Self-propelled transfer device and transfer system

Abstract

The utility model relates to a kind of self-driving variable orbit's conveying device and conveying system, including walking part, including support assembly, inner side guide wheel component and outer side guide wheel component, inner side guide wheel component, including two inner side guide wheel units, two inner side guide wheel units are installed on support assembly and respectively close to the two sides of conveying device, for respectively with the inner side of two sides track groove wall Rolling contact;Outer side guide wheel component, including two outer side guide wheel units and switching drive unit, two outer side guide wheel units are respectively close to the two sides of conveying device, for respectively with the outer side of two sides track groove wall Rolling contact, switching drive unit is installed on support assembly, for driving outer side guide wheel unit between first state and second state switching.The utility model is set above.The conveying system of the utility model has the advantages of high efficiency, simple structure, simple operation and low cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of material conveying, and in particular to a self-driven track-changing conveying device and conveying system. Background Technology

[0002] The circular shuttle, a high-speed conveying device, is an improvement upon the reciprocating shuttle. Its track is a closed-loop circular track in a plane, allowing the shuttle to travel unidirectionally along the track. The circular track supports the simultaneous operation of multiple shuttles and has dynamic transfer characteristics, enabling a more compact and concise layout of material transfer between workstations and between different zones, significantly enhancing handling capacity and thus improving the overall efficiency of the automated warehouse system.

[0003] The essence of a circular shuttle system lies in planning and arranging a circular track on the ground for the shuttle to run. Because this track layout requires a considerable amount of ground space, it is more suitable for material transport tasks in long-distance, large-space scenarios. Although it can replace fixed equipment for material transfer on its track through autonomous operation, reducing equipment layout costs, the fixed nature of the transport route makes it difficult to perform cross-track material transport. Since the circular shuttle's transport path is fixed, it also requires a certain amount of ground space, which limits its layout flexibility in environments with limited space and dense equipment. To meet diverse warehousing and logistics needs, the circular shuttle is equipped with a track-changing device on its track to ensure flexible changes in its travel path. On the one hand, whenever facing a junction to switch transport routes, the circular shuttle must stop on the side of the track-changing device and wait for it to complete its operation before entering the new transport route, resulting in low efficiency. On the other hand, the track-changing device on the track is complex in structure, difficult to operate, has poor stability, and is costly. These problems not only hinder the smoothness and accuracy of material transport but also increase equipment maintenance costs and time. How to provide a shuttle transport system that is simple in structure, easy to operate, efficient and stable is an urgent technical problem that needs to be solved. Utility Model Content

[0004] Therefore, the technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to overcome the problems of low efficiency and poor stability when changing tracks in the prior art, thereby providing a self-driven track-changing conveying device and conveying system.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model provides a self-driven track-changing conveying device, including a supporting part and a traveling part. The supporting part is used to support the transported items, and the traveling part includes: A support assembly is attached to the bottom of the supporting portion; The drive wheel assembly includes a drive wheel unit and a rotary drive unit. The drive wheel unit is used to make rolling contact with the bottom of the track groove, and the rotary drive unit is mounted on the bracket assembly to drive the drive wheel unit to rotate. The inner guide wheel assembly includes two inner guide wheel units, which are mounted on the bracket assembly and are respectively close to both sides of the conveying device, for rolling contact with the inner surfaces of the two side track groove walls respectively; The outer guide wheel assembly includes two outer guide wheel units and a switching drive unit. The two outer guide wheel units are respectively located near the two sides of the conveying device and are used to roll in contact with the outer surfaces of the track groove walls on both sides. The switching drive unit is mounted on the bracket assembly and is used to drive the outer guide wheel units to switch between a first state and a second state. When the outer guide wheel unit is in the first state, it is disengaged from the outer surface of the track groove wall on the same side. When the outer guide wheel unit is in the second state, it rolls in contact with the outer surface of the track groove wall on the same side.

[0006] Furthermore, the switching drive unit includes: The motor is mounted on the bracket assembly; Two cranks, one end of which is connected to the shaft of the motor; Two connecting rods, one end of which is hinged to the other end of the two crank rods; Two swing frames are lever structures, each swing frame having a fulcrum, a force application point, and a resistance point. The fulcrums of the two swing frames are rotatably connected to the support assembly, and the force application points of the two swing frames are hinged to the other ends of the two connecting rods. The two outer guide wheel units are respectively installed at the resistance points of the two swing frames. The crank, the connecting rod, and the swing frame form a crank-rocker mechanism; The two swing frames swing up and down synchronously in opposite directions. When one swing frame swings upward, the other swing frame swings downward. When the swing frame swings upward to its limit position, the outer guide wheel unit connected to it disengages from the outer side of the same side track groove wall. When the swing frame swings downward to its limit position, the outer guide wheel unit connected to it disengages from the outer side of the same side track groove wall.

