A carrying robot and a telescopic lifting structure of a fork leg thereof

Abstract

The utility model relates to a kind of carrying robot and its fork leg telescopic lifting structure, including upper supporting plate, lower mounting bracket, scissor fork frame and lifting motor, the output shaft of lifting motor is connected with screw rod, screw rod is equipped with screw rod nut, one end of scissor fork frame lower part is hinged with lower mounting bracket, the other end of scissor fork frame lower part is hinged with screw rod nut, and the outside of hinged point is equipped with gyro wheel, one end of scissor fork frame upper part is hinged with upper supporting plate, the both sides of upper supporting plate are inwardly folded and form supporting edge, the other end of scissor fork frame upper part is also equipped with gyro wheel, the both ends of lower mounting bracket are respectively equipped with telescopic power wheel and support gyro wheel that protrude lower mounting bracket, by the rotation of telescopic power wheel, drive lower mounting bracket to move back and forth.The utility model is high in overall integration, simplifies overall mechanical structure;And gyro wheel is ingeniously used in the connecting point of scissor fork frame and upper supporting plate and lower mounting bracket, greatly reduces movement resistance, makes lifting process more stable, smooth, and reduces power loss and wear.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of warehousing equipment technology, and in particular relates to a handling robot and its fork-leg telescopic lifting structure. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of logistics warehousing and intelligent manufacturing, automated handling equipment is playing an increasingly important role in modern production and logistics systems. As one of the core pieces of equipment for automated handling, handling robots are widely used in scenarios such as cargo handling, stacking, and sorting, and their performance directly affects the efficiency and flexibility of the entire logistics system.

[0003] In the design of material handling robots, the lifting mechanism is one of the key functional components, used to achieve vertical lifting and retrieval of goods. Common lifting mechanisms include hydraulic, pneumatic, and motor-driven types. Among them, the scissor lift structure is widely used in various material handling equipment due to its stable structure, high load-bearing capacity, and smooth lifting. Traditional scissor lift mechanisms are mostly fixedly installed. Although they can achieve lifting functions, they lack horizontal movement capabilities, limiting the robot's flexibility and operating range. In practical applications, robots often need to have the ability to not only lift but also extend to adapt to the storage and retrieval needs of shelves of different depths or goods of different sizes. In addition, existing scissor lift mechanisms are prone to uneven loading or jamming during lifting, especially under heavy loads. Due to high friction at the hinge points or an unreasonable guide structure, this can lead to unstable lifting or even damage to the mechanism.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a compact and stable integrated lifting and telescopic mechanism that can reliably lift and move horizontally within a limited space, meeting the needs of modern intelligent handling robots for efficient, precise, and flexible operation. Utility Model Content

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the first objective of this utility model is to provide a compact and stable fork-leg telescopic lifting structure, and the second objective of this utility model is to provide a handling robot.

[0006] To achieve the first objective of this utility model, the present utility model adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A telescopic lifting structure for scissor lifts includes an upper support plate, a lower mounting frame, a scissor lift, and a lifting motor. The lifting motor is fixed to the lower mounting frame, and a lead screw is connected to the output shaft of the lifting motor. A lead screw nut is provided on the lead screw. One end of the lower part of the scissor lift is hinged to the lower mounting frame, and the other end of the lower part of the scissor lift is hinged to the lead screw nut. One end of the upper part of the scissor lift is hinged to the upper support plate, and the other end of the upper part of the scissor lift is slidably connected to the upper support plate. The two sides of the upper support plate are folded inward to form a support edge. A roller is also provided at one end of the upper part of the scissor lift, and the roller rests on the support edge. A roller is also provided on the outer side of the lower part of the scissor lift that is hinged to the lead screw nut, and the roller rests on the lower mounting frame. The movement of the lead screw nut driven by the lifting motor causes the upper support plate to be lifted or lowered by the scissor lift. Telescopic power wheels and support rollers protrude from both ends of the lower mounting frame, respectively. The rotation of the telescopic power wheels drives the lower mounting frame to move back and forth.

