mast assembly has a composite traveling wheel located within the track. The composite traveling wheel includes a first roller and a second roller with their axes perpendicular to each other. The wheel surface of the first roller contacts the two side walls of the track, and the wheel surface of the second roller contacts the bottom wall of the track, thereby limiting the top, bottom, and side surfaces of the composite traveling wheel. The fork assembly is mounted on the mast assembly, and the lifting drive mechanism is configured to drive the fork assembly to move vertically up and down along the mast assembly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of pallet handling and movement technology, and in particular to a pallet handling robot. Background Technology

[0002] Existing technologies generally involve the travel support wheels moving directly within the vehicle body receiving slot. Since the vehicle body receiving slot has a certain width, the travel support wheels can easily deviate within it, causing the mast assembly and the fork assembly mounted on the mast assembly to easily collide with the vehicle body. To prevent the travel support wheels from deviating, top and side guide limit rollers need to be added separately to the mast assembly, which is a relatively complex structure, increasing maintenance workload and the number of potential failure points. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this application is to provide a pallet handling robot that simplifies the limiting structure of the gantry assembly when it moves along the receiving slot, thereby reducing maintenance workload and the number of potential failure points. The specific technical solution is as follows:

[0004] This application provides a pallet handling robot, comprising: a chassis with a receiving slot, two tracks on the sidewalls of the receiving slot, the tracks being U-shaped or C-shaped, the openings of the tracks pointing towards the opposite sidewalls, and the openings of the two tracks being arranged opposite or back-to-back; a gantry assembly mounted on the chassis, capable of telescopic movement relative to the receiving slot, the lower end of the gantry assembly having a composite traveling wheel located within the tracks, the composite traveling wheel including a first roller and a second roller with mutually perpendicular axes of rotation, the wheel surface of the first roller contacting the two side walls of the tracks, and the wheel surface of the second roller contacting the bottom wall of the tracks, to limit the top, bottom, and side surfaces of the composite traveling wheel; a fork assembly mounted on the gantry assembly; and a lifting drive mechanism configured to drive the fork assembly to vertically lift and lower along the gantry assembly.

[0005] In some embodiments, the gantry assembly includes an outer gantry, which is L-shaped and includes legs and columns. Each leg has a set of climbing wheels on both sides of its front end. Each climbing wheel set includes multiple climbing rollers, and the line connecting the centers of the rotation axes of the climbing rollers in the same climbing wheel set is an oblique line. The front end of the bottom wall of the receiving groove has a perforated slot, and the area of ​​the bottom wall near the perforated slot has climbing ramps located on both sides of the perforated slot. When the gantry assembly extends or retracts from the receiving groove, the climbing rollers on both sides of the legs pass through the climbing ramps sequentially. The front end of the legs also has a traveling support wheel. When the traveling support wheel is supported on the ground, the climbing rollers are lifted off the ground.

[0006] In some embodiments, the mast assembly further includes an inner mast slidably connected to the column, the fork assembly slidably connected to the inner mast, and the lifting drive mechanism is configured to drive the inner mast to lift relative to the outer mast, while simultaneously driving the fork assembly to lift relative to the inner mast.

[0007] In some embodiments, the lifting drive mechanism includes a lifting component, a pulley, and a lifting component. The lifting component is mounted on the outer mast and is used to drive the inner mast to move up and down. The pulley is located at the top of the inner mast. One end of the lifting component is fixed to the top of the outer mast, and the other end passes through the pulley and is fixed to the fork assembly.

[0008] In some embodiments, the gantry assembly further includes a traveling frame disposed at the lower end of the outer gantry, the outer gantry being fixed to the traveling frame, the traveling frame being mounted on the chassis and its lower end being located within the receiving groove, and the composite traveling wheel being disposed at the lower end of the traveling frame.

[0009] In some embodiments, the pallet handling robot includes a horizontal drive mechanism, which includes a motor, a transmission component, and a rotating component. The motor and the rotating component are mounted on the gantry assembly. A rotating engagement component is provided on the side wall of the receiving slot to mesh with the rotating component. One end of the transmission component is connected to the output shaft of the motor, and the other end is connected to the rotating component. The rotating component meshes with the rotating engagement component, thereby driving the gantry assembly to reciprocate along the rotating engagement component within the receiving slot.

[0010] In some embodiments, the transmission component includes a speed reducer and at least one transmission unit, the output shaft of the motor is connected to the input shaft of the speed reducer, and the transmission unit is a chain drive, a gear drive, or a belt drive.

