Handling robot

Abstract

A handling robot, comprising a travel chassis (100), a mast (200) and a carton pick-up mechanism (400). The travel chassis comprises a frame (110) and at least one differential steering wheel assembly (120) arranged at the bottom of the frame, wherein the differential steering wheel assembly comprises a mounting frame (121) and two driving wheels (122) arranged on two opposite sides of the mounting frame, the mounting frame being rotatably connected to the frame. The mast is mounted on the travel chassis, comprising two uprights (211) arranged opposite each other. The carton pick-up mechanism is arranged on the mast and slidably connected to the uprights in the direction of height. The carton pick-up mechanism comprises a bearing portion (410) and a telescopic fork assembly (420), wherein the telescopic fork assembly comprises telescopic fork arms (430) arranged on two opposite sides of the bearing portion, the telescopic fork arms being configured to extend and retract to grasp a material carton (30) from the outside and place same onto the bearing portion, or place a material carton from the bearing portion to the outside. By means of the provision of the differential steering wheel assembly, the position of the handling robot can be fine-adjusted, so that the accuracy of secondary positioning is improved, thereby improving alignment efficiency and reliability.

Description

A transport robot

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on December 6, 2023, with application number 202323330877.0 and invention name “A Transport Robot”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of logistics and warehousing technology, and in particular to a transport robot. Background Art

[0003] Cargo handling is an important part of the logistics and warehousing system. With the development of logistics and warehousing technology, cargo handling is generally completed by handling robots.

[0004] In related technologies, a transport robot typically includes a traveling chassis, which it uses to move to docking stations to retrieve and place bins. Specifically, during movement, the transport robot first locates the target station by identifying coordinates from a QR code on the ground. Subsequently, due to potential discrepancies in the distance or angle between the transport robot's track and the station, the transport robot requires secondary positioning, including fine-tuning such as horizontal lateral movement, to ensure precise docking with the station.

[0005] In related technologies, the transport robot's running chassis typically utilizes a differential chassis, which includes a frame and two drive wheels positioned in the middle of the frame. The two drive wheels are positioned opposite each other and fixedly connected to the frame. Controlling the two drive wheels to rotate at the same speed enables the transport robot to move forward and backward, while controlling the two drive wheels to rotate at a differential speed enables the transport robot to turn or rotate in place. In other words, a differential chassis only enables the transport robot to move forward and backward, turn, or rotate in place. It is not possible to directly translate the transport robot laterally in other directions without rotating the frame. This makes it difficult for the transport robot to fine-tune its position in confined spaces, resulting in poor secondary positioning accuracy and, in turn, low docking efficiency and reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of the embodiments of the present application is to provide a transport robot to improve the docking efficiency and reliability of the transport robot. The specific technical solution is as follows:

[0007] An embodiment of the present application provides a transport robot, comprising a walking chassis, a gantry, and a box-taking mechanism. The walking chassis comprises a frame and at least one differential steering wheel assembly arranged at the bottom of the frame, the differential steering wheel assembly comprises a mounting frame and two drive wheels arranged on opposite sides of the mounting frame, and the mounting frame is rotatably connected to the frame. The gantry is mounted on the walking chassis, and the gantry comprises two oppositely arranged columns. The box-taking mechanism is arranged on the gantry and is slidably connected to the columns in the height direction. The box-taking mechanism comprises a load-bearing portion and a telescopic fork assembly, the telescopic fork assembly comprises telescopic forks arranged on opposite sides of the load-bearing portion, the telescopic fork being used to clamp a material box from the outside and place it on the load-bearing portion after telescoping, or to place a material box on the load-bearing portion to the outside.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present application, the differential steering wheel assembly also includes two first drive motors, the two first drive motors are located inside the mounting frame and fixedly connected to the mounting frame, and the two drive wheels are located on opposite sides outside the mounting frame and are connected one-to-one with the two first drive motors.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present application, the mounting frame is rotatably connected to the vehicle frame via a slewing bearing, the slewing bearing includes a bearing inner ring and a bearing outer ring, the bearing inner ring is connected to the vehicle frame, and the bearing outer ring is connected to the mounting frame.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present application, the frame has four corners; two differential steering wheel assemblies are provided, and the two differential steering wheel assemblies are located on two of the four corners that are diagonally arranged; two universal wheels are also provided at the bottom of the frame, and the two universal wheels are located on the other two of the four corners.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present application, one of the two universal wheels is floatingly connected to the frame via an elastic member.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present application, the two upright posts of the door frame are arranged along the length direction of the frame.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present application, a receiving groove is provided on the top of the frame, and when the box-taking mechanism slides to the lowest position relative to the column, the bottom of the box-taking mechanism is received in the receiving groove; in the height direction, the lowest plane of the receiving groove is lower than the connecting surface between the column and the frame.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present application, a lifting mechanism is also provided on the gantry, and the lifting mechanism is used to drive the box-taking mechanism to lift or lower relative to the gantry, and the lifting mechanism includes a second drive motor; the gantry also includes a top crossbeam connecting the two columns; the second drive motor is fixed on the top crossbeam.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present application, the telescopic fork includes a fixed plate and at least one fork plate slidably connected to the fixed plate in a horizontal direction, and the fixed plate is also slidably connected to the column in a height direction.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present application, the box-taking mechanism further includes a first telescopic component, which is disposed on the telescopic fork and is used to drive the first-level fork plate to bidirectionally telescope in a horizontal direction relative to the fixed plate.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present application, the load-bearing portion is a powered belt assembly or a roller assembly.