[0008] As a preferred embodiment, the motor shaft end of the lifting motor and one end of the lead screw are rotatably mounted on the lower mounting frame via the same bracket, and the motor shaft and the lead screw are connected by a coupling, with the other end of the lead screw suspended in the air.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment, the lower front end of the lower mounting bracket is hollowed out, and a fixed bracket is provided on the upper part. The telescopic power wheel is fixed to the fixed bracket. The telescopic power wheel includes a geared motor and wheels on both sides of the geared motor driven by the geared motor.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment, a sensor mounting block is also fixed to the front end of the lower mounting bracket, and sensor B is fixed inside the sensor mounting block.

[0011] To achieve the second objective mentioned above, this utility model adopts the following technical solution:

[0012] A handling robot includes a frame and a fork assembly, wherein the fork assembly employs a fork telescopic lifting structure as described in any of the above claims.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment, the frame has an installation notch, and guide rail grooves are slidably provided on both sides of the installation notch. A limiting block is also provided at the front end of the installation notch. Guide rail strips are provided on both sides of the fork assembly. The fork assembly is slidably connected to the frame through the cooperation of the guide rail grooves and guide rail strips.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment, limiting posts are provided on both sides of the installation notch, and the two limiting posts are staggered. Lifting and clearance notches are provided on both sides of the upper support plate, and the positions of the lifting and clearance notches correspond to the positions of the limiting posts.

[0015] As a preferred embodiment, the vehicle frame is E-shaped and includes an upper cover plate and a bottom frame that are fixed to each other. The bottom frames on both sides are respectively equipped with a drive wheel assembly, a swivel wheel and a battery assembly. The drive wheel assembly and the swivel wheel form a lever structure through a balance arm. The controller assembly is fixed in the middle bottom frame.

[0016] As a preferred embodiment, the bottom frame is also provided with L-shaped anti-collision strips at the four corners, and sensors A are also provided at two opposite corners of the bottom frame.

[0017] As a preferred embodiment, the power wheel assembly is located in the middle of the bottom frame, the omnidirectional wheel is located at the front end of the bottom frame, the battery assembly is located at the rear of the power wheel assembly, and the rear of the bottom frame is also provided with two omnidirectional wheels, which form a lever structure through a balance arm, and the balance arm at the rear is perpendicular to the mounting notch.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0019] This invention boasts a high degree of integration, combining the lifting and horizontal telescopic mechanisms into a compact module. This eliminates the need for a separate, complex telescopic mechanism for the handling robot, simplifying the overall mechanical structure. Furthermore, the use of a lifting motor, lead screw, and lead screw nut to drive the scissor lift offers high transmission efficiency, precision, and strong self-locking capability (reliably maintaining its position even after power failure). Moreover, the clever use of rollers (resting on the support edge and lower mounting frame) at the connection points between the scissor lift and the upper and lower mounting frames transforms traditional sliding friction into rolling friction. This significantly reduces motion resistance, making the lifting process smoother and more stable, while also reducing power loss and wear. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of this application. The illustrative embodiments of this application and their descriptions are used to explain this application and do not constitute a limitation thereof.

[0021] Figure 1 and Figure 2 These are schematic diagrams of the handling robot of this utility model from two different angles;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the frame structure of this utility model after the top cover plate has been removed;

[0023] Figure 4 and Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the fork-leg assembly of this utility model at two different angles.

[0024] The reference numerals in the accompanying drawings are as follows: 1. Frame; 11. Top cover plate; 12. Bottom frame; 121. Anti-collision strip; 13. Sensor A; 2. Fork leg assembly; 21. Upper support plate; 211. Lifting clearance notch; 212. Support edge; 22. Lower mounting bracket; 221. Slider; 222. Guide rail; 223. Fixing bracket; 23. Scissor fork frame; 24. Lifting motor; 25. Lead screw; 26. Lead screw nut; 261. Roller; 27. Telescopic drive wheel; 28. Sensor B; 29. ​​Support roller; 3. Drive wheel assembly; 4. Universal wheel; 5. Balance arm; 6. Battery assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0025] It should be noted that the following detailed descriptions are illustrative and intended to provide further explanation of this application. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains.

