Automatic pallet handling and docking system

Abstract

The present invention discloses an automatic handling and docking system for pallets, including an intelligent docking platform and an autonomous mobile robot. The autonomous mobile robot is used to automatically handle pallets and goods, and the intelligent docking platform is used for the autonomous mobile robot to handle pallets and dock with any kind of handling device. The present invention realizes the automatic handling of pallets. By adopting the edge of the docking device with a periodic curve structure, the effective action area is expanded, and compatibility with common pallets such as Tianzi boards, Sichuan boards, nine-legged pallets, and pallets of different sizes is achieved. In order to improve the docking accuracy, the system establishes a coordinate system based on the radar scanning of the characteristic plate, and the symmetry of the characteristic shape further improves the data reliability. At the same time, through the reasonable combination of the sensing pedals, the reliability and stability of the docking are improved, and the risk of abnormalities is reduced. In addition, the use of elastic limit blocks enhances the stability during transportation, making the performance of the entire system more superior.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the fields of automatic control and robotics, and is applicable to scenarios in the fields of industry, warehousing, logistics, etc. that require automatic handling of pallets. In particular, it relates to an automatic pallet handling and docking system. Background Art

[0002] Mobile robots are intelligent robots capable of self-organization, autonomous operation, and autonomous planning in complex environments. They integrate research findings from multiple disciplines, including sensor technology, information processing, communications, microelectronics, automated control engineering, robotics, and artificial intelligence. They represent the latest advancements in mechatronics and are one of the most dynamic areas of scientific and technological development. Mobile robots are widely used in industries such as industry, agriculture, healthcare, and services, and are particularly well-suited for hazardous and dangerous environments such as urban security and space exploration. They have garnered widespread attention worldwide. In the warehousing and logistics industry, the pace of automation transformation and technological equipment upgrades is accelerating. The recent labor shortage has made many companies realize the importance and necessity of mobile robots—such as automated guided vehicles, unmanned forklifts, and autonomous mobile robots—as well as basic automated logistics equipment in the industrial logistics sector.

[0003] Considered one of the two key innovations in the logistics industry of the 20th century, pallets are horizontal platforms used for the collection, stacking, handling, and transportation of goods. Similar to containers, pallets are widely used in production, transportation, warehousing, and logistics. They unitize, standardize, and normalize packaging, protecting goods and facilitating physical and commercial flows. Pallets, often used in conjunction with automated handling equipment, play a crucial role in modern logistics, serving as crucial equipment for loading, unloading, storage, and transportation.

[0004] Currently, one scenario for automated pallet handling is the use of a forklift. Forklifts can easily pick up pallets based on their characteristics, but forklifts are generally large and long, have a large turning radius, have high requirements for aisles, and cannot automatically avoid obstacles. Efficient operation is difficult in scenarios with narrow aisles, insufficient space, high transfer speed requirements, and relatively complex environments.

[0005] One approach is to use autonomous mobile robots, combined with material platforms, which can flexibly operate automatically and avoid obstacles in relatively narrow aisles. This is currently the most advanced approach in the warehousing and logistics automation industry. However, this approach requires high docking precision and good stability. Pallets come in various shapes and sizes, such as zigzag, chuanzi, and nine-legged pallets, depending on the cargo and the scenario. They also come in different materials, load distribution, deadweight, length, width, and height. A single autonomous mobile robot and material docking platform is not compatible with pallets of varying shapes and sizes. In scenarios where a variety of cargo needs to be transported on pallets, the handling equipment often needs to be customized according to the shape, type, and size of the pallets, significantly increasing design and manufacturing costs and reducing production efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an automatic pallet handling and docking system, which is suitable for use in links that need to transport various different pallets, have a fast operating rhythm, and require high docking precision, and can effectively solve the shortcomings of the existing technology.

[0007] The present invention is realized through the following technical solutions: a pallet automatic handling and docking system, including an intelligent docking platform and an autonomous mobile robot, the autonomous mobile robot is used to automatically handle pallets and goods, and the intelligent docking platform is used for the autonomous mobile robot to handle pallets and dock with any kind of handling device.

[0008] As a preferred technical solution, the intelligent docking station is composed of a frame, a cargo platform, a sensor pedal, a boundary pole, a docking station wireless module, and a feature plate;

[0009] The cargo platform is installed and fixed on the horizontal support rod on the top layer of the frame. It is used to place pallets when connecting with mobile intelligent handling equipment. The cargo platform is divided into left and right sides and is symmetrically distributed. The sensor pedal is installed in the cargo platform, the boundary rods are installed on the cargo platform, and the feature plate is installed on the inside of the frame. It serves as a reference surface for precise positioning of the laser radar on the autonomous mobile robot.

