Fork and carrying robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11548770-B2
Application number	US-202217697527-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2022
Priority date	Sep 17, 2019
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

The application relates to a carrying robot including a fork. The fork includes a telescopic arm and a temporary storage tray. The telescopic arm includes a fixed arm and a movable arm connected to the fixed arm. The movable arm is telescopically movable relative to the fixed arm. The temporary storage tray is mounted to the fixed arm and is configured to temporarily store goods. The temporary storage tray is able to extend relative to the fixed arm. An extending direction of the temporary storage tray is consistent with an extending direction of the movable arm. When the fork pulls in or pushes out the goods, containers can be stably transferred between a stationary rack and the temporary storage tray.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fork configured to transfer a container, comprising:
a telescopic arm comprising a first arm, a second arm and a pusher assembly, wherein the second arm is movably connected to the first arm the second arm being telescopically movable relative to the first arm, wherein the pusher assembly is mounted to the second arm and confinured to pull or push the container, wherein the pusher assembly comprises a movable usher configured to fold or unfold relative to the second arm;
a temporary storage tray mounted to the first arm and configured to temporarily store the container, the temporary storage tray being configured to extend or retract relative to the first arm, wherein an extending direction of the temporary storage tray is consistent with an extending direction of the second arm; and
a sliding assembly configured to enable the temporary storage tray to extend relative to the first arm;
wherein the sliding assembly comprises an elastic piece, a first end of the elastic piece being connected to the first arm, a second end of the elastic piece being connected to the temporary storage tray.

2. The fork according to claim 1 , wherein an end of the temporary storage tray is configured to protrude from the first arm when the temporary storage tray is in a state where the temporary storage tray is extended.

3. The fork according to claim 2 , wherein when the temporary storage tray is in a state where the temporary storage tray is extended, the end of the temporary storage tray protruding from the first arm is closer to a stationary rack.

4. The fork according to claim 1 , wherein the sliding assembly is configured to push or pull the temporary storage tray to cause the temporary storage tray to extend relative to the first arm.

5. The fork according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic piece comprises a spring.

6. The fork according to claim 5 , wherein the spring is a compression spring or a tension spring.

7. The fork according to claim 1 , wherein the sliding assembly further comprises a guide rod;
wherein the temporary storage tray is slidable along the guide rod with an elastic force of the elastic piece.

8. The fork according to claim 7 , wherein the sliding assembly further comprises a sliding block, the sliding block being sleeved on the guide rod and slidable along the guide rod.

9. The fork according to claim 8 , wherein the elastic piece comprises a spring, the spring being sleeved on the guide rod;
wherein the guide rod is mounted to one of the first arm and the temporary storage tray, and the sliding block is connected to another of the first arm and the temporary storage tray.

10. The fork according to claim 1 , wherein the sliding assembly comprises a stopper configured to prevent the temporary storage tray from slipping off.

11. The fork according to claim 1 , wherein the first arm comprises:
an underframe; and
a side wall connected to the underframe;
wherein the movable second arm is mounted to the side wall, and the temporary storage tray is mounted to the underframe;
wherein the sliding assembly is at least partially mounted to the underframe.

12. The fork according to claim 1 , wherein the temporary storage tray is provided with a rib;
wherein the telescopic arm is configured to push the rib in order to cause the temporary storage tray to retract relative to the first arm.

13. The fork according to claim 12 , wherein the second arm is configured to abut against the rib so as to cause the temporary storage tray to retract relative to the first arm when the second arm is in a state where the second arm is in a process of retracting relative to the first arm.

14. The fork according to claim 12 , wherein the second arm comprises:
a first arm section mounted to the first arm, the first arm section being telescopically movable relative to the first arm; and
a second arm section mounted to the first arm section, the second arm section being telescopically movable relative to the first arm section;
wherein the pusher assembly is mounted to the second arm section, the movable pusher being mounted to a first end of the second arm section, the pusher assembly further comprising a fixed pusher mounted to a second end of the second arm section;
wherein the fixed pusher is configured to abut against the rib in order to enable the temporary storage tray to retract relative to the first arm.

15. The fork according to claim 1 , wherein the second arm comprises:
a first arm section mounted to the first arm, the first arm section being telescopically movable relative to the first arm with an action of a first driving assembly; and
a second arm section mounted to the first arm section, the second arm section being telescopically movable relative to the first arm section with an action of a second driving assembly;
wherein the first arm section is provided with a connecting Plate, the first driving assembly being configured to drive the first arm section to move relative to the first arm by using the connecting plate.

16. The fork according to claim 15 , wherein the first driving assembly comprises a chain wheel mechanism and a driving member;
wherein the connecting plate is fixedly connected to a link chain of the chain wheel mechanism, the chain wheel mechanism being configured to drive the first arm section to move relative to the first arm by using the connecting plate.

17. The fork according to claim 15 , wherein the first driving assembly comprises a pulley mechanism and a driving member;
wherein the connecting plate is fixedly connected to the pulley mechanism, the pulley mechanism being configured to drive the first arm section to move relative to the first arm through the connecting plate.

18. The fork according to claim 15 , wherein the temporary storage tray is provided with a rib;
wherein the connecting plate of the first arm section is configured to abut against the rib so as to enable the temporary storage tray to retract with the second arm relative to the first arm.

19. A method of controlling a fork, the fork being configured to transfer a container, the fork comprising:
a telescopic arm comprising a first arm, a second arm and a driving assembly, wherein the second arm is movably connected to the first arm, the second arm being telescopically movable relative to the first arm with an action of the driving assembly; and
a temporary storage tray connected to the first arm and configured to, temporarily store the container, the temporary storage tray being configured to extend or retract relative to the first arm, wherein an extending direction of the temporary storage tray is consistent with a extending direction of the second arm;
wherein the method comprises:
extending, by the second arm, relative to the first arm with the action of the driving assembly;
in response to extension of the second arm, pushing or pulling the temporary storage tray with an elastic force so as to cause the temporary storage tray to extend relative to the first arm; and
extending, by the temporary storage tray, relative to the s arm so as to protrude from the first arm.

20. A method of controlling a fork, the fork being configured to transfer a container, the fork comprising:
a telescopic arm comprising a first arm, a second arm, a pusher assembly and a driving assembly, wherein the second arm is movably connected to the first arm, the second arm being telescopically movable relative to the first arm with an action of the driving assembly, the pusher assembly being mounted to

Assignees

• Hai Robotics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zhan Qingxin

Classifications

• B66F9/149

  Whole unit including fork support rotates · CPC title

• B66F9/12 Primary

  Platforms; Forks; Other load supporting or gripping members · CPC title

• B66F9/063

  Automatically guided · CPC title

• B66F9/122

  longitudinally movable · CPC title

• B66F9/195

  for pushing the load · CPC title