Cargo handling method and system
By installing detection devices on handling equipment or shelves to detect and respond to obstructed goods, reliability and safety issues caused by obstruction interference are resolved, improving the operational stability and safety of the equipment.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- HAI ROBOTICS CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-11-11
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-04
AI Technical Summary
The reliability and safety of existing handling equipment are affected by obstacles in the operating path, especially the interference and safety failures caused by obstacles due to improper placement of goods.
Detection devices are installed on handling equipment or shelves to detect obstructing goods that protrude from the storage location and to perform abnormal response operations when an obstruction is detected, including controlling the movement of actuators and traveling mechanisms to avoid collisions or to reset obstructing goods.
It improves the reliability and safety of handling equipment, reduces the risk of failure due to obstacles, and ensures the normal operation of the equipment.
Smart Images
Figure CN2025134230_04062026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Cargo handling methods and systems
[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application filed on November 26, 2024, with application number 202411718971.X and entitled "Method and System for Handling Goods", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. [Technical Field]
[0002] This application relates to the field of warehousing equipment technology, and in particular to a cargo handling method and system. [Background Technology]
[0003] To meet the ever-increasing demands for cargo handling efficiency, modern warehousing and logistics systems have begun to widely adopt advanced automation technologies to help improve the efficiency and accuracy of cargo storage and retrieval. Many related automated devices have been applied to the transfer and transportation of goods.
[0004] For example, automated robots or similar handling equipment can move along a set path to a specific location, automatically using actuators such as suction cups and forks to transfer goods between the robot and the shelf.
[0005] However, due to various environmental factors or abnormal events, obstacles that hinder the robot's operation will inevitably appear in the set operating path (e.g., improperly placed containers or goods). These obstacles can easily cause significant interference and impact on the operation of the robot or handling equipment, and may even lead to serious safety malfunctions.
[0006] Therefore, there is an urgent desire to improve the reliability and safety of robots during movement as much as possible. [Summary of the Invention]
[0007] This application aims to address the problem of poor reliability and stability of existing handling equipment during movement along the operating path.
[0008] In a first aspect, this application provides a cargo handling system. The cargo handling system includes: a shelf; the shelf providing multiple storage locations; a travel track; the travel track disposed on the shelf, forming a movement path covering at least a portion of the storage locations; and handling equipment; the handling equipment includes: a traveling mechanism; the traveling mechanism running on the travel track for driving the handling equipment to move within the movement path; an actuator for: contacting cargo within the work area to complete the transfer of cargo between the handling equipment and the storage locations; and a detection device for generating an abnormal signal when an obstruction cargo protruding from the storage location is detected, causing the handling equipment to perform a corresponding abnormal response operation; wherein the detection device is disposed on the handling equipment or the shelf.
[0009] Optionally, the detection device is disposed on the handling equipment and located on the same end face of the handling equipment as the actuator; when the detected obstructing goods do not exceed the working area covered by the actuator, the abnormal response operation includes: controlling the actuator to move to a position away from the travel track; controlling the travel mechanism to drive the handling equipment to move to the target position so that the obstructing goods are located in the working area; controlling the actuator to contact the obstructing goods so that the obstructing goods are reset to the corresponding storage position.
[0010] Optionally, when the detection device is located on the conveying equipment at a different end face from the actuator, the abnormal response operation includes: controlling the walking mechanism to keep the conveying equipment in its current position; or when the detection device is located on the conveying equipment at the same end face as the actuator, the abnormal response operation includes: controlling the walking mechanism to keep the conveying equipment in its current position when the detected obstructing cargo exceeds the operating area covered by the actuator.
[0011] Optionally, the detection device is located at a first position on the shelf or has a detection range covering all storage positions on the shelf; or the detection device is located at a second or third position on the shelf, forming a detection range covering a row of storage positions.
[0012] Optionally, when the actuator is located at the top of the handling equipment in the height direction and the obstructing cargo is located above the handling equipment, the abnormal response operation includes: controlling the actuator to move to a position away from the travel track; controlling the travel mechanism to drive the handling equipment to move to the target position so that the obstructing cargo is located in the work area; and controlling the actuator to contact the obstructing cargo so that the obstructing cargo is reset to the corresponding storage position.
[0013] Optionally, when the actuator is located at the top of the conveying device in the height direction and the obstructing cargo is located below the conveying device, the abnormal response operation includes: controlling the walking mechanism to stop operating, so that the conveying device remains in its current position.
