Goods taking and placing apparatus and device, warehousing system, goods taking and placing control method, and device

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application relate to the technical field of logistics warehousing, and disclose a goods taking and placing apparatus and device, a warehousing system, a goods taking and placing control method, a device, and a computer-readable storage medium. The goods taking and placing apparatus comprises a carrying table and a goods taking and placing assembly; the goods taking and placing assembly comprises a translation assembly and a connection assembly; the goods taking and placing assembly is movably connected to the carrying table by means of the translation assembly; the connection assembly is arranged on the side of the translation assembly facing a goods carrying space, and is connected to the translation assembly in a height-adjustable mode; a connection component is provided on at least one side of the connection assembly facing a first horizontal direction; the connection assembly is used for being connected, by means of the connection component when being adjusted to a first height relative to the carrying table, to a container for accommodating goods; the connection assembly is also used for being staggered from the container on the carrying table when being adjusted to a second height relative to the carrying table. By means of the described manner, the embodiments of the present application can reduce the size of the goods taking and placing apparatus, and further improve the space utilization rate of a warehousing system using the goods taking and placing apparatus.

Description

Picking and placing devices, equipment, warehousing systems, picking and placing control methods and equipment

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410504620.2, filed on April 24, 2024, entitled "Picking and Placing Device, Equipment, Warehousing System, Picking and Placing Control Method and Equipment", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of logistics and warehousing technology, specifically to a picking and placing device, equipment, warehousing system, picking and placing control method, equipment, and computer-readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0003] In the field of logistics and warehousing, warehouse space utilization is an important indicator for measuring warehousing systems. With the development of technology and the acceleration of the pace of life, higher and higher requirements are being placed on space utilization.

[0004] In warehousing systems involving robots, the space required for robot movement and the space needed for picking and placing goods depend heavily on the structure of the picking and placing device. In existing technologies, the picking and placing device requires a large amount of space, resulting in low warehouse space utilization. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above problems, embodiments of this application provide a picking and placing device, equipment, warehousing system, picking and placing control method, equipment and computer-readable storage medium, which can reduce the size of the picking and placing device and thus improve the space utilization rate of the warehousing system using the picking and placing device.

[0006] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, a loading and unloading device is provided, comprising: a support platform and a loading and unloading assembly, the loading and unloading assembly including a translation assembly and a docking assembly; a loading space is formed on the support platform, and an opening for a container to enter and exit is provided on at least one side of the support platform along a first horizontal direction; the loading and unloading assembly is movably connected to the support platform along the first horizontal direction via the translation assembly; the docking assembly is disposed on the side of the translation assembly facing the loading space, and is vertically and vertically connected to the translation assembly, and a docking member is provided on at least one side of the docking assembly facing the first horizontal direction; the docking assembly is used to dock with a container for accommodating goods via the docking member when it is raised and lowered relative to the support platform to a first height; the docking assembly is also used to be in a avoidance state with the container on the support platform when it is raised and lowered relative to the support platform to a second height.

[0007] According to another aspect of the embodiments of this application, a picking and placing device is provided, including a device body and the above-mentioned picking and placing device, wherein the picking and placing device is disposed on the device body.

[0008] According to another aspect of the embodiments of this application, a warehousing system is provided, including a shelf and the above-mentioned picking and placing equipment, the picking and placing equipment being used to pick up and place containers on the shelf.

[0009] According to another aspect of the embodiments of this application, a loading and unloading control method is provided, applied to a controller of a loading and unloading device. The loading and unloading device includes: a support platform and a loading and unloading component. The loading and unloading component includes a translation component and a docking component. A loading space is formed on the support platform, and an opening for a container to enter and exit is provided on at least one side of the support platform along a first horizontal direction. The loading and unloading component is movably connected to the support platform along the first horizontal direction via the translation component. The docking component is disposed on the side of the translation component facing the loading space and is vertically movable and connected to the translation component. A docking member is provided on at least one side of the docking component facing the first horizontal direction. The first horizontal direction includes a first direction and a second direction. The loading and unloading control method includes: controlling the loading and unloading component to move along the first direction to one end of the support platform; controlling the docking component to rise and fall to a first height and controlling the docking member to dock with a container for accommodating goods; controlling the loading and unloading component to move along the second direction to pull the container to the support platform via the docking member; and controlling the docking member to rise and fall to a second height after detaching from the container, so that the docking component and the container on the support platform are in a clearance state.

[0010] According to another aspect of the embodiments of this application, a picking and placing control device is provided, including a memory and at least one processor; the memory stores computer execution instructions; the at least one processor executes the computer execution instructions stored in the memory, causing the at least one processor to perform the above-described picking and placing control method.

[0011] According to another aspect of the embodiments of this application, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, which stores computer-executable instructions. When a processor executes the computer-executable instructions, the above-described goods retrieval and release control method is implemented.

[0012] In the picking and placing device provided in this application embodiment, the docking component is configured to be able to both translate relative to the support platform and rise and fall relative to the support platform. This allows the docking component to normally pull the container onto or push it off the support platform when it rises and falls to a height relative to the container. Furthermore, when the docking component rises and falls to a height higher than the support platform, it is in a avoidance state with the container on the support platform, so that the vertical projection of the docking component and the container on the support platform can at least partially overlap. That is, the required horizontal space of the docking component and the container on the support platform partially overlaps, thereby reducing the overall horizontal dimension of the picking and placing device. This allows the aisles in the warehousing system to be designed as narrow as possible, thereby improving the space utilization rate of the warehousing system.

[0013] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings:

[0015] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the cargo handling device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 2 is a structural schematic diagram of the loading and unloading device and the external container in the docking state provided in the embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the loading and unloading device provided in an embodiment of the present invention, in which the docking component and the container are in a state of avoidance.

[0018] Figure 4 is a structural schematic diagram from the frontal view of Figure 3;

[0019] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure from the side view of Figure 3;

[0020] Figure 6a is a schematic diagram of the loading and unloading device and the external container docking state provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 6b is a schematic diagram of the structure after part of the container is pulled onto the support platform based on Figure 6a;

[0022] Figure 6c is a schematic diagram of the structure after the docking component is detached from the container based on Figure 6b;

[0023] Figure 6d is a schematic diagram of the structure in which the container is completely placed on the support platform based on Figure 6c;

[0024] Figure 7a is a schematic diagram of the structure of the picking and placing device provided in an embodiment of the present invention after pulling a portion of the containers onto the support platform;

[0025] Figure 7b is a schematic diagram of the structure after one side of the container is lifted by a lifting mechanism based on Figure 7a;

[0026] Figure 7c is a schematic diagram of the structure in Figure 7b where the container slides and is completely retracted behind the support platform.

[0027] Figure 8a is a schematic diagram of the structure after the docking component is moved to the other side of the container based on Figure 6d;

[0028] Figure 8b is a schematic diagram of the structure after the docking component is docked with the other side of the container based on Figure 8a;

[0029] Figure 8c is a schematic diagram of the structure after the container is pushed out from the other side based on Figure 8b;

[0030] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the container provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 10 is a side view of the internal structure of the loading and unloading device provided in the embodiment of the present invention when it is docked with an external container.

[0032] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the picking and placing device provided in an embodiment of the present invention when the external container is pulled to the support platform and the docking component and the container are in a state of avoidance.

