Hand actuating mechanism of loading and unloading robot

Abstract

A hand actuating mechanism of a loading and unloading robot, relating to the technical field of loading and unloading robots. The mechanism comprises a first conveying section (200); the first conveying section (200) is arranged at a conveying end portion and comprises a plurality of Mecanum wheel sets which are sequentially arranged; and each Mecanum wheel set is configured to change the position of goods in the width direction. The mechanism comprises the conveying sections having an edge alignment function, and other mechanisms do not need to be additionally mounted. The functionality of the hand actuating mechanism can be improved, so that the loading and unloading efficiency of material boxes is improved.

Description

A hand actuator for a loading and unloading robot

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This disclosure claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 2024208672218, filed on April 23, 2024, entitled “A Hand Actuator for a Loading and Unloading Robot”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to the field of loading and unloading robot technology, specifically to a hand actuator for a loading and unloading robot. Background Technology

[0004] The hand actuator, as the execution component of the loading and unloading robot, is mainly configured to grasp material boxes to cooperate with the conveying mechanism for loading and unloading. Therefore, the function of the hand actuator affects the overall efficiency of material box loading and unloading.

[0005] The transfer of goods on the hand actuator may be skewed, and existing technologies cannot effectively solve this problem.

[0006] Public content

[0007] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this disclosure provides a hand actuator for a loading and unloading robot, which includes a conveyor section with a return function, eliminating the need for additional supporting mechanisms, thereby increasing the functionality of the hand actuator and improving the efficiency of loading and unloading hoppers.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of this disclosure are implemented through the following technical solutions:

[0009] Embodiments of this disclosure provide a hand actuator for a loading and unloading robot, comprising:

[0010] The first conveying section, located at the end of the conveying process, includes a plurality of Mecanum wheel sets arranged sequentially, wherein the Mecanum wheel sets are configured to change the position of the cargo in the width direction;

[0011] A hopper push-pull mechanism, configured to pull the hopper to the first conveying section;

[0012] Alternatively, the hopper can be pushed outward from the first conveyor section.

[0013] As a further implementation, a second conveying section is also included, which is installed at the rear of the first conveying section. The second conveying section is one or a combination of roller conveying section, belt conveying section and Mecanum wheel conveying section.

[0014] As a further implementation, a hopper push-pull mechanism is also included, which includes a suction cup assembly and a suction cup drive assembly. The suction cup assembly is configured to pick up the hopper to the first conveying section, or pick up the hopper on the first conveying section and output it. The suction cup drive assembly is located in the middle of the width direction of the first conveying section or on both sides of the first conveying section.

[0015] As a further implementation, the suction cup drive assembly includes a linear guide rail, a four-bar linkage, and a guide groove. The suction cup assembly is connected to the four-bar linkage. One of the hinge points on the lower side of the four-bar linkage is slidably disposed on the linear guide rail, and the other hinge point on the lower side of the four-bar linkage is slidably disposed in the guide groove.

[0016] As a further implementation, the suction cup drive assembly is disposed on both sides of the first conveying section, and side conveying mechanisms are symmetrically installed on both sides of the first conveying section, the side conveying mechanisms moving synchronously with the Mecanum wheel set.

[0017] As a further implementation, the side conveying mechanism is spaced apart from the first conveying section, and the suction cup drive assembly is disposed in the space between the side conveying mechanism and the first conveying section.

[0018] As a further implementation, the suction cup assembly includes multiple suction cups, and each suction cup is connected to an air source via an independent control valve.

[0019] As a further implementation, the suction cup assembly also includes a suction cup bracket, on which the plurality of suction cups are mounted side by side;

[0020] The material box push-pull mechanism also includes a first detection switch; the first detection switch is installed on the suction cup bracket.

[0021] As a further implementation, the hopper push-pull mechanism includes a support plate and a second detection switch, with the first conveying section mounted on the support plate and the second detection switch mounted on the front end of the support plate.

[0022] As a further implementation, the driven roller is connected to a driven roller support at both ends, and the first conveying section further includes a Fleet wheel assembly, which is located at the input end and / or output end of the first conveying section.

[0023] As a further implementation, the side conveying mechanism includes a plurality of side Mecanum wheels arranged sequentially along the conveying direction, the side Mecanum wheels being mounted on the side Mecanum wheel axle.