[0014] Secondly, this application also provides a goods handling method applied to a control terminal of a goods handling system. The goods handling system includes: a travel track mounted on a shelf, the travel track forming a movement path covering all storage locations provided by the shelf; a handling device that moves along the movement path via a traveling mechanism running on the travel track; an actuator for contacting goods within the work area to complete the transfer of goods between the handling device and the storage locations; and a detection device with a preset detection range, the detection device being mounted on the handling device or the shelf. The goods handling method includes: detecting, via the detection device, whether there are obstructive goods protruding from the storage locations within the preset detection range; and, upon detecting the presence of obstructive goods, controlling the handling device to execute a corresponding abnormal response operation.
[0015] Optionally, when the obstructing cargo is within the operating range covered by the actuator, controlling the handling equipment to perform a corresponding abnormal response operation includes: controlling the actuator to move to a position away from the travel track; controlling the travel mechanism to drive the handling equipment to a target position so that the obstructing cargo is located in the operating area; controlling the actuator to contact the obstructing cargo so that the obstructing cargo is reset to the corresponding storage position; or
[0016] When the obstructing cargo exceeds the operating range covered by the actuator or is located on the side opposite to the operating area of the handling equipment, the control handling equipment performs a corresponding abnormal response operation, including: controlling the walking mechanism to keep the handling device in its current position.
[0017] Thirdly, this application also provides a goods handling method applied to handling equipment. The handling equipment is applied to a goods handling system, which includes: a travel track mounted on a shelf, the travel track forming a movement path covering all storage locations provided by the shelf; a handling device that moves along the movement path via a traveling mechanism running on the travel track; an actuator for contacting goods within the work area to complete the transfer of goods between the handling device and the storage location; and a detection device with a preset detection range, the detection device being mounted on the handling device or the shelf. The goods handling method includes: receiving information from the detection device; detecting whether there are obstructive goods protruding from the storage location within the preset detection range; and when the obstructive goods are detected, performing a corresponding abnormal response operation.
[0018] Optionally, when the obstructing cargo is within the work area covered by the actuator, the execution of the corresponding abnormal response operation includes: controlling the actuator to move to a position away from the travel track; moving to a target position so that the obstructing cargo is located in the work area; controlling the actuator to contact the obstructing cargo so that the obstructing cargo is reset to the corresponding storage position; when the obstructing cargo exceeds the work area covered by the actuator or is located on the side of the handling equipment opposite to the work area, the execution of the corresponding abnormal response operation includes: maintaining the current position.
[0019] At least one advantage of the goods handling system provided in this application embodiment is that the system's ability to detect obstructing goods is enhanced through the additional detection device. Therefore, in the event of an abnormal situation where goods protrude from the shelf and obstruct the handling equipment in the operating path, the handling equipment can respond promptly, effectively reducing the risk of failure, preventing accidents, and improving the overall reliability of the system. [Attached Image Description]
[0020] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference numerals in the accompanying drawings. These illustrations do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are denoted as similar elements. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings are not to be limited by scale.
[0021] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an automated warehouse provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0022] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the cargo handling system provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0023] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the shelf provided in an embodiment of this application, showing the case where the detection device is set at the corner of the shelf;
[0024] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the shelf provided in an embodiment of this application, showing the case where the detection device is installed on the top surface of the shelf;
[0025] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the handling equipment provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0026] Figure 6 is a flowchart of the first anomaly response operation provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0027] Figure 7 is a flowchart of the second anomaly response operation provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0028] Figure 8 is a flowchart of a cargo handling method provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0029] Figure 9 is a functional block diagram of the cargo handling device provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0030] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the control terminal provided in an embodiment of this application.
Detailed Implementation Methods
[0031] To facilitate understanding of this application, a more detailed description is provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that when an element is described as being "fixed to" another element, it can be directly on the other element, or one or more intermediate elements may exist between them. When an element is described as being "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element, or one or more intermediate elements may exist between them. The terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "outer," "bottom," etc., used in this specification indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.
[0032] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this specification have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. The term "and / or" as used in this specification includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
[0033] Furthermore, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of this application described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.
[0034] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a typical automated warehouse. As shown in Figure 1, this automated warehouse typically includes: shelves 11, handling equipment 12, and control terminals 13.
