Pickup unit, pickup method, and automated dispensing system

Abstract

A pickup unit, a pickup method, and an automated dispensing system. The pickup unit (PU) is used for picking up goods (GD) blocked by a blocking mechanism (BL) in a gravity conveyor channel (GC). The pickup unit (PU) comprises: a bracket (10); pushing mechanisms (20) configured to push the goods (GD) away from the blocking mechanism (BL); and lifting mechanisms (30) arranged on the bracket (10) and configured to apply an upward lifting force to the goods (GD) in the state where the goods (GD) are pushed away from the blocking mechanism (BL), so that the goods (GD) pass over the blocking mechanism (BL). The pickup effect can be improved.

Description

Picking device, picking method and automated dispensing system

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application is based on and claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202510336244.5, filed on March 20, 2025, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to the field of warehousing and logistics, and in particular to a picking device, picking method and automated dispensing system. Background Technology

[0004] In the fields of logistics and warehousing management, the automatic movement of goods is achieved by utilizing their own weight to slide along inclined conveyor belts, thereby improving picking efficiency and saving energy. When it is necessary to retrieve goods from the inclined conveyor belt, the relevant technology adopts an upward retrieval method, that is, the goods are lifted by a picking mechanism to make them pass over the baffle at the bottom of the conveyor belt, thereby completing the retrieval operation. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Research has revealed that when goods are lifted, they may tip over due to an imbalance of forces caused by the friction of the baffles, leading to failure in retrieving the goods.

[0006] In view of this, the present disclosure provides a picking device, a picking method, and an automatic dispensing system to improve the picking effect.

[0007] In one aspect of this disclosure, a retrieval device is provided for retrieving goods blocked by a blocking mechanism within a gravity conveyor, comprising:

[0008] support;

[0009] A pushing mechanism is configured to push the cargo away from the blocking mechanism; and

[0010] A picking mechanism, mounted on the support, is configured to apply an upward force to the goods while they are being pushed away from the blocking mechanism, so that the goods pass over the blocking mechanism.

[0011] In some embodiments, the pushing mechanism is configured to be limited by the gravity transport channel during the picking mechanism's movement of the goods.

[0012] In some embodiments, the pushing mechanism includes:

[0013] An abutment is configured to abut against the gravity conveyor so that it is limited by the gravity conveyor during the process of the picking mechanism picking the goods;

[0014] The top block is fixedly connected to the abutment and is used to push the goods away from the blocking mechanism.

[0015] In some embodiments, the blocking mechanism includes two blocking portions located at the bottom end of the gravity conveyor, and the top block is configured to push the cargo between the two blocking portions; the abutment includes a crossbeam, the top block being located at the middle of the crossbeam, the crossbeam having a dimension in the width direction of the gravity conveyor greater than the distance between the two blocking portions in the width direction of the gravity conveyor, so as to abut against the two blocking portions during the picking mechanism's movement of the cargo.

[0016] In some embodiments, the abutment further includes:

[0017] Two side bars are connected to both ends of the crossbeam respectively, so as to form a gate-shaped structure with the crossbeam;

[0018] The two side rods are respectively hinged to the bracket.

[0019] In some embodiments, the picking mechanism is further configured to limit at least one of the top block and the abutment before picking the goods.

[0020] In some embodiments, the pickup device further includes:

[0021] An elastic element is connected to the abutment to apply an elastic force to the abutment.

[0022] In some embodiments, the elastic element is connected to the bracket.

[0023] In some embodiments, the picking device includes at least two pushing mechanisms, and each end of the elastic element is connected to the at least two pushing mechanisms respectively.

[0024] In some embodiments, the picking device includes two pushing mechanisms and two picking mechanisms corresponding to the two pushing mechanisms. The abutment in each pushing mechanism includes a crossbeam and two side rods. The two side rods are respectively connected to both ends of the crossbeam to form a gate-shaped structure with the crossbeam. The two side rods are respectively hinged to the bracket. The elastic element includes a spring. One end of the spring is connected to the side rod of one of the two pushing mechanisms, and the other end is connected to the side rod of the other pushing mechanism.

[0025] In some embodiments, the blocking mechanism includes two blocking portions located at the bottom end of the gravity conveyor channel, and the picking mechanism includes:

[0026] A support block, fixedly connected to the bracket, is configured to extend between the two blocking portions to pry the cargo from below.

[0027] The support block has a through portion, through which the top block can be movably passed.

[0028] In some embodiments, the picking mechanism is fixedly connected to the support so as to move synchronously with the support, and the pushing mechanism is movably disposed on the support.

[0029] In some embodiments, the pickup device further includes:

[0030] The first drive mechanism, which is driven and connected to the support, is configured to drive the support to move, thereby causing the pushing mechanism and the picking mechanism to move relative to the gravity-type transport channel.

[0031] In some embodiments, at least one of the pushing mechanism and the picking mechanism is configured to abut against the next item in the gravity transport channel after the item at the bottom of the gravity transport channel has passed the blocking mechanism.

[0032] In some embodiments, the pickup device further includes:

[0033] A drive unit, driven and connected to the pushing mechanism, is configured to drive the pushing mechanism to rotate to a position that does not obstruct the cargo during the process of the cargo being lifted or after it has been lifted above the top of the blocking mechanism.

[0034] In some embodiments, the picking mechanism is movably connected to the support, and the pushing mechanism is fixedly mounted on the support so as to move synchronously with the support;

[0035] The picking device further includes:

[0036] A first drive mechanism, driven and connected to the support, is configured to drive the support to move, thereby causing the pushing mechanism and the picking mechanism to move relative to the gravity-driven conveyor.

[0037] A second drive mechanism is disposed on the bracket and drivenly connected to the picking mechanism. The second drive mechanism is configured to apply an upward lifting force to the goods by driving the picking mechanism.

[0038] In some embodiments, the support includes a cargo guiding mechanism and a receiving area, the cargo guiding mechanism being configured to guide received goods to the receiving area, and the picking mechanism being fixedly connected to the cargo guiding mechanism;

[0039] The pushing mechanism and the picking mechanism are both located on the cargo receiving side of the cargo guiding mechanism.

[0040] In some embodiments, the pickup device further includes:

[0041] A vibration mechanism, connected to the support, is configured to apply a vibration force to the support and the picking mechanism.

[0042] In some embodiments, the pickup device further includes:

[0043] A sensing element is configured to sense the goods entering the receiving area.

[0044] In one aspect of this disclosure, an automated shipping system is provided, comprising:

[0045] At least one gravity-fed conveyor belt; and

[0046] The aforementioned picking device.

[0047] In one aspect of this disclosure, a method for picking up goods using the aforementioned picking device is provided, comprising:

[0048] The jacking mechanism pushes the goods that are blocked by the blocking mechanism in the gravity conveyor channel away from the blocking mechanism.

[0049] With the goods pushed away from the blocking mechanism, the picking mechanism applies an upward force to the goods so that they pass over the blocking mechanism.

[0050] In some embodiments, the pickup method further includes:

[0051] During the process of the picking mechanism picking the goods, the gravity-type transport channel limits the pushing mechanism.

[0052] In some embodiments, the picking mechanism is fixedly connected to the support so as to move synchronously with the support, and the pushing mechanism is movably disposed on the support; the picking device further includes a first driving mechanism that is drivenly connected to the support;

[0053] The step of using a pushing mechanism to push goods blocked by the blocking mechanism of the gravity conveyor channel away from the blocking mechanism includes:

[0054] The first driving mechanism drives the support to move, so that the pushing mechanism moves toward the blocking mechanism and pushes the goods away from the blocking mechanism.

[0055] In some embodiments, the pushing mechanism includes a stop member and a top block fixedly connected to the stop member;

[0056] The step of applying an upward lifting force to the goods by a picking mechanism to make the goods pass over the blocking mechanism while the goods are pushed away from the blocking mechanism includes:

[0057] When the top block pushes the goods away from the blocking mechanism, the first driving mechanism drives the bracket to move upward, thereby driving the pushing mechanism and the picking mechanism to move upward.

