Mobile robot and control method

Abstract

This invention discloses a mobile robot and its control method, including a mobile base, a column mounted on the mobile base, multiple robotic arm assemblies mounted on the column, and a controller. Each robotic arm assembly includes an arm base and an arm body. The arm base is movably mounted on the column and configured to independently rise and fall along the column to drive the arm body to rise and fall. The arm body is configured to rotate around the axis of the column. The controller is configured to control the arm base and arm body of each robotic arm assembly to independently perform corresponding rising and falling and rotating movements. Each robotic arm assembly can rise and fall independently, allowing different robotic arms to be at different heights. Each arm body can rotate independently around the axis of the column, allowing the two arms to face different directions. This enables asynchronous parallel collaboration where one arm performs a high-level task while the other arm simultaneously performs a low-level task, truly realizing parallel independent operation of both arms.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of robotics technology, specifically relating to a mobile robot and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of intelligent manufacturing, warehousing and logistics, and service robots, mobile robots have become key equipment for industrial automation and intelligent upgrading. Among them, dual-arm mobile robots, due to their human-like dual-arm operation capabilities, have shown significant application value in flexible manufacturing, assembly operations, and material handling scenarios.

[0003] However, in existing dual-arm mobile robots, the two robotic arms are typically fixedly mounted on the same base or the same lifting platform. The lifting movements of the two arms are coupled together, making it impossible to independently adjust the working height of each arm. When facing multi-height, multi-directional work scenarios (such as multi-level shelf picking and placing, and high-low level synchronous assembly), the two arms are confined to the same height plane, severely limiting the operating space. Furthermore, because the two arms are physically coupled to a shared base, they must face the same direction and be within the same height range, making it impossible to perform asynchronous collaborative tasks where "one arm works at a higher position while the other works at a lower position," thus hindering truly parallel and independent operation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the technical problems existing in the prior art, the present invention provides a mobile robot and a control method thereof.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A mobile robot, comprising: Mobile base; The upright is mounted on the movable base; Multiple robotic arm assemblies, each robotic arm assembly including an arm base and an arm body, the arm base being movably mounted on the column and configured to independently rise and fall along the column to drive the arm body to rise and fall, the arm body being configured to rotate about the axis of the column; The controller is configured to control the arm base and arm body of each robotic arm component to independently perform corresponding lifting and rotating movements.

[0006] Furthermore, both the first robotic arm assembly and the second robotic arm assembly include a first lifting drive and a first rotating drive. The first lifting drive is used to drive the corresponding arm base to rise and fall along the axial direction of the column, and the first rotating drive is used to drive the corresponding arm body to rotate around the axis of the column.

[0007] Furthermore, the column is provided with a transmission mechanism extending along its axial direction inside or on its surface; the first lifting drive includes a driven member that cooperates with the transmission mechanism and a first power unit that drives the driven member to move along the axial direction of the transmission mechanism; the arm base is connected to the driven member so that the arm base can move up and down along the transmission mechanism. The transmission mechanism is configured as a ball screw, and the driven member is a screw nut that cooperates with the ball screw; or the transmission mechanism is a linear rack, and the driven member is a gear that meshes with the linear rack.

[0008] Furthermore, the arm base includes a first collar that is coaxially sleeved around the outer periphery of the column and connected to the output end of the first lifting drive component; the arm base is also configured to include a first guide assembly disposed within the first collar and used for guiding and engaging with the column.

[0009] Furthermore, the outer periphery of the first collar is provided with an external gear ring, and the first rotary drive includes a gear meshing with the external gear ring and a second power unit for driving the gear to rotate around its own axis. The arm body rotates around the arm base through the first rotary drive.

[0010] Furthermore, a first annular slide rail is provided circumferentially around the outer periphery of the first collar, and the arm body is connected to a first guide component that cooperates with the first annular slide rail; The first annular slide rail and the first guide assembly are configured to allow relative rotation of the arm in the circumferential direction and restrict relative displacement of the arm in the axial direction.

[0011] Furthermore, the first annular slide rail includes a first groove disposed on the outer peripheral wall of the first collar and / or a second groove disposed on the inner peripheral wall of the first collar; the first guide assembly is configured to include a first guide member that slides or rolls with the first groove and / or a second guide member that slides or rolls with the second groove; The first slide and the second slide are located at the same horizontal level, and the first guide and the second guide are located at the same horizontal level; or, the first slide and the second slide are offset in the axial direction, and the first guide and the second guide are offset in the axial direction.

[0012] Furthermore, the column is movably mounted on the movable base; the column is also equipped with multiple vision heads, each vision head corresponding to one of the multiple robotic arm components, for tracking the corresponding robotic arm components respectively. Each of the aforementioned vision heads includes a vision base and a tracking body disposed on the vision base. The vision base is configured to be able to rise and fall independently along the column to drive the tracking body to rise and fall. The tracking body is configured to be able to rotate about the axis of the column.

[0013] Furthermore, both the first visual head and the second visual head include a second lifting drive and a second rotating drive. The second lifting drive is used to drive the corresponding visual base to rise and fall along the axial direction of the column, and the second rotating drive is used to drive the corresponding tracking body to rotate around the axis of the column.

[0014] A control method for a mobile robot based on the above includes the following steps: S1. In response to the received task instruction, independently configure the lifting motion parameters and rotational motion parameters for each of the robotic arm components, so that the lifting and rotational degrees of freedom of each robotic arm component are independent of each other at the control level. S2. Based on the lifting motion parameters corresponding to each of the robotic arm components, each of the arm bases is independently controlled to lift and lower along the column to its respective target height position, so that different robotic arm components can be at different height levels along the axial direction of the column; S3. Based on the rotational motion parameters corresponding to each of the robotic arm components, each arm body is independently controlled to rotate around the axis of the column to its respective target orientation angle, so that different robotic arm components can face different directions in the circumferential direction of the column. S4. Each of the robotic arm components performs a task at its independently configured target height position and target orientation angle, such that at least one of the robotic arm components performs a first task at a first height level and a first orientation, while at least another robotic arm component performs a second task at a second height level and a second orientation different from the first height level and different from the first orientation.

