A charging method, system, and storage medium for an intelligent charging robot.

Abstract

The application discloses a charging method and system of an intelligent charging robot and a storage medium. The charging method of the intelligent charging robot comprises the following steps: S1, a user terminal sends charging request information to a central control server; S2, the central control server receives the charging request information and selects one charging robot as a working robot; S3, the working robot drives to a corresponding charging position; S4, the working robot charges a device to be charged; and S5, the working robot judges whether the residual power of the working robot decreases to a preset threshold value; if yes, the central control server selects another charging robot as a power supplement robot. When the working robot is insufficient in power and still needs to charge an electric vehicle, the central control server can still dispatch another charging robot (the power supplement robot) to supplement power for the working robot or the device to be charged, so that the electric vehicle is continuously charged, a person is not needed to be present to perform additional operation, and the power supplement experience is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electric vehicle charging technology, and in particular, to a charging method, system, and storage medium for an intelligent charging robot. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of battery technology, the transition from fuel-powered to electric drive is becoming increasingly widespread in the transportation sector. When using electric vehicles, recharging is a crucial factor to consider for daily driving. The ease of recharging directly impacts the user experience.

[0003] However, due to the high cost of installing charging stations, it is difficult to ensure that every parking space has a charging station. Usually, only a few charging stations are set up in a small area of ​​a garage. During peak hours, the charging spaces are easily filled, making it difficult for electric vehicles to charge and forcing them to park in regular parking spaces. Existing technology has a small-capacity energy storage device that can provide emergency charging for electric vehicles, but this energy storage device has a small capacity, is difficult to fully charge, and usually requires manual handling, making it inconvenient to use. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention proposes a charging method for an intelligent charging robot, which can conveniently charge electric vehicles without charging facilities.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0006] A charging method for an intelligent charging robot includes the following steps:

[0007] S1. The user terminal sends a charging request to the central control server, the charging request information including the charging location of the user terminal;

[0008] S2. The central control server receives the charging request information, selects one of the charging robots in standby mode as the working robot, and sends the charging request information to the working robot.

[0009] S3. The working robot plans a driving route according to the charging request information, and the working robot drives to the corresponding charging location according to the driving route;

[0010] S4. After the working robot detects that the charging gun is inserted into the device to be charged, it enters the charging state and begins to output electrical energy to charge the device to be charged.

[0011] S5. The robot determines whether its remaining battery power has dropped to a preset threshold.

[0012] If so, then send the power replenishment request information to the central control server;

[0013] S51. The central control server receives the energy replenishment demand information, selects another charging robot as the energy replenishment robot, and sends an energy replenishment command to the energy replenishment robot.

[0014] S6. The power replenishment robot receives the power replenishment command, automatically travels to the location of the working robot, replenishes the power to the working robot or the device to be charged, and sends power replenishment information to the central control server.

[0015] Furthermore, following step S51, the following steps are also included:

[0016] S52, the working robot detects and determines in real time whether there are obstacles within a preset distance on one side of the charging port structure component;

[0017] If so, adjust the posture until there are no obstacles within a preset distance on one side of the charging port structure component;

[0018] The charging robot is provided with a charging port structure component on one side and a retractable plug component on the other side. The charging plug of the plug component is used to insert into the charging interface of the charging port structure component of another charging robot to replenish the power of the other charging robot.

[0019] Furthermore, step S6 specifically includes:

[0020] S61. When the replenishing robot enters the preset range of the working robot, the replenishing robot sends proximity information to the working robot;

[0021] S62. The working robot receives proximity information, detects and determines whether there is an obstacle within a preset distance on one side of the charging port structure component:

[0022] If so, a stop message is sent to the charging robot, and the robot adjusts its posture until there are no obstacles within a preset distance on one side of the charging port structure component, then proceeds to step S63;

[0023] If not, proceed directly to step S63;

[0024] S63, the working robot stops detecting and determining whether there is an obstacle within a preset distance on one side of the charging port structure component, and sends a proximity message to the charging robot;

[0025] S64, the power replenishing robot receives the proximity information and begins to move closer to the working robot until the plug assembly of the power replenishing robot is aligned with the charging port structure assembly of the working robot and the distance between the power replenishing robot and the working robot is less than the set docking distance.

[0026] S65, the plug assembly of the power replenishment robot extends, allowing the charging plug to be inserted into the charging interface of the working robot, and begins to charge the working robot or the device to be charged.