[0024] As a further implementation, the plurality of Mecanum wheel sets are connected at intervals via a transmission mechanism.

[0025] As a further implementation, the plurality of Mecanum wheelsets include alternating left and right Mecanum wheelsets;

[0026] The left Mecanum wheel assembly includes a left Mecanum axle, with multiple left Mecanum wheels spaced apart along its axial direction. The right Mecanum wheel assembly includes a right Mecanum axle, with multiple right Mecanum wheels spaced apart along its axial direction. The roller axes of the left and right Mecanum wheels are inclined in opposite directions. As a further implementation, the hand actuator of the loading / unloading robot includes two drive motors, with the left and right Mecanum wheels respectively connected to the two drive motors.

[0027] As a further implementation, the left Mecanum wheel set is connected to the front-mounted Foley wheel set via a transmission mechanism, and the right Mecanum wheel set is connected to the rear-mounted Foley wheel set via a transmission mechanism.

[0028] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of this disclosure described above are as follows:

[0029] The first conveying section of this embodiment uses Mecanum wheel sets to convey the material boxes, enabling them to be conveyed in an orderly manner; the Mecanum wheel conveying method improves loading and unloading efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0030] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this disclosure, are used to provide a further understanding of this disclosure. The illustrative embodiments of this disclosure and their descriptions are configured to explain this disclosure and do not constitute an undue limitation of this disclosure.

[0031] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the hand actuator structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second conveying section according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0033] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first conveying section according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0034] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the material box push-pull mechanism according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0035] Among them, 100 is the second conveying section, 200 is the first conveying section, 300 is the material box push-pull mechanism, and 400 is the side conveying mechanism; 101 is the driving roller, 102 is the idler roller, 103 is the conveyor belt, 104 is the driven roller bracket, and 105 is the driven roller; 201 is the driving Flywheel, 202 is the driving Mecanum wheel, 203 is the right Mecanum wheel, 204 is the left Mecanum wheel, and 205 is the Flywheel; 301 is the first synchronous belt pulley, 302 is the synchronous belt, 303 is the synchronous belt pressure plate, 304 is the four-bar linkage, 305 is the suction cup bracket, 306 is the suction cup, 307 is the second synchronous belt pulley, 308 is the servo motor, 309 is the second detection switch, 310 is the linear guide rail, 311 is the guide groove, 312 is the first detection switch, 401 is the left side Mecanum wheel, and 402 is the right side Mecanum wheel. Detailed Implementation

[0036] Existing technology discloses a box-type cargo loading and unloading robot, whose hand actuator includes a conveying section, a gripping mechanism, and a suction cup. The conveying section includes a wide belt, a pallet, and symmetrically arranged narrow belts. The wide and narrow belts rotate synchronously to achieve cargo transfer. The hand actuator of this loading and unloading robot uses a combination of wide and narrow belts and only has the function of cargo conveying. Cargo may deviate during transfer, requiring additional equipment to adjust the cargo's alignment. Therefore, the function of this hand actuator is relatively limited.

[0037] To address the aforementioned issues, this embodiment provides a hand actuator for a loading and unloading robot, as shown in Figure 1. It includes a first conveying section 200, a second conveying section 100, and a hopper push-pull mechanism 300. The first conveying section 200 and the second conveying section 100 are arranged sequentially and are both mounted on the support plate of the hopper push-pull mechanism 300.

[0038] For ease of description, this embodiment uses the end that grips the material box as the front and the other end as the rear. The second conveying section 100 is located behind the first conveying section 200. The material box push-pull mechanism 300 grips the material box and places it on the first conveying section 200. The material box is then conveyed from the first conveying section 200 to the second conveying section 100 to achieve loading. The material box is conveyed from the second conveying section 100 to the first conveying section 200, where the material box push-pull mechanism 300 grips the material box and pushes it out to achieve unloading.

[0039] The first conveying section 200 of this embodiment has a side-gathering function, as shown in Figure 3. The first conveying section 200 includes multiple Mecanum wheel sets, which are arranged sequentially along the conveying direction. The Mecanum wheel sets are configured to change the position of the goods in the width direction. In order to achieve side-gathering of the hopper to the left or right, the Mecanum wheel sets are arranged in pairs, that is, divided into a left Mecanum wheel set and a right Mecanum wheel set, and the left Mecanum wheel set and the right Mecanum wheel set are arranged alternately.

