A warehouse robot with bidirectional variable-pitch forks and a warehouse system

Abstract

The warehouse robot with bidirectional variable-pitch forks and the warehouse system provided in the embodiments of the present application comprise a vehicle body, two fork assemblies and a first driving assembly. The two fork assemblies are arranged on the vehicle body in a sliding manner relative to each other. The first driving assembly is arranged on the vehicle body, and the first driving assembly can drive the two fork assemblies to move towards each other or away from each other simultaneously, so as to adjust the distance between the two forks, thereby matching the sizes of various transfer boxes and carrying various specifications of transfer boxes between shelves and transfer platforms.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of warehousing and logistics conveying equipment technology, and in particular to a warehousing robot and warehousing system with bidirectional variable fork pitch. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of the modern logistics industry towards automation and intelligence, smart warehousing applications are becoming increasingly widespread.

[0003] In a warehousing system, racks are fixed to the ground, each rack has multiple storage locations, and each location is used to place a bin containing goods. Shuttles are used to transport bins between the racks and transfer tables for picking up and placing goods.

[0004] However, conventional shuttle cars can only hold one type of bin, which means that only one type of bin can be placed on the same shelf, making it impossible to accommodate the placement needs of various goods.

[0005] While a flexible shuttle car is available for adjusting fork spacing in the aforementioned scenarios, it only supports adjustment of one side of the forks. With the widespread use of QR code positioning, the single-side fork spacing adjustment method is not convenient for combining shuttle car positioning and fork spacing adjustment, therefore this method still needs improvement. Utility Model Content

[0006] This application provides a storage robot and storage system with bidirectional variable fork pitch, used to transfer and transport various transfer boxes in the storage system.

[0007] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a warehouse robot with bidirectional fork pitch variable, comprising:

[0008] Vehicle body;

[0009] Two fork assemblies that are relatively positioned and slidably mounted on the vehicle body;

[0010] A first drive assembly is mounted on the vehicle body. The first drive assembly is used to drive the two fork assemblies to move simultaneously toward or away from each other, so as to adjust the distance between the two fork assemblies.

[0011] In one feasible implementation, the first drive component includes a flexible cyclic transmission component and a first drive motor;

[0012] The flexible circulating transmission assembly is mounted on the vehicle body, and the two fork assemblies are respectively connected to the two rotating surfaces of the flexible circulating transmission assembly.

[0013] The first drive motor is mounted on the vehicle body, and the first drive motor drives the two fork assemblies to move simultaneously toward or away from each other through the flexible cyclic transmission assembly.

[0014] In one feasible implementation, the flexible cyclic transmission assembly is configured as one of a timing belt, a chain, and a wire rope.

[0015] In one feasible implementation, the first drive component includes a lead screw drive assembly and a first drive motor;

[0016] The lead screw drive assembly is mounted on the vehicle body, and the two fork assemblies are respectively connected to the lead screw drive assembly, with the threads on the lead screw drive assembly that are connected to the two fork assemblies having opposite directions of rotation.

[0017] The first drive motor is mounted on the vehicle body, and the first drive motor drives the two fork assemblies to move simultaneously toward or away from each other through the lead screw transmission assembly;

[0018] Alternatively, the first drive assembly is configured as a rack and pinion drive assembly, in which the two fork assemblies are respectively meshed on both sides of the gear via two racks, and the first drive motor is connected to the gear, so that the rack and pinion drive assembly drives the two fork assemblies to move simultaneously toward or away from each other.

[0019] In one feasible implementation, the vehicle body is provided with at least one guide rod extending along the length direction of the vehicle body, and the two fork assemblies are slidably connected to all of the guide rods respectively.

[0020] In one feasible implementation, both fork assemblies are driven by a second drive assembly.

[0021] The second drive assembly includes a second drive motor and a splined shaft. The splined shaft is mounted on the vehicle body, and both fork assemblies are slidably connected to the splined shaft. The second drive motor is mounted on the vehicle body and drives the two fork assemblies to operate simultaneously via the splined shaft.