[0058] After the pushing mechanism moves to the position where the abutment abuts against the blocking mechanism, the first driving mechanism continues to drive the bracket to move upward, thereby driving the picking mechanism to move upward to apply an upward force to the goods, and the gravity-type transport channel limits the pushing mechanism, so that the goods pass over the blocking mechanism and the pushing mechanism.

[0059] In some embodiments, the pushing mechanism is rotatably connected to the support, and the picking device further includes an elastic element connected to the abutment member;

[0060] The pickup method also includes:

[0061] After the cargo at the bottom of the gravity conveyor channel passes the blocking mechanism through the picking mechanism, the picking mechanism abuts against the next cargo in the gravity conveyor channel so that it does not come into contact with the blocking mechanism.

[0062] The first driving mechanism drives the support to move downward, thereby causing the picking mechanism to move downward and move away from the position of the next cargo in the gravity-type conveyor channel;

[0063] As the support moves downward, the elastic element, through its elastic force on the abutment, causes the pushing mechanism to continue to be limited by the gravity-type transport channel and abut against the next item in the gravity-type transport channel.

[0064] The first drive mechanism is used to repeatedly drive the support upward and downward to achieve continuous retrieval of multiple goods in the gravity-type transport channel.

[0065] In some embodiments, the picking device further includes a driving component that is drivenly connected to the pushing mechanism;

[0066] The pickup method also includes:

[0067] During the process of lifting the goods or after they have been lifted above the top of the blocking mechanism, the pushing mechanism is driven by the driving member to rotate to a position where it no longer obstructs the goods.

[0068] In some embodiments, the picking mechanism is movably connected to the support, and the pushing mechanism is fixedly disposed on the support to move synchronously with the support. The picking device further includes a first driving mechanism and a second driving mechanism. The first driving mechanism is drivenly connected to the support, and the second driving mechanism is disposed on the support and drivenly connected to the picking mechanism.

[0069] The step of applying an upward lifting force to the goods by a picking mechanism to make the goods pass over the blocking mechanism while the goods are pushed away from the blocking mechanism includes:

[0070] The first driving mechanism drives the support to move, thereby causing the pushing mechanism and the picking mechanism to move toward the gravity-type conveyor channel;

[0071] While the pushing mechanism pushes the goods away from the blocking mechanism, the second driving mechanism drives the picking mechanism to move and apply an upward lifting force to the goods.

[0072] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, a pushing mechanism pushes goods in a gravity-fed conveyor channel away from a blocking mechanism. A picking mechanism then applies an upward lifting force to the goods while they are being pushed away from the blocking mechanism, causing them to pass over the blocking mechanism. Compared to related technologies where an upward lifting force is applied to goods blocked by a baffle at the bottom of the channel to make them pass over the baffle, in this embodiment, the goods have already left the blocking mechanism when the upward lifting force is applied. This reduces or eliminates obstacles caused by factors such as wide or thin goods being easily hooked by the baffle, poor baffle processing or installation accuracy, positioning deviation between the picking device and the goods in the channel, or protrusions on the outer surface of the goods' packaging that hinder the stable picking of the goods. This reduces the risk of goods tipping over or failing to pick up due to unbalanced forces, thereby improving the picking effect. Attached Figure Description

[0073] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of this disclosure and, together with the specification, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0074] This disclosure will become clearer with reference to the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description, wherein:

[0075] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of some embodiments of the automated shipping system according to the present disclosure;

[0076] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of some other embodiments of the automated shipping system according to the present disclosure;

[0077] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of some embodiments of the pickup device according to the present disclosure;

[0078] Figure 4 is a partial schematic diagram of the blocking part limiting the pushing mechanism in some embodiments of the picking device according to the present disclosure;

[0079] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the picking process in the embodiment shown in Figure 3;

[0080] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the pickup process according to some other embodiments of the pickup device of this disclosure;

[0081] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the pickup process according to some other embodiments of the pickup device of this disclosure;

[0082] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating some embodiments of the pickup method according to this disclosure.

[0083] It should be understood that the dimensions of the various parts shown in the accompanying drawings are not drawn to actual scale. Furthermore, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar components.

[0084] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 10, support; 11, cargo guiding mechanism; 12, receiving area; 20, pushing mechanism; 21, abutment; 22, top block; 211, crossbeam; 212, side rod; 23, push rod; 30, picking mechanism; 31, support block; 311, through section; 41, elastic element; 42, driving element; 51, first driving mechanism; 52, second driving mechanism; 61, vibration mechanism; 62, sensing element; PU, picking device; GC, gravity conveyor; BL, blocking mechanism; GD, cargo. Detailed Implementation

[0085] Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The descriptions of the exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative and are in no way intended to limit the present disclosure or its application or use. The present disclosure may be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. These embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully express the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. It should be noted that, unless specifically stated otherwise, the relative arrangement of components and steps, the composition of materials, numerical expressions, and values ​​set forth in these embodiments should be interpreted as exemplary only and not as limiting.

[0086] The terms "first," "second," and similar words used in this disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different parts. Words such as "including" or "contains" mean that the element preceding the word encompasses the element listed after it, and do not exclude the possibility of encompassing other elements as well. Terms such as "above," "below," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, this relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0087] In this disclosure, when a specific device is described as being located between a first device and a second device, an intermediary device may or may not be present between the specific device and the first or second device. When a specific device is described as being connected to other devices, the specific device may be directly connected to the other devices without an intermediary device, or it may be not directly connected to the other devices but have an intermediary device.

[0088] All terms used in this disclosure (including technical or scientific terms) have the same meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains, unless otherwise specifically defined. It should also be understood that terms defined in a general dictionary, such as a dictionary, should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art, and not as having an idealized or highly formalized meaning, unless expressly defined herein.

[0089] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0090] In some related technologies, when it is necessary to retrieve goods from an inclined cargo channel, an upward retrieval method is adopted. That is, the cargo pointing mechanism applies an upward force to the goods blocked by the bottom baffle of the cargo channel to make them pass over the baffle and complete the retrieval operation.

[0091] Research has revealed that when goods are lifted, the unbalanced contact resistance between the front of the goods and the bottom baffle of the inclined conveyor belt causes the picking failure. This obstruction can be caused by various factors, such as installation problems with the conveyor belt causing misalignment of the bottom baffle, resulting in the front of the goods not making actual contact with the baffle and remaining suspended. When the goods are lifted, the force exerted only on one side of the baffle and the front of the goods can cause them to tip over. Another example is the presence of protrusions on the outer surface of the goods' packaging, which also contributes to an imbalance of force between the goods and the baffle.

[0092] Furthermore, the forces acting on goods at the moment of being lifted are quite complex. Imbalances in the forces acting on the guide plate, the surface packaging of the goods, and the surface of the cargo aisle can all cause problems during the lifting process. These problems are more pronounced when the goods are thin or wide.

[0093] In view of this, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a picking device, a picking method, and an automatic dispensing system to improve the picking effect.

[0094] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of some embodiments of the automated shipping system according to the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 1, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides an automated shipping system including at least one gravity-fed conveyor GC and a picking device PU. The gravity-fed conveyor GC may have an inclined conveyor section so that goods move downward along the inclined conveyor section under their own weight. The inclined conveyor section may be the entire gravity-fed conveyor GC or a part of the gravity-fed conveyor GC.

[0095] An automated shipping system may include one or more gravity-fed conveyor channels (GCs). As shown in Figure 1, multiple gravity-fed conveyor channels (GCs) can be arranged in multiple rows and columns. The individual gravity-fed conveyor channels (GCs) can be arranged parallel to each other. The gravity-fed conveyor channels (GCs) can be formed using adjacent, inverted T-shaped slender members, all of which are inclined relative to the horizontal plane and parallel to each other.

[0096] For each group of adjacent elongated members forming each gravity-fed transport channel GC, the spacing between adjacent elongated members can be set to be uniform, and correspondingly, the channel width of the corresponding gravity-fed transport channel GC is uniform. Alternatively, the spacing between adjacent elongated members can be set to be different for at least some groups. Accordingly, the channel width of the gravity-fed transport channel GC corresponding to at least some groups of adjacent elongated members is different.

