Clamping car

Abstract

The present application relates to a clamping vehicle, comprising a vehicle body, a clamping arm assembly, and a drive assembly. The clamping arm assembly is connected to the vehicle body, and the clamping arm assembly includes a first clamping arm and a second clamping arm disposed opposite each other. A clamping space for clamping cylindrical cargo is defined between the second clamping arm and the first clamping arm. At least one of the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm is capable of rotating relative to the vehicle body about a first axis. The drive assembly is connected to at least one of the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm to drive at least one of the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm connected to the drive assembly to rotate relative to the vehicle body about the first axis. The clamping vehicle described above can change the size of the clamping space between the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm by arranging at least one of the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm to rotate relative to the vehicle body about the first axis. The drive assembly drives at least one of the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm to rotate relative to the vehicle body about the first axis, thereby achieving clamping of cylindrical cargo of different diameters.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of handling equipment, and in particular to a clamping vehicle. Background Art

[0002] During the transportation of goods, the goods are usually placed on a cargo platform by manual transportation, and the cargo platform is transported to different locations by transportation equipment. In order to save manpower, a clamping vehicle is provided in the related art for clamping and transporting goods.

[0003] However, the above-mentioned clamping vehicle can only clamp cargo of a specific size. When cylindrical cargo of different diameters needs to be transported, the clamping vehicle in the related art has the problem of being unable to clamp cylindrical cargo of different diameters. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Based on this, it is necessary to provide a clamping vehicle that can clamp cylindrical cargoes of different diameters to address the problem that the clamping vehicle in the related art cannot clamp cylindrical cargoes of different diameters.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present application, a clamping vehicle is provided for clamping cylindrical cargo, the clamping vehicle comprising:

[0006] body;

[0007] a clamping arm assembly connected to the vehicle body, the clamping arm assembly comprising a first clamping arm and a second clamping arm disposed opposite to each other, the second clamping arm and the first clamping arm defining a clamping space for clamping the cylindrical cargo, at least one of the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm being rotatable relative to the vehicle body about a first axis; and

[0008] A drive assembly is connected to at least one of the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm to drive at least one of the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm connected to the drive assembly to rotate around the first axis relative to the vehicle body, so that the size of the clamping space can be adjusted.

[0009] The clamping vehicle is provided with a first clamping arm and a second clamping arm opposing each other, so that a clamping space is defined between the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm for clamping cylindrical cargo. By arranging for at least one of the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm to rotate relative to the vehicle body about a first axis, the size of the clamping space between the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm can be varied, thereby enabling the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm to jointly clamp cylindrical cargo of different diameters. A drive assembly connected to at least one of the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm is provided to drive at least one of the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm connected to the drive assembly to rotate relative to the vehicle body about the first axis to clamp or release the cylindrical cargo, thereby enabling the clamping of cylindrical cargo of different diameters.

[0010] In one embodiment, the clamping vehicle further includes a controller electrically connected to the drive assembly, and the controller is used to control the drive assembly to drive at least one of the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm connected to the drive assembly to rotate around a first axis relative to the vehicle body.

[0011] In one embodiment, the clamping vehicle further includes a first reflector, a second reflector, and a first laser sensor electrically connected to the controller, wherein the first reflector is provided on the first clamping arm, the second reflector is provided on the second clamping arm, and the first laser sensor is provided on the vehicle body;

[0012] The first laser sensor is capable of detecting a distance between the first laser sensor and the first reflector, and a distance between the first laser sensor and the second reflector;

[0013] The controller can determine the distance between the first reflector and the second reflector based on the distance between the first laser sensor and the first reflector fed back by the first laser sensor, and the distance between the first laser sensor and the second reflector in combination with a preset algorithm, and can determine the size of the clamping space based on the distance between the first reflector and the second reflector in combination with another preset algorithm. The controller can also control the drive assembly to drive at least one of the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm connected to the drive assembly to rotate around the first axis relative to the vehicle body according to the size of the clamping space.

[0014] In one embodiment, the clamping vehicle further includes a second laser sensor provided on the vehicle body, the second laser sensor being electrically connected to the controller, and the second laser sensor being used to detect the size of the cylindrical cargo;

[0015] The controller can control the drive assembly to drive at least one of the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm connected to the drive assembly to rotate around the first axis relative to the vehicle body based on the size of the cylindrical cargo fed back by the second laser sensor, so that the size of the clamping space is adapted to the size of the cylindrical cargo.