[0033] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the cargo handling device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of a goods picking and placing device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of another goods picking and placing device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of the layout structure of the warehousing system provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 16 is a flowchart illustrating the goods handling control method provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of the modular structure of the goods pick-up and drop-off control device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 18 is a schematic diagram of the modular structure of the goods picking and placing control device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] The reference numerals in the detailed embodiments are as follows: 100, picking and placing device; 110, support platform; 111, cargo space; 112, opening; 113, support member; 114, side plate; 120, picking and placing assembly; 121, translation assembly; 122, docking assembly; 1221, docking member; 12211, hook member; 12211a, main body; 12211b, first plate; 12211c, second plate; 1222, base; 1223, extension; 13 0. Conveying assembly; 140. Lifting mechanism; 151. First drive mechanism; 1511. First drive component; 1512. First transmission mechanism; 152. Second drive mechanism; 153. Third drive mechanism; 161. First sensor; 162. Second sensor; 163. Third sensor; 164. Fourth sensor; 165. Fifth sensor; 166. Sixth sensor; 1661. Sensing area; 167. Seventh sensor; 200. Container; 210. Hook and connector; 300. Equipment body; 400. Shelf; 410. Aisle; 500. Picking and placing equipment; 1000. Warehousing system. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The embodiments of the technical solution of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application and are therefore merely examples, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0042] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0043] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0044] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0045] In the description of the embodiments in this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three cases: A exists, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists. In addition, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the related objects before and after it have an "or" relationship.

[0046] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more (including two sets), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more (including two pieces).

[0047] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application.

[0048] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0049] Warehousing systems typically include shelves, workstations, and various types of robots. Robots are mainly responsible for picking up and placing goods on shelves and at workstations, as well as moving goods between shelves and workstations. For this purpose, aisles are reserved around the shelves and workstations for the robots to move around. Since the space in the aisle area cannot be used to store goods, the width of the aisle directly affects the overall space utilization of the warehouse.

[0050] Robots include retrieval robots capable of picking and placing goods. The retrieval devices on these robots are generally large in size because they require docking components for picking and placing containers and platforms to hold those containers, directly impacting aisle width design. Therefore, reducing the size of retrieval devices to improve warehouse space utilization has become a pressing issue.

[0051] In view of the above problems, according to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, a picking and placing device is proposed, wherein the docking component is configured to be able to both translate relative to the support platform and rise and fall relative to the support platform, so that when the docking component rises and falls to a height relative to the container, it can normally pull the container onto or push it off the support platform, and when the docking component rises and falls to a height higher than the support platform, it is in a avoidance state with the container on the support platform, so that the vertical projection of the docking component and the container on the support platform can at least partially overlap, that is, the required horizontal space of the docking component and the container on the support platform partially overlaps, thereby reducing the overall horizontal size of the picking and placing device, so that the aisles in the warehousing system can be designed as narrow as possible to improve the space utilization of the warehousing system.

[0052] The picking and placing devices provided in this application include, but are not limited to, robots and workstations used in warehousing, outbound, inventory, sorting, and handling processes.

[0053] Please refer to Figure 1, which illustrates the structure of the loading and unloading device provided in this embodiment of the application. As shown in the figure, the loading and unloading device 100 includes a support platform 110 and a loading and unloading assembly 120. The loading and unloading assembly 120 includes a translation assembly 121 and a docking assembly 122. A loading space 111 is formed on the support platform 110, and an opening 112 for containers to enter and exit is provided on at least one side of the support platform 110 along a first horizontal direction (indicated by the double arrow X in the figure). The loading and unloading assembly 120 is movably connected to the support platform 110 along the first horizontal direction via the translation assembly 121. The docking assembly 122 is disposed on the side of the translation assembly 121 facing the loading space 111, and is vertically and vertically connected to the translation assembly 121 along a vertical direction (indicated by the double arrow Z in the figure). A docking member 1221 is provided on at least one side of the docking assembly 122 facing the first horizontal direction.

[0054] As shown in Figure 2, the docking assembly 122 is in the first height state. The docking assembly 122 is used to dock with the container 200 for containing goods through the docking part 1221 when it is raised and lowered relative to the support platform 110 to the first height.

[0055] As shown in Figure 3, when the docking component 122 is at the second height, the docking component 122 is also used to avoid the container 200 on the support platform 110 when it is raised and lowered to the second height relative to the support platform 110.

[0056] The support platform 110 is the main structure of the loading and unloading device 100. In the specific embodiment shown in Figure 1, it includes a bottom support member 113 and side plates 114 located on opposite sides of the support member 113 along a second horizontal direction (indicated by the double arrow Y in the figure). This does not constitute a limitation on the specific implementation of the support platform 110. In some other embodiments, the support platform 110 may only have a bottom support member 113, and the translation component 121 is movably connected to the support platform 110 at the bottom; or the support platform 110 may only have a side plate 114 on one side, and the translation component 121 is movably connected to the side plate 114; or in addition to the support member 113 and the side plates 114 on both sides, the support platform 110 may also have a cover plate on the top.

[0057] The translation component 121 and the support platform 110, as well as the docking component 122 and the translation component 121, can be moved and connected along the first horizontal direction through sliding block and rail cooperation, pulley and rail cooperation, shaft and hole sliding cooperation, etc.

[0058] Regarding the docking state of the docking component 122 and the container 200 on the support platform 110, please refer to Figures 4 and 5 for the front and side views of the docking component 122 and the container 200 in the avoidance state. Figure 5 hides one side plate 114 on the support platform 110. As shown in the figure, the avoidance state is that the docking component 122 and the container 200 on the support platform 110 are vertically offset from each other, that is, the projections of the docking component 122 and the container 200 along the first horizontal direction do not coincide. Therefore, the docking component 122 can pass over the container 200 along the first horizontal direction or stop on the container 200. Above 00, the space occupied by the docking component 122 and the container 200 along the first horizontal direction is at least partially overlapped. Therefore, for the support platform 110, it is not necessary to design its size along the first horizontal direction to be greater than or equal to the sum of the sizes of the docking component 122 and the container 200 along the first horizontal direction. Instead, it can be designed to be greater than or equal to the size of the container 200 along the first horizontal direction. Thus, the overall size of the picking and placing device 100 along the first horizontal direction can be significantly reduced. For the warehousing system using this picking and placing device 100, the width of the aisle can be designed to be as narrow as possible to improve the space utilization of the warehousing system.

[0059] In addition, the docking component 122 docks with the front of the container 200, so that the vertical and horizontal spacing between multiple containers 200 can be set as small as possible, thereby further improving the space utilization of the warehousing system.

[0060] Considering that the dimensions of the support platform 110 along the first horizontal direction are designed to be smaller than the sum of the dimensions of the docking assembly 122 and the container 200 along the first horizontal direction, if the docking assembly 122 uses a simple pulling method to pull the container 200 onto the support platform 110, the container 200 will not be able to be fully pulled into the cargo space 111 within the support platform 110 due to the size limitation of the support platform 110. To address this issue, this application proposes a solution, as shown in Figure 1 again. As shown in the figure, a conveying assembly 130 is provided on the support platform 110 along the first horizontal direction. The conveying assembly 130 is used to move the container 200 on the support platform 110 along the first horizontal direction.

[0061] The conveying component 130 can be the conveyor belt shown in Figure 1, or it can be a roller conveyor mechanism, etc. The specific implementation of the conveying component 130 is not limited here.