[0022] In one feasible implementation, the vehicle body includes a frame, a driving assembly, and a plurality of first-direction wheel assemblies;

[0023] The two fork assemblies are slidably mounted on the vehicle frame;

[0024] The walking drive assembly is disposed on the vehicle frame, and a plurality of first direction wheel assemblies are respectively disposed on both sides of the vehicle frame. The walking drive assembly is connected to at least two oppositely disposed first direction wheel assemblies to drive the vehicle frame to move along the first direction.

[0025] Alternatively, the vehicle body includes a frame, a driving assembly, a first-direction wheel assembly, a second-direction wheel assembly, and a reversing assembly. The driving assembly is used to selectively drive the first-direction wheel assembly or the second-direction wheel assembly to move. The reversing assembly is used to switch the first-direction wheel assembly and the second-direction wheel assembly to contact the corresponding track, so as to drive the frame to move along the first direction or along the second direction.

[0026] In one feasible implementation, a radar detection component is provided on the fork assembly;

[0027] And / or, the vehicle body is equipped with a barcode scanner for vehicle positioning.

[0028] In one feasible implementation, the vehicle body includes a frame, a loading platform, a traveling mechanism, and a lifting drive mechanism. The loading platform is equipped with the fork assembly. The frame travels on a track on the shelf via the traveling mechanism. The lifting drive mechanism is used to drive the loading platform to move up and down along the frame.

[0029] In one feasible implementation, the vehicle body includes a mother car and a loading platform. The mother car drives the loading platform to move up and down via a hoisting mechanism. The mother car travels on a track on the shelf via a traveling mechanism. The loading platform is equipped with the fork assembly.

[0030] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a warehousing system, including shelves and a warehousing robot with bidirectional fork pitch as described in any of the first aspects, the warehousing robot being used to transport goods on the shelves.

[0031] In one aspect, embodiments of this application provide a warehouse robot with bidirectional variable fork pitch, including a vehicle body, two fork assemblies, and a first drive assembly. The two fork assemblies are slidably mounted opposite each other on the vehicle body. The first drive assembly is mounted on the vehicle body and can drive the two fork assemblies to move simultaneously towards or away from each other, thereby adjusting the distance between the two forks to accommodate various sizes of transfer boxes and transport transfer boxes of different specifications between racks and transfer stations. During the picking and placing process, after the vehicle body is centered relative to the storage location, the two fork assemblies can be symmetrically adjusted according to the width of the placed box, eliminating the need for secondary movement of the vehicle body, facilitating turnover and scheduling, and improving inbound and outbound efficiency.

[0032] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a warehousing system, including shelves and a warehousing robot with bidirectional fork pitch as described in any of the first aspects, the warehousing robot being used to transport goods on the shelves. Since this warehousing system includes the warehousing robot with bidirectional fork pitch as described in any of the above technical solutions, it possesses all the beneficial effects of the warehousing robot with bidirectional fork pitch as described in any of the above technical solutions, which will not be elaborated further here. Attached Figure Description

[0033] The accompanying drawings, which are provided to further illustrate the present invention and constitute a part of the present invention, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention and are used to explain the present application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of the present invention.

[0034] In the attached diagram:

[0035] Figure 1 This is a first structural schematic diagram of the warehouse robot with bidirectional fork pitch change provided in the first embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the second structure of a warehouse robot with bidirectional fork pitch.

[0037] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of a warehouse robot with bidirectional fork pitch.

