Sorting system, logistics system and sorting system control method

Abstract

A sorting system, a logistics system and a sorting system control method. The sorting system comprises a first conveyor mechanism (100), a second conveyor mechanism (200), a temporary storage mechanism (300) and a pick-and-place mechanism (400). The first conveyor mechanism (100) is provided with an input port (101) for entry of a storage box (510) and an output port (102) for discharge of the storage box (510), a first conveying line (110) being formed between the input port (101) and the output port (102). The second conveyor mechanism (200) is provided with a sorting area (210), the sorting area (210) being used for accommodating order boxes (520), the order boxes (520) being used for receiving goods sorted out from the storage box (510), and at least part of the first conveying line (110) being arranged opposite to the sorting area (210). The temporary storage mechanism (300) is arranged on one side of the sorting area (210), the temporary storage mechanism (300) being used for storing the order boxes (520). The pick-and-place mechanism (400) is arranged between the temporary storage mechanism (300) and the second conveyor mechanism (200), and the pick-and-place mechanism (400) is configured to pick and place the order boxes (520) from the temporary storage mechanism (300) to the sorting area (210), and / or to pick and place the order boxes (520) from the sorting area (210) to temporary storage shelves (310).

Description

Sorting system, logistics system and sorting system control method

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on August 3, 2023, with application number 202310978446.0 and application name “Sorting system, logistics system and sorting system control method”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of warehousing and logistics, and in particular to a sorting system, a logistics system and a sorting system control method. Background Art

[0003] The current logistics centers have increasingly higher requirements for the efficiency of logistics warehousing and distribution. Logistics sorting is a very important link in logistics warehousing and distribution. Ensuring continuous and efficient sorting work can improve the overall efficiency of goods outbound.

[0004] In related technologies, logistics systems generally include storage shelves, sorting workstations, transportation equipment and other devices. The sorting workstations include sorting devices and seeding walls. When goods are entering and leaving the warehouse, the sorting work can be completed by sorting personnel. The goods are usually classified according to order tasks or types of goods, and the goods are placed in the storage slots of the seeding wall according to the corresponding classification results. The classified goods can be transported in and out of the warehouse by transportation equipment such as handling robots.

[0005] However, the sorting efficiency of current sorting devices is low, and the problem of missorting goods easily occurs.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present application provides a sorting system, a logistics system and a sorting system control method, which can solve the technical problems of low sorting efficiency and easy missorting of goods in current sorting devices.

[0008] In a first aspect, the present application provides a sorting system, comprising:

[0009] A first conveying mechanism includes an input port for a storage box to enter and an output port for a storage box to be delivered, a first conveying line is formed between the input port and the output port, and the storage box is used to store goods to be sorted;

[0010] a second conveying mechanism, the second conveying mechanism having a sorting area for accommodating order boxes for receiving goods sorted from the storage box; the first conveying line is at least partially arranged opposite to the sorting area;

[0011] A cache mechanism is provided on the side of the sorting area and is used to store order boxes;

[0012] The picking and placing mechanism is arranged between the cache mechanism and the second conveying mechanism, and the picking and placing mechanism is configured to pick up and place the order box from the cache mechanism to the sorting area, and / or pick up and place the order box from the sorting area to the cache shelf.

[0013] The sorting system provided in the embodiment of the present application is configured to store order boxes by providing a buffer mechanism for storing order boxes, and utilizes a pick-up and release mechanism to transfer order boxes between the sorting area and the buffer mechanism. When the goods of the order corresponding to the order box are only partially sorted, the order box can be automatically temporarily stored in the buffer mechanism, thereby eliminating the need to set up a seeding wall and the need for sorting personnel to perform order seeding operations, thereby improving sorting efficiency and avoiding the occurrence of missorting of goods.

[0014] In some embodiments, the cache mechanism may include at least one cache shelf having multiple cache locations, each of which may hold at least one order box; order boxes in different cache locations correspond to different order tasks.

[0015] With this setting, the sorting system can perform outbound sorting tasks for multiple orders at the same time, improving outbound efficiency.

[0016] In some embodiments, the second conveying mechanism may include a second conveying line extending along the first direction, and at least a portion of the second conveying line is used to form a sorting area; the sorting area includes a plurality of sorting positions arranged along the first direction.

[0017] With this setting, sorting of multiple orders can be carried out at the same time, improving sorting efficiency.

[0018] In some embodiments, the first conveying line may include a first conveying section, a second conveying section and a third conveying section; the first end of the first conveying section is used to form an input port, and the second end of the first conveying section can be connected to the second conveying section; the first end of the third conveying section is used to form an output port, and the second end of the third conveying section can be connected to the second conveying section; the second conveying section can extend along the first direction and be opposite to the second conveying line.