[0007] Furthermore, the extreme positions of the swing frame's upward swing and downward swing are both located at the dead point positions of the crank-rocker mechanism.

[0008] Furthermore, the conveying device includes two traveling parts arranged at a certain distance along the traveling direction of the conveying device, the drive wheel unit includes two drive wheels arranged at a certain distance along the width direction of the conveying device, the inner guide wheel unit includes two inner guide wheels arranged at a certain distance along the traveling direction of the conveying device, and each outer guide wheel unit includes two outer guide wheels arranged at a certain distance along the traveling direction of the conveying device.

[0009] Furthermore, the support assembly includes a support shaft, a first support plate, a bottom housing, and a second support plate. The support shaft extends vertically, and its upper end is connected to the bottom of the supporting portion. The first support plate is connected to the lower end of the support shaft, and the bottom housing is connected to the bottom of the first support plate. The second support plate is connected to the upper surface of the first support plate via a support. The second support plate is spaced a certain distance from both the supporting portion and the second support plate. The drive wheel assembly is mounted on the bottom housing, the inner guide wheel assembly is connected to the upper surface of the first support plate, and the outer guide wheel assembly is connected to the upper surface of the second support plate.

[0010] Furthermore, the conveying device also includes an electrical component and a headlight component. The electrical component is located on the side of the supporting component in the direction of travel and is used to control the conveying device. The headlight component is located at the front and rear ends of the supporting component in the direction of travel and is used to indicate the status of the equipment.

[0011] Furthermore, the conveying device also includes a current collector arm, which is installed at the bottom of the traveling part and is used to transmit electrical energy to the conveying device.

[0012] Furthermore, the conveying device also includes a detection section, which includes a barcode reader, a proximity switch, and an obstacle avoidance radar. The barcode reader is located near the track of the conveying device and is used to read the barcode on the track in real time to obtain the specific position of the conveying device on the track. The proximity switch is located at the position of the outer guide wheel assembly and is used to detect whether the outer guide wheel unit is in place. The obstacle avoidance radar is located at the front end of the conveying device in the direction of travel and is used to detect in real time whether there are obstacles in front of the conveying device when it travels.

[0013] Furthermore, the conveying device is a lightweight device with light load and high flow rate.

[0014] This utility model also provides a conveying system, including: The aforementioned conveying device is used to carry and transport materials; The track, used to guide the movement of the conveying device, includes a straight track, a curved track, and a junction track. The straight track, the curved track, and the junction track are interconnected to form multiple intersecting conveying lines. The control device is used to receive material conveying instructions, calculate the optimal conveying route based on the instructions, and send control instructions to the conveying device traveling on the track.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the above-mentioned technical solution of this utility model has the following beneficial effects: The self-driven track-changing conveying device and system described in this utility model, on the one hand, replaces the track-changing device on the track with an integrated track-changing function on the conveying device. Through inner and outer guide wheel assemblies, it can automatically adjust according to preset instructions or programs, pre-fixing and clamping the corresponding track to achieve track changing. This improvement avoids the problems of cumbersome track switching mechanism design, complex operation, low efficiency, and poor stability, making the equipment more efficient and stable during track changing, improving the smoothness and accuracy of material transmission, and reducing equipment maintenance costs and time. These improvements allow the conveying system to adapt to lightweight, high-volume applications, and can be flexibly deployed in environments with limited space and dense equipment, meeting diverse warehousing and logistics needs, filling current equipment gaps in this field, and providing the warehousing and logistics industry with a more efficient, flexible, and economical material conveying solution. Through these improvements, it is expected to significantly reduce the initial response time and planning cycle of the logistics conveying system, improve the solution's delivery time and overall conveying efficiency, and provide a more advanced and efficient new material conveying solution for the warehousing and logistics field. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To make the content of this utility model easier to understand, the present utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the conveying device provided by this utility model from one angle; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the conveying device provided by this utility model from another angle; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the connection of the bracket assembly, drive wheel assembly and inner guide wheel assembly provided by this utility model at one angle; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the connection of the bracket assembly, drive wheel assembly and inner guide wheel assembly provided by this utility model at one angle; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the bracket assembly and the outer guide wheel assembly provided by this utility model at the first angle; Figure 6This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the bracket assembly and the outer guide wheel assembly provided by this utility model at the second angle; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the bracket assembly and the outer guide wheel assembly provided by this utility model at the third angle; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the conveying system provided by this utility model; Figure 9 This is a partial schematic diagram of the conveying system provided by this utility model.