[0038] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the warehouse robot with bidirectional fork pitch change provided in the second embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of the warehouse robot with bidirectional fork pitch variable provided in the third embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the bidirectional variable pitch fork storage robot provided in the fourth embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the bidirectional variable pitch fork storage robot provided in the fifth embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a fork assembly provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0043] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0044] 100 - Vehicle body; 200 - Fork assembly; 300 - First drive assembly; 400 - Guide rod; 500 - Second drive assembly; 600 - Radar detection component; 700 - Barcode scanner;

[0045] 110 - Chassis; 120 - Wheel drive assembly; 130 - First direction wheel assembly; 140 - Second direction wheel assembly; 150 - Cargo platform; 160 - Traveling mechanism; 170 - Lifting drive mechanism; 180 - Mother car; 210 - Fork carriage; 220 - Fork arm; 230 - Fork transmission assembly; 240 - Intermediate support wheel; 310 - Flexible circulating transmission assembly; 320 - First drive motor; 330 - Lead screw transmission assembly; 510 - Second drive motor; 520 - Splined shaft;

[0046] 131-Wheel body; 132-Mounting base; 231-Flexible transmission component; 232-Splined wheel; 233-Height lifting guide;

[0047] 2331-First guide wheel; 2332-Second guide wheel; 2333-Support component. Detailed Implementation

[0048] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in this application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of this application.

[0049] In the description of the embodiments of this application, 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 indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0050] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0051] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0052] With the rapid development of the modern logistics industry towards automation and intelligence, smart warehousing applications are becoming increasingly widespread.

[0053] In a warehousing system, racks are fixed to the ground, each rack has multiple storage locations, and each location is used to place a bin containing goods. Shuttles are used to transport bins between the racks and transfer tables for picking up and placing goods.

[0054] However, conventional shuttle cars can only hold one type of bin, which means that only one type of bin can be placed on the same shelf, making it impossible to accommodate the placement needs of various goods.

[0055] Although there are already flexible shuttle cars available for adjusting fork spacing in the above scenarios, they only support adjustment of one side of the forks. With the widespread use of QR code positioning, the single-side fork spacing adjustment method is not convenient for the combined application of shuttle car positioning and fork spacing adjustment. Therefore, this method still needs to be improved.

[0056] To address the aforementioned issues, this application provides a warehouse robot and warehouse system with bidirectional fork pitch variable. The solution provided by this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0057] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the first structure of a warehouse robot with bidirectional fork pitch according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The second structural diagram of the warehouse robot with bidirectional fork pitch variable.

[0058] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown in the illustration, this application provides a warehouse robot with bidirectional variable fork pitch, including a vehicle body 100, two fork assemblies 200, and a first drive assembly 300. The two fork assemblies 200 are slidably mounted opposite each other on the vehicle body 100. The first drive assembly 300 is fixedly mounted on the vehicle body 100 and connected to each of the two fork assemblies 200. When the first drive assembly 300 is activated, it can drive the two fork assemblies 200 to move simultaneously towards or away from each other, thereby adjusting the distance between the two fork assemblies 200 to match the size of various transfer boxes, enabling it to grip and transport various sizes of transfer boxes between racks and transfer stations.

[0059] Furthermore, the first drive assembly 300 drives the two fork assemblies 200 to move simultaneously towards or away from each other. While changing the distance between the two fork assemblies 200, the center position between them remains unchanged, facilitating positioning. During the loading and unloading process, after the vehicle body 100 is centered relative to the loading position, the two fork assemblies 200 can be symmetrically adjusted according to the width of the placed bin. The vehicle body 100 does not need to be moved twice, facilitating turnover and scheduling, and improving inbound and outbound efficiency.

[0060] For example, the two fork assemblies 200 can be slidably mounted on the vehicle body 100 via a slider rail assembly or a guide rod 400 assembly. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, two fork assemblies 200 are slidably mounted on the vehicle body 100 via guide rod assemblies. Specifically, two guide rods 400 extending along the length of the vehicle body 100 are arranged opposite each other on both sides of the vehicle body 100. Each fork assembly 200 has components that cooperate with the guide rods 400, thus the fork assembly 200 is fitted onto the guide rods 400. The first drive assembly 300 drives the two fork assemblies 200 to slide along the guide rods 400. It should be noted that the length of the vehicle body 100 can be referenced... Figure 1 As shown in the x direction. If the fork assembly 200 is mounted on the vehicle body 100 via the slider rail assembly, the rail is mounted on the vehicle body 100 along the length of the vehicle body 100, and the slider is mounted on the fork assembly 200, with the slider fitting into the rail.