[0019] With this arrangement, when a corresponding order task is assigned, the storage box on the second conveying section can be opposite to the order box on the second conveying line, thereby improving the convenience of the sorting operation.

[0020] In some embodiments, the second conveying section and the second conveying line can be spaced apart in the vertical direction; and / or, the first conveying section and the third conveying section are connected to the same side of the second conveying section, and the buffer mechanism is located between the first conveying section and the third conveying section.

[0021] Such a setting can reduce the occupied area of ​​the sorting system and improve space utilization.

[0022] In some embodiments, there may be multiple cache shelves, and the multiple cache shelves may be arranged along a first direction. The picking and placing mechanism may include a first moving track and at least one picking and placing device arranged on the first moving track. The first moving track extends along the first direction; the picking and placing device can move along the first moving track to pick up and place order boxes from different cache shelves.

[0023] With this arrangement, the order boxes at different positions on the cache shelf can be located by the pick-up and place device, thereby improving the efficiency of the order boxes flowing into and out of the cache shelf.

[0024] In some embodiments, there may be multiple cargo picking and placing devices, and the multiple cargo picking and placing devices may be spaced apart along the first direction.

[0025] With this arrangement, order boxes can be picked up and placed simultaneously by multiple picking and placing devices, thereby improving the efficiency of order box circulation.

[0026] In some embodiments, the picking and placing mechanism may further include a second movable track, which extends along a second direction. The second movable track is movably set on the first movable track, and the picking and placing device is movably set on the second movable track; the second direction is the height direction of the cache shelf.

[0027] With this arrangement, the picking and placing device can pick and place order boxes at different heights on the cache shelf, thereby improving the accuracy of order box allocation.

[0028] In some embodiments, the second conveying mechanism has a connecting area, which is located on the side of the sorting area, and the connecting area is configured to receive empty order boxes or send out picked order boxes.

[0029] With this setup, empty order boxes can be replenished in a timely manner, and order boxes that have completed the order sorting task can be quickly circulated to the next procedure.

[0030] In some embodiments, the sorting system may further include a picking work area, which is arranged opposite to the sorting area, and is located on a side of the second conveying mechanism away from the picking and placing mechanism.

[0031] This arrangement facilitates sorting operations while ensuring the rationality of the sorting system layout and improving space utilization.

[0032] In some embodiments, the picking work area is provided with at least one picking work station; or, the picking work area is provided with at least one picking robot, which is configured to pick up and place the ordered goods in the storage box into the corresponding order box in the sorting area.

[0033] With this setting, manual sorting or machine sorting can be adopted according to the specific application scenario, thereby increasing the freedom of layout.

[0034] In a second aspect, the present application provides a logistics system, which may include storage shelves, handling equipment and the sorting system in the above technical solution, and the handling equipment is configured to transport storage boxes to be sorted from the storage shelves to the sorting system, or to transport the sorted storage boxes from the sorting system to the storage shelves.

[0035] In a third aspect, the present application provides a sorting system control method, which is used in the above-mentioned sorting system, and the method includes:

[0036] Move the target storage box and target order box according to the target order information;

[0037] Pick the target goods from the target storage box to the target order box;

[0038] Determine whether all the goods of the target order are picked to the target order box. If so, transport the target order box outward; if not, transport the target order box to the cache mechanism.

[0039] In some embodiments, moving the target storage box and the target order box according to the target order information specifically includes:

[0040] Controlling the first conveying mechanism to carry the target storage box;

[0041] Control the picking and placing mechanism to pick up and place the target order box from the buffer mechanism to the sorting area of ​​the second conveying mechanism.

[0042] The present application provides a sorting system, a logistics system and a sorting system control method, wherein the sorting system includes a first conveying mechanism, a second conveying mechanism, a buffer mechanism and a picking and placing mechanism, the first conveying mechanism having an input port for a storage box to enter and an output port for an storage box to be sent out, a first conveying line is formed between the input port and the output port, the storage box is used to store goods to be sorted, the second conveying mechanism has a sorting area, the sorting area is used to accommodate order boxes, and the order boxes are used to receive goods sorted from the storage box; the first conveying line is at least partially arranged opposite to the sorting area, the buffer mechanism is arranged on the side of the sorting area, the buffer mechanism is used to store order boxes, the picking and placing mechanism is arranged between the buffer mechanism and the second conveying mechanism, and the picking and placing mechanism is configured to pick up and place the order boxes from the buffer mechanism to the sorting area, and / or, pick up and place the order boxes from the sorting area to the buffer shelf, thereby improving the sorting efficiency and avoiding the situation where goods are sorted incorrectly.

