TWI866575B - Storage and retrieval system and distribution apparatus thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a storage and retrieval system and a distribution apparatus thereof. The distribution apparatus includes a lifting mechanism, a separating mechanism located above the lifting mechanism, and a transferring mechanism that is located adjacent to the separating mechanism. The lifting mechanism includes a first lifting assembly, a platform, and a second lifting assembly that is assembled to the platform or the first lifting assembly. The platform is movable along a height direction by being assembled to the first lifting assembly. The platform is configured to carry a carrier and a plurality of objects that are stacked on the carrier along the height direction. The second lifting assembly is configured to lift the objects along the height direction. The separating mechanism includes a pick head for holding one of the objects. The transferring mechanism is configured to transfer the object from the pick head.

Description

Storage system and its distribution equipment

The present invention relates to a storage system and a distribution device thereof, and in particular to a multi-axle storage system and a distribution device thereof.

The feeding method of the existing storage system is that the transfer mechanism transports the materials one by one from the storage feeding port to the storage position, so each feeding of the material requires the transfer mechanism to reciprocate between the storage feeding port and the storage position once, and there is room for improvement in the operation efficiency. Therefore, the inventor believes that the above defects can be improved, and has devoted himself to research and applied scientific principles, and finally proposed a reasonable design and effective improvement of the above defects.

The embodiment of the present invention provides a storage system and distribution equipment thereof, which can effectively improve the defects that may occur in the existing storage system.

The embodiment of the present invention discloses a storage system, which includes: a storage device, including multiple storage positions; and a distribution device, which is arranged in the storage device, and the distribution device includes: a lifting mechanism, which includes: a first lifting assembly; a carrier, which is installed on the first lifting assembly so that the carrier can move along a height direction through the first lifting assembly; wherein the carrier is used to receive a carrier and multiple materials stacked on the carrier along the height direction; and a second lifting assembly, which is installed on the carrier or the first lifting assembly, and the second lifting assembly includes a push-up member, which is used to be arranged on the bottom side of multiple materials; wherein the second lifting assembly can lift multiple materials along the height direction with the push-up member; a separation mechanism , which is located above the carrier along the height direction, and the separation mechanism includes a pick-up head for holding one of the materials; and a transfer mechanism, which is adjacent to the separation mechanism, and the transfer mechanism can be used to take one of the materials from the pick-up head; wherein, when the carrier and the carrier it carries and the plurality of materials pass through the first lifting assembly toward the separation When the mechanism is moved to a waiting position, the second lifting assembly can lift multiple materials with the pushing member so that the materials adjacent to the separation mechanism can be held by the picking head to achieve a material separation operation; wherein, when the picking head of the separation mechanism holds one of the materials, the transfer mechanism can transfer the material from the picking head to one of the storage positions.

The present invention also discloses a distribution device for a storage system, which includes: a lifting mechanism, which includes: a first lifting assembly; a carrier installed on the first lifting assembly so that the carrier can move along a height direction through the first lifting assembly; wherein the carrier is used to receive a carrier and a plurality of materials stacked on the carrier along the height direction; and a second lifting assembly installed on the carrier or the first lifting assembly, and the second lifting assembly is used to receive a plurality of materials stacked on the carrier along the height direction. The second lifting assembly includes a pushing member, which is used to be set on the bottom side of the multiple materials; wherein the second lifting assembly can lift the multiple materials along the height direction with the pushing member; a separation mechanism, which is located above the carrier along the height direction, and the separation mechanism includes a grabbing head, which is used to hold one of the materials; and a transfer mechanism, which is adjacent to the separation mechanism, and the transfer mechanism can be used to take one of the materials from the grabbing head.

In summary, the storage system and distribution equipment disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention are equipped with the first lifting assembly and the second lifting assembly capable of independently moving multiple materials, so that multiple materials can be separated into one material to the picking head, thereby facilitating the carrier and the multiple materials to move together with the transfer mechanism and efficiently and sequentially move the multiple materials to the multiple storage locations.

In order to further understand the features and technical contents of the present invention, please refer to the following detailed description and drawings of the present invention. However, such description and drawings are only used to illustrate the present invention and do not limit the protection scope of the present invention in any way.

