Transfer robot, control method, and warehousing system

Abstract

The present application provides a transfer robot, a control method, and a warehousing system. The transfer robot comprises a first vehicle body and a second vehicle body. The first vehicle body comprises a fork assembly, a first connecting portion, and first climbing assemblies, and each first climbing assembly is used for crawling on each second climbing assembly on a goods shelf in the vertical direction; and the second vehicle body comprises a second connecting portion, a traveling wheel set, and a platform used for receiving goods, the second vehicle body travels on the ground by means of the traveling wheel set, and the second vehicle body is connected to or separated from the first vehicle body by means of matching of the second connecting portion and the first connecting portion. In the present application, by means of cooperation of the first vehicle body and the second vehicle body which are separated from each other, an operation of goods picking and placing on the goods shelf and an operation of moving the goods on the ground can be respectively implemented by means of the first vehicle body and the second vehicle body, so that the energy consumption of the first vehicle body and the second vehicle body in the respective action process can be greatly reduced.

Description

Handling robot, control method and storage system

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on December 21, 2023, with application number 202311777045.5 and application name “Handling Robot, Control Method and Warehousing System”, 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 transportation technology, and in particular to a handling robot, a control method, and a warehousing system. Background Art

[0003] Handling robots are a crucial component of automated and intelligent warehousing systems. They crawl across shelves to retrieve and place goods. However, existing handling robots are integrated, requiring the entire robot to operate in unison to perform various functions, resulting in high energy consumption.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a handling robot, a control method and a warehousing system, so that the parts of the handling robot that can realize different functions can be separated from the whole machine and move independently, thereby reducing energy consumption.

[0006] A first aspect of the present application provides a transport robot, comprising:

[0007] a first vehicle body, the first vehicle body comprising a fork assembly, a first connecting portion, and a first climbing assembly, the first climbing assembly being configured to vertically climb on a second climbing assembly on a shelf; the first vehicle body being capable of transferring cargo between the first vehicle body and a second vehicle body via the fork assembly;

[0008] The second vehicle body includes a second connecting part, a running wheel group and a platform for receiving goods. The second vehicle body moves on the ground through the running wheel group. The second vehicle body is connected to or separated from the first vehicle body through the cooperation between the second connecting part and the first connecting part.

[0009] A second aspect of the present application further provides a method for controlling a transport robot, wherein the transport robot is the transport robot provided in the first aspect of the present application, and the method comprises the following steps:

[0010] Controlling the second vehicle body to move on the ground to a first docking position corresponding to the bottom of the first vehicle body to be docked;

[0011] Controlling the first vehicle body to move to the second docking position on the shelf, so that the first docking portion of the first vehicle body engages with the second docking portion of the second vehicle body, and controlling the first climbing component of the first vehicle body to separate from the second climbing component of the shelf;

[0012] The second vehicle body is controlled to carry the first vehicle body and move on the ground to the second climbing assembly corresponding to the next cargo pickup and placement task execution location, so that the first vehicle body cooperates with the corresponding second climbing assembly.

[0013] The third aspect of the present application further provides a method for controlling a transport robot, wherein the transport robot is the transport robot provided in the first aspect of the present application, and the method comprises the following steps:

[0014] Controlling the second vehicle body to move on the ground to a first handover position corresponding to the bottom of the shelf row where the first vehicle body is located;

[0015] Controlling the first vehicle body to move on the shelf to a second handover position, wherein the projections of the first handover position and the second handover position on the ground do not overlap, and at the second handover position, the surface of the fork assembly of the first vehicle body supporting the goods is highly matched with the surface of the platform of the second vehicle body for receiving the goods;

[0016] The fork assembly is controlled to transfer cargo from the first vehicle body to the second vehicle body, or the fork assembly is controlled to transfer cargo from the second vehicle body to the first vehicle body.

[0017] A fourth aspect of the present application further provides a warehousing system, comprising a shelf and the same transport robot as in the first aspect of the present application. The shelf is provided with a second climbing assembly, the second climbing assembly being configured to cooperate with the first climbing assembly of the transport robot to enable the first vehicle body to crawl vertically on the shelf.

