WO2025152293A1 - Warehousing-based conveying system and intelligent three-dimensional warehousing system - Google Patents

Abstract

A warehousing-based conveying system and an intelligent three-dimensional warehousing system, which are applied to a three-dimensional warehouse. A plurality of rows of multi-layer warehousing racks (10) are provided in the three-dimensional warehouse, each warehousing rack (10) is provided with a plurality of layers of storage spaces (101), cargo containers (104) are placed in warehousing locations (103) of the storage spaces (101), and a track conveying apparatus is mounted on the warehousing racks (10). The apparatus comprises a transverse track (11), a first stand column (12), a first movable member (13) and a connection mechanism (15) for a task module (14), wherein the transverse track (11) is arranged on the racks (10); the first stand column (12) is vertically arranged on the transverse track (11) and can transversely slide; the first movable member (13) is arranged on the first stand column (12) and can slide along the first stand column (12); the connection mechanism (15) for the task module (14) is arranged on the first movable member (13); and the task module (14) is driven by the first movable member (13) to perform storage and retrieval on a cargo container (104) and/or cargo (3), and put or take the cargo container and/or the cargo into or out of a docking component of a transport robot (105) operating at the bottom and/or the top of the warehousing rack (10).

Description

Warehouse-based transmission system and intelligent three-dimensional warehouse system

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority of Chinese patent application No. 2024100718716 filed with the Chinese Patent Office on January 17, 2024, and entitled “Warehousing-based transmission system and intelligent three-dimensional warehousing system”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the technical field of rapid sorting, and in particular to a warehousing-based transmission system and an intelligent three-dimensional warehousing system.

Background Art

Modern logistics warehouses store goods in an environmentally friendly manner and carry out fulfillment and shipment according to SKU, date, sequence and other information under the instructions of logistics orders.

In the existing warehouse-to-sorting process, the goods need to be moved out through the warehouse shelves by the storage and freight robots, and then the storage and freight robots transport the goods to the sorting platform or sorting system. However, this traditional form of storage, transmission and exchange occupies a large area, the transmission efficiency is limited by the storage and freight robots, and a special sorting system is required, which has extremely high time and configuration costs.

Therefore, the existing warehousing and transportation systems have technical problems such as reduced warehousing entry and exit efficiency, insufficient space utilization and high deployment costs.

Summary of the invention

The embodiments of the present application provide a warehousing-based transmission system and an intelligent three-dimensional warehousing system, which greatly improves the utilization rate of the three-dimensional warehouse and the speed of goods entering and exiting the existing warehousing system, and effectively reduces the deployment cost.

A storage-based transmission system is applied to a stereoscopic warehouse, wherein multiple rows and multiple layers of storage shelves are arranged in the stereoscopic warehouse, wherein the storage shelves are provided with multiple layers of storage space, and cargo boxes are placed in the storage positions of the storage space, and a track transmission device is installed on the storage shelves, wherein the device comprises:

A connecting mechanism between the transverse track, the first column, the first movable member and the task module, wherein:

The transverse track is on the shelf;

The first column is vertically arranged on the transverse track and can slide transversely;

The first movable member is disposed on the first column and can slide along the first column;

The first movable member is provided with a connecting mechanism of the task module;

The task module, driven by the first movable member, stores and retrieves cargo boxes and/or cargo, and puts them into the docking assembly of the cargo box robot running at the bottom and/or top of the storage shelf, or takes them out from the docking assembly;

A space capable of providing movement for the freight robot is provided under the shelf;

The task module of the track transport equipment can be extended from the top of the high-rise warehouse.

Optionally, the fulfillment operation surface of the storage shelf is provided with the rail transmission equipment.

Optionally, a space capable of providing movement for the freight robot is provided under the shelf, which is specifically implemented as follows:

The shelf removes the partitions of one or more storage spaces on the bottom shelf layer to provide a passage for the freight robot;

Alternatively, the shelf removes one or more shelf layers to provide a matching height to support the freight robot to operate on the ground.

Optionally, an opening is provided on the top of the stereoscopic warehouse, and a shape of the opening matches the task module so as to allow the task module to extend and perform contract fulfillment docking actions.

Optionally, the high-bay warehouse can be split into two parts or can be a mobile high-bay warehouse.

Optionally, an opening is provided at the top of the three-dimensional warehouse and is specifically implemented as follows: the task module extends out of the opening provided at the top of the three-dimensional warehouse, stores and retrieves cargo boxes under the drive of the first movable part, and places a docking component of a freight robot running on the top of the storage shelf into the opening.

Optionally, the cargo picking device is used to place the cargo into a docking assembly or docking box of a cargo robot running at the bottom of the shelf, or to take the cargo out of the docking assembly or docking box and place it into the cargo box; the arrangement of the cargo picking device on the shelf is specifically implemented as follows:

A connection mechanism between the first transverse track, the first column, the first movable member and the first task module, wherein:

The first transverse track is on the shelf;

The first upright post is vertically arranged on the first transverse track and can slide transversely;

The first movable member is disposed on the first column and can slide along the first column;

The first movable member is provided with a connecting mechanism of the first task module.