[0062] Please refer to Figures 6a to 6d for details. The figures show the structure of the picking and placing device 100 provided in this embodiment at each step of the picking process. First, the translation component 121 moves to one side of the support platform 110 along the first horizontal direction, and the docking component 122 rises and falls to the first height. The docking component 122 docks with the external container 200 through the docking part 1221 on it, and the docking result is shown in Figure 6a. Next, the translation component 121 drives the docking component 122 to move inward along the first horizontal direction, so as to pull part of the container 200 from the opening 112 into the loading space 111 on the support platform 110, and part of the bottom of the container 200 is placed on the conveying component 130. Then, the docking component 122 separates from the container 200 and moves inward relative to the container 200 under the drive of the translation component 121, as shown in Figure 6b. Then, the docking component 122 rises to the second height, and the container 200 continues to move inward under the drive of the conveying component 130, as shown in Figure 6c. Finally, driven by the conveying component 130, container 200 enters the area below docking component 122 and is completely housed within cargo space 111, as shown in Figure 6d, completing the retrieval operation of container 200. The placement operation of container 200 is performed in reverse order of Figures 6d to 6a, and will not be elaborated here.

[0063] As can be seen from Figures 6a to 6d and the above description of the steps for taking container 200, in this embodiment, the size of the support platform 110 along the first horizontal direction is much smaller than the sum of the sizes of the docking component 122 and the container 200 along the first horizontal direction, thereby realizing the miniaturization design of the picking and placing device 100 as a whole and improving the space utilization rate of the warehousing system using the picking and placing device 100.

[0064] In addition to the method described above where the conveying component 130 completely lifts the container 200 into the cargo space 111, as shown in Figures 7a to 7c, lifting mechanisms 140 can be installed on both sides of the bottom of the support platform 110 along the first horizontal direction, with the bottom surface of the support platform 110 being a smooth surface. After the loading and unloading component 120 pulls more than half of the container 200 onto the support platform 110 as shown in Figure 7a, the loading and unloading component 120 disengages from the container 200, the docking component 122 rises to a second height, and the lifting mechanism 140 on the right rises and lifts the right side of the container 200, as shown in Figure 7b. Because the bottom surface of the support platform 110 is smooth, the container 200 will slide to the left under the action of gravity, eventually reaching below the docking component 122 and completely entering the cargo space 111, as shown in Figure 7c, completing the retrieval of the container 200. When the container 200 is placed in the state shown in Figure 7c, the lifting mechanism 140 on the left rises, causing the container 200 to slide to the right a certain distance. Then, the translation component 121 moves to the corresponding position and the docking component 122 descends to the first height to dock with the container 200. Finally, the container 200 is completely pushed out.

[0065] In addition to the above-mentioned method of setting up the lifting mechanism 140, a rocker that can be rotated to tilt or level can also be set on the bottom surface of the support platform 110. When the container 200 is picked up, the rocker guides the container 200 to slide completely into the cargo space 111. When the container 200 is placed, the rocker guides the container 200 to slide at least partially out of the cargo space 111.

[0066] In some scenarios, the picking and placing device needs to remove container 200 from one shelf along the first horizontal direction and place it on the other shelf along the same first horizontal direction to achieve the transfer of container 200. Currently, most of these devices use a fully rotatable picking and placing device, which further increases the requirement for the width of the aisles between shelves and affects the space utilization rate of the warehousing system.

[0067] To address the aforementioned issues, this application further proposes an implementation method. Please refer to Figure 5 again for details. As shown in Figure 5, the support platform 110 has openings 112 on both sides along the first horizontal direction, and the docking assembly 122 has docking parts 1221 on both sides along the first horizontal direction.

[0068] When the loading and unloading device 100 provided in this embodiment is working, it can first pick up the external container 200 from one side and place it on the support platform 110 in the order of Figures 6a to 6d along the second direction in the first horizontal direction (the direction shown by arrow X2 in Figure 6a), and then push the container 200 out from the other side in the order of Figures 8a to 8c along the second direction. Specifically, based on Figure 6d, firstly, the translation component 121 drives the docking component 122 to cross over the top of the container 200 along the first direction in the first horizontal direction (the direction shown by arrow X1 in Figures 6a and 8a), as shown in Figure 8a. Then, the container 200 can be moved a certain distance along the first or second direction by the conveying component 130, lifting mechanism 140 or rocker provided in the above embodiment, and the docking component 122 descends to a first height and docks with the container 200 on the side facing the first direction, as shown in Figure 8b. Based on the state shown in Figure 8b, the translation component 121 moves along the second direction so that the docking component 122 pushes the container 200 out of the support platform 110 along the second direction, completing the unloading on the other side.

[0069] Regarding the structure of the docking component 122, this application further proposes an embodiment. Please refer to Figure 3 again for details. As shown in the figure, the docking component 122 includes a base 1222, which is connected to the translation component 121. The base 1222 has extensions 1223 on both sides along the first horizontal direction, and a docking member 1221 is provided at one end of the extension 1223 away from the base 1222.

[0070] The base 1222 can be manufactured by stamping or other methods using plate-shaped or block-shaped profiles. The extension 1223 can be integrally formed with the base 1222, or it can be formed separately and then fixedly connected to the base 1222 by rivets, threaded fasteners, or welding. Similarly, the mating part 1221 can also be integrally formed with the extension 1223 or fixedly connected by appropriate methods.

[0071] By connecting the base 1222 to the translation component 121, the structural strength of the docking component 122 can be guaranteed, ensuring its stability when pulling and pushing the container 200. After the extensions 1223 are provided on both sides of the base 1222, when the base 1222 moves to the maximum stroke along the first horizontal direction, the extensions 1223 can extend out of the support platform 110. Thus, when picking up goods, the docking piece 1221 on the extension 1223 can reliably dock with the container 200 located outside the support platform 110. When unloading goods, the container 200 can be completely pushed out of the support platform 110 through the docking piece 1221 on the extension 1223.

[0072] In some embodiments, the docking member 1221 may be the hook member 12211 shown in FIG. 8a, which is used to hook onto the hook portion 210 on the container 200 (as shown in FIG. 9) in a first horizontal direction. The hook portion 210 may be a downward-facing slot adapted to the upward-facing hook member 12211 as shown in FIG. 9, or it may be a block, baffle, etc. Accordingly, the orientations of the hook member 12211 and the hook portion 210 may also be interchanged.

[0073] In addition, the docking component 1221 can also be a suction cup, and docking with the container 200 can be achieved by adsorbing onto the surface of the container 200.

[0074] Regarding the specific structure of the hook-and-connector 12211, this application proposes one embodiment, which is detailed in Figure 5. As shown in the figure, the hook-and-connector 12211 includes a main body 12211a, a first plate 12211b, and a second plate 12211c. The main body 12211a is connected to one side of the docking assembly 122 along the first horizontal direction. The first plate 12211b is connected to the side of the main body 12211a opposite to the docking assembly 122. The second plate 12211c is connected to the side of the first plate 12211b opposite to the docking assembly 122, and the second plate 12211c is set at an angle to the first plate 12211b.

[0075] Specifically, the included angle between the second plate 12211c and the first plate 12211b can be set to 90° as shown in Figure 5, or it can be set to 270°. Of course, it can also be set to an acute or obtuse angle, as long as the second plate 12211c can be properly engaged with the hook 210 on the container 200 and can drive the container 200 to move. The specific angle is not limited here.