[0018] The technical solution provided by this application can achieve the following beneficial effects:

[0019] The handling robot, control method and warehousing system provided in the present application can realize the operations of picking up and placing goods on the shelves and moving goods on the ground respectively through the first vehicle body and the second vehicle body through the cooperation of the first vehicle body and the second vehicle body which are separated from each other. That is, when the first vehicle body picks up and places goods on the shelves, there is no need to carry the second vehicle body to move synchronously on the shelves, and when the second vehicle body moves goods on the ground, there is no need to carry the first vehicle body to move synchronously on the ground. Therefore, the energy consumption of the first vehicle body and the second vehicle body during their respective movements can be greatly reduced.

[0020] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are merely illustrative and are not restrictive of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a working scenario of a warehousing system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0022] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of a first vehicle body provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a second vehicle body provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the second vehicle body before it moves to the cargo delivery position with the first vehicle body;

[0025] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the second vehicle body moving to the cargo delivery position with the first vehicle body;

[0026] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the first vehicle body after transferring the cargo to the second vehicle body;

[0027] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of the second vehicle body carrying cargo and moving;

[0028] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of the second vehicle body moving to the docking position with the first vehicle body;

[0029] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of the first vehicle body and the second vehicle body being connected;

[0030] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of the second vehicle body driving the first vehicle body to separate from the shelf;

[0031] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of the second vehicle body carrying the first vehicle body for movement;

[0032] FIG12 is a partial enlarged view of the joint between the first climbing assembly and the second climbing assembly;

[0033] FIG13 is a schematic diagram of the second vehicle body carrying an object passing through the channel.

[0034] Reference numerals:

[0035] 1- first vehicle body;

[0036] 11-First climbing assembly;

[0037] 111-sprocket;

[0038] 112-first transmission wheel;

[0039] 113- second transmission wheel;

[0040] 114- transmission belt;

[0041] 115-support arm;

[0042] 12-base;

[0043] 13-Fork assembly;

[0044] 2- Second vehicle body;

[0045] 21-travel wheel set;

[0046] 22-chassis assembly;

[0047] 23-Platform;

[0048] 231-Activities Department;

[0049] 232-support part;

[0050] 232a- bottom plate;

[0051] 232b-side panels;

[0052] 3-Shelves;

[0053] 31-Second climbing assembly;

[0054] 311-chain;

[0055] 32-channel;

[0056] 33-support column;

[0057] 4-Material box.

[0058] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0059] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of this application more clearly understood, the present application is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain this application and are not intended to limit this application.

[0060] In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be understood as indicating or implying relative importance; unless otherwise specified or explained, the term "plurality" refers to two or more; the terms "connected" and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connected" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, an integral connection, or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. For those skilled in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0061] In the description of this specification, it should be understood that the directional words such as "upper" and "lower" described in the embodiments of the present application are described from the perspectives shown in the accompanying drawings and should not be understood as limiting the embodiments of the present application. In addition, in the context, it should be understood that when it is mentioned that an element is connected to another element "on" or "under", it can not only be directly connected to the other element "on" or "under", but also indirectly connected to the other element "on" or "under" through an intermediate element.

[0062] An embodiment of the present application provides a transport robot. FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a warehousing system provided by an embodiment of the present application. Referring to FIG1 , the transport robot can be applied to a warehousing system. Specifically, the transport robot includes two parts, namely, a first vehicle body 1 and a second vehicle body 2. The first vehicle body 1 can be connected to form a whole, or can be separated and move independently. The second vehicle body 2 can be used to temporarily store material boxes 4, or can be moved on the ground to transfer material boxes 4. The first vehicle body 1 can crawl on the shelf 3 to pick up and place material boxes 4. At the same time, the first vehicle body 1 can also pick up material boxes 4 from the second vehicle body 2, or place material boxes 4 on the second vehicle body 2.

[0063] Specifically, referring to Figure 2 , the first vehicle body 1 includes a first connecting portion (not shown) and a first climbing assembly 11. The first climbing assembly 11 is used to climb vertically on the second climbing assembly 31 on the shelf 3. Referring to Figure 3 , the second vehicle body 2 includes a second connecting portion (not shown) and a running wheel set 21. The second vehicle body 2 travels on the ground via the running wheel set 21. The second vehicle body 2 is connected to or separated from the first vehicle body 1 through the cooperation of the second connecting portion and the first connecting portion.

[0064] Among them, the first connecting part and the second connecting part can have various forms. For example, the first connecting part and the second connecting part can be in the form of a pin-pin hole match, or they can be in the form of a mutual clip-on match. Of course, there can also be other ways to achieve the connection and separation of the first connecting part and the second connecting part, and this embodiment does not limit this.

