Distribution station

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11518613-B2
Application number	US-201917276453-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2019
Priority date	Sep 21, 2018
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

A distribution station includes a base, a housing, a rotating shelf, a distribution vehicle, a sorting device, and a control system. The housing is provided on the base, and is provided with a goods access port and an access door. The rotating shelf is provided on the base and located in the housing. The rotating shelf includes a rotating shaft, a transmission belt, a plurality of shelf units, and a driving mechanism. The distribution vehicle enters and exits the housing via the access door and is used to transport goods. The sorting device is provided on the base and located in the housing. The sorting device is used to pick up goods and place the same between the distribution vehicle and the shelf units. The control system is used to control the driving mechanism and the sorting device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A distribution station, comprising:
a base;
a housing provided on the base and provided with a goods access port and an access door;
a rotating shelf provided on the base and located in the housing, the rotating shelf comprising:
a rotating shaft provided on the base vertically and provided with a rotating wheel concentric with the rotating shaft;
a transmission belt wound around outer circumference of the rotating wheel;
a plurality of shelf units provided on the transmission belt at intervals in a horizontal direction, and the shelf units are configured to store goods; and
a driving mechanism connected to the rotating shaft in transmission, the driving mechanism is configured to drive the rotating shaft to rotate axially around itself, so that at least one of the plurality of shelf units corresponds to the goods access port;

a distribution vehicle configured to enter and exit the housing through the access door and transport the goods;
a sorting device provided on the base and located in the housing, the sorting device is configured to pick up and place the goods between the distribution vehicle and the shelf units; and
a control system configured to control the driving mechanism and the sorting device,
wherein the rotating shelf comprises a plurality of rotating shafts;
the plurality of rotating shafts are arranged at intervals along a linear direction, heights of rotating wheels provided on the plurality of rotating shafts are the same, and the transmission belt is wound around a plurality of the rotating wheels,
wherein the distribution station further comprises a rotating platform;
the rotating platform is rotatably provided on the base and located in the housing;
the rotating platform is configured to adjust a direction of the distribution vehicle through rotation of the rotating platform when the distribution vehicle is parked on the rotating platform, and the rotating platform and the base are in an identical horizontal plane.

2. The distribution station according to claim 1 , wherein the rotating shelf comprises two rotating shafts.

3. The distribution station according to claim 1 , wherein:
each of the rotating shafts is provided with a plurality of rotating wheels located at different heights;
the plurality of the rotating wheels provided on each of the rotating shafts have an identical number and the heights of the plurality of the rotating wheels on each of the rotating shafts are corresponding to each other;
the plurality of the rotating wheels located at the same height of the plurality of the rotating shafts define a group of the rotating wheels;
a plurality of groups of the rotating wheels are respectively wound with a plurality of transmission belts, and each of the shelf units is provided on the plurality of the transmission belts.

4. The distribution station according to claim 3 , wherein:
each of the rotating shafts is provided with two rotating wheels respectively located at a top end and a bottom end of each of the rotating shafts;
a transmission belt is wound around the plurality of the rotating wheels located at the top end of each of the plurality of the rotating shafts;
another transmission belt is wound around the plurality of the rotating wheels located at the bottom end of each of the plurality of the rotating shafts;
each of the shelf units is connected to two transmission belts.

5. The distribution station according to claim 1 , wherein the rotating wheel is a sprocket, and the transmission belt is a chain.

6. The distribution station according to claim 1 , wherein:
the shelf units are provided with a plurality of goods storage grids sequentially distributed in a vertical direction;
the goods access port is provided with a plurality of opening and closing doors;
the plurality of the opening and closing doors correspond to the plurality of the goods storage grids respectively.

7. The distribution station according to claim 6 , wherein:
the distribution station further comprises a man-machine interface;
the man-machine interface is provided on the housing and connected to the control system;
the man-machine interface is configured for a user to input goods access instructions, and converting the goods access instructions into control signals and sending the control signals to the control system.

8. The distribution station according to claim 1 , wherein:
the driving mechanism comprises a driving motor and a driving belt;
the driving motor is provided in the housing and is provided with an output end;
the driving belt is connected between the output end and the rotating shaft;
the driving motor is configured to drive the rotating shaft to rotate through a transmission of the driving belt.

Assignees

• Beijing Jingdong Qianshi Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Chen Ying
• Wang Zhao
• Xiao Jun
• Zhang Yafang

Classifications

• B65G1/133 Primary

  the circuit being confined in a horizontal plane · CPC title

• G07F11/54

  about vertical axes · CPC title

• B65G1/0492 Primary

  with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles · CPC title

• G07F11/004

  Restocking arrangements therefor · CPC title

• B65G1/06

  with means for presenting articles for removal at predetermined position or level (B65G1/12 takes precedence) · CPC title