A four-way shuttle vehicle for multi-size cargos

Abstract

The utility model relates to intelligent warehousing logistics technical field discloses a four -way shuttle train for multi -size goods. The shuttle train includes: walking module, the walking module is provided with the cavity of hollow, two groups of rotary lifting module, and the parallel setting in the cavity is connected with walking module, two groups of telescopic module, respectively set up in two groups rotary lifting module's top, two groups telescopic module parallel distribution, and the extension direction is opposite each other, the output of telescopic module is provided with the object platform, two groups telescopic module are used for driving two groups object platform to be close to each other or each other to transport goods. The utility model discloses telescopic module is suitable for handling multi -size specification goods's access operation. Rotary lifting module can adjust the angle flexibly, through rotary lifting module and telescopic module cooperation, effectively overcome the warehouse space utilization dead angle that the traditional shuttle train can produce because of the track direction fixed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of intelligent warehousing and logistics technology, specifically to a four-way shuttle vehicle for multi-sized goods. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, four-way shuttle technology has been deeply integrated into modern intelligent warehousing systems. Its automated goods storage and retrieval workflow can be summarized as follows: After receiving order instructions, the warehouse management system generates inbound and outbound tasks and issues them to the dispatch system. The dispatch system then plans the optimal route for the four-way shuttle based on task priority, real-time vehicle location, and track occupancy. Upon receiving the instruction, the shuttle first achieves precise positioning using laser navigation or barcode positioning technology. If the target location is on a different shelf level, the shuttle uses an external hoist to perform the shelf-changing operation. After arriving at the target shelf area, the shuttle utilizes its unique wheel-switching capability to move laterally or longitudinally along the track to the specific location and performs the goods storage or retrieval operation through its onboard lifting mechanism.

[0003] However, existing lifting mechanisms are often designed and fixed for standard-sized or specific-specification goods, making it difficult to adapt to the stable storage and retrieval of goods of different sizes. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a solution that addresses the problem of poor adaptability of shuttle vehicles to goods of different sizes.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides a four-way shuttle for multi-sized goods, the shuttle comprising: A walking module, wherein the walking module is provided with a hollow cavity; Two sets of rotating and lifting modules are arranged in parallel within the cavity and connected to the walking module; Two sets of telescopic modules are respectively set on top of the two sets of rotating lifting modules. The two sets of telescopic modules are distributed in parallel and extend in opposite directions. The output end of the telescopic module is provided with a cargo platform. The two sets of telescopic modules are used to drive the two sets of cargo platforms to move closer or further apart to transport goods.

[0006] Optionally, the rotary lifting module includes: The lifting module is located at the bottom of the cavity; A rotating module is located on top of the lifting module. The output end of the rotating module is provided with a rotating platform. The telescopic module is located on top of the rotating platform and is used to drive the telescopic module to rotate.

[0007] Optionally, the lifting module includes: First base plate; A crossarm assembly is disposed on top of the first base plate; The second base plate is disposed on top of the crossarm assembly; A first drive assembly is mounted on the first base plate, and the output end of the first drive assembly is connected to the cross arm assembly.

[0008] Optionally, the rotation module includes: The drive unit is located on the top of the second base plate; A rotating shaft is disposed at the output end of the drive unit, and the end of the rotating shaft away from the drive unit is connected to the bottom of the rotating platform.

[0009] Optionally, the telescopic module includes: The second drive assembly is located on top of the rotating platform; A telescopic arm assembly is disposed at the output end of the second drive assembly. The cargo platform is slidably disposed at the output end of the telescopic arm assembly. The second drive assembly is used to drive the telescopic arm assembly to move so as to drive the cargo platform to transport goods.

[0010] Optionally, the second driving component includes: A U-shaped seat is provided on top of the rotating platform; The drive gear is rotatably mounted on the inner wall of the U-shaped seat; A rotating assembly is disposed on the side wall of the U-shaped seat, and the output end of the rotating assembly is connected to the driving gear; The driven gear is rotatably disposed on the inner wall of the U-shaped seat and meshes with the driving gear; A fixing block is disposed on the inner wall of the U-shaped seat on the side away from the rotating assembly and is connected to the driven gear for fixing the driven gear.

[0011] Optionally, the sidewall of the U-shaped seat is provided with a through hole; The rotating component includes: Rotary electric motor; The reducer has its input end connected to the output end of the rotary motor, and its output end passes through the through hole and is connected to the drive gear.