[0076] The main body 12211a, the first plate 12211b, and the second plate 12211c can be an integral structure or a separate structure, which can be fixed to each other by welding, threaded fasteners, or other means.

[0077] To achieve automated operation, this application also proposes an implementation method. Please refer to Figure 2 again for details. As shown in the figure, a first drive mechanism 151 is provided on the support platform 110. The first drive mechanism 151 is used to drive the translation component 121 to move along the first horizontal direction.

[0078] Specifically, as shown in Figure 2, in some embodiments, the first driving mechanism 151 may include a first driving member 1511 and a first transmission mechanism 1512. The first transmission mechanism 1512 is connected between the output end of the first driving member 1511 and the translation component 121. The first driving member 1511 drives the translation component 121 to move along a first horizontal direction through the first transmission mechanism 1512. The first driving member 1511 and the first transmission mechanism 1512 may be a motor and a synchronous belt as shown in Figure 2, or they may be a translation drive mechanism composed of a motor and sprocket chain, a motor and gear rack, a motor and pulley steel rope, etc. In other embodiments, the first driving mechanism 151 may also directly use a telescopic push rod to push and pull the translation component 121 to move it.

[0079] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, in some embodiments, the translation component 121 is provided with a second drive mechanism 152, which is used to drive the docking component 122 to move vertically up and down. The second drive mechanism 152 can be implemented in the same way as the first drive mechanism 151 described above, and will not be described in detail here.

[0080] Please refer to Figure 2 again. In some embodiments, a third drive mechanism 153 is provided on the support platform 110. The third drive mechanism 153 is used to drive the conveying component 130 to move. The third drive mechanism 153 can be implemented by a motor or other rotary drive mechanism, and there is no specific limitation.

[0081] To improve the accuracy of the picking and placing device 100 and prevent misplacement or collisions, this application also designs a series of sensors to solve this problem. Referring again to Figure 1, in some embodiments, at least two first sensors 161 are arranged opposite each other at at least one end of the support platform 110 along the first horizontal direction and along the second horizontal direction (indicated by the double arrow Y in the figure). The detection direction of the first sensors 161 (as shown by the dotted line on the first sensor 161 in Figure 1) is towards the first horizontal direction. The first sensors 161 are used to detect the relative position of the picking and placing device 100 and the external container 200 in the second horizontal direction.

[0082] Before docking component 122 docks with container 200, to ensure successful docking, it is necessary to ensure that the docking parts 1221 and 200 do not misalign along the second horizontal direction, that is, they are opposite each other along the first horizontal direction. Since docking component 1221 itself cannot move along the second horizontal direction, the key to ensuring successful docking lies in whether the entire loading and unloading device 100 is aligned with container 200 along the first horizontal direction. Based on this, by setting two opposing first sensors 161, when the entire loading and unloading device 100 moves to a state where it is approximately opposite container 200 along the first horizontal direction, the first sensors 161 can detect whether there are obstacles within a predetermined distance in front of it along the first horizontal direction. Please refer to the frontal view shown in Figure 4. When neither of the two first sensors 161 detects an obstacle in front, it indicates that the loading and unloading device 100 and the container 200 are aligned, and the docking part 1221 can dock with the container 200. However, when one of the first sensors 161 has an obstacle, it indicates that it is not fully aligned with the container 200, and the docking part 1221 cannot dock with the container 200. It is necessary to continue adjusting the position of the loading and unloading device 100 until neither of the two first sensors 161 detects an obstacle in front before docking can proceed.

[0083] Please refer to Figure 2 again. In some embodiments, a second sensor 162 is provided at the middle of at least one end of the support platform 110 along the first horizontal direction. The detection direction of the second sensor 162 is shown by the dotted line on the second sensor 162 in Figure 2. The second sensor 162 is configured to be tilted towards the outside of the support platform 110. The second sensor 162 is used to detect whether there is a container 200 outside the support platform 110.

[0084] As shown in Figure 10 from a side view of the internal structure of the support platform 110, the second sensor 162 is located at the middle of one end of the support platform 110, with its detection direction tilted outwards, precisely aligned with the outer end of the support platform 110 along the first horizontal direction. When the second sensor 162 detects an obstacle within a predetermined distance, it indicates that a container 200 exists at the outer end of the support platform 110, allowing the container 200 to be retrieved. When loading / unloading is required, the loading / unloading device 100 moves to a position opposite to the storage location. When the second sensor 162 detects no obstacle in the storage location, it indicates that there is currently no container 200 in that storage location, and the container 200 on the support platform 110 can be placed in that storage location.

[0085] Please refer to Figure 2 again. In some embodiments, a third sensor 163 is provided at the bottom of the cargo space 111 along the first horizontal direction on the support platform 110. The detection direction of the third sensor 163 is configured to be vertically upward as shown by the dotted line in the figure. The third sensor 163 is used to detect whether the container 200 entering or leaving the cargo space 111 has reached the preset position.

[0086] Specifically, as shown in Figures 10 and 11 from the side view of the internal structure of the support platform 110, when the container 200 is completely pulled to the preset position in the cargo space 111, the bottom of the container 200 blocks the detection area of ​​the third sensor 163, indicating that the container 200 has been pulled into place, that is, the container 200 has been completely pulled onto the support platform 110.

[0087] To ensure precise control of the docking operation, this application also includes sensors for corresponding detection. Specifically, as shown in FIG2, in some embodiments, a fourth sensor 164 is provided on the docking assembly 122. The detection direction of the fourth sensor 164 is configured to face the first horizontal direction, as shown by the dotted line in FIG2. The fourth sensor 164 is used to detect the distance of the docking assembly 122 relative to the container 200 when docking with the container 200.

[0088] Please refer to Figure 10 again for details. When docking component 122 docks with container 200, the distance between docking component 122 and container 200 is obtained by the fourth sensor 164, thereby realizing accurate control of the translation of translation component 121 and the lifting of docking component 122, ensuring reliable docking between docking component 122 and container 200.

[0089] In a scenario where openings 112 are provided at both ends of the carrying platform 110 and goods are picked up and put down on both sides, the first sensor 161, the second sensor 162, the third sensor 163 and the fourth sensor 164 provided in the above embodiment will each be set into two groups, and each group will perform corresponding detection for the picking up and putting down of goods at one end.

[0090] As shown in Figure 2, in some embodiments, a fifth sensor 165 is provided on the docking assembly 122. The detection direction of the fifth sensor 165 is configured to be vertically downward as shown by the dotted line in the figure. The fifth sensor 165 is used to detect the distance between the docking assembly 122 and the container 200 or the support platform 110 below when the docking assembly 122 is in the avoidance state.

[0091] Please refer to Figure 11 again for details. When the docking component 122 is raised to the second height and is in a avoidance state with the container 200 on the support platform 110, the distance between the docking component 122 and the container 200 below it can be obtained by the fifth sensor 165 to prevent structural interference between the docking component 122 and the container 200 when it descends, which would affect the safety of the operation.

[0092] To prevent excessive movement of the motion mechanism in the loading and unloading device 100, which could lead to vibration, structural interference, or even structural damage, this application also includes corresponding sensors to avoid these situations. Please refer to Figure 12 for details. The figure shows the three-dimensional structure of the loading and unloading device 100. As shown in the figure, in some embodiments, a sixth sensor 166 is provided on the docking assembly 122. The sixth sensor 166 is used to detect whether the docking assembly 122 has reached its maximum travel position.