The following is an explanation of the implementation of the "storage system and its distribution equipment" disclosed in the present invention through specific concrete embodiments. Technical personnel in this field can understand the advantages and effects of the present invention from the contents disclosed in this manual. The present invention can be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and the details in this manual can also be modified and changed in various ways based on different viewpoints and applications without deviating from the concept of the present invention. In addition, the drawings of the present invention are only simple schematic illustrations and are not depicted according to actual dimensions. Please note in advance. The following implementation will further explain the relevant technical contents of the present invention in detail, but the disclosed contents are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

It should be understood that, although the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. may be used herein to describe various components or signals, these components or signals should not be limited by these terms. These terms are mainly used to distinguish one component from another component, or one signal from another signal. In addition, the term "or" used herein may include any one or more combinations of the associated listed items depending on the actual situation.

Please refer to Figures 1 to 10, which are an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, this embodiment discloses a storage system 100, which is used to be adjacent to a feeding system 200 and configured downstream of the feeding system 200, so that a plurality of materials M transported by the feeding system 200 can pass through the storage system 100 and be stored therein.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , the storage system 100 includes a storage device 1 and a distribution device 2 disposed in the storage device 1. In this embodiment, the storage device 1 includes a storage entrance 11, a plurality of storage positions 12, and a track 13 located on one side of the plurality of storage positions 12. Further, the storage entrance 11 is adjacent to the feeding system 200, and the storage entrance 11 may include an entrance and an exit independently disposed at different positions, or the storage entrance 11 may also be a single entrance, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

Furthermore, the plurality of storage positions 12 are arranged in at least one row in a direction parallel to the track 13, and the row of storage positions 12 may be arranged in a matrix, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments not shown in the present invention, the plurality of storage positions 12 may also be arranged in two rows in a direction parallel to the track 13, and the two rows of storage positions 12 are located on opposite sides of the track 13, respectively.

The distribution device 2 in this embodiment can also be called a crane, and the distribution device 2 includes a support 21, a lifting mechanism 22 mounted on the support 21, a separation mechanism 23 mounted on the support 21 and located above the lifting mechanism 22, and a transfer mechanism 24 mounted on the support 21 and adjacent to the separation mechanism 23. The support 21 is movably arranged on the track 13, so that the lifting mechanism 22, the separation mechanism 23, and the transfer mechanism 24 mounted on the support 21 can move together along the track 13 (relative to the plurality of storage positions 12). For example, the dispensing device 2 can drive the bracket 21 to move along the track 13 by installing a servo motor (not shown) connected to the track 13 on the bracket 21.

The lifting mechanism 22 includes a first lifting assembly 221, a carrier 222 mounted on the first lifting assembly 221, and a second lifting assembly 223 mounted on the carrier 222 or the first lifting assembly 221. In this embodiment, the first lifting assembly 221 is used to move the carrier 222 and the second lifting assembly 223 along a height direction H to a large extent, thereby moving a plurality of the materials M to a large extent, and the second lifting assembly 223 is illustrated as being mounted on the first lifting assembly 221 and can be used to move a plurality of the materials M along the height direction H to a small extent.

That is, the lifting mechanism 22 is equipped with two mechanisms (i.e., the first lifting assembly 221 and the second lifting assembly 223) in the height direction H that can independently move the plurality of materials M at different speeds. It should be noted that the specific structures of the first lifting assembly 221 and the second lifting assembly 223 can be adjusted and varied according to design requirements, and this embodiment will not be elaborated here.

Specifically, the carrier 222 is used to receive a carrier 3 and a plurality of the materials M stacked on the carrier 3 along the height direction H, and the second lifting assembly 223 includes a push-up member 2231, which is used to be (through the carrier 3) disposed on the bottom side of the plurality of the materials M. The second lifting assembly 223 can lift the plurality of the materials M along the height direction H with the push-up member 2231.