Optionally, it further comprises: a second transverse rail, which is located at the lower part of the shelf, and two transverse rails are connected to the first column through a slider;

The slider moves on the transverse track driven by rollers and/or gears, and the rollers and/or gears are driven by a motor.

Optionally, the transport system further comprises: the arrangement of the rail transport device on the shelf further comprises: a second column and a second movable member, the second column being vertically arranged on the transverse track and being capable of transverse sliding;

The second movable member is disposed on the column and can slide along the second column;

The second movable member is provided with a connecting mechanism of the second task module.

Optionally, the arrangement of the rail transport device on the shelf further includes: a third column, and the second task module is arranged between the second column and the third column through the connecting mechanism;

Drive the second task module to be positioned at the cargo position or docking position on the shelf.

Optionally, a synchronous pulley driven by a motor and controllable by a reducer, wherein the synchronous pulley drives a synchronous belt to support the first movable member to move on the slide rail of the first column;

A synchronous pulley driven by a motor and controllable by a reducer drives a synchronous belt to support the second movable member to move on the slide rail of the second column.

Optionally, the transport system further comprises: an identification module, and the identification module may be arranged on the cargo picking device and/or the track transport device.

Optionally, the freight robot is a freight robot and/or a load handling device.

Optionally, a freight robot and/or a load handling device is arranged on the top of the stereoscopic warehouse, the load handling device is arranged in conjunction with a lifting device, the lifting device grabs the cargo box or cargo, the load handling device is arranged to move on the top of the stereoscopic warehouse, and is configured to lift and move the cargo box or cargo in the stereoscopic warehouse, and the load handling device includes:

Electronic control equipment, drive and/or lifting components,

a receiving space component for accommodating the cargo box or cargo;

The lifting assembly is configured to raise and lower the lifting device relative to the receiving space assembly.

Optionally, a freight robot AGV walking surface can be deployed on the top of the high-rise warehouse, and/or the arrangement is based on a first group of parallel tracks and a second group of parallel tracks, wherein the second group of parallel tracks extends transversely to the first group on a basically horizontal plane to form a grid structure containing multiple grid spaces.

Optionally, the task module is a component having one or more tasks such as identification, extraction, playback, and grasping; and the connection mechanism of the task module is connected to different task modules.

Optionally, the freight robot is a warehousing robot, comprising: a mobile base, a stand vertically arranged on the mobile base, and a storage and retrieval device arranged on the stand and capable of vertical lifting.

Optionally, the docking position is the position where the second task module and the freight robot complete the transfer of goods from the second task module after storing and retrieving boxes and/or goods from the cargo position of the shelf.

An intelligent three-dimensional storage system comprises: one or more of the above-mentioned transmission systems.

The storage-based transmission system provided by the embodiment of the present invention can be arranged in an intelligent stereoscopic warehouse, a movable stereoscopic warehouse (such as a storage unit of standard specifications such as a freight container), or a customized stereoscopic warehouse in a dedicated field. The transmission system is provided with a track transmission device and a horizontal track for the movement of the columns. By configuring the storage shelves and modifying the top and bottom shelf layers of the stereoscopic warehouse, an operation channel is provided for the freight robot or the sorting robot, which fundamentally solves the problem of waste in the stereoscopic warehouse of the existing storage system. At the same time, the storage boxes are driven by the first movable part to store and retrieve boxes and/or goods, and are placed in the docking assembly of the freight robot running on the top or bottom of the storage shelves. The stored goods/cargo boxes can be coordinated with the freight robot or the sorting robot, so that the goods storage and cargo handling can be realized. It is possible to complete the transfer of goods/cargo boxes and the sorting of goods/cargo boxes in the stereoscopic warehouse, which greatly improves the utilization rate of existing intelligent stereoscopic warehouses, the speed of goods entering and exiting, and the sorting efficiency, and effectively reduces the deployment cost.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to more clearly illustrate the specific implementation methods of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the specific implementation methods or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some implementation methods of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a shelf structure in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a freight robot in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a warehousing-based transmission system in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a side view of a storage-based transmission system in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a track transmission device of a transmission system in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a transmission system in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a rail transmission device of a warehousing-based transmission system in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a rail transmission device of a warehousing-based transmission system in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG9 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a rail transmission device of a warehousing-based transmission system in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG10 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a shelf in a warehousing-based transmission system in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG11 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a cargo picking device in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG12 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a warehousing-based transmission system in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG13 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a warehousing-based transmission system in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG14 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a warehousing-based transmission system in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG15 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a warehousing-based transmission system in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the intelligent three-dimensional storage and transmission system in an embodiment of the present application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Generally, the components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the drawings here can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the invention claimed for protection, but merely represents selected embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, further definition and explanation thereof is not required in subsequent drawings.

In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", "outside", etc. indicate the orientation or position relationship based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, or the orientation or position relationship in which the product of the invention is usually placed when in use, which is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are only configured to distinguish the description, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

In addition, the terms "horizontal", "vertical" and the like do not mean that the components are required to be absolutely horizontal or suspended, but can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" only means that its direction is more horizontal than "vertical", and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted.