[0011] In some embodiments, the transmission unit includes a coupling, a drive shaft, a chain, a driven shaft, and a bearing housing. The output shaft on one side of the reducer is connected to the drive shaft via the coupling. The drive shaft is connected to the driven shaft via the chain. The rotating component is disposed on the driven shaft. The drive shaft and the driven shaft are respectively sleeved in the bearing housing, and the bearing housing is mounted on the gantry assembly.

[0012] In some embodiments, the rotating member and the rotating meshing member are a combination of pin teeth and pin rack, or a combination of gear and rack, or a combination of sprocket or chain, or a combination of synchronous pulley and synchronous belt.

[0013] In some embodiments, the extending direction of the receiving groove is perpendicular to the traveling direction of the chassis.

[0014] In some embodiments, the front and rear ends of the receiving slot are respectively provided with triggers, and the gantry assembly is provided with a sensor for position detection of the gantry assembly; the front and rear ends of the track are respectively provided with mechanical limit blocks, and the composite traveling wheel abuts against the mechanical limit blocks to limit the position of the gantry assembly.

[0015] The pallet handling robot provided in this application embodiment uses a track set in the receiving slot of the chassis and a composite traveling wheel set at the lower end of the mast. The first roller of the composite traveling wheel contacts the side wall of the track, and the second roller contacts the bottom wall of the track. When the composite traveling wheel moves along the track, the side wall and bottom wall of the track can limit the movement of the composite traveling wheel. The openings of the two tracks are arranged facing each other or away from each other. By simultaneously limiting the composite traveling wheel with the two tracks, the traveling path of the mast assembly can be ensured to move in a straight line. This prevents the mast assembly and fork assembly from deviating from their original direction during reciprocating motion, reducing the chance of collision with the chassis and thus lowering the failure rate. The composite traveling wheel not only enables the reciprocating motion of the mast assembly within the receiving slot but also limits the movement path of the mast assembly. This eliminates the need for additional guide wheels, simplifying the limiting structure when the mast assembly reciprocates along the receiving slot, reducing maintenance workload, and decreasing the number of potential failure points, making the pallet handling robot more stable and reliable.

[0016] Of course, any product implementing this application does not necessarily need to achieve all of the advantages described above at the same time. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the pallet handling robot provided in the embodiment of this application in the retracted state of the gantry assembly;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of the pallet handling robot provided in the embodiments of this application in the extended state of the gantry assembly;

[0020] Figure 3 A structural schematic diagram of the gantry assembly and the lifting drive mechanism;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a top view of the chassis;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a front view of the pallet-carrying robot.

[0023] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the medium-sized pallet handling robot along LL, with the gantry assembly in a fully retracted state;

[0024] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the pallet handling robot with the gantry assembly extended.

[0025] Figure 8 A cross-sectional view of the pallet handling robot with the gantry assembly fully extended;

[0026] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the traveling frame and horizontal drive mechanism;

[0027] Figure 10 A top view of the pallet-handling robot;

[0028] Figure 11 This is a bottom view of the chassis.

[0029] The attached diagrams are labeled as follows: chassis 1; receiving groove 11; side wall 111; bottom wall 112; hollowed-out slot 1121; climbing ramp 1122; track 12; mechanical limit block 121; welded chassis 13; caster wheel 131; drive wheel 132; ground readout 133; platform 14; pallet guide limit block 141; gantry assembly 2; outer gantry 21; outrigger 211; climbing roller 2111; traveling support wheel 2112; column 212; traveling frame 22; upright plate. 221; Composite traveling wheel 2211; First roller 22111; Second roller 22112; Cross plate 222; Inner mast 23; Fork assembly 3; Fork teeth 31; Lifting drive mechanism 4; Lifting component 41; Pulley 42; Lifting component 43; Horizontal drive mechanism 5; Motor 51; Transmission component 52; Reducer 521; Coupling 522; Drive shaft 523; Chain 524; Driven shaft 525; Bearing seat 526; Rotating component 53; Rotating meshing component 54. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on this application are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0031] This application provides a pallet handling robot, such as... Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a pallet handling robot in the retracted gantry assembly state. Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of a pallet handling robot with the gantry assembly extended. The pallet handling robot includes a chassis 1, a gantry assembly 2, a fork assembly 3, and a lifting drive mechanism 4. The chassis 1 has a receiving groove 11, and two tracks 12 are provided on the side walls 111 of the receiving groove 11. The tracks 12 are U-shaped or C-shaped, and their openings point towards the opposite side wall 111. The openings of the two tracks 12 are arranged opposite or opposite directions. The gantry assembly 2 is mounted on the chassis 1 and extends and retracts relative to the receiving groove 11. Figure 3 As shown, the lower end of the gantry assembly 2 is provided with a composite travel wheel 2211 located within the track 12. The composite travel wheel 2211 includes a first roller 22111 and a second roller 22112 with their axes perpendicular to each other. The wheel surface of the first roller 22111 contacts the two side walls 111 of the track 12, and the wheel surface of the second roller 22112 contacts the bottom wall 112 of the track 12, thereby limiting the top, bottom, and side surfaces of the composite travel wheel 2211. The fork assembly 3 is mounted on the gantry assembly 2, and the lifting drive mechanism 4 is configured to drive the fork assembly 3 to move vertically up and down along the gantry assembly 2.

