Lifting mechanisms and automated guided vehicles

Abstract

The lift mechanism of the present invention comprises a chassis (100), a loading assembly (200) mounted on the chassis and including a support plate (210), two upper support members (220), two lower support members (230), and two lateral connecting rods (240), and a power assembly (300) attached to the chassis and located at either end of the two lateral connecting rods, the power assembly including a power unit (310) and a drive arm (320), the drive arm having a first end (321) rotatable to the nearest first pivot axis (600). The invention also includes a power assembly (300) connected to a power unit, with a second end (322) rotatably connected to a power unit, a support seat (510), and an articulating arm (520), the support seat being mounted on the chassis and facing the power unit, the articulating arm being mounted between the power unit and the support seat, the first end of the articulating arm being rotatably connected to the support seat, and the second end of the articulating arm being connected to the second end of the drive arm, and an auxiliary support structure (500) that follows the movement of the second end of the drive arm. The invention also further relates to an automated guided vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] [Cross - reference to Related Applications] This application claims the priority of a Chinese patent application filed with the Chinese Patent Office on June 7, 2023, with an application number of 202321448903.7 and a utility model title of "Lifting Mechanism and Automated Guided Vehicle", and the entire content thereof is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] This application relates to the field of smart logistics technology, and particularly to a lifting mechanism and an automated guided vehicle.

Background Art

[0003] An AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle, Automated Unmanned Carrier) refers to a carrier equipped with an automatic guiding device such as electromagnetic or optical, traveling along a predetermined guiding path, and having safety protection and various transfer functions, belonging to the category of WMR (Wheeled Mobile Robot, Wheeled Mobile Robot).

[0004] In related technologies, an AGV generally includes a lifting mechanism for lifting goods to different heights. The lifting mechanism mainly includes a chassis, a load - bearing member with adjustable height, and a power device. The power device generally includes a motor and a drive arm. When the output shaft of the motor rotates, the drive arm is moved, thereby causing the load - bearing member to lift or lower.

[0005] However, in actual applications, as shown in FIG. 1, the output shaft 91 of the motor is generally used in a cantilevered manner and needs to withstand extremely high bending and torsional combined loads during operation. Among these, the radial load needs to be borne by the proximal bearing 92 and the distal bearing 93 inside the motor 90. Due to the characteristics of the cantilevered arrangement, the proximal bearing 92 bears approximately twice or more the radial load, and the distal bearing 93 bears more than one - fold the radial load. Therefore, there is a problem that structural breakage is extremely likely to occur, and furthermore, the load - bearing capacity of the lifting mechanism is reduced.

Summary of the Invention

[0006] The objective of this embodiment is to provide a lifting mechanism and an automated guided vehicle in order to improve the load-bearing capacity of the lifting mechanism. The specific technical proposal is as follows.

[0007] Embodiments of a first aspect of the present application provide a lift mechanism, the lift mechanism comprising a chassis and a loading assembly mounted on the chassis, comprising a support plate, two upper support members, two lower support members, and two lateral connecting rods, wherein the upper ends of the two upper support members are rotatably mounted below the support plate, the lower ends of the two upper support members and the upper ends of the two lower support members are rotatably connected via two first pivots, the lower ends of the two lower support members are rotatably mounted on the chassis, and the two lateral connecting rods are rotatably connected to both ends of the two first pivots, so that the two lateral connecting rods are installed in parallel, and the loading assembly and one end of the two lateral connecting rods mounted on the chassis A power assembly located on the side, comprising a power unit and a drive arm, the drive arm having a first end rotatably connected to the nearest first pivot axis and a second end rotatably connected to the power unit, wherein the power unit drives the drive arm to push the lateral connecting rod away from the power unit, thereby lifting the support plate; and an auxiliary support structure comprising a support seat and a connecting arm, the support seat being installed on the chassis opposite to the power unit, the connecting arm being installed between the power unit and the support seat, the first end of the connecting arm being rotatably connected to the support seat, and the second end of the connecting arm being connected to the second end of the drive arm, the auxiliary support structure following the movement of the second end of the drive arm.