[0018] In some embodiments of the present application, an anti-collision mechanism is also provided at the bottom of the carrying part, and the anti-collision mechanism is used to detect whether there is an obstacle between the carrying part and the walking chassis during the descent of the box picking mechanism, and send a trigger signal after detecting the obstacle to control the transport robot to stop working.

[0019] In some embodiments of the present application, the anti-collision mechanism includes a rubber strip, which is arranged around the bottom circumference of the bearing part, and an air tube is encapsulated inside the rubber strip. One end of the air tube is connected to the rubber strip and blocked by the rubber strip, and the other end of the air tube is connected to a trigger, which is used to send the trigger signal when the air tube is squeezed.

[0020] In an embodiment of the present application, a transport robot includes a walking chassis, which is used to move the transport robot to a docking machine via the walking chassis; the transport robot also includes a gantry and a box-picking mechanism disposed on the gantry, which is capable of rising or falling relative to the gantry. The box-picking mechanism includes a load-bearing portion and a telescopic fork, which can be extended or retracted to pick up a material box from the docking machine and place it on the load-bearing portion, or to move the material box placed on the load-bearing portion to the docking machine. Unlike the related art, in an embodiment of the present application, a differential steering wheel assembly is disposed at the bottom of the walking chassis, the differential steering wheel assembly including a mounting frame and drive wheels disposed on both sides of the mounting frame, the mounting frame being rotatably connected to the vehicle frame. During travel, the mounting frame can be rotated vertically relative to the vehicle frame by controlling the differential rotation of the two drive wheels. Thus, the travel angle of the differential steering wheel assembly can be changed, and the travel direction of the vehicle frame can be adjusted without rotating the vehicle frame, so that the transport robot can move in any direction, either linearly or in an arc. This facilitates fine-tuning the position of the transport robot in confined spaces, improves the accuracy of secondary positioning, and thus improves docking efficiency and reliability.

[0021] Of course, any product implementing the present application does not necessarily need to achieve all of the advantages described above at the same time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The drawings described herein are used to provide further understanding of the present application and constitute a part of the present application. The illustrative embodiments of the present application and their descriptions are used to explain the present application and do not constitute improper limitations on the present application.

[0023] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of an arrangement of a moving track and a platform of a handling robot;

[0024] FIG2 is a simplified schematic diagram of a walking chassis of a transport robot in the related art;

[0025] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a transport robot according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] FIG4 is a bottom view of the walking chassis of the transport robot shown in FIG3 ;

[0027] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of the differential steering wheel assembly of the traveling chassis shown in FIG4 ;

[0028] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of the box-taking mechanism of the handling robot shown in FIG3 in a lifted state;

[0029] FIG7 is a schematic structural diagram of the handling robot shown in FIG3 from another angle (the housing at the top crossbeam is not shown);

[0030] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of a telescopic fork assembly of a box-picking mechanism of the handling robot shown in FIG3 ;

[0031] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of the transport robot shown in FIG3 pulling a material box by a telescopic fork;

[0032] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of the transport robot shown in FIG3 acquiring a material box through the carrying portion;

[0033] In Figures 1 and 2: handling robot 90; frame 901; driving wheel 902; platform 91; moving track 92; lateral direction X;

[0034] In Figures 3 to 10: handling robot 10; walking chassis 100; frame 110; corner 111; receiving groove 112; connecting surface 113; step structure 114; differential steering wheel assembly 120; mounting frame 121; driving wheel 122; slewing bearing 123; bearing inner ring 1231; bearing outer ring 1232; universal wheel 124; door frame 200; column 211; top crossbeam 212; housing 213; control panel 214; lifting mechanism 300; second driving motor 310; lifting transmission assembly 320; sprocket 321; transmission chain 322; lifting plate 330; box taking mechanism 400; bearing part 410; roller assembly 411; roller shaft 4111; telescopic fork assembly 420; housing 421; slide groove 4211; telescopic fork 430; fixing plate 431; first guide groove 4311; primary fork plate 432; connecting plate 4321; rack 4322; mounting groove 4323; second guide groove 4324; first guide rail 4325; secondary fork plate 433; second guide rail 4331; first telescopic assembly 440; third drive motor 441; synchronous wheel transmission assembly 442; synchronous wheel 4421; synchronous belt 4422; transmission shaft 443; second telescopic assembly 450; first transmission wheel 451; second transmission wheel 452; first transmission belt 453; second transmission belt 454; shift fork 460; first shift fork 461; second shift fork 462; anti-collision mechanism 470; rubber strip 471; machine 20; material box 30; length direction Y. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. It should be understood that the described examples are only some of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. All other embodiments derived by persons of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention are intended to fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] 1 and 2 , FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an arrangement of a moving track 92 and a platform 91 of a transport robot 90 ; and FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic diagram of a walking chassis of a transport robot 90 in the related art.

[0037] In combination with the background technology and as shown in Figure 1, in actual applications, there may be deviations in the distance or angle between different machines 91 and the moving track 92 of the transport robot 90. Therefore, after one positioning, the transport robot 90 also needs to perform a second positioning by fine-tuning the position to ensure accurate docking with the machine 91.