[0040] Specifically, the left Mecanum wheel assembly includes a left Mecanum wheel axle, with multiple left Mecanum wheels 204 spaced apart along the axial direction of the left Mecanum wheel axle. The right Mecanum wheel assembly includes a right Mecanum wheel axle, with multiple right Mecanum wheels 203 spaced apart along the axial direction of the right Mecanum wheel axle. The roller axis of the Mecanum wheel is at a certain angle to the hub axis. In this embodiment, the roller axes of the left Mecanum wheel 204 and the right Mecanum wheel 203 are tilted in opposite directions, which can achieve the following: when the left Mecanum wheel 204 rotates, it can move to the left; when the right Mecanum wheel 203 rotates, it can move to the right. Thus, by controlling the direction of rotation of the left Mecanum wheel 204 and the right Mecanum wheel 203, the material box can be moved to the left or right, or conveyed forward or backward.

[0041] To achieve the aforementioned alignment function, adjacent left Mecanum gear sets are connected by a transmission mechanism, and adjacent right Mecanum gear sets are connected by a transmission mechanism, thereby achieving synchronous movement of the left and right Mecanum gear sets.

[0042] The transmission mechanism can be implemented using belt drive, chain drive, or other methods.

[0043] In this embodiment, the right Mecanum wheel set located at the foremost position is used as the power source. This right Mecanum wheel set is connected to a drive motor, and its Mecanum wheel is the drive Mecanum wheel 202. A Fleet wheel set is installed in front of this right Mecanum wheel set, and this Fleet wheel set is connected to the left Mecanum wheel set via a transmission mechanism. This Fleet wheel set is connected to another drive motor, and its Fleet wheel is the drive Fleet wheel 201, thus driving each left Mecanum wheel set. Simultaneously, another Fleet wheel set is installed behind the left Mecanum wheel sets at the rear. This rear Fleet wheel set is connected to the right Mecanum wheel set via a transmission mechanism. In this embodiment, the cooperation between the Fleet wheel set and the Mecanum wheel set enables the switching of the material bin's state.

[0044] Understandably, in other embodiments, only the Mecanum wheel set may be provided, or a Foley wheel set may be provided at one end.

[0045] It should be noted that the driving fley, driving mecanum wheel, side fley, side left mecanum wheel, and side right mecanum wheel in this embodiment are functional names and do not impose any limitations on the structure itself.

[0046] The second conveying section 100 in this embodiment adopts a conveyor belt conveying method, as shown in Figure 2. The second conveying section 100 includes a driving roller 101, a driven roller 105, and a conveyor belt 103. The driving roller 101 is installed at one end of the conveyor belt 103, and the driven roller 105 is installed at the other end. The driving roller 101 rotates to drive the conveyor belt 103. The driving roller 101 serves as the power end and is implemented using an electric roller.

[0047] The driven roller 105 is rotatably mounted on the driven roller bracket 104, and the driven roller bracket 104 has a slot that matches the end of the driven roller 105. The tension of the conveyor belt 103 can be adjusted by changing the position of the driven roller 105 in the slot.

[0048] In order to support the weight of the hopper, multiple idlers 102 are installed at intervals inside the conveyor belt 103.

[0049] Understandably, in other embodiments, the second conveying section 100 may also be a roller conveyor section, a Mecanum wheel conveyor section, or a combination of several of the roller conveyor section, belt conveyor section and Mecanum wheel conveyor section.

[0050] The material box push-pull mechanism 300 includes a support plate, a suction cup assembly installed inside the support plate, and a suction cup drive assembly. In this embodiment, the suction cup drive assembly is positioned in the middle of the width direction of the first conveying section 100 via the support plate. The suction cup drive assembly includes a linear guide rail 310, a four-bar linkage 304, and a guide groove 311. The linear guide rail 310 is slidably connected to a slider. The suction cup assembly is installed on the front side of the suction cup bracket 305. One of the hinge points on the lower side of the four-bar linkage 304 is connected to the slider, and the other hinge point on the lower side of the four-bar linkage 304 is slidably disposed in the guide groove 311.