[0027] Further, step S64 specifically includes the following steps:

[0028] S641, the power replenishment robot moves to the coarse positioning position after receiving the proximity information;

[0029] S642, the light-emitting unit of the power replenishment robot emits a light beam to the working robot;

[0030] S643, the optical receiving unit of the working robot receives the light beam and determines whether the lateral distance between the position of the receiving unit receiving the light beam and the reference position is greater than a preset lateral threshold:

[0031] If so, the working robot sends attitude adjustment information to the power replenishment robot. The power replenishment robot receives the attitude adjustment information and moves to adjust its position in the direction of reducing the lateral distance, and then returns to step S642.

[0032] If not, the replenishing robot moves closer to the working robot until the distance between them is less than the set docking distance;

[0033] S644. Determine whether the height distance between the position of the received beam and the reference position is greater than a preset height threshold:

[0034] If so, the working robot sends synchronization movement information to the replenishing robot, the replenishing robot receives the synchronization movement information, and the replenishing robot and the working robot move and adjust their positions synchronously until the height distance between the position of the receiving unit receiving the beam and the reference position is not greater than the preset height threshold, and then return to step S642;

[0035] If not, proceed to step S65.

[0036] Furthermore, it also includes the following steps:

[0037] S7, when the charging gun of the working robot is disconnected from the charging device, it sends charging completion information to the central control server and starts the return program;

[0038] S71. The central control server receives the charging completion information and marks the working robot that meets the remaining power requirements and the energy replenishment robot corresponding to the working robot as the charging robot in standby state.

[0039] Further, step S2 specifically includes:

[0040] The central control server selects one of the charging robots as the working robot based on the energy storage capacity of each standby charging robot and its distance from the charging location.

[0041] This invention also provides a charging method for an intelligent charging robot, used in a central control server, comprising the following steps:

[0042] The system receives a charging request from a user terminal, selects one of the charging robots in standby mode as the working robot, and sends a charging request to the working robot. The charging request is used to trigger the working robot to plan a driving route and drive to the corresponding charging location according to the driving route.

[0043] Receive the energy replenishment request information sent by the working robot;

[0044] Select another charging robot as the replenishment robot, send a replenishment command to the replenishment robot, the replenishment command is used to trigger the replenishment robot to automatically drive to the position of the working robot, replenish the working robot or the device to be charged, and send the replenishment information to the central control server;

[0045] The energy replenishment demand information is sent by the working robot when it determines that its remaining power has dropped to a preset threshold.

[0046] The present invention also provides a charging system, comprising:

[0047] The central control server is used to receive charging request information sent by user terminals, and can respond to the charging request information to select one of the charging robots in standby state as the working robot, and send charging request information to the working robot. It is also used to receive energy replenishment demand information sent by the working robot, and can respond to the energy replenishment demand information to select another charging robot as the energy replenishment robot, and send energy replenishment instructions to the energy replenishment robot.

[0048] The charging robot communicates with the central control server. When it receives a charging request from the central control server, it can plan a driving route and drive to the corresponding charging location to charge the device to be charged. When its remaining power drops to a preset threshold, it sends a recharge request to the central control server. When it receives a recharge command from the central control server, it can automatically drive to the location of other working robots to recharge other working robots or devices to be charged, and send a recharge information to the central control server.

[0049] Furthermore, it also includes charging base stations for powering the charging robots.

[0050] The present invention also provides a storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described charging method for the intelligent charging robot.

[0051] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0052] Using mobile charging robots as energy storage and output carriers, it is convenient to charge cars in parking spaces without charging piles, and they are available on call. The charging robots are scheduled by a central control server to achieve intelligent management. When the working robot is low on power and still needs to charge the electric vehicle, the central control server can also schedule another charging robot (replenishing robot) to replenish the power of the working robot or the device to be charged, thereby achieving continuous charging of electric vehicles without the need for human presence or additional operation, thus improving the charging experience.

[0053] In addition to the objectives, features, and advantages described above, the present invention has other objectives, features, and advantages. The invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the figures. Attached Figure Description

[0054] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0055] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of an embodiment of the charging method for the intelligent charging robot of the present invention;

[0056] Figure 2 This is a partial flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the charging method for the intelligent charging robot of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 3 This is a detailed flowchart of step S6;

[0058] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the specific process of step S64;

[0059] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of a charging robot;

[0060] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the plug assembly and the drive mechanism;

[0061] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the docking result between the energy replenishment robot and the working robot;

[0062] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a state during the docking process between the power replenishment robot and the working robot;

[0063] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 Enlarged view of point A;

[0064] Figure 10 This is a partial schematic diagram of another state during the docking process between the energy replenishment robot and the working robot.