In the description of the present invention, it is also necessary to explain that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "setting", "installation" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the above terms can be understood in specific circumstances. The specific meaning of the term in the present invention.

The embodiment of the present application provides a warehousing-based transmission system, which greatly improves the utilization rate of the three-dimensional warehouse and the speed of goods entering and exiting the existing warehousing system, and effectively reduces the deployment cost.

Some embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

For the sake of clarity and convenience of explanation, the warehouse-based transportation system involved in this specification at least includes: warehouse shelves and multiple freight robots.

FIG1 shows a structural diagram of a storage rack, a rack 10 (rack), configured for storage, wherein the rack 10 is provided with a multi-layer storage space 101 (reservation unit), and a cargo box 104 (bin) is placed in a storage position 103 (slot) of the storage space 101, and the rack is laterally supported by a partition 102 to provide support for the cargo box 104.

It should be noted that general shelves are assembled from columns, beams and layers. An independent group has two columns and several beams (layers). If several groups are assembled into a row, then except for the first group which needs two columns, the others can share one column with the group in front of it. This can save space and reduce costs. For example: two independent single-group shelves require four columns, but if they are put into a row, only three columns are needed. The second group of shelves is attached to the first group of shelves, so it is called an attached shelf (or sub-shelf).

It should be noted that the three-dimensional warehouse can be a standard warehouse, a dense three-dimensional warehouse, a high-meter three-dimensional warehouse, a customized three-dimensional warehouse, or a container unit. The three-dimensional warehouse can be split and set up or a mobile three-dimensional warehouse. When the three-dimensional warehouse is continuously spliced, the three-dimensional warehouse is expanded into a mobile storage and transportation and sorting plant.

2 , a plurality of freight robots 105 can dock cargo boxes and/or cargo.

As an achievable embodiment, the freight robot may be an AGV, i.e., Automated Guided Vehicle, also commonly referred to as an AGV; or an AMR, i.e., Autonomous Mobile Robot, an autonomous mobile robot, and the specific form is not limited, as shown in FIG2 :

A freight robot and/or a load handling device are arranged on the top of the stereoscopic warehouse. The load handling device is arranged in conjunction with a lifting device. The lifting device grabs the cargo box or cargo. The load handling device is arranged to move on the top of the stereoscopic warehouse and is configured to lift and move the cargo box or cargo in the stereoscopic warehouse. The load handling device includes:

Electronic control equipment, drive and/or lifting components,

a receiving space component for accommodating the cargo box or cargo;

The lifting assembly is configured to raise and lower the lifting device relative to the receiving space assembly.

A freight robot AGV walking surface can be deployed on the top of the high-rise warehouse, and/or the arrangement is based on a first group of parallel tracks and a second group of parallel tracks, wherein the second group of parallel tracks extends transversely to the first group on a basically horizontal plane to form a grid structure containing multiple grid spaces.

In addition, the freight robot is a warehousing robot, including: a mobile base, a frame vertically arranged on the mobile base, and a storage and retrieval device arranged on the frame and capable of vertical lifting, that is, a movable cargo robot with a high frame.

Referring to Figures 3-4, an opening 5 is provided on the top 18 of the stereoscopic warehouse, or a walking surface for deploying a freight robot 105 on the top of the stereoscopic warehouse, and or, the arrangement is based on a first set of parallel tracks and a second set of parallel tracks, the second set of parallel tracks extends transversely to the first set on a substantially horizontal plane, forming a grid structure including a plurality of grid spaces, and the opening 5 provided on the top of the stereoscopic warehouse can be a grid unit in the grid structure. The walking surface is called a storage upper platform, and the specific form of the walking surface is not limited to the embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 4 , an opening 5 is provided on the top of the stereoscopic warehouse, and the shape of the opening 5 matches the task module 14 .

For the sake of clarity and sufficient disclosure, the present invention refers to FIG5 to illustrate the structure of the track transmission device in the transmission system. However, it should be noted that in different transmission systems, different transmission devices can be adapted to complete the technical solutions of FIG3-4, so the transmission device disclosed in the present invention does not limit the scope of the invention. As an example, the track transmission device disclosed in the present invention includes: a connection mechanism between a transverse track 11, a first column 12, a first movable member 13 and a task module 14, wherein:

The transverse track 11 is on the shelf 10;

It should be noted that the transverse track 11 is on the beam or column of the shelf 10. When the length of the shelf beam is long, the transverse track needs to rely on the beam and column of the single rack and extend to the adjacent shelf beam.

The first column 12 is vertically arranged on the transverse track 11 and can slide transversely;

The upright post 12 slides in the transverse direction of the transverse track, so that the first movable member 13 can be positioned in each column of the storage shelf.

The first movable member 13 is disposed on the first column 12 and can slide along the first column 12;

The above arrangement enables the first movable member 13 to move horizontally and vertically, so that the first movable member 13 can be positioned at each tier of the shelf.