[0097] The gravity-fed conveyor GC can accommodate one or more goods GD. The gravity-fed conveyor GC has a blocking mechanism BL to block the goods GD to be retrieved, and other goods are arranged sequentially along the bottom surface of the conveyor on one side of the goods GD. When the goods GD blocked by the blocking mechanism BL is retrieved, its adjacent goods GD can slide under the action of gravity and be blocked by the blocking mechanism BL.

[0098] Depending on the requirements, the gravity transfer channel GC may include one or more blocking mechanisms BL. The blocking mechanism BL may include blocking portions mounted or formed on or within the gravity transfer channel GC. The blocking portion may be integrally formed with an elongated member of the gravity transfer channel GC, or it may be mounted on the end of an elongated member via a connecting structure or connector. The blocking mechanism BL may also be located in other locations within the gravity transfer channel GC, such as mounted on a frame used to secure the various elongated members.

[0099] The blocking part can adopt various structural forms that can achieve the blocking function, such as baffles, blocks, or protrusions.

[0100] Figure 2 is a structural schematic diagram of some embodiments of the picking device according to the present disclosure. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the gravity conveyor GC can be arranged on one or both sides of the picking device PU. The gravity conveyor GC can also adopt other arrangement forms, such as a structure in which multiple sets of gravity conveyor GC surround the picking device PU in the middle.

[0101] The picking device PU can retrieve goods GD that are blocked by the blocking mechanism BL from the gravity conveyor GC. For multiple goods GD stored in one or more gravity conveyor GCs, the picking device PU can sequentially move to different gravity conveyor GCs to perform the picking operation according to the preset picking sequence.

[0102] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an application scenario according to an embodiment of the picking device of this disclosure. Referring to Figures 1-3, an embodiment of this disclosure provides a picking device PU for retrieving goods GD that are blocked by a blocking mechanism BL in a gravity transport channel GC. The picking device PU includes: a support 10, a pushing mechanism 20, and a picking mechanism 30. The pushing mechanism 20 is configured to push the goods GD away from the blocking mechanism BL. The picking mechanism 30 is disposed on the support 10 and configured to apply an upward lifting force to the goods GD when the goods GD is pushed away from the blocking mechanism BL, so that the goods GD passes over the blocking mechanism BL.

[0103] As needed, the support 10 can be driven by a drive mechanism to move relative to the gravity conveyor GC, for example, in a vertical direction, a horizontal direction, or in a direction parallel to the conveying direction of the gravity conveyor GC.

[0104] In some embodiments, the support 10 may include a cargo guiding mechanism 11 and a receiving area 12, wherein the cargo guiding mechanism 11 is configured to guide received cargo GD toward the receiving area 12. The cargo guiding mechanism 11 may employ a structure such as an inclined chute as shown in FIG3. When cargo GD enters the inclined chute, under the guidance of its own weight and the inclined chute, cargo GD will slide to the receiving area 12 on the side away from the gravity-fed conveyor GC. The cargo guiding mechanism 11 is not limited to the structure of an inclined chute and may also employ other structural forms, such as a powered drive belt or drive roller.

[0105] As shown in Figure 3, the receiving area 12 can be a slide adjacent to the cargo guiding mechanism 11. The bottom of the slide can dock with the receiving trolley or container, and intersects the guiding direction of the cargo guiding mechanism 11 at an angle. The receiving area 12 is not limited to the structure of a slide; it can also directly adopt a receiving container or a hollow structure that allows goods to fall.

[0106] In other embodiments, the support 10 may not include the cargo guiding mechanism 11 or the receiving area 12. For example, in some scenarios, the picking mechanism 30 of the picking device PU only needs to pick up the cargo GD out of the gravity transport channel GC, without the need for the cargo guiding mechanism 11 or the receiving area 12.

[0107] The pushing mechanism 20 is used to push the cargo GD away from the blocking mechanism BL. For example, by applying a pushing force to the surface of the cargo GD adjacent to the blocking mechanism BL through the pushing mechanism 20, the cargo GD and other cargo GDs that are pressing against it in the cargo channel move obliquely upward along the inclined cargo channel. As the cargo GD moves, it disengages from contact with the blocking mechanism BL.

[0108] The jacking mechanism 20 can be installed with the bracket 10. For example, as shown in Figure 3, the jacking mechanism 20 is fixedly connected to the cargo guiding mechanism 11 via a connector. In other embodiments, the jacking mechanism 20 may also be located outside the bracket 10 and not connected to the bracket 10.

[0109] The picking mechanism 30 is mounted on the support 10. The picking mechanism 30 can apply an upward lifting force to the cargo GD while it is being pushed away from the blocking mechanism BL, causing the cargo GD to pass over the blocking mechanism BL. This upward lifting force is a force exerted by the picking mechanism 30 on a portion (e.g., the front bottom surface of the cargo) or the entire cargo GD (e.g., the entire bottom surface of the cargo), and this force includes an upward vertical component to move the portion or the entire cargo GD upwards.

[0110] The picking mechanism 30 can be positioned on the cargo receiving side of the support 10, i.e., on the side of the support adjacent to the blocking mechanism BL. The upward lifting force of the picking mechanism 30 on the cargo GD can be applied to the portion of the bottom surface of the cargo GD adjacent to the blocking mechanism BL, so that the lowest point of the cargo GD can be lifted upward under the action of the upward lifting force, thereby passing over the blocking mechanism BL. The upward lifting force of the picking mechanism 30 can also be applied to other suitable positions on the cargo GD.

[0111] The picking mechanism 30 applies an upward lifting force to the cargo GD when it is pushed away from the blocking mechanism BL. In some embodiments, this state of the cargo GD being pushed away from the blocking mechanism BL means that the cargo GD leaves the blocking mechanism BL and is not in contact with it at all; in this case, the blocking mechanism BL exerts no frictional or other resistance on the cargo GD. In other embodiments, this state means that the cargo GD leaves the blocking mechanism BL but is still in partial contact with it; in this case, the blocking mechanism BL exerts a small amount of frictional or other resistance on the cargo GD, thus reducing the obstructive effect of the blocking mechanism BL on the cargo GD.

[0112] In this embodiment, the pushing mechanism pushes the goods in the gravity-fed conveyor channel away from the blocking mechanism. The picking mechanism then applies an upward lifting force to the goods while they are being pushed away from the blocking mechanism, causing them to pass over the blocking mechanism and enter the goods guiding mechanism. Compared to related technologies that apply an upward lifting force to goods blocked by a baffle at the bottom of the channel to make them pass over the baffle, this embodiment applies the upward lifting force while the goods are already away from the blocking mechanism. This reduces or eliminates obstacles caused by factors such as wide or thin goods being easily hooked by the baffle, poor baffle processing or installation accuracy, positioning deviation between the picking device and the goods in the channel, or protrusions on the outer surface of the goods' packaging, which can hinder the stable picking of the goods. This reduces the risk of goods tipping over or failing to pick up due to unbalanced forces, thereby improving the picking effect.

[0113] Figure 4 is a partial schematic diagram of the blocking portion limiting the pushing mechanism in some embodiments of the picking device according to the present disclosure. Referring to Figures 3 and 4, in some embodiments, the pushing mechanism 20 is configured to be limited by the gravity conveying channel GC during the picking mechanism 30 agitating the goods GD.

[0114] During the process of the picking mechanism 30 picking the goods GD, the pushing mechanism 20 can be limited by the bottom end of the gravity transport channel GC or by the blocking mechanism BL of the gravity transport channel GC.

[0115] When pushing the cargo GD, the pushing mechanism 20 needs to act on the cargo GD to apply a pushing force, which correspondingly hinders the downward movement of the cargo GD. However, through the limiting effect of the gravity-type transport channel GC on the pushing mechanism 20, the pushing mechanism 20 can avoid moving upward as the cargo GD is lifted. In this way, as the cargo GD passes over the blocking mechanism BL under the action of the upward lifting force, it can easily pass over the pushing mechanism 20 without being interfered with by the pushing mechanism 20.

[0116] Referring to Figure 3, in some embodiments, the pushing mechanism 20 includes an abutment 21 and a top block 22. The abutment 21 is configured to abut against the gravity conveyor GC so that it is limited by the gravity conveyor GC during the picking mechanism 30 abuts the cargo GD. The top block 22 is fixedly connected to the abutment 21 and is used to push the cargo GD away from the blocking mechanism BL.