It should be further explained that the material M is in the shape of a disc in the present embodiment, and the carrier 3 can also be regarded as a component included in the distribution device 2. In order to enable the carrier 3 to be efficiently matched with the lifting mechanism 22, the separation mechanism 23, and the material M, the carrier 3 preferably has the following technical features, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Specifically, the carrier 3 includes a carrier plate 31 disposed on the carrier 222, a material string 32 vertically fixed to the carrier plate 31, and a guide sleeve 33 sleeved on the material string 32 and disposed on the carrier plate 31. The material string 32 is used to pass through the plurality of stacked materials M, and the guide sleeve 33 is used to allow the plurality of materials M to be placed thereon, so that the plurality of materials M are spaced from the push-up member 2231. In this embodiment, the guide sleeve 33 is a structure with wider ends and narrower middle section, and one of the two ends of the guide sleeve 33 is fixed to the carrier plate 31, and the other end carries the plurality of materials M. Furthermore, the push-up member 2231 is forked in structure and passes through the middle section of the guide sleeve 33.

In addition, the carrier 222 is equipped with a conveyor belt 2221 adjacent to the push-up member 2231, and the conveyor belt 2221 is used to transfer and carry the carrier 3 and the plurality of materials M. That is, in this embodiment, the carrier 222 can receive the carrier 3 from the feed system 200 from the storage entrance 11 through the conveyor belt 2221, or transfer the carrier 3 from the storage entrance 11 to the feed system 200.

For example, when the feeding system 200 uses its conveying mechanism 201 to convey the carrier 3 and the multiple materials M thereon from the storage entrance 11 into the storage system 100, the carrier 222 is moved to a position adjacent to the storage entrance 11, and the conveyor belt 2221 is made adjacent to the conveying mechanism 201 of the feeding system 200, so as to receive the carrier 3 and the multiple materials M thereon delivered by the feeding system 200 through the conveyor belt 2221.

Furthermore, when the carrier 222 is to transport the carrier 3 that does not carry any of the materials M from the storage entrance 11 to the feeding system 200, the carrier 222 is moved to a position adjacent to the storage entrance 11, and the conveyor belt 2221 is made adjacent to the conveying mechanism 201 of the feeding system 200, so as to transport the carrier 3 to the conveying mechanism 201 of the feeding system 200 via the conveyor belt 2221.

The separation mechanism 23 is suspended from the bracket 21 and is located above the carrier 222 along the height direction H. In other words, the separation mechanism 23 faces the carrier 222 (or multiple materials M) along the height direction H. The separation mechanism 23 includes a grabbing head 231 for holding one material M, and the structure of the grabbing head 231 can be adjusted and varied according to design requirements and is not limited to the drawings of this embodiment.

Furthermore, the transfer mechanism 24 in this embodiment can also be called a fork mechanism. The transfer mechanism 24 is adjacent to the separation mechanism 23, and the transfer mechanism 24 is located on a side of the separation mechanism 23 away from the feeding system 200. The transfer mechanism 24 can be used to take away a material M from the picking head 231. Under the premise of realizing the above functions, the specific structure of the transfer mechanism 24 or the picking head 231 can be adjusted and changed according to design requirements, and the present invention is not limited here.

As described above, when the carrier 222 and the carrier 3 and the multiple materials M supported by it are moved to a waiting position (such as shown in Figure 3) toward the separation mechanism 23 through the first lifting assembly 221, the picking head 231 of the separation mechanism 23 is close to but does not touch the carrier 3 and the multiple materials M, and the second lifting assembly 223 can lift the multiple materials M with the pushing member 2231, so that the materials M adjacent to the separation mechanism 23 can be held by the picking head 231 (such as shown in Figure 4), so as to realize a material separation operation.

As shown in Figures 5 to 9, when the picking head 231 of the separation mechanism 23 holds one of the material pieces M, the transfer mechanism 24 can transfer the material piece M from the picking head 231 to one of the storage locations 12; that is, the carrier 3 and the plurality of material pieces M can move relative to the plurality of storage locations 12 along with the transfer mechanism 24.

Accordingly, the storage system 100 disclosed in this embodiment, wherein the distribution device 2 is configured to be capable of independently moving the first lifting assembly 221 and the second lifting assembly 223 of the plurality of materials M, and is matched with the separation mechanism 23, so that the plurality of materials M can be individually separated into one material M to the picking head 231, thereby facilitating the carrier 3 and the plurality of materials M to move together with the transfer mechanism 24, and efficiently and sequentially move the plurality of materials M to the plurality of storage locations 12.

