Dispensing mechanism and automated picking system

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a distribution mechanism and an automatic picking system. A specific embodiment of the distribution mechanism comprises a support, a plurality of temporary storage positions for placing distribution boxes arranged on both sides of the support, a moving assembly comprising a guide component, a first driving component and a moving component, the guide component being arranged in the middle region of the support and extending along the arrangement direction of the temporary storage positions, the moving component reciprocating along the guide component under the action of the first driving component, and a distribution assembly comprising a carrying component and a second driving component, the carrying component being connected with the moving component, and the carrying component transferring the articles placed thereon into the distribution box of the corresponding temporary storage position under the action of the second driving component. The embodiment is related to warehouse logistics technology, can replace manual operation to realize automatic distribution and picking of articles, and helps to improve picking efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of this disclosure relate to the field of warehousing and logistics technology, specifically to sorting mechanisms and automated picking systems. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, in AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) based goods sorting solutions, the AGV typically carries containers containing goods, and the operator picks up the goods and places them into containers (such as boxes) on the shelves around their body (left or right) according to computer prompts.

[0003] However, the inventors discovered that operators need to turn around and move around while picking goods and placing them into the destination containers. Furthermore, when there are many containers, they need to constantly search for the destination container. This not only increases the workload of the operators but also affects sorting efficiency.

[0004] The information disclosed in this background section is only intended to enhance the understanding of the background of the present invention, and therefore may contain information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0005] The summary section of this disclosure is intended to provide a brief overview of concepts that will be described in detail in the detailed description section below. This summary section is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed technical solutions, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed technical solutions. Some embodiments of this disclosure provide a distributing mechanism and an automated picking system to address one or more of the technical problems mentioned in the background section above.

[0006] In a first aspect, some embodiments of this disclosure provide a dispensing mechanism, including: a support frame with a plurality of temporary storage positions for placing dispensing bins arranged on both sides; a moving component including a guide component, a first driving component, and a moving component, wherein the guide component is disposed in the middle region of the support frame and extends along the arrangement direction of the temporary storage positions, and the moving component reciprocates along the guide component under the action of the first driving component; and a dispensing component including a bearing component and a second driving component, wherein the bearing component is connected to the moving component, and the bearing component transfers the items placed on it to the dispensing bins of the corresponding temporary storage positions under the action of the second driving component.

[0007] In some embodiments, the support includes a crossbeam, a support plate, and legs; the support plate is arranged along the length of the crossbeam to form a temporary storage position, wherein a first end of the support plate is fixed to the crossbeam and a second end is fixed to the legs.

[0008] In some embodiments, every two support plates constitute a temporary storage position, and the support plates located between two adjacent temporary storage positions share a support leg; a guide plate and / or a guard plate are also provided between two adjacent temporary storage positions, wherein the guide plate is higher than the support surface of the support plate, and the height of the guard plate is higher than the height of the dispensing box.

[0009] In some embodiments, the support surface of the support plate is an inclined plane, and the first end of the support plate is higher than the second end; and a limiting plate is provided at the end of the second end of the support plate, the limiting plate being higher than the support surface of the support plate.

[0010] In some embodiments, the dispensing component includes a dispensing hopper, and the moving component includes a linear module. The supporting component is the hopper, and the second driving component is a bidirectional motor. The bottom of the hopper has a fixing hole, and the hopper is sleeved on the drive shaft of the bidirectional motor through the fixing hole. The bottom of the hopper is not lower than the height of the dispensing box in the temporary storage position. The dispensing component also includes a U-shaped frame. The two ends of the U-shaped frame are sleeved on the drive shaft of the bidirectional motor through bearings. The bottom of the U-shaped frame is fixedly connected to the slide of the linear module. The hopper is located between the two ends of the U-shaped frame.

[0011] In some embodiments, the distributing assembly includes a distributing belt, a belt as the carrying component, and a pulley and a drive motor as the second driving component. The two ends of the belt face the temporary storage positions on both sides, and the upper working surface of the belt is higher than the height of the distributing bins on the temporary storage positions. The moving assembly includes a moving frame, a guide rail as the guiding component, which is arranged opposite to each other in the middle area of ​​the support. The moving component is the frame, and guide wheels adapted to the guide rail are installed at both ends of the frame. The first driving component is a drive motor installed at the bottom of the frame, and the distributing belt is installed at the top of the frame.