[0065] Legend:

[0066] The charging robot 100, the mounting cavity 110, the plug hole 111, the protrusion 112, the charging gun 120, the second elastic post 130, and the charging socket 140 are all included.

[0067] The charging port structure component 200, mounting base 210, mounting cavity 211, slide bar 212, slide groove 213, opening 214, floating interface seat 220, charging interface 221, positioning frame groove 222, locking opening 223, positioning frame 224, flared frame 225, connecting post 226, ball 227, and first elastic post 230;

[0068] Plug assembly 300, alignment frame 310, second outer flap 311, first guide post 312, first limiting nut 313, through hole 314, charging plug 320, plug pin 321, extension plate 322, first outer flap 323, opening slot 324, first spring 330, buckle 340, hook part 341;

[0069] Drive mechanism 400, telescopic rod 410, limit head 411. Detailed Implementation

[0070] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0071] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0072] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0073] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" in this invention is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but only on the basis of being achievable by those skilled in the art. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, such a combination of technical solutions should be considered non-existent and not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0074] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The present invention provides a preferred embodiment of a charging method for an intelligent charging robot, comprising steps S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S51, and S6.

[0075] S1. The user terminal sends a charging request to the central control server. The charging request information includes the charging location of the user terminal. The user terminal is usually a mobile phone or vehicle-mounted system with network communication capabilities. The user terminal connects to the Bluetooth of the parking area or downloads the corresponding APP and communicates through Bluetooth or wireless network. Of course, the charging request information may also include the expected charging amount entered by the user.

[0076] S2. The central control server receives the charging request information, selects one of the charging robots in standby mode as the working robot, and sends the charging request information to the working robot. The central control server schedules the charging robots in standby mode and assigns one of the suitable charging robots to charge the electric vehicle.

[0077] S3. Based on the charging request information, the robot plans its route and travels to the corresponding charging location. It is understood that the robot has an automatic driving system that can move along the designated route in the parking area and avoid obstacles. Automatic driving systems are currently standard technology in the mobile robot industry and will not be elaborated on here.

[0078] S4. After the working robot detects that the charging gun is inserted into the device to be charged, it enters the charging state and begins to output electrical energy to charge the device. Usually, after the working robot moves to the charging position, the user needs to unplug the charging gun from the working robot and insert it into the charging port of the electric vehicle to achieve docking. After docking, the working robot can read the actual power and rechargeable power of the electric vehicle through the connection between the charging gun and the charging port. For example, if the electric vehicle has a 40 kWh battery and the actual power is 20 kWh, the rechargeable power is 20 kWh.

[0079] S5. The robot determines whether its remaining battery power has dropped to a preset threshold: if not, it proceeds directly to the next step; if so, it sends a power replenishment request to the central control server. When the remaining battery power drops to the preset threshold, it indicates that its battery power is insufficient to meet the need for continued charging. The preset threshold is usually determined based on the robot's return trip (back to the charging base station). Typically, the preset threshold is set to be greater than the battery power required for the robot's return trip. Additionally, to account for the time it takes for the replenishment robot to arrive and provide additional power to the electric vehicle, the preset threshold can be adjusted. , and These are the power requirements for the robot's return trip and the power consumption per preset unit time, respectively. The estimated time required for the replenishing robot to reach the corresponding working robot position. To preset redundant power, set redundant power to avoid insufficient power due to inaccurate power prediction or other reasons that increase power consumption.

[0080] S51. The central control server receives the energy replenishment demand information, selects another charging robot as the energy replenishment robot, and sends an energy replenishment command to the energy replenishment robot. Usually, the energy replenishment robot is selected when the power is sufficient or enough to meet the remaining charging demand.

[0081] S6. The replenishing robot receives the replenishing command, automatically travels to the location of the working robot, replenishes the working robot or the device to be charged, and sends replenishing information to the central control server, thereby informing the central control server that the replenishment was successful. It is understood that the working robot and the replenishing robot are both charging robots of the same structure, distinguished only by marking their identities to achieve different functions. It is understood that the charging robot 100 is equipped with a charging gun 120 for charging external devices, and has a rechargeable battery inside; the charging gun 120 is connected to the rechargeable battery to discharge its electrical energy. The rechargeable battery can be a commonly used lithium iron phosphate battery, ternary lithium battery, or other rechargeable batteries. The charging robot 100 is equipped with a charging port 140 to cooperate with the charging pile of the charging base station to achieve replenishment.