[0018] Explanation of reference numerals in the instruction manual: A. Conveying device; 1. Supporting part; 2. Traveling part; 21. Support assembly; 211. Support shaft; 212. First support plate; 213. Bottom shell; 214. Second support plate; 215. Support; 216. Connecting seat; 22. Drive wheel assembly; 221. Drive wheel unit; 2211. Drive wheel; 222. Rotation drive unit; 23. Inner guide wheel assembly; 231. Inner guide wheel unit; 2311. Inner guide wheel; 24. Outer guide wheel assembly; 241. Outer guide wheel unit; 2411. Outer guide wheel; 242. Switching drive unit; 2421. Motor; 2422. Crankshaft; 2423. Connecting rod; 2424. Swing frame; 3. Electrical part; 4. Headlight part; 5. Collector arm; B. Track; 7. Straight track; 8. Curved track; 9. Crossroad track; C. Control device. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, so that those skilled in the art can better understand and implement the present invention. However, the embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0020] Example 1: Refer to Figures 1 to 7 As shown, this is one embodiment of the conveying device provided by the present invention.

[0021] The aforementioned self-driven track-changing conveying device includes a supporting part 1 and a traveling part 2. The supporting part 1 is used to support the transported items, and the traveling part 2 includes: The bracket assembly 21 is connected to the bottom of the aforementioned support portion 1; The drive wheel assembly 22 includes a drive wheel unit 221 and a rotary drive unit 222. The drive wheel unit 221 is mounted on the bottom of the bracket assembly 21 and is used to roll in contact with the bottom of the track groove. The rotary drive unit 222 is mounted on the bottom of the bracket assembly 21 and is used to drive the drive wheel unit 221 to rotate. The inner guide wheel assembly 23 includes two inner guide wheel units 231, which are mounted on the bracket assembly 21 and are respectively close to both sides of the conveying device, for rolling contact with the inner surfaces of the two side track groove walls respectively. The outer guide wheel assembly 24 includes two outer guide wheel units 241 and a switching drive unit 242. The two outer guide wheel units 241 are respectively close to the two sides of the conveying device and are used to roll in contact with the outer side of the track groove wall on both sides. The switching drive unit 242 is used to drive the outer guide wheel units 241 to switch between a first state and a second state. When the outer guide wheel unit 241 is in the first state, it is disengaged from the outer side of the track groove wall on the same side. When the outer guide wheel unit 241 is in the second state, it rolls in contact with the outer side of the track groove wall on the same side.

[0022] In the above description, the supporting part 1 is the main body of the conveying device, used to support materials, and needs to have sufficient structural strength and dimensions. The traveling part 2 is the driving part of the conveying device, used to guide and drive the conveying device forward. The support assembly 21 serves as the mounting reference for the traveling part 2 and needs to have sufficient structural strength and dimensions. The drive wheel assembly 22 is responsible for driving the conveying device and providing it with the power to move. The inner guide wheel assembly 23 and the outer guide wheel assembly 24 are responsible for guiding the conveying device, restricting it to only travel along a set trajectory. The two inner guide wheel units 231 always maintain contact with the inner surface of the track groove wall, while the outer guide wheel unit 241 has a first state of contact with the outer surface of the track groove wall and a second state of disengagement from the outer surface of the track groove wall. The switching between the first and second states is controlled by the switching drive unit 242.

[0023] Specifically, when the conveyor travels along the preset route on the track, if it encounters a junction and does not need to turn into it, the inner guide wheel unit 231 and outer guide wheel unit 241 on the side furthest from the junction will pre-clamp the trough wall opposite the junction. If the conveyor needs to turn into the junction, the inner guide wheel unit 231 and outer guide wheel unit 241 on the side closer to the junction will clamp the trough wall where the junction is located. In locations without junctions, either the inner guide wheel unit 231 and outer guide wheel unit 241 can clamp the inner wall of one side of the trough wall, thereby guiding the conveyor along the current route.

[0024] The above technical solution achieves two main benefits. First, by using a conveyor to carry materials along the track, the cost waste associated with flat-lay equipment and the idleness of equipment due to system redundancy are avoided. Second, the conveyor integrates a track-changing function, achieving track changing through inner and outer guide wheel assemblies. This simplifies the structure and significantly improves the stability and reliability of the system.