[0012] In some embodiments, the distribution mechanism further includes a protective basket located in the middle area at one end of the support, wherein when an item is placed into the distribution mechanism, the supporting component is located inside the protective basket; the top, left and right sides and the front end away from the support are provided with protective plates, wherein the top of the protective basket is provided with a placement port.

[0013] Secondly, some embodiments of this disclosure provide an automated picking system, including: an incoming material handling robot for transporting an incoming material box containing items to be picked to a picking location, wherein the items in the incoming material box are placed into a sorting mechanism at the picking location; a sorting mechanism for sorting the items into sorting boxes in corresponding temporary storage locations, the sorting mechanism adopting the structure of a sorting mechanism described in any of the implementations of the first aspect above; and a box-changing robot for removing sorted sorting boxes from the sorting mechanism and placing empty sorting boxes into the sorting mechanism.

[0014] In some embodiments, the material handling robot and the box-changing robot are equipped with lifting mechanisms. When the material handling robot arrives at the picking position, its lifting mechanism is in a raised state. The height of the temporary storage position on the distribution mechanism is higher than the height of the box-changing robot in the first state and lower than the height of the box-changing robot in the second state. In the first state, the lifting mechanism of the box-changing robot is in a lowered state and carries the distribution box. In the second state, the lifting mechanism of the box-changing robot is in a raised state.

[0015] In some embodiments, the automated picking system further includes a robotic arm located between the picking position and the sorting mechanism for dispensing items from the feed bin to the sorting mechanism, replacing manual operation.

[0016] The various embodiments of this disclosure have the following beneficial effects: the sorting mechanism of some embodiments of this disclosure can replace manual labor to automatically pick up items, thereby improving sorting efficiency. Specifically, after the items to be sorted are placed on the carrying component of the mechanism, the moving component starts to operate, thereby driving the sorting component to move to the corresponding temporary storage position. Then, according to the location of the temporary storage position, the first driving component in the sorting component starts to operate, thereby moving the carrying component toward the corresponding temporary storage position, and then placing the items on it into the sorting bin of the temporary storage position. This enables automatic sorting of items, and operators only need to place the items on the sorting mechanism, greatly reducing the intensity of manual labor. In addition, there is no need for manual searching of the destination bin, which can further improve sorting efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The above and other features, advantages, and aspects of the embodiments of this disclosure will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. Throughout the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements. It should be understood that the drawings are schematic, and elements are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of some embodiments of the automated picking system disclosed herein;

[0019] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The side view of the automated picking system shown is shown.

[0020] Figure 3A Structural diagrams of some embodiments of the stent;

[0021] Figure 3B These are schematic diagrams of other embodiments of the stent;

[0022] Figure 3C yes Figure 3B Side view of the bracket shown;

[0023] Figure 4A These are schematic diagrams illustrating the structure of some embodiments of the split-cast component;

[0024] Figure 4B These are schematic diagrams of the structure of some other embodiments of the split-cast component;

[0025] Figure 5A These are schematic diagrams illustrating some application scenarios of automated picking systems;

[0026] Figure 5B These are schematic diagrams illustrating other application scenarios of automated picking systems. Detailed Implementation

[0027] Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some embodiments of this disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of this disclosure. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments of this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0028] It should also be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to the utility model are shown in the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this disclosure can be combined with each other.

[0029] It should be noted that the concepts of "first" and "second" mentioned in this disclosure are used only to distinguish different devices, modules or units, and are not used to limit the order of functions performed by these devices, modules or units or their interdependencies.

[0030] It should be noted that the terms "a" and "a plurality of" used in this disclosure are illustrative rather than restrictive, and those skilled in the art should understand that, unless otherwise expressly indicated in the context, they should be understood as "one or more".