[0065] For example, the operation of picking up goods from shelf 3 can be performed as follows:

[0066] Step 1, referring to Figure 4, the first vehicle body 1 moves to the corresponding cargo position on the shelf 3 through the cooperation of the first climbing assembly 11 and the second climbing assembly 31, and picks up the cargo and places it on the first vehicle body 1. At the same time, the second vehicle body 2 can move on the ground to a position where it can dock with the first vehicle body 1.

[0067] Step 2, referring to Figure 5, the first vehicle body 1 carries the goods and moves downward along the shelf 3 to the goods transfer position, and the second vehicle body 2 moves on the ground to the goods transfer position. Specifically, the first vehicle body 1 is located at the first transfer position, and the second vehicle body 2 is located at the second transfer position. The projections of the first transfer position and the second transfer position on the ground do not overlap. The goods transfer position can be a position where the first vehicle body 1 can transfer the goods to the second vehicle body 2, or a position where the goods can be picked up from the second vehicle body 2. At this cargo transfer position, the surface of the fork assembly 13 of the first vehicle body 1 that carries the goods and the surface of the platform 23 for carrying the goods of the second vehicle body 2 that carries the goods are highly matched. Specifically, matching does not mean that the two are completely on the same horizontal plane, as long as the goods can be transferred between the two vehicle bodies.

[0068] Step 3, referring to FIG6 , after both the first vehicle body 1 and the second vehicle body 2 arrive at the cargo handover position, the first vehicle body 1 can transfer the cargo to the second vehicle body 2 .

[0069] Step 4: Referring to FIG7 , the second vehicle body 2 can move with the goods. Meanwhile, the first vehicle body 1 can rise along the shelf 3. For example, the first vehicle body 1 can rise to the cargo position where the goods are to be picked up, or rise to the top of the shelf 3 for charging or standby.

[0070] In addition, the operation of placing goods on the shelf 3 is opposite to the above-mentioned operation of picking up goods, and will not be described in detail here.

[0071] The handling robot provided in the embodiment of the present application can realize the operations of taking and placing goods on the shelf 3 and the operations of moving goods on the ground respectively through the first body 1 and the second body 2 through the cooperation of the first body 1 and the second body 2 that are separated from each other. That is, when the first body 1 takes and places goods on the shelf 3, there is no need to carry the second body 2 to move synchronously on the shelf 3, and when the second body 2 moves goods on the ground, there is no need to carry the first body 1 to move synchronously on the ground. Therefore, the energy consumption of the first body 1 and the second body 2 during their respective actions can be greatly reduced.

[0072] In addition, there can be multiple second climbing assemblies 31 on the shelf 3. The first climbing assembly 11 of the first vehicle body 1 can cooperate with any second climbing assembly 31. Specifically, the second climbing assemblies 31 can be switched through the second vehicle body 2. For example, the switching can be performed according to the following steps:

[0073] Step 1: Referring to FIG. 8 , the second vehicle body 2 moves on the ground to a first docking position below the corresponding first vehicle body 1 . Specifically, the first docking position is a position on the ground directly below the first vehicle body 1 .

[0074] Step 2, referring to FIG. 9 , the first vehicle body 1 moves down the shelf to the second docking position, so that the first docking portion of the first vehicle body 1 is docked with the second docking portion of the second vehicle body 2 .

[0075] Step 3: Referring to FIG. 10 , the second vehicle body 2 drives the first vehicle body 1 to move away from the shelf 3 , so that the first climbing assembly 11 is separated from the second climbing assembly 31 .

[0076] Step 4, referring to FIG11 , the second vehicle body 2 carries the first vehicle body 1 to move on the ground, so as to drive the first vehicle body 1 to cooperate with the second climbing assembly 31 corresponding to the next cargo pickup and placement task execution location, thereby realizing the switching of the second climbing assembly 31 .

[0077] Thus, the second vehicle body 2 can carry both goods and the first vehicle body 1, enabling the first vehicle body 1 to be switched between the second climbing components 31, thus expanding the range of the first vehicle body 1 for picking up and placing goods on the shelf 3. In addition, the first vehicle body 1 can be docked with the shelf 3 in mid-air through the action of the second vehicle body 2, thereby freeing up space at the bottom of the shelf 3 and facilitating the second vehicle body 2 to move under the shelf 3, thereby shortening the distance the second vehicle body 2 travels between the two sides of the shelf 3 and improving handling efficiency.