[0025] In this embodiment, the switching drive unit 242 includes: Motor 2421 is mounted on the aforementioned bracket assembly 21; Two cranks 2422, one end of which is connected to the shaft of the aforementioned motor 2421; Two connecting rods 2423, one end of which is hinged to the other end of the two crank rods 2422; Two swing frames 2424 are lever structures. Each swing frame 2424 has a fulcrum, a force application point, and a resistance point. The fulcrums of the two swing frames 2424 are rotatably connected to the support assembly 21. The force application points of the two swing frames 2424 are hinged to the other ends of the two connecting rods 2423. The two outer guide wheel units 241 are respectively installed at the resistance points of the two swing frames 2424. The aforementioned crank 2422, connecting rod 2423, and swing frame 2424 form a crank-rocker mechanism; The two swing frames 2424 swing in opposite directions synchronously. When one swing frame 2424 swings upward, the other swing frame 2424 swings downward. When the swing frame 2424 swings upward to its limit position, the outer guide wheel unit 241 connected to it disengages from the outer side of the same side track groove wall. When the swing frame 2424 swings downward to its limit position, the outer guide wheel unit 241 connected to it disengages from the outer side of the same side track groove wall.

[0026] In the above text, motor 2421 refers to an electromagnetic device that converts or transmits electrical energy based on the law of electromagnetic induction. Crank 2422 and connecting rod 2423 are both rigid rods, and the swing frame 2424 is a rigid frame. Crank 2422 transmits the rotational motion of motor 2421 to connecting rod 2423. Connecting rod 2423 converts the rotational motion of crank 2422 into the swinging motion of swing frame 2424. Swing frame 2424 transmits motion through the lever principle. When swing frame 2424 swings, it drives the outer guide wheel unit 241 to move closer to and further away from the track groove wall.

[0027] Specifically, after the motor 2421 starts, it drives the two cranks 2422 to rotate synchronously. The cranks 2422 push the force application point of the swing frame 2424 through the connecting rod 2423, causing the swing frame 2424 to swing around the fulcrum. Since the installation phase of the two cranks 2422 is 180 degrees different, the two swing frames 2424 swing synchronously in opposite directions under the drive of the connecting rod 2423. When one of the swing frames 2424 swings upward to its limit position, the outer guide wheel unit 241 of its resistance point disengages from the outer wall of the track, while the other swing frame 2424 swings downward to its limit position, and its outer guide wheel unit 241 presses against the outer wall of the track. When the conveying device needs to change tracks, the control system calculates the parameters required for the track change. Then, it controls the motor to rotate, the swing frame to swing, and drives the outer guide wheel to swing to the designated position. At the same time, the drive wheel assembly and the inner guide wheel assembly work together to make the conveying device smoothly enter the new track line. The entire track-changing process can be completed within 3-5 seconds on a straight travel line, and the vehicle can directly enter the new line, which greatly improves the efficiency of track changing.

[0028] Through the above technical solution, on the one hand, the outer guide wheel unit 241 can switch more smoothly between the first and second states by swinging. On the other hand, by using a single motor in conjunction with a symmetrically arranged crank-rocker mechanism, the strict synchronous reverse motion of the two swing frames is achieved, eliminating the coordination error caused by multiple drive sources.

[0029] In this embodiment, the extreme positions of the swing frame 2424 in both upward and downward swing are located at the dead point of the crank-rocker mechanism.

[0030] In the above text, the dead point position refers to the position in which the connecting rod 2423 and the swing frame 2424 in the crank-rocker mechanism are collinear. At this time, the mechanism cannot transmit driving force through the connecting rod 2423. This position causes the swing frame 2424 to form a self-locking state when it reaches the limit position. It can maintain position stability without continuously applying driving force, thereby reducing the power of the motor brake.

[0031] Specifically, when the swing frame 2424 swings upward to its limit position, the swing frame 2424 and the connecting rod 2423 are at the first dead point position. At this time, the outer guide wheel unit 241 disengages from the outer side of the track groove wall, and the mechanism's self-locking characteristic prevents the swing frame 2424 from swinging back due to vibration or impact. When the swing frame 2424 swings downward to its limit position, the swing frame 2424 and the connecting rod 2423 are at the second dead point position, and the outer guide wheel unit 241 maintains stable contact with the outer side of the track groove wall.

[0032] The above technical solution utilizes the inherent characteristics of the crank-rocker mechanism to achieve self-locking, eliminating the need for additional limiting components and reducing the power consumption of the motor at extreme positions.

[0033] In this embodiment, the conveying device includes two traveling parts 2 arranged at a certain distance along the traveling direction of the conveying device, the drive wheel unit 221 includes two drive wheels 2211 arranged at a certain distance along the width direction of the conveying device, the inner guide wheel unit 231 includes two inner guide wheels 2311 arranged at a certain distance along the traveling direction of the conveying device, and each of the outer guide wheel units 241 includes two outer guide wheels 2411 arranged at a certain distance along the traveling direction of the conveying device.