[0016] In one embodiment, the second laser sensor is further used to detect the position of the cylindrical cargo;

[0017] The clamping vehicle further includes a traveling mechanism connected to the vehicle body;

[0018] The controller is electrically connected to the traveling mechanism. The controller can control the traveling mechanism to drive the clamping trolley to the position of the cylindrical cargo according to the position of the cylindrical cargo fed back by the second laser sensor. The controller can also control the traveling mechanism to drive the clamping trolley to the cargo release position according to the preset trajectory stored in the controller.

[0019] In one embodiment, the clamping vehicle further comprises a turntable provided on the vehicle body, and the clamping arm assembly is connected to the vehicle body via the turntable;

[0020] The turntable can rotate relative to the vehicle body around a second axis perpendicular to the first axis to drive the clamping arm assembly to rotate relative to the vehicle body around the second axis, thereby adjusting the placement posture of the cylindrical cargo.

[0021] In one embodiment, the turntable can drive the clamping arm assembly to rotate relative to the vehicle body around the second axis so that the clamping arm assembly can switch between a first rotation state and a second rotation state. When the clamping arm assembly is in the first rotation state, the cylindrical cargo is placed horizontally, and when the clamping arm assembly is in the second rotation state, the cylindrical cargo is placed vertically.

[0022] In one embodiment, the clamping arm assembly is capable of moving in a vertical direction relative to the vehicle body.

[0023] In one embodiment, the driving assembly includes a first driving member connected to the first clamping arm, the first driving member is used to drive the first clamping arm to rotate around the first axis relative to the vehicle body; and / or

[0024] The driving assembly further includes a second driving member connected to the second clamping arm, and the second driving member is used to drive the second clamping arm to rotate around the first axis relative to the vehicle body.

[0025] In one embodiment, the clamping vehicle further includes a first clamping plate and a second clamping plate;

[0026] The first clamping plate is provided on a side of the first clamping arm facing the second clamping arm;

[0027] The second clamping plate is provided on a side of the second clamping arm facing the first clamping arm, and the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate are used to increase the contact areas of the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm with the cylindrical cargo, respectively. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the use of the clamping vehicle in one embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Figure 2for Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of the clamping vehicle in the illustrated embodiment;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the clamping arm assembly and the driving assembly in one embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the clamping arm assembly, the turntable, and the mounting bracket in one embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of the clamping vehicle in another perspective in the illustrated embodiment;

[0033] Figure 6 for Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of the clamping vehicle in another perspective of the embodiment shown;

[0034] Figure 7 for Figure 1 A partial top view of the clamping vehicle in the illustrated embodiment;

[0035] Figure 8 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the camera and obstacle avoidance module in the embodiment shown.

[0036] Description of reference numerals:

[0037] 1. Cylindrical cargo; 10. Vehicle body; 20. Clamping arm assembly; 21. First clamping arm; 22. Second clamping arm; 30. Drive assembly; 40. First sensor; 50. Mounting frame; 60. First clamping plate; 70. Second clamping plate; 80. Controller; 90. First reflector; 100. Second reflector; 110. Second laser sensor; 120. Camera; 130. Fill light assembly; 131. Fill light; 140. Turntable; 150. Travel mechanism; 151. Drive wheel; 152. Load-bearing wheel; 160. Obstacle avoidance module; 170. In-position detection switch; a. First axis; b. Second axis; A. Vertical direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present application more clearly understood, the specific embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description sets forth many specific details to facilitate a full understanding of the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many other ways than those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without violating the scope of the present application. Therefore, the present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0039] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0040] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. Throughout the description of this application, "plurality" means at least two, for example, two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0041] In this application, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "installed," "connected," "connect," "fixed," etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connection, detachable connection, or integration; mechanical connection or electrical connection; direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; internal communication between two elements or interaction between two elements, unless otherwise specified. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on specific circumstances.

[0042] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, when a first feature is "above" or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, when a first feature is "above," "above," or "above" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. When a first feature is "below," "below," or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a lower level than the second feature.