[0082] This invention provides a charging method for an intelligent charging robot. Essentially, it utilizes a mobile charging robot as a carrier for energy storage and output, facilitating vehicle charging in parking spaces without charging stations. The robot is available on demand, and a central control server schedules the charging robots for intelligent management. Furthermore, when the working robot's power is insufficient and the electric vehicle still needs charging, the central control server can schedule another charging robot (a replenishment robot) to replenish the power of the working robot or the device to be charged, thus achieving continuous charging of the electric vehicle without requiring human intervention and improving the charging experience. In particular, when an electric vehicle arrives at the parking lot but doesn't stay there indefinitely and needs to move around and explore, you can only ask the user to start the charging process by unplugging the charging gun. You can't ask the user to return to the parking spot to start the charging process again when the robot's power is insufficient. This would greatly reduce the user experience and cause inconvenience. On the other hand, if the charging robot's battery capacity is designed to be large, its size will be large, making it difficult to move between vehicles, and the cost will also be high. Moreover, as the battery capacity of electric vehicles increases, the charging robot's capacity will be insufficient to meet the full charge requirements of all vehicles in one go. Therefore, this invention can effectively reduce the cost of the charging robot, reduce its size, and improve the user experience.

[0083] Reference Figure 2 In some embodiments of the present invention, after step S51, the following step is further included:

[0084] S52, the working robot can detect and determine in real time whether there are obstacles within a preset distance on one side of the charging port structure component;

[0085] If so, the robot will adjust its posture until there are no obstacles within a preset distance on one side of the charging port structure component.

[0086] Otherwise, proceed to the next step.

[0087] One side of the charging port structure is where the plug assembly for the charging robot is inserted for recharging. Therefore, if there are obstacles behind the working robot, preventing the charging robot from entering, the working robot needs to adjust its posture. Furthermore, while there may be no obstacles on the charging port side initially, other vehicles may enter during charging, creating new obstacles. Therefore, real-time detection is necessary. Typically, a distance detector can be installed on the same side of the charging port structure on the working robot (charging robot) to achieve distance detection.

[0088] Reference Figure 5The charging robot has a charging port structure component 200 on one side and a retractable plug component 300 on the other side. Specifically, the charging port structure component 200 is located at the rear of the charging robot, and the plug component 300 is located at the front. The charging plug 320 of the plug component 300 is used to insert into the charging interface 221 of the charging port structure component 200 of another charging robot to replenish the power of the other charging robot. It can be understood that the replenishing robot can maintain power for the electric vehicle by charging the battery of the working robot. Of course, in some other embodiments, the power replenishment robot can directly transfer electrical energy to the charging gun 120 through the internal circuitry of the working robot, thereby directly replenishing the electric vehicle without needing to transfer electrical energy through the working robot's battery. For example, the charging gun of the charging robot is connected to a first line and a second line. The first line is connected to the battery, and the second line is connected to the charging interface 221 of the charging port structure component. The first line and the second line can be selectively connected, and the charging gun 120 can only be connected between the battery and the charging interface 221. When the working robot directly charges the electric vehicle, the first line is connected, the second line is disconnected, and the charging gun 120 is connected to the battery. When the charging plug of the power replenishment robot is connected to the charging interface of the working robot, the first line is disconnected, the second line is connected, and the charging gun 120 is connected to the charging interface 221, thereby directly transferring the power of the power replenishment robot to the electric vehicle. This can avoid the battery's lifespan being reduced due to repeated charging and discharging.

[0089] The following is through Figures 6 to 10 The structure and working principle of the charging port structure component 200 and the plug component 300 of the charging robot 100 are described.

[0090] The charging robot 100 has a receiving cavity 110, which houses a rechargeable battery. A charging port structure assembly 200 is installed within the receiving cavity, including a mounting base 210 and a floating interface base 220. The mounting base 210 is fixedly connected to the charging robot 100, and the floating interface base 220 can move vertically relative to the mounting base 210. The floating interface base 220 has a rear-opening charging port 221. A clearance opening is provided on the rear side of the receiving cavity corresponding to the charging port structure assembly 200 to expose the charging port 221. Alternatively, the receiving cavity 110 can be equipped with partitions to separate the various modules.

