Temporary storage station, goods replenishment device, and automated goods replenishment system

Abstract

The present application discloses a temporary storage station, a goods replenishment device, and an automated goods replenishment system. The temporary storage station comprises a temporary storage shelf (110) and a door assembly (120). A temporary goods storage channel (111) is obliquely provided on the temporary storage shelf (110), and the temporary goods storage channel (111) comprises a pick-up opening (113) located at a low position. The door assembly (120) comprises an upper door panel member (121) rotatably connected at the pick-up opening (113), and the upper door panel member (121) has an open position for opening the pick-up opening (113) and a closed position for closing the pick-up opening (113).

Description

Buffer stations, replenishment devices and automatic replenishment systems

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411548122.4, filed with the Chinese Patent Office on October 31, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of automatic replenishment technology, such as buffer stations, replenishers, and automatic replenishment systems. Background Technology

[0003] Automated picking systems (AGS) are systems that retrieve goods directly from storage racks according to order information and pack all retrieved goods for shipment once the order is completed. They primarily consist of storage racks and a picking mechanism. AGS require periodic replenishment of the storage racks to meet future order demands. Related technologies include replenishment devices for these racks, which are typically replenished manually. However, manual replenishment has several drawbacks: the personnel responsible for replenishment must remain constantly by the equipment to restock, and the process involves tossing items one by one, leading to longer restocking times and reducing the efficiency of the AGS in retrieving goods from the replenishment device. Furthermore, the extensive manual intervention during replenishment poses a safety risk, potentially causing injury. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a cache station capable of storing a large number of goods, and the process of releasing goods is not only continuous and efficient, but also safe and reliable.

[0005] This application provides a replenishment device that can efficiently and securely retrieve goods from a buffer station.

[0006] This application provides an automatic replenishment system, in which the replenisher retrieves goods from the buffer station with high efficiency, security, and reliability.

[0007] A buffer station includes: a buffer shelf with a buffer aisle inclinedly arranged on the buffer shelf, the buffer aisle including a retrieving opening at a lower position; a door assembly including an upper door panel rotatably connected to the retrieving opening, the upper door panel having an open position for opening the retrieving opening and a closed position for closing the retrieving opening; wherein goods located in the buffer aisle can pass through the open retrieving opening under the action of gravity.

[0008] In one embodiment, the buffer shelf includes a buffer base plate forming the bottom surface of the buffer aisle, wherein the angle between the wide side of the buffer base plate and the horizontal line is an acute angle.

[0009] In one embodiment, the cache shelf is provided with a plurality of cache aisles, and each cache aisle has an upper door panel at its retrieving opening. At least some of the plurality of upper door panels can be switched to the open position simultaneously.

[0010] In one embodiment, the door assembly further includes a reset elastic member having a tendency to reset the upper door panel to the closed position.

[0011] In one embodiment, the upper door panel includes a blocking portion and an abutting portion connected at an angle, the blocking portion being configured to block the receiving opening; the door assembly further includes a flipping component, the flipping component including a push plate rotatably connected to the buffer shelf, the push plate abutting against the abutting portion, and a reset elastic member connected between the push plate and the buffer shelf. By applying force to the push plate to rotate the push plate, the upper door panel can be switched from the closed position to the open position, and the reset elastic member is compressed simultaneously.

[0012] In one embodiment, the flipping component further includes a connecting rod and a rotating wheel, the connecting rod being connected to the push plate, the rotating wheel being rotatably connected to the connecting rod, and the rotating wheel rollingly abutting against the abutting portion.

[0013] In one embodiment, the buffer shelf is provided with multiple buffer channels, and each buffer channel has an upper door panel at its receiving port. There are two rollers, and the two rollers respectively roll and abut against the abutting parts of two adjacent upper door panels.

[0014] A replenishment device is configured to retrieve goods from the aforementioned buffer station. The replenishment device includes: a replenishment device body with a replenishment channel inclinedly arranged on the body, the replenishment channel including a receiving port located at a high position, the replenishment device being capable of moving to a replenishment position where the receiving port and the retrieving port are directly opposite each other; and a door assembly capable of driving an upper door panel to switch from a closed position to an open position, thereby connecting and communicating between the receiving port and the retrieving port.

[0015] In one embodiment, the door assembly further includes a push plate rotatably connected to the cache shelf and abutting against the upper door panel; the door push assembly includes a door pusher and a pusher, the door pusher being tractively connected to the pusher and configured to drive the pusher to perform linear motion, the pusher being able to push the push plate to rotate, thereby switching the upper door panel from the closed position to the open position.

[0016] In one embodiment, the main body of the replenisher includes a channel bottom plate forming the bottom surface of the replenishment channel, and the upper door panel in the open position can overlap the channel bottom plate.

[0017] In one embodiment, the upper door panel includes a protrusion that overlaps the bottom plate of the cargo channel, and the replenishing device further includes a positioning detection element, which is located at the end of the bottom plate of the cargo channel and is configured to detect the protrusion.

[0018] In one embodiment, the door push assembly is capable of driving at least two of the upper door panels to simultaneously switch from the closed position to the open position.

[0019] In one embodiment, the replenishing device body includes a bottom plate forming the replenishing channel and two side plates, at least one of the side plates being movable to adjust the width of the replenishing channel and / or regulate the goods entering the replenishing channel.

[0020] In one embodiment, the replenishing device further includes a pitch-changing drive component, which includes a pitch-changing motor, a lead screw, and a nut block. The motor shaft of the pitch-changing motor is connected to one end of the lead screw, and the nut block is threaded onto the lead screw to form a lead screw-nut pair. The nut block is connected to the movable cargo channel side plate. And / or, the replenishing device further includes a side plate detection component, which is disposed on the replenishing device body and configured to detect the cargo channel side plate after it has been reset to its initial position.

[0021] An automated replenishment system includes: the aforementioned buffer station; and the aforementioned replenisher. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an automated warehouse provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a replenishment device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a cache station provided in an embodiment of this application from one perspective;

[0025] Figure 4 is a side view of a cache station provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a cache station provided in an embodiment of this application from another perspective;

[0027] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the upper door panel of a door assembly provided in an embodiment of this application when it is in the closed position;

[0028] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the upper door panel of a door assembly provided in an embodiment of this application when it is in the open position;

[0029] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a gate assembly provided in an embodiment of this application from a certain perspective;

[0030] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a door component provided in an embodiment of this application from another perspective;

[0031] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of a cache base plate and a cache side plate provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of a door assembly with two upper door panels that can be opened and closed simultaneously, provided in an embodiment of this application, from a single perspective.

[0033] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of a door assembly with two upper door panels that can be opened and closed simultaneously, provided in an embodiment of this application, from another perspective.

[0034] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of a replenishment device provided in an embodiment of this application, which has two replenishment devices and two replenishment channels that are one wide and one narrow.

[0035] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of the structure shown in Figure 13 from another perspective;

[0036] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of a replenishment device provided in an embodiment of this application, which has two replenishers and both replenishment channels are wide channels.

[0037] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of the structure shown in Figure 15 from another perspective;

[0038] Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of a replenishment device provided in an embodiment of this application from a single perspective.