[0043] In addition to the technical problems solved by the embodiments of the present application described above, the technical features that constitute the technical solutions, and the beneficial effects brought about by the technical features of these technical solutions, other technical problems that can be solved by the sorting system, logistics system, and sorting system control method provided by the present application, other technical features included in the technical solutions, and the beneficial effects brought about by these technical features will be further described in detail in the specific implementation methods. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, a brief introduction will be given below to the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0045] FIG1 is a schematic top view of the layout of a sorting system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0046] FIG2 is a schematic front view of the layout of a sorting system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0047] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a buffer mechanism in a sorting system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0048] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of a pick-up and delivery mechanism in a sorting system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0049] FIG5 is a flow chart of a sorting system control method provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0050] Explanation of the accompanying drawings: 100-first conveying mechanism; 101-input port; 102-output port; 110-first conveying line; 111-first conveying section; 112-second conveying section; 113-third conveying section; 200-second conveying mechanism; 210-sorting area; 220-second conveying line; 230-connecting area; 300-cache mechanism; 310-cache shelf; 311-cache storage location; 400-pick-up and release mechanism; 410-first moving track; 420-second moving track; 430-pick-up and release device; 510-storage box; 520-order box; 600-picking work area. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] To make the purpose, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application more clear, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0052] First, those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely used to explain the technical principles of this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Those skilled in the art may adjust them as needed to suit specific applications.

[0053] Secondly, it should be noted that in the description of this application, terms such as "inside" and "outside" indicating directions or positional relationships are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. This is only for the convenience of description and does not indicate or imply that the device or component must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it cannot be understood as a limitation on this application.

[0054] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "connected" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections, electrical connections, or internal connections between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0055] Throughout this specification, reference to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiments," "examples," "specific examples," or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0056] Logistics sorting is a very important link in logistics warehousing and distribution. Ensuring continuous and efficient sorting work can improve the overall efficiency of goods outbound. The logistics system generally includes storage shelves, sorting workstations, transportation equipment and other devices. The sorting workstation includes sorting devices and seeding walls. When goods are in and out of the warehouse, the sorting work can be completed by sorting personnel. The goods are usually classified according to order tasks or types of goods, and the goods are placed in the storage slots of the seeding wall according to the corresponding classification results. The classified goods can be transported in and out of the warehouse by transportation equipment such as handling robots.

[0057] However, the sorting operation of the current sorting device is usually performed manually. The sorting personnel need to face different order tasks at the same time. After picking, they need to turn around and find the corresponding position of the goods on the seeding wall to put them, resulting in low sorting efficiency. In addition, the sorting personnel face multiple order positions on the seeding wall, which easily leads to the problem of missorting goods.

[0058] The present application provides a sorting system, a logistics system and a sorting system control method. By setting up a cache mechanism to store order boxes, when facing multiple order sorting tasks at the same time, order boxes that have only completed part of the product sorting tasks can be automatically stored in the cache mechanism through a pick-and-place mechanism, playing the role of a seeding wall, thereby eliminating the need for manual placement of sorted products on the seeding wall, improving order sorting efficiency and avoiding the occurrence of missorted goods.

[0059] First, the application scenarios of the embodiments of the present application are described.

[0060] The sorting system provided in the embodiments of the present application can be applied to the entry and exit of products or parts in manufacturing factories, the entry and exit of products or orders in the retail industry, and can also be applied to different fields such as express entry and exit sorting or classification in e-commerce logistics, and can involve different processes such as transportation, sorting, distribution and packaging. The products or goods it handles can be industrial parts, electronic accessories or products, medicines, clothing accessories, food, books, etc., and the embodiments of the present application do not make specific restrictions on this.

[0061] In addition, the entry and exit of goods can be achieved in the form of orders. Each order can contain one or more goods, and according to the requirements of the outbound task, multiple orders can also form an order set, so as to carry out unified packaging operations. The processing priority of the entry and exit or packaging of goods can be distinguished according to the priority of the order.

[0062] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a top view layout of a sorting system provided in an embodiment of the present application, and FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a front view layout of a sorting system provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0063] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, an embodiment of the present application provides a sorting system, which includes a first conveying mechanism 100, a second conveying mechanism 200, a cache mechanism 300, and a pick-up and release mechanism 400. During the sorting process of the sorting system, the goods are stored in a material box, which includes a storage box 510 and an order box 520. When performing the sorting operation, the sorting system will sort the goods from the storage box 510 to the order box 520 according to the order information.

[0064] The first conveying mechanism 100 has an input port 101 for the storage box 510 to enter and an output port 102 for the storage box 510 to be sent out. A first conveying line 110 is formed between the input port 101 and the output port 102. The storage box 510 is used to store the goods to be sorted. The second conveying mechanism 200 has a sorting area 210. The sorting area 210 is used to accommodate the order box 520. The order box 520 is used to receive the goods sorted from the storage box 510. The first conveying line 110 is at least partially arranged opposite to the sorting area 210.