[0038] As shown in FIG2 , in the related art, the walking chassis of the transport robot 90 usually adopts a differential chassis, which includes a frame 901 and two drive wheels 902 arranged in the middle of the frame 901. The two drive wheels 902 are arranged opposite to each other and fixedly connected to the frame 901. That is to say, the drive wheels 902 cannot rotate relative to the frame 901. Therefore, the transport robot 90 can only move, turn and rotate in place in the front and rear directions, and cannot achieve lateral movement in other directions without rotating the frame 901, such as lateral movement in the X direction in FIG2 . As a result, it is difficult for the transport robot 90 to fine-tune its position in a narrow space, resulting in poor accuracy of its secondary positioning, and thus low docking efficiency and reliability.

[0039] In view of this, an embodiment of the present application provides a transport robot 10, see Figures 3 to 5, wherein Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of the transport robot 10 of the embodiment of the present application; Figure 4 is an overhead view of the walking chassis 100 of the transport robot 10 shown in Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a structural schematic diagram of the differential steering wheel assembly 120 of the walking chassis 100 shown in Figure 4.

[0040] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the handling robot 10 includes a walking chassis 100, a gantry 200, and a box-retrieving mechanism 400. The walking chassis 100 includes a frame 110 and at least one differential steering wheel assembly 120 disposed at the bottom of the frame 110. The differential steering wheel assembly 120 includes a mounting frame 121 and two drive wheels 122 disposed on opposite sides of the mounting frame 121. The mounting frame 121 is rotatably connected to the frame 110. The gantry 200 is mounted on the walking chassis 100 and includes two oppositely disposed columns 211. The box-retrieving mechanism 400 is disposed on the gantry 200 and is slidably connected to the columns 211 in the height direction. The box-taking mechanism 400 includes a load-bearing portion 410 and a telescopic fork assembly 420. The telescopic fork assembly 420 includes telescopic forks 430 arranged on opposite sides of the load-bearing portion 410. The telescopic forks 430 are used to clamp the material box 30 from the outside and place it on the load-bearing portion 410 after telescoping, or to place the material box 30 on the load-bearing portion 410 to the outside.

[0041] In an embodiment of the present application, the transport robot 10 includes a walking chassis 100, and the transport robot 10 moves to the docking machine 20 through the walking chassis 100; the transport robot 10 also includes a gantry 200 and a box picking mechanism 400 arranged on the gantry 200, and the box picking mechanism 400 can rise or fall relative to the gantry 200. The box picking mechanism 400 includes a load-bearing part 410 and a telescopic fork 430. The telescopic fork 430 can be extended and retracted to clamp the material box from the docking machine and place it on the load-bearing part 410, and the material box placed on the load-bearing part 410 can also be moved to the docking machine. Different from the related art, in the embodiment of the present application, a differential steering wheel assembly 120 is provided at the bottom of the walking chassis 100. The differential steering wheel assembly 120 includes a mounting frame 121 and drive wheels 122 arranged on both sides of the mounting frame 121. The mounting frame 121 is rotatably connected to the frame 110. During the movement, the mounting frame 121 can be rotated about the vertical direction relative to the frame 110 by controlling the differential rotation of the two drive wheels 122. Thus, the travel angle of the differential steering wheel assembly 120 can be changed and the travel direction of the frame 110 can be adjusted without rotating the frame 110, so that the transport robot 10 can move in a straight line or in an arc in any direction. This is conducive to fine-tuning the position of the transport robot 10 in a narrow space, improving the accuracy of the secondary positioning, and thus improving the docking efficiency and reliability.

[0042] In the embodiment of the present application, the differential steering wheel assembly 120 further includes two first drive motors (not shown in the figure). The two first drive motors are located inside the mounting frame 121 and are fixedly connected to the mounting frame 121. As shown in FIG5 , the two drive wheels 122 are located on opposite sides of the outside of the mounting frame 121 and are connected one-to-one with the two first drive motors. By fixing the first drive motors to the inner side of the mounting frame 121 and correspondingly connecting the first drive motors to the drive wheels 122, the two drive wheels 122 can be controlled to rotate at a differential speed, thereby achieving rotation of the mounting frame 121 in a vertical direction relative to the vehicle frame 110, thereby adjusting the travel angle of the walking chassis 100, allowing the transport robot 10 to move in a straight line or in an arc in any direction.

[0043] The mounting frame 121 is rotatably connected to the vehicle frame 110 via a slewing bearing 123. The slewing bearing 123 includes an inner bearing ring 1231 and an outer bearing ring 1232. The inner bearing ring 1231 can be connected to the vehicle frame 110, while the outer bearing ring 1232 can be connected to the mounting frame 121. Therefore, when the two drive wheels 122 rotate differentially, the mounting frame 121 can drive the outer bearing ring 1232 to rotate relative to the inner bearing ring 1231, thereby rotating the differential steering wheel assembly 120 relative to the vehicle frame 110, changing the travel angle of the differential steering wheel assembly 120 and adjusting the travel direction of the traveling chassis 100. In practice, the connection between the inner bearing ring 1231 and the vehicle frame 110, and between the outer bearing ring 1232 and the mounting frame 121, can be achieved using threaded fasteners, thereby simplifying the connection between the differential steering wheel assembly 120 and the vehicle frame 110.