[0117] When the drive abutment 21 moves relative to the cargo GD, it can drive the top block 22 to push the cargo GD away from the blocking mechanism BL. When the abutment 21 is abutted by the gravity-type transport channel GC and no longer moves upward, the cargo GD gradually gets out of the state of being abutted by the top block 22 during the lifting process and is no longer restricted by the top block 22.

[0118] The abutment 21 can be movably connected to the support 10, for example, by hinge via a pivot or by sliding via a slider. In this way, the abutment 21 can move with the support 10 when not limited by the gravity conveyor GC, and when limited by the gravity conveyor GC, it can move relative to the support 10, such as relative movement or relative rotation.

[0119] Referring to Figures 1 and 4, in some embodiments, the blocking mechanism BL includes two blocking portions located at the bottom end of the gravity conveyor GC, and the top block 22 is configured to push the cargo GD between the two blocking portions. The abutment 21 includes a crossbeam 211, with the top block 22 located at the middle of the crossbeam 211. The crossbeam 211 has a dimension in the width direction of the gravity conveyor GC that is greater than the distance between the two blocking portions in the width direction of the gravity conveyor GC, so as to abut against the two blocking portions during the picking mechanism 30 picking up the cargo GD.

[0120] The gravity conveyor GC has a preset distance between the two blocking parts at its bottom end, which can both block the cargo GD and allow the top block 22 and the picking mechanism 30 to enter. The dimensional relationship between the crossbeam 211 and the distance between the two blocking parts in the width direction of the gravity conveyor GC allows the blocking mechanism BL to reliably limit the crossbeam 211 by blocking it.

[0121] The top block 22 is positioned in the middle of the crossbeam 211 without interfering with the two blocking parts. Here, the middle of the crossbeam 211 includes, but is not limited to, the midpoint of the entire crossbeam 211. Specifically, it can be positioned at this midpoint or other locations near the midpoint, depending on the distance between the two blocking parts.

[0122] Referring to Figure 3, in some embodiments, the abutment 21 further includes two side rods 212, which are respectively connected to both ends of the crossbeam 211 to form a portal structure with the crossbeam 211. The two side rods 212 are respectively hinged to the bracket 10.

[0123] As shown in Figure 3, the side rods 212 can be straight or bent or other shapes to avoid interference with other structures. The two side rods 212 can be hinged to the bracket 10 on the side away from the crossbeam 211 to facilitate the rotatable connection of the abutment 21 relative to the bracket 10. By connecting the two side rods 212 to both ends of the crossbeam 211 to form a portal structure, interference with the movement of the cargo guiding mechanism 11 or the cargo GD can be effectively reduced or avoided.

[0124] In Figure 3, the cargo guiding mechanism 11 is located within the portal structure and does not interfere with the abutment 21. The cargo GD arriving at the cargo guiding mechanism 11 is also located within the portal structure, and its movement does not interfere with the abutment 21.

[0125] Referring to Figures 3 and 4, in some embodiments, the picking mechanism 30 is also used to limit at least one of the top block 22 and the abutment 21 before picking the goods GD.

[0126] Before picking up the cargo GD, the picking mechanism 30 can limit the movement of the pushing mechanism 20 and the picking mechanism 30 synchronously before the cargo GD is picked up by limiting at least one of the top block 22 and the abutment 21. The picking mechanism 30 can act on either the top block 22 or the abutment 21 to limit the pushing mechanism 20.

[0127] In Figures 3 and 4, the picking mechanism 30 is fixedly connected to the cargo guiding mechanism 11 and extends outward relative to the cargo guiding mechanism 11. The crossbeam 211 of the abutment member 21 and the picking mechanism 30 can maintain their relative positions by abutting against each other. The crossbeam 211 may be provided with a groove at the position corresponding to the picking mechanism 30 to accommodate part of the structure of the picking mechanism 30. In this way, the picking mechanism 30 can limit the abutment member 21 before picking up the cargo GD.

[0128] Referring to Figures 3 and 4, in some embodiments, the picking device PU further includes an elastic element 41 connected to the abutment 21 to apply an elastic force to the abutment 21. The elastic element 41 may include a tension spring, a compression spring, a torsion spring, or a sheet spring, etc.

[0129] In some embodiments, the elastic element 41 is connected to the bracket 10. The elastic element 41 can be connected to the pushing mechanism 20 at one end and to the bracket 10 at the other end. For example, the pushing mechanism 20 and the bracket 10 can be connected by a tension spring or a torsion spring. In Figure 3, the elastic element 41 is connected to the side rod 212 of the abutment 21, specifically to a hanging post provided on the side rod 212. There is a preset distance between the hanging post and the hinge point of the side rod 212 so that the elastic element 41 applies torque to the abutment 21 by elastic force.

[0130] The elastic element 41 applies an elastic force to the abutment 21, allowing the abutment 21 to abut against the picking mechanism 30 before or after it moves to the position limited by the gravity conveyor GC, so that they move synchronously. During the process of the abutment 21 being limited by the gravity conveyor GC, the elastic element 41 can press the abutment 21 firmly against the gravity conveyor GC, making the blocking mechanism BL more stable relative to the gravity conveyor GC.

[0131] Referring to Figure 3, in some embodiments, the picking device PU includes at least two pushing mechanisms 20, and each end of the elastic member 41 is connected to the at least two pushing mechanisms 20. Here, the number of pushing mechanisms 20 can be two or more. The number of picking mechanisms 30 can be the same as the number of pushing mechanisms 20, and they correspond one-to-one with each pushing mechanism 20. In other embodiments, the number of picking mechanisms 30 can be more or less than the number of pushing mechanisms 20.

[0132] Multiple pushing mechanisms 20 can perform picking operations on the gravity-fed conveyor GC in multiple directions, which helps reduce the need for orientation adjustment of the support and simplifies the difficulty of support adjustment control. On this basis, each end of the elastic element 41 can be connected to the at least two pushing mechanisms 20 respectively, which helps each pushing mechanism 20 receive a more balanced elastic force and reduces the number of elastic elements 41 used, thereby reducing the complexity and cost of the picking device.

[0133] In this embodiment, the support 10 may include at least two cargo guiding mechanisms 11. The at least two cargo guiding mechanisms 11 may correspond one-to-one with at least two pushing mechanisms 20.

[0134] As shown in Figure 3, specifically, the picking device PU may include two pushing mechanisms 20 and two picking mechanisms 30 corresponding to the two pushing mechanisms 20. The abutment 21 in each pushing mechanism 20 includes a crossbeam 211 and two side rods 212. The two side rods 212 are respectively connected to both ends of the crossbeam 211 to form a gate-shaped structure with the crossbeam 211. The two side rods 212 are respectively hinged to the bracket 10. The elastic element 41 includes a spring. One end of the spring is connected to the side rod 212 of one of the two pushing mechanisms 20, and the other end is connected to the side rod 212 of the other pushing mechanism 20.

[0135] In Figure 3, two pushing mechanisms 20 are located on opposite sides of the receiving area 12. Two corresponding cargo guiding mechanisms 11 are also located on opposite sides of the receiving area 12, guiding the cargo GD towards the center. Figure 3 shows an elastic element 41 containing two springs, each spring having its ends connected to spring hangers on the side rods 212 of each of the two pushing mechanisms 20 near the receiving area 12. The two springs can be spaced apart in the width direction of the cargo guiding mechanism 11 to create a balanced and stable elastic force on the pushing mechanism 20 in that direction. The springs can act on the two pushing mechanisms 20 separately, so that each pushing mechanism 20 is limited by the two picking mechanisms 30, resulting in a more balanced and stable force distribution, thus simplifying the complexity of the picking device.

[0136] Referring to Figures 3 and 4, in some embodiments, the blocking mechanism BL includes two blocking portions located at the bottom end of the gravity conveyor GC, and the picking mechanism 30 includes a support block 31. The support block 31 is fixedly connected to the bracket 10 and configured to extend between the two blocking portions to pick up the cargo GD under its lower side. The support block 31 has a through portion 311 through which the top block 22 movably passes.