[0032] By setting a track 12 in the receiving groove 11 of the chassis 1 and setting a composite travel wheel 2211 at the lower end of the gantry, the wheel surface of the first roller 22111 of the composite travel wheel 2211 contacts the side wall 111 of the track 12, and the wheel surface of the second roller 22112 of the composite travel wheel 2211 contacts the bottom wall 112 of the track 12. When the composite travel wheel 2211 travels along the track 12, the side wall 111 and the bottom wall 112 of the track 12 can limit the composite travel wheel 2211. The openings of the two tracks 12 are set facing each other or away from each other. By limiting the composite travel wheel 2211 simultaneously by the two tracks 12, it can be ensured that the travel path of the gantry assembly 2 is straight, thereby ensuring that the gantry assembly 2 and the fork assembly 3 are not prone to deviation when reciprocating with the gantry assembly 2, reducing the chance of collision with the chassis 1, and helping to reduce the failure rate. The composite walking wheel 2211 not only enables the gantry assembly 2 to reciprocate within the receiving groove 11, but also limits the walking path of the gantry assembly 2. This eliminates the need for additional guide wheels for limiting the movement, simplifies the limiting structure of the gantry assembly 2 during reciprocating motion along the receiving groove 11, reduces maintenance workload, and decreases the number of failure points, making the pallet handling robot more stable and reliable in use.

[0033] In this configuration, one receiving slot 11 can be provided, and the rails 12 are respectively provided on the two side walls 111 of the receiving slot 11. Generally, two receiving slots 11 are provided, and the corresponding fork assembly 3 has two fork teeth 31. The rails 12 are respectively provided on the side walls 111 of different receiving slots 11, and their openings are arranged opposite or back to back, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the openings of track 12 are arranged opposite each other.

[0034] In some embodiments of this application, such as Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the gantry assembly and the lifting drive mechanism. Figure 4 The top view of the chassis shows that the gantry assembly 2 includes an outer gantry 21, which is L-shaped and includes legs 211 and columns 212. Each side of the front end of the legs 211 is provided with a set of climbing wheels, and each climbing wheel set includes multiple climbing rollers 2111. The line connecting the centers of the rotation axes of the climbing rollers 2111 is an oblique line. The front end of the bottom wall 112 of the receiving groove 11 has a hollowed-out slot 1121. The area of ​​the bottom wall 112 near the hollowed-out slot 1121 is provided with climbing ramps 1122 on both sides of the hollowed-out slot 1121. When the gantry assembly 2 extends or retracts into the receiving groove 11, the climbing rollers 2111 on both sides of the legs 211 pass through the climbing ramps 1122 one after another. The front end of the legs 211 is also provided with a traveling support wheel 2112. When the traveling support wheel 2112 is supported on the ground, the climbing rollers 2111 are set off from the ground.

[0035] In this embodiment, the mast assembly 2 is a single-stage mast structure, and the fork assembly 3 is mounted on the outer mast 21, moving up and down along the outer mast 21. The lifting height of the forks 31 depends on the height of the outer mast 21. Each fork leg has a set of climbing wheels on both sides of its front end. Each climbing wheel set consists of multiple climbing rollers 2111. During the extension and retraction of the mast, the multiple climbing rollers 2111 engage with the climbing ramp 1122 mounted on the chassis 1 to achieve the lifting function of the outriggers 211. During the lifting of the outriggers 211, multiple climbing wheel sets jointly bear the weight of the mast assembly 2 and the cargo, and the multiple climbing rollers 2111 bear the weight of the mast assembly 2 and the cargo segment by segment. During the climbing process, the multiple climbing rollers 2111 of each climbing wheel set jointly provide support, thus reducing the weight borne by each climbing roller 2111 and improving its service life.