[0044] In other embodiments of the present application, the bearing inner ring 1231 may be connected to the mounting frame 121, and the bearing outer ring 1232 may be connected to the vehicle frame 110. This application does not impose any limitation on this.

[0045] Furthermore, as shown in FIG4 , the vehicle frame 110 has four corners 111; two differential steering wheel assemblies 120 are provided, and the two differential steering wheel assemblies 120 are located at two diagonally opposite corners 111 of the four corners 111; and two universal wheels 124 are also provided at the bottom of the vehicle frame 110, and the two universal wheels 124 are located at the other two of the four corners 111. The two diagonally opposite differential steering wheel assemblies 120 and the two diagonally opposite outward-facing wheels can support the four corners 111 of the vehicle frame 110, making the traveling chassis 100 more stable during operation.

[0046] Preferably, one of the two universal wheels 124 is floatingly connected to the vehicle frame 110 via an elastic member. By floatingly connecting one universal wheel 124 to the vehicle frame 110, the universal wheel 124 can float relative to the vehicle frame 110 in the vertical direction when traveling on uneven roads. This allows the two differential steering wheel assemblies 120 and the two universal wheels 124 to maintain contact with the ground as much as possible, preventing one of the differential steering wheel assemblies 120 or the universal wheel 124 from becoming suspended in the air. This ensures four-point support for the vehicle frame 110 and improves adaptability to uneven roads. In a specific embodiment, the elastic member is a spring, and the universal wheel 124 can be floatingly connected to the vehicle frame 110 via the spring.

[0047] 6 , which is a structural diagram of the box-taking mechanism 400 of the transport robot 10 shown in FIG. 3 in a lifted state;

[0048] As shown in Figures 3 and 6, the two columns 211 of the gantry 200 are arranged along the length direction Y of the frame 110. By arranging the two columns 211 along the length direction Y of the frame 110, the distance between the two columns 211 can be increased. Therefore, when the overall size of the frame 110 is small, the two columns 211 can accommodate larger material boxes, thereby making the handling robot 10 more applicable to a wider range of applications.

[0049] Specifically, the two columns 211 are connected to the top of the frame 110 at both ends along the length direction Y. The frame 110 is also provided with a receiving slot 112 at the top. When the box-taking mechanism 400 slides to the lowest position relative to the columns 211, the bottom of the box-taking mechanism 400 is received in the receiving slot 112. In the height direction, the lowest plane of the receiving slot 112 is lower than the connecting surface 113 between the columns 211 and the frame 110.

[0050] When the box picking mechanism 400 slides to the lowest position, the lowest part of the box picking mechanism 400, such as the load-bearing part 410, will contact the lowest plane of the accommodating slot 112. By making the lowest plane of the accommodating slot 112 lower than the connecting surface 113 between the column 211 and the frame 110, the lowest plane of the box picking mechanism 400 can be lower than the connecting surface 113 between the column 211 and the frame 110 when the box picking mechanism 400 slides to the lowest position. In this way, not only can the box picking mechanism 400 reach a lower picking height, but also the space of the box picking mechanism 400 in the height direction can be increased when the overall height of the transport robot 10 remains unchanged, so that the transport robot 10 can transport higher-sized boxes and realize effective use of space.

[0051] In an embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG6 , the sidewalls of the receiving groove 112 can be configured as a stepped structure 114 so that the shape of the receiving groove 112 matches the bottom structure of the box-removing mechanism 400. The two uprights 211 can be connected to the stepped structure 114, thereby allowing the connection surface 113 between the two uprights 211 and the frame 110 to be higher than the lowest plane of the receiving groove 112. This application does not limit the shape of the receiving groove 112, as long as the lowest plane of the receiving groove 112 is lower than the connection surface 113 between the uprights 211 and the frame 110.

[0052] Referring to FIG. 7 , FIG. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of the transport robot 10 shown in FIG. 3 from another angle.

[0053] As shown in FIG7 , the gantry 200 is also provided with a lifting mechanism 300, which is used to drive the box-taking mechanism 400 to rise or fall relative to the gantry 200. The lifting mechanism 300 includes a second drive motor 310. The gantry 200 also includes a top crossbeam 212 connecting the two uprights 211. The second drive motor 310 is fixed to the top crossbeam 212. In the related art, the drive motor of the lifting mechanism 300 is usually set below the gantry 200. Unlike the related art, in the embodiment of the present application, by fixing the second drive motor 310 to the top crossbeam 212, not only can height space be saved, but the box-taking mechanism 400 can also be lowered to a lower position, thereby achieving a lower height for picking up goods.

[0054] In the embodiment of the present application, the gantry 200 further includes a housing 213, which is disposed on the outside of the top crossbeam 212 and the two columns 211. For ease of illustration, the housing 213 at the top crossbeam 212 is not shown in FIG7 . The second drive motor 310 is fixed to the top crossbeam 212 and is located within the housing 213. This protects the second drive motor 310 and other components, improving safety. A control panel 214 is also provided on the surface of the housing 213 of one of the columns 211. The control panel 214 is provided with buttons such as emergency stop and reset, thereby facilitating manual control of the transport robot 10.