[0065] It can be understood that after entering the first conveyor line 110, the storage box 510 can move from the input port 101 to the output port 102, and in this process it will pass through the area opposite to the sorting area 210, so that the goods in the storage box 510 can be picked into the corresponding order box 520.

[0066] The cache mechanism 300 is arranged on the side of the sorting area 210. The cache mechanism 300 is used to store the order box 520. The picking and placing mechanism 400 is arranged between the cache mechanism 300 and the second conveying mechanism 200. The picking and placing mechanism 400 can pick up and place the order box 520 from the cache mechanism 300 to the sorting area 210, and after the sorting operation is completed, the order box 520 can be picked up and placed from the sorting area 210 to the cache shelf 310.

[0067] It can be understood that an order box 520 can store goods corresponding to a single order task, or an order box 520 can store goods corresponding to an order set. An order set can include multiple orders, and the goods in the order task corresponding to each order box 520 may be stored in different storage boxes 510. Therefore, when sorting orders, it is necessary to wait for multiple storage boxes 510 to be sent to the first conveying mechanism 100 for multiple picking operations. In the picking intervals of different storage boxes 510, the corresponding order boxes 520 can be temporarily stored in the cache mechanism 300, so as to ensure that the picking area can continue to perform picking operations for other orders. When the corresponding storage box 510 enters the first conveying mechanism 100, the order box 520 is taken out from the cache mechanism 300.

[0068] It should be noted that the sorting system provided in the embodiment of the present application sets up a cache mechanism 300 for temporarily storing order boxes 520, and uses the pick-up and release mechanism 400 to transfer the order boxes 520 between the sorting area 210 and the cache mechanism 300. When the goods of the order corresponding to the order box 520 are only partially sorted, the order box 520 can be automatically temporarily stored in the cache mechanism 300, so there is no need to set up a seeding wall, and there is no need for sorting personnel to perform order seeding operations, and picking operations for other orders can be continued without long periods of idle waiting, thereby improving sorting efficiency and avoiding the occurrence of missorting of goods.

[0069] First, the specific structure and arrangement of the cache mechanism 300 will be described in detail below.

[0070] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a buffer mechanism in a sorting system provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0071] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3. In some embodiments, the cache mechanism 300 may include at least one cache shelf 310. The cache shelf 310 has multiple cache locations 311. Each cache location 311 can hold at least one order box 520. The order boxes 520 in different cache locations 311 correspond to different order tasks. The sorting system can simultaneously execute the outbound sorting tasks of multiple orders to improve the outbound efficiency.

[0072] It can be understood that the cache shelf 310 can have multiple rows and columns of cache locations 311, and the multiple cache locations 311 are arranged in an array on the cache shelf 310. The picking and releasing mechanism 400 can take the target order box 520 from the corresponding cache location 311 according to the order sorting task currently to be performed and place it in the sorting area 210 of the second conveying mechanism 200.

[0073] For example, the cache locations 311 on the cache shelf 310 can be arranged in a square array. The cache locations 311 can be arranged in one row, two rows, three rows, or more rows. The cache locations 311 can be arranged in one column, two columns, three columns, or more columns. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific number of cache locations 311. For example, if each cache location 311 can store one order box 520 and each order box 520 corresponds to one order task, when the cache shelf 310 has N cache locations 311 and the cache mechanism 300 includes M cache shelves 310, the sorting system provided in the embodiment of the present application can simultaneously perform sorting tasks for N×M orders.

[0074] In some embodiments, the second conveying mechanism 200 may include a second conveying line 220, which extends along the first direction. At least a portion of the second conveying line 220 is used to form a sorting area 210. The sorting area 210 may include multiple sorting positions arranged along the first direction, so that the sorting area 210 can simultaneously perform picking work for multiple orders, thereby improving sorting efficiency.

[0075] The first direction is defined as the X direction. The second conveyor line 220 may extend along the X direction. Since the first conveyor line 110 is at least partially opposite to the second conveyor line 220 , at least a portion of the conveying section of the first conveyor line 110 extends along the X direction.

[0076] It is understood that the first direction can be a horizontal direction, and the second conveyor line 220 can convey the order boxes 520 along the X-direction. For example, when an order box 520 has completed sorting for a corresponding order task and no longer needs to be stored in the buffer mechanism 300, the second conveyor line 220 can convey the completed order box 520 out of the second conveyor mechanism 200 along the first direction. For another example, when an empty external order box 520 needs to be delivered to the sorting area 210, the empty external order box 520 can be conveyed to the sorting area 210 along the first direction via the second conveyor line 220.

