Carrying robot

Abstract

A carrying robot, comprising a chassis (1) and a portal frame (3) arranged on the chassis (1), wherein a fork (2) for forking goods is provided on the portal frame (3), an extension and retraction assembly (4) is provided on the portal frame (3), the fork (2) extends forward and retracts backward relative to the chassis (1) under the action of the extension and retraction assembly (4), and the extension and retraction direction of the fork (2) is perpendicular to the movement direction of the chassis (1). The carrying robot reduces the change in the center of gravity of a whole vehicle body, and reduces the power consumption for the extension and retraction of the fork, thereby improving the working stability and working efficiency of a carrying vehicle.

Description

A transport robot Cross-references

[0001] This application incorporates, in its entirety, Chinese Patent Application No. 202410503396.5 entitled “A Handling Robot”, filed on April 25, 2024, and Chinese Patent Application No. 202421135341.5 entitled “A Transport Robot”, filed on May 23, 2024. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of warehousing equipment technology, and more specifically, to a handling robot. Background Technology

[0003] AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles), also known as unmanned transport vehicles, automated guided vehicles, or laser-guided vehicles, are characterized by their driverless operation. Equipped with an automated guidance system, AGVs can automatically travel along a predetermined route without human guidance, transporting goods or materials from the starting point to the destination.

[0004] In the prior art, the pallet truck is equipped with forks for picking up goods. When not in use, the forks are retracted and placed on the chassis of the pallet truck. When it is necessary to pick up goods, the mast with forks moves forward under the drive of the bottom drag chain and pulley, thereby moving the forks forward and picking up the goods.

[0005] However, during the movement of the mast, the center of gravity of the pallet truck will change, which reduces the stability of the pallet truck. In addition, the mast is relatively high, and it requires a lot of power to move the forks by moving the mast. Furthermore, the pulleys at the bottom of the mast are prone to jamming. The existing technology of moving the forks by moving the mast reduces the reliability and efficiency of the pallet truck. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, this application discloses a transport robot.

[0007] A handling robot includes a chassis and a gantry mounted on the chassis. The gantry is equipped with forks for picking up goods and a telescopic assembly. The forks extend and retract relative to the chassis under the action of the telescopic assembly, wherein the extension and retraction direction of the forks is perpendicular to the movement direction of the chassis.

[0008] In one embodiment, the telescopic assembly includes a telescopic arm, which is composed of multiple sets of cross-arranged support rods. Each set of support rods is movably connected at the intersection, and the ends of adjacent sets of support rods are movably connected. A first hydraulic push rod is provided on the telescopic arm to control the telescopic state of the telescopic arm.

[0009] In one embodiment, the telescopic assembly is disposed between the mast and the forks, and when the telescopic assembly controls the extension and retraction of the forks, the relative position of the mast and the chassis remains unchanged.

[0010] In one embodiment, the chassis is further provided with a mounting frame, the telescopic component is disposed between the mounting frame and the mast, and the forks are disposed on the mast. When the telescopic component extends or retracts, it drives the mast and the forks to move together, extending and retracting relative to the chassis.

[0011] In one embodiment, the telescopic assembly includes a second hydraulic push rod, the two ends of which are rotatably connected to the gantry and the mounting bracket, respectively. When the second hydraulic push rod extends, it drives the gantry and the forks to extend forward.

[0012] In one embodiment, a support frame is provided at the bottom of the gantry near the mounting bracket, and the support frame is provided with rollers.

[0013] In one embodiment, multiple sets of telescopic components are provided between the gantry and the mounting bracket to balance the forces on the gantry.

[0014] In one embodiment, the mast includes an inner mast and an outer mast. The outer mast is fixedly mounted on the chassis, and the inner mast is slidably mounted on the outer mast and can move up and down along the outer mast. The forks are mounted on the inner mast and can move up and down along the inner mast.