[0015] Furthermore, the degree-of-freedom decoupling control step also includes: The controller parses the task instruction into a dual-arm collaborative task or a dual-arm independent task. When the task is parsed as the dual-arm independent operation task, the controller decomposes the operation task instruction into sub-tasks corresponding to each robotic arm component, and configures the lifting motion parameters and rotation motion parameters independently for each robotic arm component according to each sub-task.

[0016] Furthermore, a system initialization step is included before the degree-of-freedom decoupling control step: Establish a global coordinate system to determine the initial pose of the mobile robot in the working environment; Perform zero-position calibration on each of the arm bases and each of the arm bodies, and reset each moving part to its initial zero position; Establish the mapping relationship between the joint space of each robotic arm component and the Cartesian operation space.

[0017] Furthermore, the mobile robot also includes multiple vision heads mounted on the column, each vision head corresponding to one of the robotic arm components, and each vision head having independent lifting and rotational degrees of freedom. The control method further includes a vision-based motion control step: During the lifting and lowering of each of the arm bases and / or the rotation of each of the arm bodies, the controller controls each of the vision heads to lift and / or rotate synchronously with their respective corresponding robotic arm components, so that the field of vision center of each vision head remains aligned with the working area of ​​its respective robotic arm component.

[0018] Furthermore, the visual follow-up control steps specifically include: The controller controls each vision head to rise and fall along the column to a height position that matches its corresponding robotic arm assembly, based on the target height position of each arm base. The controller controls each vision head to rotate around the axis of the column to a field of view that matches the corresponding robotic arm assembly, based on the target orientation angle of each arm body.

[0019] Furthermore, the control method for mobile robots also includes a visual servoing control step: The controller acquires real-time visual images of their respective working areas collected by each of the vision heads. The controller processes the visual image, identifies the target, and calculates the positional deviation of the target relative to the end of the corresponding robotic arm component. The controller generates an end-effector position compensation command based on the position deviation, and drives the corresponding robotic arm component to perform end-effector position fine-tuning until the position deviation is less than a preset accuracy threshold.

[0020] Furthermore, the control method for mobile robots also includes dynamic collision avoidance control steps: The controller acquires the current height position of each arm base and the current rotation angle of each arm body in real time; The controller calculates the three-dimensional spatial envelope of each robotic arm component in the current configuration based on the current height position of each arm base and the current rotation angle of each arm body. The controller determines whether there is spatial interference between the three-dimensional spatial envelopes of any two robotic arm components; When spatial interference is detected, the controller executes an anti-collision strategy, which includes at least one of the following: pausing the movement of at least one robotic arm component, adjusting the lifting or rotating speed of at least one robotic arm component, or changing the target height position or target orientation angle of at least one robotic arm component.

[0021] Furthermore, when the task instruction is the dual-arm collaborative task: The controller plans the synchronous motion trajectory of the first and second robotic arm components, enabling the end effectors of each robotic arm component to coordinate and cooperate in the time and space dimensions to jointly complete the same task objective.

[0022] Furthermore, in the independent lifting drive step, the lifting movement of each arm base along the column is realized by the screw and nut transmission mechanism that drives each arm base independently. The screw and nut corresponding to each arm base moves independently on the same ball screw to realize the transmission mode of "one rod with multiple nuts, each lifting independently".

[0023] Furthermore, in the independent rotation drive step, the rotational motion of each arm body around the column axis is realized by a gear transmission mechanism that drives each arm body independently. Each arm body rotates independently around the arm base through the meshing transmission of its corresponding gear and external gear ring.

[0024] Furthermore, the lifting motion parameters include the target height value and lifting speed value of each arm base, and the rotation motion parameters include the target angle value and rotation speed value of each arm body.

[0025] In summary, the beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: 1. Each robotic arm component is independently equipped with a first lifting drive and a first rotating drive, completely decoupling the lifting and rotation of the two arms at the drive source level, allowing them to be at different heights and facing different directions. This solves the motion coupling problem caused by the traditional dual-arm shared lifting platform and rotating base, enabling the two arms to serve different workstations and perform asynchronous parallel operations of different tasks. 2. Multiple vision heads correspond one-to-one with multiple robotic arm components, forming a dedicated vision channel for each arm. Each vision head is independently equipped with a second lifting drive and a second rotating drive, which can lift and rotate synchronously with the corresponding robotic arm—"the vision lifts when the arm rises, and the vision rotates when the arm rotates," ensuring the center of vision is always aligned with the work area. This eliminates the blind spots of a single vision head, providing a continuous and reliable visual feedback basis for the asynchronous parallel operation of each arm. 3. The transmission mechanism is vertically installed inside the column, with each arm base corresponding to an independent lead screw nut and hollow rotating platform, achieving a transmission layout of "one lead screw, multiple nuts, each lifting independently." Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1This is a structural schematic diagram of a mobile robot provided by the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure without the shell connected.

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first driving component in this invention.

[0029] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the robotic arm assembly in this invention.

[0030] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first rotary drive component in this invention.

[0031] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the visual head structure in this invention.

[0032] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second rotary drive component in this invention.

[0033] In the diagram, 100-movable base, 110-base plate, 120-first drive assembly, 121-drive unit, 122-screw, 123-movable seat; 200 - Column, 210 - Mounting cavity, 220 - Transmission mechanism; 300-robotic arm assembly, 300A-first robotic arm assembly, 300B-second robotic arm assembly, 310-arm base, 311-first collar, 3110-external gear ring, 3111-first slide groove, 312-first connector, 313-first guide assembly, 313A-first guide component, 313B-second guide component, 320-arm body, 330-first lifting drive component, 331-driven component, 332-first power unit, 332A-outer shell, 332B-drive motor, 340-first rotary drive component, 341-gear, 342-second power unit, 3420-first mounting plate; 400-Vision head, 400A-First vision head, 400B-Second vision head, 410-Vision base, 411-Second collar, 4111-Third slide, 412-Second connector, 413-Third guide, 420-Tracking body, 430-Second lifting drive, 440-Second rotation drive, 441-Drive wheel, 442-Third power unit, 4420-Second mounting plate; 500 - Housing; 600-Top mount, 610-LiDAR, 620-Camera; 700-Lifting guide assembly, 710-Guide slide rail, 720-Guide slider. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The invention will be further illustrated below with reference to specific figures.