[0137] As shown in Figure 3, the picking mechanism 30 can be configured such that one end is fixedly connected to the cargo guiding mechanism 11 via a connector, and the other end extends out relative to the cargo guiding mechanism 11. The support block 31 is the extended part of the picking mechanism 30. When picking up the cargo GD, the picking mechanism 30 is located between the two blocking parts without interfering with the blocking parts.

[0138] As shown in Figure 3, the support block 31 may include a first surface substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the inclined chute (i.e., the cargo guiding mechanism 11) and a second surface located at the end of the support block 31. The first and second surfaces intersect to form a sharp angle, which may be an acute angle. The first surface can be used to guide the sliding of cargo GD, and the second surface can be used to abut against the next cargo GD to move it away from the blocking mechanism BL.

[0139] The top block 22 may be configured as part or integral of a cone or pyramid. The through portion 311 may be configured to mate with the outer contour of the top block 22 so that the top block 22 can move within the through portion 311.

[0140] The top block 22 is kept in position relative to the gravity transport channel GC by being limited by the abutment 21 fixedly connected to it, while the support block 31 applies an upward lifting force to the cargo GD by rising. Accordingly, the top block 22 and the through part 311 of the support block 31 move relative to each other without interfering with each other.

[0141] In other embodiments, the top block 22 may also be arranged on one or both sides of the support block 31 along the width direction of the cargo channel, so that there is no need to provide the through part 311 on the support block 31, and the movement interference between the support block 31 and the top block 22 can also be avoided.

[0142] In the above embodiment, the picking mechanism 30 can be fixedly connected to the support 10 so as to move synchronously with the support 10. The pushing mechanism 20 is movably disposed on the support 10, for example, by hinge or sliding connection with the support 10.

[0143] Referring to Figure 1, in some embodiments, the picking device PU further includes a first drive mechanism 51, which is drivenly connected to the support 10 and configured to drive the support 10 to move, thereby causing the pushing mechanism 20 and the picking mechanism 30 to move relative to the gravity conveyor GC.

[0144] The first drive mechanism 51 may include a track mechanism, enabling drive in the x-direction, z-direction, and y-direction, all of which are perpendicular to them. The first drive mechanism 51 can move the pushing mechanism 20 and the picking mechanism 30 by moving the drive bracket 10, thereby bringing the pushing mechanism 20 and the picking mechanism 30 closer to the blocking mechanism BL, and causing the pushing mechanism 20 to push the cargo GD away from the blocking mechanism BL. The picking mechanism 30 applying an upward lifting force to the cargo GD can be achieved through the first drive mechanism 51 or through other mechanisms.

[0145] Referring to Figure 3, in some embodiments, the support 10 includes a cargo guiding mechanism 11 and a receiving area 12. The cargo guiding mechanism 11 is configured to guide the received cargo GD to the receiving area 12, and the picking mechanism 30 is fixedly connected to the cargo guiding mechanism 11. The pushing mechanism 20 and the picking mechanism 30 are both located on the cargo receiving side of the cargo guiding mechanism 11.

[0146] The cargo guiding mechanism 11 guides the cargo GD retrieved by the picking mechanism 30 to the receiving area 12. As shown in Figure 3, the cargo guiding mechanism 11 can adopt an inclined U-shaped slide structure. The picking mechanism 30 can be fixedly connected to the cargo guiding mechanism 11 by bolts or rivets, so that when the cargo GD contacts the surface of the U-shaped slide structure, it can slide towards the receiving area 12 under the action of gravity. The receiving area 12 may include a slide to transport the cargo GD to other mechanisms or areas through the guiding action of the slide.

[0147] Referring to Figure 1, in some embodiments, the picking device PU further includes a vibration mechanism 61 connected to the support 10 and configured to apply a vibration force to the support 10 and the picking mechanism 30.

[0148] The vibration mechanism 61 may include a vibration motor capable of applying a vibration force to the structure on which it is mounted. The vibration mechanism 61 may be disposed on the side wall or bottom wall of the cargo guide mechanism 11, or at other locations on the support 10.

[0149] The vibration mechanism 61 can vibrate the cargo guiding mechanism 11 and the picking mechanism 30 during the picking process, so that the cargo GD can be picked up more smoothly and enter the cargo guiding mechanism 11, and slide down quickly in the cargo guiding mechanism 11, reducing the risk of the cargo getting stuck in the picking mechanism 30 and the cargo guiding mechanism 11.

[0150] Referring to FIG3, in some embodiments, the pickup device PU further includes a sensing element 62 configured to sense the goods GD entering the receiving area 12. The sensing element 62 may include an infrared, ultrasonic, laser, contact, or proximity sensor capable of detecting whether the goods GD has entered the receiving area 12 via the goods guide mechanism 11. For example, the sensing element 62 may include a light beam tube disposed on the inclined slide of the goods guide mechanism 11 near the receiving area 12. The sensing element 62 may also be disposed between the receiving area 12 and the goods guide mechanism 11, or within the receiving area 12.

[0151] The presence of cargo GD at a location is determined by the obstruction of the light path of the light-emitting tube by the cargo GD, thereby determining whether the cargo GD has arrived at the receiving area 12. The sensing element 62 can also be used to sense whether the cargo GD is stuck in the cargo guiding mechanism 11.

[0152] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the picking process in the embodiment shown in Figure 3. Referring to Figure 5(d), in some embodiments, at least one of the pushing mechanism 20 and the picking mechanism 30 is configured to abut against the next cargo GD in the gravity transport channel GC after the cargo GD at the bottom of the gravity transport channel GC has passed the blocking mechanism BL.

[0153] In Figure 5(d), the front end of the support block 31 of the picking mechanism 30 can abut against the end face of the next piece of cargo GD after the cargo GD at the bottom of the cargo channel has passed the blocking mechanism BL, so that the cargo GD will not continue to slide down to the blocking position of the blocking mechanism BL. In Figure 5(e), as the picking mechanism 30 descends, the limiting pushing mechanism 20 pushes the next piece of cargo GD.

[0154] In this embodiment, by coordinating the lifting and lowering of the picking mechanism 30 and the pushing mechanism 20 and the picking mechanism 30 against the next cargo GD, multiple cargo GDs can be picked up continuously without frequently pushing the cargo GDs away from the blocking position of the blocking mechanism BL through the pushing mechanism 20, thereby effectively improving the picking efficiency.

[0155] The following describes a specific example of a pickup process for an embodiment of the pickup device shown in Figure 3, based on Figures 5(a) to (e).

[0156] When the picking device PU on the left needs to pick up goods GD from a certain cargo channel on the right, as shown in Figure 5(a), the first drive mechanism 51 drives the support 10 to move within the channel, so that it moves to the corresponding gravity-type transport cargo channel GC. Accordingly, the support 10 drives the push mechanism 20 and the picking mechanism 30 connected to it to move synchronously. This movement process can be a movement in at least one of the x-direction, y-direction, and z-direction shown in Figure 1.

[0157] When the support 10 reaches the picking position of the corresponding cargo channel in the aisle, the first drive mechanism 51 can drive the support 10 to translate in the x direction. Referring to Figure 5(b), the top block 22 of the pushing mechanism 20 is driven to contact the cargo GD and apply a pushing force, so that the cargo GD, which is blocked by the blocking mechanism BL, slides obliquely upward along the surface of the cargo channel and gets off the blocking mechanism BL. At this time, the support block 31 of the picking mechanism 30 reaches the lower side of the cargo GD.

[0158] In Figure 5(c), the first drive mechanism 51 can cause the support 10 and the picking mechanism 30 connected to the support 10 to translate as a whole along the z-direction, so that the support block 31 forms an upward lifting force on the cargo GD, thereby causing the lower end of the cargo GD to gradually leave the surface of the cargo channel. Furthermore, during the lifting of the cargo GD, the abutment 21 of the pushing mechanism 20 is limited by the blocking mechanism BL and does not move upward with the support 10 and the picking mechanism 30. During the lifting of the cargo GD, the vibration mechanism 61 can continuously apply a vibration force to the cargo guiding mechanism 11 during the upward movement of the picking device.