[0010] As a preferred technical solution, the sensing pedal includes at least one cargo detection pedal arranged on the left and right, and at least two cross-border detection pallets on the left and right;

[0011] A U-shaped boundary rod is installed above the out-of-bounds detection pallet on each side. Each sensing pedal is connected to the docking station wireless module. When the sensing pedal is pressed down by the pallet, the pressing status is sent to the autonomous mobile robot through the docking station wireless module. The autonomous mobile robot determines its task based on the current status of the intelligent docking station.

[0012] As a preferred technical solution, the left and right outer sides and the front and rear sides of the cargo platform outline are straight lines with adjacent sides perpendicular to each other, and the inner side is a first curved structure similar to a wave.

[0013] As a preferred technical solution, the first curved structure of the cargo platform on the intelligent docking platform is a curved shape with a periodic uniform phase. Each period of the curve is composed of a first arc segment with a radius of RMAX1, a first straight line segment, a second arc segment with a radius of RMIN1, and a second straight line segment connected in sequence.

[0014] As a preferred technical solution, the autonomous mobile robot includes a frame shell, which is the supporting structure of the entire autonomous mobile robot;

[0015] The bottom of the frame shell is equipped with a driving wheel and a universal wheel, which are used to realize the autonomous mobile walking function of the autonomous mobile robot;

[0016] It also includes a laser radar mounted on the frame housing, the laser radar being installed diagonally and used to achieve navigation and obstacle avoidance functions during autonomous movement;

[0017] There is a circle of embedded radar slots on the outer side of the rack shell at the radar installation height to provide an installation position for the lidar;

[0018] It also includes a lifting module installed on the frame that can be raised and lowered. The lifting module raises or lowers the lifting panel according to the application scenario to facilitate the loading of pallets and goods.

[0019] A lifting panel is installed on the upper surface of the lifting module. Multiple sets of elastic limit blocks are set inside the lifting panel. The elastic limit blocks are used to limit the position of the pallet to prevent the pallet from deviating from the lifting panel from the front and rear ends.

[0020] An anti-skid device is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the lifting panel. The anti-skid device is used to increase the friction between the pallet and the lifting panel, thereby preventing the pallet from sliding on the lifting panel.

[0021] A robot wireless module is installed in the rack shell to receive signals from the wireless module of the docking station to achieve remote control and communication.

[0022] As a preferred technical solution, a wavy second curve structure is provided on the left and right sides of the lifting panel on the mobile robot. The second curve structure is a curve shape with a periodic uniform phase. Each period of the curve is composed of a third arc segment with a radius of RMAX, a third straight line segment, a fourth arc segment with a radius of RMIN, and a fourth straight line segment, which are connected in sequence.

[0023] As a preferred technical solution, the length of one cycle of the second curved structure is less than the length of the contact surface of the bottom of the pallet along the direction of travel of the in-and-out mobile robot.

[0024] As a preferred technical solution, the first curved structure on the cargo platform corresponds to the second curved structure on the lifting panel of the intelligent mobile robot, the first arc segment and the fourth arc segment are concentric arc segments with the same arc but different radii, the first straight line segment and the third straight line segment are parallel, the second arc segment and the third arc segment are concentric arc segments with the same arc but different radii, and the first straight line segment and the fourth straight line segment are parallel;

[0025] When the mobile robot is docked accurately in the docking station, the first curved structure and the second curved structure are parallel.

[0026] As a preferred technical solution, the elastic limit block includes a first elastic limit block and a second elastic limit block. The inner and outer rows of the first elastic limit block and the second elastic limit block are used to achieve limit movement at different degrees of deviation.

[0027] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: First, in recent years, in the scenarios where AMRs and AGVs transport pallets, a large number of cases have occurred in which pallets deform after a period of transportation and docking, and the deformation of the pallets causes interference between the pallets and the material platform. The present invention can increase the effective contact points of the pallets, ensuring the stability of the pallets during transportation and docking;

[0028] Second, in warehousing scenarios, different pallets are often used for different goods. For example, stacking is suitable for field pallets, forklift docking is suitable for Sichuan pallets, and hydraulic trucks and four-way forks are suitable for nine-legged pallets. Each type of pallet has different load-bearing surface characteristics, and the sizes of various pallets are also different. Simply increasing or reducing the area of ​​the handling and docking device is difficult to achieve a balance between handling and docking. This application can effectively solve the inconsistent load-bearing surface characteristics of various pallets and ensure that all pallets can be reliably handled and docked.