[0015] In one embodiment, a third hydraulic push rod is provided on the outer gantry. The oil inlet end of the third hydraulic push rod is located at the bottom of the outer gantry and connected to a hydraulic pump. The other end of the third hydraulic push rod is fixed to the top of the inner gantry. When oil is introduced into the third hydraulic push rod, it pushes the inner gantry to rise.

[0016] In one embodiment, a circular groove is provided on the top of the inner mast, and a chain is provided on the circular groove. One end of the chain is fixed to the top of the outer mast, and the other end is fixed to the fork. When the inner mast rises, it drives the fork to rise.

[0017] In one embodiment, the handling robot further includes a telescopic component oil supply pipe, which is a flexible oil pipe, with one end connected to the hydraulic pump and the other end bypassing the circular groove and connecting to the telescopic component.

[0018] In one embodiment, the chassis is provided with a receiving groove, and when the forks are lowered to the lowest position, the forks are located in the receiving groove, and the items on the forks are placed on the upper surface of the chassis. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a handling robot provided in this application;

[0020] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the extended state of a handling robot provided in this application;

[0021] Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of a telescopic component provided in this application;

[0022] Figure 4 is a partial enlarged view of part A in Figure 1;

[0023] Figure 5 is a structural schematic diagram of another handling robot provided in this application;

[0024] Figure 6 is a structural schematic diagram of another type of handling robot provided in this application.

[0025] Illustration: 1-Chassis, 2-Forks, 3-Mast, 31-Outer mast, 32-Inner mast, 4-Telescopic assembly, 41-Telescopic boom, 5-Hydraulic pump, 61-First hydraulic push rod, 62-Second hydraulic push rod, 63-Third hydraulic push rod, 7-Telescopic assembly oil supply pipe, 8-Circular groove, 9-Chain. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0027] Referring to Figures 1-3, this application provides a handling robot, including a chassis 1 and a mast 3 mounted on the chassis 1. The mast 3 is provided with forks 2 for picking up goods and a telescopic component 4. The forks 2 extend and retract relative to the chassis 1 under the action of the telescopic component 4, wherein the extension and retraction direction of the forks 2 is perpendicular to the movement direction of the chassis 1.

[0028] In existing warehousing systems, since the warehouse area is fixed, to maximize the utilization of storage space, one approach is to increase the height of the warehouse and the width of the aisles. Therefore, in order to move in narrow aisles, the handling robot is designed to travel only in one direction. When it reaches the picking location, it extends its forks 2 to pick up the goods. Since the picking location is located on both sides of the aisle, the forks 2 must face the picking location when picking up the goods. Therefore, the extension direction of the forks 2 is perpendicular to the movement direction of the chassis 1.

[0029] The chassis 1 is equipped with a control module, a power supply component, and a drive component. The control component receives the picking instruction and controls the operation of the drive component to pick up and place the goods.

[0030] During the picking process, the telescopic component 4 extends, pushing the forks 2 forward to pick up the goods. After picking up the goods, the telescopic component 4 retracts, driving the forks 2 to move backward, and the goods are placed on the chassis 1. Since the size of the goods will not exceed the width of the aisle, it ensures that the handling robot can drive out along the aisle.

[0031] The telescopic assembly 4 includes a telescopic arm 41, which is composed of multiple sets of cross-arranged support rods. Each set of support rods is movably connected at the intersection, and the ends of adjacent sets of support rods are movably connected. A first hydraulic push rod 61 is provided on the telescopic arm 41 to control the telescopic state of the telescopic arm 41.

[0032] The first hydraulic push rod 61 extends by injecting hydraulic oil into it. The inside of the push rod is smooth and not easy to jam. During the extension process, it pushes the fork 2 to extend. Since the extension of the first hydraulic push rod 61 is achieved by injecting liquid into it, the extension process is smooth, making the fork 2 more stable during the extension and retraction process, which can meet the requirements of handling items that are sensitive to vibration.