[0008] The lift mechanism of the present embodiment may further have the following technical features.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present application, the power unit includes a motor, a crank is connected to the output shaft of the motor, a crank output shaft is installed at the end of the crank, the second end of the drive arm is rotatably connected to the crank output shaft, and the end of the crank output shaft is connected to the second end of the connecting arm.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, the support seat is provided with a mounting hole, the mounting hole is coaxial with the output shaft of the motor, the first end of the connecting arm is provided with a rotating shaft portion, the rotating shaft portion is rotatably installed in the mounting hole via a bearing, the second end of the connecting arm is provided with a support hole, and the crank output shaft is inserted into the support hole.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present application, the auxiliary support structure further includes a bearing retaining plate, which is fixed to the support seat and abuts against the side of the outer ring of the bearing away from the power assembly.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present application, the auxiliary support structure further includes a connecting arm retaining plate, which is mounted on the end face of the rotating shaft portion and abuts against the side of the inner ring of the bearing away from the power assembly.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present application, the auxiliary support structure further includes a pin-connecting member and a screw-connecting member, the pin-connecting member being used for positioning the support seat and the screw-connecting member being used for fixing the support seat to the chassis.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present application, the lift mechanism further includes a positioning assembly, the positioning assembly including at least one positioning column and at least one positioning rod, the positioning column being fixed to the chassis, one end of the positioning rod being rotatably connected to the positioning column, and the other end of the positioning rod being rotatably mounted below the support plate.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present application, two position regulating rods are provided, each located on either side of the support plate; two position regulating columns are provided, each located on either side of the support plate; and one end of each of the two position regulating rods is rotatably connected to a position regulating column located on the same side of the support plate.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present invention, the support plate includes a plate body and at least four columnar bodies located at the bottom of the plate body, the at least four columnar bodies each rotatably connected to the upper ends of the two upper support members.

[0017] In the embodiment of the present invention, the drive arm moves by pushing the lateral connecting rod away from the power unit, thereby lifting the support plate. The difference from related technologies is that the second end of the drive arm is rotatably connected not only to the power unit but also to the second end of the connecting arm of the auxiliary support structure. As a result, the power unit in the embodiment of the present invention is not used as a cantilever but as a double-ended support. During movement, the radial load applied by the second end of the drive arm to the rotatable connection can be jointly borne by the power unit and the auxiliary support structure; that is, the power unit and the auxiliary support structure each bear a portion of the radial load. This reduces the radial load borne by the power unit, improves the problem of the power unit being prone to breakage, and further improves the load-bearing capacity of the lift mechanism.

[0018] An embodiment of the second aspect of the present application provides an automated guided vehicle including the lift mechanism of any embodiment of the first aspect.

[0019] Since the automated guided vehicle of this embodiment is equipped with the lift mechanism of the first embodiment, it also possesses the beneficial effects of any embodiment of the first embodiment, and will not be described redundantly here.

[0020] Of course, in order to implement any of the products of the present application, it is not necessary to achieve all of the advantages described above simultaneously.

[0021] The drawings described herein are provided to further understand the present application and form a part of the present application. The exemplary embodiments of the present application and their descriptions are for explaining the present application and do not constitute an improper limitation of the present application.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a force diagram of the power device of the lift mechanism of the related art. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lift mechanism of the embodiment of the present application. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the lift mechanism shown in FIG. 2 when the support plate is not installed. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side view of the lift mechanism shown in FIG. 2 (auxiliary support structure not shown). [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic layout diagram of the auxiliary support structure, drive arm, and power device of the embodiment of the present application. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the auxiliary support structure of the embodiment of the present application. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an exploded schematic diagram of the auxiliary support structure shown in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a force diagram of the power device of the lift mechanism shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of the drive arm of the embodiment of the present application.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present application clearer, the present application will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings and by way of examples. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present application, not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present application belong to the protection scope of the present application.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, in the lift mechanism of the related technology, the motor output shaft 91 is generally used as a cantilever and needs to withstand extremely high bending and torsional combined loads during operation. Of these, the radial load needs to be borne by the near-end bearing 92 and far-end bearing 93 inside the motor 90. Due to the characteristics of the cantilever arrangement, the near-end bearing 92 receives a radial load of more than twice its own, and the far-end bearing 93 receives a radial load of more than one times its own, making structural failure extremely likely, which reduces the load-bearing capacity of the lift mechanism.