[0078] It should be noted that the first vehicle body 1 and the second vehicle body 2 can be uniformly dispatched through the management system, or the first vehicle body 1 and the second vehicle body 2 can achieve docking, separation and other movements through near-field wireless communication, and the second vehicle body 2 can also realize the movement control of the first vehicle body 1 on the shelf 3 through near-field wireless communication, and the first vehicle body 1 and the second vehicle body 2 can also be dispatched separately by different controllers.

[0079] As a specific implementation, referring to Figure 3 , the second vehicle body 2 includes a platform 23, a chassis assembly 22, a first driver, and a second driver. The first driver is connected to the platform 23 and is used to control the platform 23's rotation or elevation relative to the chassis assembly 22. A second connector is connected to the platform 23, and the first vehicle body 1 is supported on the platform 23 through the cooperation of the first and second connectors. The running wheel assembly 21 is disposed on the chassis assembly 22, and the second driver is connected to the running wheel assembly 21 to control the running wheel assembly 21's straight movement or steering, thereby driving the chassis assembly 22 to rotate.

[0080] The platform 23 is located above the chassis assembly 22. The chassis assembly 22 can integrate a variety of components and can also support the platform 23, cargo, the first vehicle body 1, etc. A running wheel set 21 is provided at the bottom of the chassis assembly 22, which enables the second vehicle body 2 to move straight or turn on the ground.

[0081] When the first actuator is activated, the first actuator can control the platform 23 to rotate or rise independently relative to the chassis assembly 22. When the second actuator is activated, the second actuator can control the running wheel assembly 21 to move straight or turn, thereby driving the chassis assembly 22 to move straight or rotate relative to the ground. Of course, when both the first actuator and the second actuator are activated, the platform 23 and the chassis assembly 22 can move independently, that is, the chassis assembly 22 can move relative to the ground, and the platform 23 can both follow the movement of the chassis assembly 22 and rotate or rise relative to the chassis assembly 22.

[0082] Among them, when the size of the material box 4 above the platform 23 is large, for example, when the material box 4 is a rectangular parallelepiped, it has long sides and wide sides. When the size of the long side is larger than the maximum outline size of the chassis assembly 22, the edge of the material box 4 will protrude from the edge of the chassis assembly 22. When the second vehicle body 2 needs to turn, the second drive can be used to control the steering of the walking wheel group 21, thereby driving the chassis assembly 22 to rotate relative to the ground to adjust the direction of travel. At this time, if the platform 23 does not rotate relative to the chassis assembly 22, the chassis assembly 22 will drive the platform 23 to rotate synchronously, and then drive the material box 4 to rotate synchronously. Since the material box 4 is generally rectangular, the material box 4 will occupy a larger turning space during the rotation with the chassis assembly 22, which is easy to cause interference and collision with objects in the surrounding environment.

[0083] To this end, in this embodiment, while the second driver controls the rotation of the chassis assembly 22, the first driver can simultaneously control the platform 23 to rotate in the opposite direction relative to the chassis assembly 22 by the same angle. That is, the rotation direction of the platform 23 is opposite to that of the chassis assembly 22. This allows the chassis assembly 22 to adjust its direction relative to the ground while maintaining the platform 23 relative to the ground. As a result, when the direction of travel of the second vehicle body 2 is adjusted, the material box 4 will not rotate accordingly, thus avoiding the problem of interference caused by the large space occupied by the material box 4 during rotation. For ease of assembly and control, both the first driver and the second driver can be motors.

[0084] Optionally, the platform 23 can also be raised and lowered relative to the chassis assembly 22, which can facilitate the platform 23 to dock with other mechanisms to receive or transfer goods, and facilitate personnel or robots to pick up goods when carrying them.

[0085] As a specific implementation method, referring to Figure 3, the platform 23 includes a movable part 231 and a supporting part 232. The movable part 231 is connected to the first drive, and the movable part 231 rotates or rises and falls relative to the chassis assembly 22 under the control of the first drive; the supporting part 232 is connected to the movable part 231 and is used to support the first vehicle body 1.