[0039] Figure 18 is a schematic diagram of a replenishment device provided in an embodiment of this application from another perspective;

[0040] Figure 19 is a schematic diagram of a replenishment device provided in an embodiment of this application from another perspective;

[0041] Figure 20 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a replenishment device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 21 is a schematic diagram of a drive assembly and a lower door panel provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0043] Figure 22 is a top view of the structure shown in Figure 21;

[0044] Figure 23 is a schematic diagram of an upper door panel in the open position overlapping the bottom plate of the replenishment channel according to an embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 24 is a schematic diagram of a protruding part of an upper door panel covering a positioning detection component according to an embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 25 is a schematic diagram of a lower door panel provided in an embodiment of this application, adapted to narrow and wide cargo aisles respectively.

[0047] Figure 26 is a schematic diagram of a cargo detection device facing the storage channel and detecting cargo in the storage channel according to an embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 27 is a schematic diagram of an inventory device provided in an embodiment of this application for taking inventory of goods in a storage aisle;

[0049] Figure 28 is a schematic diagram of an inventory device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figure 29 is an enlarged view of part A in Figure 28;

[0051] Figure 30 is an enlarged view of part B in Figure 28;

[0052] Figure 31 is a schematic diagram of an inventory device provided in an embodiment of this application when the extension structure is not extended;

[0053] Figure 32 is a schematic diagram of a track component provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0054] In the diagram: 100, Buffer station; 110, Buffer shelf; 111, Buffer aisle; 112, Replenishment port; 113, Retrieval port; 114, Front crossbeam; 115, Buffer base plate; 116, Buffer side plate; 120, Door assembly; 121, Upper door panel; 1211, Covering part; 12111, Protrusion; 1212, Abutment part; 122, Flipping component; 1221, Push plate; 1222, Linkage rod; 1223, Rotary wheel; 123, Reset elastic element; 124, Hinge; 125, Rotating shaft; 130, Support frame; 200. Replenishing device; 210. Replenishing device body; 211. Replenishing channel; 212. Receiving port; 213. Discharge port; 214. Channel bottom plate; 215. Channel side plate; 220. Push door assembly; 221. Push door drive component; 222. Pushing component; 230. Arrival detection component; 240. Pitch variable drive component; 241. Pitch variable motor; 242. Lead screw; 243. Nut block; 244. Conveyor belt mechanism; 2441. Driving pulley; 2442. Driven pulley; 2443. 245. Conveyor belt; 250. Connecting push plate; 251. Variable pitch mounting bracket; 252. Crossbeam; 253. Side beam; 260. Side panel inspection piece; 270. Lower door panel; 271. First part; 272. Second part; 280. Drive assembly; 281. Drive component; 282. Push-pull piece; 2821. Convex ball; 2822. Reset elastic body; 2823. Fixing plate; 283. Mounting abutment piece; 291. Shipment inspection piece; 292. Cargo inspection piece; 293. Limit block; 300. Carrying platform; 400. Guide structure; 500. Inventory checker; 510. Extending structure; 511. Limiting groove; 520. Inventory checking structure; 530. Moving component; 540. Telescopic drive component; 541. Telescopic motor; 542. Synchronous belt structure; 5421. Drive wheel; 5422. Synchronous belt; 5423. Driven wheel; 550. Track component; 551. First mounting plate; 552. Track plate; 553. Third mounting plate; 554. First side plate; 555. Second side plate; 560. First support wheel; 570. Second support wheel; 581. First hinge seat; 582. Second hinge seat; 583. Limiting component; 584. Second mounting plate; 10. Automated picking system; 11. Storage aisle; 12. Goods; 101. Aisle inlet; 102. Aisle outlet; 20. Automated replenishment system. Detailed Implementation

[0055] In the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "fixed" 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. Those skilled in the art can understand the meaning of the above terms in this application according to the circumstances.

[0056] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0057] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper," "lower," "right," etc., refer to the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for ease of description and simplification of operation, and do not 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 this application. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used only for distinction in description and have no special meaning.

[0058] As shown in Figure 1, this application discloses an automated warehouse, which includes an automated picking system 10 and an automated replenishment system 20. The automated replenishment system 20 can replenish the automated picking system 10 to ensure that there are enough goods 12 in the automated picking system 10 to be packaged according to the order information.

[0059] The automated picking system 10 includes storage racks and a picking mechanism. The storage racks are three-dimensional racks used in the automated picking system 10 to store goods 12. Storage aisles 11 are provided on the storage racks and are inclined relative to the horizontal direction. The storage aisles 11 include a high-level aisle inlet 101 and a low-level aisle outlet 102. Goods 12 are put into the storage aisle 11 through the aisle inlet 101 and can move along the storage aisle 11 to the aisle outlet 102. The goods 12 wait at the aisle outlet 102 for the picking mechanism of the automated picking system 10 to pick them up. The structure of the picking mechanism is related technology and will not be described in detail here.

[0060] To increase inventory capacity, multiple storage aisles 11 are arranged side by side along the height of the storage rack. Each storage aisle 11 can store the same or different goods 12. The picking mechanism can move vertically to retrieve goods 12 from different storage aisles 11, thereby enabling the automated picking system 10 to complete orders efficiently.

[0061] Referring again to Figures 1 and 2, the automatic replenishment system 20 includes a buffer station 100 and a replenishment device. The buffer station 100 is located next to the storage shelf and is a small storage mechanism that can temporarily store a portion of the goods 12. The replenishment device can move to the buffer station 100 and dock with it, retrieve the goods 12 from the buffer station 100, and then move it to the storage shelf, placing the goods 12 into the storage aisle 11 of the storage shelf from the aisle inlet 101.

[0062] The buffer station 100 is low in height, allowing replenishment staff to place goods 12 inside the buffer station 100 while standing on the ground. This not only makes the operation simple, but also allows staff to meet the replenishment needs of the automated picking system 10 by replenishing the buffer station 100 periodically. During the replenishment process, there is no need to come into contact with the replenishment device that needs to be moved, resulting in high safety, high replenishment efficiency, and good reliability.

[0063] As shown in Figures 3 to 9, the buffer station 100 includes a buffer shelf 110 and a door assembly 120. The buffer shelf 110 is inclinedly provided with a buffer aisle 111. The buffer aisle 111 includes a replenishment port 112 located at a high position and a retrieving port 113 located at a low position. The door assembly 120 includes an upper door panel 121 rotatably connected to the retrieving port 113. The upper door panel 121 has an open position for opening the retrieving port 113 and a closed position for closing the retrieving port 113.

[0064] Workers place goods 12 into the buffer shelf 110 from the high-positioned replenishment port 112. The goods 12 move along the buffer aisle 111, which is inclined in the vertical direction, towards the low-positioned retrieval port 113, and are eventually blocked by the closed door assembly 120. This process of feeding goods 12 into the replenishment port 112 is repeated until the buffer aisle 111 is full. When the replenishment device moves to the retrieval port 113, the door assembly 120 can be controlled to switch from the closed position to the open position of the retrieval port 113. At this time, the replenishment device can retrieve goods 12 from the open retrieval port 113. As the goods 12 at the lowest position are taken away by the replenishment device, the goods 12 at higher positions in the buffer aisle 111 slide down under the action of gravity and pass through the open retrieval port 113 one by one, so that the goods 12 in the buffer aisle 111 can be retrieved by the replenishment device one by one. When the inventory of goods 12 in the buffer station 100 is insufficient, the staff can continue to replenish the inventory in the buffer station 100.