[0035] Among them, the rack 11 is a three-dimensional structural device for storing goods. It has various forms such as shelf type, beam type, and cantilever type. One or more racks 11 can be arranged in a specific layout according to different application scenarios and usage requirements to form multiple regularly distributed storage locations (also known as "warehouse locations") for storing goods. For example, Figure 1 shows racks 11 arranged in a matrix, which together form a goods storage area A. In the goods storage area A, a passageway C of appropriate width can be formed between two adjacent racks 11 to allow operators or automated equipment to move.
[0036] The handling equipment 12 is an automated robot capable of moving autonomously and performing cargo transfer operations within the cargo storage area A. It typically utilizes its onboard positioning module, navigation module, and actuators to autonomously move between different locations on the shelf according to task instructions issued by the control terminal 13, thereby completing tasks such as cargo storage and retrieval, inventory checks, and transport to the operating table, achieving the orderly transfer of goods.
[0037] In some embodiments, the handling device 12 includes an automated device (which may also be referred to as a "shelf-climbing robot") capable of autonomously moving and operating within the three-dimensional space of the shelf. It can utilize its own specific walking mechanism, in conjunction with the walking track 15 installed on the edge of the shelf as shown in FIG1, to drive the handling device 12 to move in the height and horizontal directions of the shelf, thereby covering storage locations at higher elevations.
[0038] The control terminal 13 is the central control unit for unified scheduling and management of various equipment within the automated warehouse. It can be implemented by an electronic platform integrating processors, memory, and communication modules, and by connecting and coordinating multiple work units such as shelves and handling equipment in the automated warehouse, it realizes functions such as data acquisition, task allocation, and equipment control.
[0039] Specifically, the control terminal 13 can be designed in various forms such as a fixed workstation, a mobile controller, or a distributed control system. It can be used for the operation and management of a single warehouse, or it can be extended to a smart logistics network with multi-warehouse collaboration.
[0040] Through the systematic layout and collaborative operation of these different functional units, the directional flow and classified distribution of goods within and outside the warehousing system are completed, achieving efficient processing and orderly allocation of goods flow.
[0041] The applicant noted that in the automated warehouse shown in Figure 1, when goods are not correctly placed in their storage locations due to various abnormal factors, causing some of them to protrude from the shelf edges, they create obstacles in the movement path of the handling equipment. Consequently, when the handling equipment moves along the tracks on the shelves, it may collide with these protruding goods, leading to malfunctions or abnormalities in the handling equipment moving on the shelves, and even posing a risk of the handling equipment falling off the shelves.
[0042] To address the aforementioned issues, the applicant discovered that by adding additional detection devices to automated warehouses to detect goods protruding from shelf edges, it is possible to ensure that when handling equipment encounters obstacles in its movement path, it can promptly execute corresponding abnormal response operations without directly colliding with the goods or causing them to fall off the shelves due to collisions. This effectively improves the safety and reliability of automated goods handling processes.
[0043] Based on the inventive concept provided in the embodiments of this application, it can be generally applied to handling equipment capable of moving in three-dimensional space on shelves. However, for ease of description and understanding, the following will use handling equipment with a walking mechanism and shelves with compatible walking tracks as application scenario examples to describe this application.
[0044] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a cargo handling system provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 2, the cargo handling system includes: a shelf 21, a handling device 22, and a detection device 23.
[0045] The shelving unit 21 can be constructed from a series of supporting components (e.g., uprights, beams, and shelves). Through the rational arrangement of these supporting components in the horizontal and vertical directions, it provides multiple storage locations for storing goods.
[0046] Multiple storage locations can be arranged or laid out according to actual needs. For example, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the multiple storage locations B formed by the shelf 21 can be arranged in an array to form a regular grid structure, forming multiple columns in the horizontal direction x (3 columns are shown in the figure for example), and forming multiple layers in the vertical direction y (3 layers are shown in the figure for example).
[0047] To enable the handling equipment 22 to move in the vertical direction, referring to Figure 2, travel tracks 24 are provided along the edge of the shelf 21. These travel tracks 24 are combined with each other to form a movement path that can cover at least a portion of the storage space formed by the shelf 21.
[0048] In this application, "movement path" refers to a combination of motion trajectories composed of multiple walking tracks. Multiple different walking tracks can be connected to form a continuous passage network, thereby enabling the handling equipment traveling on it to move to different storage locations by selecting different combinations of walking tracks, thus achieving coverage of a specified storage location.
[0049] The handling device 22 is an automated robot capable of moving between different storage locations along a movement path. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG5, the handling device 22 includes at least a walking mechanism 221 having structural features that cooperate with the walking track.