[0051] The suction cup assembly includes multiple suction cups 306 mounted side-by-side on a suction cup bracket 305. Each suction cup 306 can grip the material box onto the first conveyor section 200. Each suction cup 306 is connected to an air source via an independent control valve, enabling individual control of the suction cup 306. The suction cup bracket 305 has forward extension, lifting, and concealment functions; concealing the suction cup bracket 305 facilitates the smooth passage of the material box through the conveyor line.

[0052] In this embodiment, the movement of the suction cup assembly is achieved through a synchronous belt mechanism. The four-bar linkage 304 is connected to the synchronous belt 302 in the synchronous belt mechanism through the synchronous belt pressure plate 303. One end of the synchronous belt 302 is connected to the first synchronous pulley 301, and the other end is connected to the second synchronous pulley 307. The synchronous belt mechanism is driven by a servo motor 308, which, together with the four-bar linkage 304, enables the suction cup bracket 305 to extend, rise, and hide.

[0053] As shown in Figure 4, a first detection switch 312 is installed on the suction cup bracket 305, and a second detection switch 309 is installed on the front end of the support plate. The first detection switch 312 is configured to detect whether the material box has passed through the suction cup bracket 305. After passing through, the material box push-pull mechanism can start to execute the next task. The second detection switch 309 is configured to confirm whether the material box has been successfully grabbed.

[0054] In this embodiment, the first detection switch 312 and the second detection switch 309 can be implemented using proximity switches, ultrasonic sensors, etc.

[0055] The working principle of this embodiment is as follows:

[0056] a. Unloading process:

[0057] 1. When the hand actuator reaches the designated position, the material box push-pull mechanism 300 extends, the suction cup 306 picks up the material box and then retracts, dragging the material box to the first conveying section 200. The suction cup 306 releases, and the gripping mechanism 300 returns to its initial position and is hidden.

[0058] 2. The material bin travels through the first conveyor section 200 to the second conveyor section 100;

[0059] 3. The material bin passes through the second conveying section 100 and arrives at the intermediate conveying mechanism of the loading and unloading vehicle.

[0060] b. Loading process:

[0061] 1. The manual actuator reaches the designated position, and the material box passes through the second conveyor section 100 to the first conveyor section 200;

[0062] 2. When the material bin stops conveying, the material bin returns to its original position via the Mecanum wheel. When the left side is filled, it returns to the left side; when the right side is filled, it returns to the right side.

[0063] 3. After the detection switch detects that the material box is in place, the first conveyor section 200 starts conveying the material box. At the same time, the material box push-pull mechanism extends to push the material box, ensuring that the material box can be smoothly separated from the hand actuator and placed in place.

[0064] 4. The material box push-pull mechanism returns to its original position by 300 degrees.

[0065] In some alternative embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, the difference from this embodiment lies in the installation position of the suction cup driving component. The suction cup driving component is arranged on both sides of the first conveying section 200, and a side conveying mechanism 400 is also provided. The side conveying mechanism 400 is spaced apart from the first conveying section 200, and the suction cup driving component is arranged in the space between the side conveying mechanism 400 and the first conveying section 200.

[0066] Since the suction cup drive assembly is located on both sides, if the side conveying mechanism 400 is not provided, the suction cup drive assembly will occupy the space on both sides, affecting the edge-gathering effect. Therefore, some optional embodiments provide a side conveying mechanism 400 on the outside of the suction cup drive assembly, so that the material box can be closer to the edge, ensuring the edge-gathering effect.

[0067] The side conveying mechanism 400 and the first conveying section 200 adopt a similar structure, that is, a combination of Mecanum wheels and Flywheels. The difference is that the side conveying mechanism 400 adopts a single-row arrangement, that is, a single left side Mecanum wheel 401 and a single right side Mecanum wheel 402 are arranged alternately. The side conveying mechanism 400 and the first conveying section 200 are driven by the same drive mechanism, that is, driven by the aforementioned drive Flywheel 201 and drive Mecanum wheel 202.

[0068] The other structures are the same as in this embodiment, and will not be described again here.

[0069] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this disclosure and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Various modifications and variations can be made to this disclosure by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure. Industrial Applicability

[0070] In summary, the present disclosure provides a hand actuator for a loading and unloading robot, which is equipped with a conveyor section with a return function, eliminating the need for additional supporting mechanisms, thereby increasing the functionality of the hand actuator and improving the efficiency of loading and unloading of material boxes.