[0159] When cargo GD is lifted to a height exceeding that of the blocking mechanism BL and the top block 22, cargo GD, under its own weight and the squeezing action of other cargo GDs behind it, passes over the blocking mechanism BL and reaches the cargo guiding mechanism 11. Furthermore, in Figure 5(d), the tip of the support block 31 abuts against the next cargo GD to prevent it from sliding down to the blocking position of the blocking mechanism BL.

[0160] Referring to Figure 5(d), the inclined smooth surface of the cargo guiding mechanism 11 can guide the cargo GD to slide further to the left and enter the receiving area 12. The sensing element 62 can sense that the cargo GD has passed through the cargo guiding mechanism 11 and arrived at the receiving area 12.

[0161] Referring to Figure 5(e), the first drive mechanism 51 can cause the support 10 and the picking mechanism 30 connected to the support 10 to translate in the opposite direction of the z-direction (i.e., move downward). As the support block 31 moves downward, the pushing mechanism 20 remains in the state limited by the blocking mechanism BL under the action of the spring, thereby taking over from the support block 31 and continuing to abut against the next cargo GD, so that it does not slide down to the blocking position of the blocking mechanism BL.

[0162] Based on this, the picking device PU can repeatedly raise and lower the support 10 to drive the picking mechanism 30 to rise and fall, achieving more efficient picking operations for multiple goods in the same cargo lane. The picking device PU can also continue to descend in the state shown in Figure 5(e), so that the pushing mechanism 20 abuts against the picking mechanism 30 under the action of the elastic element 41, and then moves with the support to other cargo lanes to continue picking operations.

[0163] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a pickup process according to some other embodiments of the pickup device of this disclosure. Referring to Figure 6, in some embodiments, the pickup device PU further includes a drive member 42, which is drivenly connected to the push mechanism 20 and configured to drive the push mechanism 20 to rotate to a position that does not obstruct the goods GD during the process of the goods GD being lifted or after being lifted above the top of the blocking mechanism BL.

[0164] In Figure 6, the drive element 42 is shown by a circle. This drive element 42 may include a motor, pneumatic motor, or other available drive mechanism. The drive element 42 is connected to the pushing mechanism 20, allowing the pushing mechanism 20 to rotate and avoid obstructing the cargo GD. This approach is structurally simpler and effectively solves the problem of interference between the pushing mechanism 20 and the cargo GD when it is lifted past the obstructing mechanism BL.

[0165] The drive unit 42 can drive the pushing mechanism 20 to a position that does not obstruct the cargo GD during the process of the cargo GD being lifted, or after the cargo GB has been lifted above the top of the blocking mechanism BL.

[0166] The following describes a specific example of a pickup process for an embodiment of the pickup device, based on Figures 6(a) to (d).

[0167] In Figure 6(a), the pusher 20 and the picking mechanism 30 can be moved to the corresponding positions of the gravity-type transport channel GC to be picked up by the drive bracket 10. At this time, the pusher 20 is in the first rotation position relative to the picking mechanism 30.

[0168] The push mechanism 20 and the picking mechanism 30 can be moved at least along the x-direction by the drive bracket 10, and can also move obliquely upward to include displacement components in the x and z directions. In Figure 6(b), the push mechanism 20 pushes the cargo GD upward along the surface of the cargo channel, at which point the picking mechanism 30 has reached the underside of the cargo GD.

[0169] The drive bracket 10 can be moved to drive the pushing mechanism 20 and the picking mechanism 30 to move along the z direction, thereby forming an upward lifting force on the cargo GD through the picking mechanism 30. In Figure 6(c), it can be seen that part of the cargo GD has left the surface of the cargo channel and its height has exceeded the blocking mechanism BL, but the cargo GD has not entered the cargo guiding mechanism 11 due to the blocking effect of the pushing mechanism 20.

[0170] The pushing mechanism 20 is lowered by the drive member 42, as shown by the arrowed arc in Figure 6(d). The pushing mechanism 20 flips towards the cargo guide mechanism 11, and at this time, the pushing mechanism 20 is in the second rotational position relative to the support 10. In this way, the cargo GD can slide over the blocking mechanism BL and towards the cargo guide mechanism 11.

[0171] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the picking process according to some other embodiments of the picking device of this disclosure. For embodiments in which the picking mechanism 30 applies an upward force to the goods GD through other mechanisms, referring to Figures 1 and 7, in some embodiments, the picking mechanism 30 is movably connected to the support 10, and the pushing mechanism 20 is fixedly disposed on the support 10 so as to move synchronously with the support 10.

[0172] The picking device PU further includes a first drive mechanism 51 and a second drive mechanism 52. The first drive mechanism 51 is drivenly connected to the support 10 and configured to drive the support 10 to move, thereby causing the pushing mechanism 20 and the picking mechanism 30 to move relative to the gravity-type transport channel GC. The second drive mechanism 52 is disposed on the support 10 and drivenly connected to the picking mechanism 30. The second drive mechanism 52 is configured to apply an upward lifting force to the cargo GD by driving the picking mechanism 30 to move.

[0173] In Figure 7(b), the pushing mechanism 20 may include a push rod 23 fixedly connected to the cargo guiding mechanism 11 and a top block 22 fixedly connected to the end of the push rod 23. The picking mechanism 30 may be disposed between the two sets of top blocks 22 and push rods 23 and movably connected to the cargo guiding mechanism 11. This movable connection may include either a rotational connection or a sliding connection.

[0174] The picking mechanism 30 is also connected to a second drive mechanism 52, indicated by a circle. The second drive mechanism 52 may include an electric motor, a pneumatic motor, or other mechanism capable of providing drive torque. When it is necessary to pick up the cargo GD, the second drive mechanism 52 can cause the picking mechanism 30 to perform at least one movement of movement and rotation relative to the cargo guide mechanism 11, thereby generating an upward lifting force of the picking mechanism 30 on the cargo GD.

[0175] The following describes a specific example of a pickup process for an embodiment of the pickup device, based on Figures 7(a) to (d).

[0176] In Figure 7(a), the pusher 20 and the picking mechanism 30 can be moved to the corresponding positions of the gravity-type transport channel GC to be picked up by the drive bracket 10. At this time, the picking mechanism 30 is in the first rotation position relative to the cargo guide mechanism 11.

[0177] The push mechanism 20 and the picking mechanism 30 can be moved at least along the x-direction by the drive bracket 10, and can also move obliquely upward to include displacement components in the x and z directions. In Figure 7(c), the top block 22 of the push mechanism 20 pushes the cargo GD upward along the surface of the cargo channel, at which point the picking mechanism 30 has reached the lower side of the cargo GD.

[0178] The second drive mechanism 52 rotates the picking mechanism 30 to generate an upward lifting force on the cargo GD. In Figure 7(d), it can be seen that the picking mechanism 30 is in the second rotation position relative to the cargo guide mechanism 11. At this time, a part of the cargo GD has been picked up to a position away from the surface of the cargo channel so that the height of the cargo GD can exceed the blocking mechanism BL. In this way, the cargo GD will pass over the blocking mechanism BL under its own weight and the squeezing action of other cargo GDs.

[0179] The various embodiments of the above-described picking device PU are applicable to various systems that require picking up goods from gravity conveyor GC, including but not limited to automated dispensing systems.

[0180] This disclosure provides an automated dispensing system, including at least one gravity-fed conveyor belt (GC) and a pickup device (PU) from any of the preceding embodiments. The pickup device (PU) and the automated dispensing system can be used in automated medicine dispensers, vending machines, and warehousing systems, etc.

[0181] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating some embodiments of the pickup method according to the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 8, based on the pickup device PU of the foregoing embodiments, the present disclosure also provides a pickup method according to the pickup device PU of the foregoing embodiments. The pickup method includes: step S1 and step S2.

[0182] In step S1, the push mechanism 20 pushes the cargo GD, which is blocked by the blocking mechanism BL in the gravity transport channel GC, away from the blocking mechanism BL.

[0183] In step S2, while the cargo GD is being pushed away from the blocking mechanism BL, the picking mechanism 30 applies an upward force to the cargo GD so that the cargo GD passes over the blocking mechanism BL.