[0025] In view of this, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application provides a lift mechanism 10 for an automated guided vehicle, which includes a chassis 100, a loading assembly 200, and a power assembly 300. Here, the loading assembly 200 is installed on the chassis 100 and includes a support plate 210, two upper support members 220, two lower support members 230, and two lateral connecting rods 240, the upper ends of both upper support members 220 are rotatably mounted below the support plate 210, the lower ends of the two upper support members 220 and the upper ends of the two lower support members 230 are rotatably connected via two first rotating shafts 600, the lower ends of the two lower support members 230 are rotatably mounted on the chassis 100, the two lateral connecting rods 240 are rotatably connected to both ends of the two first rotating shafts 600 so as to be mounted parallel to each other, the power assembly 300 is installed on the chassis 100 and is located on either end of the two lateral connecting rods 240, and the power assembly 300 is powered by a power unit 310 The auxiliary support structure 500 includes a support seat 510 and a connecting arm 520, the support seat 510 being installed on the chassis 100 and facing the power unit 310, the connecting arm 520 being installed between the power unit 310 and the support seat 510, the first end 521 of the connecting arm 520 being rotatably connected to the support seat 510, and the second end 522 of the connecting arm 520 being connected to the second end 322 of the drive arm 320 and following the movement of the second end 322 of the drive arm 320.

[0026] In this embodiment, the drive arm 320 moves by pushing the lateral connecting rod 240 away from the power unit 310 when driven by the power unit 310, thereby lifting the support plate 210. A difference from related technologies is that the second end 322 of the drive arm 320 is not only rotatably connected to the power unit 310, but also rotatably connected to the second end 522 of the connecting arm 520 of the auxiliary support structure 500. As a result, the power unit 310 in this embodiment is not used as a cantilever but as a double-ended support. During movement, the radial load applied by the second end 322 of the drive arm 320 can be jointly borne by the power unit 310 and the auxiliary support structure 500; that is, the power unit 310 and the auxiliary support structure 500 each bear a portion of the radial load. This reduces the radial load borne by the power unit 310, improves the problem of the power unit 310 being prone to breakage, and consequently improves the load-bearing capacity of the lift mechanism 10.

[0027] Furthermore, under high load conditions, the service life of the lift mechanism 10 is limited by the structural strength and load-bearing capacity of the power unit 310. Therefore, installing the auxiliary support structure 500 is advantageous in reducing the radial load borne by the power unit 310 and extending the service life of the lift mechanism 10.

[0028] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, in the embodiment of the present invention, the power unit 310 includes a motor 311, a crank 312 is connected to the output shaft 3111 of the motor, a crank output shaft 3121 is installed at the end of the crank 312, the second end 322 of the drive arm 320 is rotatably connected to the crank output shaft 3121, and the end of the crank output shaft 3121 is connected to the second end 522 of the connecting arm 520. In the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 4, the crank 312, the drive arm 320, and one lower support member 230 close to the power unit 310 can constitute a single crank rocker mechanism. The motor 311 drives the crank 312 to rotate, which operates the drive arm 320, thereby moving the lateral connecting rod 240 away from the motor 311, gradually changing the upper support member 220 and the lower support member 230 from an inclined state to a vertical state, thereby achieving a lift-up of the support plate 210. In contrast to the lift-up process, during the lowering process, as the crank 312 continues to rotate, the drive arm 320 moves the lateral connecting rod 240 closer to the motor 311. At the same time, the two upper support members 220 and the two lower support members 230 gradually return from a vertical to an inclined state, thereby enabling the lowering of the support plate 210.

[0029] In this embodiment, the drive arm 320, driven by the crank 312, pushes the lateral connecting rod 240 away from the motor 311, thereby lifting the support plate 210. The lift mechanism 10 achieves the lift by converting the thrust of the power unit 310 into a lifting force. During the process of lifting the support plate 210, one end of the lateral connecting rod 240 receives thrust from the drive arm 320, while the other end receives thrust in the opposite direction from the load cargo. Because these two thrusts are directed inward, the lateral connecting rod 240 experiences compressive stress rather than tensile stress during the lifting process. Since the lateral connecting rod 240 is generally made of a brittle material, such as die-cast aluminum, its tensile strength is much lower than its compressive strength. Therefore, in this embodiment, by causing the lateral connecting rod 240 to receive compressive stress during the lift-up process, the structural strength of the lateral connecting rod 240 is improved, making it less likely for the lateral connecting rod 240 to break. This improves the structural strength of the lift mechanism 10, and consequently improves the load-bearing capacity of the lift mechanism 10.