[0093] In the specific embodiment shown in Figure 12, the sixth sensor 166 is disposed on the top of the docking assembly 122, and a sensing area 1661 is correspondingly disposed on the translation assembly 121. When the docking assembly 122 rises relative to the translation assembly 121 to the height where the sixth sensor 166 and the sensing area 1661 are opposite, it indicates that the docking assembly 122 has risen to its maximum height, and the upward movement of the docking assembly 122 is no longer controlled, thus providing structural protection for the translation assembly 121 and the docking assembly 122 and preventing them from colliding. At the same time, the sixth sensor 166 can also realize the zero-point calibration function. Specifically, after the docking assembly 122 has been operating in a lifting and lowering manner for a long time, errors in the control parameters may occur due to the influence of control accuracy. Therefore, when the docking assembly 122 rises relative to the translation assembly 121 to the height where the sixth sensor 166 and the sensing area 1661 are opposite, the current height can be recalibrated as the zero-point height, and the docking assembly 122 can be re-controlled based on this zero-point height to ensure the subsequent control accuracy. Similarly, when the docking component 122 descends to its lowest height, it can also be achieved through the sixth sensor 166, or it can be limited by using a limit block to abut.

[0094] In addition to the methods provided in the above embodiments, a sixth sensor can also be set on the translation component 121 and a corresponding sensing area can be set on the docking component 122. When the docking component 122 is raised or lowered to the maximum stroke position, the sensing area on the docking component 122 and the sixth sensor on the translation component 121 are in a relative state, indicating that the docking component 122 has reached the maximum stroke position.

[0095] The method for limiting the maximum stroke of the translation component 121 is similar. Please refer to Figure 12 for details. As shown in the figure, a seventh sensor 167 is installed on the support platform 110. The seventh sensor 167 is used to detect whether the translation component 121 has moved to its maximum stroke. The seventh sensor 167 can also be installed on the translation component 121, and the detection method of the seventh sensor 167 when the translation component 121 reaches its maximum stroke is the same as the detection method of the sixth sensor 166 mentioned above, which will not be described in detail here.

[0096] Finally, it should be noted that, regarding the various sensors provided above, in practical applications, one can be selected for different working scenarios, several can be arranged, or all types of sensors can be arranged simultaneously in the same loading and unloading device 100. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12, when the second sensor 162 and the third sensor 163 are arranged simultaneously, the second sensor 162 is positioned between the third sensor 163 and the end of the support platform 110 to prevent mutual interference between the second sensor 162 and the third sensor 163.

[0097] The picking and placing device 100 can be equipped with a controller that is electrically connected to each drive mechanism and various sensors. The controller acquires the detection results of the sensors and uses the detection results to control the drive mechanism accordingly, so as to realize the complete automation of the picking and placing operation process and improve the operation efficiency.

[0098] According to another aspect of the embodiments of this application, a picking and placing device 500 is also provided. Specifically, the picking and placing device can be a standalone robot as shown in FIG13, or a robot integrated on a shelf 400 for picking and placing operations as shown in FIG14. The picking and placing device 500 includes a device body 300 and a picking and placing device 100 provided in any of the above embodiments, the picking and placing device 100 being disposed on the device body 300.

[0099] As shown in Figure 13, when the picking and placing equipment 500 is an independent robot, the picking and placing device 100 can be vertically connected to the equipment body 300 to perform picking and placing operations at different heights. Furthermore, the picking and placing device 100 can also be rotatably connected to the equipment body 300 to perform picking and placing operations in different orientations. The bottom of the equipment body 300 can also be equipped with wheels and steering wheels to enable the overall movement of the picking and placing equipment 500.

[0100] As shown in Figure 14, when the picking and placing equipment 500 is a robot installed on the shelf 400 to perform picking and placing operations, the equipment body 300 can move and cooperate with the track installed on one side of the shelf 400 so that the equipment body 300 can perform picking and placing operations at any position on the shelf 400.

[0101] According to another aspect of the embodiments of this application, a warehousing system is also provided. Please refer to Figures 14 and 15 for details. As shown in the figures, the warehousing system 1000 includes a shelf 400 and a picking and placing device 500. The picking and placing device 500 is used to pick and place containers 200 on the shelf 400.

[0102] As shown in the top view in Figure 15, after the warehousing system 1000 adopts the picking and placing equipment 500 provided in the above embodiment, the aisle 410 can be set as narrow as possible to maximize the utilization of warehouse space.

[0103] According to another aspect of the embodiments of this application, a picking and placing control method is also provided. This method is applied to a controller of a picking and placing device, which can be the picking and placing device 100 provided in any of the above embodiments. The controller can be a computer, server, etc., and the specific implementation of the controller is not limited here. As shown in FIG16, the picking and placing control method includes the following steps:

[0104] Step 610: Control the loading and unloading component 120 to move along the first direction to one end of the support platform 110, control the docking component 122 to rise and fall to the first height, and control the docking part 1221 to dock with the container 200 used to hold the goods.

[0105] Please refer to Figure 6a for details. The first direction is the direction indicated by arrow X1 in the figure, the first height is the height of the docking component 122 in Figure 6a, and the state shown in Figure 6a is the state after the docking component 1221 is docked with the container 200.

[0106] Step 630: Control the loading and unloading assembly 120 to move along the second direction so as to pull the container 200 to the support platform 110 through the docking member 1221, and control the docking member 1221 to disengage from the container 200 and rise and fall to the second height so that the docking assembly 122 and the container 200 on the support platform 110 are in a state of avoidance.

[0107] The second direction is indicated by arrow X2 in Figure 6a. Based on Figure 6a, the picking and placing component 120 is controlled to move in the order of Figures 6b to 6d to pull the container 200 onto the support platform 110. As shown in Figure 6d, after the container 200 is completely pulled onto the support platform 110, the docking component 122 is controlled to rise and fall to the second height and is in a avoidance state with the container 200, that is, it is offset from the container 200 in the vertical direction, so that the docking component 122 and the container 200 share a certain space in the horizontal direction, thereby realizing the miniaturized design of the picking and placing device 100.

[0108] Furthermore, in some embodiments, as shown in FIG5, the docking assembly 122 is provided with docking parts 1221 on both sides along the first horizontal direction. The loading and unloading control method further includes the following steps:

[0109] Step 650: Control the docking assembly 122 to move from one side of the container 200 on the support platform 110 to the other side along the first direction, and then raise and lower it to the first height so that the docking piece 1221 docks with the other side of the container 200 on the support platform 110, and control the loading and unloading assembly 120 to move along the second direction so as to push the container 200 out of the support platform 110 through the docking piece 1221.

[0110] Specifically, based on Figures 6a to 6d, and in conjunction with Figures 8a to 8c, as shown in Figure 8a, when the docking component 122 and the container 200 are in a state of avoidance, the translation component 121 is controlled to move so that the docking component 122 crosses the container 200 along the first direction to reach its other side. Then, by controlling the docking component 122 to rise and fall, the docking component 1221 docks with the other side of the container 200, as shown in Figure 8b. Then, the translation component 121 is controlled to move along the second direction, so that the container 200 can be pushed out from the side opposite to the side that was picked up, realizing the bidirectional picking and placing operation of the picking and placing device 100, and meeting the needs of the picking and placing device 100 in different application scenarios.