[0043] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be an intermediate element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only implementation methods.

[0044] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the use of the clamping vehicle in one embodiment of the present application; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of the clamping vehicle in the illustrated embodiment; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the clamping arm assembly and the driving assembly in one embodiment of the present application.

[0045] See Figure 1-3 A clamping vehicle provided in one embodiment of the present application is used to clamp cylindrical cargo 1. The clamping vehicle includes a vehicle body 10, a clamping arm assembly 20 and a drive assembly 30.

[0046] The clamp arm assembly 20 is connected to the vehicle body 10 and includes a first clamp arm 21 and a second clamp arm 22 disposed opposite to each other. A clamping space for clamping the cylindrical cargo 1 is defined between the second clamp arm 22 and the first clamp arm 21. At least one of the first clamp arm 21 and the second clamp arm 22 can rotate relative to the vehicle body 10 around the first axis a. Figure 3 ) is connected to at least one of the first clamping arm 21 and the second clamping arm 22 to drive at least one of the first clamping arm 21 and the second clamping arm 22 connected to the driving assembly 30 to rotate relative to the vehicle body 10 around the first axis a.

[0047] The clamping vehicle described above is provided with a first clamping arm 21 and a second clamping arm 22 opposing each other, so that a clamping space is defined between the first clamping arm 21 and the second clamping arm 22 for clamping cylindrical cargo 1. By enabling at least one of the first clamping arm 21 and the second clamping arm 22 to rotate relative to the vehicle body 10 about a first axis a, the size of the clamping space between the first clamping arm 21 and the second clamping arm 22 can be varied to accommodate cylindrical cargo 1 of varying diameters. A drive assembly 30 connected to at least one of the first clamping arm 21 and the second clamping arm 22 is provided to drive at least one of the first clamping arm 21 and the second clamping arm 22 connected to the drive assembly 30 to rotate relative to the vehicle body 10 about the first axis a, thereby making the size of the clamping space adjustable, thereby enabling the clamping arm assembly 20 to release or clamp cylindrical cargo 1 of varying diameters.

[0048] It should be noted that the shape of the side of the first clamping arm 21 facing the second clamping arm 22, and the shape of the side of the second clamping arm 22 facing the first clamping arm 21 are adapted to the surface shape of the cylindrical cargo 1, so that the clamping arm assembly 20 can better clamp the cylindrical cargo 1. Specifically, Figure 1-2 As shown, the surface of the first clamping arm 21 facing the second clamping arm 22 is configured to be a curved surface, and the surface of the second clamping arm 22 facing the first clamping arm 21 is configured to be a curved surface.

[0049] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the clamping arm assembly, the turntable and the mounting bracket in one embodiment of the present application.

[0050] Specifically, if Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the side where the first clamping arm 21 is connected to the vehicle body 10 and the side where the second clamping arm 22 is connected to the vehicle body 10 are spaced apart from each other to increase the maximum size of the clamping space between the first clamping arm 21 and the second clamping arm 22, so that the first clamping arm 21 and the second clamping arm 22 can clamp cylindrical cargo 1 with a larger diameter.

[0051] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2-4 As shown, the clamping vehicle further includes a first clamping plate 60 and a second clamping plate 70. The first clamping plate 60 is disposed on the side of the first clamping arm 21 facing the second clamping arm 22, and the second clamping plate 70 is disposed on the side of the second clamping arm 22 facing the first clamping arm 21. The first clamping plate 60 and the second clamping plate 70 are respectively used to increase the contact area between the first clamping arm 21 and the second clamping arm 22 and the cylindrical cargo 1. Thus, by providing the first clamping plate 60 and the second clamping plate 70, when the clamping arm assembly 20 clamps the cylindrical cargo 1, the first clamping plate 60 and the second clamping plate 70 contact the cylindrical cargo 1, thereby increasing the contact area between the clamping arm assembly 20 and the cylindrical cargo 1, improving the stability of the clamping of the cylindrical cargo 1, and preventing the clamping force of the clamping arm assembly 20 from being concentrated on the surface of the cylindrical cargo 1 and causing damage.