[0029] Third, docking accuracy is one of the difficulties in automated logistics. Inaccurate positioning often leads to a series of derivative problems. In current automated logistics and warehousing scenarios, solving the problem of inaccurate positioning often consumes a lot of manpower, material resources and time resources. The docking method of the present invention, through radar scanning of the feature plate and the feature plate's bilateral and internal symmetry, greatly improves the accuracy and reliability of positioning.

[0030] 4. In automatic transportation, it is necessary to increase the limit to improve the stability of the goods. However, if the goods deviate from the fixed limit device, it will often lead to more risky situations such as the goods tilting. The present invention uses the arrangement of elastic limit blocks to perform layered limit in the transportation process. Even if the goods deviate too much, they will not tilt, thereby enhancing the stability of automatic transportation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0032] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional diagram of the overall composition of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 The intelligent docking station of the present invention is three-dimensional Figure 1 ;

[0034] Figure 3 The intelligent docking station of the present invention is three-dimensional Figure 2 ;

[0035] Figure 4 The intelligent docking station of the present invention is three-dimensional Figure 3 ;

[0036] Figure 5 A detailed diagram of the intelligent docking station of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 6 A three-dimensional diagram of the autonomous mobile robot of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the bottom structure of a stereoscopic view of the autonomous mobile robot of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 8 Detailed diagram of the autonomous mobile robot;

[0040] Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional diagram of a common material docking station on the market;

[0041] Figure 10 This is a three-dimensional diagram of a common autonomous mobile handling robot on the market;

[0042] Figure 11 A three-dimensional diagram of placing pallets on a common material docking station on the market;

[0043] Figure 12 A three-dimensional diagram of placing pallets for common mobile robots on the market;

[0044] Figure 13 This is a structural diagram of the pallet placed on the docking platform;

[0045] Figure 14 Schematic diagram of the structure of placing a pallet on a mobile robot;

[0046] Figure 15 Schematic diagram of the docking between the autonomous mobile robot and the docking station;

[0047] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the pallet placed inside the elastic limit block;

[0048] Figure 17 Schematic diagram of the elastic limit block on the inside of the pallet;

[0049] Figure 18 Schematic diagram of the inner and outer elastic limit blocks when the pallet is pressed down;

[0050] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram of the structure when the mobile robot and the docking station begin to dock;

[0051] Figure 20 Schematic diagram of the mobile robot entering the docking station and continuously calibrating by scanning the feature plate with radar;

[0052] Figure 21 This is a structural diagram of the mobile robot when it is precisely docked at the docking station;

[0053] Figure 22 Schematic diagram of the structure of the mobile robot exiting the docking station and continuously calibrating through radar scanning feature plates. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0054] All features disclosed in this specification, or all steps in the disclosed methods or processes, except mutually exclusive features and / or steps, can be combined in any manner.

[0055] Any feature disclosed in this specification (including any appended claims, abstract and drawings), unless otherwise stated, may be replaced by other equivalent or similar features. That is, unless otherwise stated, each feature is only an example of a series of equivalent or similar features.

[0056] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "one end", "the other end", "outside", "upper", "inside", "horizontal", "coaxial", "center", "end", "length", "outer end" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention 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. Therefore, they should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0057] In addition, in the description of the present invention, “a plurality of” means at least two, for example, two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0058] Terms such as "upper", "above", "lower", and "below" used in the present invention to indicate spatial relative positions are used for the purpose of convenience to describe the relationship of one unit or feature relative to another unit or feature as shown in the accompanying drawings. Terms of spatial relative position may be intended to include different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation shown in the drawings. For example, if the device in the figure is turned over, the unit described as being "below" or "beneath" other units or features will be located "above" the other units or features. Therefore, the exemplary term "below" can encompass both the above and below orientations. The device can be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptors used herein should be interpreted accordingly.

[0059] In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, terms such as "disposed," "socketed," "connected," "through," and "inserted" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to fixed or detachable connections, or integration; mechanical or electrical connections; direct or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal communication between two components or interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on specific circumstances.

[0060] like Figures 1-10 As shown, an automatic pallet handling and docking system of the present invention is composed of an intelligent docking platform 1 and an autonomous mobile robot 2. The autonomous mobile robot 2 is used to automatically transport pallets and goods, and the intelligent docking platform 1 is used for the autonomous mobile robot 2 to carry pallets and other handling devices such as manual labor, manual forklifts, unmanned forklifts, cranes, fixed robotic arms, etc.