[0091] The charging robot 100 has a plug hole 111 on its front side. A plug assembly 300 is movably inserted through the plug hole 111. The plug assembly 300 includes a charging plug 320. The charging plug 320 has prongs 321 adapted to the charging interface 221, which can extend out of the plug hole 111. The charging plug 320 can reciprocate horizontally relative to the charging robot 100. A drive mechanism 400 is installed in the receiving cavity and connected to the charging plug 320, used to drive the charging plug 320 to extend and retract through the plug hole 111. The vertical movement of the floating interface seat 220 and the left-right movement of the charging plug 320 reduce the precision of their docking, allowing them to adaptively dock even with certain lateral and height deviations.

[0092] The plug assembly 300 includes an alignment frame 310; the alignment frame 310 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the charging plug 320; a positioning frame 224 is provided at intervals on the outer periphery of the floating interface seat 220, the positioning frame 224 surrounds the outer periphery of the floating interface seat 220 to form a positioning frame groove 222; the positioning frame groove 222 is set with the opening facing rearward to allow the alignment frame 310 to be inserted, the front end of the positioning frame 224 is fixedly connected to the front end of the floating interface seat 220 so that the front side of the positioning frame groove 222 is closed, so that the alignment frame 310 abuts against the front side wall of the positioning frame groove 222 when it is inserted; and when the plug assembly 300 is inserted into the floating interface seat 220 of another charging robot, the alignment frame 310 and the positioning frame groove 222 are positioned and engaged so that the pin 321 is aligned with the charging interface 221 of the other charging robot.

[0093] To enable the flexible movement of the floating interface seat 220, the charging port structure assembly 200 further includes a first elastic post 230; the first elastic post 230 contacts the positioning frame 224 to apply an elastic force to the floating interface seat 220. In addition, to increase the range of the positioning frame 224 receiving the alignment frame 310, the rear end of the positioning frame 224 is provided with a rearwardly flared frame 225. The flared frame 225 can increase the range of the alignment frame 310 being inserted, so that when the alignment frame 310 is misaligned with the positioning frame slot 222 (i.e., when the pin 321 is misaligned with the charging interface 221), the receiving range can be increased by the flared frame 225. As the flared frame 225 gradually narrows forward, the alignment frame 310 and the positioning frame slot 222 are gradually aligned.

[0094] The floating interface seat 220 has a connecting post 226 and a ball 227 connected sequentially at its front end. The floating interface seat 220 can rotate relative to the mounting seat 210 along the ball 227. The mounting seat 210 has a mounting cavity 211 with an open rear end. The front side wall of the mounting cavity 211 has a slide bar 212 that extends vertically. The slide bar 212 has a groove 213 for the ball 227 to move vertically. The floating interface seat 220 uses the sliding cooperation between the ball 227 and the groove 213 to achieve vertical sliding. Then, it uses the rotation of the ball 227 to achieve the rotational movement of the floating interface seat 220. This achieves two-dimensional movement of sliding and rotation, improving the adaptability of the floating interface seat 220. This allows the floating interface seat 220 to not only adapt to charging plugs 320 at different heights, but also to charging plugs 320 inserted at a certain tilt angle.

[0095] The rear end of the slide groove 213 has an opening 214 for the connecting post 226 to extend out of the slide groove 213. The width of the opening 214 is greater than the width of the connecting post 226 and less than the diameter of the sphere 227, so that when the floating interface seat 220 rotates and swings up and down, the connecting post 226 can also swing up and down in the opening 214, avoiding structural interference. The width of the opening 214 is less than the diameter of the sphere 227, thus ensuring that the sphere 227 is confined within the slide groove 213 and will not detach from the slide groove 213 from the opening 214; the width of the opening 214 is greater than the width of the connecting post 226, so that the connecting post 226 can rotate and swing left and right along the sphere 227 within a certain range, increasing the range of rotation, so that the floating interface seat 220 can not only swing up and down but also swing left and right, which can better adapt to the insertion of charging plugs 320 at different insertion angles. It can be understood that when the connecting post 226 is a cylinder, its width dimension is its diameter dimension.

[0096] Multiple first elastic columns 230 are provided and distributed circumferentially on the periphery of the mounting cavity 211. They are used to apply elastic force to the floating interface seat 220 when it is compressed, so that the floating interface seat 220 can be kept in a stable position when it is not subjected to external force, which facilitates alignment. Of course, the floating interface seat 220 is usually centered with the mounting cavity 211. When it is not subjected to external force, the center of the floating interface seat 220 is aligned with the center of the mounting cavity 211.