[0052] Specifically, the first clamping plate 60 is disposed on a side of the first clamping arm 21 away from the vehicle body 10 , and the second clamping plate 70 is disposed on a side of the second clamping arm 22 away from the vehicle body 10 .

[0053] Furthermore, the first clamping plate 60 is rotatable relative to the first clamping arm 21 about a first rotation axis parallel to the first axis a, and the second clamping plate 70 is rotatable relative to the second clamping arm 22 about a second rotation axis parallel to the first axis a, with the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis being parallel. Thus, by providing the first clamping plate 60 and the second clamping plate 70 with rotational connection to the first clamping arm 21 and the second clamping arm 22, respectively, the position of the first clamping plate 60 relative to the first clamping arm 21 and the position of the second clamping plate 70 relative to the second clamping arm 22 can be changed, thereby adapting to cylindrical cargo 1 of different diameters.

[0054] In one embodiment, Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the first clamping plate 60 is extended along the first rotation axis, and the second clamping plate 70 is extended along the second rotation axis to increase the contact area between the first clamping plate 60 and the second clamping plate 70 and the cylindrical cargo 1, further improving the clamping stability of the cylindrical cargo 1.

[0055] In some embodiments, the clamping vehicle further includes a turntable 140 connected to the vehicle body 10, and the clamping arm assembly 20 is connected to the vehicle body 10 via the turntable 140. The turntable 140 is capable of rotating relative to the vehicle body 10 about a second axis b, which is perpendicular to the first axis a, thereby driving the clamping arm assembly 20 to rotate along with the turntable 140 relative to the vehicle body 10 about the second axis b. Thus, by providing the turntable 140, which is rotatably connected to the vehicle body 10 about the second axis b, the clamping arm assembly 20 is connected to the turntable 140, enabling the clamping arm assembly 20 to grip the cylindrical cargo 1 and rotate along with the turntable 140 relative to the vehicle body 10, thereby changing the placement of the cylindrical cargo 1.

[0056] Specifically, the clamping arm assembly 20 is connected to a side of the turntable 140 facing away from the vehicle body 10 .

[0057] In some embodiments, the turntable 140 can drive the clamp arm assembly 20 to rotate relative to the vehicle body 10 about the second axis b, so that the clamp arm assembly 20 switches between a first rotational state and a second rotational state. When the clamp arm assembly 20 is in the first rotational state, the cylindrical cargo 1 is placed horizontally, and when the clamp arm assembly 20 is in the second rotational state, the cylindrical cargo 1 is placed vertically. In this way, by providing the clamp arm assembly 20 with a first rotational state and a second rotational state, the cylindrical cargo 1 can be placed horizontally or vertically, thereby enabling the placement of the cylindrical cargo 1 to meet different usage requirements.

[0058] Specifically, the turntable 140 drives the clamping arm assembly 20 to rotate 90 degrees relative to the vehicle body 10 around the second axis b, so that the clamping arm assembly 20 switches between the first rotation state and the second rotation state.

[0059] In some embodiments, the clamping vehicle includes a turntable driving component connected to the turntable 140 , and the turntable driving component is used to drive the turntable 140 to rotate relative to the vehicle body 10 around the second axis b.

[0060] In some embodiments, the clamping arm assembly 20 can move vertically relative to the vehicle body 10 to clamp cylindrical cargo 1 at different heights, and the clamping arm assembly 20 can place the clamped cylindrical cargo 1 at different heights.

[0061] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2-4As shown, the clamping vehicle further includes a mounting frame 50 connected to the vehicle body 10. The turntable 140 is connected to the vehicle body 10 via the mounting frame 50, and the turntable 140 is rotatable relative to the mounting frame 50 about the second axis b. The mounting frame 50 is configured to move vertically relative to the vehicle body 10, thereby driving the clamping arm assembly 20 to rise and fall relative to the vehicle body 10 via the turntable 140.

[0062] Specifically, if Figure 3 As shown, the driving assembly 30 is disposed on one side where the turntable 140 is connected to the mounting bracket 50 .

[0063] In some embodiments, the drive assembly 30 includes a first drive member connected to the first clamping arm 21, and the first drive member is used to drive the first clamping arm 21 to rotate relative to the vehicle body 10 around the first axis a, so that the first clamping arm 21 approaches or moves away from the second clamping arm 22, so that the size of the clamping space changes, thereby clamping cylindrical cargo 1 of different diameters, and making the clamping vehicle have fewer parts and a simpler structure.