[0036] refer to Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 , Figure 5 This is a front view of the pallet-carrying robot. Figure 6 for Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the medium-pallet handling robot along line LL, showing the gantry assembly in its fully retracted state. Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the pallet handling robot with the gantry assembly extended. Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of the pallet handling robot with the gantry assembly fully extended.

[0037] As the climbing rollers 2111 near the ground and the climbing rollers 2111 away from the ground sequentially pass over the climbing ramp 1122, the gantry assembly 2 gradually extends out of the receiving groove 11, and the traveling support wheels 2112 gradually approach the ground and travel along the ground. As the climbing rollers 2111 away from the ground and the rollers 2111 near the ground sequentially pass over the climbing ramp 1122, the gantry assembly 2 gradually retracts into the receiving groove 11, and the support wheels gradually move away from the ground. Regardless of whether the outriggers 211 extend or retract into the receiving groove 11, the gantry assembly 2 is supported by the traveling support wheels 2112 during travel before the climbing rollers 2111 sequentially pass over the climbing ramp 1122. The traveling support wheels 2112 are used as support wheels and traveling wheels after the ramp is completed, and are not used as climbing wheels. Therefore, the diameter of the traveling support wheels 2112 can be made larger, which is beneficial to improve the load capacity of the traveling support wheels 2112, extend the service life of the traveling support wheels 2112, and reduce the frequency of maintenance.

[0038] When gantry assembly 2 is fully retracted, as Figure 6 As shown, at this time, the walking support wheel 2112 set at the front end of the L-shaped outer gantry 21 is lifted and supported on the bottom wall 112 of the receiving groove 11, the climbing roller 2111 is disengaged from the climbing ramp 1122 on the chassis 1, and the entire gantry is in a slightly backward tilted state.

[0039] When the two parts of the gantry assembly extend, as Figure 7 As shown, the climbing roller 2111 located at the front end of the L-shaped outer gantry 21 first contacts the climbing ramp 1122 located on the chassis 1 and gradually descends along the ramp until the traveling support wheel 2112 located at the front end of the L-shaped outer gantry 21 lands and moves on the ground. When the gantry assembly 2 retracts, the climbing roller 2111 located at the front end of the L-shaped outer gantry 21 first contacts the climbing ramp 1122 located on the chassis 1 and gradually ascends along the ramp. Then, the traveling support wheel 2112 located at the front end of the L-shaped outer gantry 21 contacts the climbing ramp 1122 located on the chassis 1, and then the traveling support wheel 2112 moves on the chassis 1. During this process, the climbing roller 2111 gradually disengages from the climbing ramp 1122. In the fully retracted state, the traveling support wheel 2112 is finally supported on the chassis 1.

[0040] When gantry assembly 2 is fully extended, as Figure 8As shown, at this time, the composite travel wheel 2211 set on the mast assembly 2 has reached the foremost end of the track 12 set on the chassis 1, that is, the position of maximum extension. In this state, if it is a picking operation, the fork assembly 3 has completely entered the pallet on the ground or on the shelf. Depending on the different shelf positions, the mast assembly 2 raises the set height to complete the picking operation, and then the mast assembly 2 retracts and places the pallet on the platform 14 of the chassis 1; if it is a placing operation, the pallet has reached the set placement position on the ground or on the shelf. Depending on the different shelf positions, the mast assembly 2 lowers the set height to complete the placing operation, and then the mast retracts.

[0041] It should be noted that the climbing rollers 2111 are located on both sides of the outrigger 211, and the walking support wheel 2112 is located directly below the front end of the outrigger 211, so that only one walking support wheel 2112 needs to be installed.

[0042] refer to Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the mast assembly 2 further includes an inner mast 23, which is slidably connected to the column 212. The fork assembly 3 is slidably connected to the inner mast 23. The lifting drive mechanism 4 is configured to drive the inner mast 23 to lift relative to the outer mast 21, and at the same time drive the fork assembly 3 to lift relative to the inner mast 23.

[0043] In this embodiment, the mast assembly 2 is a two-stage mast structure. The inner mast 23 can be raised and lowered relative to the outer mast 21. The fork assembly 3 is set on the inner mast 23 and can be raised and lowered relative to the inner mast 23. The height adjustment is more flexible. While meeting the requirements of picking up and placing goods in the height direction, it can greatly reduce the height of the pallet handling robot itself in the walking state, making its application range wider and its flexibility higher.

