Sorting machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11964302-B2
Application number	US-202017616254-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2020
Priority date	Jun 3, 2019
Publication date	Apr 23, 2024
Grant date	Apr 23, 2024

Abstract

Disclosed is a sorting machine, comprising a rack, two rail units which are both mounted on the rack and are symmetrical to each other, and a sorting cart. The rail units comprise: a transverse rail assembly, wherein the transverse rail assembly comprises a plurality of transverse rails and a plurality of reversing mechanisms, and the transverse rails and the reversing mechanisms are alternately arranged along a straight line; and a plurality of vertical rails which are parallel to each other, wherein the vertical rails and the reversing mechanisms are arranged in one-to-one correspondence. The sorting cart is switched to a rail by means of the reversing mechanisms, and a conveying direction of a conveying assembly is different from a traveling direction of the sorting cart.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sorting machine, comprising: a rack, two rail units both installed on the rack and symmetrical to each other, and a sorting cart;
the rail unit comprising:
a transverse rail assembly, the transverse rail assembly comprising a plurality of transverse rails and a plurality of reversing mechanisms, wherein the transverse rail and the reversing mechanism are alternately arranged along a straight line, and the plurality of transverse rails are flush with each other; and
a plurality of mutually parallel vertical rails, wherein the vertical rails and the reversing mechanisms are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence, and one end of the vertical rail extends to the corresponding reversing mechanism;
the sorting cart comprising:
a frame arranged between the two rail units;
a traveling mechanism installed on the frame and capable of traveling along the transverse rail and the vertical rail of two rail units;
a conveying assembly arranged above the frame and capable of carrying and conveying articles,
wherein, the reversing mechanism is used to switchably connect one transverse rail to one of the transverse rail and the vertical rail adjacent to the transverse rail, the sorting cart switches rails through the reversing mechanism, and a conveying direction of the conveying assembly is different from a traveling direction of the sorting cart,
wherein the reversing mechanism comprises:
a steering member, comprising a bottom plate slidably connected to the rack and a straight rail and a curved rail arranged on an identical surface of the bottom plate;
a driving mechanism configured to drive the steering member to slide;
wherein, the curved rail and the straight rail are successively arranged along a sliding direction of the bottom plate, the straight rail is parallel to the transverse rail and capable of connecting two adjacent transverse rails, the curved rail is capable of connecting adjacent one transverse rail and one vertical rail.

2. The sorting machine according to claim 1 , wherein the transverse rail assembly is provided with two sets, and the vertical rail is provided between two sets of the transverse rail assemblies and two ends thereof respectively extend to the reversing mechanisms of the two sets of the transverse rail assemblies.

3. The sorting machine according to claim 1 , wherein an included angle between the sliding direction of the bottom plate and an extending direction of the vertical rail is equal to an included angle between the sliding direction of the bottom plate and the extending direction of the transverse rail.

4. The sorting machine according to claim 1 , wherein an end surface of the transverse rail and an end surface of the straight rail are inclined surfaces parallel to each other, and the end surface of the transverse rail and the end surface of the straight rail are both parallel to the sliding direction of the bottom plate.

5. The sorting machine according to claim 1 , wherein the straight rail and the curved rail are respectively arranged at two ends of the bottom plate, and the curved rail is arranged at one end of the bottom plate close to the vertical rail.

6. The sorting machine according to claim 1 , wherein the reversing mechanism further comprises:
a linear guide rail, installed between the rack and the bottom plate, and configured to guide the bottom plate to slide along a straight line.

7. The sorting machine according to claim 1 , wherein the bottom plate is provided with a slot that is not parallel to a sliding direction of the steering member;
the driving mechanism comprises:
a speed reducer, comprising an input shaft and an output shaft;
a third motor, comprising a main shaft that is drivingly connected to the input shaft;
a pendulum rod, having one end vertically connected to the output shaft;
a pendulum wheel, installed at the other end of the pendulum rod and located in the slot, and capable of rolling along the slot;
wherein, when the pendulum rod drives the pendulum wheel to swing, the pendulum wheel is capable of driving the steering member to slide.

8. The sorting machine according to claim 1 , wherein the curved rail is a smooth arc, and one end of the curved rail faces a direction parallel to an extending direction of the straight rail, the other end of the curved rail faces a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the straight rail and away from the straight rail.

9. The sorting machine according to claim 1 , wherein each rail in the rail unit comprises a spline and a limit guide rail parallel to the spline;
the traveling mechanism comprises a plurality of wheel sets, and each of the wheel sets comprises a crawling gear that is capable of actively rotating and a guide wheel arranged next to the crawling gear and coaxial with a preset crawling gear;
wherein, the crawling gear is arranged between the spline and the limit guide rail, and the crawling gear is meshed with the spline and is capable of rolling along the spline, and the guide wheel is capable of rolling along the limit guide rail.

10. The sorting machine according to claim 9 , wherein a width of the spline is smaller than a width of the limit guide rail, so as to make way for the guide wheel.

11. The sorting machine according to claim 9 , wherein each of the wheel sets further comprises a wheel shaft, and the wheel shafts are parallel to each other;
each wheel set has two crawling gears and two guide wheels, the two crawling gears are respectively arranged at two ends of the wheel shafts, and two guide wheels are arranged between the two crawling gears and are respectively close to the two crawling gears;
the traveling mechanism further comprises a second motor for driving a plurality of the wheel shafts to rotate synchronously.

12. The sorting machine according to claim 1 , wherein the transverse rail is arranged horizontally, and the vertical rail is arranged vertically.

13. The sorting machine according to claim 1 , wherein the sorting machine further comprises a plurality of logistics boxes arranged on the rack, and a plurality of the logistics boxes are arranged on a side of the vertical rail away from the sorting cart.

14. The sorting machine according to claim 2 , wherein the reversing mechanism comprises:
a steering member, comprising a bottom plate slidably connected to the rack and a straight rail and a curved rail arranged on an identical surface of the bottom plate;
a driving mechanism configured to drive the steering member to slide;
wherein, the curved rail and the straight rail are successively arranged along a sliding direction of the bottom plate, the straight rail is parallel to the transverse rail and capable of connecting two adjacent transverse rails, the curved rail is capable of connecting adjacent one transverse rail and one vertical rail.

15. The sorting machine according to claim 2 , wherein the transverse rail is arranged horizontally, and the vertical rail is arranged vertically.

16. The sorting machine according to claim 2 , wherein the sorting machine further comprises a plurality of logistics boxes arranged on the rack, and a plurality of the logistics boxes are arranged on a side of the vertical rail away from the sorting cart.

Assignees

• Beijing Jingdong Qianshi Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shan Wenjun
• Wang Xu
• Wang Guopeng
• Chen Xiaochong

Classifications

• B07C3/02 Primary

  Apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution · CPC title

• B07C3/003

  Destination control; Electro-mechanical or electro- magnetic delay memories · CPC title

• B65G1/0492

  with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles · CPC title

• B07C5/36 Primary

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

• B07C1/00

  Measures preceding sorting according to destination · CPC title