[0031] This disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0032] Figure 1 and Figure 2A schematic diagram of some embodiments of the sorting mechanism and automated picking system disclosed herein is shown. Here, the sorting mechanism 1 may include a support 11, a moving component 12, and a sorting component 13. The support 11 may constitute the main frame of the sorting mechanism, and multiple temporary storage positions are arranged on both sides of the support 11. These temporary storage positions can be used to place the sorting bins 5. The sorting bins are mainly used to store the picked items. The moving component 12 is mainly used to realize the reciprocating movement of the sorting component 13 along the arrangement direction of the temporary storage positions, thereby moving the sorting component 13 to the corresponding temporary storage position. The sorting component 13 is mainly used to transfer the items placed on it to the sorting bin of the corresponding temporary storage position to realize the sorting and picking of items.

[0033] In some embodiments, the moving component 12 may include a guide component, a first driving component, and a moving component. The guide component is disposed in the middle region of the support 11 and extends along the arrangement direction of the temporary storage positions. The first driving component is connected to the moving component. Under the action of the first driving component, the moving component can reciprocate along the guide component.

[0034] In some embodiments, the sorting assembly 13 may include a carrying component and a second driving component. The carrying component carries the items to be picked, is connected to a moving component, and is also connected to the second driving component. Driven by the moving component, the carrying component first moves to the corresponding temporary storage location. Then, under the action of the second driving component, the carrying component transfers the items placed on it to the sorting bin at the corresponding temporary storage location, thereby completing the item picking process.

[0035] As described above, the sorting mechanism of this embodiment can automatically pick items, replacing manual labor and thus improving sorting efficiency. Specifically, after the items to be sorted are placed on the carrying component of the mechanism, the moving component starts operating, thereby driving the sorting component to move to the corresponding temporary storage position. Then, according to the location of the temporary storage position, the first driving component in the sorting component starts operating, causing the carrying component to move towards the corresponding temporary storage position, and then placing the items on it into the sorting bin of that temporary storage position. This enables automatic sorting of items; operators only need to place the items on the sorting mechanism, greatly reducing manual labor intensity. In addition, there is no need for manual searching of the destination bin, which further improves sorting efficiency.

[0036] It should be noted that the specific structures of the support frame 11, the moving component 12, and the subcast component 13 in the aforementioned subcast mechanism can be configured according to actual needs. For example, as shown... Figure 3A and 3BAs shown, the support 11 can be a single-piece structure, with crossbeams 111, support plates 112, and legs 113 on both sides. Here, the support plates 112 are arranged along the length of the crossbeams 111 to form a temporary storage space. The first end of the support plate 112 is fixed to the crossbeams 111, and the second end is fixed to the legs 113. That is, the support plates 112 and the crossbeams 111 are arranged at an intersecting angle. As shown, they can be arranged perpendicularly at 90 degrees. Optionally, in some applications, to reduce the width of the support, the support plates and crossbeams can also be arranged at a certain angle.

[0037] Understandably, to simplify the equipment structure and facilitate rapid item picking, the temporary storage positions on both sides of the support frame are typically arranged symmetrically. Furthermore, to improve space utilization and reduce equipment size, the temporary storage positions are usually arranged adjacent to each other. As an example, to further simplify the equipment structure, every two support plates 112 can constitute one temporary storage position, and the support plates 112 located between two adjacent temporary storage positions can share a single support leg 113.

[0038] In addition, to ensure the accuracy of placing the dispensing bins in the temporary storage location, such as Figure 3A As shown, a guide plate 114 can also be provided between two adjacent temporary storage positions. The guide plate 114 can be fixed between two support plates 112 of adjacent temporary storage positions, and the guide plate 114 is higher than the support surface of the support plate 112. The support surface is usually the surface of the support plate that connects with the material box, providing support. In this way, the guide plate can guide the placement of the dispensing boxes, ensuring that the dispensing boxes are placed in the appropriate temporary storage positions and that the placement angle of the dispensing boxes is maintained.

[0039] Optionally, such as Figure 3B and 3C As shown, a protective plate 115 can also be provided between two adjacent temporary storage positions. The height of the protective plate 115 can be higher than the height of the dispensing bin. This can prevent items from being put into the wrong dispensing bin. The protective plate 115 can also be fixed between two support plates 112 of adjacent temporary storage positions, or it can be fixed to the guide plate 112.