[0044] Optionally, the lifting drive mechanism 4 includes a lifting component 41, a pulley 42, and a lifting component 43. The lifting component 41 is mounted on the outer mast 21 and is used to drive the inner mast 23 to move up and down. The pulley 42 is located at the top of the inner mast 23. One end of the lifting component 43 is fixed to the top of the outer mast 21, and the other end passes through the pulley 42 and is fixed to the fork assembly 3.

[0045] The inner mast 23 is moved up and down by the lifting component 41. When the lifting component 41 pushes the inner mast 23, the lifting component 43 pulls the fork assembly 3 upwards. The height of the fork assembly 3 is twice the height of the inner mast 23, allowing the fork assembly 3 to achieve a large lifting height in a short time, improving the efficiency of picking up and placing goods. (Reference) Figure 1 The fork teeth 31 of the fork assembly 3 can descend into the receiving slot 11.

[0046] Optionally, the lifting component 41 can be a pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, or an electric telescopic cylinder. The cylinder body of the lifting component 41 is mounted on the outer gantry 21, and the output end of the lifting component 41 is connected to the inner gantry 23. Taking the lifting component 41 as a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder as an example, the output end of the lifting component 41 is the end of the telescopic rod of the pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder. The telescopic rod is arranged vertically, and when the telescopic rod extends or retracts, it drives the inner gantry 23 to rise or fall. To ensure stable lifting, the lifting component 41 includes two pneumatic cylinders or two hydraulic cylinders. The upper parts of the two columns 212 in the inner gantry 23 are respectively fixed with connecting blocks, and the ends of the two telescopic rods are respectively connected to the two connecting blocks one-to-one. The two pneumatic cylinders or two hydraulic cylinders are arranged symmetrically to ensure that the inner gantry 23 can be smoothly lifted or fallen. The lifting component 43 can be a chain 524, and the pulley 42 is a sprocket that cooperates with the chain 524. The lifting component 43 can also be a synchronous belt, and the pulley 42 is a synchronous belt pulley that cooperates with the synchronous belt.

[0047] Combination Figure 3 and Figure 9 , Figure 9 The diagram shows the structure of the traveling frame and the horizontal drive mechanism. As a feasible embodiment, the gantry assembly 2 also includes a traveling frame 22 located at the lower end of the outer gantry 21. The outer gantry 21 is fixed on the traveling frame 22. The traveling frame 22 is mounted on the chassis 1 and its lower end is located in the receiving groove 11. The composite traveling wheel 2211 is located at the lower end of the traveling frame 22.

[0048] The traveling frame 22 includes multiple upright plates 221 located in the receiving groove 11 and a horizontal plate 222 connecting the upright plates 221. The horizontal plate 222 is located on the chassis 1, and the upright plates 221 extend downward into the receiving groove 11. When the fork assembly 3 has two fork teeth 31, the traveling frame 22 includes two upright plates 221. The composite traveling wheel 2211 can be set on the side of the upright plate 221, and the mast assembly 2 can be directly supported on the horizontal plate 222. It is more convenient to set the horizontal drive mechanism 5 described below on the upright plate 221. Compared with setting it directly on the mast assembly 2, it is less likely to cause interference problems and does not require structural modification of the mast assembly 2.

[0049] In some embodiments of this application, reference is made to Figure 9 , Figure 10 , Figure 10This is a top view of the pallet handling robot. The pallet handling robot includes a horizontal drive mechanism 5, which includes a motor 51, a transmission component 52, and a rotating component 53. The motor 51 and the rotating component 53 are mounted on the gantry assembly 2. A rotating engagement component 54 that meshes with the rotating component 53 is provided on the side wall 111 of the receiving groove 11. One end of the transmission component 52 is connected to the output shaft of the motor 51, and the other end is connected to the rotating component 53. The motor 51 drives the rotating component 53 to rotate through the transmission component 52. The rotating component 53 meshes with the rotating engagement component 54, thereby driving the gantry assembly 2 to reciprocate along the rotating engagement component 54 within the receiving groove 11.