[0035] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 This invention provides a mobile robot, including a mobile base 100, a column 200 disposed on the mobile base 100, a plurality of robotic arm assemblies 300 disposed on the column 200, and a controller. Please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 4 The robotic arm assembly 300 includes an arm base 310 and an arm body 320. The arm base 310 is movably mounted on the column 200 and is configured to independently rise and fall along the column 200 to drive the arm body 320 to rise and fall. The arm body 320 is configured to rotate about the axis of the column 200. The controller is configured to control the arm base 310 and arm body 320 of each robotic arm assembly 300 to independently perform corresponding rising and falling movements and rotational movements. Each robotic arm component 300 can be raised and lowered independently, allowing different robotic arms to be positioned at different heights. In scenarios such as multi-layer shelf picking and placing, and high-low position synchronous assembly, one arm can work at a high position while the other arm works at a low position. Different robotic arms are no longer bound to the same horizontal plane, significantly improving the flexibility of working height adjustment. Each arm body 320 can rotate independently around the axis of the column 200, allowing each arm to face different directions. The robot can operate on targets in different directions without rotating as a whole. Each robotic arm component 300 can face its corresponding work target, significantly improving the flexibility of orientation adjustment. Through the completely independent control of the two degrees of freedom of lifting and rotation between each arm, each robotic arm component 300 is no longer restricted to a common working range at the same height and in the same direction. The operating space of each robotic arm component 300 is expanded from a single overlapping working space to multiple independently configurable operating areas, thereby enabling asynchronous parallel collaboration where one arm performs a high-level task while the other arm simultaneously performs a low-level task. This truly realizes the parallel independent operation of both arms.

[0036] A base plate 110 is provided at the upper end of the movable base 100, and the base plate 110 is used to cover the end face of the movable base 100. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 3A first drive assembly 120 is provided between the movable base 100 and the base plate 110. The first drive assembly 120 is used to drive the column 200 to be movably mounted on the movable base 100. Specifically, the first drive assembly 120 includes a drive unit 121, a screw 122, and a movable seat 123. The drive unit 121 is preferably a servo motor, which is mounted on the movable base 100. The screw 122 is driven by the output end of the drive unit 121. The movable seat 123 is threadedly connected to the screw 122 and is connected to the column 200. A moving opening is provided on the base plate 110 corresponding to the moving path of the movable seat 123. The column 200 passes through the moving opening and moves synchronously with the movable seat 123. The first drive assembly 120 drives the column 200 to reciprocate along the movable base 100, so that the column 200 and all the robotic arm assemblies 300 on it move horizontally as a whole. On the one hand, under the same arm span, the forward reach of the robotic arm's end effector is significantly increased. It can reach targets at greater distances without extending the robotic arm to its limit, effectively avoiding the reduced end-effector positioning accuracy caused by decreased stiffness at the limit of extension. It also reduces wear on joints at their extreme angles, thus extending the robotic arm's lifespan. On the other hand, in scenarios where fine-tuning of the position cannot be achieved by moving the base 100, the column 200's ability to translate its position provides an additional dimension of fine-tuning. After the base 100 completes coarse positioning, millimeter-level fine-tuning is achieved through the horizontal reciprocating movement of the column 200. Precise alignment can be achieved without frequent movement of the base 100, making it particularly suitable for work scenarios where chassis movement is restricted in confined spaces, significantly improving the robot's operational flexibility in densely populated workstations.

[0037] Please continue reading. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The top of the column 200 is connected to a top base 600, on which a lidar 610 is installed. The lidar 610 is used to collect environmental scanning data to achieve global path planning, obstacle avoidance, and autonomous positioning and navigation. Several cameras 620 are arranged around the outer perimeter of the top base 600. The cameras 620 are used to collect environmental images to achieve environmental perception and global monitoring.

[0038] A transmission mechanism 220 extending axially is provided inside or on the surface of the column 200. The column 200 preferably has a hollow structure, with an axially extending mounting cavity 210 formed inside. The transmission mechanism 220 is located within the mounting cavity 210 of the hollow column 200. An opening communicating with the mounting cavity 210 is provided on the side wall of the column 200, extending axially along the column 200. Lifting guide assemblies 700 are respectively provided on both sides of the column 200. Each lifting guide assembly 700 includes a guide rail 710 and several guide sliders 720. Two guide rails 710 are respectively located on both sides of the opening and are arranged axially along the column 200. Each guide slider 720 slides on the guide rail 710. Each arm base 310 is connected to a corresponding guide slider 720. When the guide slider 720 slides along the guide rail 710, the guide arm base 310 rises and falls axially along the column 200.

[0039] The multiple robotic arm components 300 are designated as the first robotic arm component 300A and the second robotic arm component 300B. Please refer to the following: Figure 4 Both the first robotic arm assembly 300A and the second robotic arm assembly 300B include a first lifting drive 330 and a first rotation drive 340. The first lifting drive 330 drives the corresponding arm base 310 to move up and down along the axial direction of the column, and the first rotation drive 340 drives the corresponding arm body 320 to rotate around the axis of the column 200. Each robotic arm assembly 300 is independently configured with a lifting drive and a rotation drive, so that the lifting and rotational degrees of freedom are completely decoupled between the arms. Each arm can be at different heights and facing different directions, and the two arms are no longer restricted to a common working range at the same height and in the same direction. Each arm has its own independently controllable height and orientation parameters, providing a driving basis for the asynchronous parallel operation of the two arms serving different workstations and performing different tasks.