The first movable member 13 is provided with a connecting mechanism 15 of the task module 14;

The task module 14, driven by the first movable member 13, stores and retrieves cargo boxes and/or cargo, and places them into or takes them out from the docking assembly of the cargo robot 105 running at the bottom 16 and/or top of the storage shelf.

The task module 14 may be a component having one or more tasks such as identification, extraction, playback, and grasping. The task module 14 is positioned at a storage slot of the shelf driven by the first movable part 13. At the same time, the connecting mechanism of the task module is a basic structure that can be connected with different task modules.

When the task module is a cargo box storage and retrieval module, a supporting structure of the cargo box storage and retrieval module, such as a loading and unloading rack;

And, the conveying components of the storage and retrieval box module, such as the conveying belt, of course, the conveying belt needs to be driven by a conveying motor.

However, if it is another task module, the connector is set according to the specific function of the task module, but it is not limited to this. This setting enables the task module to complete a sorting and/or access action, and can transfer, sort, and deliver the storage and access boxes and/or goods to the destination cargo position or sorting position, or even the transportation position after sorting.

A space capable of providing movement for the freight robot is provided under the shelf;

The bottom partitions of the storage shelves are removed to provide a matching height to support the ground freight robot to run on the ground and complete the docking action, and the bottom partitions between adjacent columns of the storage shelves are removed to form the docking position 25 of the ground freight robot.

The task module of the track transport equipment can be extended from the top of the high-rise warehouse.

Referring to Figure 6, an opening is provided on the top of the stereoscopic warehouse, and the shape of the opening matches the task module so as to provide the task module with an opportunity to extend and perform a docking action. The task module stores and retrieves goods driven by the first movable part 13, and is placed through the opening into the docking assembly of the freight robot 105 running on the top 18 of the shelf 10.

The storage shelves, shelf track machines and ground freight robots form a flying box system. The flying box system is: in a three-dimensional storage environment, in response to the needs of large-wave transmission, the track machine is mounted on the existing storage shelf system, and cooperates with the freight robots walking on the ground or on the top, with the ability to accurately locate shelves and cargo boxes, and use different task modules to complete the pulling and putting back of cargo boxes, accurate identification and precise sorting of goods. Under the execution logic control of the server and cargo storage and sorting, it subverts the current status of cargo circulation and sorting in traditional warehousing, bringing an extremely smooth and efficient experience.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the transmission system is provided with a track transmission device and a transverse track for the movement of the column. By configuring the storage shelves and modifying the top and bottom shelf layers of the stereoscopic warehouse, a running channel is provided for the freight robot or the sorting robot, which fundamentally solves the problem of waste in the stereoscopic warehouse of the existing storage system. The stored goods/cargo boxes are coordinated with the freight robot or the sorting robot, making it possible to complete the storage, transfer and sorting of goods/cargo boxes in the stereoscopic warehouse. This greatly improves the utilization rate of the existing intelligent stereoscopic warehouse, the speed of goods entering and exiting, and the sorting efficiency.

Referring to FIG7 , a storage rack rail transmission device is shown, comprising:

Based on the diagram and description of FIG6 , the transmission device further includes: a second column 21 and a second movable member 22 , wherein the second column 21 is vertically disposed on the transverse track 11 and can slide transversely;

The second movable member 22 is disposed on the second column 21 and can slide along the second column;

The second movable member 22 is provided with a connecting mechanism 23 of the task module 14;

The task module 14 is disposed between the first column 12 and the second column 21 through the connecting mechanism 23;

The first movable member 13 and the second movable member 22 drive the task module 14 to be positioned at the cargo position 24 or the docking position 25 on the shelf 10 .

The docking position 25 is the position where the task module 14 and the freight robot complete the transfer of goods from the task module 14 after the task module 14 deposits and/or takes goods from the cargo position of the shelf.

The bottom partitions of the storage shelves are removed to provide a matching height to support the ground freight robot to run on the ground and complete the docking action, and the bottom partitions between adjacent columns of the storage shelves are removed to form the docking position 25 of the ground freight robot.

Referring to FIG8 , a storage rack rail transmission device is shown. Based on the illustrations of FIG1 and FIG2 and their corresponding descriptions, in FIG8 , another transverse rail 31 is provided at the lower part of the rack 10 , and the transverse rail 11 and the other transverse rail 31 can be connected to the first column 12 and the second column 21 through a slider;

The slider moves on the transverse track driven by the roller, and the roller is driven by a motor.

It should be noted that the roller is a preferred solution, and actually gears, or a combination of gears and rollers are used to realize the movement of the column on the beam. Then, when gears are used as a transmission method, it is necessary to cooperate with a toothed chain to complete the movement. The specific method can refer to the existing technology, and when the gears and rollers are combined, the gears and the toothed chain are engaged to transmit and drive the rollers to move, thereby realizing the movement of the column on the beam. Furthermore, the motor drives the roller to make the component run, which can be achieved by wired (cables, flexible conductive materials, anti-wear wires) or wirelessly, such as lithium batteries, etc., which support operation after charging. The specific method is not limited.