[0050] In this embodiment, when the gantry assembly 2 includes a traveling frame 22, the motor 51 can be installed on the horizontal plate 222 of the traveling frame 22. A transmission component 52 and a rotating component 53 can be provided on the vertical plate 221. The rotation of the motor 51 drives the rotating component 53 to rotate through the transmission component 52. Since the rotating component 53 meshes with the rotating engagement component 54, when the rotating engagement component 54 is fixed on the side wall 111 of the receiving groove 11, the rotating component 53 will move horizontally along the rotating engagement component 54. Since the rotating component 53 is provided on the traveling frame 22, it will drive the traveling frame 22 to move together, thereby driving the gantry assembly 2 to reciprocate within the receiving groove 11.

[0051] Optionally, refer to Figure 9 The transmission component 52 includes a reducer 521 and at least one transmission unit. The output shaft of the motor 51 is connected to the input shaft of the reducer 521. The transmission unit can be in the form of chain drive, gear drive, or belt drive.

[0052] As a feasible embodiment, the transmission unit is a chain drive. Specifically, the transmission unit includes a coupling 522, a drive shaft 523, a chain 524, a driven shaft 525, and a bearing housing 526. The output shaft on one side of the reducer 521 is connected to the drive shaft 523 through the coupling 522. The drive shaft 523 is connected to the driven shaft 525 through the chain 524. A rotating component 53 is provided on the driven shaft 525. The drive shaft 523 and the driven shaft 525 are respectively sleeved in the bearing housing 526. The bearing housing 526 is mounted on the gantry assembly 2. Specifically, the bearing housing 526 is mounted on the traveling frame 22.

[0053] Motor 51 drives drive shaft 523 to rotate via reducer 521 and coupling 522. Drive shaft 523 drives driven shaft 525 to rotate via chain 524, thereby causing rotating component 53, which is sleeved on driven shaft 525, to rotate synchronously. Since rotating component 53 meshes with rotating meshing component 54, which is fixed to the side wall 111 of receiving groove 11, rotating component 53 moves horizontally along rotating meshing component 54. To ensure reliable transmission, drive shaft 523 and driven shaft 525 are installed in bearing housing 526, which is installed on vertical plate 221 of traveling frame 22. Motor 51 is arranged vertically, with its lower end connected to reducer 521. Reducer 521 is installed on horizontal plate 222 of traveling frame 22. Couplings 522 are provided at both ends of reducer 521 along the extension direction perpendicular to receiving groove 11, and are connected to drive shaft 523 through couplings 522.

[0054] Of course, the transmission unit is not limited to the above combination. It can also be a combination of coupling 522, transmission shaft 523 and bearing housing 526. The reducer 521 directly drives the rotating part 53 to rotate through coupling 522 and transmission shaft 523. The transmission unit can also be other feasible methods. For example, when the transmission unit is a gear transmission, the gear connected to the output shaft of the reducer can directly mesh with the rotating meshing part 54, and the rotating part 53 can be omitted.

[0055] Optionally, refer to Figure 9 The rotating component 53 and the rotating meshing component 54 can be a combination of pin teeth and pin racks. The pin tooth drive and the transmission mechanism formed by the pin teeth and pin racks have a stronger load capacity, are more wear-resistant, have a simple structure, can be replaced individually, and have low maintenance costs.

[0056] Of course, the rotating part 53 and the rotating meshing part 54 can also be a gear and rack, a sprocket and chain, or a timing pulley and timing belt.

[0057] As one embodiment, reference Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 9 The fork assembly 3 includes two fork teeth 31, each fork tooth 31 corresponding to a receiving groove 11. The rails 12 are respectively provided on the side walls 111 of different receiving grooves 11, and the openings of the rails 12 are arranged opposite to each other or back to back. The reducer 521 is a non-coaxial dual output shaft reducer 521.

[0058] The non-coaxial dual-output shaft reducer 521 is adopted, which makes it easier to control the rotation of two pins by one motor 51 and one reducer 521, and the structure is simpler.

[0059] Preferably, the openings of the track 12 are arranged opposite each other, so that the width between the two uprights 221 of the traveling frame 22 is larger, which can increase the load-bearing capacity and arrangement space of the traveling frame 22.

[0060] In some embodiments of this application, reference is made to Figure 11 , Figure 11 This is a bottom view of the chassis, with the extension direction of the receiving slot 11 perpendicular to the walking direction of the chassis 1. In this way, the pallet handling robot can pick up and place pallets on one side of the intended pickup / placement location within the aisle without rotating during operation. When planning logistics solutions, there is no need to consider the robot's rotation space within the aisle, adapting to the pallet handling needs of narrow aisles, thereby increasing warehouse density and saving pallet storage space.