[0111] Further, as shown in FIG6a, in some embodiments, a conveying assembly 130 is provided on the support platform 110 along the first horizontal direction. Step 630 above includes the following sub-steps:

[0112] Step 631: Control the loading and unloading assembly 120 to move along the second direction to pull at least a portion of the container 200 onto the support platform 110 via the docking member 1221.

[0113] The specific process of this step is shown in Figures 6a to 6b. After the docking component 1221 pulls at least part of the container 200 onto the support platform 110, part of the bottom of the container 200 abuts against the conveying component 130.

[0114] Step 633: Control the conveying component 130 to move the container 200 along the second direction, and control the docking component 1221 to disengage from the container 200. Then, control the picking and placing component 120 to move along the second direction at a speed greater than that of the conveying component 130, while controlling the docking component 1221 to rise and fall to the second height, so that the docking component 122 and the container 200 on the support platform 110 are in a state of avoidance.

[0115] The specific process of this step is shown in Figures 6c to 6d. After the docking component 1221 pulls part of the container 200 onto the support platform 110, the conveying component 130 is responsible for driving the container 200 to continue moving along the second direction. At this time, the picking and placing component 120 moves along the second direction at a speed greater than that of the conveying component 130, and the docking component 122 is raised and lowered to the second height, thereby separating the docking component 1221 from the container 200. The docking component 122 and the container 200 are in a clearance state, and then the conveying component 130 can completely pull the container 200 onto the support platform 110.

[0116] Further, as shown in Figures 6a to 6d and Figures 8a to 8c, in some embodiments, a conveying assembly 130 is disposed on the support platform 110 along a first horizontal direction. Step 650 further includes the following sub-steps:

[0117] Step 651: Control the loading and unloading component 120 to move from one side of the container on the support platform 110 to the other side along the first direction, control the conveying component 130 to drive the container 200 on the support platform 110 to move a preset distance along the second direction, and control the docking component 122 to rise and fall to the second height so that the docking part 1221 docks with the container 200 on the support platform 110.

[0118] The specific process of this step is shown in the order of Figure 6d-Figure 8a-Figure 8b. This control method can fully reduce the size of the support platform 110 along the first horizontal direction, as long as the size of the support platform 110 along the first horizontal direction is greater than or equal to the size of the container 200 along the first horizontal direction.

[0119] Step 653: Control the loading and unloading assembly 120 to move along the second direction so as to completely push the container 200 on the carrier 110 out through the docking member 1221.

[0120] The specific process of this step is shown in Figures 8b to 8c. The specific principle is consistent with the explanation of Figures 8b and 8c above, so it will not be repeated here.

[0121] In this embodiment, docking parts 1221 are provided on both sides of the docking component 122, and a conveying component 130 is provided on the support platform 110. By coordinating and controlling the picking and placing component 120 and the conveying component 130, the container 200 can be picked up on one side and placed on the other side in a working mode, so that the entire rotation process of the container 200 does not stop, thereby improving the transfer efficiency of the container 200.

[0122] To ensure control accuracy, this application proposes an implementation method, as detailed in Figure 1 again. At least two first sensors 161 are arranged opposite each other along a second horizontal direction at at least one end of the support platform 110 along a first horizontal direction, with the detection direction of the first sensors 161 facing the first horizontal direction. Before step 610, the following steps are also included:

[0123] Step 601: Obtain the detection results of the two first sensors 161 and determine whether the two first sensors 161 have not detected any obstacles.

[0124] If the result of step 161 is yes, it indicates that the picking and placing device 100 has been aligned with the external container 200, as shown in Figure 4. Then, step 610 is executed to align the docking part 1221 with the container 200 to pick up the container 200.

[0125] If the result of step 161 is negative, it indicates that one of the first sensors 161 has detected the container 200, while the other first sensor 161 has not detected it, and the loading / unloading device 100 is not aligned with the container 200. In this case, the following step 603 needs to be performed to align the loading / unloading device 100 with the container 200:

[0126] Step 603: Control the loading and unloading device 100 to move along the second horizontal direction toward the side where the first sensor 161 that detected the obstacle is located, until neither of the two first sensors 161 detects the obstacle.

[0127] Finally, when the picking and placing device 100 moves along the second horizontal direction until neither of the two first sensors 161 detects the container 200, it indicates that the device has moved into position and the container 200 can be picked up.

[0128] This embodiment uses two first sensors 161 arranged opposite each other along the second direction to accurately determine the relative position between the loading and unloading device 100 and the external container 200, thereby improving the success rate of docking between the docking component 122 and the container 200.

[0129] Referring again to Figure 2, in some embodiments, a second sensor 162 is disposed at the middle of at least one end of the support platform 110 along the first horizontal direction, and the detection direction of the second sensor 162 is configured to be tilted towards the outside of the support platform 110. The loading and unloading control method further includes the following steps:

[0130] Step 671: Obtain the detection result of the second sensor 162 and determine whether the second sensor 162 has not detected the container.

[0131] If step 671 determines "yes", it indicates that the storage space corresponding to the support platform 110 is currently empty, and the container 200 can be placed. Specifically, as shown in the detection status of the second sensor 162 on the left side of Figure 10, the following steps can be performed:

[0132] Step 673: Control the loading and unloading assembly 120 to push the container 200 off the platform 110 via the docking part 1221.

[0133] Of course, before performing step 673, it is necessary to ensure that the docking component 122 is located on the opposite side of the side where the container 200 is pushed out.

[0134] Please refer to Figures 8a to 8c for the specific process of this step. It is mainly responsible for pushing the container 200 on the support platform 110 from the other side to the empty storage position detected by the second sensor 162.

[0135] Please refer again to Figure 10. In some embodiments, a third sensor 163 is disposed on the bottom of the support platform 110 at at least one end of the cargo space 111 along the first horizontal direction. The detection direction of the third sensor 163 is configured to face upwards in the vertical direction. Step 630 above includes the following sub-steps:

[0136] Step 632: Control the picking and placing component 120 to move along the second direction.

[0137] This step involves moving the loading and unloading assembly 120 along the second direction to pull the container 200, which is docked with the docking piece 1221, onto the support platform 110.

[0138] Step 634: Obtain the detection results from the third sensor 163.

[0139] Step 636: Determine whether the third sensor 163 has detected container 200.

[0140] If the result of step 636 is yes, it indicates that container 200 has been pulled into place, as shown in Figure 11. Therefore, the following steps are executed:

[0141] Step 638: Control the loading and unloading component 120 to stop moving so that the container 200 reaches the preset position on the support platform 110, and control the docking component 1221 to rise and fall to the second height after disengaging from the container 200, so that the docking component 122 and the container 200 on the support platform 110 are in a state of avoidance.

[0142] By acquiring and judging the detection results of the third sensor 163, it is possible to determine whether the container 200 has been pulled into place, thus avoiding the situation where the container 200 is pulled too far or too far, which would affect the stability of the support platform 110.

[0143] Referring again to Figure 2, in some embodiments, a fourth sensor 164 is provided on the docking assembly 122, and the detection direction of the fourth sensor 164 is configured to face the first horizontal direction. Step 610 above includes the following sub-steps:

[0144] Step 611: Control the loading and unloading component 120 to move along the first direction to one end of the support platform 110, and obtain the detection result of the fourth sensor 164.