[0065] Because the buffer station 100 is equipped with an inclined buffer channel 111, as long as the receiving port 113 is opened, the goods 12 can slide down along the inclined buffer channel 111 and pass through the opened receiving port 113 under their own gravity. This setting makes the entire receiving process continuous and efficient, which not only improves the receiving efficiency, but also ensures that the movement of the goods 12 does not require manual intervention and is highly safe.

[0066] Multiple buffer channels 111 are provided, and each buffer channel 111 has a door assembly 120 at its receiving port 113. The multiple buffer channels 111 are arranged in rows and columns, and each buffer channel 111 can store the same or different goods 12.

[0067] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG10, the buffer shelf 110 includes a buffer base plate 115 forming the bottom surface of the buffer aisle 111, and the angle between the wide side of the buffer base plate 115 and the horizontal line is an acute angle. This arrangement allows the goods 12 to tilt to one side in the width direction of the buffer base plate 115 as they slide from top to bottom on the buffer base plate 115, thereby enabling the goods 12 to be neatly arranged when moving within the buffer aisle 111, facilitating accurate retrieval by the subsequent replenishment device.

[0068] The buffer shelf 110 also includes buffer side panels 116 located on the side of the buffer base plate 115. The buffer side panels 116 are vertically arranged, allowing the goods 12 to slide downwards against the buffer side panels 116. There are two buffer side panels 116, located on both sides of the buffer base plate 115 in the width direction. The buffer base plate 115 and the two buffer side panels 116 together form a U-shaped buffer aisle 111 with an open top.

[0069] Referring again to Figures 3 to 5, the buffer rack 110 further includes a support frame 130, which supports the buffer base plate 115 and the buffer side plates 116. In one embodiment, the support frame 130 includes horizontal bars and vertical bars, with multiple horizontal bars and vertical bars spliced ​​together to form a cubic frame structure. In another embodiment, the support frame 130 also includes multiple aisle plates, which are cross-connected to form a grid, with a set of buffer base plates 115 and buffer side plates 116 installed in each grid. In one embodiment, the support frame 130 also includes ground stakes, which can stably fix the support frame 130 to the ground to prevent the buffer station 100 from tipping over.

[0070] In some embodiments, continuing to refer to FIG6, the upper door panel 121 is generally L-shaped. The upper door panel 121 includes a blocking portion 1211 and an abutting portion 1212 connected at an angle. The blocking portion 1211 is configured to block the receiving opening 113, and the abutting portion 1212 is configured to bear the supporting force so that the upper door panel 121 can be maintained in the closed position. When the supporting force is removed, the upper door panel 121 loses support and directly switches from the closed position to the open position. The external force that causes the upper door panel 121 to lose support can come from the replenishment device or other power components.

[0071] In one embodiment, the upper door panel 121 is rotatably connected to the receiving opening 113. The door assembly 120 also includes a hinge 124, one end of which is fixedly connected to the abutment portion 1212, and the other end is fixedly connected to the buffer shelf 110. The buffer shelf 110 includes a front crossbeam 114 located at the receiving opening 113, and the other end of the hinge 124 is fixed to the front crossbeam 114. In other embodiments, the upper door panel 121 can also be movably positioned at the receiving opening 113, allowing switching between a closed position and an open position.

[0072] Referring again to Figures 6 to 9, the door assembly 120 further includes a flipping member 122. The flipping member 122 is configured to support the upper door panel 121 and withstand external forces that change the support state of the upper door panel 121, thereby enabling the upper door panel 121 to rotate and open. The flipping member 122 is rotatably connected to the buffer shelf 110, and the flipping member 122 abuts against the abutting part 1212.

[0073] In some embodiments, the flipping member 122 includes a push plate 1221, which is rotatably connected to the cache shelf 110. A pivot seat is provided on the front crossbeam 114, and the push plate 1221 is rotatably connected to the pivot seat via a pivot 125. By applying force to the push plate 1221, the push plate 1221 can be rotated around the pivot 125, thereby switching the upper door panel 121 from the closed position to the open position. The direction of the applied force is shown by the arrow in Figure 6.

[0074] Referring to Figure 6, the pivot 125 is located slightly below the center of the push plate 1221. The top of the push plate 1221 can support the abutment portion 1212 of the upper door panel 121. When force is applied in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 6, the top of the push plate 1221 moves towards the front crossbeam 114, thereby causing the abutment portion 1212 to lose support. Under the action of gravity, the upper door panel 121 rotates counterclockwise and switches from the state shown in Figure 6 to the state shown in Figure 7, completing the switch from the closed position to the open position.

[0075] After the replenishment device retrieves goods from the receiving port 113, in order to ensure that the upper door panel 121 can automatically reset to the closed position and thus maintain the upper door panel 121 in the closed position without external force, referring to Figures 6 to 9, the door assembly 120 also includes a reset elastic element 123. The reset elastic element 123 is located between the flipping element 122 and the buffer shelf 110, and the reset elastic element 123 has a tendency to reset the upper door panel 121 to the closed position. During the process of applying force to the push plate 1221 as shown by the arrow in Figure 6, the reset elastic element 123 is compressed and accumulates elastic potential energy. After the force is removed from the push plate 1221, under the action of the reset elastic element 123, the upper door panel 121 resets from the state shown in Figure 7 to the state shown in Figure 6, completing the switch from the open position to the closed position.

[0076] In order to reduce the friction generated on the upper door panel 121 during the movement of the push plate 1221, thereby reducing the wear on the upper door panel 121, the flipping part 122 also includes a connecting rod 1222 and a rotating wheel 1223. The connecting rod 1222 is connected to the push plate 1221, and the rotating wheel 1223 is rotatably connected to the connecting rod 1222. The rotating wheel 1223 rolls against the abutment part 1212.

[0077] In one embodiment, the reset elastic element 123 includes a helical spring, one end of which is fixed to the push plate 1221 and the other end is fixed to the front crossbeam 114. Besides a helical spring, the reset elastic element 123 can also be other elastic bodies, such as spring sheets.

[0078] Since the buffer shelf 110 is equipped with multiple buffer channels 111, and each buffer channel 111 has an upper door panel 121 at the picking port 113, during a replenishment process of the replenishment device, there is a need to open multiple picking ports 113 to pick up goods. Therefore, multiple upper door panels 121 or multiple flipping parts 122 can be connected by connectors to meet the needs of synchronous opening and closing of multiple picking ports 113.

[0079] In some embodiments, there is a need to retrieve goods from two adjacent retrieving ports 113. In order to improve the efficiency of retrieving goods, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, one end of the flipping member 122 can simultaneously abut against the abutting portions 1212 of two adjacent upper door panels 121. In this way, during one flipping process of the flipping member 122, two retrieving ports 113 can be opened at the same time.