[0034] In the above text, the two traveling sections 2 arranged at intervals in the traveling direction refer to two sets of independent traveling sections 2 distributed front and back along the traveling path at the bottom of the conveying device. Specifically, this can be achieved by connecting the front and rear ends of the supporting section 1 with two sets of support assemblies 21 respectively, thereby improving the overall structural stability by distributing the load. The two drive wheels 2211 arranged at intervals in the width direction refer to two drive wheels 2211 arranged laterally in the same traveling section 2. The two inner guide wheels 2311 arranged at intervals in the traveling direction refer to two inner guide wheels 2311 arranged front and back along the traveling direction in the same inner guide wheel unit 231. The two outer guide wheels 2411 arranged at intervals in the traveling direction refer to two outer guide wheels 2411 distributed longitudinally on the same swing frame 2424.

[0035] Through the above technical solutions, the load distribution is changed from centralized to decentralized by using a multi-point contact design in the walking direction and width direction, and the contact constraint is upgraded from single-line to grid-type, forming a three-dimensional stable system, which enables the equipment to maintain a stable operating state on straight lines, curves and intersections.

[0036] In this embodiment, the bracket assembly 21 includes a bracket shaft 211, a first bracket plate 212, a bottom housing 213, and a second bracket plate 214. The bracket shaft 211 extends vertically, and its upper end is connected to the bottom of the support portion 1. The first bracket plate 212 is connected to the lower end of the bracket shaft 211, and the bottom housing 213 is connected to the bottom of the first bracket plate 212. The second bracket plate 214 is connected to the upper surface of the first bracket plate 212 via a support 215. The second bracket plate 214 is spaced a certain distance from the support portion 1 and the second bracket plate 214. The aforementioned drive wheel assembly 22 is connected to the aforementioned bottom housing 213, the aforementioned inner guide wheel assembly 23 is connected to the upper surface of the aforementioned first support plate 212, and the aforementioned outer guide wheel assembly 24 is connected to the upper surface of the aforementioned second support plate 214.

[0037] In the above text, the support shaft 211 refers to the support member that vertically connects the supporting part 1 and the traveling part 2, and is used to establish a rigid connection between the supporting part 1 and the traveling part 2. The first support plate 212 refers to the horizontal bearing plate located at the bottom of the support shaft 211, and is used to centrally install the bottom shell 213 and the inner guide wheel assembly 23. The second support plate 214 refers to the auxiliary mounting plate suspended above the first support plate 212 by the support 215, and is used as the mounting base for the outer guide wheel assembly 24. The interval of a certain distance means that there is a space between the second support plate 214 and the supporting part 1, and a space is reserved between the first support plate 212 and the second support plate 214.

[0038] Through the above technical solution, by combining the support shaft and the double support plate, the drive wheel is lowered to the bottom independent layer, the inner guide wheel is raised to the middle layer, and the outer guide wheel is moved to the top layer, ensuring that the drive wheel assembly, the inner guide wheel assembly and the outer guide wheel assembly do not interfere with each other and each realizes its own function.

[0039] In this embodiment, the conveying device further includes an electrical component 3 and a headlight component 4. The electrical component 3 is located on the side of the support component 1 in the direction of travel and is used to control the conveying device. The headlight component 4 is located at the front end and rear end of the support component 1 in the direction of travel and is used to indicate the status of the equipment.

[0040] In the above text, electrical component 3 refers to electrical components including controllers, circuit boards, and communication modules. Specifically, these can be integrated into a housing using modular packaging and connected to the actuators of the moving parts via cables to achieve real-time monitoring and control of the equipment's operating status. The vehicle lighting system refers to electrical components that integrate signal indication functions.

[0041] With the above technical solution, the electrical part 3 is set on the side of the supporting part 1, which is not easy to collide with. The headlight part 4 is set at the front or rear of the supporting part 1, and the operator can accurately identify the current status of the equipment by the change of the light mode.

[0042] In this embodiment, the conveying device further includes a current collector arm 5, which is installed at the bottom of the walking part 2 and is used to transmit electrical energy to the conveying device.

[0043] The current collector arm 5 refers to the conductive component that contacts the track power supply system. Specifically, it can be implemented using a spring-loaded carbon brush structure. Its function is to achieve continuous power transmission through the bottom contact point. The current collector arm 5 is fixed to the bottom of the housing by an insulating base, and its conductive contacts maintain sliding contact with the track power supply bar, forming a closed-loop power supply circuit.

[0044] The above technical solution utilizes a bottom current collector arm to power the conveying device.