[0012] Optionally, the telescopic arm assembly includes: The telescopic plate has a rack at its bottom end, which meshes with the driven gear. The telescopic plate also has two sets of parallel strip-shaped holes. Two sets of sprockets are respectively rotatably disposed inside the two sets of strip-shaped holes, and the two sets of sprockets are diagonally distributed. A chain is wound around the outer side of each set of sprockets. One end of the chain is connected to the loading platform, and the other end of the chain is connected to the U-shaped seat.

[0013] Optionally, the walking module includes: A frame, wherein the cavity is formed at the top of the frame; Multiple sets of wheels are evenly distributed on the sidewalls of the frame; A third drive assembly is mounted on the frame, and the output of the third drive assembly is connected to multiple sets of wheels.

[0014] Through the above technical solution, this utility model provides a four-way shuttle for multi-sized goods. Two sets of parallel, oppositely extending telescopic modules drive the output platform to move closer or further apart to transport goods of different sizes. A walking module allows the shuttle to move along the rack track to the target storage location. Two sets of rotating and lifting modules within the shuttle's cavity can rotate and vertically lift, precisely positioning the top telescopic module and storage platform to storage locations at different heights. The telescopic module of this utility model is suitable for handling the storage and retrieval of goods of various sizes. The rotating and lifting modules can flexibly adjust their angles. By cooperating with the telescopic modules, the dead angles in warehouse space utilization that may occur with traditional shuttles due to fixed track directions are effectively overcome. The storage platform can flexibly adjust its angle, facilitating the storage and retrieval of goods located diagonally, achieving omnidirectional goods storage and retrieval. Furthermore, by reducing the absolute reliance on fixed, straight aisles, the rack layout can be more compact, effectively improving the utilization rate of warehouse space.

[0015] Other features and advantages of this utility model embodiment will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the embodiments of the present invention and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the embodiments of the present invention, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a shuttle vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a rotary lifting module according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a rotary lifting module according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a partial structure according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a second drive component according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a telescopic module according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a telescopic module according to one embodiment of the present invention; Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures Detailed Implementation

[0017] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0018] In this embodiment of the utility model, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "top," and "bottom" are generally used to describe the relative positional relationships of the components in relation to the directions shown in the accompanying drawings or in relation to the vertical, perpendicular, or gravitational directions.

[0019] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this utility model involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the technical solutions of various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model.

[0020] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of a shuttle vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention. In this diagram, the shuttle vehicle includes a walking module 1, two sets of rotating and lifting modules 2, and two sets of telescopic modules 3. The walking module 1 has a hollow cavity. The two sets of rotating and lifting modules 2 are arranged in parallel within the cavity and connected to the walking module 1. The two sets of telescopic modules 3 are respectively disposed on top of the two sets of rotating and lifting modules 2, and are distributed in parallel with opposite directions of extension. A cargo platform 4 is provided at the output end of each telescopic module 3. The two sets of telescopic modules 3 are used to drive the two sets of cargo platforms 4 to move closer or further apart to transport goods. This invention enables the storage and retrieval of goods through the coordinated operation of a walking module 1, a rotating lifting module 2, and a telescopic module 3. Two sets of parallel telescopic modules 3, extending in opposite directions, drive their output-end loading platforms 4 to move closer or further apart to transport goods of different sizes. The walking module 1 allows the shuttle to move along the shelf track to the target storage location. The two sets of rotating lifting modules 2 inside its cavity can rotate and vertically lift, driving the top telescopic module 3 and loading platform 4 to accurately position the goods at different heights. In the specific storage and retrieval process, when the storage location is located diagonally, the rotating lifting module 2 lifts to the corresponding height and rotates by the corresponding angle, aligning the telescopic module 3 with the storage location, thereby achieving flexible and multi-directional storage and retrieval of goods.

[0021] In existing technologies, traditional shuttle vehicles typically suffer from insufficient flexibility. For example, they can only move linearly back and forth within fixed aisles and are difficult to reliably handle the storage and retrieval of goods of different sizes. Accessing diagonal storage locations requires additional equipment or complex robotic arms. Compared to existing technologies, the telescopic module 3 of this invention is suitable for handling the storage and retrieval of goods of various sizes. The rotating lifting module 2 can flexibly adjust its angle. By cooperating with the telescopic module 3, the rotating lifting module 2 effectively overcomes the dead angles in warehouse space utilization that may arise from the fixed track direction of traditional shuttle vehicles. The loading platform 4 can also flexibly adjust its angle, facilitating the storage and retrieval of goods located diagonally, achieving omnidirectional goods storage and retrieval. Furthermore, by reducing the absolute dependence on fixed, straight aisles, the rack layout can be more compact, effectively improving the utilization rate of warehouse space.