[0080] In one embodiment, two rotating wheels 1223 are provided, and the two rotating wheels 1223 respectively roll against the abutment portions 1212 of two adjacent upper door panels 121. The number of connecting rods 1222 can be set to one or two as required. If one is set, the length of the connecting rod 1222 is relatively long, and both ends of the connecting rod 1222 protrude from the push plate 1221, and the two rotating wheels 1223 are rotatably connected to the two ends of the connecting rod 1222. If two are set, the length of each connecting rod 1222 is relatively short, and the two connecting rods 1222 respectively protrude from the push plate 1221, and the two rotating wheels 1223 are rotatably connected to the two connecting rods 1222 in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0081] As shown in Figures 2 and 13 to 16, the replenishment device includes a traveling mechanism, a loading platform 300, and a liftable replenisher 200. The traveling mechanism allows the replenishment device to move between the buffer station 100 and the storage rack. The structure of the traveling mechanism is not detailed here, but it can be a combination of a traveling body, a power unit, and a track component. The power unit drives the traveling body to move on the track component, thereby enabling the loading platform 300 and the replenisher 200 located on the traveling body to move synchronously. Alternatively, the traveling mechanism can also be other structures capable of outputting linear motion, such as a mobile platform composed of a motor and a belt drive structure.

[0082] Referring again to Figure 2, the traveling mechanism includes a vertically arranged guide structure 400, which is a vertically arranged guide rail. A loading platform 300 is vertically mounted on the guide structure 400. A replenisher 200 is mounted on the loading platform 300 and moves synchronously with it. The lifting drive structure that drives the loading platform 300 to move along the guide rail will not be detailed here; it can be any mechanism capable of outputting linear motion, such as a linear motor, a motor and rack and pinion combination, or a cylinder.

[0083] The replenishment device 200 is the main structure for docking with the buffer station 100 and storage racks, and it has both retrieving and replenishing functions. As shown in Figures 17 to 26, the replenishment device 200 includes a replenishment device body 210, on which a replenishment channel 211 is inclinedly arranged. The replenishment channel 211 includes a receiving port 212 located at a high position and a discharging port 213 located at a low position. The receiving port 212 is configured to receive goods 12, and the discharging port 213 is configured to release goods 12. Driven by the loading platform 300, the replenishment device 200 can move to the replenishment position where the receiving port 212 is directly opposite the retrieving port 113 of the buffer station 100.

[0084] The replenishment device body 210 includes a bottom plate 214 forming a replenishment channel 211 and two side plates 215. The two side plates 215 are arranged on both sides of the bottom plate 214 in the width direction of the bottom plate 214. The bottom plate 214 and the two side plates 215 form a U-shaped replenishment channel 211 with an open top, which can stably protect the goods 12 and prevent the goods 12 from flying out of the replenishment channel 211.

[0085] The inclination of the replenishment channel 211 can be the same as or different from that of the buffer channel 111 of the buffer station 100. It can be flexibly set according to the needs, as long as the goods 12 can smoothly enter the replenishment channel 211 from the buffer channel 111.

[0086] To improve picking efficiency by simultaneously opening the receiving port 113 during the docking process between the replenishment device 200 and the buffer station 100, as shown in Figure 18, the replenishment device 200 also includes a push door assembly 220. The push door assembly 220 drives the upper door panel 121 from the closed position to the open position, enabling the receiving port 212 to dock with the picking port 113. Specifically, the push door assembly 220 applies an external force, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 6, to the flipping member 122, causing the flipping member 122 to rotate. This rotation releases the support from the upper door panel 121, causing the upper door panel 121 to fold counterclockwise.

[0087] In some embodiments, the door push assembly 220 includes a door push drive 221 and a pusher 222. The door push drive 221 is located on the side of the replenisher body 210 near the buffer station 100. The door push drive 221 is connected to the pusher 222 and is configured to drive the pusher 222 to perform linear motion. The pusher 222 is configured to apply force to the flipping member 122. The door push drive 221 is a linear motor; the pusher 222 is a push rod, and the end of the push rod is provided with a cylindrical push block configured to apply force to the push plate 1221.

[0088] During the material requisition phase of the replenishment device 200, the push door drive 221 drives the pusher 222 to move closer to the flipper 122, causing the pusher 222 to contact the push plate 1221 of the flipper 122. The push plate 1221 rotates around its axis 125 under the push of the pusher 222, opening the upper door panel 121. Goods 12 in the buffer channel 111 pass through the requisition port 113 and the receiving port 212 under gravity and enter the replenishment channel 211, with subsequent goods 12 filling the gap in sequence. After the replenishment channel 211 is fully replenished, the force applied to the pusher 1221 stops, and the upper door panel 121 returns to the closed position under the action of the reset elastic member 123, awaiting the next opening.

[0089] In order to improve the smoothness of goods 12 entering the replenishment channel 211 from the buffer channel 111, as shown in Figure 23, the upper door panel 121 in the open position is attached to the channel bottom plate 214 of the replenishment channel 211.

[0090] Referring again to Figure 18, the replenishment device 200 also includes a positioning detection element 230. The positioning detection element 230 is located at the end of the bottom plate 214 of the replenishment channel and is configured to detect the upper door panel 121. The positioning detection element 230 is a positioning sensor, which can be a proximity switch. When the upper door panel 121 is attached to the bottom plate 214 of the replenishment channel 211, the positioning detection element 230 can send a confirmation signal that the upper door panel 121 has been opened and is in place.

[0091] As shown in Figure 24, the upper door panel 121 includes a protrusion 12111, which works in conjunction with the positioning detection element 230. When the upper door panel 121 is in the open position, the protrusion 12111 covers the positioning detection element 230. The end of the cargo channel bottom plate 214 is provided with a groove, and the positioning detection element 230 is located in the groove. After the protrusion 12111 overlaps into the groove, the protrusion 12111 will not protrude from the cargo channel bottom plate 214, so as to avoid affecting the smooth movement of the goods 12.

[0092] Since the goods 12 are of various types and have different widths, in order to adjust the width of the replenishment channel 211 so that it can accommodate goods 12 of different widths, as shown in Figures 13, 14, 17 and 18, at least one of the two channel side plates 215 of the replenisher body 210 can move to adjust the width of the replenishment channel 211.

[0093] In other words, in some embodiments, one of the two cargo channel side plates 215 is fixed and the other is movable. The movable cargo channel side plate 215 can move closer to or further away from the fixed cargo channel side plate 215 to change the width of the replenishment cargo channel 211 formed by the two cargo channel side plates 215 and the cargo channel bottom plate 214 located between the two cargo channel side plates 215. In some parallel embodiments, both cargo channel side plates 215 can move, that is, the two cargo channel side plates 215 can move closer to or further away from each other, thereby changing the width of the replenishment cargo channel 211 formed by the two cargo channel side plates 215 and the cargo channel bottom plate 214 located between the two cargo channel side plates 215.

[0094] To enable the movement of the cargo channel side plate 215, referring to Figures 18 and 19, the replenisher 200 further includes a pitch-changing drive unit 240, which is configured to drive the cargo channel side plate 215 to move. The pitch-changing drive unit 240 includes a pitch-changing motor 241, a lead screw 242, and a nut block 243. The motor shaft of the pitch-changing motor 241 is connected to one end of the lead screw 242. The nut block 243 is threaded onto the lead screw 242, forming a lead screw-nut pair. The nut block 243 is connected to the movable cargo channel side plate 215. The nut block 243 and the movable cargo channel side plate 215 are connected via a connecting push plate 245.