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 9 , when the transfer mechanism 24 is transferring the material M to one of the storage locations 12, the lifting mechanism 22 and the separation mechanism 23 can synchronously perform the material separation operation (e.g., the lifting mechanism 22 and the separation mechanism 23 in FIG. 6 are preparing to perform the material separation operation). Accordingly, the operation time of the transfer mechanism 24 can overlap the material separation operation between the separation mechanism 23 and the lifting mechanism 22, so that the operation efficiency of the distribution device 2 can be further improved.

It is necessary to further explain that, in order to facilitate understanding of the process of the transfer mechanism 24 transferring the material M from the pick-up head 231 to one of the storage locations 12, one feasible structure of the transfer mechanism 24 is described below, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In this embodiment, the transfer mechanism 24 includes a third lifting assembly 241 and a plurality of mechanical arms 242 mounted on the third lifting assembly 241; wherein the plurality of mechanical arms 242 can move along the height direction H through the third lifting assembly 241 and can be used to take away one of the material M from the pick-up head 231, and the plurality of mechanical arms 242 of the transfer mechanism 24 can be used to transfer the material M stored in one of the storage locations 12 to another of the storage locations 12 (e.g., FIGS. 8 to 10). In addition, although the number of the robot arms 242 of the transfer mechanism 24 is described as multiple in this embodiment, it can be adjusted to one according to design requirements.

[Technical Effects of the Embodiments of the Invention]

In summary, the storage system and distribution equipment disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention are equipped with the first lifting assembly and the second lifting assembly capable of independently moving multiple materials, so that multiple materials can be separated into one material to the picking head, thereby facilitating the carrier and the multiple materials to move together with the transfer mechanism and efficiently and sequentially move the multiple materials to the multiple storage locations.

Furthermore, the storage system disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention can also overlap the operation time of the transfer mechanism with the material separation operation between the separation mechanism and the lifting mechanism, so that the operation efficiency of the distribution equipment can be further improved.

The above disclosed contents are only preferred feasible embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the patent scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent technical changes made using the contents of the specification and drawings of the present invention are included in the patent scope of the present invention.

100: Storage system 1: Storage equipment 11: Storage entrance and exit 12: Storage position 13: Track 2: Distribution equipment 21: Bracket 22: Lifting mechanism 221: First lifting assembly 222: Carrier 2221: Conveyor belt 223: Second lifting assembly 2231: Ejector 23: Separation mechanism 231: Picking head 24: Transfer mechanism 241: Third lifting assembly 242: Robot arm 3: Carrier 31: Carrier plate 32: Material string 33: Guide sleeve 200: Feeding system 201: Conveying mechanism M: Material H: Height direction

FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a storage system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial side view schematic diagram of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is a side view schematic diagram of the first lifting assembly of FIG. 2 in operation.

FIG. 4 is a side view schematic diagram of the second lifting assembly of FIG. 3 in operation.

FIG. 5 is a side view schematic diagram of a robot arm of the transfer mechanism of FIG. 4 in operation.

FIG. 6 is a side view schematic diagram of the subsequent operation of FIG. 5 .

FIG. 7 is a schematic top view of the transfer mechanism of FIG. 6 after rotation.

FIG. 8 is a top view schematically showing another robot arm of the transfer mechanism of FIG. 7 in operation.

FIG. 9 is a top view schematically showing the transfer mechanism of FIG. 8 placing a material into a storage position using the robot arm.

FIG. 10 is a top view schematically showing the transfer mechanism of FIG. 9 placing a material into a storage position using another robot arm.

13: Track

2: Allocate equipment

21: Bracket

22: Lifting mechanism

221: First lifting assembly

222: Carrier

2221:Conveyor belt

223: Second lifting assembly

2231: Push-up piece

23: Separation mechanism

24: Transfer mechanism

241: Third lifting assembly

242:Robotic Arm

3: Vehicles

31: Carrier board

33: Guide sleeve

M: Materials

H: height direction

Claims (10)