[0097] The charging plug 320 has protruding plates 322 extending rearward from the left and right sides, which extend outward from the alignment frame 310. The rear ends of the two protruding plates 322 are provided with first outward flaps 323; the rear ends of the alignment frame 310 are provided with second outward flaps 311 on the left and right sides. A first spring 330 is provided between the first outward flaps 323 and the second outward flaps 311, so that when the driving mechanism 400 drives the charging plug 320 to move forward, the first spring 330 drives the alignment frame 310 to move forward. When the alignment frame 310 collides with the external structure, the first spring 330 can also play a certain role in elastic buffering.

[0098] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the second outer flap 311 extends rearwardly with a first guide post 312. The first outer flap 323 is provided with a first guide hole through which the first guide post 312 passes. The rear end of the first guide post 312 passes through the first guide hole and is connected to a first limiting nut 313. The outline of the first limiting nut 313 is larger than that of the first guide hole, thereby preventing the first guide post 312 from disengaging from the first guide hole. When the charging plug 320 retracts rearward into the receiving cavity, the first outer flap 323 abuts against the first limiting nut 313, causing the alignment frame 310 to move rearward, thus realizing the retraction movement of the alignment frame 310. The first spring 330 is a compression spring sleeved on the first guide post 312. The two ends of the compression spring abut against the first outer flap 323 and the second outer flap 311 respectively, thereby providing elastic force.

[0099] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the positioning frame 224 has a locking opening 223 on its peripheral wall, and the alignment frame 310 has a latch 340 hinged to its side wall. The latch 340 has a retracted state that is retracted within the alignment frame 310 and a locking state that is partially extended from the side wall of the alignment frame 310. The forward and backward movement of the charging plug 320 relative to the alignment frame 310 can realize the state switching of the latch 340. When the front end of the alignment frame 310 is inserted into the positioning frame slot 222 of another charging robot and abuts against the front side wall of the positioning frame slot 222, the following is achieved: Figure 8 As shown in the diagram, the charging plug 320 continues to move forward relative to the alignment frame 310, which can push the latch 340 from the retracted state to the locked state, achieving... Figure 10 The state shown allows the latch 340 in the locking state to engage with the locking port 223 of another charging robot, thereby restricting the relative displacement of the alignment frame 310 and the floating interface seat 220 of the other charging robot in the front-to-back direction. At this time, the alignment frame 310 and the floating interface seat 220 cannot move relative to each other, and their positions are locked. After the charging plug 320 pushes the latch 340 to the locking state, the charging plug 320 continues to move forward, allowing the prongs 321 to insert into the charging interface 221 of the other charging robot, thus achieving charging docking. During the insertion of the prongs 321 into the charging interface 221 of the other charging robot, the charging plug 320 remains in contact with the latch 340, keeping the latch 340 in the locking state and preventing its state from easily changing. Specifically, as shown... Figure 10 As shown, the buckle 340 has a hook portion 341 protruding from the side. When the buckle 340 is in the locked state, the hook portion 341 is inserted into the locking slot 223, thereby preventing the alignment frame 310 from retracting relative to the floating interface seat 220. In addition, the charging plug 320 has a groove with an open front end, and the plug pins 321 are disposed in the groove. The groove allows the floating interface seat 220 to be inserted, thereby reducing the overall size of the charging plug 320 in the front-to-back direction.

[0100] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the side wall of the alignment frame 310 is provided with a through opening 314 for mounting the buckle 340. The buckle 340 is hinged to the through opening 314 via a hinge shaft, and a torsion spring is mounted on the hinge shaft so that the buckle 340 remains in a retracted state when not subjected to external force, and in the retracted state, it can be inserted into the positioning frame groove 222 along with the alignment frame 310. Figure 9 As shown, when the front end of the alignment frame 310 abuts against the front side wall of the positioning frame slot 222 of another charging robot, the through opening 314 is partially aligned with the locking opening 223. At this time, the forward movement of the charging plug 320 can push the hook part 341 of the buckle 340 to rotate into the locking opening 223.

[0101] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the left and right edges of the inner side of the plug hole 111 are provided with rearward protrusions 112. The protrusions 112 are used to abut against the second outer flap 311 to limit the stroke of the alignment frame 310 extending out of the plug hole 111. The protrusions 112 on the left and right sides are provided with second elastic posts 130 to apply elastic force to the left and right sides of the alignment frame 310, so that the plug assembly 300 can move elastically left and right, and when it is not affected by external force, it remains in the middle position of the plug hole 111.