[0061] In some embodiments of this application, the track 12 is a U-shaped or C-shaped channel steel. U-shaped or C-shaped channel steel can be used as standard parts, making manufacturing simple. The composite traveling wheel 2211 travels on the bottom surface of the inner groove of the U-shaped channel steel, while the top and sides of the inner groove guide and limit the support wheel. This structure avoids the complex structure of separately configuring support wheels, side guide wheels, top guide wheels, etc., making installation and maintenance more convenient.

[0062] Track 12 can be formed by welding together sheet metal or by machining standard steel profiles.

[0063] In some embodiments of this application, the front and rear ends of the receiving groove 11 are respectively provided with triggers, and the gantry assembly 2 is provided with a sensor for position detection of the gantry assembly 2; the front and rear ends of the receiving groove 11 are respectively provided with mechanical limit blocks 121, and the composite walking wheel 2211 abuts against the mechanical limit block 121 to limit the position of the gantry assembly 2.

[0064] In this embodiment, trigger elements are provided at both ends of the receiving groove 11 of the chassis 1. These trigger elements, in conjunction with the sensors on the gantry assembly 2, enable position detection of the gantry assembly 2, allowing for precise control of its extension position. Specifically, the sensors can be mounted on the upright plate 221 of the traveling frame 22. Simultaneously, mechanical limit blocks 121 are provided at the front and rear ends of the track 12 of the chassis 1. When the composite traveling wheel 2211 reaches its foremost and rearmost ends, it abuts against the mechanical limit blocks 121, restricting further movement of the composite traveling wheel 2211, thereby limiting the extreme extension and retraction positions of the gantry assembly 2.

[0065] The trigger can be a position detection block, and the sensor can be a proximity switch, or the trigger can be a photoelectric trigger sheet and the sensor can be a photoelectric sensor. This application does not make any specific limitations on this.

[0066] refer to Figure 4 and Figure 11As shown, the chassis 1 of the pallet handling robot mainly consists of a welded chassis 13 and a platform 14 mounted on the welded chassis 13. The bottom of the welded chassis 13 is equipped with four casters 131 and two drive wheels 132. The casters 131 are arranged in pairs, facing each other. There are two drive wheels 132, which are differential drive wheels, enabling the robot to move forward, backward, and rotate in place. The platform 14 is equipped with a pallet guide and limit block 141. The main function of the pallet guide and limit block 141 is to guide the pallet as it descends and lands on the platform 14, and to limit the pallet's movement to ensure placement accuracy. The bottom of the welded chassis 13 is also equipped with a ground code reader 133 for recognizing ground markings, enabling automatic navigation of the pallet handling robot.

[0067] Specifically, the Ground Code Reader 133 obtains its current location and the coordinates of its next target by scanning the identification codes (pre-attached QR code labels) on the ground in real time. Each identification code contains precise coordinate information, helping the pallet-carrying robot determine its direction of travel and turning instructions, similar to real-time landmark updates in a navigation system. When encountering obstacles or temporarily changing routes, the system can recalculate the path and adjust the route. Identification code navigation does not require re-laying magnetic strips or changing fixed paths; simply replacing the labels allows for flexible responses to changes, making it suitable for complex and dynamic environments and facilitating dynamic obstacle avoidance and route adjustment.

[0068] The identification code navigation supports centimeter-level positioning accuracy. Combined with inertial navigation technologies such as gyroscopes, it can reduce deviations caused by uneven ground or vibrations, ensuring a stable and reliable handling process and improving handling accuracy and efficiency.

[0069] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application are included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A pallet handling robot, characterized in that, include: The chassis (1) has a receiving groove (11). The side wall (111) of the receiving groove (11) is provided with a rail (12). There are two rails (12). The rails (12) are U-shaped or C-shaped. The opening of the rail (12) points to the opposite side wall (111), and the openings of the two rails (12) are opposite or back to each other. A gantry assembly (2) is mounted on the chassis (1) and extends and retracts relative to the receiving groove (11). The lower end of the gantry assembly (2) is provided with a composite traveling wheel (2211) located in the track (12). The composite traveling wheel (2211) includes a first roller (22111) and a second roller (22112) with their rotating axes perpendicular to each other. The wheel surface of the first roller (22111) contacts the two side walls (111) of the track (12), and the wheel surface of the second roller (22112) contacts the bottom wall (112) of the track (12) to limit the top, bottom and side surfaces of the composite traveling wheel (2211). Fork assembly (3) is mounted on mast assembly (2); The lifting drive mechanism (4) is configured to drive the fork assembly (3) to lift vertically along the mast assembly (2).