[0022] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the specific composition of the rotating lifting module 2, while satisfying the requirement of driving the telescopic module 3 to lift and rotate, can be various types known to those skilled in the art. In one example of this utility model, such as... Figure 2As shown, the rotary lifting module 2 includes a lifting module 21 and a rotating module 22. The lifting module 21 is located at the bottom of the cavity, and the rotating module 22 is located on top of the lifting module 21. A rotating platform 23 is located at the output end of the rotating module 22, and a telescopic module 3 is located on top of the rotating platform 23. The rotating module 22 drives the telescopic module 3 to rotate. By adjusting the extension direction of the telescopic module 3 through the rotating module 22, the storage space wasted due to aisle alignment requirements is significantly reduced, thereby improving space utilization. The lifting module 21 drives the rotating module 22 and the telescopic module 3 to lift and lower, enabling the storage and retrieval of goods on shelves of different heights. Furthermore, a spring energy storage module is located below the rotary lifting module 3. This spring energy storage module can be composed of a linkage mechanism to balance excessive or irregular loads and reduce wear.

[0023] Considering the need to maintain a certain level of stability during the storage and retrieval of goods, in this embodiment, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the lifting module 21 may include a first base plate 211, a crossarm assembly 212, a second base plate 213, and a first drive assembly 214. The crossarm assembly 212 is disposed on top of the first base plate 211, the second base plate 213 is disposed on top of the crossarm assembly 212, and the first drive assembly 214 is disposed on the first base plate 211, with its output end connected to the crossarm assembly 212. Furthermore, the crossarm assembly 212 may include, but is not limited to, a lifting frame and a hydraulic cylinder. The upper and lower ends of the lifting frame are hinged to the first base plate 211 and the second base plate 213, respectively. The lifting frame consists of multiple symmetrically arranged crossarm units, each unit consisting of two connecting rods hinged in the middle, and the units are further hinged at their ends to form a stable linkage structure. The bottom of the hydraulic cylinder body is hinged to the first base plate 211, and the end of its piston rod is hinged to the connecting rod between the crossarm units. By extending or retracting the hydraulic cylinder, the cross arm unit can be folded or unfolded, thereby driving the entire lifting frame and its top second base plate 213 to rise and fall smoothly in the vertical direction.

[0024] In this embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the rotating module 22 includes a drive unit 221 and a rotating shaft 222. The drive unit 221 is located on the top of the second base plate 213, and the rotating shaft 222 is located at the output end of the drive unit 221. The end of the rotating shaft 222 away from the drive unit 221 is connected to the bottom of the rotating platform 23. The rotating platform 23 can rotate within a range of ±90°, which can adjust the shorter side of the loading platform 4 to the direction of track running, avoiding the problem of excessive length caused by the fixed width of the tunnel.

[0025] To improve the applicability of the shuttle, in this embodiment, such as Figure 4As shown, the telescopic module 3 includes a second drive assembly 31 and a telescopic arm assembly 32. The second drive assembly 31 is located on top of the rotating platform 23, and the telescopic arm assembly 32 is located at the output end of the second drive assembly 31. The loading platform 4 is slidably located at the output end of the telescopic arm assembly 32. The second drive assembly 31 is used to drive the telescopic arm assembly 32 to move, thereby driving the loading platform 4 to transport goods. By driving the loading platform 4 to extend horizontally on the telescopic arm assembly 32 through the second drive assembly 31, the pallet width adaptation range covers 1200~1500mm, which can handle various pallets in the range of 1200×200mm to 1200×1500mm. It is compatible with different national pallet standards (such as European 800×1200mm, Malaysian 1200×1000mm) without modifying the racks or rails. When introducing new pallet sizes, there is no need to stop the machine for reconstruction, reducing maintenance time and saving reconstruction costs.