[0026] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to this application. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0027] Furthermore, in the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0028] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise expressly defined.

[0029] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0030] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0031] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments:

[0032] like Figures 1 to 5 The illustrated material handling robot includes a frame 1 and a fork assembly 2. The frame 1 has an installation notch, and guide rail grooves 222 are slidably arranged on both side walls of the notch. A limiting block is also provided at the front end of the notch. Guide rail strips 221 are provided on both sides of the fork assembly 2. The cooperation between the guide rail grooves 222 and the guide rail strips 221 allows the fork assembly 2 to slide smoothly to the frame. This two-stage sliding mechanism, using the guide rail grooves 222 and guide rail strips 221, extends the extension and retraction stroke of the fork assembly and effectively withstands torque and lateral forces, ensuring smooth, uninterrupted, and wobbly operation of the entire fork assembly during extension and retraction. This is crucial for ensuring the accuracy of lifting, lowering, and loading / unloading goods.

[0033] The fork assembly 2 includes an upper support plate 21, a lower mounting frame 22, a scissor lift 23, and a lifting motor 24. The lifting motor 24 is fixed on the lower mounting frame 22, and a lead screw 25 is connected to the output shaft of the lifting motor 24. A lead screw nut 26 is provided on the lead screw 25. One end of the lower part of the scissor lift 23 is hinged to the lower mounting frame 22, and the other end of the lower part of the scissor lift 23 is hinged to the lead screw nut 26. One end of the upper part of the scissor lift 23 is hinged to the upper support plate 21, and the other end of the upper part of the scissor lift 23 is slidably connected to the upper support plate 21. The movement of the lead screw nut 26 driven by the lifting motor 24 causes the upper support plate 21 to be lifted or lowered by the scissor lift 23. The two ends of the lower mounting frame 22 are respectively provided with telescopic power wheels 27 and support rollers 29 protruding from the lower mounting frame 22. The rotation of the telescopic power wheels 27 drives the lower mounting frame 22 to move back and forth. Limiting posts are provided on both sides of the installation notch, and the two limiting posts are staggered. Lifting and clearance notches 211 are provided on both sides of the upper support plate 21, and the position of the lifting and clearance notches 211 corresponds to the position of the limiting posts.

[0034] The aforementioned structure employs an independent drive and decoupled design: the lifting function is driven by a lifting motor, while the telescopic function is driven by independent telescopic power wheels. This design decouples the two dimensions of motion, resulting in clearer and simpler control logic, eliminating the need for complex linkage algorithms.

[0035] The motor shaft end of the lifting motor 24 and one end of the lead screw 25 are rotatably mounted on the lower mounting frame 22 via the same bracket, and the motor shaft and lead screw 25 are connected by a coupling, with the other end of the lead screw 25 suspended. The motor shaft and lead screw are mounted via the same bracket and directly connected by a coupling. This structure is very compact, reducing the number of parts and saving valuable internal space, making it particularly suitable for mobile robots with extremely high space requirements. The shared bracket ensures the coaxiality of the motor shaft and lead screw, reducing additional stress, vibration, and noise caused by misalignment, and improving the reliability and service life of the transmission system. Simultaneously, the suspended lead screw end is a simplified support method (cantilever beam), effectively avoiding jamming and wear problems caused by difficulty in achieving coaxiality during installation. While meeting strength and rigidity requirements, it reduces the number of parts such as support seats, lowering the difficulty and cost of processing and assembly.

[0036] The upper support plate 21 has its two sides folded inward to form a support edge 212. A roller 261 is also provided at one end of the upper part of the scissor lift 23, resting on the support edge 211. A roller 261 is also provided on the outer side of the lower end of the scissor lift 23 that is hinged to the lead screw nut 26, resting on the lower mounting bracket 22. This structure cleverly uses rollers (resting on the support edge and lower mounting bracket) at the connection points between the scissor lift, the upper support plate, and the lower mounting bracket, transforming traditional sliding friction into rolling friction. This greatly reduces motion resistance, making the lifting process smoother and more stable, and reducing power loss and wear.