[0033] In this application, the telescopic arm 41 is combined with the first hydraulic push rod 61, which can achieve a longer extension range when using the first hydraulic push rod 61 with a shorter stroke. This is because the first hydraulic push rod 61 can be set at the middle position of the telescopic arm 41, and the telescopic arm 41 is fully extended during the movement of the first hydraulic push rod 61. Of course, in other embodiments, only the first hydraulic push rod 61 can be set, and the side of the first hydraulic push rod 61 near the fork 2 can be set as a hinge structure.

[0034] This application discloses two ways of setting the telescopic component 4. In one possible embodiment, the telescopic component 4 is set between the mast 3 and the fork 2. When the telescopic component 4 controls the extension and retraction of the fork 2, the relative position of the mast 3 and the chassis 1 remains unchanged.

[0035] Referring to Figure 2, in this embodiment, the telescopic component 4 is disposed between the mast 3 and the fork 2. When the telescopic component 4 extends, it acts directly on the fork 2, causing the fork 2 to extend forward. At this time, the mast 3 does not move. The weight of the fork 2 and the telescopic component 4 is relatively small compared to the overall weight of the handling robot. Therefore, the overall center of gravity remains unchanged, keeping the vehicle stable. Furthermore, there are no drag chains or pulleys between the fork 2 and the chassis 1, which avoids jamming during the extension process.

[0036] In another possible embodiment of the fork 2, referring to Figures 5 and 6, a mounting frame 33 is also provided on the chassis 1, the telescopic component 4 is disposed between the mounting frame 33 and the mast 3, and the fork 2 is disposed on the mast 3. When the telescopic component 4 extends or retracts, it drives the mast 3 and the fork 2 to move together, extending and retracting relative to the chassis 1.

[0037] In this embodiment, the telescopic component 4 is disposed between the mast 3 and the mounting bracket 33. When the telescopic component 4 extends, it acts on the mast 3. The fork 2 is mounted on the mast 3. When the mast 3 moves, it drives the fork 2 to move forward, thereby realizing the forward and backward movement of the fork 2. In this embodiment, since the relative position of the fork 2 and the mast 3 in the vertical projection remains unchanged, when picking up heavier goods, the weight is shared by the fork 2 and the mast 3 at the same time, avoiding the situation where the fork 2 tilts down due to the weight of the goods during the picking process.

[0038] Similarly, when the goods are heavy, the mast 3 is pulled back by the telescopic component 4 after the goods are picked up. At this time, the weight borne by the mast 3 is large. During the backward movement, it may tip backward or the bottom of the rear side of the mast 3 may be subjected to large forces. Therefore, in this embodiment, a support frame is provided at the bottom of the mast 3 on the side near the mounting frame 33. The support frame is provided with rolling wheels to support the mast 3 during the backward movement.

[0039] In this embodiment, the telescopic component 4 includes a second hydraulic push rod 62. The two ends of the second hydraulic push rod 62 are rotatably connected to the mast 3 and the mounting bracket 33, respectively. When the second hydraulic push rod 62 extends, it drives the mast 3 and the fork 2 to extend forward.

[0040] The second hydraulic push rod 62 extends by injecting hydraulic oil into it. The inside of the push rod is smooth and not easy to jam. During the extension process, it pushes the mast 3 to extend, which in turn drives the forks 2 to move. Since the extension of the second hydraulic push rod 62 is achieved by injecting liquid into it, the extension process is smooth, making the forks 2 more stable during the extension and retraction process, which can meet the requirements of handling items that are sensitive to vibration.

[0041] In this application, the two ends of the second hydraulic push rod 62 are rotatably connected to the gantry 3 and the mounting bracket 33 respectively, so as to facilitate the retraction of the second hydraulic push rod during the movement of the gantry.

[0042] Referring to Figure 6, in other possible embodiments, the telescopic assembly 4 can also be a telescopic arm and a hydraulic push rod that are set separately. Setting both the hydraulic push rod and the telescopic arm can increase the contact points between the gantry 3 and the mounting frame 33, and distribute more force during the backward movement of the gantry 3, thus extending the service life of the equipment.