[0030] During motion, the second end 322 of the drive arm 320 applies a radial load to the crank output shaft 3121. Since the crank output shaft 3121 is also connected to the second end 522 of the connecting arm 520, both ends of the crank output shaft 3121 are supported by the motor 311 and the support seat 510, respectively. Therefore, the radial load that the drive arm 320 applies to the crank output shaft 3121 can be jointly borne by the motor 311 and the support seat 510.

[0031] As shown in Figure 7, in this embodiment, the support seat 510 is provided with a mounting hole 511, and the mounting hole 511 is coaxial with the motor output shaft 3111. The first end 521 of the connecting arm 520 is provided with a rotating shaft portion 523, and the rotating shaft portion 523 is rotatably installed in the mounting hole 511 via a bearing 530. The second end 522 of the connecting arm 520 is provided with a support hole 524, and the crank output shaft 3121 is inserted into the support hole 524. In this embodiment, the mounting hole 511 is coaxial with the motor output shaft 3111. As a result, after the rotating shaft portion 523 is rotatably installed in the mounting hole 511 via the bearing 530, the rotation axis of the rotating shaft portion 523 becomes coaxial with the rotation axis of the motor output shaft 3111, so that the connecting arm 520 rotates in the same direction as the crank 312, and the crank output shaft 3121 is always supported at both ends during motion.

[0032] Compared to single-end support, double-end support reduces the radial load on the motor 311 and is advantageous in improving the load-bearing capacity of the lift mechanism 10. Specifically, Figure 8 shows a diagram of the forces of the power unit 310 in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the crank 312 is fixedly connected to the motor output shaft 3111, and the crank output shaft 3121 is fixed to the end of the crank 312. Therefore, the radial load applied to the crank output shaft 3121 can be considered as being applied to the motor output shaft 3111. As shown in Figure 8, part of the radial load applied to the motor output shaft 3111 is supported by the near-end bearing 3112 and far-end bearing 3113 inside the motor 311, and the other part is supported by the bearing 530 in the support seat 510. The motor output shaft 3111 is used with double-end support, not as a cantilever. This reduces the load on the near-end bearing 3112 and the far-end bearing 3113, thereby significantly reducing the force acting on the motor's output shaft 3111 by the near-end bearing 3112 and the far-end bearing 3113, greatly reducing the stress on the motor's output shaft 3111, and consequently significantly improving the load-bearing capacity of the lift mechanism 10. It should be noted that in the embodiment of this application, the radial load borne by the motor 311 is mainly supported by the near-end bearing 3112.

[0033] Furthermore, in the case of a double-ended support, the load distribution is based on the proportion of the distance between each bearing and the point of load application. Preferably, by adjusting the distance between the support seat 510 and the motor 311, the load ratio borne by the near-end bearing 3112 inside the motor 311 can be controlled to 60% or less.

[0034] In the embodiment of the present invention, the bearing 530 installed in the support seat 510 may be a double-row angular contact ball bearing. Furthermore, considering that the crank output shaft 3121 may undergo thermal expansion and cold contraction during motion, it is not necessary to restrict the axial position of the crank output shaft 3121 after it has been inserted into the support hole 524.

[0035] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, in this embodiment, the auxiliary support structure 500 further includes a bearing retaining plate 540, which is fixed to the support seat 510 and abuts against the side of the outer ring of the bearing 530 that is away from the power assembly 300. In this embodiment, the bearing retaining plate 540 restricts the axial position of the bearing 530 and prevents the bearing 530 from coming out of the mounting hole 511. In specific mounting, the bearing retaining plate 540 may be fixed to the support seat 510 using screws 560.

[0036] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, in this embodiment, the auxiliary support structure 500 further includes a connecting arm retaining plate 550, which is attached to the end face of the rotating shaft portion 523 and abuts against the side of the inner ring of the bearing 530 that is away from the power assembly 300. In this embodiment, the connecting arm retaining plate 550 may be fixed to the end face of the rotating shaft portion 523 by a screw 560, and a part of the connecting arm retaining plate 550 abuts against the inner ring of the bearing 530, thereby ensuring the relative fixation of the three and allowing the connecting arm retaining plate 550 to rotate together with the rotating shaft portion 523 and the inner ring of the bearing 530. By installing the connecting arm retaining plate 550, it is possible to prevent the rotating shaft portion 523 from coming off the bearing 530 when it rotates.