[0061] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of a warehouse robot with bidirectional fork pitch.

[0062] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, in some examples, the first drive assembly 300 includes a flexible circulating transmission assembly 310 and a first drive motor 320. The flexible circulating transmission assembly 310 is mounted on the frame 110 of the vehicle body 100 and is connected to two fork assemblies 200 respectively. Specifically, the two fork assemblies 200 are connected to the upper and lower rotating surfaces of the flexible transmission assembly 310 respectively. The first drive motor 320 is also fixedly mounted on the frame 110 of the vehicle body 100 and is connected to the flexible circulating transmission assembly 310. The rotation of the first drive motor 320 drives the two fork assemblies 200 to move simultaneously towards or away from each other via the flexible circulating transmission assembly 310.

[0063] Specifically, the flexible circulating transmission assembly 310 includes a flexible element and transmission wheels. Along the length of the vehicle body 100, two transmission wheels are spaced apart on both sides of the vehicle body 100. The flexible element is wound around the two transmission wheels. The first drive motor 320 is fixed to the frame 110, and its output end is connected to one of the transmission wheels. The two fork assemblies 200 are connected to the upper and lower parts of the flexible element respectively via connectors. When the first drive motor 320 drives the flexible element to rotate, the upper and lower parts move in opposite directions, thereby driving the two fork assemblies 200 to move simultaneously in the same direction or in opposite directions. For example, the flexible element can be a transmission belt, a transmission chain, or a wire rope. When the flexible element is configured as a transmission belt, the transmission wheels can be configured as corresponding pulleys; when the flexible element is configured as a transmission chain, the transmission wheels can be configured as corresponding sprockets.

[0064] In some other examples, the first drive assembly 300 includes a lead screw drive assembly 330 and a first drive motor 320. The lead screw drive assembly 330 is mounted on the vehicle body 100, and two fork assemblies 200 are respectively connected to the lead screw drive assembly 330, with the threads on the portions of the lead screw drive assembly 330 connected to the two fork assemblies 200 having opposite directions of rotation. The first drive motor 320 is mounted on the vehicle body 100 and drives the two fork assemblies 200 to move simultaneously towards or away from each other via the lead screw drive assembly 330. For example, the lead screw drive assembly 330 includes a bidirectional drive screw and two screw nuts that mate with it. The bidirectional drive screw is mounted on the frame 110 of the vehicle body 100 along the length of the vehicle body 100 via bearing seats. The threads at both ends of the bidirectional drive screw have opposite directions of rotation, and two screw nuts corresponding to the threads of the bidirectional drive screw are respectively mounted on the bidirectional drive screw. Each screw nut is connected to a fork assembly 200 on the corresponding side. The output end of the first drive motor 320 is connected to the bidirectional transmission screw through a coupling. When the first drive motor 320 drives the bidirectional transmission screw to rotate, the two screw nuts move in the same direction or in opposite directions at the same time, thereby driving the two fork assemblies 200 to move in the same direction or in opposite directions at the same time.

[0065] Alternatively, for example, the first drive assembly 300 can be configured as a rack and pinion drive assembly. Two fork assemblies 200 are respectively meshed with the upper and lower sides of a drive gear via two drive racks. A first drive motor 320 is connected to the drive gear to drive the two fork assemblies 200 to move simultaneously towards or away from each other. Specifically, it includes a first drive motor 320, a drive gear, and two drive racks. The first drive motor 320 is mounted in the middle of the vehicle body 100, the drive gear is mounted at the output end of the first drive motor 320, and one end of each of the two drive racks is connected to the two fork assemblies 200. The two drive racks mesh with the two sides of the drive gear, so that when the first drive motor 320 drives the drive gear to rotate, the two drive racks move simultaneously towards or away from each other, thereby driving the two fork assemblies 200 to move simultaneously towards or away from each other.