[0026] In this embodiment, the specific composition of the second driving component 31 can be various that are known to those skilled in the art. In one example of this utility model, such as Figure 5 As shown, the second drive assembly 31 includes a U-shaped base 311, a driving gear 312, a rotating assembly 313, a driven gear 314, and a fixing block 315. The U-shaped base 311 is positioned on the top of the rotating platform 23, and the driving gear 312 is rotatably mounted on the inner wall of the U-shaped base 311. The rotating assembly 313 is located on the side wall of the U-shaped base 311, and its output end is connected to the driving gear 312. The driven gear 314 is rotatably mounted on the inner wall of the U-shaped base 311 and meshes with the driving gear 312. The fixing block 315 is located on the inner wall of the U-shaped base 311 on the side away from the rotating assembly 313 and is connected to the driven gear 314, used to fix the driven gear 314. The rotating assembly 313 drives the driving gear 312 to rotate, and power is precisely transmitted to the driven gear 314 through gear meshing. The structure of the U-shaped base 311 not only integrates the gear assembly into a compact, integrated module, facilitating installation and maintenance, but its rigid frame also effectively withstands the radial force generated by the gear transmission. The fixed block 315 constrains the driven gear 314 from the other side, forming a two-point support and eliminating the risk of axial movement and radial runout of the gear under high-speed operation or heavy load. The second drive assembly 31 converts the rotational motion into a controllable linear drive force to control the extension and retraction of the telescopic arm assembly 32, realizing the efficient and precise transmission of power from the rotating assembly 313 to the telescopic arm assembly 32.

[0027] In this embodiment, the specific composition of the second drive assembly 31 can be various as known to those skilled in the art. In one example of this invention, to ensure sufficient driving force for the drive arm assembly, the rotating assembly 313 includes a rotary motor and a reducer. The input end of the reducer is connected to the output end of the rotary motor, and a through hole is provided on the side wall of the U-shaped seat 311 near the reducer. The output end of the reducer passes through the through hole and connects to the drive gear 312. This invention converts the high-speed, low-torque output of the rotary motor into the low-speed, high-torque rotational motion required to drive the drive gear 312. The reducer achieves speed reduction and torque amplification, providing sufficient driving force for the smooth and precise extension and retraction of the telescopic arm assembly 32.

[0028] In one embodiment of this utility model, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the telescopic arm assembly 32 includes a telescopic plate 321 and two sets of sprockets 322. The bottom end of the telescopic plate 321 is equipped with a rack, which meshes with a driven gear 314. The telescopic plate 321 has two sets of parallel strip-shaped holes. The two sets of sprockets 322 are rotatably disposed inside the two sets of strip-shaped holes, and are diagonally distributed. A chain 323 is wound around the outer side of each set of sprockets 322. One end of the chain 323 is connected to the loading platform 4, and the other end is connected to a U-shaped seat 311. The rotation of the driven gear 314 drives the meshing rack to rotate, thereby causing the entire telescopic plate 321 to perform basic linear motion. Simultaneously, one end of the chain 323 is fixed to the U-shaped seat 311, and the other end pulls the loading platform 4. The sprockets 322 fixed in the strip-shaped holes rotate accordingly, causing the loading platform 4 and the telescopic plate 321 to move in the same direction. Two sets of diagonally arranged sprockets 322 and chains 323 work together to effectively transmit the displacement of the telescopic plate 321 to the loading platform 4. Their symmetrical layout also ensures that the loading platform 4 experiences balanced forces during movement, preventing jamming or tilting and ensuring smooth and precise operation. Furthermore, the telescopic plate 321 is equipped with anti-slip components to ensure stable support for goods of different sizes, preventing tilting and slippage.

[0029] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the specific composition of the walking module 1 can be various that are known to those skilled in the art. In one example of this utility model, considering the need to provide a structurally stable basic mobile platform for the rotating lifting module 2 and the telescopic module 3, the walking module 1 includes a frame, multiple sets of wheels, and a third drive assembly. The cavity is located at the top of the frame, the multiple sets of wheels are evenly distributed on the side walls of the frame, and the third drive assembly is mounted on the frame, with its output end connected to the multiple sets of wheels. The robust frame structure provides rigid support, and the even distribution of wheels on the side walls of the frame further optimizes the force distribution, jointly ensuring the operational stability and long-life reliability of the shuttle under heavy-load conditions.