[0184] In this embodiment, the pushing mechanism pushes the goods in the gravity-fed conveyor channel away from the blocking mechanism. The picking mechanism then applies an upward lifting force to the goods while they are being pushed away from the blocking mechanism, causing them to pass over the blocking mechanism and enter the goods guiding mechanism. Compared to related technologies that apply an upward lifting force to goods blocked by a baffle at the bottom of the channel to make them pass over the baffle, this embodiment applies the upward lifting force while the goods are already away from the blocking mechanism. This reduces or eliminates obstacles caused by factors such as wide or thin goods being easily hooked by the baffle, poor baffle processing or installation accuracy, positioning deviation between the picking device and the goods in the channel, or protrusions on the outer surface of the goods' packaging, which can hinder the stable picking of the goods. This reduces the risk of goods tipping over or failing to pick up due to unbalanced forces, thereby improving the picking effect.

[0185] In some embodiments, the picking method further includes: limiting the pushing mechanism by the gravity-type transport channel GC during the process of the picking mechanism 30 picking the goods GD.

[0186] In some embodiments, the picking mechanism 30 is fixedly connected to the support 10 to move synchronously with the support 10, and the pushing mechanism 20 is movably disposed on the support 10; the picking device PU further includes a first driving mechanism 51 drivenly connected to the support 10. Accordingly, the step S1 of pushing the goods GD blocked by the blocking mechanism BL of the gravity transport channel GC away from the blocking mechanism BL by the pushing mechanism 20 includes: driving the support 10 to move by the first driving mechanism 51, so that the pushing mechanism 20 moves toward the blocking mechanism BL and pushes the goods GD away from the blocking mechanism BL.

[0187] In some embodiments, the pushing mechanism 20 includes an abutment member 21 and a top block 22 fixedly connected to the abutment member 21. Accordingly, in step S2, when the cargo GD is pushed away from the blocking mechanism BL, the step of applying an upward lifting force to the cargo GD by the picking mechanism 30 to make the cargo GD pass over the blocking mechanism BL includes: when the top block 22 pushes the cargo GD away from the blocking mechanism BL, driving the support 10 upward by the first drive mechanism 51 to drive the pushing mechanism 20 and the picking mechanism 30 upward; after the pushing mechanism 20 moves to the position where the abutment member 21 abuts against the blocking mechanism BL, continuing to drive the support 10 upward by the first drive mechanism 51 to drive the picking mechanism upward to apply an upward lifting force to the cargo GD, and limiting the pushing mechanism 20 by the gravity-type transport channel GC, thereby allowing the cargo GD to pass over the blocking mechanism BL and the pushing mechanism 20.

[0188] In some embodiments, the pushing mechanism 20 is rotatably connected to the support 10, and the picking device PU further includes an elastic member 41 connected to the abutment member 21. Accordingly, the picking method further includes:

[0189] After the cargo GD at the bottom of the gravity transport channel GC passes the blocking mechanism BL through the picking mechanism 30, the picking mechanism 30 abuts against the next cargo GD in the gravity transport channel GC so that it does not come into contact with the blocking mechanism BL.

[0190] The first drive mechanism 51 drives the support 10 to move downward, thereby causing the picking mechanism 30 to move downward and move away from the position of the next cargo GD in the gravity transport channel GC.

[0191] As the support 10 moves downward, the elastic member 41 exerts an elastic force on the abutment member 21, causing the pushing mechanism 20 to continue to be limited by the gravity transport channel GC and abut against the next cargo GD in the gravity transport channel GC.

[0192] The first drive mechanism 51 is used to repeatedly drive the support 10 to move upward and downward, so as to realize the continuous retrieval of multiple goods GD in the gravity transport channel GC.

[0193] In some embodiments, the picking device PU further includes a drive member 42 that is motive-connected to the pushing mechanism 20. Accordingly, the picking method further includes: during the process of the goods GD being lifted or after being lifted above the top of the blocking mechanism BL, driving the pushing mechanism 20 to a position that does not obstruct the goods GD via the drive member 42.

[0194] In some embodiments, the picking mechanism 30 is movably connected to the support 10, and the pushing mechanism 20 is fixedly disposed on the support 10 to move synchronously with the support 10. The picking device PU further includes a first driving mechanism 51 and a second driving mechanism 52. The first driving mechanism 51 is drivenly connected to the support 10, and the second driving mechanism 52 is disposed on the support 10 and drivenly connected to the picking mechanism 30. Accordingly, in step S2, when the goods GD is pushed away from the blocking mechanism BL, the step of applying an upward lifting force to the goods GD by the picking mechanism 30 to make the goods GD pass over the blocking mechanism BL includes: driving the support 10 to move by the first driving mechanism 51 to drive the pushing mechanism 20 and the picking mechanism 30 to move towards the gravity-type transport channel GC; and driving the picking mechanism 30 to move by the second driving mechanism 52 to apply an upward lifting force to the goods GD when the pushing mechanism 20 pushes the goods GD away from the blocking mechanism BL.

[0195] This specification describes multiple embodiments in a progressive manner, with each embodiment having a different focus. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. For the method embodiments, since their overall structure and involved steps correspond to the content in the picking device embodiments, the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to in the description of the picking device embodiments.

[0196] The embodiments of this disclosure have now been described in detail. To avoid obscuring the concept of this disclosure, some details known in the art have not been described. Those skilled in the art can fully understand how to implement the technical solutions disclosed herein based on the above description.

[0197] While specific embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail by way of examples, those skilled in the art should understand that the examples are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can be made to the above embodiments or equivalent substitutions can be made to some technical features without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. The scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A picking device (PU) for picking up goods (GD) that have been blocked by a blocking mechanism (BL) in a gravity transport channel (GC), comprising: Frame (10); A pushing mechanism (20) is configured to push the cargo (GD) away from the blocking mechanism (BL); and The picking mechanism (30), disposed on the support (10), is configured to apply an upward force to the cargo (GD) while the cargo (GD) is being pushed away from the blocking mechanism (BL) so that the cargo (GD) passes over the blocking mechanism (BL).

2. The picking device (PU) according to claim 1, wherein, The pushing mechanism (20) is configured to be limited by the gravity transport channel (GC) during the process of the picking mechanism (30) picking the goods (GD).

3. The pickup device (PU) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The pushing mechanism (20) includes: The abutment (21) is configured to abut against the gravity transport channel (GC) so that it is limited by the gravity transport channel (GC) during the process of the picking mechanism (30) picking the goods (GD); The top block (22) is fixedly connected to the abutment (21) and is used to push the cargo (GD) away from the blocking mechanism (BL).

4. The picking device (PU) according to claim 3, wherein, The blocking mechanism (BL) includes two blocking portions located at the bottom of the gravity conveyor (GC), and the top block (22) is configured to push the cargo (GD) between the two blocking portions; the abutment (21) includes a crossbeam (211), and the top block (22) is located in the middle of the crossbeam (211). The crossbeam (211) has a dimension in the width direction of the gravity conveyor (GC) that is greater than the distance between the two blocking portions in the width direction of the gravity conveyor (GC), so as to abut against the two blocking portions during the picking mechanism (30) picking up the cargo (GD).

5. The picking device (PU) according to claim 4, wherein, The abutment (21) also includes: Two side rods (212) are connected to both ends of the crossbeam (211) respectively, so as to form a gate-shaped structure with the crossbeam (211); The two side rods (212) are respectively hinged to the bracket (10).

6. The pickup device (PU) according to any one of claims 3-5, wherein, The picking mechanism (30) is also used to limit at least one of the top block (22) and the abutment (21) before picking the goods (GD).

7. The pickup device (PU) according to claim 6, further comprising: An elastic element (41) is connected to the abutment element (21) to apply an elastic force to the abutment element (21).

8. The picking device (PU) according to claim 7, wherein, The elastic element (41) is connected to the bracket (10).

9. The picking device (PU) according to claim 7, wherein, The picking device (PU) includes at least two pushing mechanisms (20), and each end of the elastic element (41) is connected to the at least two pushing mechanisms (20).