[0102] Specifically, the second elastic column 130 is provided with a pulley at one end facing the alignment frame 310. The rotation axis of the pulley is vertical. The pulley contacts the outer wall of the alignment frame 310. When the alignment frame 310 moves back and forth, the pulley 132 can reduce the friction with the alignment frame 310 and avoid its back and forth movement being blocked.

[0103] The drive mechanism 400 can be a telescopic drive mechanism, such as a telescopic motor, an electric push rod, or other drive structures with telescopic drive capability. The drive mechanism 400 has a telescopic rod 410 that can extend and retract. The end of the telescopic rod 410 is provided with a limiting head 411 whose profile is larger than that of the telescopic rod 410. The rear side of the charging plug 320 is provided with an opening groove 324 with an upper opening. The middle of the rear side wall of the opening groove 324 is provided with a strip-shaped opening that extends to the left and right. The middle of the strip-shaped opening is provided with an upwardly extending through-hole. The limiting head 411 is embedded in the opening groove 324 and can move left and right within the opening groove 324.

[0104] Reference Figure 3 In a further embodiment of the present invention, step S6 specifically includes:

[0105] S61. When the replenishing robot enters the preset range of the working robot, the replenishing robot sends an approach message to the working robot.

[0106] S62. The robot receives proximity information and detects and determines whether there is an obstacle within a preset distance on one side of the charging port structure component:

[0107] If so, a stop message is sent to the charging robot, and the robot adjusts its posture until there are no obstacles within a preset distance on one side of the charging port structure component. The charging robot receives the stop message and stops moving, and then proceeds to step S63.

[0108] If not, proceed directly to step S63;

[0109] S63, the working robot stops detecting and determining whether there is an obstacle within a preset distance on one side of the charging port structure component, and sends a proximity message to the charging robot;

[0110] S64, the power replenishment robot receives the proximity information and begins to move closer to the working robot until the plug assembly of the power replenishment robot is aligned with the charging port structure assembly of the working robot and the distance between the power replenishment robot and the working robot is less than the set docking distance; the docking distance is mainly to avoid the plug assembly not extending far enough due to the large distance between the two, so that the charging plug can be inserted into the charging interface of the working robot. Within the docking distance, it can be guaranteed that the charging plug can be inserted into the charging interface.

[0111] S65, the plug assembly of the power replenishment robot extends, allowing the charging plug to be inserted into the charging interface of the working robot, and begins to charge the working robot or the device to be charged.

[0112] The working robot is located on the side of the charging port structure component, i.e., at its rear. The preset distance is mainly to ensure sufficient space for the charging robot to reach the rear of the working robot, and can be set according to the size of the charging robot. Information exchange between the charging robot and the working robot can be carried out through their Bluetooth module or through the central control server. Steps S61 and S62 are mainly to address situations where, when the charging robot approaches the working robot and is about to reach the required position to charge it, there are still obstacles, resulting in insufficient space for the charging robot to reach the rear of the working robot for docking. Steps S63 and S64, after the docking space conditions are met, allow the charging robot to proceed with the subsequent approaching action. During the approach, the working robot stops its rear obstacle detection to avoid mistaking the charging robot for an obstacle and affecting the docking. The above steps are mainly to ensure smooth docking, considering potential docking problems and designing to avoid related issues.

[0113] The following is combined Figures 8 to 10 Describe the specific process of step S65.

[0114] Step S65 specifically includes the following steps:

[0115] S651, the drive mechanism 400 of the rechargeable robot drives the charging plug 320 and the alignment frame 310 to move forward together. The alignment frame 310 of the rechargeable robot is embedded in the positioning frame slot 222 of the working robot and abuts against the front side wall of the positioning frame slot 222; achieving... Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown in the diagram, the through-hole 314 is partially aligned with the locking hole 223.

[0116] S652, the drive mechanism 400 continues to drive the charging plug 320 forward. The charging plug 320 continues to move forward, compressing the first spring 330. The forward movement of the charging plug 320 pushes the latch 340 to partially engage with the locking slot 223, causing the latch 340 to switch from a retracted state to a locked state, achieving... Figure 10 The state shown;

[0117] S653, the drive mechanism 400 drives the charging plug 320 forward, so that the pins 321 of the charging plug 320 are inserted into the charging interface 221 of the working robot.

[0118] At this point, the alignment frame 310 of the power replenishing robot is locked in place with the floating interface seat 220 of the working robot, and then the pin 321 of the power replenishing robot is inserted into the charging interface 221 of the working robot.