A storage system, comprising: a storage device, comprising a plurality of storage positions; and a distribution device, arranged in the storage device, and the distribution device comprises: a lifting mechanism, comprising: a first lifting assembly; a carrier, mounted on the first lifting assembly, so that the carrier can move along a height direction through the first lifting assembly; wherein the carrier is used to receive a carrier and a plurality of materials stacked on the carrier along the height direction; and a second lifting assembly, mounted on the carrier or the first lifting assembly, and the second lifting assembly comprises a push-up member, which is used to be arranged on the bottom side of the plurality of materials; wherein the second lifting assembly can lift the plurality of materials along the height direction with the push-up member; a separation mechanism, which moves along the height direction The separation mechanism is located above the carrier in height direction, and the separation mechanism includes a pick-up head for holding one of the materials; and a transfer mechanism, which is adjacent to the separation mechanism and can be used to take one of the materials from the pick-up head; wherein, when the carrier and the carrier supported by it and the plurality of materials are moved toward the separation mechanism through the first lifting assembly When the second lifting assembly moves to a waiting position, the second lifting assembly can lift multiple materials with the pushing member, so that the materials adjacent to the separation mechanism can be held by the picking head to achieve a material separation operation; wherein, when the picking head of the separation mechanism holds one of the materials, the transfer mechanism can transfer the material from the picking head to one of the storage positions. The storage system as described in claim 1, wherein when the transfer mechanism is in the process of transferring the material to a storage location, the lifting mechanism and the separation mechanism can synchronously perform the material separation operation. The storage system as described in claim 1, wherein when the carrier and the carrier and the plurality of materials carried by the carrier are located at the waiting position, the picking head of the separation mechanism does not touch the carrier and the plurality of materials. A storage system as described in claim 1, wherein the carrier is equipped with a conveyor belt adjacent to the push-up member, and the conveyor belt is used to transport and carry the carrier and the plurality of materials. As described in claim 1, the storage system, wherein the transfer mechanism includes a third lifting assembly and at least one robot arm mounted on the third lifting assembly, at least one robot arm can move along the height direction through the third lifting assembly and can be used to take one of the materials from the grabbing head. A storage system as described in claim 5, wherein at least one of the robotic arms is in multiple numbers, and the multiple robotic arms of the transfer mechanism can be used to transfer the material stored in one of the storage locations to another of the storage locations. A storage system as described in claim 1, wherein the storage equipment includes a track located on one side of the plurality of storage locations, the distribution equipment includes a bracket movably arranged on the track, and the lifting mechanism, the separation mechanism, and the transfer mechanism are installed on the bracket and can move together along the track. The storage system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distribution device includes the carrier, and the carrier includes: a carrier plate, arranged on the carrier platform; a material string, vertically fixed on the carrier plate; wherein the material string is used to pass through the plurality of stacked material pieces; and a guide sleeve, sleeved on the material string and arranged on the carrier plate; wherein the guide sleeve is used to allow the plurality of material pieces to be placed thereon, so that the plurality of material pieces are spaced apart from the push-up piece. A distribution device for a storage system, comprising: a lifting mechanism, comprising: a first lifting assembly; a platform, mounted on the first lifting assembly, so that the platform can move along a height direction through the first lifting assembly; wherein the platform is used to receive a carrier and a plurality of materials stacked on the carrier along the height direction; and a second lifting assembly, mounted on the platform or the first lifting assembly, and the second lifting assembly comprises a push-up member, which is used to be arranged on the plurality of materials. bottom side; wherein the second lifting assembly can lift multiple materials along the height direction with the pushing member; a separation mechanism, which is located above the carrier along the height direction, and the separation mechanism includes a pick-up head for holding one material; and a transfer mechanism, which is adjacent to the separation mechanism, and the transfer mechanism can be used to take one material from the pick-up head; wherein the carrier can be moved to a waiting position toward the separation mechanism through the first lifting assembly. The distribution equipment of the storage system as described in claim 9, wherein the distribution equipment comprises the carrier and a bracket, and the lifting mechanism, the separation mechanism, and the transfer mechanism are mounted on the bracket and can move together; wherein the carrier comprises: a carrier plate, arranged on the carrier; a material string, uprightly fixed on the carrier plate; wherein the material string is used to pass through the plurality of stacked material pieces; and a guide sleeve, sleeved on the material string and arranged on the carrier plate; wherein the guide sleeve is used to allow the plurality of material pieces to be placed thereon, so that the plurality of material pieces are spaced apart from the push-up piece.

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