[0061] like Figure 2As shown, the intelligent docking platform 1 consists of a frame 11, a cargo platform 12, a sensor pedal 13, a boundary pole 14, a docking platform wireless module 15, and a feature plate 16. The frame 11 serves as the supporting structure of the entire docking platform and includes vertical square tubes 111 at the four corners, multiple vertical square tubes 112 on each side for auxiliary load-bearing, multiple horizontal support rods 113 on each side for balance, a ground-facing mounting plate 114 on each side, with holes reserved for expansion screws that can be used to fix to the ground when heavy cargo needs to be carried, and crossbars 115 for connecting and balancing the frames 11 on both sides. The cargo platform 12 is mounted and fixed on the horizontal support rods 113 on the top layer of the frame 11 and is used to place pallets when docking with mobile intelligent handling equipment. The cargo platform 12 is symmetrically distributed on the left and right sides. The left and right outer sides and the front and rear sides of the cargo platform 12 are straight lines with adjacent sides perpendicular to each other, and the inner side is a first curved structure 121 similar to a wave. The sensing pedals 13 are installed within the cargo platform 12, and the boundary poles 14 are all installed on the cargo platform 12. The sensing pedals 13 include one cargo detection pedal 131 on each side and two cross-border detection pallets 132 on each side. A U-shaped boundary pole 14 is installed above each of the two cross-border detection pallets 132 on each side. Each sensing pedal 13 is connected to a docking station wireless module 15. When the sensing pedal 13 is pressed down by the pallet, the pressed state is transmitted to the autonomous mobile robot 2 via the docking station wireless module 15. The autonomous mobile robot 2 determines its task based on the current state of the intelligent docking station 1. The feature plate 16 is installed on the inside of the frame 11 and serves as a reference surface for the laser radar 24 on the autonomous mobile robot 2 to perform precise positioning.

[0062] like Figure 6As shown, the autonomous mobile robot 2 consists of a frame housing 21, driving wheels 22 and universal wheels 23 mounted on the frame housing 21, a laser radar 24 mounted on the frame housing 21, a lifting module 25 mounted on the frame and capable of being raised and lowered, a lifting panel 26 mounted on the upper surface of the lifting module 25, elastic limit blocks 27 mounted within the lifting panel 26, and an anti-slip device 28 fixed to the upper surface of the lifting panel 26. The frame housing 21 is the main supporting structure of the autonomous mobile robot 2. The driving wheels 22 and universal wheels 23 are used for autonomous movement of the autonomous mobile robot 2. The two diagonally mounted laser radars 24 are used for navigation and obstacle avoidance during autonomous movement. The frame housing 21 has built-in radar slots around the outside at the radar mounting height to ensure 360-degree scanning. The lifting module 25 is used to raise or lower the lifting panel 26 according to the application scenario. The lifting panel 26 is used to carry pallets and goods. The elastic limit block 27 is used to limit the pallet to prevent the pallet from deviating from the lifting panel 26 from the front and rear ends. The anti-slip device 28 is used to increase the friction of the pallet to prevent the pallet from sliding on the lifting panel 26. A robot wireless module is installed in the rack shell 21 for receiving signals from the wireless module of the intelligent docking station 1.

[0063] The first curved structure 121 of the cargo platform 12 on the intelligent docking station 1 is a curve with a periodic uniform phase. Each cycle of the curve is composed of a first arc segment 1211 with a radius of RMAX1, a first straight line segment 1212, a second arc segment 1213 with a radius of RMIN1, and a second straight line segment 1214. The length of one cycle of the curve is less than the length of the edge of the pallet's bottom contact surface along the direction of entering and exiting the intelligent docking station 1. This ensures that within a certain offset range, as long as the pallet and cargo platform 12 are in contact, all of the pallet's lower surface can contact the cargo platform 12. Figure 13 As shown, this avoids the situation where part of the pallet is suspended in the air, which causes the pallet to be easily deformed.

[0064] The left and right sides of the lifting panel 26 on the autonomous mobile robot 2 are formed by a second, wave-like curved structure 261. This second curved structure 261 is a curve with a periodic, uniform phase. Each cycle of the curve consists of a third arc segment 2611 with a radius of RMAX2, a third straight line segment 2612, a fourth arc segment 2613 with a radius of RMIN2, and a fourth straight line segment 2614, all connected in sequence. The length of one cycle of the curve is less than the length of the pallet's bottom contact surface along the direction of travel of the autonomous mobile robot 2. This ensures that within a certain offset range, as long as the pallet's bottom contact surface is in contact with the lifting panel 26, the entire lower surface of the pallet can contact the lifting panel 26. Figure 14 As shown, this avoids the situation where part of the pallet is suspended in the air, which causes the pallet to be easily deformed.