[0037] The lower front end of the lower mounting frame 22 is hollowed out, and a fixed frame 223 is provided on the upper part. The telescopic power wheel 27 is fixed to the fixed frame 223. The telescopic power wheel 27 includes a geared motor and wheels on both sides of the geared motor driven by the geared motor. The hollowed-out lower front end of the lower mounting frame provides installation and movement space for the telescopic power wheel and related components, while increasing the ground clearance of the mechanism, improving the robot's obstacle-crossing ability and adaptability to uneven terrain. The telescopic power wheel integrates the geared motor and wheels to form a complete drive module, which is installed through the fixed frame. This modular design facilitates installation, debugging, and maintenance, and also improves the overall rigidity and stability of the structure.

[0038] A sensor mounting block is also fixed to the front end of the lower mounting frame 22, and a sensor B28 is fixed inside the sensor mounting block. Sensor B is installed at the front end of the telescopic movement to detect obstacles in front. This is crucial for robots operating in narrow shelves or complex environments, enabling automatic obstacle avoidance, collision prevention, and precise positioning (such as stopping after detecting a shelf upright), greatly improving the safety and accuracy of operations.

[0039] The frame 1 is E-shaped and includes an upper cover plate 11 and a bottom frame 12 that are fixed to each other. The bottom frames 12 on both sides are respectively provided with a power wheel assembly 3, a universal wheel 4 and a battery assembly 6. The power wheel assembly 3 and the universal wheel 4 form a lever structure through a balance arm 5. The controller assembly is fixed in the middle bottom frame 12.

[0040] The E-shaped frame design creates a natural "installation notch" to accommodate the forklift assembly, while efficiently allocating space on both sides to the drive unit (drive wheel assembly, swivel wheels) and the energy unit (battery assembly). The central section houses the control unit, resulting in a clear and rational layout. The drive wheel and swivel wheels are connected by a balance arm to form a lever-like structure, allowing the drive wheel to better contact the ground, enhancing traction, adapting to slightly uneven terrain, and improving driving stability and obstacle-crossing ability.

[0041] The power wheel assembly 5 is located in the middle of the bottom frame 12, the universal wheel 6 is located at the front end of the bottom frame 12, the battery assembly is located at the rear of the power wheel assembly 5, and the rear of the bottom frame 12 is also provided with two universal wheels 6, and the two rear universal wheels 6 form a lever structure through the balance arm 7, and the rear balance arm 7 is set perpendicular to the mounting notch.

[0042] The aforementioned structure ensures a reasonable load distribution: placing the heaviest battery and drive wheel components in the center of the frame helps maintain the robot's overall center of gravity stability. It also achieves omnidirectional movement and high stability: the combination of drive wheels and omnidirectional wheels enables flexible movement (such as rotation in place). The two rear omnidirectional wheels also utilize a balance arm suspension, with their swing direction perpendicular to the extension / retraction direction of the fork legs (i.e., the direction of the mounting notch). This means that regardless of whether the robot moves forward or backward, or whether the extension / retraction of the fork legs causes a shift in the center of gravity, the rear wheel suspension can effectively adjust, ensuring all wheels remain in contact with the ground, greatly improving the overall stability and grip of the robot under various operating conditions.

[0043] The bottom frame 12 is equipped with L-shaped anti-collision strips 121 at its four corners, and sensors A13 are located at two opposite corners of the bottom frame 12. The L-shaped anti-collision strips, installed at the outermost corners of the frame, effectively absorb and buffer collision energy from all directions, protecting the robot body and external equipment (such as shelves and goods) from damage. Furthermore, the diagonal placement of sensors A on the frame effectively detects cliffs (such as platform edges) or large obstacles ahead, providing fundamental hardware support for the robot's autonomous and safe navigation.