[0066] The fork assembly 200 is a mechanism for the shuttle to clamp goods, and has single-stage, double-stage, and multi-stage forks. In some examples, the two fork assemblies 200 on the shuttle are each driven by a separate fork drive assembly to extend and retract the fork arms 220.

[0067] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a warehouse robot with bidirectional fork pitch variable provided in another embodiment of this application.

[0068] Reference Figure 4 As shown, in some other examples, the two fork assemblies 200 of the warehouse robot are driven by a second drive assembly 500, that is, the two fork assemblies 200 are driven by the same power source, which can reduce the overall cost of the warehouse robot while ensuring that the two fork assemblies 200 move at the same time.

[0069] For example, the second drive assembly 500 includes a second drive motor 510 and a splined shaft 520. The splined shaft 520 is disposed on the vehicle body 100 along the length direction of the vehicle body 100, and the second drive motor 510 is disposed at one end of the splined shaft 520, with the output end of the second drive motor 510 connected to the splined shaft 520 via a coupling. Each fork assembly 200 has a component fixedly disposed therewith that mates with the splined shaft 520, and both fork assemblies 200 are slidably disposed on the splined shaft 520. Rotation of the splined shaft 520 can drive both fork assemblies 200 to move simultaneously. Specifically, when the first drive assembly 300 is activated, it drives the fork assembly 200 to move along the splined shaft 520; when the second drive motor 510 is activated, it drives the splined shaft 520 to rotate, thereby driving the fork arm 220 in the fork assembly 200 to extend or retract. Understandably, since the cross-section of the spline shaft 520 is polygonal, it can drive the fork arm 220 in the fork assembly 200 to extend or retract during rotation, and can also serve as a guide to guide the fork assembly 200 to move along it.

[0070] Continue to refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, exemplarily, the vehicle body 100 includes a frame 110, a travel drive assembly 120, and a plurality of first-direction wheel assemblies 130. Two fork assemblies 200 are slidably mounted on the frame 110; the travel drive assembly 120 is mounted on the frame 110; the plurality of first-direction wheel assemblies 130 are respectively mounted on both sides of the frame 110; the travel drive assembly 120 is connected to at least two oppositely mounted first-direction wheel assemblies 130 to drive the frame 110 to move.

[0071] In some examples, the vehicle body 100 includes four first-direction wheel assemblies 130, which are arranged in pairs on both sides of the frame 110 and opposite to each other. Each of the four first-direction wheel assemblies 130 is driven by an independent drive assembly 120. In other examples, two opposite first-direction wheel assemblies 130 at one end of the frame 110 are configured as unpowered wheels, while the two first-direction wheel assemblies 130 at the other end are driven by the same drive assembly 120. (See reference...) Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, in this example, two first-direction wheel assemblies 130 on one side of the frame 110 are arranged opposite each other and have no power source. Two first-direction wheel assemblies 130 on the other side of the frame 110 are connected together via a drive shaft. A travel drive assembly 120 is located on one side of the drive shaft and connected to it to drive the two first-direction wheel assemblies 130 to rotate. It can be understood that when the two first-direction wheel assemblies 130 at one end of the frame 110 rotate under the drive of the travel drive assembly 120, they in turn push the frame 110 to move.

[0072] In some examples, the first-direction wheel assembly 130 on the unpowered side includes a wheel body 131 and a mounting base 132, with the wheel mounted on the wheel mounting base 132, which is fixed to the frame 110. The first-direction wheel assembly 130 connected to the travel drive assembly 120 includes a wheel and a bearing mounting base 132, with the drive shaft passing through the bearing mounting base along the width direction of the vehicle body 100. Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of a warehouse robot with bidirectional fork pitch variable provided in the third embodiment of this application.