2. The pallet handling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gantry assembly (2) includes an outer gantry (21), which is L-shaped and includes legs (211) and columns (212). Each of the front ends of the legs (211) is provided with a set of climbing wheels. Each climbing wheel set includes multiple climbing rollers (2111). The line connecting the rotation centers of the shafts of the climbing rollers (2111) of the same climbing wheel set is an oblique line. The bottom wall (112) of the receiving groove (11) has a hollowed-out slot (1121) at its front end. The area of ​​the bottom wall (112) near the hollowed-out slot (1121) is provided with climbing ramps (1122) on both sides of the hollowed-out slot (1121). When the gantry assembly (2) extends or retracts from the receiving groove (11), the climbing rollers (2111) on both sides of the support leg (211) pass through the climbing ramps (1122) one after another. The front end of the outrigger (211) is also provided with a walking support wheel (2112). When the walking support wheel (2112) is supported on the ground, the climbing roller (2111) is set off off the ground.

3. The pallet handling robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The mast assembly (2) further includes an inner mast (23), which is slidably connected to the column (212). The fork assembly (3) is slidably connected to the inner mast (23). The lifting drive mechanism (4) is configured to drive the inner mast (23) to lift relative to the outer mast (21) and simultaneously drive the fork assembly (3) to lift relative to the inner mast (23).

4. The pallet handling robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, The lifting drive mechanism (4) includes a lifting component (41), a pulley (42) and a lifting component (43). The lifting component (41) is installed on the outer mast (21) and is used to drive the inner mast (23) to move up and down. The pulley (42) is located at the top of the inner mast (23). One end of the lifting component (43) is fixed to the top of the outer mast (21), and the other end passes through the pulley (42) and is fixed to the fork assembly (3).

5. The pallet handling robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The gantry assembly (2) further includes a traveling frame (22) located at the lower end of the outer gantry (21). The outer gantry (21) is fixed on the traveling frame (22). The traveling frame (22) is mounted on the chassis (1) and its lower end is located in the receiving groove (11). The composite traveling wheel (2211) is located at the lower end of the traveling frame (22).

6. The pallet handling robot according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The pallet handling robot includes a horizontal drive mechanism (5), which includes a motor (51), a transmission component (52), and a rotating component (53). The motor (51) and the rotating component (53) are mounted on the gantry assembly (2). The side wall (111) of the receiving groove (11) is provided with a rotating engagement component (54) that meshes with the rotating component (53). One end of the transmission component (52) is connected to the output shaft of the motor (51), and the other end is connected to the rotating component (53). The rotating component (53) meshes with the rotating engagement component (54), thereby driving the gantry assembly (2) to reciprocate along the rotating engagement component (54) in the receiving groove (11).

7. The pallet handling robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, The transmission component (52) includes a reducer (521) and at least one transmission unit. The output shaft of the motor (51) is connected to the input shaft of the reducer (521). The transmission unit is a chain drive, a gear drive, or a belt drive.

8. The pallet handling robot according to claim 7, characterized in that, The transmission unit includes a coupling (522), a drive shaft (523), a chain (524), a driven shaft (525), and a bearing housing (526). The output shaft on one side of the reducer (521) is connected to the drive shaft (523) through the coupling (522). The drive shaft (523) is connected to the driven shaft (525) through the chain (524). The driven shaft (525) is provided with the rotating component (53). The drive shaft (523) and the driven shaft (525) are respectively sleeved in the bearing housing (526). The bearing housing (526) is mounted on the gantry assembly (2).

9. The pallet handling robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, The rotating component (53) and the rotating meshing component (54) are a combination of pin teeth and pin racks, or a combination of gears and racks, or a combination of sprockets or chains, or a combination of synchronous pulleys and synchronous belts.

10. The pallet handling robot according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The extension direction of the receiving groove (11) is perpendicular to the traveling direction of the chassis (1).

11. The pallet handling robot according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The front and rear ends of the receiving slot (11) are respectively provided with triggers, and the gantry assembly (2) is provided with a sensor for position detection of the gantry assembly (2); The front and rear ends of the track (12) are respectively provided with mechanical limiting blocks (121), and the composite walking wheel (2211) abuts against the mechanical limiting block (121) to limit the position of the gantry assembly (2).

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