[0045] In this embodiment, the conveying device further includes a detection section (not shown in the figure). The detection section includes a barcode reader, a proximity switch, and an obstacle avoidance radar. The barcode reader is located near the track of the conveying device and is used to read the barcode on the track in real time to obtain the specific position of the conveying device on the track. The proximity switch is located at the position of the outer guide wheel assembly and is used to detect whether the outer guide wheel unit is in place. The obstacle avoidance radar is located at the front end of the conveying device in the direction of travel and is used to detect in real time whether there are obstacles in front of the conveying device when it travels.

[0046] In the above text, a barcode reader refers to a device that optically identifies barcodes on a track surface. A proximity switch is a sensor that detects the position of a metal component based on the principle of electromagnetic induction. Obstacle avoidance radar is a device that uses electromagnetic wave reflection to detect objects ahead.

[0047] Specifically, as the conveyor runs along the track, barcodes on the track are read in real time, providing feedback to the control device on the conveyor's position on the track. This ensures that the outer guide wheel unit performs a switching action when the conveyor reaches the correct track-changing position. During the operation of the outer guide wheel unit, proximity switches monitor its displacement in real time for precise control, ensuring accurate contact or disengagement between the outer guide wheel unit and the track wall. Obstacle avoidance radar detects obstacles in front of the conveyor in real time, ensuring its safe operation. When an obstacle is detected on the track, the control device immediately issues a command to stop the conveyor and sounds an alarm. Simultaneously, the conveyor also features automatic diagnostics and fault alarm functions, enabling timely detection and handling of equipment malfunctions, ensuring the safety and reliability of logistics transportation.

[0048] The above technical solution achieves triple safety assurance for the conveyor during track changing: a barcode positioning system eliminates positional deviations, ensuring that track changing actions are triggered only at designated coordinate points; a non-contact swing frame detection ensures the reliability of the guide wheel assembly's operation; and active radar detection prevents collision risks along the travel path. The coordinated operation of these three subsystems effectively solves the problems of positioning inaccuracies, uncontrolled actions, and collision hazards inherent in traditional track changing equipment.

[0049] In this embodiment, the conveying device is a lightweight device with light load and high flow rate.

[0050] In the above text, the conveying device itself is relatively light in weight, the material it supports is also relatively light, and the frequency of track changes is relatively high.

[0051] Specifically, in typical applications, conveying devices (circular shuttles) are primarily suitable for high-volume material handling in warehouses and production lines, such as supplying and retrieving materials. In these scenarios, the equipment typically handles loads exceeding 500 kg, and due to the large volume of transport, flow rate requirements tend to be low to medium. However, in applications requiring light loads and high flow rates, the circular shuttle's adaptability is less than ideal. Therefore, improvements to the circular shuttle are needed to better meet the high flow rate demands of smaller, lighter-load materials. Simplifying the equipment's construction reduces its overall size, making it more compact and easier to transport and install. Simultaneously, using lightweight materials for the main load-bearing structure, such as high-strength aluminum alloy, not only further reduces the equipment's weight but also improves its mobility and flexibility. This design optimization not only helps reduce manufacturing costs but also reduces energy consumption during operation, thereby further improving operational efficiency.

[0052] In this embodiment, the rotary drive unit 22 mainly consists of a servo motor, a reducer, and a rotating shaft. The servo motor provides precise power output, while the reducer converts the high-speed, low-torque output of the servo motor into low-speed, high-torque output suitable for movement. The rotating shaft is directly connected to the drive wheel, transmitting power to it and enabling the conveying device to move stably and efficiently. The rotary drive units 22 work together to ensure the smooth operation and precise positioning of the conveying device.

[0053] In this embodiment, a limit block is installed on the bracket assembly 21 by bolts to mechanically limit the movement of the crank-connecting rod mechanism.

[0054] In this embodiment, the support shaft 211 is connected to the support part 1 through the connecting seat 216. The connecting seat 216 is a key support part of the entire walking part 2. With the cooperation of the shaft, bearing and sleeve, it plays the functions of connection, bearing and rotation in the structure, ensuring that the servo drive component it carries can run normally along the track line. It is the core component to ensure the normal walking action of the conveying device.

[0055] Example 2: See Figure 8 and Figure 9 This is an embodiment of the conveying system provided by the present invention.

[0056] The conveying system includes: The aforementioned conveying device A is used to convey materials; Track B, used to guide the movement of the above-mentioned conveying device, includes a straight track 6, a curved track 7 and a junction track 8. The straight track 6, the curved track 7 and the junction track 8 are connected to each other to form multiple intersecting conveying lines. Control device C is used to receive material conveying instructions, calculate the optimal conveying route based on the instructions, and send control instructions to conveying device A traveling on the aforementioned track B.