[0095] When the variable-pitch motor 241 is working, the lead screw 242 can rotate around its central axis, and the nut block 243 can move along the axial direction of the lead screw 242, thereby driving the side plate 215 of the cargo passage to move. When only one side plate 215 of the cargo passage needs to be driven to move, the lead screw 242 is a single-direction screw, and the number of nut blocks 243 is one; when two side plates 215 of the cargo passage need to be driven to move, the lead screw 242 can be a double-ended screw with two sections of thread with different directions of rotation, and the number of nut blocks 243 is two. The two nut blocks 243 are threadedly connected to the thread sections with different directions of rotation, and the two nut blocks 243 are connected to the two side plates 215 of the cargo passage in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0096] The variable pitch drive unit 240 also includes a conveyor belt mechanism 244. The variable pitch motor 241 is connected to the lead screw 242 through the conveyor belt mechanism 244. The conveyor belt mechanism 244 includes a drive pulley 2441, a driven pulley 2442 and a conveyor belt 2443. The motor shaft of the variable pitch motor 241 is connected to the drive pulley 2441. The drive pulley 2441 and the driven pulley 2442 are spaced apart. The driven pulley 2442 is sleeved on the lead screw 242. The conveyor belt 2443 is sleeved on the drive pulley 2441 and the driven pulley 2442.

[0097] Referring again to Figure 18, the replenishment device 200 also includes a pitch-adjustable mounting frame 250, on which a portion of the pitch-adjustable drive unit 240 is mounted. The pitch-adjustable mounting frame 250 has an inverted U-shaped structure, including a crossbeam 251 and two side beams 252 respectively connected to both ends of the crossbeam 251. The crossbeam 251 is located above the two side plates 215 of the cargo channel and spans the bottom plate 214 of the cargo channel. The bottom ends of the two side beams 252 are respectively connected to both sides of the bottom plate 214 of the cargo channel in the width direction.

[0098] In one embodiment, the variable pitch motor 241 is fixed below the bottom plate 214 of the cargo channel, the conveyor belt mechanism 244 is mounted on the fixed side plate 215 of the cargo channel, and the lead screw 242 is located below the crossbeam 251 and rotatably connected to the two side beams 252. If both side plates 215 of the cargo channel are movable, the structure or position of the variable pitch mounting bracket 250 can be adjusted so that the installation of the variable pitch drive 240 does not affect the movement of the side plate 215 of the cargo channel and the movement of the goods 12 in the replenishment cargo channel 211.

[0099] In addition to the combination of motor and lead screw nut, the variable pitch drive 240 can also be configured as other mechanisms that can output linear motion, such as the combination of motor and gear rack, linear motor, cylinder, etc., as required.

[0100] By making the width of the replenishment channel 211 adjustable, the replenishment device can not only accommodate goods 12 with various widths, but also straighten the goods 12 entering the replenishment channel 211 by moving the channel side plate 215, thereby improving the orderliness of the movement of goods 12 and reducing the accuracy of subsequent replenishment of the storage channel 11. After the receiving port 113 of the buffer station 100 is opened, the goods 12 in the buffer channel 111 quickly enter the replenishment channel 211. During this process, the goods 12 may be uneven in the replenishment channel 211. By moving the movable channel side plate 215, the channel side plate 215 can clamp the goods 12 to straighten them. After the goods 12 are straightened, the movable channel side plate 215 is moved a small distance in the opposite direction to ensure that the width of the replenishment channel 211 is sufficient and will not affect the entry of subsequent goods 12.

[0101] Referring again to Figure 17, the replenisher 200 further includes a side panel detection component 260. The side panel detection component 260 is disposed on the replenisher body 210 and is configured to detect the side panel 215 of the delivery lane after it has been reset to its initial position. The side panel detection component 260 can be a proximity switch or a photoelectric sensor. The movable side panel 215 has a zero-point position, i.e., its initial position. The side panel detection component 260 is a zero-point position detection mechanism, capable of detecting whether the side panel 215 is located at the zero-point position.

[0102] To facilitate the docking of the replenisher 200 with the storage rack, referring to Figure 17, the replenisher 200 also includes a lower door panel 270. The lower door panel 270 is movably disposed at the discharge port 213 and has an open position for opening the discharge port 213 and a closed position for closing the discharge port 213. When the lower door panel 270 is in the closed position, the goods 12 are confined within the replenishment aisle 211 by the lower door panel 270. When the lower door panel 270 is in the open position, the replenishment aisle 211 can communicate with the storage aisle 11 of the storage rack, allowing the goods 12 located in the replenishment aisle 211 to move into the storage aisle 11.

[0103] Since the width of the storage aisles 11 of the storage rack is inconsistent, there can be multiple widths of the storage aisles 11, such as two, three or more. For ease of description, the storage aisles 11 are divided into narrow aisles and wide aisles. Here, the narrow aisle is the narrowest storage aisle 11 among all the storage aisles 11, and the wide aisle is the storage aisle 11 with a width greater than the narrow aisle.

[0104] To accommodate storage channels 11 of varying widths, the lower door panel 270 includes a first part 271 and a second part 272 connected to each other in the width direction of the replenishment channel 211. In the length direction of the replenishment channel 211, the end of the first part 271 away from the replenisher body 210 protrudes beyond the end of the second part 272 away from the replenisher body 210. That is, the lower door panel 270 is divided into two sections in its width direction. Due to the different lengths of the two sections, a notch structure and a flange structure are formed. The flange structure is the portion of the first part 271 that protrudes beyond the second part 272, and the width of the flange structure (i.e., the width of the first part 271) is set to be less than or equal to the width of the storage channel 11 with the smallest width (i.e., the width of the narrow channel). This arrangement allows the flange structure to extend into any storage channel 11 to complete the connection, ensuring normal replenishment regardless of whether it is a narrow or wide channel.

[0105] As shown in Figure 25, before the replenisher 200 connects to the storage aisle 11 of the storage rack, the position of the movable aisle side plate 215 needs to be adjusted so that the replenishment aisle 211 is directly opposite the first part 271 (this step is generally completed simultaneously when the replenisher 200 retrieves goods from the buffer station 100, for example, when organizing the goods 12 in the replenishment aisle 211), thus ensuring that the goods 12 are directly opposite the first part 271; then, if the replenisher 200 connects to the narrow aisle, the flange structure of the first part 271 is inserted into the narrow aisle to connect with it, and the narrower goods 12 pass directly through. The goods 12 pass through the first part 271 into the narrow cargo channel. If the replenisher 200 needs to connect to the wide cargo channel of the storage channel 11, the first part 271 can also connect to the wide cargo channel. When the wider goods 12 pass through the lower door panel 270, part of them pass over the first part 271 and the rest pass over the second part 272. Since a notch structure is formed on the front side of the second part 272, there may be a situation where the goods 12 need to cross the notch structure to enter the wide cargo channel. However, since there is a flange structure overlapping in the wide cargo channel, the width of the notch structure is generally small. The temporary lack of support will not affect the normal sliding of the goods 12.