[0055] Furthermore, the lifting mechanism 300 also includes a lifting transmission assembly 320, which is disposed on each of the two columns 211. The lifting transmission assembly 320 may be a sprocket chain assembly, comprising two sprockets 321 disposed at the top and bottom of the columns 211, respectively, and a transmission chain 322 wound between the two sprockets 321. The second drive motor 310 can be in driving connection with the sprockets 321 disposed at the top of the columns 211. The two telescopic forks 430 of the box-retrieving mechanism 400 can be connected to the transmission chains 322 on either side via the lifting plates 330. Thus, the second drive motor 310 can drive the sprockets 321 to rotate, thereby driving the transmission chains 322 to rotate between the two sprockets 321, thereby driving the box-retrieving mechanism 400 to ascend or descend along the columns 211 of the gantry 200. Furthermore, the outer surface of the telescopic forks 430 can be provided with a slide groove 4211 that slidably engages with the columns 211. This provides guidance for the vertical lifting of the box-retrieving mechanism 400.

[0056] In other embodiments of the present application, the lifting transmission assembly 320 can adopt other transmission methods, such as gear rack transmission, pulley transmission, screw nut transmission, etc. The present application does not limit the specific structure and form of the lifting transmission assembly 320, as long as the box picking mechanism 400 can be vertically lifted and lowered along the door frame 200.

[0057] 8 and 9 , FIG8 is a structural diagram of the telescopic fork assembly 420 of the box-picking mechanism 400 of the transport robot 10 shown in FIG3 ; FIG9 is a schematic diagram of the transport robot 10 shown in FIG3 pulling the material box 30 through the telescopic fork 430 .

[0058] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the telescopic fork 430 can be a two-stage telescopic structure. As a result, the length of the telescopic fork 430 after extension is larger, and the size when retracted is smaller, so that the box-taking mechanism 400 can obtain material boxes within a larger distance range and reduce the overall size of the box-taking mechanism 400.

[0059] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8 , the telescopic fork 430 includes a fixed plate 431 , a primary fork plate 432 slidably connected to the fixed plate 431 in a horizontal direction, and a secondary fork plate 433 slidably connected to the primary fork plate 432 .

[0060] As shown in FIG9 , the outer side of the fixing plate 431 is connected to the shell 421 , and the slide groove 4211 is provided on the outer surface of the shell 421 . By providing the shell 421 , the fixing plate 431 can be slidably connected to the column 211 in the height direction.

[0061] As shown in FIG8 , the box-taking mechanism 400 further includes a first telescopic assembly 440 , which is disposed on the telescopic fork 430 and configured to drive the primary fork plate 432 to telescope in both directions in the horizontal direction relative to the fixed plate 431 .

[0062] The first telescopic assembly 440 may include a third drive motor 441 and a synchronous wheel transmission assembly 442. The synchronous wheel transmission assembly 442 includes three synchronous wheels 4421 and a synchronous belt 4422. One of the synchronous wheels 4421 is connected to the third drive motor 441 for transmission, and the other two synchronous wheels 4421 are respectively arranged at both ends in the length direction of the fixed plate 431. The synchronous belt 4422 is wound around the three synchronous wheels 4421. The third drive motor 441 can drive one of the synchronous wheels 4421 to rotate, thereby driving the synchronous belt 4422 to rotate around multiple synchronous wheels 4421.

[0063] In an embodiment of the present application, the synchronous belt 4422 can be a double-sided tooth structure, and a connecting plate 4321 is fixed to the bottom of the first-level fork plate 432. A rack 4322 is provided at the bottom of the connecting plate 4321, which can engage with the synchronous belt 4422 through the rack 4322. When the synchronous belt 4422 rotates, the first-level fork plate 432 can be driven to extend and retract in the horizontal direction relative to the fixed plate 431 through the engagement transmission.

[0064] Furthermore, two connecting plates 4321 are provided, one near each end of the first fork plate 432 in the longitudinal direction. Thus, when the timing belt 4422 rotates clockwise and counterclockwise, it can maintain meshing transmission with different connecting plates 4321, thereby allowing the first fork plate 432 to move in different directions, thereby allowing the first fork plate 432 to retract and retract in both directions relative to the fixed plate 431. In this way, the handling robot 10 can obtain or place material boxes from the machine platforms on both sides without rotating, which helps to simplify the handling process and improve handling efficiency.

[0065] In the embodiment of the present application, the synchronous wheel transmission assemblies 442 of the two telescopic forks 430 can be driven by a third drive motor 441, and the two synchronous wheel transmission assemblies 442 are connected by a transmission shaft 443 disposed between the two telescopic forks 430. In other embodiments of the present application, the two synchronous wheel transmission assemblies 442 can also be driven by two second drive motors 310 respectively.

[0066] In other embodiments of the present application, the synchronous wheel transmission assembly 442 may also be provided with only two synchronous wheels 4421, with the two synchronous wheels 4421 being provided at both ends of the fixed plate 431 in the longitudinal direction, and the synchronous belt 4422 being wound around the two synchronous wheels 4421. The present embodiment of the application does not limit the arrangement of the synchronous wheel transmission assembly 442, as long as it can drive the primary fork plate 432 to extend and retract in both directions relative to the fixed plate 431.