[0030] Through the above technical solution, this utility model provides a four-way shuttle for multi-sized goods. Two sets of parallel, oppositely extending telescopic modules drive the output platform to move closer or further apart to transport goods of different sizes. A walking module allows the shuttle to move along the rack track to the target storage location. Two sets of rotating and lifting modules within the shuttle's cavity can rotate and vertically lift, precisely positioning the top telescopic module and storage platform to storage locations at different heights. The telescopic module of this utility model is suitable for handling the storage and retrieval of goods of various sizes. The rotating and lifting modules can flexibly adjust their angles. By cooperating with the telescopic modules, the dead angles in warehouse space utilization that may occur with traditional shuttles due to fixed track directions are effectively overcome. The storage platform can flexibly adjust its angle, facilitating the storage and retrieval of goods located diagonally, achieving omnidirectional goods storage and retrieval. Furthermore, by reducing the absolute reliance on fixed, straight aisles, the rack layout can be more compact, effectively improving the utilization rate of warehouse space.

[0031] The optional embodiments of the present utility model have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments of the present utility model are not limited to the specific details in the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of the embodiments of the present utility model, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present utility model, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of the embodiments of the present utility model.

[0032] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. To avoid unnecessary repetition, the various possible combinations will not be described separately in this embodiment.

[0033] Furthermore, various different embodiments of this utility model can be combined arbitrarily, as long as they do not violate the spirit of this utility model, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed by this utility model.

Claims

1. A four-way shuttle vehicle for accommodating goods of various sizes, characterized in that, The shuttle includes: A walking module, wherein the walking module is provided with a hollow cavity; Two sets of rotating and lifting modules are arranged in parallel within the cavity and connected to the walking module; Two sets of telescopic modules are respectively set on top of the two sets of rotating lifting modules. The two sets of telescopic modules are distributed in parallel and extend in opposite directions. The output end of the telescopic module is provided with a cargo platform. The two sets of telescopic modules are used to drive the two sets of cargo platforms to move closer or further apart to transport goods.

2. The shuttle vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotary lifting module includes: The lifting module is located at the bottom of the cavity; A rotating module is located on top of the lifting module. The output end of the rotating module is provided with a rotating platform. The telescopic module is located on top of the rotating platform and is used to drive the telescopic module to rotate.

3. The shuttle vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that, The lifting module includes: First base plate; A crossarm assembly is disposed on top of the first base plate; The second base plate is disposed on top of the crossarm assembly; A first drive assembly is mounted on the first base plate, and the output end of the first drive assembly is connected to the cross arm assembly.

4. The shuttle vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that, The rotation module includes: The drive unit is located on the top of the second base plate; A rotating shaft is disposed at the output end of the drive unit, and the end of the rotating shaft away from the drive unit is connected to the bottom of the rotating platform.

5. The shuttle vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that, The telescopic module includes: The second drive assembly is located on top of the rotating platform; A telescopic arm assembly is disposed at the output end of the second drive assembly. The cargo platform is slidably disposed at the output end of the telescopic arm assembly. The second drive assembly is used to drive the telescopic arm assembly to move so as to drive the cargo platform to transport goods.

6. The shuttle vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second driving component includes: A U-shaped seat is provided on top of the rotating platform; The drive gear is rotatably mounted on the inner wall of the U-shaped seat; A rotating assembly is disposed on the side wall of the U-shaped seat, and the output end of the rotating assembly is connected to the driving gear; The driven gear is rotatably disposed on the inner wall of the U-shaped seat and meshes with the driving gear; A fixing block is disposed on the inner wall of the U-shaped seat on the side away from the rotating assembly and is connected to the driven gear for fixing the driven gear.

7. The shuttle vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that, The side wall of the U-shaped seat is provided with a through hole; The rotating component includes: Rotary electric motor; The reducer has its input end connected to the output end of the rotary motor, and its output end passes through the through hole and is connected to the drive gear.

8. The shuttle vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that, The telescopic arm assembly includes: The telescopic plate has a rack at its bottom end, which meshes with the driven gear. The telescopic plate also has two sets of parallel strip-shaped holes. Two sets of sprockets are respectively rotatably disposed inside the two sets of strip-shaped holes, and the two sets of sprockets are diagonally distributed. A chain is wound around the outer side of each set of sprockets. One end of the chain is connected to the loading platform, and the other end of the chain is connected to the U-shaped seat.

9. The shuttle vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The walking module includes: A frame, wherein the cavity is formed at the top of the frame; Multiple sets of wheels are evenly distributed on the sidewalls of the frame; A third drive assembly is mounted on the frame, and the output of the third drive assembly is connected to multiple sets of wheels.

Images