[0057] In the above text, the straight track, curved track, and junction track are all made of aluminum profiles, which constitute the straight track, curved track, and junction track. The straight track is composed of straight aluminum profiles of equal length at both ends, while the curved track is distinguished by inner and outer ring tracks due to inconsistent radii. Furthermore, the junction track is a specially designed aluminum profile structure, composed of a section of straight aluminum profile and a section of curved aluminum profile spliced ​​together to form the intersection of different lines. Different track profiles are connected together by connectors. These connectors allow the track lines to branch out to meet the needs of the circular shuttle traveling between different track lines. This component is simple in design and easy to operate, effectively reducing the complexity of track changes and improving system stability. Fixed support legs are provided at the bottom of the track. These fixed support legs are installed at the bottom of the track using nut plates and bolts, used for connecting and fixing the track profiles to ensure the conveying device travels smoothly on the ground. They mainly consist of a fixed base, adjusting screw, thin nut, and mounting plate. The track design has multiple branches, each corresponding to a different material conveying line to adapt to different conveying needs. The track is made of lightweight, high-strength aluminum alloy to reduce the weight of the overall material box conveying system and improve the economic efficiency of the equipment layout.

[0058] The control unit is the control center of the bin conveying system. It is responsible for receiving material conveying instructions, calculating the optimal conveying route based on these instructions, and sending corresponding control instructions to the bin conveyors traveling on the track. The ground control unit employs advanced sensors and detection systems to ensure the continuity, accuracy, and efficiency of material conveying.

[0059] The above technical solution achieves two main benefits. First, by using a conveyor to carry materials along the track, the cost waste associated with flat-lay equipment and the idleness of equipment due to system redundancy are avoided. Second, the conveyor integrates a track-changing function, achieving track changing through inner and outer guide wheel assemblies. This simplifies the structure and significantly improves the stability and reliability of the system.

[0060] This utility model introduces a conveying system. The key innovation of this system lies in its departure from the conventional fixed-layout ground conveying system layout. In this system, a circular shuttle carries materials along a designated route, avoiding the cost waste and idle equipment issues associated with flat-layout systems. It expands upon the flat-layout layout by integrating equipment that moves along a designated route, and optimizes the track-changing mechanism directly within the equipment's structure. Each piece of equipment within the system undertakes its own route planning and calculation tasks, completing track changes in advance on the route before branching points. This significantly reduces the time required for equipment interaction and improves the overall conveying efficiency.

[0061] Furthermore, this utility model provides a self-changing track structure for the equipment, abandoning the traditional track-changing method that designs track-changing schemes on the track itself. Instead, it achieves track changing through the transformation of the guiding structure of the circular shuttle car. This innovative design not only greatly simplifies the design of the track-changing mechanism but also significantly reduces the weight and complexity of the equipment, thereby greatly improving the stability and reliability of the system. Specifically, the guiding structure of the circular shuttle car can quickly and accurately adjust automatically after receiving commands from the control system, avoiding the cumbersome mechanical operations and potential failure risks of traditional track-changing mechanisms. This design not only reduces the time consumed during the track-changing process but also significantly improves the continuity and overall efficiency of material conveying.

[0062] The simplified design of the self-changing track structure makes equipment maintenance and operation much more convenient, significantly reducing the overall operating cost of the system. Operators do not need to perform complex mechanical adjustments; they only need to send commands through the control system, and the circular shuttle can automatically complete the track change. This not only reduces manual intervention but also lowers operational difficulty and training costs. At the same time, because the self-changing track structure reduces the use of mechanical parts, the equipment failure rate is also reduced, further improving the system's reliability and service life.

[0063] In practical applications, this self-regulating track mechanism has demonstrated outstanding performance. Whether in high-frequency material handling scenarios or in complex and ever-changing transport paths, the circular shuttle can stably and efficiently complete its transport tasks. Through real-time feedback from intelligent monitoring equipment, the system can dynamically adjust the number and position of the on-track trolleys, implementing precise logistics and distribution plans to ensure the efficiency and accuracy of material transport.

[0064] Furthermore, the self-changing track structure is designed with future expansion and upgrade needs in mind. Its modular design allows for rapid functional expansion and upgrades to meet new conveying demands without requiring large-scale equipment modifications, significantly enhancing the system's flexibility and adaptability. This innovative design not only provides the modern warehousing and logistics industry with an efficient and flexible material handling solution but also lays a solid foundation for the future development of logistics systems.