[0077] In some embodiments, the first conveying line 110 may include a first conveying section 111, a second conveying section 112 and a third conveying section 113, the first end of the first conveying section 111 is used to form an input port 101, the second end of the first conveying section 111 can be connected to the second conveying section 112, the first end of the third conveying section 113 is used to form an output port 102, the second end of the third conveying section 113 can be connected to the second conveying section 112, and the second conveying section 112 can extend along the first direction and be opposite to the second conveying line 220.

[0078] It can be understood that the first conveying section 111, the second conveying section 112 and the third conveying section 113 can be connected in sequence. After the storage box 510 is sent to the first conveyor line 110, it can flow through the first conveying section 111, the second conveying section 112 and the third conveying section 113 in sequence, and the picking operation of the goods can be performed in the second conveying section 112, that is, when the corresponding order task is assigned, the storage box 510 on the second conveying section 112 can be opposite to the order box 520 on the second conveyor line 220, thereby improving the convenience of the sorting operation.

[0079] For example, the second conveyor section 112 and the second conveyor line 220 can be spaced apart in the vertical direction, so that the second conveyor section 112 and the second conveyor line 220 form a double-layer conveying mechanism, thereby reducing the occupied area of ​​the sorting system and improving space utilization. For example, the second conveyor section 112 can be arranged above the second conveyor line 220, the height of the second conveyor section 112 can be 700mm-900mm, and the height of the second conveyor line 220 can be 300-500mm. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific height values ​​of the second conveyor section 112 and the second conveyor line 220.

[0080] Furthermore, the first conveying section 111 and the third conveying section 113 can be connected to the same side of the second conveying section 112, with the buffer mechanism 300 located between the first conveying section 111 and the third conveying section 113. Both the first conveying section 111 and the third conveying section 113 can extend away from the second conveying mechanism 200, thereby forming a U-shaped structure among the first conveying section 111, the second conveying section 112, and the third conveying section 113. The placement of the buffer mechanism 300 between the first conveying section 111 and the third conveying section 113 can improve space utilization.

[0081] It should be noted that, depending on the actual space requirements of the layout, the first conveyor line 110 can also include more conveying sections, and the first conveying mechanism 100 can have other different layout shapes, which will not be described in detail here. The first conveyor line 110 and the second conveyor line 220 can adopt similar conveying structures. The conveying mechanism of the first conveyor line 110 is used as an example for description below.

[0082] In some embodiments, the first conveyor line 110 may include a smooth bar, which includes multiple rollers. The multiple rollers are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the first conveyor line 110. Under the action of external force, the material box can slide on the smooth bar and move smoothly from the input port 101 to the output port 102.

[0083] It is understandable that there can be multiple flow bars, and multiple flow bars can be arranged in parallel and at intervals along the width direction of the first conveyor line 110. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific number of flow bars.

[0084] In other embodiments, the first conveyor line 110 may include a transmission assembly and a drive unit, the drive unit is used to drive the transmission assembly to move the material box, and the transmission assembly may include at least one of a conveyor belt and a conveyor roller, so that the first conveyor line 110 can drive the material box to move by active driving, thereby improving the stability of the material box movement process.

[0085] It is understood that the drive unit can be a motor. When a transmission belt is used to convey the material box, the output shaft of the motor can drive the transmission pulley corresponding to the transmission belt, thereby causing the transmission belt to be transmitted along the extension direction of the first conveyor line 110, thereby driving the material box to move through friction. When conveyor rollers are used to convey the material box, the conveyor rollers can include active rollers and passive rollers. The conveyor rollers are arranged along the extension direction of the first conveyor line 110. The output shaft of the motor can drive the active rollers to rotate, thereby driving the material box to move.

[0086] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of a picking and placing mechanism in a sorting system provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0087] Since each cache shelf 310 can store multiple order boxes 520, and there can be multiple cache shelves 310, the picking and placing mechanism 400 needs to accurately find the corresponding position of the target order box 520 when performing the picking and placing task of the corresponding order box 520. The specific structure of the picking and placing mechanism 400 and the picking and placing method are described in detail below.

[0088] Please refer to Figures 1 to 4. In some embodiments, multiple cache shelves 310 can be arranged along a first direction. The picking and placing mechanism 400 may include a first moving rail 410 and at least one picking and placing device 430 arranged on the first moving rail 410. The first moving rail 410 extends along the first direction. The picking and placing device 430 can move along the first moving rail 410 to pick up and place order boxes 520 from different cache shelves 310, so that the order boxes 520 at different positions on the cache shelves 310 can be located by the picking and placing device 430, thereby improving the efficiency of delivering the order boxes 520 in and out of the cache shelves 310.

[0089] It is understandable that the first movable track 410 may be parallel to the extension direction of the second conveyor line 220 , and the picking and placing device 430 may move along the X direction via the first movable track 410 .