[0065] The first curved structure 121 of the cargo platform corresponds to the second curved structure 261 of the lifting surface of the autonomous mobile robot 2. The first arc segment 1211 and the fourth arc segment 2613 are concentric arc segments with the same arc but different radii. The first straight line segment 1212 and the third straight line segment 2612 are parallel. The second arc segment 1213 and the third arc segment 2611 are concentric arc segments with the same arc but different radii. The first straight line segment 1212 and the straight line segment 2614 are parallel. When the autonomous mobile robot 2 is accurately docked in the intelligent docking station 1, the tangents of each point on the parallel curves of the first curved structure 121 and the second curved structure 261 are parallel, which is defined as the curves being parallel. Figure 15 shown.

[0066] When the contact surface between the pallet and the load-bearing structure is not a continuous surface, such as the three load-bearing beams of the Sichuan-shaped pallet and the nine load-bearing blocks of the nine-legged pallet, for ordinary lifting mobile robots and ordinary docking platforms, their lifting panels 26 and cargo platforms 12 are generally linear structures. If the lifting panel 26 is too narrow, it will result in only the middle contact surface of the pallet being in contact with the lifting panel 26, such as the middle load-bearing beam of the Sichuan-shaped pallet and the middle three load-bearing blocks of the nine-legged pallet, while the contact surfaces on both sides, such as the two side load-bearing beams of the Sichuan-shaped pallet and the three load-bearing blocks on the left and right of the nine-legged pallet, will be suspended, resulting in extreme instability during transportation, such as Figure 12 If the left and right widths of the lifting panel 26 are directly widened, there will be more restrictions on the spacing between the inner sides of the cargo platforms 12 on the left and right sides of the intelligent docking station 1. The spacing between the inner sides of the cargo platforms 12 needs to be larger than the width of the lifting panel 26 of the autonomous mobile robot 2. The wider the width of the lifting panel 26, the wider the spacing between the inner sides of the cargo platforms 12 needs to be. Otherwise, when the lifting panel 26 is raised or lowered, it will collide with the cargo platform 12. If the spacing between the inner sides of the cargo platform 12 is too wide, the size of the pallets that can be placed on the cargo platform 12 will be limited. Only pallets with a width greater than the spacing between the inner sides of the cargo platform 12 can be placed on the cargo platform 12, thereby greatly limiting the lower limit of the width of the pallets that can be placed on the intelligent docking station 1. Figure 11 shown.

[0067] like Figure 15In the figure, A1 and B1 represent the innermost and outermost points of the first curved structure 121 on the intelligent docking platform 1, respectively. L1 and H1 represent the innermost and outermost points of the second curved structure 261 on the autonomous mobile robot 2, respectively. For an autonomous mobile robot 2 with a lift panel 26 having a constant width of l1L1, the distance between the inner sides of the left and right load-bearing surfaces of the zigzag pallet or nine-legged pallet that it can carry must be less than l1L1. Otherwise, only the middle load-bearing surface will bear the load, resulting in instability. For an intelligent docking platform 1 with a constant spacing of b1B1 between the loading platforms 12, the pallet width it can carry must be at least b1B1. The combination of the first curved structure 121 and the second curved structure 261 of the present application allows the autonomous mobile robot 2 to carry a Sichuan-shaped pallet or a nine-legged pallet, with the distance between the inner sides of the left and right load-bearing surfaces increased to h1H1, with an increase of 2*(H1-L1), while maintaining the tolerance range L1A1. Alternatively, the width of the pallet that the intelligent docking station 1 can carry can be reduced to a1A1, with an improvement of 2*(B1-A1). By adjusting the values ​​of H1-L1 and B1-A1, it is theoretically possible to dock pallets of any size and various types, such as Sichuan-shaped pallets, nine-legged pallets, etc.

[0068] The cargo detection pedal 131 is used to detect whether there is a pallet placed on the intelligent docking station 1, and the boundary rod 14 is used to detect whether the pallet deviates beyond the specified range. The boundary rod 14 is in contact with the two out-of-bounds detection pallets 132 directly below it. When the pallet presses the boundary rod 14, the out-of-bounds detection pallet 132 will be triggered. When the pallet is pressed down, causing the cargo detection pedal 131 or the out-of-bounds detection pallet 132 to be triggered, the docking station wireless module 15 installed under the pedal will send the changed status to the autonomous mobile robot 2. For example, when the autonomous mobile robot 2 delivering goods receives the signal of the cargo detection pedal 131 being pressed, it can confirm that the goods are safely placed, and can exit the intelligent docking station 1 empty to proceed to the next task. When the autonomous mobile robot 2 delivering goods receives the signal of the out-of-bounds detection pallet 132 being pressed, the pallet is seriously offset, and the abnormal mechanism is immediately triggered, and emergency braking and auxiliary operation intervention are performed, etc., thereby ensuring the safety of the equipment under abnormal conditions. The boundary rods 14 on the left and right sides are parallel, such as Figure 2As shown, assuming that the projection point from point A1 to the inner side of the opposite boundary rod 14 is S1, and the projection point from point a1 to the inner side of the opposite boundary rod 14 is T1, then pallets 401 with widths greater than A1S1 and less than S1T1 can all fit on the intelligent docking platform 1. When the side of the pallet 401 is between A1T1 or a1S1, all load-bearing surfaces of the pallet are in contact with the cargo platform 12, and at least one cargo detection pedal 131 is pressed down. When the side of the pallet 401 deviates beyond S1 or T1, the out-of-bounds detection pallet 132 on one side is triggered, thereby activating the braking or protection mechanism. At this time, even if the other side of the pallet deviates to the inside of point A1 or a1 and becomes suspended in the air, no accident will occur. By adjusting the value of the first curved structure 121B1-A1 and the value of the mobile robot 2H1-L1, that is, the positions of A1 and B1, the pallets 401 with a width between (A1S1, S1T1) can all adapt to the intelligent docking station 1 for automatic and reliable docking.