[0050] Thus, through the mechanical contact between the walking mechanism 221 and the walking track 24, a driving force is generated to move directionally along the walking track 24, thereby driving the handling equipment 22 to move along the moving path and thus move and position itself to the storage location within the range covered by the moving path.
[0051] In some embodiments, in addition to the walking mechanism 221, please continue to refer to FIG5, the handling device 22 may also include an actuator 222 for performing cargo transfer.
[0052] The actuator 222 is a mechanical unit with a specific structural form. Depending on the actual needs such as the characteristics of the goods, this specific structural form includes, but is not limited to: a push plate mechanism, a telescopic fork mechanism, a vacuum suction cup, a robotic arm mechanism, or a clamping mechanism.
[0053] It can establish stable physical contact with goods located within the operating area, and then transfer the goods between the handling equipment and the storage location through controlled mechanical movement. The "operating area" refers to the area that the actuator 222 can cover. Specifically, when the goods are located within the operating area, the actuator 222 can establish physical contact with the goods and complete the goods transfer task, while when the goods are not located within the operating area, the actuator 222 cannot complete the goods transfer task.
[0054] The detection device 23 is a sensor device capable of sensing the spatial position of goods within the shelf. This sensor device includes, but is not limited to, infrared beam sensors, laser rangefinders, depth cameras, ultrasonic sensors, or limit switches.
[0055] It maintains the detection of the goods' position within its covered detection range, and triggers a corresponding abnormal signal when it detects obstructing goods protruding from the storage location. Thus, the control terminal or handling equipment can promptly determine the abnormal situation of obstructing goods and execute the corresponding abnormal response operation to ensure that the handling equipment does not collide with the obstructing goods.
[0056] The cargo handling system provided in this application embodiment adds the function of detecting obstructed cargo by an additional detection device. When cargo protrudes from the shelf and obstructs the handling equipment in the operating path, the system's detection function ensures that the handling equipment can respond promptly and avoid collisions.
[0057] Based on different considerations or actual needs (e.g., different detection ranges and coverage), the detection device 23 can be installed on the handling equipment 22 and move with it (e.g., as shown in Figure 5), or it can be fixedly installed on the shelf 21 and kept relatively fixed to the shelf 21 (e.g., as shown in Figures 3 and 4). The following describes in detail the different installation forms of the detection device 23 and the corresponding abnormal response operations with several specific examples.
[0058] Example 1:
[0059] Both the actuator 222 and the detection device 23 are located on the same end face (e.g., the top or bottom face) of the conveying equipment 22. Taking the detection device 23 as an example, which is located on the top face of the conveying equipment 22, the working area of the actuator 222 overlaps with the detection range formed by the detection device 23, that is, it is located within the detection range.
[0060] Under such detection range and work area settings, after the handling equipment 22 detects the obstructing goods, as the handling equipment 22 moves, the obstructing goods will first enter the work area and then collide with the handling equipment 22.
[0061] Therefore, when the handling equipment 22 performs an abnormal response operation, it can use the cargo transfer function of the actuator 222 to reset the obstructed cargo to the correct storage position, so that it no longer obstructs or affects the movement of the handling equipment.
[0062] For simplicity, the anomaly response operation performed using the cargo transfer function of actuator 222 will be referred to as the "first anomaly response operation". As shown in Figure 6, the first anomaly response operation may include the following steps:
[0063] S310, Control the actuator to move to a position away from the travel track.
[0064] As mentioned above, the actuator 222 is typically a mechanical unit with a specific travel stroke. By moving this mechanical unit to a position away from the travel track within its travel stroke, the mechanical unit can be kept as far away from obstacles and goods as possible, avoiding unnecessary collisions with them.
[0065] S330: Control the walking mechanism to drive the handling equipment to the target position so that the obstructed goods are located in the work area.
[0066] The term "target location" is used to describe the spatial position of the handling equipment 20 when the obstructing goods are located in the operating area of the actuator 222. Specifically, the handling equipment can be moved to the target location using various control methods. For example, the traveling mechanism can gradually decelerate to drive the handling equipment slowly towards the obstructing goods until the obstructing goods enter the operating area.
[0067] S350: The control actuator contacts the obstructed goods, causing the obstructed goods to be reset to the corresponding storage position.
[0068] Once the obstructing goods enter the work area, as described above, the actuator can reliably establish physical contact with the obstructing goods by controlling the movement of the mechanical unit. It can change the position of the obstructing goods through various means such as pushing, pulling, clamping, and lifting (the specific method can be determined by the specific structural form of the mechanical unit), so that the obstructing goods are restored to the correct storage position and no longer protrude from the edge of the shelf.