[0086] The support portion 232 is disposed above the movable portion 231 and is capable of synchronous movement with the movable portion 231. That is, when the movable portion 231 rotates or rises, the support portion 232 rotates or rises synchronously with the rotating portion 231. The support portion 232 provides a large support area for supporting cargo or the first vehicle body 1, ensuring stability of the cargo or the first vehicle body 1. The specific shape and structure of the support portion 232 are not limited, as long as it can achieve its function of supporting cargo.

[0087] As a specific implementation, referring to FIG3 , the support portion 232 includes a bottom plate 232a and side plates 232b . The side plates 232b are disposed at side edges of the bottom plate 232a and protrude from the surface of the bottom plate 232a in the thickness direction of the bottom plate 232a .

[0088] Among them, two, three or more side panels 232b can be provided, and the side panels 232b can protrude from the surface of the bottom plate 232a, so that a certain space is formed between the side panels 232b and the bottom plate 232a. The cargo or the first vehicle body 1 can be placed in the space, and the side panels 232b can be used to limit the cargo and ensure the stability of the cargo or the first vehicle body 1 on the support part 232.

[0089] As a specific implementation method, the first climbing component 11 includes a third drive, a transmission mechanism and a first meshing mechanism. The two ends of the transmission mechanism are respectively connected to the third drive and the first meshing mechanism. The third drive controls the movement of the first meshing mechanism through the transmission mechanism. The first meshing mechanism is used to engage with the second climbing component 31 to enable the first vehicle body 1 to crawl on the shelf 3.

[0090] The transmission mechanism has a certain height in the vertical direction, thereby improving the stability of the first vehicle body 1 when climbing on the shelf 3. For example, with reference to FIG2 , the first engagement mechanism includes a sprocket 111, which can cooperate with the second climbing component 31 on the shelf 3 and can drive the first vehicle body 1 as a whole to climb on the shelf 3. The sprocket 111 has a plurality of teeth. In order to enable the second climbing component to cooperate with the sprocket 111, for example, with reference to FIG12 , the second climbing component 31 can be a rack or a chain 311, so that it can mesh with the teeth of the sprocket 111. When the drive sprocket 111 rotates, the sprocket 111 can move up or down along the rack or chain 311. In addition, for ease of driving, the third driver can be a motor.

[0091] As a specific implementation, the first engagement mechanism includes a synchronous belt with multiple protrusions. The synchronous belt engages with the second climbing assembly 31 via the multiple protrusions, thereby enabling the first vehicle body 1 to crawl vertically on the shelf 3. The second climbing assembly 31 includes a track that can be mounted on the longitudinal beams of the shelf 3 and can extend vertically. The track has multiple grooves along the vertical direction that can engage with the protrusions on the synchronous belt of the handling robot, thereby enabling the first vehicle body 1 to crawl vertically on the shelf 3.

[0092] As a specific implementation method, referring to Figure 2, the transmission mechanism includes a first transmission wheel 112, a second transmission wheel 113 and a transmission belt 114. The first transmission wheel 112 is coaxially connected to the drive shaft of the third drive, the second transmission wheel 113 is coaxially connected to the sprocket 111, and the first transmission wheel 112 and the second transmission wheel 113 are connected through the transmission belt 114.

[0093] Among them, the first transmission wheel 112 and the second transmission wheel 113 can be respectively located at the two ends of the transmission mechanism in the vertical direction, and the two ends of the transmission belt 114 can be wound around the first transmission wheel 112 and the second transmission wheel 113, and the teeth on the inner side of the transmission belt 114 can be engaged with the first transmission wheel 112 and the second transmission wheel 113 respectively. When the first driver controls the first transmission wheel 112 to rotate, the rotational movement of the first transmission wheel 112 can be transmitted to the second transmission wheel 113 through the transmission belt 114, so that the second transmission wheel 113 rotates synchronously, and since the second transmission wheel 113 is coaxially connected to the sprocket 111, the second transmission wheel 113 can drive the sprocket 111 to rotate synchronously, thereby realizing the crawling of the first vehicle body 1 on the shelf 3 through the cooperation of the sprocket 111 and the second climbing component 31.

[0094] As a specific implementation, referring to Figure 2 , the first climbing assembly 11 further includes a support arm 115, with a sprocket 111 rotatably mounted on one end of the support arm 115 away from the vehicle body. The support arm 115 enhances the structural reliability of the first climbing assembly 11, ensuring reliable movement of the first vehicle body 1 on the shelf 3.