[0067] In other embodiments of the present application, a rack can be directly provided at the bottom of the first-stage fork plate 432, and the rack can extend to both ends of the first-stage fork plate 432. The rack and the synchronous belt 4422 are engaged and driven to drive the first-stage fork plate 432 to extend and retract horizontally relative to the fixed plate 431. The present application does not limit the specific transmission structure of the first-stage fork plate 432 and the synchronous belt 4422; as long as the transmission connection between the first-stage fork plate 432 and the synchronous belt 4422 is achieved, it will be sufficient.

[0068] In the embodiment of the present application, when the primary fork plate 432 is extended or retracted relative to the fixed plate 431 , the secondary fork plate 433 can be synchronously extended or retracted relative to the primary fork plate 432 .

[0069] As shown in FIG8 , the box-retrieving mechanism 400 further includes a second telescopic assembly 450, through which the secondary fork plate 433 can be telescopically moved synchronously with the primary fork plate 432. Specifically, the primary fork plate 432 is provided with mounting slots 4323 at both ends in the longitudinal direction. The second telescopic assembly 450 may include a first transmission wheel 451 and a second transmission wheel 452, each of which is fixed within the mounting slots 4323, with the axes thereof being arranged vertically. The second telescopic assembly 450 further includes a first transmission belt 453 and a second transmission belt 454. One end of the first transmission belt 453 is connected to the fixed plate 431, and the other end of the first transmission belt 453 passes through the first transmission wheel 451 and then connects to the secondary fork plate 433. One end of the second transmission belt 454 is connected to the primary fork plate 432, and the other end of the second transmission belt 454 passes through the second transmission wheel 452 and then connects to the secondary fork plate 433.

[0070] As shown in FIG8 , when the telescopic fork 430 is extended, the first transmission wheel 451 may be located on a side of the first fork plate 432 near the fixed plate 431, and the second transmission wheel 452 may be located on a side of the first fork plate 432 near the secondary fork plate 433. When the first fork plate 432 retracts relative to the fixed plate 431, that is, when the first fork plate 432 moves rightward, the first transmission wheel 451 translates rightward along with the first fork plate 432, and the first transmission wheel 451 rotates relative to the first transmission belt 453. Since the length of the first transmission belt 453 is constant, the space between the end of the first transmission belt 453 connected to the fixed plate 431 and the first transmission wheel 451 continuously increases, while the space between the end of the first transmission belt 453 connected to the secondary fork plate 433 and the first transmission wheel 451 correspondingly decreases, thereby pulling the secondary fork plate 433 to retract relative to the first fork plate 432. Similarly, when the primary fork plate 432 extends relative to the fixed plate 431, the secondary fork plate 433, driven by the first transmission belt 453, also extends relative to the primary fork plate 432. Thus, when the primary fork plate 432 telescopes relative to the fixed plate 431, the secondary fork plate 433 can move in the same direction relative to the primary fork plate 432, thereby achieving two-stage synchronous telescopic movement of the telescopic fork 430. This can improve the telescopic efficiency of the telescopic fork 430 and enhance the efficiency of picking and placing cargo by the handling robot 10.

[0071] Furthermore, when the first transmission belt 453 drives the secondary fork plate 433 to telescopically move relative to the primary fork plate 432, the two ends of the second transmission belt 454 approach or move away from each other under the rotation of the second transmission wheel 452, assisting the telescopic movement of the secondary fork plate 433 relative to the primary fork plate 432, improving the smoothness of the telescopic movement of the secondary fork plate 433 relative to the primary fork plate 432, and ensuring that the telescopic fork 430 is subjected to stable force during the telescopic movement and operates stably and reliably.

[0072] Optionally, the first transmission belt 453 and the second transmission belt 454 may be belts, flat belts, chains, etc., and the first transmission wheel 451 and the second transmission wheel 452 are structures that cooperate with the first transmission belt 453 or the second transmission belt 454 .

[0073] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, in the embodiment of the present application, the inner surface of the fixed plate 431 is further provided with a first guide groove 4311, and the inner surface of the first-level fork plate 432 is further provided with a second guide groove 4324; the outer surface of the first-level fork plate 432 is provided with a first guide rail 4325, and the outer surface of the second-level fork plate 433 is provided with a second guide rail 4331. The first guide groove 4311 slides with the first guide rail 4325, and the second guide groove 4324 slides with the second guide rail 4331. This can provide guidance for the telescopic movement of the telescopic fork 430, further improving the smoothness of the telescopic movement of the telescopic fork 430.

[0074] In the embodiment of the present application, the telescopic fork 430 may be provided with only a first-level fork plate 432, or may be provided with two or more second-level fork plates, and the present application does not impose any limitation on this.

[0075] Furthermore, to facilitate access to and placement of the material bin 30, the telescopic fork 430 is further provided with shift forks 460. These shift forks 460 are located at either end of the telescopic fork 430's final fork plate along its length. The final fork plate refers to the fork plate of the telescopic fork 430 that is furthest from the load-bearing portion 410 when the telescopic fork 430 is extended. In this embodiment, the telescopic fork 430 is a two-stage telescopic structure, with the secondary fork plate 433 serving as the final fork plate. The shift forks 460 are disposed at either end of the secondary fork plate 433 along its length. The shift forks 460 are rotatably connected to the secondary fork plate 433, with the rotational direction parallel to the length of the secondary fork plate 433. The secondary fork plate 433 is also provided with a fourth drive motor, which is transmission-connected to the shift fork 460 and can drive the shift fork 460 to rotate, positioning it horizontally or vertically. In this embodiment, the provision of the shift forks 460 facilitates access to or placement of material bins onto the machine platform after the telescopic fork 430 has telescoped.