Claims

1. A hand actuator for a loading and unloading robot, characterized in that, include: The first conveying section, located at the end of the conveying process, includes a plurality of Mecanum wheel sets arranged sequentially, wherein the Mecanum wheel sets are configured to change the position of the cargo in the width direction; A hopper push-pull mechanism, configured to pull the hopper to the first conveying section; Alternatively, the hopper can be pushed outward from the first conveyor section.

2. The hand actuator of a loading and unloading robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a second conveying section, which is installed at the rear of the first conveying section. The second conveying section is one or a combination of roller conveying section, belt conveying section and Mecanum wheel conveying section.

3. The hand actuator of a loading and unloading robot according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The material box push-pull mechanism includes a suction cup assembly and a suction cup drive assembly. The suction cup assembly is configured to grip the material box by adsorption. The suction cup drive assembly is located in the middle of the width direction of the first conveying section or on both sides of the first conveying section.

4. The hand actuator of a loading and unloading robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, The suction cup drive assembly includes a linear guide rail, a four-bar linkage, and a guide groove. The suction cup assembly is connected to the four-bar linkage. One of the hinge points on the lower side of the four-bar linkage is slidably disposed on the linear guide rail, and the other hinge point on the lower side of the four-bar linkage is slidably disposed in the guide groove.

5. The hand actuator of a loading and unloading robot according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The suction cup drive assembly is disposed on both sides of the first conveying section, and side conveying mechanisms are also symmetrically installed on both sides of the first conveying section. The side conveying mechanisms move synchronously with the Mecanum wheel set.

6. The hand actuator of a loading and unloading robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, The side conveying mechanism is spaced apart from the first conveying section, and the suction cup drive assembly is located in the space between the side conveying mechanism and the first conveying section.

7. The hand actuator of a loading and unloading robot according to any one of claims 4-6, characterized in that, The suction cup assembly includes multiple suction cups, and each suction cup is connected to an air source via an independent control valve.

8. The hand actuator of a loading and unloading robot according to claim 7, characterized in that, The suction cup assembly also includes a suction cup bracket, and the plurality of suction cups are mounted side by side on the suction cup bracket; The material box push-pull mechanism also includes a first detection switch; the first detection switch is installed on the suction cup bracket.

9. The hand actuator of a loading and unloading robot according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The material box push-pull mechanism includes a support plate and a second detection switch. The first conveying section is installed on the support plate, and the second detection switch is installed at the front end of the support plate.

10. The hand actuator of a loading and unloading robot according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The first conveying section also includes a Flexi wheel assembly, which is located at the input end and / or output end of the first conveying section.

11. The hand actuator of a loading and unloading robot according to any one of claims 6-10, characterized in that, The side conveying mechanism includes a plurality of side Mecanum wheels arranged sequentially along the conveying direction, and the side Mecanum wheels are mounted on the side Mecanum wheel axle.

12. The hand actuator of a loading and unloading robot according to any one of claims 6-11, characterized in that, The multiple Mecanum wheel sets are connected at intervals via a transmission mechanism.

13. The hand actuator of a loading and unloading robot according to any one of claims 1-12, characterized in that, The plurality of Mecanum wheelsets include alternating left and right Mecanum wheelsets; The left Mecanum wheel assembly includes a left Mecanum wheel axle, and multiple left Mecanum wheels are installed at intervals along the axial direction of the left Mecanum wheel axle. The right Mecanum wheel assembly includes a right Mecanum wheel axle, and multiple right Mecanum wheels are installed at intervals along the axial direction of the right Mecanum wheel axle. The roller axes of the left Mecanum wheels and the right Mecanum wheels are inclined in opposite directions.

14. The hand actuator of a loading and unloading robot according to claim 13, characterized in that, The hand actuator of the loading and unloading robot includes two drive motors, and the left Mecanum wheel and the right Mecanum wheel are respectively connected to the two drive motors.

15. The hand actuator of a loading and unloading robot according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that, The left Mecanum wheel assembly is connected to the front-mounted Foley wheel assembly via a transmission mechanism, and the right Mecanum wheel assembly is connected to the rear-mounted Foley wheel assembly via a transmission mechanism.

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