Sorter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11905124-B2
Application number	US-202017603582-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2020
Priority date	Apr 17, 2019
Publication date	Feb 20, 2024
Grant date	Feb 20, 2024

Abstract

A sorter comprising: a rack; a track assembly comprising two ring-shaped tracks both installed on the rack, the tracks being respectively arranged in two mutually parallel vertical planes and being aligned with each other; a drive assembly comprising at least one sprocket sets that comprise a driving sprocket and a plurality of driven sprockets installed on the rack; at least one chain hooping on the driving sprocket and the driven sprockets and having the same shape as the tracks; an electric machine configured to drive the driving sprocket to rotate; a sorting cart comprising a carriage that is arranged between and slidably connected to the two ring-shaped tracks and is further hinged with the chain; a conveying assembly disposed above the carriage and carry and convey items, wherein a conveying direction of the conveying assembly is different from a moving direction of the sorting cart.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sorter, comprising:
a rack ( 11 );
a track assembly ( 12 ) comprising two ring-shaped tracks ( 121 ) both installed on the rack ( 11 ), the two ring-shaped tracks ( 121 ) being respectively arranged in two mutually parallel vertical planes and being aligned with each other;
a drive assembly ( 13 ), comprising:
at least one sprocket set ( 149 ) comprising a driving sprocket ( 133 ) and a plurality of driven sprockets ( 132 ) installed on the rack ( 11 );
at least one chain ( 131 ) hooping on the driving sprocket ( 133 ) and the plurality of the driven sprockets ( 132 ) and consistent with a shape of the ring-shaped tracks ( 121 );
an electric machine ( 134 ) configured to drive the driving sprocket ( 133 ) to rotate;

a sorting cart ( 15 ), comprising:
a carriage ( 152 ) arranged between the two ring-shaped tracks ( 121 ) and slidably connected to the two ring-shaped tracks ( 121 ), and being further hinged with the at least one chain ( 131 );
a conveying assembly ( 151 ) disposed above the carriage ( 152 ) and configured to carry and convey packages;

wherein a conveying direction of the conveying assembly ( 151 ) is different from a moving direction of the sorting cart ( 15 );
wherein the carriage ( 152 ) comprises a carriage body ( 156 ) that carries the conveying assembly ( 151 ) and at least two support arms ( 157 ) that respectively arranged on both sides of the carriage body ( 156 ),
wherein each of the support arms ( 157 ) comprises:
a guide-wheel group ( 160 );
a hinge rod ( 159 ) extends from a side of the carriage body ( 156 ) in a direction away from the carriage body ( 156 ); and
a connecting rod ( 158 ) having one end connected to the hinge rod ( 159 ) and other end connected to the guide-wheel group ( 160 ), and being perpendicular to the hinge rod ( 159 );
wherein said two guide-wheel groups ( 160 ) respectively travel along the two ring-shaped tracks ( 121 ), the hinge rod ( 159 ) passes through the at least one chain ( 131 ) and rotates relative to the at least one chain ( 131 ), and the at least one chain ( 131 ) drives the carriage ( 152 ) to slide along the ring-shaped tracks ( 121 ) by pulling the hinge rod ( 159 ).

2. The sorter according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one chain ( 131 ) is located between the two ring-shaped tracks ( 121 ) and in a vertical plane parallel to the two ring-shaped tracks ( 121 ).

3. The sorter according to claim 2 , wherein the carriage ( 152 ) comprises a carriage body ( 156 ) that carries the conveying assembly ( 151 ) and at least two support arms ( 157 ) that respectively arranged on both sides of the carriage body ( 156 ),
wherein each of the support arms ( 157 ) comprises:
a guide-wheel group ( 160 );
a hinge rod ( 159 ) extends from a side of the carriage body ( 156 ) in a direction away from the carriage body ( 156 ); and
a connecting rod ( 158 ) having one end connected to the hinge rod ( 159 ) and other end connected to the guide-wheel group ( 160 ), and being perpendicular to the hinge rod ( 159 );

wherein said two guide-wheel groups ( 160 ) respectively travel along the two ring-shaped tracks ( 121 ), the hinge rod ( 159 ) passes through the at least one chain ( 131 ) and rotates relative to the at least one chain ( 131 ), and the at least one chain ( 131 ) drives the carriage ( 152 ) to slide along the ring-shaped tracks ( 121 ) by pulling the hinge rod ( 159 ).

4. The sorter according to claim 3 , wherein,
two sets of the at least one sprocket set ( 149 ) are provided and two chains of the at least one chain ( 131 ) are provided;
the two chains ( 131 ) are respectively arranged on the two sets of sprocket set ( 149 ), and are respectively located on two sides of the carriage body ( 156 );
each of two hinge rods ( 159 ) passes through a corresponding chain ( 131 ), and rotates relative to the corresponding chain ( 131 ) that it passes through;

the two chains ( 131 ) synchronously and respectively pull the two hinge rods ( 159 ) to drive the carriage ( 152 ) to slide along the ring-shaped tracks ( 121 ).