[0044] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0045] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. A telescopic lifting structure for scissor lifts, comprising an upper support plate (21), a lower mounting frame (22), a scissor lift (23), and a lifting motor (24). The lifting motor (24) is fixed on the lower mounting frame (22), and a lead screw (25) is connected to the output shaft of the lifting motor (24). A lead screw nut (26) is provided on the lead screw (25). One end of the lower part of the scissor lift (23) is hinged to the lower mounting frame (22), and the other end of the lower part of the scissor lift (23) is hinged to the lead screw nut (26). One end of the upper part of the scissor lift (23) is hinged to the upper support plate (21), and the other end of the upper part of the scissor lift (23) is slidably connected to the upper support plate (21). The two sides of the upper support plate (21) are folded inward. The upper end of the scissor lift (23) is provided with a roller (261), which rests on the support edge (211). The lower end of the scissor lift (23) is hinged to the lead screw nut (26), and the outer side of the lower end of the scissor lift (23) is also provided with a roller (261), which rests on the lower mounting frame (22). The movement of the lead screw nut (26) is driven by the lifting motor (24), so that the upper support plate (21) is lifted or lowered by the scissor lift (23). The two ends of the lower mounting frame (22) are respectively provided with a telescopic power wheel (27) and a support roller (29) that protrude from the lower mounting frame (22). The rotation of the telescopic power wheel (27) drives the lower mounting frame (22) to move back and forth.

2. The fork-leg telescopic lifting structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The motor shaft end of the lifting motor (24) and one end of the lead screw (25) are rotatably mounted on the lower mounting frame (22) through the same bracket, and the motor shaft and the lead screw (25) are connected by a coupling, with the other end of the lead screw (25) suspended in the air.

3. The fork-leg telescopic lifting structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lower front end of the lower mounting bracket (22) is hollowed out, and a fixed bracket (223) is provided on the upper part. The telescopic power wheel (27) is fixed to the fixed bracket (223). The telescopic power wheel (27) includes a geared motor and wheels set on both sides of the geared motor driven by the geared motor.

4. The fork-leg telescopic lifting structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front end of the lower mounting bracket (22) is also fixed with a sensor mounting block, and sensor B (28) is fixed inside the sensor mounting block.

5. A transport robot, characterized in that, It includes a frame (1) and a fork assembly (2), wherein the fork assembly (2) adopts the fork telescopic lifting structure as described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A handling robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, The frame (1) has an installation notch, and guide rail grooves (222) are slidably provided on both sides of the installation notch. A limiting block is also provided at the front end of the installation notch. Guide rail strips (221) are provided on both sides of the fork assembly (2). The fork assembly (2) is slidably connected to the frame through the cooperation of the guide rail grooves (222) and the guide rail strips (221).

7. A handling robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, Limiting posts are provided on both sides of the installation notch, and the two limiting posts are staggered. Lifting and clearance notches (211) are provided on both sides of the upper support plate (21), and the position of the lifting and clearance notches (211) corresponds to the position of the limiting posts.

8. A handling robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, The frame (1) is E-shaped and includes an upper cover plate (11) and a bottom frame (12) that are fixed to each other. The bottom frames (12) on both sides are respectively provided with a power wheel assembly (3), a universal wheel (4) and a battery assembly (6). The power wheel assembly (3) and the universal wheel (4) form a lever structure through a balance arm (5). The controller assembly is fixed in the middle bottom frame (12).

9. A handling robot according to claim 8, characterized in that, The bottom frame (12) is also provided with L-shaped anti-collision strips (121) at the four corners, and sensors A (13) are also provided at two opposite corners of the bottom frame (12).

10. A handling robot according to claim 8, characterized in that, The power wheel assembly (5) is located in the middle of the bottom frame (12), the universal wheel (6) is located at the front end of the bottom frame (12), the battery assembly is located at the rear of the power wheel assembly (5), and the rear of the bottom frame (12) is also provided with two universal wheels (6), and the two rear universal wheels (6) form a lever structure through the balance arm (7), and the rear balance arm (7) is perpendicular to the mounting notch.

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