[0069] The elastic limit block 27 of the autonomous mobile robot 2 is used to limit the pallet in the front and rear directions. Ordinary limit structures are often fixed limit blocks with trumpet correction, which can correct deviations within a certain range. However, for objects with large deviations and large contact surfaces such as pallets, the height difference between the limit block and the cargo surface often becomes a risk factor that easily causes the goods to tilt or even overturn. The elastic limit block includes a first elastic limit block and a second elastic limit block. The present design uses two inner and outer rows of first elastic limit blocks 271 and second elastic limit blocks 272 to achieve limitations in different degrees of deviation. When the deviation of the pallet is small, the inner first elastic limit block 271 can prevent the pallet from shifting in the front and rear directions, such as Figure 16 When the pallet has a large deviation and exceeds the range of the first inner elastic limit block 271, the pallet presses down the first inner elastic limit block 271, and the pallet remains in a stable state. At the same time, the second outer elastic limit block 272 can prevent the pallet from deviating in the forward and backward directions. Figure 17 When the pallet deflects too much and exceeds the outer second elastic limit block 272, the pallet presses down the inner and outer first elastic limit blocks 271 and the second elastic limit block 272, and the elastic limit device cannot play a limiting role. However, the pallet remains stable and will not tilt due to the height difference of the contact surface. Figure 18 shown.

[0070] When the autonomous mobile robot 2 enters and exits the intelligent docking station 1 to pick up and place pallets and realize the automatic transfer of goods, the docking accuracy of the autonomous mobile robot 2 and the intelligent docking station 1 is extremely important. In ordinary open scenes, the current mainstream method for the autonomous mobile robot 2 to perform positioning and navigation is to use a lidar to scan the surrounding environment to build a map, set relevant areas on the map, and then complete it through real-time matching of the robot's posture and the map during the movement of the autonomous mobile robot 2. This method combines the hardware's active wheels 22 and universal wheels 23 to achieve autonomous movement and posture adjustment, and has good flexibility and can match different scenes. However, this positioning method is not accurate enough. During the docking process between the autonomous mobile robot 2 and the intelligent docking station 1, the higher the accuracy, the more it can ensure the safety and efficiency of the equipment. In the docking method of the present application, the autonomous mobile robot 2 scans the feature plate 16 of the intelligent docking station 1 to achieve high-precision secondary positioning docking, such as Figure 19 shown.

[0071] The feature plate 16 is composed of a first plane plate 161 and a second plane plate 164 that are parallel to the entry and exit direction of the autonomous mobile robot 2, and a third plane plate 162 and a fourth plane plate 163 that are at a certain angle to the entry and exit direction of the autonomous mobile robot 2. The first plane plate 161, the third plane plate 162, the fourth plane plate 163 and the second plane plate 164 are sequentially connected to form the feature plate 16. A center line 165 is formed in the middle of the feature plate 16. The first plane plate 161 and the second plane plate 164 and the third plane plate 162 and the fourth plane plate 163 are symmetrical about the center line 165. There is a feature plate 16 at the corresponding position on the left and right sides of the intelligent docking station 1. When the autonomous mobile robot 2 comes to a certain distance outside the intelligent docking station 1 and is ready to dock with the intelligent docking station 1, as shown in FIG. Figure 16 As shown, the front radar 24 of the autonomous mobile robot 2 scans the feature plates 16 on both sides. By acquiring radar point cloud data, fitting and extracting straight line segments, and feature matching four connected straight lines that meet specific lengths and angles, a coordinate system is established based on the set of straight lines. This serves as the basis for the positioning of the autonomous mobile robot 2 within the intelligent docking station 1, and the posture of the autonomous mobile robot 2 is adjusted so that the autonomous mobile robot 2 is facing the center line of the intelligent docking station 1. After confirming the establishment of the coordinate system and the position alignment, the autonomous mobile robot 2 begins to enter the intelligent docking station 1, as shown in the figure. Figure 20 As shown, during the forward movement, the laser radar 24 continuously scans the characteristic plates 16 on both sides to obtain real-time data and continuously calibrates in the reference coordinate system until the autonomous mobile robot 2 accurately stops at the designated position, as shown in FIG. Figure 21Because the left and right feature plates 16 are symmetrical about the centerline of the intelligent docking station 1, and the first, second, third, and fourth planar plates 161, 164, 162, and 163 of the feature plates 16 are symmetrical about the centerline 165, the data obtained by the radar scanning the left and right feature plates 16 and the data obtained on both sides of the centerline 165 are cross-correlated, giving the radar data a self-correcting function, thereby greatly improving the reliability of the radar data and docking accuracy.

