Rack-Climbing Warehousing Robot Using a Protrusion Timing Belt
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Solution Overview
Problem
Warehousing robots face dislocation issues when chain wheels or gears fail to mesh correctly with rack components during docking, requiring high precision matching.
Innovation Solution
The use of a synchronization belt with protrusions that engage with rack slots to ascend or descend, eliminating the need for chain wheels or gears, thus reducing precision requirements and ensuring smooth climbing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a chain wheel or gear is used to drive the warehousing robot to climb the rack, then the robot can achieve longitudinal climbing, but the matching precision requirement becomes high causing dislocation during docking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional chain wheel-gear mechanical meshing system with a synchronization belt system. The synchronization belt has protrusions that engage with slots on the rack, eliminating the need for precise meshing between chain wheels/gears and chain/gear racks. This substitution maintains the climbing function while significantly reducing the precision requirements for docking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the engagement mechanism from point-contact meshing (chain wheel teeth with chain links or gear teeth with rack teeth) to line-contact engagement (synchronization belt protrusions with rack slots). This parameter change in the contact geometry allows for greater tolerance in positioning while maintaining reliable force transmission for climbing.
2Productivity
If chain wheels or gears are used for climbing, then the robot can transport goods at different heights, but the docking process becomes complex due to dislocation issues
Solution Approach 1:
The synchronization belt system replaces the complex meshing mechanism of chain wheels and gears. The belt with protrusions simply engages with the rack slots without requiring precise alignment, thereby simplifying the docking process while maintaining the ability to transport goods between different heights on the rack.
3Reliability
If high precision matching is required for chain wheels or gears, then reliable climbing can be achieved, but the cost and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the precision-critical chain wheel-gear system with a synchronization belt system that has inherent flexibility and tolerance. The belt can accommodate minor misalignments during docking without compromising climbing reliability, significantly easing manufacturing requirements and reducing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The synchronization belt acts as a flexible element that can deform slightly to accommodate positioning tolerances during docking. This flexibility allows the system to maintain reliable climbing performance without requiring high-precision manufacturing, thereby improving ease of manufacture and reducing costs.
Data Source
AI summary
A warehousing robot includes: a mobile base configured to move on a support surface; a handling device configured to retrieve or place a storage object from or on a target storage location; and a climbing assembly including a climbing module and a climbing driving device, where the climbing module includes an upright frame arranged on the mobile base and a first synchronization belt, the first synchronization belt is arranged on the upright frame and is rotatable relative to the upright frame, the climbing driving device is configured to drive the first synchronization belt to rotate, the first synchronization belt is provided with a plurality of protrusions, and the protrusions are arranged at intervals along an outer periphery of the first synchronization belt, and can abut against the rack unit, to drive the warehousing robot to ascend or descend along a height direction of the rack unit.