[0043] Since warehouse shelves are multi-layered, the mast 3 is set relatively high in order to reach goods at higher positions so that the forks 2 can move up and down. Therefore, multiple sets of telescopic components 4 are provided between the mast 3 and the mounting frame 33 to balance the force on the mast 3.

[0044] When the handling robot picks up goods at a higher position, the forks 2 move upward along the mast 3. After reaching the corresponding height, the robot picks up the goods. After picking up the goods, the forks 2 descend along the mast 3 to the bottom and place the goods on the chassis 1 for transportation. The height of each shelf in different warehouses is not the same, but it is relatively high. Taking a 4-meter-high automated warehouse as an example, in order to pick up the goods at the top, the forks 2 need to rise to a position of at least 4 meters. If the mast 3 of the handling robot is set to a height of 4 meters, it will result in extremely poor overall stability of the robot body, an increased center of gravity, and increased vehicle body cost if it continues to pick up goods at lower positions. The robot has poor adaptability to different scenarios.

[0045] Therefore, the mast 3 described in this application includes an inner mast 32 and an outer mast 31. The outer mast 31 is fixedly mounted on the chassis 1, and the inner mast 32 is slidably mounted on the outer mast 31 and can move up and down along the outer mast 31. The forks 2 are mounted on the inner mast 32 and can move up and down along the inner mast 32.

[0046] By setting an inner mast 32 that can move up and down along the outer mast 31, the overall height of the vehicle can be shortened. The inner mast 32 is the same height as the outer mast 31. When the inner mast 32 moves up to the highest point of the outer mast 31, the highest position that the fork 2 can reach is twice the height of the mast 3. Therefore, the height of the mast 3 of the handling robot only needs to be set to half the height of the automated warehouse. This allows the fork 2 to move within the height range of the automated warehouse while reducing the overall height of the vehicle.

[0047] In order to achieve the lifting and lowering of the inner mast 32, a third hydraulic push rod 63 is provided on the outer mast 31. The oil inlet end of the third hydraulic push rod 63 is located at the bottom of the outer mast 31 and is connected to the hydraulic pump 5. The other end of the third hydraulic push rod 63 is fixed to the top of the inner mast 32. When the third hydraulic push rod 63 is filled with oil, it pushes the inner mast 32 to rise.

[0048] The inner mast 32 is provided with a circular slide groove 8 at its top, and a chain 9 is provided on the circular slide groove 8. One end of the chain 9 is fixed to the top of the outer mast 31, and the other end is fixed to the fork 2. When the inner mast 32 rises, it drives the fork 2 to rise.

[0049] During the upward movement of the inner mast 32, the forks 2 rise synchronously, and the distance the forks 2 move is twice the distance the inner mast 32 moves. In this embodiment, when the control unit (not shown in the figure) needs to control the forks 2 to rise, it only needs to control the hydraulic pump 5 to inject hydraulic oil into the third hydraulic push rod 63 to control the third hydraulic push rod 63 to extend. When the forks 2 reach the designated position, the hydraulic pump 5 stops working. Of course, since the lifting height of the mast 3 is fixed when the amount of oil injected is constant, the lifting height and the amount of oil injected can be calibrated. When the designated position needs to be reached, the hydraulic pump 5 can be controlled to inject a fixed amount of hydraulic oil.

[0050] To reduce the overall structure of the handling robot, the handling robot also includes a telescopic component oil supply pipe 7. The telescopic component oil supply pipe 7 is a flexible oil pipe, one end of which is connected to the hydraulic pump 5, and the other end is connected to the telescopic component 4 after passing around the circular slide 8. This allows the first hydraulic push rod 61 of the telescopic component 4 and the third hydraulic push rod 63 of the gantry 3 to share a single hydraulic pump 5, which can reduce design costs.

[0051] This application reduces the overall center of gravity change of the vehicle body and the power consumption of fork extension by setting a telescopic component 4 on the mast 3, thereby improving the working stability and efficiency of the pallet truck.