[0037] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, in this embodiment, the auxiliary support structure 500 further includes a pin connecting member and a screw connecting member, the pin connecting member being used for positioning the support seat 510 and the screw connecting member being used to fix the support seat 510 to the chassis 100. In this embodiment, the pin connecting member is installed to ensure coaxiality between the rotating shaft portion 523 and the motor output shaft 3111, and the screw connecting member is installed to fix the support seat 510 to the chassis 100. Here, the pin connecting member may be a cylindrical pin 570, and the screw connecting member may be a screw.

[0038] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, in this embodiment, the support seat 510 is further provided with a first relief hole 512 and a second relief hole 513. When fixing the support seat 510, the support seat 510 and the chassis 100 can be fixed by inserting a screw from top to bottom into the first relief hole 512. In addition, in this embodiment, the chassis 100 is provided with ribs to improve the structural strength of the chassis 100. The second relief hole 513 is used to allow the ribs to move out of the way.

[0039] As shown in Figure 9, in this embodiment, a first through hole 323 is provided at the first end 321 of the drive arm 320, and a second through hole 324 is provided at the second end 322 of the drive arm 320. The first end 321 of the drive arm 320 is fitted onto the first rotating shaft 600 by the first through hole 323, thereby realizing a rotational connection between the drive arm 320 and the first rotating shaft 600. The second end 322 of the drive arm 320 is fitted onto the crank output shaft 3121 by the second through hole 324, thereby realizing a rotational connection between the drive arm 320 and the crank 312. When attaching the second end 322 of the drive arm 320, the second end 322 of the drive arm 320 may first be rotatably connected to the crank output shaft 3121, and then the crank output shaft 3121 may be inserted into the support hole 524. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the axial dimension of the first through-hole 323 is larger than that of the second through-hole 324, the area of ​​contact of the drive arm 320 with the first rotation axis 600 can be increased. A connecting portion 325 is provided between the first end 321 and the second end 322 of the drive arm 320, and the cross-sectional dimension of the connecting portion 325 gradually increases along the direction from the second end 322 to the first end 321 of the drive arm 320. This makes it possible to strengthen the structural strength of the drive arm 320.

[0040] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, in this embodiment, the upper support member 220 includes a first connecting portion 221, a first connecting ear 222 extending from the upper end of the first connecting portion 221, and a second connecting ear 223 extending from the lower end of the first connecting portion 221. The first connecting ear 222 is rotatably mounted below the support plate 210 via a second rotating shaft 610, and the second connecting ear 223 is rotatably connected to the first rotating shaft 600. The drive arm 320 is rotatably connected to the middle portion of the nearest first rotating shaft 600. In this embodiment, by installing the first connecting ear 222 and the second connecting ear 223 at both the upper and lower ends of the first connecting portion 221, rotational connection between the upper support member 220 and the support plate 210 and the lower support member 230 is easily achieved.

[0041] Furthermore, two first connecting ears 222 are provided, each located on either side of the upper end of the first connecting portion 221 and rotatably connected to the second rotating shaft 610. Two second connecting ears 223 are provided, each located on either side of the lower end of the first connecting portion 221 and rotatably connected to the first rotating shaft 600. The provision of two first connecting ears 222 and two second connecting ears 223 further stabilizes the structure of the loading assembly 200.

[0042] The lower support member 230 may have the same structure as the upper support member 220. Specifically, the lower support member 230 includes a second connecting portion, a third connecting ear extending from the upper end of the second connecting portion, and a fourth connecting ear extending from the lower end of the second connecting portion. The third connecting ear is rotatably connected to the first rotating shaft 600, and the fourth connecting ear is rotatably installed on the chassis 100 via the third rotating shaft 620. The rotatable connection between the upper support member 220 and the lower support member 230 is achieved by rotatably connecting both the second connecting ear 223 of the upper support member 220 and the third connecting ear of the lower support member 230 to the first rotating shaft 600. The installation of the fourth connecting ear facilitates the rotatable connection between the lower support member 230 and the chassis 100.