[0095] As a specific implementation, referring to FIG2 , the first vehicle body 1 further includes a base 12 and a fork assembly 13. The fork assembly 13 and the first climbing assembly 11 are both mounted on the base 12. The base 12 is used to support the first climbing assembly 11 and the fork assembly 13, thereby ensuring the overall structural reliability of the first vehicle body 1. The first vehicle body 1 can pick up and place materials using the fork assembly 13.

[0096] The embodiment of the present application also provides a shelf 3. Referring to Figure 1, the shelf 3 is provided with a second climbing component 31. The second climbing component 31 is used to cooperate with the first climbing component 11 in the first vehicle body 1 to enable the first vehicle body 1 to crawl in a vertical direction on the shelf 3.

[0097] The shelf 3 provided in this embodiment can realize the aerial docking between the first vehicle body 1 and the shelf 3, thereby freeing up the bottom space of the shelf 3, making it easier for the second vehicle body 2 to move at the bottom of the shelf 3, thereby shortening the walking distance of the second vehicle body 2 between the two sides of the shelf 3 and improving the transportation efficiency.

[0098] As a specific implementation, the second climbing assembly 31 includes a second engagement mechanism, which is used to engage with the first engagement mechanism in the first vehicle body 1 , thereby enabling the first vehicle body 1 to crawl on the shelf 3 in a vertical direction.

[0099] Among them, the second engaging mechanism can have a variety of structural forms. For example, referring to Figure 12, the second engaging mechanism is a chain 311, which can be directly or indirectly connected to the shelf 3. The chain 311 is used to cooperate with the sprocket 111 in the first climbing component 11 to enable the first vehicle body 1 to crawl on the chain 311.

[0100] Among them, through the cooperation of the chain 311 and the sprocket 111, the stability of the first vehicle body 1 crawling on the shelf 3 can be guaranteed, and it is also convenient for the assembly and maintenance of the chain 311 and the sprocket 111, which is also conducive to saving costs.

[0101] Of course, in some other embodiments, the second engagement mechanism may not use the chain 311 . For example, the crawling of the first vehicle body 1 may be achieved by using the cooperation of a rack and a sprocket 111 .

[0102] As a specific implementation, referring to FIG. 1 , a passage 32 for the second vehicle body 2 to travel is provided at the bottom of the shelf 3 , and the second climbing assembly 31 is located above the passage 32 .

[0103] Among them, by setting the second climbing component 31 above the channel 32, the first vehicle body 1 and the shelf 3 can be docked in the air, thereby freeing up the bottom space of the shelf 3, and a channel 32 can be set at the bottom of the shelf 3, so that the second vehicle body 2 can move in the channel 32, thereby shortening the walking distance of the second vehicle body 2 between the two sides of the shelf 3 and improving the transportation efficiency.

[0104] As a specific implementation method, referring to Figure 1, a plurality of support columns 33 are further provided at the bottom of the shelf 3, a channel 32 is formed between each support column 33, and the distance between two adjacent support columns 33 is greater than the maximum length dimension of the second vehicle body 2 in the horizontal direction.

[0105] The support columns 33 can support the entire shelf 3. Since the first vehicle body 1 and the shelf 3 can be connected in mid-air to achieve climbing, the distance between the support columns 33 at the bottom of the shelf 3 can be widened, that is, the distance between two adjacent support columns 33 can be greater than the length of the second body, so that the bottom space of the shelf 3 can form a channel 32 for the second vehicle body 2 to pass through, thereby shortening the distance the second vehicle body 2 travels on both sides of the shelf 3 and improving the efficiency of cargo circulation.

[0106] Specifically, referring to Figure 13, when an object is carried on the second body, the height H of the channel 32 is greater than the sum A of the heights of the second body and the object. The object can be a material box 4 or the first vehicle body 1. Thus, the second vehicle body 2 can carry the object and pass through the channel 32 to avoid interference between the carried object and the shelf 3 above the channel 32.