[0072] When the autonomous mobile robot 2 carries a pallet to the intelligent docking platform 1 to deliver the goods, it autonomously navigates to a certain distance in front of the docking platform through the laser radar 24. The laser radar 24 scans the characteristic plates 16 on both sides of the intelligent docking platform 1, establishes a reference coordinate system, and adjusts its own posture to align with the center line of the intelligent docking platform 1. At the same time, the jacking module 25 ensures that the jacking panel 26 is in a raised state. At this time, the jacking panel 26 is higher than the cargo platform 12. The autonomous mobile robot 2 uses the laser radar 24 to scan the feature plate 16 for precise docking and reaches the designated position. The jacking module 25 descends, driving the jacking panel 26 to descend. During the descent, the pallet falls onto the cargo platform 12. The first curved structure 121 of the cargo platform and the second curved structure 261 of the lifting surface ensure that the pallet has enough force points to keep the pallet stable. When the pallet is placed on the cargo platform 12 and the jacking panel 26 descends to the lowest point, the height of the jacking panel 26 is lower than the cargo platform 12. The autonomous mobile robot 2 continuously scans the feature plate 16 and the reference coordinate system through the radar 24, accurately exits the intelligent docking platform 1, and proceeds to the next task.

[0073] When the autonomous mobile robot 2 carries the pallet to the intelligent docking station (1) to pick up the goods, it autonomously navigates to a certain distance in front of the docking station through the laser radar 24. The laser radar 24 scans the characteristic plates 16 on both sides of the intelligent docking station 1, establishes a reference coordinate system and adjusts its own posture to align with the center line of the docking station. At the same time, the lifting module 25 ensures that the lifting panel 26 is in a lowered state. At this time, the lifting panel 26 is lower than the cargo platform 12. The autonomous mobile robot 2 uses the laser radar 24 to scan the feature plate 16 for precise docking and reaches the designated position. The lifting module 25 rises, driving the lifting panel 26 to rise. During the rising process, the pallet is loaded onto the lifting panel 26. The first curved structure 121 of the cargo platform and the second curved structure 261 of the lifting surface ensure that the pallet has enough force points to keep the pallet stable. When the pallet is placed on the lifting panel 26 and the lifting panel 26 rises to the highest point, the lifting panel 26 is higher than the cargo platform 12. The autonomous mobile robot 2 continuously scans the feature plate 16 and the reference coordinate system through the radar 24, accurately exits the intelligent docking platform 1, and proceeds to the next task.

[0074] By arranging intelligent docking stations 1 at two or more points, and using one or more autonomous mobile robots 2 to travel back and forth between different intelligent docking stations 1 to dock, pick up and deliver goods, the automatic handling of pallet cargo at different points can be achieved. The first curved structure 121 of the cargo platform and the second curved structure 261 of the lifting surface enable the equipment of the present application to transport and dock pallets of various types and sizes. If the values ​​of H1-L1 and B1-A1 are adjusted in a targeted manner, it can even be compatible with all pallets on the market in theory, which greatly solves the pain points of the industry. The reasonable arrangement of the elastic limit blocks 27 can achieve hierarchical limiting and ensure that the goods are always stable. The secondary docking is performed by scanning the feature plate 16 through the laser radar 24, which greatly improves the docking accuracy and data reliability. The combination of the cargo detection pedal 131 and the boundary rod 14 greatly reduces the risk of abnormal situations and increases the controllability of the system.