In this embodiment, a large shelf system requires a more stable rail transmission device. For this purpose, two upper and lower transverse rails are provided on the rail assembly to fully support the first column 12 and the second column 21, so that tasks such as taking out and returning, connecting and sorting cargo boxes/cargoes can be carried out reliably.

It should be noted that in the embodiments of Figures 6 to 8, the freight robot is a freight robot running on the bottom floor or on the top of the storage shelf. As an achievable embodiment, the freight robot can be an AGV, i.e., Automated Guided Vehicle, also commonly referred to as an AGV; or an AMR, i.e., Autonomous Mobile Robot, an autonomous mobile robot, and the specific form is not limited, and can be referred to as the diagram in Figure 2:

A freight robot and/or a load handling device are arranged on the top of the stereoscopic warehouse. The load handling device is arranged in conjunction with a lifting device. The lifting device grabs the cargo box or cargo. The load handling device is arranged to move on the top of the stereoscopic warehouse and is configured to lift and move the cargo box or cargo in the stereoscopic warehouse. The load handling device includes:

Electronic control equipment, drive and/or lifting components,

a receiving space component for accommodating the cargo box or cargo;

The lifting assembly is configured to raise and lower the lifting device relative to the receiving space assembly.

A ground freight robot AGV walking surface can be deployed on the top of the high-rise warehouse, and/or the arrangement is based on a first group of parallel tracks and a second group of parallel tracks, wherein the second group of parallel tracks extends transversely to the first group on a basically horizontal plane to form a grid structure containing multiple grid spaces.

In addition, the freight robot is a warehousing robot, including: a mobile base, a frame vertically arranged on the mobile base, and a storage and retrieval device arranged on the frame and capable of vertical lifting, that is, a movable cargo robot with a high frame.

Optionally, the ground freight robot performs path planning under the control of a server, or the ground freight robot performs autonomous path planning and is provided with a planar moving component and a docking component that supports the storage and placement of cargo boxes. In order to improve transportation efficiency, the ground freight robot can directly operate on the ground where the storage shelves are located, and can cooperate with the storage shelves to remove the bottom partitions. The cargo box, driven by the movable parts, will place the cargo boxes and/or goods to be stored and accessed on the docking component of the freight robot. The ground freight robot can be a freight robot or a sorting robot. The above coordination makes it possible to complete cargo warehousing, cargo box/cargo transfer and cargo box/cargo sorting in the storage space.

As a feasible method, similar principle, the operation of the movable part on the slide rail of the column can be shown in the following figure. The more specific electrical control method is not limited and is not specifically shown in the figure.

Referring to FIG9 , a synchronous pulley driven by a motor 41 and controlled by a reducer drives a synchronous belt 42 supports the first movable member to move on the slide rail of the first column;

A synchronous pulley driven by a motor and controllable by a reducer drives a synchronous belt to support the second movable member to move on the slide rail of the second column.

The above settings can not only accurately locate the position between the task module and the cargo box, but also greatly improve the storage space utilization, cargo entry and exit speed, and sorting efficiency of the existing warehousing system.

Referring to FIG10 , a partial view of a storage rack rail transmission device is shown, including:

In this embodiment, Figure 9 shows the connection structure between the transverse rail 11 and the first column 12 and the second column 21. Referring to Figure 10, the first column 12 and the second column 21 can be realized by driving the slider 52 on the transverse rail 31 through the roller 51. The first column 12 and the second column 21 are both sleeved with the slider 52, and the roller 51 contacts the transverse rail 31 to achieve smooth movement.

The above setting may be one implementation method and is not limited thereto.

Referring to Figure 11, a cargo picking device 1 is installed on the shelf, and the cargo picking device 1 drives the first task module 2 to place the cargo 3 into the docking assembly or docking box 4 of the freight robot 105 running at the bottom of the shelf 10, or take the cargo 3 out from the docking assembly or docking box 4 and place it into the cargo box 104; the first task module 2 at least includes: a first movable part 13 and a picking mechanism 20.

The arrangement of the goods picking device 1 on the shelf 10 is specifically implemented as follows:

The connection mechanism of the transverse track 11, the first column 12, the first movable member 13 and the first task module 2, wherein:

The transverse track 11 is on the shelf 10;

It should be noted that the transverse rail 11 is on the beam or column of the shelf 10. When the shelf is transversely longer, the transverse rail needs to rely on the beam and column of the single rack and extend to the adjacent shelf beam.

The first column 12 is vertically arranged on the transverse track 11 and can slide transversely;

The upright post 12 slides along the transverse track 11 to enable the first movable member 13 to be positioned in each column of the shelf.

The first movable member 13 is disposed on the first column 12 and can slide along the first column 12;

The above arrangement enables the first movable member 13 to move horizontally and vertically, so that the first movable member 13 can be positioned at each tier of the shelf.