[0107] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. Various modifications and variations are possible for those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present application shall be included within the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A transport robot, characterized in that: include: A first vehicle body (1) comprises a fork assembly (13), a first connecting portion and a first climbing assembly (11), wherein the first climbing assembly (11) is used to climb on a second climbing assembly (31) on a shelf (3) in a vertical direction; the first vehicle body (1) can transfer goods between the first vehicle body (1) and a second vehicle body (2) via the fork assembly (13); The second vehicle body (2) comprises a second docking portion, a running wheel set (21) and a platform (23) for receiving goods. The second vehicle body (2) moves on the ground via the running wheel set (21). The second vehicle body (2) can also be docked with or separated from the first vehicle body (1) via the cooperation between the second docking portion and the first docking portion.

2. The handling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second vehicle body (2) further comprises a chassis assembly (22), a first drive and a second drive; The first driver is connected to the platform (23) and is used to control the platform (23) to rotate or rise and fall relative to the chassis assembly (22); the second connecting portion is connected to the platform (23), and the first vehicle body (1) can be supported on the platform (23) through the cooperation between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion; The running wheel assembly (21) is arranged on the chassis assembly (22), and the second driver is connected to the running wheel assembly (21) and is used for controlling the running wheel assembly (21) to move straight or turn, and driving the chassis assembly (22) to rotate.

3. The handling robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The platform (23) comprises a movable part (231) and a supporting part (232); the movable part (231) is connected to the first driver; the movable part (231) is rotated or lifted relative to the chassis assembly (22) under the control of the first driver; The supporting portion (232) is connected to the movable portion (231) and is used to support the first vehicle body (1) or cargo.

4. The handling robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The support portion (232) comprises a bottom plate (232a) and a side plate (232b), wherein the side plate (232b) is arranged at a side edge of the bottom plate (232a) and protrudes from the surface of the bottom plate (232a) in the thickness direction of the bottom plate (232a).

5. The handling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first climbing assembly (11) comprises a third driver, a transmission mechanism and a first meshing mechanism, wherein two ends of the transmission mechanism are respectively connected to the third driver and the first meshing mechanism in a transmission manner, and the third driver controls the movement of the first meshing mechanism through the transmission mechanism, and the first meshing mechanism is used to mesh with the second climbing assembly (31).

6. The handling robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first engagement mechanism comprises a sprocket (111), and the sprocket (111) is used to engage with the second climbing assembly (31).

7. The handling robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: The transmission mechanism comprises a first transmission wheel (112), a second transmission wheel (113) and a transmission belt (114); the first transmission wheel (112) is coaxially connected to a driving shaft of the third drive; the second transmission wheel (113) is coaxially connected to the sprocket (111); and the first transmission wheel (112) and the second transmission wheel (113) are connected in transmission via the transmission belt (114).

8. A method for controlling a transport robot, characterized in that: The transport robot is a transport robot as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, and the method comprises the following steps: Controlling the second vehicle body (2) to move on the ground to a first docking position corresponding to the bottom of the first vehicle body (1) to be docked; Controlling the first vehicle body (1) to move to a second docking position on the shelf (3), so that the first docking portion of the first vehicle body (1) cooperates with the second docking portion of the second vehicle body (2), and controlling the first climbing component of the first vehicle body (1) to separate from the second climbing component of the shelf; The second vehicle body (2) is controlled to carry the first vehicle body (1) and move on the ground to a second climbing assembly corresponding to the next cargo picking and placing task execution location, so that the first vehicle body (1) cooperates with the corresponding second climbing assembly.

9. A method for controlling a transport robot, characterized in that: The transport robot is a transport robot as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, and the method comprises the following steps: Controlling the second vehicle body (2) to move on the ground to a first handover position corresponding to the bottom of the shelf row where the first vehicle body (1) is located; Controlling the first vehicle body (1) to move on the shelf (3) to a second handover position, wherein the The projections of the first handover position and the second handover position on the ground do not overlap, and at the second handover position, the surface of the fork assembly (13) of the first vehicle body (1) supporting the goods is highly matched with the surface of the platform (23) of the second vehicle body (2) for receiving the goods supporting the goods; The fork assembly (13) is controlled to transfer the cargo from the first vehicle body (1) to the second vehicle body (2), or the fork assembly (13) is controlled to transfer the cargo from the second vehicle body (2) to the first vehicle body (1).

10. A storage system, characterized in that: It comprises a shelf (3) and the transport robot according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the shelf (3) is provided with a second climbing component (31), and the second climbing component (31) is used to cooperate with the first climbing component (11) in the transport robot to enable the first vehicle body (1) to crawl on the shelf (3) in a vertical direction.

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