[0065] Obviously, the above embodiments are merely illustrative examples for clear explanation and are not intended to limit the implementation. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively list all possible implementations here. However, obvious variations or modifications derived therefrom are still within the protection scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A self-driven track-changing conveying device, comprising a supporting part and a traveling part, wherein the supporting part is used to support the transported items, characterized in that, The walking component includes: A support assembly is attached to the bottom of the supporting portion; The drive wheel assembly includes a drive wheel unit and a rotary drive unit. The drive wheel unit is used to make rolling contact with the bottom of the track groove, and the rotary drive unit is mounted on the bracket assembly to drive the drive wheel unit to rotate. The inner guide wheel assembly includes two inner guide wheel units, which are mounted on the bracket assembly and are respectively close to both sides of the conveying device, for rolling contact with the inner surfaces of the two side track groove walls respectively; The outer guide wheel assembly includes two outer guide wheel units and a switching drive unit. The two outer guide wheel units are respectively located near the two sides of the conveying device and are used to roll in contact with the outer surfaces of the track groove walls on both sides. The switching drive unit is mounted on the bracket assembly and is used to drive the outer guide wheel units to switch between a first state and a second state. When the outer guide wheel unit is in the first state, it is disengaged from the outer surface of the track groove wall on the same side. When the outer guide wheel unit is in the second state, it rolls in contact with the outer surface of the track groove wall on the same side.

2. The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The switching drive unit includes: The motor is mounted on the bracket assembly; Two cranks, one end of which is connected to the shaft of the motor; Two connecting rods, one end of which is hinged to the other end of the two crank rods; Two swing frames are lever structures, each swing frame having a fulcrum, a force application point, and a resistance point. The fulcrums of the two swing frames are rotatably connected to the support assembly, and the force application points of the two swing frames are hinged to the other ends of the two connecting rods. The two outer guide wheel units are respectively installed at the resistance points of the two swing frames. The crank, the connecting rod, and the swing frame form a crank-rocker mechanism; The two swing frames swing up and down synchronously in opposite directions. When one swing frame swings upward, the other swing frame swings downward. When the swing frame swings upward to its limit position, the outer guide wheel unit connected to it disengages from the outer side of the same side track groove wall. When the swing frame swings downward to its limit position, the outer guide wheel unit connected to it disengages from the outer side of the same side track groove wall.

3. The conveying device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The extreme positions of the swing frame's upward swing and downward swing are both located at the dead point of the crank-rocker mechanism.

4. The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveying device includes two traveling parts arranged at a certain distance along the traveling direction of the conveying device, the drive wheel unit includes two drive wheels arranged at a certain distance along the width direction of the conveying device, the inner guide wheel unit includes two inner guide wheels arranged at a certain distance along the traveling direction of the conveying device, and each outer guide wheel unit includes two outer guide wheels arranged at a certain distance along the traveling direction of the conveying device.

5. The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support assembly includes a support shaft, a first support plate, a bottom shell, and a second support plate. The support shaft extends vertically, and its upper end is connected to the bottom of the supporting portion. The first support plate is connected to the lower end of the support shaft, and the bottom shell is connected to the bottom of the first support plate. The second support plate is connected to the upper surface of the first support plate via a support. The second support plate is spaced a certain distance from both the supporting portion and the second support plate. The drive wheel assembly is mounted on the bottom housing, the inner guide wheel assembly is connected to the upper surface of the first support plate, and the outer guide wheel assembly is connected to the upper surface of the second support plate.

6. The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveying device also includes an electrical component and a headlight component. The electrical component is located on the side of the supporting component in the direction of travel and is used to control the conveying device. The headlight component is located at the front and rear ends of the supporting component in the direction of travel and is used to indicate the status of the equipment.

7. The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveying device also includes a current collector arm, which is installed at the bottom of the walking part and is used to transmit electrical energy to the conveying device.

8. The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveying device also includes a detection section, which includes a barcode reader, a proximity switch, and an obstacle avoidance radar. The barcode reader is located near the track and is used to read the barcode on the track in real time to obtain the specific position of the conveying device on the track. The proximity switch is located at the outer guide wheel assembly and is used to detect whether the outer guide wheel unit is in place. The obstacle avoidance radar is located at the front end of the conveying device in the direction of travel and is used to detect in real time whether there are obstacles in front of the conveying device when it travels.

9. The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveying device is a lightweight device with light load and high flow rate.

10. A conveying system, characterized in that, include: The conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is used for carrying and conveying materials; The track, used to guide the movement of the conveying device, includes a straight track, a curved track, and a junction track. The straight track, the curved track, and the junction track are interconnected to form multiple converging conveying lines. The control device is used to receive material conveying instructions, calculate the optimal conveying route based on the instructions, and send control instructions to the conveying device traveling on the track.

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