[0106] Due to material and manual installation reasons, the inlet end of the storage channel 11 may not be horizontally aligned. This means that when the lower door panel 270 of the replenisher 200 docks with the storage channel 11, it may not be in an ideal docking state with a small gap. Therefore, the front end of the lower door panel 270 is designed with a notch structure and a flange structure to be able to dock with storage channels 11 of different widths. The flange structure of the lower door panel 270 is designed according to the minimum channel width to ensure stable replenishment when docking with narrow channels, and also to ensure normal docking when facing wide channels. The temporary lack of support at the notch structure does not affect the normal sliding of the goods 12. If this design is not adopted, and instead a single flange structure of one width is used, if the width of the flange structure is designed according to the width of the narrow cargo channel, the goods 12 will fall off due to the large gap when it connects with the wide cargo channel; if the width of the flange structure is designed according to the width of the wide cargo channel, the lower door panel 270 will not be able to be fully opened due to the obstruction of the cargo channel side panel 215 when it connects with the narrow cargo channel, thus affecting the normal movement of the goods 12.

[0107] In some embodiments, a ejection limiting mechanism is provided on the bottom plate 214 of the cargo channel. The ejection limiting mechanism includes a movable limiting block 293. An ejection port is provided at the end of the bottom plate 214 near the discharge port 213. The limiting block 293 is movably disposed within the ejection port, and has a limiting position protruding out of the bottom plate 214 and a clearance position hidden within the bottom plate 214. The limiting block 293 in the limiting position can restrict the movement of goods 12 along the inclined replenishment channel 211, and the limiting block 293 in the clearance position can release the restriction on goods 12. During the replenishment process, the limiting block 293 of the ejection limiting mechanism circulates, thereby replenishing goods 12 one by one into the storage channel 11.

[0108] The power to switch the limit block 293 between the limit position and the avoidance position can come from a power component capable of outputting linear motion, such as a miniature cylinder, or a linkage structure can be set between the lower door panel 270 and the limit block 293. The linkage structure includes a linkage structure. When the lower door panel 270 is opened, the lower door panel 270 drives the limit block 293 to move from the limit position to the avoidance position through the linkage structure. When the lower door panel 270 is closed, the lower door panel 270 drives the limit block 293 to move from the avoidance position to the limit position through the linkage structure.

[0109] Referring again to Figures 20 to 22, to drive the lower door panel 270, the replenisher 200 further includes a drive assembly 280. The drive assembly 280 includes a drive component 281, a push-pull component 282, and a mounting abutment 283. The drive component 281 has an extendable and retractable telescopic end, which is connected to the push-pull component 282 and can drive the push-pull component 282 to perform linear motion. The mounting abutment 283 is disposed on the lower door panel 270. When the telescopic end of the drive component 281 extends, the push-pull component 282 pushes the mounting abutment 283 to switch the lower door panel 270 from the open position to the closed position; when the telescopic end of the drive component 281 retracts, the push-pull component 282 pulls the mounting abutment 283 to switch the lower door panel 270 from the closed position to the open position.

[0110] One end of the lower door panel 270 is rotatably connected to the end of the cargo channel floor 214 near the discharge port 213 via a hinge. The lower door panel 270 can switch between the open and closed positions by rotating. By using a drive component 281 to drive the push-pull component 282 to move linearly, and pushing and pulling the mounting abutment component 283, the lower door panel 270 can switch between the open and closed positions. This linear drive method makes the drive component 280 compact and space-saving.

[0111] The drive component 281 can be a mechanism that can directly output linear motion, such as a cylinder or a linear motor, or it can be a combination of a power component that can output rotary motion and a transmission component that can convert rotary motion into linear motion, such as a combination of a motor and a gear and rack, or a combination of a motor and a lead screw and nut.

[0112] Referring again to Figures 21 and 22, the push-pull component 282 includes a convex ball 2821, which is fixed to the telescopic end of the drive component 281 and abuts against the mounting abutment 283. When the telescopic end of the drive component 281 extends, the convex ball 2821 moves linearly. The convex ball 2821 is only configured to push the mounting abutment 283 to provide power for the lower door panel 270 to flip upward from the open position and switch to the closed position. When the telescopic end of the drive component 281 retracts, the convex ball 2821 retracts accordingly, and the convex ball 2821 separates from the mounting abutment 283. Therefore, during the retraction process of the convex ball 2821, it does not provide tension to the mounting abutment 283 and cannot drive the lower door panel 270 to rotate back to the open position.

[0113] In order for the lower door panel 270 to rotate to the open position, referring to Figures 21 and 22, the push-pull member 282 also includes a reset elastic body 2822 and a fixing plate 2823. The fixing plate 2823 is fixed to the telescopic end of the drive member 281. The reset elastic body 2822 is connected between the mounting abutment member 283 and the fixing plate 2823, and pushes or pulls back the mounting abutment member 283.

[0114] The reset elastic body 2822 functions in both pushing the lower door panel 270 to the closed position and pulling it back to the open position. Furthermore, when the lower door panel 270 is in the open position as shown in Figure 21, the reset elastic body 2822 has a preload. This preload decreases and then increases as the lower door panel 270 switches from the open to the closed position. The reset elastic body 2822 allows for a smoother opening and closing of the lower door panel 270. During the upward flipping to close and downward flipping to open of the lower door panel 270, it avoids significant mechanical damage to the hinge components that connect the lower door panel 270 to the cargo channel floor 214, thus improving the hinge's lifespan and reducing costs. This method of driving the lower door panel 270 with the drive assembly 280 offers good flexibility, high accuracy, and a low probability of connection failure.

[0115] The reset elastic body 2822 is a tension spring. A first tension spring hole is provided on the fixed plate 2823, and a second tension spring hole is provided on the mounting abutment 283. The two ends of the tension spring are hooked onto the first and second tension spring holes, respectively. When the lower door panel 270 is closed, the reset elastic body 2822 can pull the mounting abutment 283 to cause the lower door panel 270 to flip downwards and open the door, thereby increasing the opening and closing speed and improving the accuracy of door opening.

[0116] To prevent the lower door panel 270 from opening excessively, a limiting structure is provided at the lower end of the cargo channel bottom plate 214. When the lower door panel 270 is flipped downwards to the state shown in Figure 20, the limiting structure can abut against the lower door panel 270, thereby preventing the lower door panel 270 from continuing to flip downwards. The limiting structure can be a block structure, column structure, etc., with a limiting function, and its structure is not restricted.

[0117] Referring again to Figures 19 and 26, the replenisher 200 also includes a goods detection component 292, which is located on the lower door panel 270. When the lower door panel 270 is in the closed position, the goods detection component 292 faces the storage channel 11 and is configured to detect the quantity of goods 12 in the storage channel 11 to determine whether the storage channel 11 has a replenishment requirement.

[0118] The cargo detection component 292 is a distance sensor. The distance sensor is installed on the mounting abutment component 283, and the distance sensor can emit detection light parallel to the direction of the storage channel 11 when the lower door panel 270 is in the closed position. The detection light penetrates into the storage channel 11.