[0064] In some embodiments, the drive assembly 30 further includes a second drive member connected to the second clamping arm 22, the second drive member being configured to drive the second clamping arm 22 to rotate relative to the vehicle body 10 about the first axis a. In this manner, the first clamping arm 21 and the second clamping arm 22 are driven by the first drive member and the second drive member, respectively, to clamp cylindrical cargo 1 of different diameters. Furthermore, the first clamping arm 21 and the second clamping arm 22 can move simultaneously, moving closer to or further away from each other, thereby making the clamping arm assembly 20 more flexible in clamping cylindrical cargo 1.

[0065] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of the clamping vehicle in the illustrated embodiment from another perspective.

[0066] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the gripping vehicle further includes a controller 80 electrically connected to the drive assembly 30. The controller 80 is configured to control the drive assembly 30 to drive at least one of the first gripping arm 21 and the second gripping arm 22 connected to the drive assembly 30 to rotate relative to the vehicle body 10 about the first axis a, thereby enabling the gripping of cylindrical cargo 1 of varying diameters. Therefore, by providing the controller 80, automatic gripping of cylindrical cargo 1 can be achieved.

[0067] In one embodiment, the controller 80 is electrically connected to the first driving member and the second driving member respectively. The controller 80 is used to control the first driving member to drive the first clamping arm 21 to rotate around the first axis a relative to the vehicle body 10, and is used to control the second driving member to drive the second clamping arm 22 to rotate around the first axis a relative to the vehicle body 10.

[0068] In some embodiments, the controller 80 is also electrically connected to the turntable driver, and the controller 80 is used to control the turntable driver to drive the turntable 140 to rotate.

[0069] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the clamping vehicle also includes two in-position detection switches 170 respectively provided on the turntable 140, and the two in-position detection switches 170 are respectively used to detect whether the clamping arm assembly 20 is in the first rotation state or the second rotation state. The controller 80 is electrically connected to the two in-position detection switches 170, so that when one of the in-position detection switches 170 detects that the clamping arm assembly 20 is in the first rotation state, or when the other in-position detection switch 170 detects that the clamping arm assembly 20 is in the second rotation state, the controller 80 can control the turntable drive to stop driving. In this way, by providing two in-position detection switches 170 to detect whether the clamping arm assembly 20 has rotated to the first rotation state or the second rotation state, the controller 80 can control the turntable drive to stop driving when the clamping arm assembly 20 is in the first rotation state or the second rotation state, thereby realizing automatic switching of the clamping arm assembly 20 between the first rotation state and the second rotation state.

[0070] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 4-5 As shown, the clamping vehicle further includes a first reflector 90, a second reflector 100, and a first laser sensor 40 electrically connected to the controller 80. The first reflector 90 is disposed on the first clamping arm 21, the second reflector 100 is disposed on the second clamping arm 22, and the first laser sensor 40 is disposed on the vehicle body. The first laser sensor 40 is capable of detecting the distance between the first laser sensor 40 and the first reflector 90, as well as the distance between the first laser sensor 40 and the second reflector 100. The controller 80 is capable of determining the distance between the first reflector 90 and the second reflector 100 based on the distances between the first laser sensor 40 and the first reflector 90, as well as the distances between the first laser sensor 40 and the second reflector 100, fed back by the first laser sensor 40, and in combination with a preset algorithm. The controller 80 can also determine the size of the clamping space based on the distance between the first reflector 90 and the second reflector 100 in combination with another preset algorithm. Furthermore, based on the size of the clamping space, the controller 80 can control the drive assembly 30 to drive at least one of the first and second clamping arms 21, 22 connected to the drive assembly 30 to rotate relative to the vehicle body 10 about the first axis a. This enables the clamping arm assembly 20 to automatically clamp the cylindrical cargo 1, while preventing damage to the cylindrical cargo 1 due to excessive clamping force or failure to clamp the cylindrical cargo 1 due to insufficient clamping force.