[0090] In addition, there may be multiple picking and placing devices 430, and the multiple picking and placing devices 430 may be spaced apart along the first direction, so that the order boxes 520 may be picked and placed simultaneously by the multiple picking and placing devices 430, thereby improving the efficiency of the circulation of the order boxes 520.

[0091] For example, there may be two cache shelves 310 and two pick-and-place devices 430. The two pick-and-place devices 430 may correspond to two cache shelves 310, respectively, and be responsible for picking and placing the order boxes 520 on the corresponding cache shelves 310. In addition, the pick-and-place device 430 may include a carrying tray and a telescopic arm. The telescopic arm can be extended or retracted relative to the carrying tray. The carrying tray is used to carry the order boxes 520. The end of the telescopic arm may be provided with a pick-and-place unit. The pick-and-place unit may adopt a structure such as a hook, a clamp, a suction cup, or a mechanical finger. The telescopic movement of the telescopic arm can move the order box 520 onto the carrying tray, or push the order box 520 on the carrying tray to the cache mechanism 300 or the sorting area 210.

[0092] In some embodiments, the picking and placing mechanism 400 may further include a second movable rail 420, which extends along a second direction. The second movable rail 420 is movably set on the first movable rail 410, and the picking and placing device 430 is movably set on the second movable rail 420. The second direction is the height direction of the cache shelf 310. The picking and placing device 430 can pick and place order boxes 520 at different height positions on the cache shelf 310, thereby improving the accuracy of the allocation of order boxes 520.

[0093] The second direction is defined as the Y direction, which is the vertical direction. The second movable track 420 can drive the picking and placing device 430 to move vertically, so that the first movable track 410 and the second movable track 420 can realize that the picking and placing device 430 covers all cache locations 311 on the entire cache shelf 310, and can accurately locate the cache location 311 where the target order box 520 is located according to the order task.

[0094] It should be noted that the first movable track 410 can be horizontally arranged on the ground, and the second movable track 420 is a column arranged perpendicular to the first movable track 410. The first movable track 410 can be provided with a belt drive mechanism or a chain drive mechanism to drive the second movable track 420 as a whole to move in the X direction. The second movable track 420 can also be provided with a belt drive mechanism or a chain drive mechanism to drive the pick-up and placement device 430 to move in the Y direction. This embodiment of the application does not specifically limit the drive method for the horizontal movement of the second movable track 420 or the drive method for the vertical movement of the pick-up and placement device 430.

[0095] In some embodiments, the second conveying mechanism 200 has a connecting area 230, which can be located on the side of the sorting area 210. The connecting area 230 is configured to receive empty order boxes 520 or send out picked order boxes 520, so that empty order boxes 520 can be replenished in time, and the order boxes 520 that have completed the order sorting task can be quickly circulated to the next procedure.

[0096] For example, the sorting area 210 can simultaneously accommodate four order boxes 520, and the connecting area 230 located to the side of the sorting area 210 can accommodate one order box 520. Thus, the sorting area 210 can simultaneously perform the picking work for four orders. After completing the sorting task for an order box 520, the corresponding order box 520 can be moved to the connecting area 230 via the second conveyor line 220. The order box 520 in the connecting area 230 can be removed by external handling equipment. When the external handling equipment delivers an empty order box 520 to the connecting area 230, the empty order box 520 can be delivered to the sorting area 210 via the second conveyor line 220, or can be picked up and placed on the buffer mechanism 300 by the pick-up and release mechanism 400.

[0097] In the embodiment of the present application, the operation of picking ordered goods from storage box 510 to order box 520 can be completed manually or by automated equipment. Depending on the specific application scenario, manual sorting or automated equipment sorting can be adopted to increase the degree of freedom in arrangement. This is exemplified below.

[0098] 1 and 2 , in some embodiments, the sorting system may further include a picking work area 600 . The picking work area 600 is arranged opposite the sorting area 210 and is located on a side of the second conveying mechanism 200 away from the pick-up and release mechanism 400 . This facilitates sorting operations while ensuring a rational layout of the sorting system and improving space utilization.

[0099] Exemplarily, the picking work area 600 is provided with at least one picking work station. When manual picking is adopted, the picking operator can complete the picking operation in the picking work station, and each picking operator can cover the entire sorting area 210. After completing the manual sorting, there is no need for the picking operator to seed the order. The order box 520 can be taken away by the picking and releasing mechanism 400 and temporarily stored in the cache mechanism 300.