[0076] For ease of description, as shown in FIG8 , when the telescopic fork 430 is extended, the fork 460 away from the end of the carrying portion 410 is the first fork 461 , and the fork 460 close to the end of the carrying portion 410 is the second fork 462 .

[0077] As shown in Figure 9, when the box picking mechanism 400 needs to pull the material box 30 from the machine 20, the first fork 461 moves to the rear side of the material box 30 along with the telescopic fork 430, the first fork 461 rotates to a horizontal state, and the second fork 462 remains in a vertical state. When the telescopic fork 430 retracts, the first fork 461 can abut against the rear side of the material box 30 and drive the material box 30 to move from the machine 20 to the load-bearing part 410.

[0078] Correspondingly, when the box picking mechanism 400 needs to place the material box 30 on the carrying part 410 onto the machine 20, the first fork 461 remains in a vertical state, the second fork 462 rotates to a horizontal state, and the telescopic fork 430 extends toward the direction close to the machine 20. As the telescopic fork 430 extends, the second fork 462 can abut against the front side of the material box 30, thereby pushing the material box 30 onto the machine 20 as the telescopic fork 430 extends.

[0079] 10 , which is a schematic diagram of the transport robot 10 shown in FIG. 3 acquiring the material box 30 through the carrying portion 410 .

[0080] As shown in FIG10 , in an embodiment of the present application, the bearing portion 410 of the box-taking mechanism 400 can be a powered roller assembly 411. Considering that, in actual handling scenarios, there may be a situation where there is no space for picking up and placing goods around the material box 30, for example, as shown in FIG10 , for the material box 30 placed on the lower side of the machine 20, the gap between its left and right sides and the side panels of the machine 20 is very small, and there is no way for the telescopic fork 430 to pass through. To this end, in an embodiment of the present application, the bearing portion 410 of the box-taking mechanism 400 is set as a powered roller assembly 411, and the roller assembly 411 includes a plurality of rollers 4111 arranged side by side. When there is no space for picking up and placing goods around the material box 30, by docking the bearing portion 410 of the box-taking mechanism 400 with the machine 20 and driving the rollers 4111 to rotate by a motor, the material box 30 can be taken from the machine 20 or placed on the machine 20. Therefore, the material box 30 can be taken and placed when the space around the material box 30 is narrow, and the handling robot 10 can take and place the material box 30 in various space conditions.

[0081] In other embodiments of the present application, the carrying portion 410 of the box-taking mechanism 400 may also be a powered belt assembly, and after the carrying portion 410 is docked with the machine 20, the material box 30 is taken or placed via the belt drive. This application does not impose any limitation on this.

[0082] In other embodiments of the present application, the carrying portion 410 may also be a non-powered carrying flat plate, and the carrying portion 410 is only used to place the material box 30 .

[0083] As shown in Figures 6 and 10, in the embodiment of the present application, an anti-collision mechanism 470 is further provided at the bottom of the load-bearing portion 410. The anti-collision mechanism 470 is used to detect whether there is an obstacle between the load-bearing portion 410 and the walking chassis 100 during the descent of the box-retrieving mechanism 400, and to send a trigger signal after detecting an obstacle to control the transport robot 10 to stop working. By providing the anti-collision mechanism 470, it is possible to detect whether there is an obstacle on the top of the walking chassis 100 during the descent of the box-retrieving mechanism 400, such as sundries temporarily placed by the operator or the operator accidentally placing his feet on the walking chassis 100. When an obstacle is detected, the anti-collision mechanism 470 can send a trigger signal to control the transport robot 10 to stop working, thereby avoiding accidental injuries caused by the load-bearing portion 410 descending and colliding with the obstacle, which is conducive to improving the safety of the transport robot 10.

[0084] Specifically, the anti-collision mechanism 470 includes a rubber strip 471, which is arranged around the bottom circumference of the support portion 410. An air tube is encapsulated inside the rubber strip 471. One end of the air tube is connected to and blocked by the rubber strip 471, and the other end of the air tube is connected to a trigger. The trigger is used to send a trigger signal when the air tube is squeezed. During the descent of the support portion 410, if an obstacle is placed on the top of the walking chassis 100, the obstacle will first contact the rubber strip 471 arranged around the bottom circumference of the support portion 410, and squeeze the air tube inside the rubber strip 471, causing the air pressure of the air tube to change, thereby triggering the trigger connected to the air tube. The trigger can send a trigger signal to the control system of the transport robot 10, causing the transport robot 10 to stop working, thereby avoiding accidental damage caused by the support portion 410 continuing to descend and colliding with an obstacle. The anti-collision mechanism 470 of the embodiment of the present application has a simple structure, is easy to arrange, and has low cost.