[0071] It is understandable that if Figure 4As shown, the first laser reflector 40 is not coaxially arranged with the first axis a, so that when at least one of the first clamping arm 21 and the second clamping arm 22 rotates relative to the vehicle body 10, the distance between it and the first laser reflector 40 changes, so that the distance between it and the first clamping arm 21 or the second clamping arm 22 obtained by the first laser sensor 40 corresponds to different positions of the first clamping arm 21 or the second clamping arm 22 relative to the vehicle body 10.

[0072] Specifically, the first reflector 90 is arranged on the side of the first clamping arm 21 away from the vehicle body 10, the second reflector 100 is arranged on the side of the second clamping arm 22 away from the vehicle body 10, and the first laser sensor 40 is arranged on the side where the vehicle body and the clamping arm assembly 20 are connected, so that the first laser sensor 40 can emit laser to the first reflector 90 and the second reflector 100 or receive reflected laser.

[0073] Alternatively, as Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the first reflector 90 is provided on the side of the first clamping arm 21 close to the first laser sensor 40, and the first reflector 90 extends in a direction parallel to the first axis a, and the second reflector 100 is provided on the side of the second clamping arm 22 close to the first laser sensor 40, and the second reflector 100 extends in a direction parallel to the first axis a, so that the first laser sensor 40 is respectively arranged opposite to the first reflector 90 and the second reflector 100, to avoid interference from other parts during the process of the first laser sensor 40 emitting laser or receiving reflected laser.

[0074] In one embodiment, Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the first reflector 90 and the second reflector 100 are respectively constructed in a cylindrical shape. In other embodiments, the first reflector 90 and the second reflector 100 can also be constructed in other shapes, such as a rectangular parallelepiped, a flat plate, etc., which are not limited here.

[0075] Figure 6 for Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of the clamping vehicle in the illustrated embodiment from another perspective.

[0076] In order to obtain the size of the cylindrical cargo 1, in some embodiments, as Figure 6As shown, the clamping vehicle also includes a second laser sensor 110 mounted on the vehicle body 10. The second laser sensor 110 is electrically connected to the controller 80 and is used to detect the size of the cylindrical cargo 1. Based on the size of the cylindrical cargo 1 as measured by the second laser sensor 110, the controller 80 controls the drive assembly 30 to rotate at least one of the first and second clamping arms 21, 22 connected to the drive assembly 30 relative to the vehicle body 10 about the first axis a, thereby aligning the gripping space with the size of the cylindrical cargo 1. By providing the second laser sensor 110 to obtain the size of the cylindrical cargo 1, manual measurement is eliminated, improving the efficiency of gripping the cylindrical cargo 1 and the degree of automation of the clamping vehicle.

[0077] Specifically, the second laser sensor 110 is disposed on a side where the vehicle body 10 is connected to the clamping arm assembly 20 .

[0078] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the second laser sensor 110 is also used to detect the position of the cylindrical cargo 1. The clamping vehicle also includes a traveling mechanism 150 connected to the vehicle body 10. The controller 80 is electrically connected to the traveling mechanism 150. Based on the position of the cylindrical cargo 1 reported by the second laser sensor 110, the controller 80 controls the traveling mechanism 150 to move the clamping vehicle to the location of the cylindrical cargo 1. The controller 80 can also control the traveling mechanism 150 to move the clamping vehicle to the release position based on a preset trajectory stored in the controller. In this way, the clamping vehicle can automatically move to the location of the cylindrical cargo 1 to retrieve it, and then automatically transport the cylindrical cargo 1 to the release position after retrieving it.

[0079] In actual use, the controller 80 controls the traveling mechanism 150 to move the gripping vehicle to the location of the cylindrical cargo 1 based on the position of the cylindrical cargo 1 as reported by the second laser sensor 110. It also controls the drive assembly 30 to rotate at least one of the first clamping arm 21 and the second clamping arm 22 relative to the vehicle body 10 to grip the cylindrical cargo 1. After gripping the cylindrical cargo 1, the controller 80 controls the traveling mechanism 150 to move the gripping vehicle to the cargo release position based on a preset trajectory stored in the controller 80. It also controls the drive assembly 30 to rotate at least one of the first clamping arm 21 and the second clamping arm 22 relative to the vehicle body 10 to release the cylindrical cargo 1 and place it in the cargo release position.