5. The sorter according to claim 1 , wherein,
two sets of the at least one sprocket set ( 149 ) are provided and two chains of the at least one chain ( 131 ) are provided;
the two chains ( 131 ) are respectively arranged on the two sets of sprocket set ( 149 ), and are respectively located on two sides of the carriage body ( 156 );
each of two hinge rods ( 159 ) passes through a corresponding chain ( 131 ), and rotates relative to the corresponding chain ( 131 ) that it passes through;
the two chains ( 131 ) synchronously and respectively pull the two hinge rods ( 159 ) to drive the carriage ( 152 ) to slide along the ring-shaped tracks ( 121 ).

6. The sorter according to claim 5 , wherein the driven sprockets ( 132 ) in the two sets of sprocket set ( 149 ) are aligned with each other;
the driving sprockets ( 133 ) in the two sets of sprocket set ( 149 ) are aligned with each other, and two driving sprockets ( 133 ) share a shaft ( 143 ).

7. The sorter according to claim 1 , wherein the hinge rod ( 159 ) connects two adjacent chain links in the at least one chain ( 131 ).

8. The sorter according to claim 1 , wherein each of the two ring-shaped tracks ( 121 ) is provided with a ring-shaped strip groove ( 125 ) with openings facing each other;
the guide-wheel group ( 160 ) comprises a first guide-wheel ( 161 ) and a second guide-wheel ( 162 ) that are coaxially arranged;
wherein, the first guide-wheel ( 161 ) rolls along an upper guide wall ( 126 ) of the ring-shaped strip groove ( 125 ), and the second guide-wheel ( 162 ) rolls along a lower guide wall ( 127 ) of the ring-shaped strip groove ( 125 ).

9. The sorter according to claim 8 , wherein a diameter of the first guide-wheel ( 161 ) is greater than a diameter of the second guide-wheel ( 162 ), and a height of the lower guide wall ( 127 ) of the ring-shaped strip groove ( 125 ) is smaller than a height of the upper guide wall ( 126 ) of the ring-shaped strip groove ( 125 ) so that the lower guide wall ( 127 ) gives a place to the first guide-wheel ( 161 ).

10. The sorter according to claim 1 , wherein the drive assembly ( 13 ) further comprises a first pallet ( 136 ) that has a shape of a straight strip and extends in a horizontal direction, and the first pallet ( 136 ) is arranged below a horizontally extending portion of the chain ( 131 ).

11. The sorter according to claim 1 , wherein the drive assembly ( 13 ) further comprises a second pallet ( 137 ) that has a shape of a straight strip and extends in a vertical direction, and the second pallet ( 137 ) is arranged on an inner side of a vertically extending portion of the chain ( 131 ).

12. The sorter according to claim 1 , wherein the rack ( 11 ) comprises two frames ( 111 ) separated from each other;
wherein two sides of ring-shaped tracks ( 121 ) are respectively installed on the two frames ( 111 ), and sprockets in the sprocket set ( 149 ) are evenly distributed on the two frames ( 111 ).

13. The sorter according to claim 1 , wherein the sprocket set ( 149 ) further comprises a tensioning member ( 139 ) installed on the frame, a bearing seat ( 138 ) installed on the tensioning member ( 139 ), and a third bearing ( 148 ) installed on the bearing seat ( 138 );
wherein a rotating shaft of at least one driven sprocket ( 132 ) is inserted into an inner ring of the third bearing ( 148 );
wherein the tensioning member ( 139 ) comprises:
two straight sliding tracks ( 140 ) parallel to each other, the bearing seat ( 138 ) being disposed between the two straight sliding tracks ( 140 ) and slide along the straight s

Assignees

• Beijing Jingdong Qianshi Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shan Wenjun

Classifications

• B65G47/46 Primary

  and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points (in tube mail systems B65G51/36) · CPC title

• B07C5/36

  Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution {(sorting according to destination B07C3/003, B07C3/02)} · CPC title

• B65G17/32

  Individual load-carriers · CPC title

• B65G35/02

  comprising an endless traction element, e.g. a belt, arranged to roll cylindrical articles over a supporting surface · CPC title

• B65G37/00 Primary

  Combinations of mechanical conveyors of the same kind, or of different kinds, of interest apart from their application in particular machines or use in particular manufacturing processes (series of co-operating belt conveyor units B65G15/22; series of co-operating chain conveyor units B65G17/26; sequence control of combined conveyors B65G43/10) · CPC title