[0073] Reference Figure 5As shown, in some examples, the warehouse robot is configured as a four-way shuttle robot, whose body 100 includes a frame 110, a walking drive assembly 160, a first-direction wheel assembly 130, a second-direction wheel assembly 140, and a reversing assembly (not shown). Two fork assemblies 200 are slidably mounted on the frame 110, and the first drive assembly 300 is used to drive the two fork assemblies 200 to move simultaneously towards or away from each other. In these examples, multiple first-direction wheel assemblies 130 are respectively disposed on both sides of the frame 110 extending along a first direction, and multiple second-direction wheel assemblies 140 are respectively disposed on both sides of the frame 110 extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The wheel drive assembly 120 can selectively drive the first-direction wheel assembly 130 or the second-direction wheel assembly 140 to move via a power output assembly (prior art, such as a power commutator). The reversing assembly is used to switch the first-direction wheel assembly 130 and the second-direction wheel assembly 140 in contact with the corresponding track to drive the frame 110 to move along the first direction or along the second direction. It should be noted that the frame 110, the travel drive assembly 160, the first direction wheel assembly 130, the second direction wheel assembly 140, and the reversing assembly are all prior art and will not be described in detail here. The first direction is the extension direction of one track, and the second direction is the extension direction of another track perpendicular to the first track.

[0074] Figure 6 This is a structural schematic diagram of the bidirectional variable pitch fork storage robot provided in the fourth embodiment of this application.

[0075] Reference Figure 6 As shown, in some examples, the vehicle body 100 of the warehouse robot includes a frame 110, a loading platform 150, a traveling mechanism 160, and a lifting drive mechanism 170. Two fork assemblies 200 are arranged opposite each other and slidably mounted on the loading platform 150. A first drive assembly 300 is mounted on the loading platform 150 and connected to each of the two fork assemblies 200, driving the two fork assemblies 200 to move towards or away from each other to adjust the distance between the two fork assemblies 200 to accommodate bins of different sizes. In this type of warehouse robot, the frame 110 is connected to the traveling mechanism 160, which travels on a track on the shelf. Driven by the traveling mechanism 160, the frame 110 moves along the track to a designated position on the shelf. The lifting drive mechanism 170 is connected to the loading platform 150 and also cooperates with the frame 110. The lifting drive mechanism 170 drives the loading platform 150 to move up and down along the frame 110 so that the loading platform 150 can reach the designated storage location to pick up and put in the material box. It should be noted that in these examples, the frame 110, the loading platform 150, the traveling mechanism 160, and the lifting drive mechanism 170 are all prior art and will not be described in detail here.

[0076] Figure 7This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the bidirectional variable pitch fork storage robot provided in the fifth embodiment of this application.

[0077] Reference Figure 7 As shown, in some other examples, the warehouse robot's body includes a mother vehicle 180 and a loading platform 150. Two fork assemblies 200 are spaced apart and slidably mounted on the loading platform 150. A first drive assembly 300 is mounted on the loading platform 150 and connected to each of the two fork assemblies 200, driving them to move towards or away from each other to adjust the distance between them to accommodate different sized bins. The mother vehicle 180 drives the loading platform 150 up and down via a hoisting mechanism, and the mother vehicle 180 travels on tracks on the shelf via a traveling mechanism 160. It should be noted that in these examples, the mother vehicle 180, the loading platform 150, the traveling mechanism 160, and the hoisting mechanism are all prior art and will not be described in detail here.

[0078] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a fork assembly 200 provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0079] Reference Figure 8 As shown, in some examples, the fork drive assembly 230 includes a flexible drive component 231, a spline wheel 232, and two height-lifting guides 233. The spline wheel 232 is mounted on the fork carriage 210 and is used to connect with the spline shaft 520. The two height-lifting guides 233 are respectively located on both sides of the spline wheel 232. The flexible drive component 231 is wound around the spline wheel 232 and all the height-lifting guides 233. The height-lifting guides 233 are used to raise the height of the flexible drive component 231 so that the flexible drive component 231 can connect with the fork arm 220 located at a higher position. The fork arm 220 located at a higher position can be higher than the flared box guide support on the rack, avoiding interference with the flared box guide support. Since the fork arm 220 does not need to clamp the box on both sides of the flared box guide support, there is no need to reserve clamping space on both sides of the fork arm 220, which can reduce the size of each storage location and increase the overall storage density of the rack.