[0080] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the traveling mechanism 150 includes a driving wheel 151 rotatably provided on the vehicle body 10 , and the controller 80 is electrically connected to the driving wheel 151 . The controller 80 can control the driving wheel 151 to rotate relative to the vehicle body 10 to drive the clamping vehicle to move.

[0081] Furthermore, if Figure 6As shown, the traveling mechanism 150 further includes a plurality of sets of load-bearing wheels 152 rotatably disposed on the vehicle body 10 .

[0082] In one embodiment, Figure 6 As shown, there are three sets of load-bearing wheels 152 , and the three sets of load-bearing wheels 152 and the driving wheels 151 are respectively disposed at the four corners of the vehicle body 10 .

[0083] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the clamping vehicle also includes a camera 120 provided on the vehicle body 10, and the camera 120 is electrically connected to the controller 80. The camera 120 is used to collect image information of the object corresponding to the position of the clamping vehicle, and the controller 80 is used to position the clamping vehicle based on the image information of the object collected by the camera 120. In this way, by setting up the camera 120 to obtain image information of the environment in which the clamping vehicle is located, the controller 80 can position the clamping vehicle, so that the clamping vehicle can move to the position of the cylindrical cargo 1 to clamp the cylindrical cargo 1, and after clamping the cylindrical cargo 1, the clamped cylindrical cargo 1 can be transported to the cargo placement position. Compared with the traditional laser positioning method, the camera 120 has a strong anti-interference ability to interference factors such as light, and the positioning error is small, thereby improving the positioning accuracy of the clamping vehicle.

[0084] It should be noted that, in actual use, the object may be a QR code located in the cargo hold, which records position information corresponding to the posture of the clamping vehicle. The camera 120 determines the posture of the clamping vehicle by photographing the QR code.

[0085] Figure 7 for Figure 1 A partial top view of the gripper vehicle in the illustrated embodiment.

[0086] Furthermore, if Figure 2 and Figure 7 As shown, the clamping vehicle further includes a fill light component 130 , which is disposed around the camera 120 to provide fill light for the camera 120 , thereby facilitating the camera 120 to obtain image information of the object.

[0087] In one embodiment, Figure 7 As shown, the fill light assembly 130 includes two fill light elements 131. The two fill light elements 131 are respectively connected to the vehicle body 10 and are located on either side of the camera 120 to provide relatively uniform lighting on different sides of the camera 120. In other embodiments, the number and arrangement of the fill light elements 131 can also be configured in other ways according to actual needs, as long as they can effectively fill light for the camera 120 so that it can accurately capture image information of the subject.

[0088] Figure 8 for Figure 1Schematic diagram of the structure of the camera and obstacle avoidance module in the embodiment shown.

[0089] In some embodiments, such as Figure 8 As shown, the gripping vehicle further includes an obstacle avoidance module 160 mounted on the vehicle body 10. The obstacle avoidance module 160 is electrically connected to the controller 80 and is configured to transmit signals to sense obstacles. This allows the controller 80 to control the travel mechanism 150 to drive the gripping vehicle to avoid obstacles based on obstacle information provided by the obstacle avoidance module 160.

[0090] Optionally, the obstacle avoidance module 160 may be an ultrasonic obstacle avoidance module to send ultrasonic signals and feed back the collected signals reflected by the obstacle to the controller 80 so that the controller 80 can obtain the distance between the obstacle and the clamping vehicle.

[0091] According to another aspect of the present application, a method for controlling a clamping vehicle is provided, comprising:

[0092] S110: Determine the distance between the first reflector 90 and the second reflector 100 based on the distance between the first laser sensor 40 and the first reflector 90 and the distance between the first laser sensor 40 and the second reflector 100 fed back by the first laser sensor 40 and in combination with a preset algorithm;

[0093] S120: Determine the size of the clamping space based on the distance between the first reflective element 90 and the second reflective element 100 and in combination with another preset algorithm;

[0094] S130 : According to the size of the clamping space, the driving assembly 30 is controlled to drive the first clamping arm 21 and the second clamping arm 22 to rotate around the first axis a relative to the vehicle body 10 connected to the driving assembly 30 .