[0075] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that are not conceived through creative work should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be based on the scope of protection defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A pallet automatic handling and docking system, characterized by: The invention comprises an intelligent docking platform (1) and an autonomous mobile robot (2), wherein the autonomous mobile robot (2) is used for automatically transporting pallets and goods, and the intelligent docking platform (1) is used for docking the autonomous mobile robot (2) with any transport device when transporting pallets; The intelligent docking station (1) is composed of a frame (11), a cargo platform (12), a sensing pedal (13), a boundary pole (14), a docking station wireless module (15), and a feature plate (16); The cargo platform (12) is fixed on the uppermost horizontal support rod (113) of the frame (11) and is used to place a pallet when docking with the mobile intelligent handling equipment. The cargo platform (12) is symmetrically distributed on the left and right sides. The sensing pedal (13) is installed in the cargo platform (12). The boundary rods (14) are all installed on the cargo platform (12). The feature plate (16) is installed on the inner side of the frame (11) and serves as a reference surface for the laser radar (24) on the autonomous mobile robot (2) to perform precise positioning. The sensing pedal (13) includes at least one cargo detection pedal (131) arranged on the left and right sides, and at least two cross-border detection pallets (132) on the left and right sides; A U-shaped boundary rod (14) is installed above the cross-border detection pallet (132) on each side, and each sensing pedal (13) is connected to a docking station wireless module (15). When the sensing pedal (13) is pressed down by the pallet, the pressed state is sent to the autonomous mobile robot (2) through the docking station wireless module (15). The autonomous mobile robot (2) determines its task according to the current state of the intelligent docking station (1); The cargo platform (12) has a profile with left and right outer sides and front and rear sides that are straight lines with adjacent sides perpendicular to each other, and a first curved structure (121) that is similar to a wave shape on the inner side; The first curved structure (121) of the cargo platform (12) on the intelligent docking platform (1) is a curved shape with a periodic uniform phase, and each period of the curve is composed of a first arc segment (1211) with a radius of RMAX1, a first straight line segment (1212), a second arc segment (1213) with a radius of RMIN1, and a second straight line segment (1214) connected in sequence; A wave-shaped second curved structure (261) is provided on the left and right sides of the lifting panel (26) on the autonomous mobile robot (2). The second curved structure (261) is a curved shape with a periodic uniform phase. Each cycle of the curve is composed of a third arc segment (2611) with a radius of RMAX2, a third straight line segment (2612), a fourth arc segment (2613) with a radius of RMIN2, and a fourth straight line segment (2614) connected in sequence. The length of one cycle of the second curved structure (261) is less than the length of the contact surface of the bottom of the pallet along the direction of travel of the autonomous mobile robot (2); The first curved structure (121) on the cargo platform corresponds to the second curved structure (261) on the lifting panel of the autonomous mobile robot (2); the first arc segment (1211) and the fourth arc segment (2613) are concentric arc segments with the same arc but different radii; the first straight segment (1212) and the third straight segment (2612) are parallel; the second arc segment (1213) and the third arc segment (2611) are concentric arc segments with the same arc but different radii; and the first straight segment (1212) and the fourth straight segment (2614) are parallel; When the autonomous mobile robot (2) is docked accurately in the intelligent docking station (1), the first curved structure (121) and the second curved structure (261) are parallel.

2. The automatic pallet handling and docking system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The autonomous mobile robot (2) comprises a frame shell (21), which is the supporting structure of the entire autonomous mobile robot (2); A driving wheel (22) and a universal wheel (23) are installed at the bottom of the frame housing (21), and the driving wheel (22) and the universal wheel (23) are used to realize the autonomous mobile walking function of the autonomous mobile robot (2); It also includes a laser radar (24) installed on the frame housing (21), the laser radar (24) is installed diagonally and is used to achieve navigation and obstacle avoidance functions during autonomous movement; The outer sides of the frame housing (21) are provided with a circle of embedded radar slots at the radar installation height, providing an installation position for the laser radar (24); It also includes a lifting module (25) installed on the frame and capable of being raised and lowered. The lifting module (25) raises or lowers the lifting panel (26) according to the application scenario to facilitate the loading of pallets and goods. A lifting panel (26) is installed on the upper surface of the lifting module (25), and a plurality of sets of elastic limit blocks (27) are arranged in the lifting panel (26). The elastic limit blocks (27) are used to limit the position of the pallet to prevent the pallet from deviating from the lifting panel (26) from the front and rear ends; An anti-slip device (28) is fixedly mounted on the upper surface of the lifting panel (26), and the anti-slip device (28) is used to increase the friction between the pallet and the lifting panel (26), thereby preventing the pallet from sliding on the lifting panel (26); A robot wireless module is installed in the frame shell (21) for receiving signals sent by the wireless module of the intelligent docking station (1) to achieve remote control and communication.

3. The automatic pallet handling and docking system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The elastic limiting block comprises a first elastic limiting block and a second elastic limiting block, and limiting at different degrees of deviation is achieved through the first elastic limiting block (271) and the second elastic limiting block (272) in two inner and outer rows.

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