[0040] In some application scenarios, such as Figure 3C As shown, the supporting surface of the support plate 112 can also be an inclined surface. Specifically, the first end of the support plate 112 (i.e., the end fixed to the crossbeam) is higher than the second end (i.e., the end fixed to the support leg). That is, the supporting surface of the support plate 112 has a certain inclination, which helps to reduce the space required for the support frame. In this case, to prevent the dispensing box from sliding off the inclined support plate, a limit plate 116 can be further provided at the end of the second end of the support plate. Figure 3B As shown, the limiting plate 116 is usually higher than the supporting surface of the support plate 112.

[0041] In some embodiments, the dispensing component 13 may employ a dispensing hopper structure. The moving component may employ a linear module structure. Here, as... Figure 4A As shown, the supporting component in the dispensing assembly can be a hopper 131, and the second driving component can be a bidirectional motor 132. A fixing hole is provided at the bottom of the hopper 131, allowing it to be fitted onto the drive shaft of the bidirectional motor 132. Additionally, as shown in the figure, the dispensing assembly also includes a U-shaped frame 133. Both ends of the U-shaped frame 133 are fitted onto the drive shaft of the bidirectional motor 132 via bearings, while the bottom of the U-shaped frame 133 is fixedly connected to the slide of the linear module. The hopper 131 is located between the two ends of the U-shaped frame 133. Thus, the hopper can be moved by the slide driving the U-shaped frame. Furthermore, by rotating the bidirectional motor in either the forward or reverse direction, the hopper can be flipped left or right, thereby dispensing the items from the hopper into the dispensing bins on both sides. It is understood that, to facilitate item dispensing, the bottom of the hopper, as shown in the figure, is usually not lower than the height of the dispensing bins in the temporary storage position, thus avoiding interference from the dispensing bins with the flipping movement of the hopper.

[0042] Alternatively, the distributing component 13 can also employ a distributing belt structure instead of a distributing hopper. Specifically, such as... Figure 4B As shown, the supporting component is a belt, and the second driving component is a pulley and a drive motor. In this case, the moving component 12 can adopt a moving frame structure. As shown, the guiding component can be a guide rail, which is arranged opposite each other in the middle area of ​​the support. The moving component can be a frame, and guide wheels adapted to the guide rail are installed at both ends of the frame. The first driving component can be a drive motor, which is installed at the bottom of the frame. At this time, the distribution belt can be installed at the top of the frame. It can be understood that in order to achieve the distribution of items, the two ends of the belt conveyor are usually facing the temporary storage positions on both sides (as shown by the arrows in the figure), and the upper working surface of the belt is higher than the height of the distribution box on the temporary storage position. In this way, by rotating the distribution belt to one end, the items can be put into the distribution box on the corresponding side. Here, the upper working surface usually refers to the surface that contacts the items and is used to support the items.

[0043] Furthermore, as can be seen from 4B, the support can also adopt a split structure. That is, the temporary storage spaces on both sides can be placed and set up independently. This structure allows the width of the support to be freely adjusted according to the actual application scenario, thus making it suitable for items of different sizes and spaces of different sizes.

[0044] In some application scenarios, the aforementioned sorting component 13 can also employ a flip-board sorting structure. The moving component 12 can be implemented in any manner. As an example, the supporting component can be a flat plate. The second driving component can be two retractable driving rods. The two driving rods are respectively hinged to both ends (or the bottom of both ends) of the flat plate. Thus, when one driving rod extends, the flat plate can flip around the other end, thereby enabling the delivery of items. Optionally, raised guardrails can also be formed on both sides of the flat plate to prevent items from falling from directions other than the ends of the flat plate, while also serving a guiding function.

[0045] In some alternative implementations, the broadcasting mechanism may also include a protective basket 14. For example... Figure 3B and 3C As shown, the protective basket 14 can be located in the middle area of ​​one end of the support 11. Protective plates can be installed on the top, left and right sides, and front end away from the support of the protective basket. For ease of observation, these protective plates can be made of transparent material. A loading port is provided on the top of the protective basket. This ensures that when items are loaded into the distribution mechanism, the supporting component is located inside the protective basket, thereby preventing injury to operators, ensuring safety, and reducing potential safety hazards to the equipment. It also ensures the accuracy of placing items on the supporting component, reducing the probability of damage due to misoperation.