[0040] The first lifting drive component 330 includes a driven component 331 that cooperates with the transmission mechanism 220 and a first power unit 332 that drives the driven component to move axially along the transmission mechanism 220. The arm base 310 is connected to the driven component 331 to enable the arm base 310 to move up and down along the transmission mechanism 220. The transmission mechanism 220 is configured as a ball screw, and the driven component 331 is a screw nut that cooperates with the ball screw. The first power unit 330 adopts a hollow rotating platform, which includes a housing 332A, a rotating platform, and a drive motor 332B. The housing 332A is mounted on a first connecting component 312 that is connected to the arm base 310. The rotating platform is rotatably mounted on the housing 332A, with a hollow opening in its center for the ball screw to pass through. The drive motor 332B is mounted on the housing 332A and is used to drive the rotating platform to rotate horizontally. The vertically arranged ball screw passes through the hollow opening, and the top surface of the rotating platform is connected to the ball nut by bolts. Each arm base 310 is equipped with an independent lead screw nut and a hollow rotating platform. The hollow rotating platform drives the lead screw nut to rotate around the ball screw, using the helical transmission principle of the lead screw pair to convert the rotational motion of the nut into linear lifting motion along the lead screw axis. Since each arm base 310 corresponds to an independent rotating platform and lead screw nut, and all are fitted on the same ball screw, a transmission layout of "one lead screw, multiple nuts, each lifting independently" is achieved, and the lifting motions of different arm bases 310 do not interfere with each other. At the same time, the ball screw passes through the center opening of the hollow rotating platform, so that the lead screw and the drive component are arranged coincidentally in axial space, resulting in a compact structure and high space utilization. In another embodiment, the transmission mechanism 220 is configured as a linear rack and pinion, and the driven member is a gear meshing with the linear rack.

[0041] The boom base 310 includes a first collar 311 coaxially fitted around the outer periphery of the column 200 and connected to the output end of the first lifting drive component 330. The first collar 311 is connected to the first power unit 332 via a first connector 312, and the first connector 312 is also connected to the guide slider 720 of the lifting guide assembly 700. The boom base 310 is also configured to include a first guide assembly 313 disposed within the first collar 311 and used for guiding engagement with the column 200. The first guide assembly 313 and the lifting guide assembly 700 form a dual guiding mechanism, which work together to provide a reliable structural foundation for the stable operation of the boom 320 in high-precision working scenarios.

[0042] The outer circumference of the first ring 311 is provided with an external toothed ring 3110. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 5The first rotary drive component 340 includes a gear 341 meshing with an external gear ring 3110 and a second power unit 342 for driving the gear 341 to rotate around its own axis. The second power unit 342 is preferably a motor. The second power unit 342 and the first guide assembly 313 are both mounted on the first mounting plate 3420. The arm body 320 rotates around the arm base 310 via the first rotary drive component 340. The rotary drive unit 121 is arranged to the side of the first ring 311 and is spatially offset from the lifting transmission mechanism 220 in the axial region of the column 200, avoiding spatial competition between the lifting drive and the rotary drive, allowing them to work independently without interference. Each robotic arm assembly 300 is independently configured with the above-mentioned rotary drive structure. Each arm body 320 is arranged in layers in the axial direction and is independently controlled in motion. The rotational adjustment of any arm does not affect the current state of other arms. Each arm can face different directions and perform different tasks in parallel.

[0043] A first annular slide rail is circumferentially arranged around the outer periphery of the first ring 311, and the arm 320 is connected to a first guide component 313 that mates with the first annular slide rail. The first annular slide rail and the first guide component 313 are configured to allow relative rotation of the arm 320 in the circumferential direction and restrict relative displacement of the arm 320 in the axial direction. On the one hand, the first guide component 313 moves along the annular slide rail, guiding the arm 320 to rotate smoothly around the axis of the column 200, ensuring the coaxiality and trajectory accuracy of the rotational motion. On the other hand, the annular slide rail and the first guide component 313 form a limiting fit in the axial direction, restricting the axial movement of the arm 320 relative to the arm base 310. No additional independent axial limiting component is required, resulting in a compact structure and small axial space occupation. The annular slide rail is a continuous closed track, enabling the arm 320 to achieve 360° stepless continuous rotation. A rolling fit is preferably used between the first guide component 313 and the annular slide rail to reduce rotational friction resistance, improve motion smoothness and response speed, and reduce drive energy consumption. The axial limiting function ensures that the working height of the boom 320 remains unchanged during rotation and under external force, which helps to ensure operational accuracy and safety.

[0044] The first annular slide rail includes a first groove 3111 disposed on the outer peripheral wall of the first collar 311 and / or a second groove (not shown in the figure) disposed on the inner peripheral wall of the first collar 311; the first guide assembly 313 is configured to include a first guide member 313A that slides or rolls with the first groove 3111 and / or a second guide member 313B that slides or rolls with the second groove. The first groove 3111 and the second groove are located at the same horizontal level, and the first guide member 313A and the second guide member 313B are located at the same horizontal level; or, the first groove 3111 and the second groove are offset in the axial direction, and the first guide member 313A and the second guide member 313B are offset in the axial direction. When a single-rail configuration is used, it is suitable for light-load or space-constrained scenarios. When the first groove 3111 and the second groove are simultaneously configured to form an inner and outer double-rail configuration, the inner and outer double rings form a double-layer support structure in the radial direction, which significantly enhances the anti-overturning ability. With the inner and outer rails positioned at the same horizontal level, a double-layered load-bearing ring is formed at the same height, resulting in optimal load-bearing stiffness. With the inner and outer rails offset axially, two load-bearing rings are distributed axially, increasing the load-bearing span and further enhancing overturning stiffness. This also facilitates a compact structural layout within a limited radial space. Each guide component preferably uses rolling elements such as balls, rollers, or spools to reduce rotational friction resistance, improve motion smoothness, and reduce drive energy consumption. Furthermore, in the dual-rail configuration, if any annular rail or guide component malfunctions, the other rail can still provide basic guiding and load-bearing functions, thus improving system reliability.

