Object sorting system and sorting method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12338073-B2
Application number	US-202017631194-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 22, 2020
Priority date	Aug 29, 2019
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

An object sorting system includes: a storage device configured to drive an object to be sorted in the storage device to move after an object moving-out instruction is received; a transport device configured to transport the object to be sorted; and a dispatching system configured to enable the transport device to move to the storage device where the object to be sorted is located according to a storage position of the object to be sorted in the storage device, so that the object to be sorted is driven to depart from the storage device and then falls to the transport device.

First claim

The invention calimed is:

1. An object sorting system, comprising:
a storage device configured to drive an object to be sorted in the storage device to move after an object moving-out instruction is received;
a transport device configured to transport the object to be sorted;
a dispatching system configured to enable the transport device to move to the storage device where the object to be sorted is located according to a storage position of the object to be sorted in the storage device so that the object to be sorted is driven to depart from the storage device and then falls to the transport device; and
a packing and re-checking platform configured to pack and re-check objects;
wherein a plurality of storage devices are provided, and the dispatching system is configured to enable the transport device to move to a next storage device after objects sorting of one storage device is completed and in a case that a current sorting task is not completed, and enable the transport device to transport the objects to the packing and re-checking platform in a case that the current sorting task is completed.

2. The object sorting system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a container arranged on the transport device and configured to accommodate the object to be sorted falling from the storage device.

3. The object sorting system according to claim 2 , further comprising:
an object detection part arranged on an inner wall of the container adjacent to an opening and configured to detect whether the object to be sorted falls into the container, and
wherein the dispatching system is configured to, according to the detection result of the object detection part, determine whether a number of objects falling into the container from the storage device is consistent with a number of pre-distributed objects, and determine that objects sorting of the current storage device is completed in a case of consistency.

4. The object sorting system according to claim 1 , wherein the storage device comprises:
a shelf body provided with a plurality of storage positions for storing objects, wherein the shelf body is provided with a parking space below the bottom storage position and configured for the transport device to park when receiving objects; and
a driving part configured to drive the objects in the storage position to move after the object moving-out instruction is received.

5. The object sorting system according to claim 4 , wherein the driving part comprises a plurality of independent driving units which are correspondingly arranged in each storage position and configured to drive the objects in the storage position to move,
wherein the dispatching system is configured to control each driving unit to enable the required number of objects to be sorted to depart from the storage position.

6. The object sorting system according to claim 5 , wherein the shelf body comprises a plurality of guide parts which are fixed in each storage position respectively; and the driving unit comprises:
a power component provided with an output shaft and configured to output rotary motion;
a fixed wheel coaxially connected to the output shaft of the power component; and
a spiral part sleeving outside the guide piece, one end of the spiral part being connected to the fixed wheel, and configured to drive objects placed on the guide piece and located between adjacent spiral lines of the spiral part to move when the power component drives the fixed wheel to rotate.

7. The object sorting system according to claim 4 , wherein the shelf body comprises:
a frame;
a plurality of partition plates arranged along a height direction of the frame at intervals so as to divide the frame into a plurality of layers in the height direction; and
a plurality of storage compartments detachably arranged on each partition plate, at least part of the storage compartments on each partition plate being arranged in parallel along a width direction of the shelf body, and an internal space of the storage compartment forming the storage position.

8. The object sorting system according to claim 7 , wherein the partition plate is provided with a guide groove extending along a thickness direction of the shelf body; and the storage compartment is configured to be inserted into the guide groove from one end of the guide groove.

9. The object sorting system according to claim 1 , wherein the storage device comprises a double-sided objects shelf; a channel is formed in the storage device to guide the falling objects; and the channel is located at the middle position of the double-sided objects shelf along a thickness direction.

10. An object sorting method, comprising:
enabling a transport device to move to a storage device where an object to be sorted is located according to the storage position of the object to be sorted in the storage device;
enabling the storage device to drive the object to be sorted in the storage device to move in response to an object moving-out instruction, so that the object to be sorted departs from the storage device and then falls to the transport device; and
wherein a plurality of storage devices are provided, determining whether a current sorting task is completed after objects sorting of one storage device is completed, if the current sorting task is completed, enabling the transport device to transport the objects to a packing and re-checking platform, and if the current sorting task is not completed, enabling the transport device to move to the next storage device.

11. The object sorting method according to claim 10 , further comprising: determining whether objects sorting of the current storage device is completed.

12. The object sorting method according to claim 11 , wherein the step of determining whether objects sorting in the current storage device is completed comprises:
detecting whether the object to be sorted fall into a container on the transport device through an object detection part; and
according to the detection result of the object detection part, determining whether a number of objects falling into the container from the storage device is consistent with a number of pre-distributed objects, and determining that objects sorting of current storage device is completed in a case of consistency.

13. The object sorting method according to claim 10 , wherein the storage device comprises: a shelf body and a driving part; the shelf body is provided with a plurality of storage positions for storing objects; the driving part comprises a plurality of independent driving units which are correspondingly arranged in each storage position; and the step of driving the object to be sorted to depart from the storage position comprises:
starting the driving unit corresponding to the storage position where the object to be sorted is located, and
controlling the driving unit to enable the required number of objects to be sorted to depart the storage position.

14. The object sorting method according to claim 10 , wherein before the step of enabling the transport device to move to the storage position where the object to be sorted is located, the object sorting method further comprises:
distributing objects which need to be transported by the transport device for a single time according to the type and number of the objects to be sorted in an order.

15. The object sorting method according to claim 10 , wherein before the step of enabling the transport device to move to the storage device where the object to be sorted is located according to the storage position of the object to be sorted in the storage device, the object sorting method

Assignees

• Beijing Jingdong Qianshi Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ma Chenglong

Classifications

• B65G2203/0208

  relating to the transported articles · CPC title

• B65G33/04

  conveyed between a single screw and guiding means · CPC title

• B65G1/08

  the articles being fed by gravity {(braking arrangements for roller-ways B65G13/075; separating or stopping elements B65G47/88)} · CPC title

• B65G1/0492

  with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles · CPC title

• B07C3/08

  using arrangements of conveyors {(transport of sheets B65H; transport in general B65G)} · CPC title