[0046] Some embodiments of this disclosure also provide an automated picking system. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the automated picking system may include a sorting mechanism 1, an incoming material handling robot 2, and a box-changing robot 3. Here, the sorting mechanism 1 can adopt the structure described in any of the above embodiments. The incoming material handling robot 2 is mainly used to transport the incoming material boxes 4 containing items to be picked to the picking position. The box-changing robot 3 is mainly used to remove the sorted sorting boxes 5 from the sorting mechanism and transport them to subsequent workstations, such as conveyor lines, packing stations, or sorting verification positions. The box-changing robot 3 is also used to deliver empty sorting boxes to the sorting mechanism.

[0047] Understandably, after the incoming material handling robot 2 transports the incoming material bin to the picking position, the items in the bin are placed one by one onto the sorting mechanism, which then picks the items into the corresponding sorting bins. This completes the item picking process. Alternatively, items can be manually placed from the incoming material bin onto the sorting mechanism. That is, the operator can pick the items at the work position, scan the barcode, and then place the items into the hopper. The hopper automatically sorts the items into the sorting bins stored in the temporary storage location based on the order information. The automatic picking system using this embodiment reduces the operator's turning and moving movements, lowering the workload. It eliminates the need for excessive turning or other unnecessary actions; the operator can simply turn sideways to place the items into the hopper. Furthermore, the sorting mechanism enables automatic item picking, avoiding the time-consuming manual searching. This is especially beneficial when there are many sorting bins, improving picking efficiency.

[0048] Optionally, the automated picking system of this disclosure may further include a robotic arm (not shown in the figure). The robotic arm can be located between the picking position and the sorting mechanism to deliver items from the feed bin to the sorting mechanism, replacing manual operation. The robotic arm can be equipped with a vision system to acquire images to assist in completing the task of picking and delivering items. It can also acquire image information of the picked items to determine order information.

[0049] In addition, from Figure 1 , 2 It can be seen that the material handling robot 2 and the box-changing robot 3 can be equipped with lifting mechanisms. Specifically, when the material handling robot arrives at the picking position, its lifting mechanism can be raised. That is, the material handling robot can lift the incoming box upon reaching the picking position. This reduces the need for operators to bend over, thus further improving work efficiency.

[0050] The box-changing robot 3 can pick up and place the dispensing boxes by using its own lifting mechanism. Furthermore, to facilitate the robot's handling of the dispensing boxes, the height of the temporary storage area (or crossbeam) on the dispensing mechanism is higher than the robot's unloaded height (when the lifting mechanism is in the lowered state), but lower than the robot's lifting mechanism in the raised state. This allows the robot to move under the support frame when unloaded. Further, the height of the temporary storage area on the dispensing mechanism can be higher than the robot's height in the first state and lower than its height in the second state. The first state is when the robot is carrying a dispensing box and the lifting mechanism is in the lowered state. The second state is when the robot's lifting mechanism is in the raised state. This allows the entire area below the dispensing mechanism to serve as the robot's routing path, aiding in route planning and improving space utilization.

[0051] It should be noted that the number of devices in the automated picking system of this embodiment can be set according to actual needs. For example... Figure 5A and 5B As shown, to improve sorting efficiency and increase the number of sorting slots, at least two sorting mechanisms can be deployed, with a gap in between for the robot to pick up and exchange boxes. To ensure that there are always incoming boxes in front of the operator, two picking points W for the incoming material handling robots can be set up in the system. As shown in the figure, the incoming material handling robots can use either a double-return path or a single-return path.