[0045] Please continue reading. Figure 1 The arm body 320 is also connected to a housing 500, which covers the outer periphery of the arm base 310 and the first rotary drive component 340, so as to enclose the arm base 310 and the first rotary drive component 340 inside it, reduce safety hazards, improve the safety of the robot in human-robot collaboration scenarios, and also make the outside of the robotic arm present a simple and smooth shape.

[0046] Multiple vision heads 400 are also installed on the column 200, and each vision head 400 corresponds one-to-one with a robotic arm assembly 300, used to track the corresponding robotic arm assembly 300; please refer to Figure 6Each vision head 400 includes a vision base 410 and a tracking body 420 mounted on the vision base 410. The vision base 410 is configured to rise and fall independently along the column 200 to drive the tracking body 420 to rise and fall. The tracking body 420 is configured to rotate around the axis of the column 200. The tracking body 420 can be a wide-angle RGB camera or any visual sensing device. Multiple vision heads 400 are configured one-to-one with multiple robotic arm components 300. Each robotic arm component 300 has its own dedicated vision head 400, forming an independent vision channel of "one arm, one head". Each arm can obtain continuous and uninterrupted visual feedback during operation. The independent rise and fall of the vision base 410 and the independent rotation of the tracking body 420 enable the vision head 400 to adjust its height and orientation synchronously with the working posture of the corresponding robotic arm: "the vision rises when the arm rises, and the vision rotates when the arm rotates". The center of vision of the vision head 400 is always aligned with the working area of ​​the corresponding arm 320. Each vision head 400 is independently configured and moves synchronously with the corresponding arm 320, eliminating the blind spots caused by the fixed orientation or limited rotation range of a single vision head 400 design. Regardless of the height or orientation of each arm, its dedicated vision head 400 can provide an unobstructed and clear field of view, providing a continuous and reliable environmental perception basis for high-precision visual servo control in asynchronous parallel operation of two arms.

[0047] The multiple visual heads 400 are designated as the first visual head 400A and the second visual head 400B. Please refer to the following: Figure 6 Both the first visual head 400A and the second visual head 400B include a second lifting drive 430 and a second rotation drive 440. The second lifting drive 430 drives the corresponding visual base 410 to move up and down along the axial direction of the column 200, and the second rotation drive 440 drives the corresponding tracking body 420 to rotate around the axis of the column 200. Each visual head 400 is independently equipped with a lifting drive and a rotation drive, forming complete decoupling from the corresponding robotic arm assembly 300 in terms of driving force. The movement of the visual head 400 does not depend on the drive system of the robotic arm. This avoids motion coupling caused by sharing a drive source and gives the visual head 400 the additional ability to perform field of view pre-adjustment, environmental inspection, and differentiated configuration independently of the robotic arm.

[0048] The vision base 410 includes a second collar 411 coaxially fitted around the outer periphery of the column 200 and connected to the output end of the second lifting drive 430. The second collar 411 is connected to the transmission mechanism 220 via a second connector 412 to receive the driving force of the second lifting drive 430. The second connector 412 is also connected to the guide slider 720 of the lifting guide assembly 700 to provide guiding constraints during the lifting of the vision base 410. The vision base 410 is also configured to include a second guide assembly connected to the second collar 411 and used for guiding engagement with the column 200. The second guide assembly is used to guide the rotation of the tracking body 420.

[0049] A second annular slide rail is circumferentially arranged around the outer periphery of the second ring 411, and the tracking body 420 is connected to a second guide component that mates with the second annular slide rail. The second annular slide rail and the second guide component are configured to allow the tracking body 420 to rotate relative to each other in the circumferential direction and to restrict the relative displacement of the tracking body 420 in the axial direction. The second annular slide rail and the second guide component form a rotating guide and axial limiting fit structure. On the one hand, the second guide component moves along the annular slide rail, guiding the tracking body 420 to rotate smoothly around the axis of the column 200, ensuring the coaxiality and trajectory accuracy of the rotational motion; on the other hand, the annular slide rail and the second guide component form a limiting fit in the axial direction, restricting the axial movement of the tracking body 420 relative to the vision base 410, eliminating the need for an additional independent axial limiting component, resulting in a compact structure and small axial space occupation. The annular slide rail is a continuous closed track, allowing the tracking body 420 to achieve 360° stepless continuous rotation. A rolling fit is preferably used between the second guide component and the annular slide rail to reduce rotational friction resistance, improve motion smoothness and response speed, and reduce drive energy consumption. The axial limiting function ensures that the height of the tracking body 420 remains unchanged during rotation and under external force, thus guaranteeing the continuous effectiveness of the visual calibration relationship. The second annular slide rail includes a third slide groove 4111 disposed on the outer peripheral wall of the second collar 411 and / or a fourth slide groove disposed on the inner peripheral wall of the second collar 411 (not shown in the figure); the second guide assembly is configured to include a third guide member 413 that slides or rolls with the third slide groove 4111 and / or a fourth guide member that slides or rolls with the fourth slide groove (not shown in the figure). When a fourth guide member is provided, it is preferably arranged at intervals on one side of the third guide member 413 (not shown in the figure); the third slide groove 4111 and the fourth slide groove are located at the same horizontal level, and the third guide member 413 and the fourth guide member are located at the same horizontal level; or, the third slide groove 4111 and the fourth slide groove are offset in the axial direction, and the third guide member 413 and the fourth guide member are offset in the axial direction. When a single-rail configuration is used, it is suitable for light-load or space-constrained scenarios. When a double-rail configuration is used, the inner and outer double rings form a double-layer support structure in the radial direction, which significantly enhances the anti-overturning ability. With the inner and outer rails positioned at the same horizontal level, a double-layered load-bearing ring is formed at the same height, resulting in optimal load-bearing stiffness. With the inner and outer rails offset axially, two load-bearing rings are formed vertically distributed along the axial direction, increasing the load-bearing span and further enhancing overturning stiffness. This also facilitates a compact structural layout within a limited radial space. Each guide component preferably uses rolling elements such as balls, rollers, or spools to reduce rotational friction resistance, improve motion smoothness, and reduce drive energy consumption. Even if any rail or guide component malfunctions, the other rail can still provide basic guiding and load-bearing functions, thus improving system reliability.