The first movable member 13 is provided with a connecting mechanism 15 of the first task module 2;

The first task module 2, driven by the first movable member 13, uses the picking mechanism to store and retrieve the goods 3, and puts and runs the docking assembly or docking box of the freight robot 105 at the bottom of the shelf;

It should be particularly noted that, in the solution of the present invention, the bottom partitions of the storage shelves are removed. Here, the partitions represent the components that provide storage space support for different types of storage shelves, as well as the surrounding components that provide stability for the beams. Removing the partitions to provide a matching height actually requires blocking the surrounding components that block the freight robot from running on the ground, and the partitions are not limited to the materials and styles set in the storage shelves. The freight robot is supported to run on the ground and complete the docking action. The bottom partitions between adjacent columns of the storage shelves are removed to form the docking position 25 of the freight robot. It should be supplemented that the bottom partitions of the shelves include the partitions themselves and the beams, thereby providing space for the freight robot to move.

More specifically, the picking mechanism comprises: a suction mechanism 201 and/or a picking mechanism, the suction mechanism 201 and/or the picking mechanism (not shown) can be connected through the connecting mechanism 15 of the first task module, that is: an extension member of the suction mechanism 201 and/or the picking mechanism, the extension member can be a multi-section robotic arm with freedom, connected to the first movable part 13, wherein the suction mechanism 201 can form and maintain contact with the goods through the suction force generated until the goods 3 are placed in the docking assembly or docking box of the freight robot running at the bottom of the shelf, or taken out from the docking assembly and placed in the cargo box.

12 , the configuration in this embodiment realizes that when the sorting and/or storage and retrieval of goods is completed, the stored and retrieved goods can be docked by the freight robot 105, and the goods can be transferred, sorted, and delivered to the destination cargo location or sorting location, or the transportation location where the sorting is completed.

The shelf removes the partitions 102 of one or more storage spaces on the bottom shelf layer, and provides a freight robot 105 as a passage. road;

The shelf removes one or more shelf layers 106 to provide a matching height to support the freight robot 105 to operate on the ground.

FIG. 12 also shows the aisle in which the freight robot 105 walks on the ground between two shelves.

Referring to the situation in Figure 13, when the first task module 2 and/or the second task module 14 are both installed on the first transverse track, the first column, and the first movable part, the connecting mechanism of the first task module and the connecting mechanism of the second task module can be integrated to drive the first task module to sort goods and drive the second task module to store cargo boxes.

Referring to Figure 14, in another case, when the first task module and/or the second task module are both installed on the first transverse track, the first column, and the first movable part, the connecting mechanism of the first task module and the connecting mechanism of the second task module are separately set and cooperated according to the current task.

When the task module is a cargo box storage and retrieval module, it at least includes:

Support structures for storing and retrieving cargo box modules, such as loading and unloading racks;

And, a conveying component for storing and retrieving the cargo box module, such as a conveying belt. Of course, the conveying belt needs to be driven by a conveying motor;

The rail transport device uses the storage and retrieval box module to pull out the target box at the target storage position of the target shelf, and the picking mechanism of the cargo picking device system picks the target cargo in the target box, so that the cargo picking device drives the first task module to put the cargo into the docking assembly or docking box of the cargo robot running at the bottom of the shelf;

Alternatively, the picking mechanism of the cargo picking equipment system takes the target cargo out of the docking assembly or docking box of the cargo robot, the track transmission equipment uses the cargo box storage and retrieval module to pull out the target cargo box on the target storage position of the target shelf, and the picking mechanism puts the target cargo into the target cargo box;

The cargo box storage and retrieval module pushes the target cargo box back.

It should be noted here that the access module of the storage and access box task module 14 can realize the storage and access operations of cargo boxes that are densely arranged, adjacent or connected in the three-dimensional warehouse. For example, in the depth direction (y-axis), the access arm of the storage and access box task module can be used to realize the storage and access of one of the multiple cargo boxes.

In actual application, however, as mentioned above, the connecting mechanism of the task module is a basic structure that can be connected with different task modules. If it is other task modules, the connecting parts are set according to the specific functions of the task modules, but it is not limited to this.

It should be particularly noted that, in this embodiment, by modifying the bottom shelf layer of the shelf configuration, and cooperating with the cargo picking equipment 1, the freight robot 105, or the sorting robot (not shown), the problem of low efficiency in cargo/cargo box transfer and sorting in existing shelf storage is fundamentally solved, and the application scenarios of the shelves are expanded, so that cargo warehousing, cargo/cargo box transfer and cargo/cargo box sorting are completed within the storage space, thereby greatly improving the storage space utilization, cargo entry and exit speed, and sorting efficiency of the existing shelf transmission system.

For the sake of full disclosure, the freight robot may be a freight robot or a sorting robot in a disclosed text: the freight robot performs path planning under the control of a server, or the freight robot performs autonomous path planning, and is provided with a planar moving component and a docking component that supports the storage and placement of cargo boxes. In order to improve transportation efficiency, the freight robot may run directly on the ground directly below the shelf, and may cooperate with the storage shelf to remove the bottom partition. The cargo is placed on the docking component of the freight robot under the drive of the movable parts of the task module. The freight robot may be a ground freight robot, a freight robot with a bracket or a retractable bracket, or a sorting robot. The above coordination enables cargo warehousing, cargo/cargo box transfer, and cargo/cargo box sorting to be completed within the storage space.