[0100] Illustratively, the picking workspace 600 is provided with at least one picking robot, which is configured to pick and place ordered goods from the storage box 510 into the corresponding order box 520 in the sorting area 210. The picking robot may be provided with a detection unit, which may include at least one of a photoelectric scanner, a visual sensor, and a radio frequency sensor. Different types of detection units may be used for different application scenarios, or different types of detection units may be used in combination for detection to improve detection accuracy and meet the detection requirements of different application scenarios.

[0101] For example, when the detection unit is a photoelectric scanner, the detection unit can be a barcode scanner, and there can be a corresponding barcode or QR code, or other identification mark on the goods. The barcode scanner can determine the corresponding information of the goods based on the mark information on the scanned goods, that is, it can determine the order corresponding to the goods.

[0102] In addition, when the detection unit is a visual sensor, the detection unit can be a camera, which can be directed towards the goods in the storage space. It can determine the information of the goods by identifying the appearance of the goods, or a corresponding graphic logo can be set on the surface of the goods, and the corresponding graphic logo can be identified by the camera to determine the information of the goods.

[0103] An embodiment of the present application provides a logistics system, which may include storage shelves, handling equipment and the sorting system in the above technical solution. The handling equipment is configured to transport the storage to be sorted from the storage shelves to the sorting system, or to transport the sorted storage boxes from the sorting system to the storage shelves.

[0104] It is understood that the handling device may be a handling robot, which may include a mobile base, on which a lifting mechanism may be provided, and which can move along its height direction. There may be multiple storage shelves, and the multiple storage shelves may form a storage area, and the handling robot may dock with the shelves and pick up and place storage boxes.

[0105] The lifting mechanism can be moved to different heights to correspond to storage locations at different heights on the shelf. The lifting mechanism can be equipped with a retractable robotic arm, and the end of the robotic arm can be equipped with a clamping structure. During the operation of the handling robot, it can first enter the designated aisle of the shelf and move to the corresponding storage location. The lifting mechanism moves to the storage location at the corresponding height, and then the robotic arm can be extended to clamp or lift the storage box.

[0106] It should be noted that the logistics system provided in the embodiment of the present application includes all the technical solutions and technical effects of the above-mentioned sorting system, which will not be repeated here.

[0107] FIG5 is a flow chart of a sorting system control method provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0108] Referring to FIG. 5 , and in combination with FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 , an embodiment of the present application provides a sorting system control method, which is used in the above-mentioned sorting system. The method includes:

[0109] S100: Move the target storage box and the target order box according to the target order information.

[0110] It is understandable that each storage box and order box has a corresponding number, and the information of the target order includes a list of target goods included in the order and the number of the storage box where each target goods is stored.

[0111] The control center of the sorting system can control the first conveying mechanism 100 to move the target storage box. The first conveying mechanism 100 can receive the storage box from the input port 101 and move the storage box from its input port 101 to the output port 102.

[0112] In addition, when the sorting system hits an order task, the control center will allocate an order box, and the control center of the sorting system can control the picking and placing mechanism 400 to pick up and place the target order box from the cache mechanism 300 to the sorting area 210 of the second conveying mechanism 200.

[0113] It should be noted that, since the target goods of the target order to be sorted may be stored in different storage boxes, completing the sorting of an order task may require multiple picking tasks. The order boxes that complete part of the sorting tasks in the intermediate intermittent stage can be stored in the cache mechanism 300, and the above-mentioned steps of moving the storage boxes and order boxes can be used at the beginning of each picking operation.

[0114] S200: Pick target goods from a target storage box to a target order box.

[0115] It can be understood that the target storage box is located on the first conveyor line 110, and the target order box is located in the sorting area 210 of the second conveyor line 220. When the target storage box and the target order box are opposite to each other, the target goods can be moved from the target storage box to the target order box by manual sorting or automated equipment sorting.

[0116] S300: Determine whether all the goods of the target order are picked into the target order box. If so, transport the target order box outward; if not, transport the target order box to the cache mechanism.

[0117] It will be appreciated that upon completion of a bin picking task, it is determined whether all goods in the corresponding order have been picked into the target order bin. If all target goods for the order have been picked, the order bin can be delivered, for example, transferred to the next packaging process. If some of the target goods in the order remain unpicked in other bins, the target order bin can be temporarily stored in the buffer mechanism 300 via the pick-and-place mechanism 400. When the next bin corresponding to the order task enters the first conveyor mechanism 100, steps S100, S200, and S300 are repeated.

[0118] It should be noted that completing the sorting of an order task may require multiple picking tasks, and the intermittent stages in between can be used to sort other orders, thereby improving the overall sorting efficiency of the sorting system.