[0050] Both the second lifting drive component 430 of the vision head 400 and the first lifting drive component 330 of the robotic arm assembly 300 include a driven component 331 that cooperates with the transmission mechanism 220, and a first power unit 332 that drives the driven component to move axially along the transmission mechanism 220. By adopting identical structural schemes, the number of parts is reduced, lowering manufacturing costs; the assembly process is standardized, eliminating the need to distinguish between different drive components for vision and robotic arms on the production line, improving assembly efficiency; the number of spare parts is reduced, eliminating the need to stock multiple specifications of drive components for on-site maintenance, and any failure of a lifting drive component can be directly replaced with the same spare part, shortening fault repair time. Meanwhile, the outer shell 332A of the hollow rotating platform is mounted on the second connecting component 412, forming a rigid integral with the second collar 411 and the guide slider 720. Please see Figure 7The second rotary drive component 440 includes a drive wheel 441 that can be slidably or rollingly connected to the third slide rail 4111, and a third power unit 442 connected to the drive wheel 441, preferably a servo motor. The third power unit 442 and the second guide assembly are both mounted on the second mounting plate 4420. The drive wheel 441 and the slide rail are in a rolling fit, resulting in minimal frictional resistance. The servo motor only needs to output a small driving torque to drive the tracking body 420 to rotate smoothly, resulting in low energy consumption and smooth movement. Simultaneously, the drive wheel 441 and the second guide assembly share the third slide rail 4111, which simultaneously serves as both a drive rail and a guide rail, resulting in an extremely compact structure that eliminates the need for an additional independent drive rail.

[0051] The tracking body 420 can rotate along the second mounting plate 4420 to adjust its position. A motor can be connected to one side of the tracking body 420 to drive the tracking body 420 to adjust its pitch angle.

[0052] A control method for a mobile robot based on the above includes the following steps: S100. In response to the system startup signal, the controller performs the following initialization operations: The lidar 610, mounted on the top seat 600 at the top of the column 200, collects scanning data of the working environment. The controller constructs an environment map or matches a preset map based on the scanning data, establishes a global coordinate system, and obtains the current pose information of the mobile base 100 to determine the initial pose of the mobile robot in the working environment. Zero-position calibration is performed on the arm base 310 and arm body 320 of multiple robotic arm components 300, and each moving part is reset to its initial zero position; Establish the mapping relationship between the joint space of each robotic arm component 300 and the Cartesian operation space. S200: The controller receives the work task instruction and parses the work task instruction into a dual-arm collaborative work task or a dual-arm independent work task. Based on the analysis results, the controller independently configures the lifting motion parameters and rotational motion parameters for each robotic arm component 300 at the control level, so that the lifting and rotational degrees of freedom of each robotic arm component 300 are independent of each other in terms of control commands. When the task is parsed as a dual-arm independent operation, the controller decomposes the task instruction into sub-tasks corresponding to each robotic arm component 300, and configures the lifting motion parameters and rotation motion parameters for each robotic arm component 300 independently according to each sub-task. The lifting motion parameters include the target height and lifting speed of each arm base 310, and the rotation motion parameters include the target angle and rotation speed of each arm body 320.

[0053] S300: The controller sends independent lifting control commands to the first power unit 332 of each first lifting drive component 330 according to the lifting motion parameters corresponding to each robotic arm component 300. Each first power unit 332 drives its corresponding lead screw nut, which is a driven member 331, to rotate independently on the same ball screw (transmission mechanism 220). The rotational motion of each lead screw nut is converted into linear lifting motion along the axis of the ball screw. Through the arm base 310 connected to each lead screw nut, each arm body 320 is driven to lift independently to its respective target height position. The arm bases 310 of different robotic arm components 300 are at different heights along the axis of the column 200, realizing parallel lifting control of "one arm with multiple nuts, each lifting independently".

[0054] S400: The controller sends independent rotation control commands to the second power unit 342 of each first rotation drive 340 according to the rotational motion parameters corresponding to each robotic arm component 300. Each second power unit 342 drives its corresponding gear 341 to rotate around its own axis. Each gear 341 meshes with the external gear ring 3110 provided on the outer periphery of the first ring 311 of the corresponding arm base 310, driving each arm body 320 to rotate independently around the axis of the column 200 to its respective target orientation angle. The arms 320 of different robotic arm components 300 are oriented in different directions around the column 200, thereby enabling independent rotation drive of each arm 320.

[0055] The S500 mobile robot also includes multiple vision heads 400 mounted on a column. Each vision head 400 corresponds to one of the robotic arm components 300. Each vision head 400 has independent lifting and rotational degrees of freedom. According to the target height position of each arm base 310, the controller controls each vision head 400 to rise and fall along the column 200 to a height position that matches the corresponding robotic arm assembly 300. The controller controls each vision head 400 to rotate around the axis of the column 200 to a field of view that matches the corresponding robotic arm assembly 300, based on the target orientation angle of each arm 320. During the lifting and lowering process of each arm base 310 and / or the rotation process of each arm body 320, the controller controls the second lifting drive 430 and the second rotation drive 440 of each vision head 400 to move, so that each vision head 400 moves and / or rotates synchronously with its corresponding robotic arm assembly 300, keeping the field of vision center of each vision head 400 aligned with the working area of ​​its corresponding robotic arm assembly 300. Meanwhile, the controller acquires real-time visual images of the corresponding work area collected by each vision head 400, processes the visual images to identify the work target and calculate the position deviation of the work target relative to the end of the corresponding robotic arm component 300, and generates an end position compensation command based on the position deviation to drive the corresponding robotic arm component 300 to perform end position fine adjustment until the position deviation is less than the preset accuracy threshold.