[0069] Example 2:
[0070] The actuator 222 and the detection device 23 are respectively located on different end faces of the conveying equipment 22 (for example, the actuator 222 is located on the top surface of the conveying equipment 22, and the detection device 23 is located on the bottom surface of the conveying equipment 22). At this time, the working area of the actuator 22 and the detection range of the detection device 23 are completely opposite to each other and do not overlap.
[0071] With this detection range and work area setup, after the handling equipment 22 detects the obstructing goods, as the handling equipment 22 moves, the obstructing goods will first collide with the handling equipment 22 and will not enter the work area.
[0072] Therefore, when the handling equipment 22 performs an anomaly response operation, it can only use an operation completely different from the first anomaly response operation described above to deal with the obstructed goods. For simplicity, the anomaly response operation that does not utilize the goods transfer function of the actuator 222 will be referred to as the "second anomaly response operation". As shown in Figure 7, the second anomaly response operation may include the following steps:
[0073] S320: Control the traveling mechanism to keep the transport equipment in its current position.
[0074] "Maintaining the current position" refers to suppressing the displacement tendency of the conveying equipment through precise control of the driving force or the action of the mechanical locking mechanism, so as to ensure its stable residence in the predetermined spatial position.
[0075] For example, the traveling mechanism can be controlled by means of locking torque control of the drive motor, closing action of the mechanical brake, or closed-loop control of the position servo system, so as to ensure that the handling equipment maintains its current position and does not collide with obstacles or goods.
[0076] Furthermore, in order to restore the normal operation and function of the handling equipment as quickly as possible, the second abnormal response operation may also perform the following steps:
[0077] S340, issue a fault warning message.
[0078] Among them, "fault prompt information" is used to convey the specific situation of abnormal equipment operation to the operator and prompt the operator to deal with it in a timely manner. It can be displayed and conveyed in one or more ways, such as text, sound and light, graphics, etc., as long as it can serve the purpose of prompting, and there is no specific limitation here.
[0079] It should be noted that even when the actuator 222 and the detection device 23 are both located on the same end face of the handling equipment 22, there may still be situations where obstructing goods protrude excessively from the shelf, exceeding the operating area covered by the actuator 222. In this case, the actuator 222 cannot help reset the obstructing goods by performing the goods transfer function. Therefore, when the handling equipment 22 detects obstructing goods that have exceeded the operating area, it performs a second abnormality response operation instead of the first abnormality response operation.
[0080] Example 3:
[0081] In addition to being installed on the handling equipment 22, the detection device 23 can also be installed at a first position on the shelf. This first position P1 refers to a location where the detection device 23 can have a detection range covering all storage locations on the shelf or a system-specified location. For example, in a square shelf, at the corner formed by the intersection of two adjacent faces. Figure 3 exemplarily shows the case located at the upper left corner. This corner can also be any one of the four corners of the square shelf.
[0082] Accordingly, the abnormal response operations to be performed by the handling equipment will vary depending on the location of the obstructing goods detected within the detection range.
[0083] For example, when the actuator is located at the top of the handling equipment in the vertical direction, if the detected obstruction is above the handling equipment, it also exhibits the motion characteristic that "as the handling equipment 22 moves, the obstruction will first enter the work area and then collide with the handling equipment 22." Therefore, in such a situation, the handling equipment can be controlled to perform a first abnormal response operation.
[0084] Conversely, if the detected obstruction is located below the handling equipment, the handling equipment must perform a second abnormality response operation, stopping its movement and remaining in its current position until the obstruction is removed by an operator or other automated equipment.
[0085] Example 4:
[0086] The detection device 23 can also be set at a second position P2 or a third position P3 on the shelf, thereby forming a detection range covering a column of storage positions. The second position P2 and the third position P3 are a set of relative positional concepts. In Figure 4, the second position P2 is exemplary, which is the top surface of the shelf and corresponds to a certain column of storage positions, and the third position P3 is the bottom surface of the shelf and corresponds to a certain column of storage positions.
[0087] Similar to Embodiment 3, the handling equipment also needs to perform different abnormal response operations based on the different motion characteristics of the obstructing goods detected within the detection range due to their different positions.
[0088] For example, when the actuator is at the top of the handling equipment in the vertical direction, if the detected obstructing goods are located above the handling equipment in the same storage position, the handling equipment can perform a first abnormal response operation, using the actuator to complete the task of clearing the obstructing goods and resetting them to the correct storage position.