[0145] Step 613: Determine whether the distance between the docking component 122 and the container 200 detected by the fourth sensor is within the preset range.

[0146] The preset range is the range of detection values ​​of the fourth sensor 164 when the docking component 1221 and the container 200 are in the docking state shown in Figure 10. This preset range is determined in advance based on the dimensions of the docking component 122 and the docking component 1221.

[0147] If the judgment result of step 613 is yes, it indicates that the docking component 122 and the container 200 are at a distance that allows docking along the first horizontal direction, so the following steps are performed:

[0148] Step 615: Control the docking assembly 122 to rise and fall to the first height, and control the docking part 1221 to dock with the container 200.

[0149] By acquiring the detection results from the fourth sensor 164 and making corresponding controls on the docking assembly 122 based on the judgment of the detection results, the success rate of docking assembly 122 docking with container 200 can be guaranteed.

[0150] Please refer again to Figure 2. In some embodiments, a fifth sensor 165 is provided on the docking assembly 122, and the detection direction of the fifth sensor 165 is configured to face downwards in a vertical direction. Step 630 above includes the following steps:

[0151] Step 635: Control the loading and unloading assembly 120 to move along the second direction to pull the container 200 onto the support platform 110 via the docking member 1221, and control the docking member 1221 to disengage from the container 200.

[0152] Step 637: Control the docking assembly 122 to rise and obtain the detection result of the fifth sensor 165.

[0153] Step 639: Determine whether the distance between the docking component 122 and the container 200 or the support platform 110 detected by the fifth sensor 165 is greater than or equal to a preset threshold.

[0154] Specifically, the preset threshold is the minimum distance between the docking component 122 and the bottom surface of the support platform 110 detected by the fifth sensor 165 after the docking component 122 and the container 200 are vertically misaligned. This preset threshold can be obtained in advance by measurement.

[0155] If the result of step 639 is yes, it indicates that the docking component 122 and the container 200 have been misaligned in the vertical direction. Therefore, the following steps are performed:

[0156] Step 6391: Control docking component 122 to stop rising. At this time, docking component 122 and container 200 on support platform 110 are in a avoidance state.

[0157] By acquiring the detection results from the fifth sensor 165 and controlling the docking assembly 122 to stop rising based on the judgment of the detection results, it is possible to ensure that the docking assembly 122 is completely misaligned with the container 200 and to prevent the docking assembly 122 from rising excessively.

[0158] According to another aspect of the embodiments of this application, a picking and placing control device is provided. Referring to Figure 17, which illustrates the modular structure of the picking and placing control device, the picking and placing device 700 includes a first control module 710 and a second control module 720. The first control module 710 controls the picking and placing component to move along a first direction to one end of the support platform, controls the docking component to rise and fall to a first height, and controls the docking component to dock with a container for holding goods. The second control module 720 controls the picking and placing component to move along a second direction to pull the container onto the support platform via the docking component, and controls the docking component to rise and fall to a second height after detaching from the container, so that the docking component and the container on the support platform are in a avoidance state.

[0159] According to another aspect of the embodiments of this application, a picking and placing control device is provided. The picking and placing control device can be a computer, server, microcontroller, etc. Please refer to Figure 18 for details. The figure shows the modular structure of the picking and placing control device. As shown in the figure, the picking and placing control device may include: a processor 802, a communication interface 808, a memory 806, and a communication bus 808.

[0160] The processor 802, communication interface 808, and memory 806 communicate with each other via the communication bus 808. The communication interface 808 is used to communicate with other network elements such as clients or other servers. The processor 802 executes program 810, specifically performing the relevant steps in the goods retrieval and release control method provided in any of the above embodiments.

[0161] Specifically, program 810 may include program code, which includes computer-executable instructions.

[0162] The processor 802 may be a central processing unit (CPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits configured to implement the embodiments of this application. The pick-up and drop-off control device includes one or more processors, which may be processors of the same type, such as one or more CPUs; or processors of different types, such as one or more CPUs and one or more ASICs.

[0163] Memory 806 is used to store program 810. Memory 806 may include high-speed RAM memory, and may also include non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device.

[0164] According to another aspect of the embodiments of this application, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, the storage medium storing executable instructions, which, when executed on a pick-up and place control device, cause the pick-up and place control device to perform the pick-up and place control method provided in any of the above embodiments.

[0165] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and not to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any way.

Claims

1. A picking and placing device, characterized in that, include: A carrying platform and a loading / unloading assembly, wherein the loading / unloading assembly includes a translation assembly and a docking assembly; The support platform has a cargo space, and the support platform has an opening for containers to enter and exit on at least one side along the first horizontal direction. The loading and unloading component is movably connected to the support platform along the first horizontal direction via the translation component; The docking assembly is disposed on the side of the translation assembly facing the cargo space, and is vertically and vertically connected to the translation assembly. The docking assembly is provided with a docking part on at least one side facing the first horizontal direction. The docking assembly is used to dock with a container for holding goods via the docking member when the container is raised and lowered relative to the support platform to a first height. The docking assembly is also used to avoid contact with the container on the support platform when it is raised or lowered to a second height relative to the support platform.

2. The picking and placing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A conveying component is provided on the support platform along the first horizontal direction, and the conveying component is used to drive the container on the support platform to move along the first horizontal direction.

3. The picking and placing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The avoidance state is the state in which the docking component and the container on the support platform are offset from each other along the vertical direction.

4. The picking and placing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support platform has openings on both sides along the first horizontal direction, and the docking assembly has docking parts on both sides along the first horizontal direction.

5. The picking and placing device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The docking assembly includes a base body connected to the translation assembly. The base body has extensions on both sides along a first horizontal direction, and the docking member is provided at the end of the extensions away from the base body.

6. The picking and placing device according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The docking component includes a hook-and-loop connector for hooking onto a hook-and-loop portion on the container along the first horizontal direction; or, the docking component includes a suction cup for adsorbing the surface of the container.

7. The picking and placing device according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, At least two first sensors are disposed opposite each other along a second horizontal direction at at least one end of the support platform along the first horizontal direction. The detection direction of the first sensors is towards the first horizontal direction. The first sensors are used to detect the relative position of the loading / unloading device and the external container in the second horizontal direction, wherein the second horizontal direction is perpendicular to the first horizontal direction; and / or, A second sensor is disposed at the middle of at least one end of the support platform along the first horizontal direction. The detection direction of the second sensor is configured to be tilted towards the outside of the support platform. The second sensor is used to detect whether a container exists outside the support platform; and / or, A third sensor is disposed on the bottom of the support platform at at least one end of the cargo space along the first horizontal direction. The detection direction of the third sensor is configured to be upward along the vertical direction. The third sensor is used to detect whether a container entering or exiting the cargo space has reached a preset position; and / or, The docking assembly is equipped with a fourth sensor, the detection direction of which is configured to face the first horizontal direction. The fourth sensor is used to detect the distance between the docking assembly and the container when the docking assembly docks; and / or, The docking assembly is equipped with a fifth sensor, the detection direction of which is configured to be downward along the vertical direction. The fifth sensor is used to detect the distance between the docking assembly and the container or the support platform below it when the docking assembly is in the avoidance state.

8. The picking and placing device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The support platform is provided with the second sensor and the third sensor, wherein the second sensor is located between the third sensor and the end of the support platform.

