Unloading device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11230440-B1
Application number	US-202017088945-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 4, 2020
Priority date	Sep 22, 2020
Publication date	Jan 25, 2022
Grant date	Jan 25, 2022

Abstract

An unloading device includes a loading assembly, an unloading assembly, and an alignment assembly. The loading assembly includes a loading rack and a loading tray. The unloading assembly includes a conveyor belt and a movable rod. The movable rod pushes the loading tray toward the conveyor belt. The alignment assembly includes a sensing member, a processor, and a driving member. The sensing member senses a first distance between different positions of the loading tray and the sensing member. A second distance is defined between the sensing member and the loading rack. The processor calculates a position deviation of the loading tray relative to the conveyor belt and controls the driving member to drive the loading rack to move to compensate for the position deviation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An unloading device for unloading and conveying materials, the unloading device comprising:
a loading assembly comprising a loading rack and at least one loading tray movably received in the loading rack, the loading tray used for holding the materials;
an unloading assembly comprising a conveyor belt and a movable rod, the loading rack arranged between the conveyor belt and the movable rod, a distance between the conveyor belt and the loading rack smaller than a length of the loading tray, the movable rod used to extend into the loading rack and push the corresponding loading tray toward the conveyor belt, and the conveyor belt used to transport the loading tray; and
an alignment assembly comprising a sensing member, a processor, and a driving member, the sensing member used to sense a first distance between each of at least two positions of the loading tray and the sensing member, a second distance being defined between the sensing member and the loading rack; wherein:
the processor is used to calculate a position deviation of the loading tray relative to the conveyor belt according to the at least two first distances and the second distance, the processor configured to control the driving member to drive the loading rack to move to compensate for the position deviation.

2. The unloading device of claim 1 , wherein:
the driving member comprises a first driver and a second driver;
the first driver is used to drive the loading rack to move in a vertical direction;
the second driver is used to drive the loading rack to rotate in a direction parallel to an extension direction of the conveyor belt.

3. The unloading device of claim 2 , wherein:
the sensing member comprises a first distance sensor and a second distance sensor;
the first distance sensor and the second distance sensor are arranged a same distance above the conveyor belt along the extension direction of the conveyor belt;
the first distance sensor is used to sense a first vertical distance between a first position of the loading plate and the first distance sensor, and the second distance sensor is used to sense a second vertical distance between a second position of the loading tray and the second distance sensor;
the first distance comprises the first vertical distance and the second vertical distance; and
the processor calculates a height deviation of the loading rack in the vertical direction relative to the conveyor belt according to the first vertical distance, the second vertical distance, and the second distance, and controls the first driver to drive the loading rack to move to remove the height deviation.

4. The unloading device of claim 3 , wherein:
the second distance sensor is located between the first distance sensor and the loading rack; and
a sum of a distance between the first distance sensor and the second distance sensor and a distance between the first distance sensor and the loading rack is less than the length of the loading tray.

5. The unloading device of claim 3 , wherein:
the sensing member further comprises a third distance sensor:
the third distance sensor and the first distance sensor are arranged a same distance above the conveyor belt along a horizontal direction;
a third distance is defined between the third distance sensor and the first distance sensor;
the third distance sensor is used to sense a third vertical distance between a third position of the loading tray and the third distance sensor;
the first distance further comprises the third vertical distance; and
the processor calculates an angular deviation of the loading rack relative to the conveyor belt in the horizontal direction according to the first vertical distance, the third vertical distance, and the third distance, and controls the second driver to drive the loading rack to rotate to remove the angular deviation.

6. The unloading device of claim 5 , wherein:
the third distance is smaller than a width of the loading tray.

7. The unloading device of claim 3 , wherein:
each of the first distance sensor and the second distance sensor comprises a pulley, a wheel rod, an elastic restoring member, and a pressure sensitive member;
the wheel rod is coupled between the pulley and the elastic restoring member;
the pulley is used for providing a rolling contact with a side of the loading tray facing away from the conveyor belt;
the pressure sensitive member is used to sense a pressure at a contact position between the pulley and the loading tray; and
the elastic restoring member is used to provide a restoring force for restoring the wheel rod and the pulley.

8. The unloading device of claim 4 , wherein:
the loading rack comprises two opposite side walls;
each side wall comprises an inner surface and an outer surface;
each inner surface faces the other side wall, and each outer surface faces away from the other side wall;
each inner surface is provided with a plurality of parallel and equidistantly spaced sliding grooves, and each of the sliding grooves of one side wall corresponds to a respective sliding groove of the other side wall; and
each loading tray is received in the corresponding two opposite sliding grooves.

9. The unloading device of claim 8 , wherein:
the first driver is used to drive the loading rack to move at predetermined height increments, so that the movable rod extends between every two opposite sliding grooves to push the corresponding loading tray.

10. An unloading device for unloading and conveying materials, the unloading device comprising:
a loading assembly comprising a loading rack and at least one loading tray movably received in the loading rack, the loading tray used for holding the materials;
an unloading assembly comprising a conveyor belt and a movable rod, the loading rack arranged between the conveyor belt and the movable rod, a distance between the conveyor belt and the loading rack smaller than a length of the loading tray, the movable rod used to extend into the loading rack and push the corresponding loading tray toward the conveyor belt, and the conveyor belt used to transport the loading tray; and
an alignment assembly comprising a sensing member, a processor, and a driving member, the sensing member used to sense a first distance between each of at least two positions of the loading tray and the sensing member, a second distance being defined between the sensing member and the loading rack; wherein:
when one end of the loading tray rests on the conveyor belt and an opposite end of the loading tray rests on the loading rack, the end of the loading tray resting on the conveyor belt is within a sensing range of the sensing member;
the sensing member is used for sensing the first distance between the sensing member and the different positions of the end of the loading tray on the conveyor belt; and
the processor is used to calculate a position deviation of the loading tray relative to the conveyor belt according to the at least two first distances and the second distance, the processor configured to control the driving member to drive the loading rack to move to compensate for the position deviation.

11. The unloading device of claim 10 , wherein:
the driving member comprises a first driver and a second driver;
the first driver is used to drive the loading rack to move in a vertical direction;
the second driver is used to drive the loading rack to rotate in a direction parallel to an extension direction of the conveyor belt.

12. The unloading device of claim 11 , wherein:
the sensing member comprises a first distance sensor and a second distance sensor;
the first distance sensor and the second distance sensor are

Assignees

• Triple Win Tech Shenzhen Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zhu Cong

Classifications

• B65G47/82 Primary

  Rotary or reciprocating members for direct action on articles or materials, e.g. pushers, rakes, shovels {(means for pushing glass articles onto a conveyor C03B9/453)} · CPC title

• B65G43/00

  Control devices, e.g. for safety, warning or fault-correcting · CPC title

• B65G2203/0233

  Position of the article · CPC title

• B65G2201/0258

  Trays, totes or bins · CPC title

• B65G59/023 Primary

  by means insertable between the stacked articles or layers · CPC title