[0052] The chassis is provided with a receiving groove 10. When the fork 2 is lowered to the lowest position, the fork 2 is located in the receiving groove 10, and the items on the fork 2 are placed on the upper surface of the chassis 1.

[0053] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0054] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A transport robot, wherein, The system includes a chassis (1) and a mast (3) mounted on the chassis (1). The mast (3) is equipped with forks (2) for picking up goods and a telescopic assembly (4) is mounted on the mast (3). The forks (2) extend and retract relative to the chassis (1) under the action of the telescopic assembly (4). The extension and retraction direction of the forks (2) is perpendicular to the movement direction of the chassis (1).

2. The handling robot as described in claim 1, wherein, The telescopic assembly (4) includes a telescopic arm (41), which is composed of multiple sets of cross-arranged support rods. Each set of support rods is movably connected at the intersection, and the ends of adjacent sets of support rods are movably connected. A first hydraulic push rod (61) is provided on the telescopic arm (41) to control the telescopic state of the telescopic arm (41).

3. The handling robot as described in claim 1, wherein, The telescopic assembly (4) is disposed between the mast (3) and the forks (2). When the telescopic assembly (4) controls the forks (2) to extend or retract, the relative position of the mast (3) and the chassis (1) remains unchanged.

4. The handling robot as described in claim 1, wherein, The chassis (1) is also provided with a mounting frame (33), the telescopic component (4) is located between the mounting frame (33) and the mast (3), and the forks (2) are located on the mast (3). When the telescopic component (4) extends or retracts, it drives the mast (3) and the forks (2) to move together, extending and retracting relative to the chassis (1).

5. The handling robot as described in claim 4, wherein, The telescopic assembly (4) includes a second hydraulic push rod (62), the two ends of which are rotatably connected to the gantry (3) and the mounting bracket (33) respectively. When the second hydraulic push rod (62) extends, it drives the gantry (3) and the forks (2) to extend forward.

6. The handling robot as described in claim 4, wherein, The bottom of the gantry (3) near the mounting bracket (33) is provided with a support frame, and the support frame is provided with rollers.

7. The handling robot as described in claim 4, wherein, Multiple sets of telescopic components (4) are provided between the gantry (3) and the mounting bracket (33) to balance the force on the gantry (3).

8. The handling robot as described in claim 1, wherein, The mast (3) includes an inner mast (32) and an outer mast (31). The outer mast (31) is fixedly mounted on the chassis (1). The inner mast (32) is slidably mounted on the outer mast (31) and can move up and down along the outer mast (31). The forks (2) are mounted on the inner mast (32) and can move up and down along the inner mast (32).

9. The handling robot as described in claim 8, wherein, The outer gantry (31) is provided with a third hydraulic push rod (63). The oil inlet end of the third hydraulic push rod (63) is located at the bottom of the outer gantry (31) and connected to the hydraulic pump (5). The other end of the third hydraulic push rod (63) is fixed to the top of the inner gantry (32). When the third hydraulic push rod (63) is filled with oil, it pushes the inner gantry (32) to rise.

10. The handling robot as described in claim 9, wherein, The inner mast (32) is provided with a circular slide groove (8) at the top, and a chain (9) is provided on the circular slide groove (8). One end of the chain (9) is fixed to the top of the outer mast (31), and the other end is fixed to the fork (2). When the inner mast (32) rises, it drives the fork (2) to rise.

11. The handling robot as claimed in claim 10, wherein, It also includes a telescopic component oil supply pipe (7), which is a flexible oil pipe. One end is connected to the hydraulic pump (5), and the other end passes around the circular groove (8) and is connected to the telescopic component (4).

12. The handling robot according to any one of claims 1-11, wherein, The chassis is provided with a receiving groove (10). When the fork (2) is lowered to the lowest position, the fork (2) is located in the receiving groove (10), and the item on the fork (2) is placed on the upper surface of the chassis (1).

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