9. The picking and placing device according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, A sixth sensor is provided on the docking assembly or the translation assembly, the sixth sensor being used to detect whether the docking assembly has moved up or down to its maximum stroke; and / or A seventh sensor is provided on the translation component or the support platform, and the seventh sensor is used to detect whether the translation component has moved to the maximum stroke position.

10. A picking and placing device, characterized in that, It includes a device body and a picking and placing device as described in any one of claims 1-9, wherein the picking and placing device is disposed on the device body.

11. A warehousing system, characterized in that, It includes a shelf and a picking and placing device as described in claim 10, the picking and placing device being used to pick up and place containers on the shelf.

12. A method for controlling the picking and placing of goods, applied to a controller of a picking and placing device, characterized in that, The loading and unloading device includes: a support platform and a loading and unloading assembly, the loading and unloading assembly including a translation assembly and a docking assembly; a loading space is formed on the support platform, and an opening for containers to enter and exit is provided on at least one side of the support platform along a first horizontal direction; the loading and unloading assembly is movably connected to the support platform along the first horizontal direction via the translation assembly; the docking assembly is disposed on the side of the translation assembly facing the loading space, and is vertically and vertically connected to the translation assembly, and a docking member is provided on at least one side of the docking assembly facing the first horizontal direction; the first horizontal direction includes a first direction and a second direction; The goods retrieval and release control method includes: Control the loading and unloading component to move along the first direction to one end of the support platform, control the docking component to rise and fall to the first height, and control the docking component to dock with the container for holding goods; The loading and unloading assembly is controlled to move along the second direction to pull the container to the support platform via the docking member, and the docking member is controlled to rise and fall to the second height after disengaging from the container, so that the docking assembly and the container on the support platform are in a state of avoidance.

13. The goods handling control method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The docking assembly is provided with docking parts on both sides along the first horizontal direction; The goods retrieval and release control method also includes: The docking assembly is controlled to move along the first direction from one side of the container on the support platform to the other side, and then raised and lowered to the first height so that the docking member docks with the other side of the container on the support platform. The loading and unloading assembly is controlled to move along the second direction so as to push the container out of the support platform through the docking member.

14. The method for controlling the picking and placing of goods according to claim 12, characterized in that, A conveying component is provided on the support platform along the first horizontal direction; The control of the loading and unloading assembly to move along the second direction to pull the container onto the support platform via the docking member, and the control of the docking member to rise and fall to a second height after disengaging from the container, so that the docking assembly and the container on the support platform are in a clearance state, includes: Control the loading and unloading assembly to move along the second direction so as to pull at least a portion of the container onto the support platform via the docking member; The conveying component is controlled to continue moving the container along the second direction, and the docking component is controlled to disengage from the container. Then, the loading and unloading component is controlled to move along the second direction at a speed greater than that of the conveying component, while the docking component is controlled to rise and fall to a second height, so that the docking component and the container on the support platform are in a clearance state.

15. The goods handling control method according to claim 13, characterized in that, A conveying component is provided on the support platform along the first horizontal direction; The control of the docking assembly to move along the first direction from one side of the container on the support platform to the other side, and then to the first height, so that the docking member docks with the other side of the container on the support platform, and the control of the loading and unloading assembly to move along the second direction, so as to push the container out of the support platform through the docking member, includes: The loading and unloading assembly is controlled to move from one side of the container on the support platform to the other side along the first direction; the conveying assembly is controlled to move the container on the support platform along the second direction by a preset distance; and the docking assembly is controlled to rise and fall to the first height so that the docking part docks with the container on the support platform. The loading and unloading assembly is controlled to move along the second direction so as to completely push the container on the carrier platform out through the docking member.

16. The method for controlling the picking and placing of goods according to any one of claims 12-15, characterized in that, At least two first sensors are disposed opposite each other along a second horizontal direction at at least one end of the support platform along the first horizontal direction, wherein the detection direction of the first sensors is toward the first horizontal direction, and the second horizontal direction is perpendicular to the first horizontal direction. Before controlling the loading and unloading assembly to move along the first direction to one end of the support platform, controlling the docking assembly to rise and fall to a first height, and controlling the docking member to dock with the container for containing goods, the procedure includes: The detection results of the two first sensors are obtained. If neither of the two first sensors detects an obstacle, the steps of controlling the loading and unloading assembly to move along the first direction to one end of the support platform, controlling the docking assembly to rise and fall to the first height, and controlling the docking part to dock with the container for holding the goods are executed. Otherwise, control the picking and placing device to move along the second horizontal direction toward the side where the first sensor that detected the obstacle is located, until neither of the two first sensors detects the obstacle; And / or, A second sensor is provided at the middle of at least one end of the support platform along the first horizontal direction, and the detection direction of the second sensor is configured to be tilted towards the outside of the support platform. The goods retrieval and release control method also includes: The detection result of the second sensor is obtained. If the second sensor does not detect the container, the loading and unloading assembly is controlled to push the container on the carrier platform out of the carrier platform through the docking part. And / or, A third sensor is provided on the bottom of the carrier platform at at least one end of the cargo space along the first horizontal direction, and the detection direction of the third sensor is configured to face upward along the vertical direction. The control of the loading and unloading assembly to move along the second direction to pull the container onto the support platform via the docking member, and the control of the docking member to rise and fall to a second height after disengaging from the container, so that the docking assembly and the container on the support platform are in a clearance state, includes: Control the picking and placing component to move along the second direction; Obtain the detection result from the third sensor; If the third sensor detects a container, it controls the loading and unloading assembly to stop moving so that the container reaches a preset position on the support platform. It also controls the docking component to detach from the container and rise and fall to a second height so that the docking component and the container on the support platform are in a state of avoidance. And / or, The docking assembly is provided with a fourth sensor, and the detection direction of the fourth sensor is configured to face the first horizontal direction; The steps of controlling the loading and unloading assembly to move along the first direction to one end of the support platform, controlling the docking assembly to rise and fall to a first height, and controlling the docking component to dock with the container for containing goods include: The loading and unloading assembly is controlled to move along the first direction to one end of the support platform, and the detection result of the fourth sensor is obtained; When the fourth sensor detects that the distance between the docking assembly and the container is within a preset range, it controls the docking assembly to rise and fall to a first height, and controls the docking component to dock with the container; And / or, The docking assembly is equipped with a fifth sensor, and the detection direction of the fifth sensor is configured to be downward along the vertical direction; The control of the loading and unloading assembly to move along the second direction to pull the container onto the support platform via the docking member, and the control of the docking member to rise and fall to a second height after disengaging from the container, so that the docking assembly and the container on the support platform are in a clearance state, includes: The loading and unloading assembly is controlled to move along the second direction to pull the container onto the support platform via the docking member, and the docking member is controlled to disengage from the container; Control the docking assembly to rise and acquire the detection result of the fifth sensor; When the fifth sensor detects that the distance between the docking component and the container or the support platform is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, it controls the docking component to stop rising. At this time, the docking component and the container on the support platform are in a avoidance state.

17. A goods handling control device, characterized in that, The device includes a memory and at least one processor; the memory stores computer-executable instructions; the at least one processor executes the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory, causing the at least one processor to perform the picking and placing control method as described in any one of claims 12-16.

18. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by the processor, implement the picking and placing control method as described in any one of claims 12-16.

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