[0119] An embodiment of the present application provides a sorting system, a logistics system and a sorting system control method, wherein the sorting system includes a first conveying mechanism, a second conveying mechanism, a cache mechanism and a pick-up and release mechanism, the first conveying mechanism has an input port for a storage box to enter and an output port for the storage box to be sent out, a first conveying line is formed between the input port and the output port, the storage box is used to store goods to be sorted, the second conveying mechanism has a sorting area, the sorting area is used to accommodate order boxes, and the order boxes are used to receive goods sorted from the storage box; the first conveying line is at least partially arranged opposite to the sorting area, the cache mechanism is arranged on the side of the sorting area, the cache mechanism is used to store order boxes, the pick-up and release mechanism is arranged between the cache mechanism and the second conveying mechanism, and the pick-up and release mechanism is configured to pick up and place the order box from the cache mechanism to the sorting area, and / or, pick up and place the order box from the sorting area to the cache shelf, thereby improving the sorting efficiency and avoiding the situation where goods are sorted incorrectly.

[0120] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A sorting system, characterized in that: include: A first conveying mechanism, wherein the first conveying mechanism has an input port for a storage box to enter and an output port for the storage box to be sent out, a first conveying line is formed between the input port and the output port, and the storage box is used to store goods to be sorted; a second conveying mechanism, the second conveying mechanism having a sorting area, the sorting area being used to accommodate order boxes, the order boxes being used to receive goods sorted out from the storage box; the first conveying line is at least partially arranged opposite to the sorting area; A cache mechanism, which is arranged at the side of the sorting area and is used to store the order boxes; A picking and placing mechanism is arranged between the cache mechanism and the second conveying mechanism, and the picking and placing mechanism is configured to pick up and place the order box from the cache mechanism to the sorting area, and / or to pick up and place the order box from the sorting area to the cache mechanism.

2. The sorting system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cache mechanism includes at least one cache shelf, and the cache shelf has a plurality of cache locations, each of which can hold at least one order box; the order boxes in different cache locations correspond to different order tasks.

3. The sorting system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The second conveying mechanism includes a second conveying line extending along a first direction, and at least a portion of the second conveying line is used to form the sorting area; the sorting area includes a plurality of sorting positions arranged along the first direction.

4. The sorting system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first conveying line includes a first conveying section, a second conveying section and a third conveying section; the first end of the first conveying section is used to form the input port, and the second end of the first conveying section is connected to the second conveying section; the first end of the third conveying section is used to form the output port, and the second end of the third conveying section is connected to the second conveying section; the second conveying section extends along the first direction and is opposite to the second conveying line.

5. The sorting system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The second conveying section and the second conveying line are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction; and / or the first conveying section and the third conveying section are connected to the same side of the second conveying section, and the buffer mechanism is located between the first conveying section and the third conveying section.

6. The sorting system according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that: There are multiple cache shelves, and the multiple cache shelves are arranged along a first direction. The picking and placing mechanism includes a first moving track and at least one picking and placing device arranged on the first moving track. The first moving track extends along the first direction; the picking and placing device can move along the first moving track to pick up and place the order boxes from different cache shelves.

7. The sorting system according to claim 6, characterized in that: There are multiple cargo picking and placing devices, and the multiple cargo picking and placing devices are arranged at intervals along the first direction.

8. The sorting system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The cargo picking and placing mechanism also includes a second movable track, which extends along a second direction. The second movable track is movably arranged on the first movable track, and the cargo picking and placing device is movably arranged on the second movable track; the second direction is the height direction of the cache shelf.

9. The sorting system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The second conveying mechanism has a communication area, which is located on the side of the sorting area. The communication area is configured to receive the empty order boxes or send out the picked order boxes.

10. The sorting system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: It also includes a picking work area, which is arranged opposite to the sorting area, and is located on a side of the second conveying mechanism away from the picking and releasing mechanism.

11. The sorting system according to claim 10, characterized in that: The picking work area is provided with at least one picking work station; or, the picking work area is provided with at least one picking robot, and the picking robot is configured to take the ordered goods in the storage box and place them into the corresponding order box in the sorting area.

12. A logistics system, characterized in that: It comprises storage shelves, handling equipment and a sorting system as described in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the handling equipment is configured to transport storage boxes to be sorted from the storage shelves to the sorting system, or to transport the sorted storage boxes from the sorting system to the storage shelves.

13. A sorting system control method, characterized in that: For use in a sorting system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, the method comprising: Move the target storage box and the target order box according to the information of the target order; Picking target goods from the target storage box to the target order box; Determine whether all the goods of the target order are picked into the target order box. If so, transport the target order box outward; if not, transport the target order box to a cache mechanism.

14. The control method of the sorting system according to claim 13, characterized in that: The step of moving the target storage box and the target order box according to the target order information specifically includes: Controlling the first conveying mechanism to move the target storage box; The picking and placing mechanism is controlled to pick and place the target order box from the buffer mechanism to the sorting area of ​​the second conveying mechanism.

Images