[0043] Furthermore, two third connecting ears are provided, each located on either side of the upper end of the second connecting section and rotatably mounted on the first pivot axis 600. Two fourth connecting ears are provided, each located on either side of the lower end of the second connecting section and rotatably mounted on the third pivot axis 620. The provision of two third connecting ears and two fourth connecting ears further stabilizes the structure of the loading assembly 200.

[0044] Since the distance between the two third connecting ears is smaller than the distance between the two second connecting ears 223, the two third connecting ears can be rotatably connected to the portion of the first rotating shaft 600 between the two second connecting ears 223 during installation. This facilitates the overlapping connection of the upper support member 220 and the lower support member 230. Furthermore, when installing the drive arm 320, the first end 321 of the drive arm 320 can be rotatably connected to the portion of the first rotating shaft 600 between the two third connecting ears. This allows the point of force application of the drive arm 320's thrust to be located in the axial middle of the first rotating shaft 600, thus applying the same thrust to the two lateral connecting rods 240, which is advantageous for the stable operation of the lift mechanism 10.

[0045] As shown in Figure 2, in some embodiments of the present invention, the lift mechanism 10 further includes a position restraint assembly 400, which includes at least one position restraint column 420 and at least one position restraint rod 410. The position restraint column 420 is fixed to the chassis 100, one end of the position restraint rod 410 is rotatably connected to the position restraint column 420, and the other end of the position restraint rod 410 is rotatably installed below the support plate 210. In the present invention, the support plate 210 is restrained by installing the position restraint assembly 400, and assuming that the support plate 210 remains parallel to the chassis 100, lifting and lowering is achieved by circular motion around a rotation axis between the position restraint column 420 and the position restraint rod 410.

[0046] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, in this embodiment, two position regulating rods 410 are installed, and the two position regulating rods 410 are located on both sides of the support plate 210. This allows for the restraint of the support plate 210 while simultaneously improving its stability.

[0047] Accordingly, two position-regulating posts 420 may be installed, each positioned on either side of the support plate 210, and the two position-regulating rods 410 are rotatably connected to the position-regulating posts 420 located on the same side of the support plate 210. This facilitates the connection between the position-regulating rods 410 and the position-regulating posts 420.

[0048] Furthermore, if multiple position-regulating rods 410 are installed, the effective length of each position-regulating rod 410 is equal. Here, the effective length refers to the straight-line distance from the axis of rotation to which one end of the position-regulating rod 410 is connected to the axis of rotation to which the other end of the position-regulating rod 410 is connected. As a result, the operating paths of the two position-regulating rods 410 coincide, ensuring the stability of the operation of the support plate 210. Moreover, if the effective length of the position-regulating rods 410 is sufficiently long, the operating path of the support plate 210 approximates the vertical linear motion of the chassis 100, and the operation of the support plate 210 is understood to be more stable.

[0049] In other embodiments of the present invention, only one position-regulating post 420 may be installed, and two position-regulating rods 410 may be rotatably connected to the same position-regulating post 420. Alternatively, only one position-regulating rod 410 and one position-regulating post 420 may be installed, and the position-regulating rod 410 and position-regulating post 420 may be located on one side of the loading assembly 200. The present invention is not limited thereto.

[0050] As shown in Figure 4, in this embodiment, the support plate 210 includes a plate body 211 and six columnar bodies 212 located at the bottom of the plate body 211. Of these, four columnar bodies 212 are rotatably connected to the upper ends of two upper support members 220, and the remaining two columnar bodies 212 are rotatably connected to one end of a position regulating rod 410. This facilitates the rotational connection between the support plate 210 and the upper support members 220 and the position regulating rod 410. Note that since Figure 4 is a side view of the lift mechanism 10 in Figure 2, only the three columnar bodies 212 located on one side of the plate body 211 are shown in Figure 4, and the three columnar bodies 212 located on the other side of the plate body 211 are not shown.

[0051] Of the four columns 212 connected to the upper end of the upper support member 220, two columns 212 and the first connecting ears 222 at the upper end of one upper support member 220 are rotatably connected to the same second rotation axis 610, while the other two columns 212 and the first connecting ears 222 at the upper end of the other upper support member 220 are rotatably connected to the other second rotation axis 610. This enables rotational installation of the support plate 210 and the upper end of the upper support member 220.