[0052] The above description is merely a selection of preferred embodiments of this disclosure and an explanation of the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art should understand that the scope of the utility model involved in the embodiments of this disclosure is not limited to the specific combinations of the above-described technical features, but should also cover other technical solutions formed by arbitrary combinations of the above-described technical features or their equivalents without departing from the above-described inventive concept. For example, technical solutions formed by substituting the above features with (but not limited to) technical features with similar functions disclosed in the embodiments of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A rebroadcasting mechanism, characterized in that, include: The support frame has multiple temporary storage positions on both sides for placing the dispensing boxes; The moving component includes a guide component, a first drive component, and a moving component. The guide component is disposed in the middle region of the bracket and extends along the arrangement direction of the temporary storage positions. Under the action of the first drive component, the moving component reciprocates along the guide component. The dispensing component includes a carrying component and a second driving component. The carrying component is connected to the moving component. Under the action of the second driving component, the carrying component transfers the items placed on it to the dispensing bins in the corresponding temporary storage positions.

2. The broadcasting mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support frame includes a crossbeam, a support plate, and legs; The support plates are arranged along the length of the crossbeam to form a temporary storage position, wherein the first end of the support plate is fixed to the crossbeam and the second end is fixed to the support leg.

3. The broadcasting mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each pair of the support plates forms a temporary storage position, and the support plates located between two adjacent temporary storage positions share one support leg; A guide plate and / or a guard plate are also provided between two adjacent temporary storage positions, wherein the guide plate is higher than the support surface of the support plate, and the height of the guard plate is higher than the height of the dispensing box.

4. The broadcasting mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The supporting surface of the support plate is an inclined plane, and the first end of the support plate is higher than the second end; and A limiting plate is provided at the second end of the support plate, and the limiting plate is higher than the support surface of the support plate.

5. The broadcasting mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The distribution component includes a distribution hopper, the moving component includes a linear module, wherein the bearing component is a hopper, and the second driving component is a bidirectional motor; The bottom of the hopper is provided with a fixing hole, and the hopper is sleeved on the drive shaft of the bidirectional motor through the fixing hole. The bottom of the hopper is not lower than the height of the dispensing box on the temporary storage position. The distribution assembly also includes a U-shaped frame, the two ends of which are mounted on the drive shaft of the bidirectional motor via bearings, and the bottom of the U-shaped frame is fixedly connected to the slide of the linear module, wherein the hopper is located between the two ends of the U-shaped frame.

6. The broadcasting mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The distributing assembly includes a distributing belt, the bearing component is a belt, and the second driving component is a pulley and a drive motor. The two ends of the belt are respectively oriented towards the temporary storage positions on both sides, and the upper working surface of the belt is higher than the height of the distributing hopper on the temporary storage position. The moving component includes a moving frame, the guiding component is a guide rail, which is arranged opposite to each other in the middle area of ​​the support, the moving component is a frame, and guide wheels adapted to the guide rail are installed at both ends of the frame, the first driving component is a drive motor, which is installed at the bottom of the frame, and the distribution belt is installed at the top of the frame.

7. The rebroadcasting mechanism according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The distribution mechanism also includes a protective basket located in the middle area of ​​one end of the support, wherein when an item is placed into the distribution mechanism, the supporting component is located inside the protective basket; The protective basket is provided with protective plates on its top, left and right sides and front end away from the support, wherein the top of the protective basket is provided with a delivery port.

8. An automated picking system, characterized in that, include: The material handling robot is used to transport the material bins containing items to be picked to the picking position, where the items in the material bins are placed into the sorting mechanism at the picking position. A sorting mechanism is used to sort items into sorting bins in corresponding temporary storage locations. The sorting mechanism adopts the structure of a sorting mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-7. The box-changing robot is used to remove sorted boxes from the sorting mechanism and to deliver empty sorting boxes to the sorting mechanism.

9. The automatic picking system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The material handling robot and the box picking robot are equipped with lifting mechanisms. When the material handling robot reaches the picking position, its upper lifting mechanism is in the raised state. The height of the temporary storage position on the distribution mechanism is higher than the height of the box-changing robot in the first state and lower than the height of the box-changing robot in the second state. In the first state, the lifting mechanism of the box-changing robot is in a descending state and carries the distribution box. In the second state, the lifting mechanism of the box-changing robot is in a rising state.

10. The automatic picking system according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, The automated picking system also includes a robotic arm located between the picking position and the sorting mechanism, used to place items from the feed bin onto the sorting mechanism to replace manual operation.

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