[0089] Conversely, if the detected obstructing goods are located below the handling equipment in the same storage position, the handling equipment needs to perform a second abnormality response operation, stop moving and remain in the current position until the obstructing goods are removed by the operator or other automated equipment.
[0090] It should be noted that, based on the same inventive design concept, the specific implementation of the detection device and the abnormal response operation can be adjusted or equivalently changed to adapt to different application scenarios, and are not limited to the scenarios described in Embodiments 1 to 4 above.
[0091] For example, when the actuator 22 is located at the bottom of the handling equipment, the correspondence between the position of the obstructing goods detected by the detection device and the first abnormal response operation and the second abnormal response operation can also be adjusted accordingly.
[0092] Based on the cargo handling system provided in the above embodiments, this application further provides a cargo handling method. This cargo handling method can be executed by the control terminal of an automated warehouse to achieve orderly control of one or more functional units of the cargo handling system. As shown in Figure 8, the method includes:
[0093] S410. Using a detection device, determine whether there are any obstructing goods protruding from the storage location within a preset detection range. If yes, proceed to step S420; otherwise, proceed to step S430.
[0094] The preset detection range is determined by the detection device and its location. The detection device can indicate the presence of obstructed goods by emitting specific electrical signals. The detection process can be real-time or periodic, depending on the specific needs of the situation.
[0095] S420: Control the handling equipment to perform the corresponding abnormal response operation.
[0096] As described above, the abnormal response operation can broadly include two types: a first abnormal response operation and a second abnormal response operation. Based on different motion characteristics, the control terminal can correspondingly control the handling equipment to execute either the first abnormal response operation or the second abnormal response operation.
[0097] Specifically, when the obstructing goods are determined to be located on the first side of the handling equipment, the control terminal controls the handling equipment to execute a first abnormality response operation, restoring the obstructing goods to their correct storage position under the action of the actuator. When the obstructing goods are determined to be located on the second side of the handling equipment, the control terminal controls the handling equipment to execute a second abnormality response operation, temporarily stopping movement and maintaining the current position.
[0098] In this application, the first side and the second side mentioned above are determined based on the location of the operating area of the actuator. The first side is the side where the transport equipment is close to the operating area, while the second side is the side where the transport equipment is away from the operating area.
[0099] S430, Control handling equipment to perform cargo transfer tasks.
[0100] When no obstructing goods are detected, it indicates that the handling equipment can operate normally and without hindrance, and the entire automated warehouse is in a normal state. Therefore, the handling equipment can be controlled accordingly to perform goods transfer tasks and complete the flow of goods.
[0101] Based on the cargo handling method provided in the embodiments of this application, the embodiments of this application further provide a cargo handling device. As shown in FIG9, the cargo handling device 500 includes: a detection module 510 and an anomaly response module 520.
[0102] The detection module 510 is used to detect, via a detection device, whether there are any obstructing goods protruding from the storage location within a preset detection range. The anomaly response module 520 is used to control the handling equipment to perform a corresponding anomaly response operation when obstructing goods are detected.
[0103] In some embodiments, when the detection module 510 determines that the obstructing goods are located on the first side of the handling equipment, the abnormal response module 520 is specifically used to: control the actuator to move to a position away from the travel track; control the travel mechanism to drive the handling equipment to move to the target position so that the obstructing goods enter the work area; control the actuator to contact the obstructing goods so that the obstructing goods are reset to the corresponding storage position;
[0104] In other embodiments, when the detection module 510 determines that the obstructing cargo is located on the second side of the handling equipment, the abnormal response module 520 is specifically used to: control the walking mechanism to keep the handling device in its current position; and issue a fault warning message.
[0105] Specifically, the first side is the side where the handling equipment is close to the work area, while the second side is the side where the handling equipment is away from the work area.
[0106] It should be noted that the cargo handling device provided in this application embodiment can be executed by any suitable type of electronic computing platform. This electronic computing platform can implement or execute one or more of the above-mentioned functions using electronic hardware, computer software programs, or a combination of both. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.
[0107] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of a control terminal provided in an embodiment of this application. This control terminal can be used to execute the cargo handling method described in one or more of the above embodiments. The control terminal 60 can be implemented by various forms of digital computers, such as workstations, servers, blade servers, mainframe computers, and other suitable electronic computing platforms.
[0108] It should be noted that the components, their connections and relationships, and their functions shown in Figure 10 are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to impose limitations on the specific implementation of the control terminal.