[0052] Two of the six columnar bodies 212 and the ends of the two position-regulating rods 410 are rotatably connected to the same fourth rotation axis 630, enabling rotational installation of the support plate 210 and the two position-regulating rods 410.

[0053] In other embodiments of the present invention, only four columns 212 are installed, of which two columns 212 and the upper end of one upper support member 220 are rotatably connected to the same second rotation axis 610, and the upper ends of the other two columns 212 and the other upper support member 220 are rotatably connected to the other second rotation axis 610. The ends of two position regulating rods 410 are rotatably connected to the second rotation axis 610 furthest from the power assembly 300. That is, one upper support member 220, two columns 212, and two position regulating rods 410 are rotatably connected to the second rotation axis 610 furthest from the power assembly 300.

[0054] In other embodiments of the present invention, more columns 212 connected to the second rotation axis 610 may be installed. For example, five columns 212 may be installed connected to the second rotation axis 610, with three of these columns 212 rotatably connected to the same second rotation axis 610 and the other two columns 212 rotatably connected to the other second rotation axis 610. The present invention is not limited thereto.

[0055] An embodiment of the second aspect of the present application provides an automated guided vehicle (AGV) that includes the lift mechanism 10 of any embodiment of the first aspect. Specifically, the movement of the AGV can be facilitated by directly attaching a plurality of casters to the underside of the chassis 100. In addition, the installation of a camera or video camera can be facilitated by providing mounting holes at intermediate positions on the chassis 100. The camera or video camera may be used to scan two-dimensional codes on cargo and the ground.

[0056] The automated guided vehicle of this embodiment includes a lift mechanism 10, which includes a drive arm 320. Driven by a power unit 310, the drive arm 320 pushes the lateral connecting rod 240 away from the power unit 310, thereby lifting the support plate 210. A difference from related technologies is that the second end 322 of the drive arm 320 is rotatably connected not only to the power unit 310 but also to the second end 522 of the connecting arm 520 of the auxiliary support structure 500. As a result, the power unit 310 of this embodiment is used with both ends supported rather than as a cantilever. During motion, the radial load applied by the second end 322 of the drive arm 320 can be jointly borne by the power unit 310 and the auxiliary support structure 500, that is, the power unit 310 and the auxiliary support structure 500 each bear a portion of the radial load. This reduces the radial load applied to the power unit 310, improves the problem of the power unit 310 being prone to breakage, and ultimately improves the load-bearing capacity of the lift mechanism 10.

[0057] The above description is merely a good example of the present application and does not limit it. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present application should be included in the scope of protection. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 10 Lift mechanism; 90 Motor; 91 Motor output shaft; 92 Near-end bearing; 93 Far-end bearing; 100 Chassis; 200 Loading assembly; 210 Support plate; 211 Plate body; 212 Column body; 220 Upper support member; 221 First connection part; 222 First connection ear; 223 Second connection ear; 230 Lower support member; 240 Lateral connecting rod; 300 Power assembly; 310 Power device; 311 Motor; 3111 Motor output shaft; 3112 Near-end bearing; 3113 Far-end bearing; 312 Crank; 3121 Crank output shaft; 320 Drive arm; 321 First end of drive arm; 322 Second end of drive arm; 323 First through hole; 324 Second through hole; 325 Crossing part; 400 Positioning regulating assembly; 410 Position regulating rod; 420 Position regulating column; 500 Auxiliary support structure; 510 Support seat; 511 Mounting hole; 512 First relief hole; 513 Second relief hole; 520 Connecting arm; 521 First end of connecting arm; 522 Second end of connecting arm; 523 Rotating shaft section; 524 Support hole; 530 Bearing; 540 Bearing retaining plate; 550 Connecting arm retaining plate; 560 Screw; 570 Cylindrical pin; 600 First rotating shaft; 610 Second rotating shaft; 620 Third rotating shaft; 630 Fourth rotating shaft