[0080] For example, the height-lifting guide 233 includes a first guide wheel 2331, a second guide wheel 2332, and a support member 2333. The first guide wheel 2331 is fixedly mounted on the fork carriage 210 via a mounting shaft, and the second guide wheel 2332 is fixedly mounted on the fork carriage 210 via a mounting shaft, with the second guide wheel 2332 located diagonally above the first guide wheel 2331. A flexible transmission component 231 is sequentially wound around the first guide wheel 2331 and the second guide wheel 2332. One end of the support member 2333 is connected to the first guide wheel 2331, and the other end is connected to the second guide wheel 2332. The support member 2333 fixes the first guide wheel 2331 and the second guide wheel 2332 into a whole, improving the stability of the first guide wheel 2331 and the second guide wheel 2332. In other examples, one end of the support member 2333 is fixedly mounted on the fork carriage 210, and the other end is connected to the second guide wheel 2332 for stability.

[0081] In some examples, the ends of the first guide wheel 2331 and the second guide wheel 2332 away from the fork carriage 210 are both connected to the support plate, so that both ends of the first guide wheel 2331 and the second guide wheel 2332 can be supported, thereby improving stability.

[0082] Reference Figure 8 As shown, multiple intermediate support wheels 240 are provided between the height lifting guides 233. The multiple intermediate support wheels 240 are spaced apart on the fork carriage 210. The multiple intermediate support wheels 240 are used to support the upper part of the flexible transmission component 231 to avoid affecting the connection with the fork arm 220 due to its drooping.

[0083] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in some examples, a radar detection component 600 is provided at the middle position of the fork assembly 200. It can detect whether the bin is offset, determine the distance between the two fork assemblies 200, monitor the status of the lever on the fork arm 220, and perform multiple detection functions for shuttle movement and obstacle avoidance, with a wide range of applications and promising prospects.

[0084] The frame 110 of the vehicle body 100 is equipped with a barcode scanner 700, which is used to scan the QR codes set on the shelf to locate the goods, thereby accurately locating the pick-up and drop-off position.

[0085] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a warehousing system, including shelves and a warehousing robot with bidirectional fork pitch as described in any of the first aspects, the warehousing robot being used to transport goods on the shelves. Since this warehousing system includes the warehousing robot with bidirectional fork pitch as described in any of the above technical solutions, it possesses all the beneficial effects of the warehousing robot with bidirectional fork pitch as described in any of the above technical solutions, which will not be elaborated further here.

[0086] It is readily understood that, based on the several embodiments provided in this application, those skilled in the art can combine, split, or reorganize the embodiments of this application to obtain other embodiments, none of which exceed the protection scope of this application.

[0087] The above detailed embodiments further illustrate the purpose, technical solution, and beneficial effects of the embodiments of this application. It should be understood that the above are merely specific embodiments of the embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit the protection scope of the embodiments of this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made on the basis of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application should be included within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A warehouse robot with bidirectional variable fork pitch, characterized in that, include: Vehicle body (100); Two fork assemblies (200) are arranged opposite to each other and slidably mounted on the vehicle body (100); A first drive assembly (300) is disposed on the vehicle body (100) for driving two fork assemblies (200) to move simultaneously toward or away from each other, so as to adjust the distance between the two fork assemblies (200).

2. The warehouse robot with bidirectional fork pitch variable according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first drive assembly (300) includes a flexible circulating transmission assembly (310) and a first drive motor (320); The flexible circulating transmission assembly (310) is disposed on the vehicle body (100), and the two fork assemblies (200) are respectively connected to the two rotating surfaces of the flexible circulating transmission assembly (310); The first drive motor (320) is mounted on the vehicle body (100), and the first drive motor (320) drives the two fork assemblies (200) to move simultaneously toward or away from each other through the flexible circulating transmission assembly (310).