10. The pickup device (PU) according to claim 9, wherein, The picking device (PU) includes two pushing mechanisms (20) and two picking mechanisms (30) corresponding to the two pushing mechanisms (20). The abutment (21) in each pushing mechanism (20) includes a crossbeam (211) and two side rods (212). The two side rods (212) are respectively connected to both ends of the crossbeam (211) to form a gate-shaped structure with the crossbeam (211). The two side rods (212) are respectively hinged to the bracket (10). The elastic element (41) includes a spring. One end of the spring is connected to the side rod (212) of one of the two pushing mechanisms (20), and the other end is connected to the side rod (212) of the other pushing mechanism (20).

11. The pickup device (PU) according to any one of claims 3-10, wherein, The blocking mechanism (BL) includes two blocking parts located at the bottom end of the gravity conveyor (GC), and the picking mechanism (30) includes: A support block (31), fixedly connected to the bracket (10), is configured to extend between the two blocking parts to pry the cargo (GD) under the cargo (GD); The support block (31) has a through portion (311), and the top block (22) can move through the through portion (311).

12. The pickup device (PU) according to any one of claims 2-11, wherein, The picking mechanism (30) is fixedly connected to the support (10) so as to move synchronously with the support (10), and the pushing mechanism (20) is movably disposed on the support (10).

13. The pickup device (PU) according to claim 12, further comprising: A first drive mechanism (51), drivenly connected to the support (10), is configured to drive the support (10) to move, thereby causing the push mechanism (20) and the picking mechanism (30) to move relative to the gravity transport channel (GC).

14. The pickup device (PU) according to any one of claims 2-13, wherein, At least one of the pushing mechanism (20) and the picking mechanism (30) is configured to abut against the next cargo (GD) in the gravity transport channel (GC) after the cargo (GD) at the bottom of the gravity transport channel (GC) has passed the blocking mechanism (BL).

15. The pickup device (PU) according to claim 1, further comprising: The drive unit (42), which is drivenly connected to the push mechanism (20), is configured to drive the push mechanism (20) to rotate to a position that does not obstruct the cargo (GD) during the process of the cargo (GD) being lifted or after it has been lifted above the top of the blocking mechanism (BL).

16. The pickup device (PU) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The picking mechanism (30) is movably connected to the support (10), and the pushing mechanism (20) is fixedly installed on the support (10) so as to move synchronously with the support (10); The pickup device (PU) further includes: A first drive mechanism (51), drivenly connected to the support (10), is configured to drive the support (10) to move, thereby causing the pushing mechanism (20) and the picking mechanism (30) to move relative to the gravity conveyor (GC); and A second drive mechanism (52) is disposed on the bracket (10) and drivenly connected to the picking mechanism (30). The second drive mechanism (52) is configured to apply an upward lifting force to the cargo (GD) by driving the picking mechanism (30) to move.

17. The pickup device (PU) according to any one of claims 1-16, wherein, The support (10) includes a cargo guiding mechanism (11) and a receiving area (12), the cargo guiding mechanism (11) being configured to guide received goods (GD) to the receiving area (12), and the picking mechanism (30) being fixedly connected to the cargo guiding mechanism (11); The pushing mechanism (20) and the picking mechanism (30) are both located on the cargo receiving side of the cargo guiding mechanism (11).

18. The pickup device (PU) according to claim 17, further comprising: A vibration mechanism (61), connected to the support (10), is configured to apply a vibration force to the support (10) and the picking mechanism (30).

19. The pickup device (PU) according to claim 17 or 18, further comprising: A sensing element (62) is configured to sense the goods (GD) entering the receiving area (12).

20. An automated shipping system, comprising: At least one gravity-fed cargo transport channel (GC); and The pickup device (PU) according to any one of claims 1-19.

21. A method for picking up goods using a picking device (PU) according to any one of claims 1-19, comprising: The push mechanism (20) pushes the goods (GD) blocked by the blocking mechanism (BL) of the gravity transport channel (GC) away from the blocking mechanism (BL); With the cargo (GD) pushed away from the blocking mechanism (BL), the picking mechanism (30) applies an upward force to the cargo (GD) so that the cargo (GD) passes over the blocking mechanism (BL).

22. The picking method according to claim 21, further comprising: During the process of the picking mechanism (30) picking the goods (GD), the pushing mechanism is limited by the gravity transfer channel (GC).

23. The picking method according to claim 22, wherein, The picking mechanism (30) is fixedly connected to the support (10) so as to move synchronously with the support (10); the pushing mechanism (20) is movably disposed on the support (10); the picking device (PU) also includes a first driving mechanism (51) that is drivenly connected to the support (10); The step of pushing the cargo (GD) blocked by the blocking mechanism (BL) of the gravity transfer channel (GC) away from the blocking mechanism (BL) by the pushing mechanism (20) includes: The first drive mechanism (51) drives the support (10) to move, so that the pushing mechanism (20) moves toward the blocking mechanism (BL) and pushes the cargo (GD) away from the blocking mechanism (BL).

24. The picking method according to claim 23, wherein, The pushing mechanism (20) includes a stop (21) and a top block (22) fixedly connected to the stop (21); The step of applying an upward lifting force to the cargo (GD) by the picking mechanism (30) to make the cargo (GD) pass over the blocking mechanism (BL) while the cargo (GD) is pushed away from the blocking mechanism (BL) includes: When the top block (22) pushes the cargo (GD) away from the blocking mechanism (BL), the first driving mechanism (51) drives the support (10) to move upward, thereby driving the pushing mechanism (20) and the picking mechanism (30) to move upward. After the pushing mechanism (20) moves to the position where the abutment (21) abuts against the blocking mechanism (BL), the first driving mechanism (51) continues to drive the support (10) to move upward, so as to drive the picking mechanism to move upward to apply an upward force to the cargo (GD), and the gravity-type transport channel (GC) limits the pushing mechanism (20), so that the cargo (GD) passes over the blocking mechanism (BL) and the pushing mechanism (20).

25. The picking method according to claim 24, wherein, The pushing mechanism (20) is rotatably connected to the bracket (10), and the picking device (PU) further includes an elastic element (41) connected to the abutment (21); The pickup method also includes: After the cargo (GD) at the bottom of the gravity transport channel (GC) passes the blocking mechanism (BL) through the picking mechanism (30), the picking mechanism (30) abuts against the next cargo (GD) in the gravity transport channel (GC) so that it does not contact the blocking mechanism (BL). The first drive mechanism (51) drives the support (10) to move downward, thereby causing the picking mechanism (30) to move downward and leave the position of the next cargo (GD) in the gravity transport channel (GC); As the support (10) moves downward, the elastic element (41) exerts an elastic force on the abutment (21) to cause the pushing mechanism (20) to continue to be limited by the gravity transfer channel (GC) and abut against the next cargo (GD) in the gravity transfer channel (GC). The support (10) is repeatedly driven to move up and down by the first drive mechanism (51) to achieve continuous retrieval of multiple goods (GD) in the gravity transport channel (GC).

26. The picking method according to claim 21, wherein, The picking device (PU) also includes a driving component (42) that is drivenly connected to the pushing mechanism (20); The pickup method also includes: During the process of the cargo (GD) being lifted or after it has been lifted above the top of the blocking mechanism (BL), the pushing mechanism (20) is driven by the drive member (42) to rotate to a position that does not block the cargo (GD).

27. The method for picking up goods according to claim 21, wherein, The picking mechanism (30) is movably connected to the support (10), and the pushing mechanism (20) is fixedly disposed on the support (10) to move synchronously with the support (10). The picking device (PU) also includes a first driving mechanism (51) and a second driving mechanism (52). The first driving mechanism (51) is driven connected to the support (10), and the second driving mechanism (52) is disposed on the support (10) and driven connected to the picking mechanism (30). The step of applying an upward lifting force to the cargo (GD) by the picking mechanism (30) to make the cargo (GD) pass over the blocking mechanism (BL) while the cargo (GD) is pushed away from the blocking mechanism (BL) includes: The first drive mechanism (51) drives the support (10) to move, thereby causing the pushing mechanism (20) and the picking mechanism (30) to move toward the gravity conveyor (GC); While the pushing mechanism (20) pushes the cargo (GD) away from the blocking mechanism (BL), the second driving mechanism (52) drives the picking mechanism (30) to move to apply an upward lifting force to the cargo (GD).

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