Claims

1. A lift mechanism used for automated guided vehicles, Chassis (100) and A loading assembly installed on the chassis (100), comprising a support plate (210), two upper support members (220), two lower support members (230), and two lateral connecting rods (240), wherein the upper ends of the two upper support members (220) are rotatably mounted below the support plate (210), the lower ends of the two upper support members (220) and the upper ends of the two lower support members (230) are rotatably connected via two first rotation shafts (600), the lower ends of the two lower support members (230) are rotatably mounted on the chassis (100), and the two lateral connecting rods (240) are rotatably connected to both ends of the two first rotation shafts (600), so that the two lateral connecting rods (240) are installed in parallel, and A power assembly (300) mounted on the chassis (100) and located at one end of either of the two lateral connecting rods (240), comprising a power unit (310) and a drive arm (320), wherein the drive arm (320) has a first end (321) rotatably connected to the nearest first pivot shaft (600) and a second end (322) rotatably connected to the power unit (310), and the power assembly (300) lifts up the support plate (210) by the drive of the power unit (310), which pushes the lateral connecting rods (240) away from the power unit (310), thereby moving the drive arm (320). An auxiliary support structure (500) comprising a support seat (510) and a connecting arm (520), wherein the support seat (510) is installed on the chassis (100) facing the power unit (310), the connecting arm (520) is installed between the power unit (310) and the support seat (510), the first end (521) of the connecting arm (520) is rotatably connected to the support seat (510), and the second end (522) of the connecting arm (520) is connected to the second end (322) of the drive arm (320) and follows the movement of the second end (322) of the drive arm (320), is characterized by comprising: an auxiliary support structure (500) comprising a support seat (510) and a connecting arm (520), wherein the support seat (510) is installed on the chassis (100) facing the power unit (310), the connecting arm (520) is installed between the power unit (310) and the support seat (510), the first end (521) of the connecting arm (520) is rotatably connected to the support seat (510), and the second end (522) of the connecting arm (520) is connected to the second end (322) of the drive arm (320) and follows the movement of the second end (322) of the drive arm (320), Lift mechanism.

2. The power unit (310) includes a motor (311), a crank (312) is connected to the output shaft (3111) of the motor, a crank output shaft (3121) is installed at the end of the crank (312), the second end (322) of the drive arm (320) is rotatably connected to the crank output shaft (3121), and the end of the crank output shaft (3121) is connected to the second end (522) of the connecting arm (520). The lift mechanism according to claim 1.

3. The support seat (510) is provided with a mounting hole (511), the mounting hole (511) is coaxial with the output shaft (3111) of the motor, a rotating shaft portion (523) is provided at the first end (521) of the connecting arm (520), the rotating shaft portion (523) is rotatably mounted in the mounting hole (511) via a bearing (530), a support hole (524) is provided at the second end (522) of the connecting arm (520), and the crank output shaft (3121) is inserted into the support hole (524). The lift mechanism according to claim 2.

4. The auxiliary support structure (500) further includes a bearing retaining plate (540), the bearing retaining plate (540) being fixed to the support seat (510) and in contact with the side of the outer ring of the bearing (530) that is away from the power assembly (300). The lift mechanism according to claim 3.

5. The auxiliary support structure (500) further includes a connecting arm retaining plate (550), the connecting arm retaining plate (550) being attached to the end face of the rotating shaft portion (523) and in contact with the side of the inner ring of the bearing (530) that is away from the power assembly (300). The lift mechanism according to claim 3.

6. The auxiliary support structure (500) further includes a pin connecting member and a screw connecting member, wherein the pin connecting member is used for positioning the support seat (510), and the screw connecting member is used for fixing the support seat (510) to the chassis (100). The lift mechanism according to claim 3.

7. The lift mechanism further includes a position regulating assembly (400), the position regulating assembly (400) comprising at least one position regulating column (420) and at least one position regulating rod (410), wherein the position regulating column (420) is fixed to the chassis (100), one end of the position regulating rod (410) is rotatably connected to the position regulating column (420), and the other end of the position regulating rod (410) is rotatably mounted below the support plate (210). The lift mechanism according to claim 1.

8. The position regulating rods (410) are provided in pairs, each positioned on either side of the support plate (210); the position regulating columns (420) are provided in pairs, each positioned on either side of the support plate (210); and one end of each of the position regulating rods (410) is rotatably connected to the position regulating column (420) located on the same side of the support plate (210). The lift mechanism according to claim 7.

9. The support plate (210) includes a plate body (211) and at least four columnar bodies (212) located at the bottom of the plate body (211), and each of the at least four columnar bodies (212) is rotatably connected to the upper ends of the two upper support members (220). The lift mechanism according to claim 1.

10. Features a lift mechanism (10) as described in any one of claims 1 to 9. Automated guided vehicle.

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