[0119] After the replenishment device 200 arrives at the storage aisle 11 on the storage rack that needs replenishment, it first needs to use a distance sensor to detect the status of goods 12 in the storage aisle 11. The detection method is to measure whether there are goods 12 within a certain distance range by measuring the distance sensor. If there are no goods 12, it can be verified that the storage aisle 11 needs to be replenished. At this time, the lower door panel 270 is directly controlled to open to form a docking slide, and then replenishment is started directly. This not only ensures the accuracy of replenishment and reduces the probability of incorrect replenishment, but also has a clever design that does not require unnecessary movement and positioning. If the detected distance is incorrect, for example, if the detected distance is very small, it means that the goods 12 in the storage aisle 11 are full, and the information that the storage aisle 11 needs to be replenished is incorrect.

[0120] Referring to Figure 17, the replenishment device 200 also includes a shipment detection component 291, which is located on the lower door panel 270. The detection light emitted by the shipment detection component 291 is perpendicular to the movement direction of the goods 12. The shipment detection component 291 is configured to detect whether there are goods 12 remaining at the lower door panel 270.

[0121] The outgoing detection unit 291 is located inside the lower door panel 270. When the lower door panel 270 is in the closed position, the outgoing detection unit 291 is hidden inside the lower door panel 270. When the lower door panel 270 is in the open position, the outgoing detection unit 291 is exposed. The outgoing detection unit 291 is a photoelectric sensor. In addition, the outgoing detection unit 291 can also be used to count the goods 12 passing through the lower door panel 270, so that the replenisher 200 can stop replenishing after the replenishment quantity of a storage channel 11 reaches the expected value. After that, the replenisher 200 can move to the next replenishment position to replenish another storage channel 11, or the replenisher 200 can return to the buffer station 100 to retrieve goods.

[0122] Referring again to Figures 13 to 16, at least two replenishment units 200 are arranged side by side, and each replenishment unit 200 has a replenishment channel 211 capable of accommodating goods 12. By setting at least two replenishment units 200, at least two replenishment channels 211 can be provided, which helps to improve the loading capacity and replenishment efficiency. The number of replenishment units 200 can be set to two as shown in Figures 13 to 16, or it can be set to three, four or more as needed.

[0123] Before replenishing a storage aisle 11 of the storage rack by the replenisher 200, the inventory of goods 12 in that storage aisle 11 needs to be counted to determine the replenishment quantity. To achieve this inventory count, as shown in Figures 13, 14, and 27 to 32, the replenishment device also includes an inventory counter 500. The inventory counter 500 includes an extension structure 510 and an inventory counting structure 520. The extension structure 510 is movably disposed relative to the replenisher 200 and is movably disposed on the replenisher body 210 or on the loading platform 300. The inventory counting structure 520 is located at the end of the extension structure 510. As the extension structure 510 moves, the inventory counting structure 520 can enter the storage aisle 11 through the aisle inlet 101 to count the goods 12 located within the storage aisle 11.

[0124] Compared to laser inventory methods in related technologies that use laser probes to emit lasers at the inlet of the storage channel to count goods within the storage channel, the inventory structure 520 of the inventory detector 500 provided in this application can extend into the storage channel 11 through the inlet 101, allowing for detection at a relatively closer distance. This reduces the impact of deformation of the storage channel 11 caused by various factors on the detection, effectively ensuring the accuracy of the target goods 12 even at close range, thereby improving inventory accuracy and reducing the false positive rate. Compared to manual inventory methods, the inventory method provided in this application, where the inventory structure 520 extends into the storage channel 11 through the inlet 101, can more efficiently and accurately detect goods 12 and obtain inventory data.

[0125] To obtain the inventory quantity n of goods 12, the following parameters are known: 1. The length L of the storage channel 11; 2. The extension stroke L1 of the extension structure 510 when the inventory structure 520 detects goods 12; 3. The length L2 of goods 12 in the storage channel 11; 4. The distance L3 between the inventory structure 520 and goods 12 when it can detect goods 12; 5. The distance L4 between the inventory structure 520 and the channel inlet 101 when the extension structure 510 is not extended or retracted, where n = (L - L1 + L4 - L3) / L2, and the quantity N of goods 12 that needs to be replenished in the channel = L / L2 - n.

[0126] In one embodiment, the protruding structure 510 is a slender rod.

[0127] In one embodiment, the inventory structure 520 is one of a laser rangefinder, an infrared rangefinder, a microswitch, and a pressure sensor. It should be noted that the inventory structure 520 can also be configured with other sensors as needed, as long as they can detect signals within a short distance.

[0128] In order to drive the extension structure 510 to move, the inventory device 500 also includes a telescopic drive 540, which is connected to the extension structure 510 and configured to drive the extension structure 510 to move in a direction substantially parallel to the extension direction of the storage channel 11.

[0129] In some embodiments, the telescopic drive member 540 includes a telescopic motor 541 and a synchronous belt structure 542. The synchronous belt structure 542 includes a driving pulley 5421, a driven pulley 5423, and a synchronous belt 5422. The driving pulley 5421 and the driven pulley 5423 are spaced apart and rotatable. The synchronous belt 5422 is sleeved on the driving pulley 5421 and the driven pulley 5423. The motor shaft of the telescopic motor 541 is drivenly connected to the driving pulley 5421. The extension structure 510 is connected to the synchronous belt 5422 of the synchronous belt structure 542. Of course, in other embodiments, the telescopic drive member 540 can also be other structures capable of outputting linear motion, such as a cylinder, a linear motor, or a combination of a motor and a rack and pinion.

[0130] To achieve the fixation of the telescopic drive member 540, continuing to refer to FIG28, the inventory device 500 also includes a track member 550 configured to support the extension structure 510 and to mount the telescopic motor 541 and the timing belt structure 542. The extension structure 510 is movably disposed on the track member 550 and has an extended state extending out of the track member 550 and a retracted state retracted to overlap with the track member 550.

[0131] The track component 550 is fixed to the side of the replenisher body 210 by multiple L-shaped second mounting plates 584.

[0132] The track component 550 is generally cubic in shape, as shown in Figure 32. The track component 550 includes a first side plate 554, a first mounting plate 551, a second side plate 555, and a track plate 552 connected sequentially. The first side plate 554 and the second side plate 555 are positioned opposite each other, as are the first mounting plate 551 and the track plate 552. The height of the first side plate 554 is less than the height of the second side plate 555, creating an opening between the first side plate 554 and the track plate 552 to facilitate the installation of the synchronous belt structure 542 within the space inside the track component 550. A telescopic motor 541 is fixed below the first mounting plate 551. Both the driving wheel 5421 and the driven wheel 5423 are rotatably connected to the first mounting plate 551. The extension structure 510 is movably mounted on the upper surface of the track plate 552.

[0133] To improve the movement accuracy of the extended structure 510, as shown in Figure 31, the inventory counter 500 also includes a limiting member 583. The limiting member 583 is fixedly set relative to the replenisher 200. One of the limiting member 583 and the extended structure 510 has a limiting groove 511, and the other has a limiting protrusion. The limiting protrusion slides and limits within the limiting groove 511, thereby guiding the extended structure 510 and preventing it from swaying left and right during movement. Continuing to refer to Figure 32, the track component 550 also includes a third mounting plate 553, which is located above the track plate 552. The limiting member 583 is mounted on the third mounting plate 553. The third mounting plate 553 is L-shaped. The track component 550 is a one-piece molded part, which is formed into the shape shown in Figure 32 by cutting and bending.