[0056] S600: During the lifting and / or rotation movements of each robotic arm component 300, the controller obtains the current height position of each arm base 310 and the current rotation angle of each arm body 320 in real time. The controller calculates the three-dimensional spatial envelope of each robotic arm component 300 in the current configuration based on the current height position of each arm base 310 and the current rotation angle of each arm body 320, combined with the kinematic model of each arm body 320. The controller determines whether there is spatial interference between the three-dimensional spatial envelopes of any two robotic arm components 300; When spatial interference is detected, the controller executes an anti-collision strategy, which includes at least one of the following: pausing the movement of at least one robotic arm assembly 300, adjusting the lifting or rotating speed of at least one robotic arm assembly 300, or changing the target height position or target orientation angle of at least one robotic arm assembly 300.

[0057] S700 When the task is a dual-arm independent task, each robotic arm component 300 performs the task at its own independently configured target height position and target orientation angle. At least one robotic arm component 300 performs the first task at the first height level and the first orientation, while at least another robotic arm component 300 performs the second task at the second height level and the second orientation, which is different from the first height level, thereby realizing asynchronous parallel operation of the two arms. When the task is a dual-arm collaborative task, the controller plans the synchronous motion trajectory of the first robotic arm component 300A and the second robotic arm component 300B, so that the end effectors of each robotic arm component 300 coordinate with each other in the time and space dimensions to jointly complete the same task objective.

[0058] After the mobile robot is started: first, a global coordinate system is established and initial positioning is completed by using the lidar 610; then, zero-position calibration is performed on each arm base 310, arm body 320, vision base 410 and tracking body 420 to complete the initialization preparation.

[0059] During operation, the controller receives task instructions. If it is a task requiring independent operation of both arms, it breaks it down into a task for the first robotic arm assembly 300A and a task for the second robotic arm assembly 300B, calculating the target height and rotation angle for each arm respectively. The controller independently raises and lowers each arm base 310 and vision base 410 to their respective target heights, while simultaneously independently controlling each arm body 320 and tracking body 420 to rotate to their respective target orientations. The vision head 400 can move synchronously with the corresponding robotic arm assembly 300, and the dedicated vision channel continuously provides blind-spot-free visual feedback.

[0060] When the task is a dual-arm collaborative task, the controller plans the synchronous motion trajectory of the first robotic arm component 300A and the second robotic arm component 300B, so that the end effectors of each robotic arm component 300 coordinate with each other in the time and space dimensions to jointly complete the same task objective.

[0061] Throughout the operation, the controller monitors the position and attitude of each arm in real time, calculates the spatial envelope, assesses the risk of collision, and executes collision avoidance protection.

[0062] This mobile robot and its control method: 1. Each robotic arm assembly 300 is independently equipped with a first lifting drive 330 and a first rotation drive 340. The lifting and rotation of the two arms are completely decoupled at the drive source level, allowing them to be at different heights and facing different directions. This solves the motion coupling problem caused by the traditional dual-arm shared lifting platform and rotating base, enabling the two arms to serve different workstations and perform asynchronous parallel operations of different tasks. 2. Multiple vision heads 400 correspond one-to-one with multiple robotic arm assemblies 300, forming a dedicated "one arm, one head" vision channel. Each vision head 400 is independently equipped with a second lifting drive 430 and a second rotation drive 440, which can synchronously lift and rotate with the corresponding robotic arm—"the vision rises when the arm rises, and the vision rotates when the arm rotates," with the center of vision always aligned with the work area. This eliminates the blind spots of a single vision head 400, providing a continuous and reliable visual feedback basis for the asynchronous parallel operation of each arm. 3. The transmission mechanism 220 is vertically installed inside the column 200. Each arm base 310 is equipped with an independent lead screw nut and a hollow rotating platform to realize the transmission layout of "one lead screw, multiple nuts, each lifting independently".

[0063] The above are merely embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structures made using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings, whether directly or indirectly applied to other related technical fields, are similarly within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A mobile robot, characterized in that, include: Mobile base; The upright is mounted on the movable base; Multiple robotic arm assemblies, each robotic arm assembly including an arm base and an arm body, the arm base being movably mounted on the column and configured to independently rise and fall along the column to drive the arm body to rise and fall, the arm body being configured to rotate about the axis of the column; The controller is configured to control the arm base and arm body of each robotic arm component to independently perform corresponding lifting and rotating movements.

2. The mobile robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both the first robotic arm assembly and the second robotic arm assembly include a first lifting drive and a first rotating drive. The first lifting drive is used to drive the corresponding arm base to rise and fall along the axial direction of the column, and the first rotating drive is used to drive the corresponding arm body to rotate around the axis of the column.

3. The mobile robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The column is provided with a transmission mechanism extending along its axial direction inside or on its surface; the first lifting drive includes a driven member that cooperates with the transmission mechanism and a first power unit that drives the driven member to move along the axial direction of the transmission mechanism; the arm base is connected to the driven member so that the arm base can move up and down along the transmission mechanism. The transmission mechanism is configured as a ball screw, and the driven member is a screw nut that cooperates with the ball screw; or the transmission mechanism is a linear rack, and the driven member is a gear that meshes with the linear rack.

4. The mobile robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The arm base includes a first collar that is coaxially sleeved around the outer periphery of the column and connected to the output end of the first lifting drive component; the arm base is also configured to include a first guide component disposed within the first collar and used for guiding and engaging with the column.

5. The mobile robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The outer circumference of the first collar is provided with an external gear ring, and the first rotary drive includes a gear meshing with the external gear ring and a second power unit for driving the gear to rotate around its own axis. The arm body rotates around the arm base through the first rotary drive.

6. The mobile robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: The outer periphery of the first collar is provided with a first annular slide rail in the circumferential direction, and the arm body is connected to a first guide component that cooperates with the first annular slide rail; The first annular slide rail and the first guide assembly are configured to allow relative rotation of the arm in the circumferential direction and restrict relative displacement of the arm in the axial direction.