3. The warehouse robot with bidirectional fork pitch variable according to claim 2, characterized in that: The flexible circulating drive assembly (310) is configured as one of a timing belt, a chain, and a wire rope.

4. The warehouse robot with bidirectional fork pitch variable according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first drive assembly (300) includes a lead screw drive assembly (330) and a first drive motor (320); The lead screw drive assembly (330) is disposed on the vehicle body (100), and the two fork assemblies (200) are respectively connected to the lead screw drive assembly (330), and the threads of the parts of the lead screw drive assembly (330) that are respectively connected to the two fork assemblies (200) have opposite directions; The first drive motor (320) is mounted on the vehicle body (100), and the first drive motor (320) drives the two fork assemblies (200) to move simultaneously toward each other or in opposite directions through the lead screw transmission assembly (330); Alternatively, the first drive assembly (300) is configured as a rack and pinion drive assembly, with the two fork assemblies (200) respectively meshing with the two sides of the drive gear via two drive racks, and the first drive motor (320) connected to the drive gear to drive the two fork assemblies (200) to move simultaneously toward or away from each other.

5. The warehouse robot with bidirectional fork pitch variable according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vehicle body (100) is provided with at least one guide rod (400) extending along the length direction of the vehicle body (100), and the two fork assemblies (200) are slidably connected to all of the guide rods (400).

6. The warehouse robot with bidirectional fork pitch variable according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both fork assemblies (200) are driven by the second drive assembly (500); The second drive assembly (500) includes a second drive motor (510) and a spline shaft (520). The spline shaft (520) is mounted on the vehicle body (100). Both fork assemblies (200) are slidably connected to the spline shaft (520). The second drive motor (510) is mounted on the vehicle body (100) and drives the two fork assemblies (200) to operate simultaneously via the spline shaft (520).

7. The warehouse robot with bidirectional fork pitch variable according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vehicle body (100) includes a frame (110), a travel drive assembly (120), and a first direction wheel assembly (130); two fork assemblies (200) are slidably disposed on the frame (110); the travel drive assembly (120) is disposed on the frame (110), and a plurality of first direction wheel assemblies (130) are disposed on both sides of the frame (110); the wheel drive assembly (120) is connected to at least two oppositely disposed first direction wheel assemblies (130) to drive the frame (110) to move along a first direction; Alternatively, the vehicle body (100) may include a frame (110), a driving assembly (120), a first-direction wheel assembly (130), a second-direction wheel assembly (140), and a reversing assembly. The driving assembly (120) is used to selectively drive the first-direction wheel assembly (130) or the second-direction wheel assembly (140) to move. The reversing assembly is used to switch the first-direction wheel assembly (130) and the second-direction wheel assembly (140) to contact the corresponding track, so as to drive the frame (110) to move along the first direction or along the second direction.

8. The warehouse robot with bidirectional fork pitch variable according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fork assembly (200) is equipped with a radar detection component (600); And / or, the vehicle body (100) is provided with a barcode scanner (700) for positioning the vehicle body (100).

9. The warehouse robot with bidirectional fork pitch variable according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vehicle body (100) includes a frame (110), a loading platform (150), a traveling mechanism (160), and a lifting drive mechanism (170). The loading platform (150) is equipped with the fork assembly (200). The frame (110) travels on a track on the shelf via the traveling mechanism (160). The lifting drive mechanism (170) is used to drive the loading platform (150) to move up and down along the frame (110).

10. The warehouse robot with bidirectional fork pitch variable according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vehicle body (100) includes a mother car (190) and a loading platform (150). The mother car (190) drives the loading platform (150) to move up and down through a hoisting mechanism. The mother car (190) travels on a track on the shelf through a traveling mechanism (160). The loading platform (150) is equipped with the fork assembly (200).

11. A warehousing system, characterized in that, The system includes a rack and a warehouse robot with bidirectional fork pitch as described in any one of claims 1-10, the warehouse robot being used to pick up / place goods on the rack.

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