The above settings can all be used as disclosed in the present invention to not only accurately locate the position between the task module and the cargo box, but also greatly improve the storage space utilization, cargo entry and exit speed, and sorting efficiency of the existing transmission system.

Referring to Figure 15, a transmission system is shown, in which the rail transmission equipment arranged on the shelf also includes: a third column 33, and the second task module 14 is arranged between the second column 21 and the third column 33 through a connecting mechanism; driving the second task module 14 to be positioned at the cargo position or docking position on the shelf 10.

In this embodiment, the rail transmission equipment and the cargo picking equipment are respectively arranged on different columns. In a large-scale dense storage scenario, such as a warehouse storing more than 100,000 cargo boxes and a flow rate of 5,000 boxes/hour, the rail transmission equipment Multiple devices and the cargo picking device can be installed on the same shelf to meet the needs of large-volume orders. When the rail transmission device and the cargo picking device system work together, take the order out of the warehouse as an example. The X goods or a certain SKU (Stock Keeping Unit, i.e., the basic unit for measuring inventory in and out) of a certain order A needs to be out of the warehouse. The rail transmission device uses the second task module, i.e., the storage and retrieval box module, to pull out the target box at the target storage position of the target shelf so that the X goods can be sucked by the suction mechanism 201 and/or the picking mechanism of the cargo picking device system. Before sucking, an identification module is required to identify the X goods or a certain SKU. The identification module can be set on the cargo picking device and/or the rail transmission device. The identification module can be a monocular camera, a laser camera, or a depth of field camera.

After the above picking process is completed, the identification module is used to accurately locate and the cargo picking device is used to place the X cargo or a certain SKU indicated by the order into the docking position of the freight robot. The freight robot will drive to the next docking position or workstation.

In another embodiment, one or more shelves are included, and the structure and working principle of the shelves are shown in Figures 11-15. The shelves can be configured in the warehouse picking equipment and/or the rail transmission equipment. During operation, the rail transmission equipment is installed on one or more shelves, and the fulfillment operation surface of the storage shelves is provided with the rail transmission equipment, including but not limited to the direction of the lane, and even the scene of setting the shelves perpendicular to the lane.

It can support independent operation under the control chip and software instructions or coordinated operation with the built-in warehouse management software on the server side. At the same time, the one or more shelves can be ordinary shelves or precision shelves, and are not limited to the shelf height and the flatness of the ground. In addition, the present invention also discloses a transmission system, which is configured as the transmission system of Figure 16 and multiple freight robots 105. Based on this setting, the efficiency of cargo storage, transportation and sorting can be further improved, which can adapt to the rapid transportation and transmission technology requirements in various storage scenarios.

Finally, it should be noted that: the various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments, and the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other; the above embodiments in this specification are only used to illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, rather than to limit it; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, ordinary technicians in this field should understand that: it is still possible to modify the technical solutions recorded in the aforementioned embodiments, or to replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solution deviate from the scope of the technical solution of the embodiments of the present invention.

Industrial Applicability

By adopting the above scheme, storage shelves can be set up in a variety of warehouses. The transmission system is provided with track transmission equipment and horizontal tracks for the movement of columns. By configuring the storage shelves and modifying the top and bottom shelf layers of the stereoscopic warehouse, an operation channel is provided for the freight robot or sorting robot, which fundamentally solves the problem of waste in the stereoscopic warehouse of the existing storage system. At the same time, the storage boxes are driven by the first movable part to store and retrieve boxes and/or goods, and are placed on the docking components of the freight robot running on the top or bottom of the storage shelves. The stored goods/cargo boxes can be coordinated with the freight robot or the sorting robot, making it possible to complete cargo storage, cargo/cargo box transfer and cargo/cargo box sorting in the stereoscopic warehouse. It greatly improves the utilization rate of the existing intelligent stereoscopic warehouse, the speed of goods entering and exiting, and the sorting efficiency, and effectively reduces the deployment cost, which is more practical.

Claims (19)