7. The mobile robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: The first annular slide rail includes a first groove disposed on the outer peripheral wall of the first collar and / or a second groove disposed on the inner peripheral wall of the first collar; the first guide assembly is configured to include a first guide member that slides or rolls with the first groove and / or a second guide member that slides or rolls with the second groove; The first slide and the second slide are located at the same horizontal level, and the first guide and the second guide are located at the same horizontal level; or, the first slide and the second slide are offset in the axial direction, and the first guide and the second guide are offset in the axial direction.

8. The mobile robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The column is movably mounted on the movable base; the column is also equipped with multiple vision heads, each vision head corresponding to one of the multiple robotic arm components, for tracking the corresponding robotic arm components respectively. Each of the aforementioned vision heads includes a vision base and a tracking body disposed on the vision base. The vision base is configured to be able to rise and fall independently along the column to drive the tracking body to rise and fall. The tracking body is configured to be able to rotate about the axis of the column.

9. The mobile robot according to claim 8, characterized in that: Both the first and second visual heads include a second lifting drive and a second rotating drive. The second lifting drive is used to drive the corresponding visual base to rise and fall along the axial direction of the column, and the second rotating drive is used to drive the corresponding tracking body to rotate around the axis of the column.

10. A control method for a mobile robot based on any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. In response to the received task instruction, independently configure the lifting motion parameters and rotational motion parameters for each of the robotic arm components, so that the lifting and rotational degrees of freedom of each robotic arm component are independent of each other at the control level. S2. Based on the lifting motion parameters corresponding to each of the robotic arm components, each of the arm bases is independently controlled to lift and lower along the column to its respective target height position, so that different robotic arm components can be at different height levels along the axial direction of the column; S3. Based on the rotational motion parameters corresponding to each of the robotic arm components, each arm body is independently controlled to rotate around the axis of the column to its respective target orientation angle, so that different robotic arm components can face different directions in the circumferential direction of the column. S4. Each of the robotic arm components performs a task at its independently configured target height position and target orientation angle, such that at least one of the robotic arm components performs a first task at a first height level and a first orientation, while at least another robotic arm component performs a second task at a second height level and a second orientation different from the first height level and different from the first orientation.

11. The mobile robot control method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The degree-of-freedom decoupling control step further includes: The controller parses the task instruction into a dual-arm collaborative task or a dual-arm independent task. When the task is parsed as the dual-arm independent operation task, the controller decomposes the operation task instruction into sub-tasks corresponding to each robotic arm component, and configures the lifting motion parameters and rotation motion parameters independently for each robotic arm component according to each sub-task.

12. The mobile robot control method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The system initialization step is included before the degree-of-freedom decoupling control step: Establish a global coordinate system to determine the initial pose of the mobile robot in the working environment; Perform zero-position calibration on each of the arm bases and each of the arm bodies, and reset each moving part to its initial zero position; Establish the mapping relationship between the joint space of each robotic arm component and the Cartesian operation space.

13. The mobile robot control method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The mobile robot also includes multiple vision heads mounted on the column, each vision head corresponding to one of the robotic arm components, and each vision head having independent lifting and rotational degrees of freedom. The control method further includes a vision-based motion control step: During the lifting and lowering of each of the arm bases and / or the rotation of each of the arm bodies, the controller controls each of the vision heads to lift and / or rotate synchronously with their respective corresponding robotic arm components, so that the field of vision center of each vision head remains aligned with the working area of ​​its respective robotic arm component.

14. The mobile robot control method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The visual follow-up control steps specifically include: The controller controls each vision head to rise and fall along the column to a height position that matches its corresponding robotic arm assembly, based on the target height position of each arm base. The controller controls each vision head to rotate around the axis of the column to a field of view that matches the corresponding robotic arm assembly, based on the target orientation angle of each arm body.

15. The mobile robot control method according to claim 13, characterized in that, It also includes visual servo control steps: The controller acquires real-time visual images of their respective working areas collected by each of the vision heads. The controller processes the visual image, identifies the target, and calculates the positional deviation of the target relative to the end of the corresponding robotic arm component. The controller generates an end-effector position compensation command based on the position deviation, and drives the corresponding robotic arm component to perform end-effector position fine-tuning until the position deviation is less than a preset accuracy threshold.

16. The mobile robot control method according to claim 10, characterized in that, It also includes dynamic collision avoidance control steps: The controller acquires the current height position of each arm base and the current rotation angle of each arm body in real time; The controller calculates the three-dimensional spatial envelope of each robotic arm component in the current configuration based on the current height position of each arm base and the current rotation angle of each arm body. The controller determines whether there is spatial interference between the three-dimensional spatial envelopes of any two robotic arm components; When spatial interference is detected, the controller executes an anti-collision strategy, which includes at least one of the following: pausing the movement of at least one robotic arm component, adjusting the lifting or rotating speed of at least one robotic arm component, or changing the target height position or target orientation angle of at least one robotic arm component.

17. The mobile robot control method according to claim 11, characterized in that, When the task instruction is the dual-arm collaborative task: The controller plans the synchronous motion trajectory of the first and second robotic arm components, enabling the end effectors of each robotic arm component to coordinate and cooperate in the time and space dimensions to jointly complete the same task objective.

18. The mobile robot control method according to claim 10, characterized in that, In the independent lifting drive step, the lifting movement of each arm base along the column is realized by the screw and nut transmission mechanism that drives each arm base independently. The screw and nut corresponding to each arm base moves independently on the same ball screw to realize the transmission mode of "one rod with multiple nuts, each lifting independently".

19. The mobile robot control method according to claim 10, characterized in that, In the independent rotation drive step, the rotational motion of each arm body around the column axis is realized by the gear transmission mechanism that drives each arm body independently. Each arm body rotates independently around the arm base through the meshing transmission of its corresponding gear and external gear ring.

20. The mobile robot control method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The lifting motion parameters include the target height and lifting speed values ​​of each arm base, and the rotation motion parameters include the target angle and rotation speed values ​​of each arm body.

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