[0109] As shown in Figure 10, the control terminal 60 may include a processor 601, a memory 602, a storage device 603, a high-speed interface 605 connected to the memory 602 and multiple high-speed expansion ports 604, and a low-speed interface 607 connected to the low-speed expansion port 606 and the storage device 603.
[0110] Each of the processor 601, memory 602, storage device 603, high-speed interface 605, high-speed expansion port 604, and low-speed interface 607 is interconnected using various buses and can be mounted on a common motherboard or other suitable means.
[0111] The processor 601 can process computer program instructions stored in the memory 602 or on the storage device 603 for displaying graphical information on an external input / output device (e.g., a display 608 coupled to a high-speed interface 605).
[0112] In some embodiments, multiple processors and / or multiple buses may be used in conjunction with multiple memories and multiple types of memory. Furthermore, multiple electronic devices may be connected, each providing a portion of the necessary operation (e.g., as a server group, blade server cluster, or multiprocessor system).
[0113] The memory 602 stores information within the control terminal. It may be one or more volatile memory cells, non-volatile memory cells, or another form of computer-readable media, such as a magnetic disk or optical disk.
[0114] Storage device 603 can provide large-capacity storage for control terminals. It may contain computer-readable media, such as floppy disk devices, hard disk devices, optical disk devices or magnetic tape devices, flash memory or other similar solid-state storage devices, or device arrays, including devices or other configurations in a storage area network.
[0115] Computer program instructions may be stored in an information carrier. When executed by one or more processing devices (e.g., processor 601), the computer program instructions implement the cargo handling method described in one or more of the above embodiments.
[0116] High-speed interface 605 manages bandwidth-intensive operations for controlling the terminal, while low-speed interface 607 manages lower bandwidth-intensive operations. In some embodiments, high-speed interface 605 is coupled to memory 602, display 608 (e.g., via a graphics processor or accelerator), and high-speed expansion port 604 that accepts various expansion cards. Low-speed interface 607 is coupled to storage device 603 and low-speed expansion port 606.
[0117] The low-speed expansion port 606 includes a communication port (e.g., USB, Ethernet, wireless Ethernet) and can be coupled to one or more input / output devices, such as a keyboard, pointing device, scanner, or a networked device such as a switch (e.g., via a network adapter).
[0118] For example, as shown in Figure 10, in order to provide interaction with the user, the control terminal 60 has a display device 608 (e.g., a cathode ray tube or liquid crystal display monitor) for displaying information to the user and a pointing device 609 (e.g., a mouse) that the user can use to provide input to the computer. Other types of interactive devices can also be used to provide interaction with the user;
[0119] Of course, the feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback (such as visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback); and input from the user can be received in any form, including acoustic, voice, or tactile input.
[0120] The cargo handling method described in one or more embodiments of this application can be implemented in digital electronic circuits, integrated circuits, specially designed ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. It may include embodiments of one or more computer programs that can be executed and / or interpreted on a programmable system comprising at least one programmable processor, which may be dedicated or general-purpose, coupled to receive data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and to transmit data and instructions to the storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device.
[0121] These computer programs (also referred to as programs, software, software applications, or code) include machine instructions for a programmable processor and can be implemented using high-level programming and / or goal-oriented programming languages and / or assembly / machine languages. In this embodiment, the terms "machine-readable medium" and "computer-readable medium" refer to any computer program product, device, and / or apparatus (e.g., disk, optical disk, memory, programmable logic device (PLD)) used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor, including machine-readable media that receive machine instructions as machine-readable signals. The term "machine-readable signal" can refer to any signal used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor.
[0122] 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; under the concept of this application, the technical features of the above embodiments or different embodiments can also be combined, the steps can be implemented in any order, and there are many other variations of different aspects of this application as described above, which are not provided in detail for the sake of brevity; although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features; 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.
Claims
1. A cargo handling system, characterized in that, include: Shelves; the shelves provide multiple storage locations; Walking track; The walking track is set on the shelf to form a movement path covering at least a portion of the storage location; Handling equipment; The handling equipment includes: a traveling mechanism; the traveling mechanism runs on the traveling track and is used to drive the handling equipment to move in the moving path; and an execution mechanism, used to: contact the goods in the working area and complete the transfer of goods between the handling equipment and the storage location. A detection device is used to generate an abnormal signal when it detects an obstruction object protruding from the storage location, so that the handling equipment performs a corresponding abnormal response operation; The detection device is installed on the handling equipment or the shelf.