[0134] To better accommodate potential deformations in the storage aisle 11, as shown in Figure 28, the inventory counter 500 further includes a movable member 530 movable relative to the replenisher 200. One end of the protruding structure 510, away from the inventory counting structure 520, is rotatably connected to the movable member 530. In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 29, one end of the movable member 530 is fixedly connected to the timing belt 5422, and a first hinge seat 581 is formed on the other end. A second hinge seat 582 is provided at the end of the protruding structure 510, and the first hinge seat 581 and the second hinge seat 582 are hinged together by a hinge shaft. In another embodiment, one end of the movable member 530 is fixed to the timing belt 5422 by a timing belt pressure plate.

[0135] This design allows the extended structure 510 to swing up and down at a certain angle as the storage channel 11 may deform after it penetrates deep into the storage channel 11. This allows it to better adapt to the deformation of the storage channel 11 and ensure that the detection direction of the inventory structure 520 is always parallel to the tangent direction of the bottom surface of the storage channel 11, thereby better guaranteeing the accuracy of the detection target.

[0136] Referring again to Figure 30, the inventory device 500 further includes a first support wheel 560, which is rotatably connected to the extension structure 510 and rolls on the track plate 552 of the track member 550. By supporting the extension structure 510 with the first support wheel 560, the stability of the extension structure 510's movement can be improved. Multiple first support wheels 560 are provided and symmetrically arranged on both sides of the extension structure 510.

[0137] Referring again to Figure 30, the inventory detector 500 further includes a second support wheel 570, which is rotatably connected to the inventory structure 520 and rolls on the track plate 552 of the track member 550. By supporting the inventory structure 520 with the second support wheel 570, the inventory structure 520 can be supported at a suitable detection height. The cooperation of the first support wheel 560 and the second support wheel 570 ensures that the protruding structure 510 remains straight and does not sag before the inventory structure 520 enters the storage channel 11.

[0138] The automated warehouse also includes a control mechanism, which can be a centralized or distributed controller. For example, the controller can be a single microcontroller or a combination of multiple distributed microcontrollers. The microcontroller can run a control program to control the automated picking system 10 and the automated replenishment system 20 to perform their respective functions.

Claims

1. A cache station, comprising: A buffer shelf (110) is provided with a buffer aisle (111) at an angle, and the buffer aisle (111) includes a receiving port (113) located at a low position; Door assembly (120), the door assembly (120) includes an upper door panel (121) rotatably connected to the receiving port (113), the upper door panel (121) having an open position for opening the receiving port (113) and a closed position for closing the receiving port (113); The goods (12) located in the buffer cargo channel (111) can pass through the open cargo outlet (113) under the action of gravity.

2. The cache station according to claim 1, wherein, The cache shelf (110) includes a cache base plate (115) forming the bottom surface of the cache aisle (111), and the angle between the wide side of the cache base plate (115) and the horizontal line is an acute angle.

3. The cache station according to claim 1, wherein, The cache shelf (110) is provided with multiple cache channels (111), and each cache channel (111) has an upper door panel (121) at the receiving port (113). At least some of the multiple upper door panels (121) can be switched to the open position at the same time.

4. The cache station according to claim 1, wherein, The door assembly (120) further includes a reset elastic element (123) that has a tendency to reset the upper door panel (121) to the closed position.

5. The cache station according to claim 4, wherein, The upper door panel (121) includes a blocking part (1211) and an abutting part (1212) connected at an angle, wherein the blocking part (1211) is configured to block the receiving port (113); The door assembly (120) further includes a flipping member (122), which includes a push plate (1221) rotatably connected to the cache shelf (110). The push plate (1221) abuts against the abutment portion (1212). The reset elastic member (123) is connected between the push plate (1221) and the cache shelf (110). By applying force to the push plate (1221) to rotate it, the upper door panel (121) can be switched from the closed position to the open position, and the reset elastic member (123) is compressed at the same time.

6. The cache station according to claim 5, wherein, The flipping component (122) also includes a connecting rod (1222) and a rotating wheel (1223). The connecting rod (1222) is connected to the push plate (1221), and the rotating wheel (1223) is rotatably connected to the connecting rod (1222). The rotating wheel (1223) rolls against the abutting part (1212).

7. The cache station according to claim 6, wherein, The buffer shelf (110) is provided with multiple buffer channels (111), and each buffer channel (111) has an upper door panel (121) at the receiving port (113). There are two wheels (1223), and the two wheels (1223) roll against the abutting parts (1212) of the two adjacent upper door panels (121).

8. A replenishment device configured to retrieve goods from a buffer station according to any one of claims 1-7, the replenishment device comprising: The replenishing device body (210) has a replenishing channel (211) inclinedly arranged on the replenishing device body (210). The replenishing channel (211) includes a receiving port (212) located at a high position. The replenishing device can move to a replenishing position where the receiving port (212) is directly opposite the receiving port (113). The door push assembly (220) can drive the upper door panel (121) to switch from the closed position to the open position, so that the receiving port (212) and the receiving port (113) are connected and connected.

9. The replenishment device according to claim 8, wherein, The door assembly (120) further includes a push plate (1221) rotatably connected to the cache shelf (110) and abutting against the upper door panel (121); The door push assembly (220) includes a door push drive (221) and a pusher (222). The door push drive (221) is connected to the pusher (222) and is configured to drive the pusher (222) to perform linear motion. The pusher (222) can push the push plate (1221) to rotate, so that the upper door panel (121) is switched from the closed position to the open position.

10. The replenishment device according to claim 8, wherein, The main body (210) of the replenishment device includes a bottom plate (214) forming the bottom surface of the replenishment channel (211), and the upper door panel (121) in the open position can be attached to the bottom plate (214).

11. The replenishment device according to claim 10, wherein, The upper door panel (121) includes a protrusion (12111) that overlaps the bottom plate (214) of the cargo channel. The replenishing device also includes a positioning detection element (230), which is located at the end of the bottom plate (214) of the cargo channel and is configured to detect the protrusion (12111).

12. The replenishment device according to claim 8, wherein, The door push assembly (220) can drive at least two upper door panels (121) to switch simultaneously from the closed position to the open position.

13. The replenishment device according to claim 8, wherein, The replenishment device body (210) includes a bottom plate (214) forming the replenishment channel (211) and two side plates (215), at least one of which is movable to adjust the width of the replenishment channel (211) and / or regulate the goods (12) entering the replenishment channel (211).

14. The replenishment device according to claim 13, satisfying at least one of the following: The replenishment device also includes a variable pitch drive (240), which includes a variable pitch motor (241), a lead screw (242), and a nut block (243). The motor shaft of the variable pitch motor (241) is connected to one end of the lead screw (242). The nut block (243) is threaded onto the lead screw (242) and forms a lead screw nut pair. The nut block (243) is connected to the movable cargo channel side plate (215). The replenishment device also includes a side plate detection component (260), which is disposed on the main body (210) of the replenishment device and is configured to detect the side plate (215) of the cargo channel that has been reset to the initial position.

15. An automatic replenishment system, comprising: The cache station according to any one of claims 1-7; as well as, The replenishment device according to any one of claims 8-14.

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