[0085] In addition, it should be noted that by winding the rubber strip 471 around the bottom circumference of the supporting part 410, it is possible to avoid false triggering caused by the contact between the material box 30 and the rubber strip 471, and during the descending process of the supporting part 410, the obstacle can first contact the rubber strip 471, so that the obstacle can be detected as soon as possible and the trigger signal can be sent.

[0086] The embodiment of the present application does not limit the structure and working principle of the anti-collision mechanism 470 , as long as it can detect obstacles and send touch signals during the descent of the box-taking mechanism 400 .

[0087] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as first and second, etc., are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or device comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or device. In the absence of further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising a ..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or device comprising the element.

[0088] Each embodiment in this specification is described in a related manner. Similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to in conjunction with each other. Each embodiment focuses on the differences between the other embodiments. In particular, the system embodiment is generally similar to the method embodiment, so the description is relatively simple. For related parts, refer to the description of the method embodiment.

[0089] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A handling robot, comprising: A walking chassis (100) comprises a vehicle frame (110) and at least one differential steering wheel assembly (120) arranged at the bottom of the vehicle frame (110), wherein the differential steering wheel assembly (120) comprises a mounting frame (121) and two driving wheels (122) arranged at opposite sides of the mounting frame (121), and the mounting frame (121) is rotatably connected to the vehicle frame (110); A door frame (200) is installed on the walking chassis (100), and the door frame (200) includes two columns (211) arranged opposite to each other; A box taking mechanism (400) is arranged on the door frame (200) and is slidably connected to the column (211) in the height direction; the box taking mechanism (400) includes a load-bearing portion (410) and a telescopic fork assembly (420), the telescopic fork assembly (420) includes telescopic forks (430) arranged on opposite sides of the load-bearing portion (410), and the telescopic forks (430) are used to clamp a material box (30) from the outside and place it on the load-bearing portion (410) after telescoping, or to place the material box (30) on the load-bearing portion (410) outside.

2. According to the handling robot according to claim 1, the differential steering wheel assembly (120) also includes two first drive motors, the two first drive motors are located inside the mounting frame (121) and are fixedly connected to the mounting frame (121), and the two drive wheels (122) are located on opposite sides of the outside of the mounting frame (121) and are connected to the two first drive motors one by one.

3. According to the handling robot according to claim 1, the mounting frame (121) is rotatably connected to the frame (110) through a slewing bearing (123), and the slewing bearing (123) includes a bearing inner ring (1231) and a bearing outer ring (1232), the bearing inner ring (1231) is connected to the frame (110), and the bearing outer ring (1232) is connected to the mounting frame (121).

4. According to the handling robot according to claim 1, the frame (110) has four corners (111); the differential steering wheel assemblies (120) are provided with two, and the two differential steering wheel assemblies (120) are located on two of the four corners (111) that are diagonally arranged; two universal wheels (124) are also provided at the bottom of the frame (110), and the two universal wheels (124) are located on the other two of the four corners (111).

5. The transport robot according to claim 4, wherein one of the two universal wheels (124) is floatingly connected to the frame (110) via an elastic member.

6. According to the transport robot according to claim 1, the two columns (211) of the door frame (200) are arranged along the length direction of the frame (110).

7. According to the handling robot according to claim 1, a receiving groove (112) is provided on the top of the frame (110), and when the box-taking mechanism (400) slides to the lowest position relative to the column (211), the bottom of the box-taking mechanism (400) is received in the receiving groove (112); in the height direction, the lowest plane of the receiving groove (112) is lower than the connecting surface (113) between the column (211) and the frame (110).

8. According to the handling robot described in claim 1, a lifting mechanism (300) is also provided on the gantry (200), and the lifting mechanism (300) is used to drive the box picking mechanism (400) to rise or fall relative to the gantry (200), and the lifting mechanism (300) includes a second drive motor (310); the gantry (200) also includes a top beam (212) connecting the two columns (211); the second drive motor (310) is fixed on the top beam (212).

9. According to the handling robot according to claim 1, the telescopic fork (430) includes a fixed plate (431) and at least one fork plate (432) slidably connected to the fixed plate (431) in the horizontal direction, and the fixed plate (431) is also slidably connected to the column (211) in the height direction.

10. According to the handling robot according to claim 9, the box picking mechanism (400) also includes a first telescopic component (440), which is arranged on the telescopic fork (430), and the first telescopic component (440) is used to drive the first-level fork plate (432) to telescope in both directions in the horizontal direction relative to the fixed plate (431).

11. The transport robot according to claim 1, wherein the load-bearing portion (410) is a powered belt assembly or a roller assembly (411).

12. According to the handling robot according to claim 1, an anti-collision mechanism (470) is also provided at the bottom of the bearing part (410), and the anti-collision mechanism (470) is used to detect whether there is an obstacle between the bearing part (410) and the walking chassis (100) during the descent of the box picking mechanism (400), and send a trigger signal after detecting the obstacle to control the handling robot (10) to stop working.

13. According to the handling robot according to claim 12, the anti-collision mechanism (470) includes a rubber strip (471), which is arranged around the bottom circumference of the bearing part (410), and an air tube is encapsulated inside the rubber strip (471), one end of the air tube is connected to the rubber strip (471) and blocked by the rubber strip (471), and the other end of the air tube is connected to a trigger, and the trigger is used to send the trigger signal when the air tube is squeezed.

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