2. The cargo handling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection device is mounted on the conveying equipment and is located on the same end face of the conveying equipment as the actuator. When the detected obstructing cargo does not exceed the operating area covered by the actuator, the anomaly response operation includes: Control the actuator to move to a position away from the travel track; Control the walking mechanism to drive the handling equipment to move to the target position so that the obstructed goods are located in the work area; The actuator is controlled to contact the obstructing cargo, causing the obstructing cargo to be reset to the corresponding storage location.
3. The cargo handling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the detection device is mounted on the conveying equipment and is located on a different end face from the actuator on the conveying equipment, the abnormal response operation includes: Control the walking mechanism to keep the conveying equipment in its current position; or The detection device is mounted on the conveying equipment and is located on the same end face of the conveying equipment as the actuator. When the detected obstructing cargo exceeds the operating area covered by the actuator, the anomaly response operation includes: Control the walking mechanism to keep the transport equipment in its current position.
4. The cargo handling system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The detection device is positioned at a first location on the shelf, and has a detection range covering the system's specified detection range or all storage locations on the shelf; or The detection device is positioned at the second or third location on the shelf, forming a detection range covering a row of storage locations.
5. The cargo handling system according to claim 4, characterized in that, When the actuator is located at the top of the handling equipment in the height direction, and the obstructing cargo is located above the handling equipment, the abnormal response operation includes: Control the actuator to move to a position away from the travel track; Control the walking mechanism to drive the handling equipment to move to the target position so that the obstructed goods are located in the work area; The actuator is controlled to contact the obstructing cargo, causing the obstructing cargo to be reset to the corresponding storage location.
6. The cargo handling system according to claim 4, characterized in that, When the actuator is located at the top of the handling equipment in the height direction and the obstructing cargo is located below the handling equipment, the abnormal response operation includes: Control the walking mechanism to stop operating, so that the conveying device remains in its current position.
7. A cargo handling method, applied to the control terminal of a cargo handling system, characterized in that, The goods handling system includes: a travel track set on the shelf, the travel track forming a movement path covering all storage locations provided by the shelf; a handling device that moves in the movement path via a traveling mechanism running on the travel track; an actuator for contacting goods in the work area to complete the transfer of goods between the handling device and the storage location; and a detection device with a preset detection range, the detection device being set on the handling device or the shelf. The cargo handling method includes: The detection device is used to detect whether there are any obstructing goods protruding from the storage location within the preset detection range; When the presence of the obstructing goods is detected, the handling equipment is controlled to perform the corresponding abnormal response operation.
8. The cargo handling method according to claim 7, characterized in that, When the obstructed goods are within the operating area covered by the actuator, the control of the handling equipment to perform a corresponding abnormal response operation includes: Control the actuator to move to a position away from the travel track; Control the walking mechanism to drive the handling equipment to move to the target position so that the obstructed goods are located in the work area; The actuator is controlled to contact the obstructing cargo, causing the obstructing cargo to be reset to the corresponding storage position; or When the obstructing cargo extends beyond the operating area covered by the actuator or is located on a side of the handling equipment opposite to the operating area, the control of the handling equipment to execute a corresponding abnormal response operation includes: Control the walking mechanism to keep the transport device in its current position.
9. A cargo handling method, applied to handling equipment, characterized in that, The handling equipment is applied to a cargo handling system, which includes: a travel track set on a shelf, the travel track forming a movement path covering all storage locations provided by the shelf; a handling device that moves in the movement path via a traveling mechanism running on the travel track; an actuator for contacting cargo within the work area to complete the transfer of cargo between the handling device and the storage location; and a detection device with a preset detection range, the detection device being set on the handling device or the shelf. The cargo handling method includes: Receive information from the detection device and detect whether there are obstructive goods protruding from the storage location within the preset detection range; When the presence of the obstructing cargo is detected, the corresponding abnormal response operation is executed.
10. The cargo handling method according to claim 9, characterized in that, When the obstructing cargo is within the operating area covered by the actuator, the execution of the corresponding abnormal response operation includes: Control the actuator to move to a position away from the travel track; Move to the target location so that the obstructing cargo is located in the work area; The actuator is controlled to contact the obstructing cargo, causing the obstructing cargo to be reset to the corresponding storage position; When the obstructing cargo extends beyond the operating area covered by the actuator or is located on a side of the handling equipment opposite to the operating area, the corresponding abnormal response operation is executed, including: Stay in the current position.