[0095] The technical features of the above-mentioned embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. In order to make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-mentioned embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0096] The above-described embodiments merely represent several implementation methods of the present application. While the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art could make various modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present application, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present patent application shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A clamping vehicle for clamping cylindrical goods, characterized in that: The clamping vehicle comprises: body; a clamping arm assembly connected to the vehicle body, the clamping arm assembly comprising a first clamping arm and a second clamping arm disposed opposite to each other, the second clamping arm and the first clamping arm defining a clamping space for clamping the cylindrical cargo, at least one of the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm being rotatable relative to the vehicle body about a first axis; and a drive assembly connected to at least one of the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm to drive at least one of the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm connected to the drive assembly to rotate relative to the vehicle body around the first axis, so that the size of the clamping space can be adjusted; The clamping vehicle further includes a controller electrically connected to the drive assembly, the controller being configured to control the drive assembly to drive at least one of the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm connected to the drive assembly to rotate relative to the vehicle body around a first axis; The clamping vehicle further includes a first reflector, a second reflector, and a first laser sensor electrically connected to the controller, wherein the first reflector is provided on the first clamping arm, the second reflector is provided on the second clamping arm, and the first laser sensor is provided on the vehicle body; The first laser sensor is capable of detecting a distance between the first laser sensor and the first reflector, and a distance between the first laser sensor and the second reflector; The controller can determine the distance between the first reflector and the second reflector based on the distance between the first laser sensor and the first reflector fed back by the first laser sensor, and the distance between the first laser sensor and the second reflector in combination with a preset algorithm, and can determine the size of the clamping space based on the distance between the first reflector and the second reflector in combination with another preset algorithm. The controller can also control the drive assembly to drive at least one of the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm connected to the drive assembly to rotate around the first axis relative to the vehicle body according to the size of the clamping space.

2. The clamping vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The clamping vehicle further includes a second laser sensor provided on the vehicle body, the second laser sensor being electrically connected to the controller and configured to detect the size of the cylindrical cargo; The controller can control the drive assembly to drive at least one of the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm connected to the drive assembly to rotate around the first axis relative to the vehicle body based on the size of the cylindrical cargo fed back by the second laser sensor, so that the size of the clamping space is adapted to the size of the cylindrical cargo.

3. The clamping vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that: The second laser sensor is further used to detect the position of the cylindrical cargo; The clamping vehicle further includes a traveling mechanism connected to the vehicle body; The controller is electrically connected to the traveling mechanism. The controller can control the traveling mechanism to drive the clamping trolley to the position of the cylindrical cargo according to the position of the cylindrical cargo fed back by the second laser sensor. The controller can also control the traveling mechanism to drive the clamping trolley to the cargo release position according to the preset trajectory stored in the controller.

4. The clamping vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The clamping vehicle further comprises a turntable provided on the vehicle body, and the clamping arm assembly is connected to the vehicle body by means of the turntable; The turntable can rotate relative to the vehicle body around a second axis perpendicular to the first axis to drive the clamping arm assembly to rotate relative to the vehicle body around the second axis, thereby adjusting the placement posture of the cylindrical cargo.

5. The clamping vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that: The turntable can drive the clamp arm assembly to rotate relative to the vehicle body around the second axis so that the clamp arm assembly can switch between a first rotation state and a second rotation state. When the clamp arm assembly is in the first rotation state, the cylindrical cargo is placed horizontally, and when the clamp arm assembly is in the second rotation state, the cylindrical cargo is placed vertically.

6. The clamping vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The clamping arm assembly can move in a vertical direction relative to the vehicle body.

7. The clamping vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving assembly includes a first driving member connected to the first clamping arm, the first driving member is used to drive the first clamping arm to rotate around the first axis relative to the vehicle body; and / or The driving assembly further includes a second driving member connected to the second clamping arm, and the second driving member is used to drive the second clamping arm to rotate around the first axis relative to the vehicle body.

8. The clamping vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The clamping vehicle further comprises a first clamping plate and a second clamping plate; The first clamping plate is provided on a side of the first clamping arm facing the second clamping arm; The second clamping plate is provided on a side of the second clamping arm facing the first clamping arm, and the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate are used to increase the contact areas of the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm with the cylindrical cargo, respectively.

Images