A storage-based transmission system, characterized in that it is applied to a stereoscopic warehouse, wherein multiple rows and multiple layers of storage shelves are arranged in the stereoscopic warehouse, wherein the storage shelves are provided with multiple layers of storage space, and cargo boxes are placed in the storage positions of the storage space, and a rail transmission device is installed on the storage shelves, wherein the device comprises: A connecting mechanism between the transverse track, the first column, the first movable member and the task module, wherein: The transverse track is on the shelf; The first column is vertically arranged on the transverse track and can slide transversely; The first movable member is disposed on the first column and can slide along the first column; The first movable member is provided with a connecting mechanism of the task module; The task module, driven by the first movable member, stores and retrieves cargo boxes and/or cargo, and puts them into the docking assembly of the cargo box robot running at the bottom and/or top of the storage shelf, or takes them out from the docking assembly; A space capable of providing movement for the freight robot is provided under the shelf; The task module of the track transport equipment can be extended from the top of the high-rise warehouse. The warehouse-based transmission system according to claim 1 is characterized in that the fulfillment operation surface of the storage shelves is provided with the rail transmission equipment. The warehousing-based transport system according to claim 1 is characterized in that a space capable of providing a movement of a freight robot is provided under the shelf, which is specifically implemented as follows: The shelf removes the partitions of one or more storage spaces on the bottom shelf layer to provide a passage for the freight robot; Alternatively, the shelf removes one or more shelf layers to provide a matching height to support the freight robot to operate on the ground. According to any one of claims 1 and 2, the warehousing-based transmission system is characterized in that an opening is provided on the top of the stereoscopic warehouse, and the shape of the opening matches the task module to provide an opportunity for the task module to extend and perform contract fulfillment docking actions. According to the warehousing-based transmission system of claim 3, it is characterized in that the high-rise warehouse can be disassembled or can be a mobile high-rise warehouse. The warehouse-based transmission system according to claim 3 is characterized in that an opening is provided at the top of the three-dimensional warehouse, which is specifically implemented as follows: the task module extends out of the opening provided at the top of the three-dimensional warehouse, stores and retrieves cargo boxes under the drive of the first movable part, and places the docking component of the freight robot running on the top of the storage shelf into the opening. The warehousing-based transport system according to claim 1 is characterized in that the goods are placed into a docking assembly or docking box of a freight robot running at the bottom of the shelf by a cargo picking device, or taken out from the docking assembly or docking box and placed into the cargo box; the arrangement of the cargo picking device on the shelf is specifically implemented as follows: A connection mechanism between the first transverse track, the first column, the first movable member and the first task module, wherein: The first transverse track is on the shelf; The first upright post is vertically arranged on the first transverse track and can slide transversely; The first movable member is disposed on the first column and can slide along the first column; The first movable member is provided with a connecting mechanism of the first task module. The warehousing-based transport system according to any one of claims 6 and 7, characterized in that it further comprises: a second transverse rail, which is located at the lower part of the shelf, and the two transverse rails are connected to the first column through a slider; The slider moves on the transverse track driven by rollers and/or gears, and the rollers and/or gears are driven by a motor. The warehousing-based transport system according to claim 8, characterized in that it further comprises: the arrangement of the rail transport device on the shelf further comprises: a second column and a second movable member, the second column being vertically arranged on the transverse track and being capable of sliding transversely; The second movable member is disposed on the column and can slide along the second column; The second movable member is provided with a connecting mechanism of the second task module. The warehousing-based transport system according to claim 9, characterized in that the arrangement of the rail transport device on the shelf further comprises: a third column, The second task module is arranged between the second column and the third column through the connecting mechanism; Drive the second task module to be positioned at the cargo position or docking position on the shelf. The warehousing-based transport system according to claim 9, characterized in that: A synchronous pulley driven by a motor and controlled by a reducer, wherein the synchronous pulley drives a synchronous belt to support the first movable member to move on the slide rail of the first column; A synchronous pulley driven by a motor and controllable by a reducer drives a synchronous belt to support the second movable member to move on the slide rail of the second column. The warehousing-based transportation system according to claim 7 is characterized in that it also includes: an identification module, and the identification module can be set on the cargo picking equipment and/or the rail transportation equipment. The warehousing-based transport system according to claim 1 is characterized in that the freight robot is a freight robot and/or a load handling device. The warehousing-based transport system according to any one of claims 1 or 13 is characterized in that a freight robot and/or a load handling device is arranged on the top of the stereoscopic warehouse, the load handling device is arranged in conjunction with a lifting device, the lifting device grabs the cargo box or cargo, the load handling device is arranged to move on the top of the stereoscopic warehouse, and is configured to lift and move the cargo box or cargo in the stereoscopic warehouse, and the load handling device includes: Electronic control equipment, drive and/or lifting components, a receiving space component for accommodating the cargo box or cargo; The lifting assembly is configured to raise and lower the lifting device relative to the receiving space assembly. The warehousing-based transmission system according to any one of claims 1 or 14 is characterized in that a freight robot AGV walking surface can be deployed on the top of the high-rise warehouse, and or, the arrangement is based on a first group of parallel rails and a second group of parallel rails, and the second group of parallel rails extend transversely to the first group on a basically horizontal plane to form a grid structure containing multiple grid spaces. The warehousing-based transmission system according to any one of claims 1-6 is characterized in that the task module is a component with one or more tasks such as identification, extraction, playback, and grasping; and the connection mechanism of the task module is connected to different task modules. The warehousing-based transmission system according to any one of claims 1-16 is characterized in that the freight robot is a warehousing robot, comprising: a mobile base, a stand vertically arranged on the mobile base, and a storage and retrieval device arranged on the stand and capable of vertical lifting. The warehousing-based transmission system according to claim 10 is characterized in that the docking position is the position where the second task module and the freight robot complete the transfer of goods from the second task module after storing and retrieving boxes and/or goods from the cargo position of the shelf. An intelligent three-dimensional storage system, characterized in that it comprises: one or more transmission systems as described in any one of claims 1-18.