[0119] Since the pin 321 and the charging interface 221 are usually tightly fitted, the resistance to inserting the pin 321 into the charging interface 221 is relatively large. If the positions of the alignment frame 310 and the floating interface seat 220 are not locked, the drive mechanism 400 may push the power replenishment robot and the working robot away, and the pin 321 will not be able to be inserted into the charging interface 221. Of course, when the positions of the alignment frame 310 and the floating interface seat 220 are initially locked, there is a gap between the second outer flap 311 and the protrusion 112. If the resistance to inserting the pin 321 into the charging interface 221 is large, the drive mechanism 400 will push the power replenishment robot and the working robot away until the protrusion 112 abuts against the second outer flap 311, thereby preventing the alignment frame 310 from extending further.

[0120] Therefore, step S6521 is included between steps S652 and S653: the drive mechanism 400 will push the charging plug 320 and the working robot forward together until the protrusion 112 abuts against the second outer flap 311. After that, the working robot can no longer be pushed forward by the drive mechanism 400, and then step S653 can be executed smoothly.

[0121] Additionally, during step S651, the charging plug 320 protrudes from the front end of the alignment frame 310 of the charging robot. If the alignment frame 310 of the charging robot is misaligned with the positioning frame slot 222 during docking, the alignment frame 310 first contacts the flared frame 225 of the working robot. If there is a left-right alignment deviation, the alignment frame 310 automatically adjusts its position left and right. If there is a height alignment deviation, the floating interface seat 220 automatically adjusts its position up and down. If there is an angle deviation, the floating interface seat 220 rotates along the sphere 227 to change its angle to adapt to the insertion angle of the alignment frame 310. As the alignment frame 310 continues to move forward, it embeds into the positioning frame slot 222 of another charging robot, thereby aligning the pins 321 of the charging plug 320 with the charging interface 221 of the other charging robot.

[0122] Reference Figure 4 In some embodiments of the present invention, step S64 specifically includes the following steps:

[0123] S641, after receiving the proximity information, the charging robot moves to the coarse positioning position, that is, the charging robot moves to the rear of the working robot and the light receiving unit of the working robot can receive the light beam emitted by the charging robot. The charging robot has a light-emitting unit on the front and a light-receiving unit on the rear, and the receiving area of ​​the light-emitting unit is a circle; the center of the receiving area of ​​the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit are at the same height and on a line in the front and rear horizontal direction.

[0124] S642, the light-emitting unit of the power replenishment robot emits a beam of light to the working robot;

[0125] S643, the working robot's optical receiving unit receives the light beam and determines whether the lateral distance between the position of the received light beam and the reference position is greater than a preset lateral threshold:

[0126] If so, the working robot sends the posture adjustment information to the power replenishment robot. The power replenishment robot receives the posture adjustment information and moves in the direction of reducing the lateral distance to adjust its position, and then returns to step S642.

[0127] If not, the replenishing robot will move closer to the working robot until the distance between them is less than the set docking distance;

[0128] S644. Determine whether the height distance between the position of the received beam and the reference position is greater than a preset height threshold:

[0129] If so, the working robot sends synchronization movement information to the replenishing robot. The replenishing robot receives the synchronization movement information, and the replenishing robot and the working robot move synchronously to adjust their positions until the height distance between the position where the receiving unit receives the beam and the reference position is not greater than the preset height threshold. Then, the process returns to step S642.

[0130] If not, proceed to step S65.

[0131] The reference position is the center of the receiving area of ​​the optical receiving unit. Step S643 mainly adjusts the lateral deviation of the two alignments. Step S644 mainly avoids uneven ground positions of the working robot or the power replenishment robot, which would cause a height difference. When the height difference does not meet the requirements, the two can be moved synchronously to adjust their positions so that they are adjusted to a position with a smaller height difference and move synchronously to reduce the impact on the lateral deviation. Finally, the alignment test is re-performed by returning to step S642.

[0132] Within the preset horizontal and height thresholds, the prongs of the charging plug 320 can connect with the charging interface 221 of the floating interface seat 220. As can be seen from the above description, the reason why the preset horizontal and height thresholds are allowed without affecting the connection is due to the combined effect of the flared frame 225, the left-right elastic movement of the charging plug 320, the vertical sliding of the floating interface seat 220, and its rotational movement.

[0133] In some embodiments of the present invention, the following steps are also included:

[0134] S7: When the charging gun of the working robot is detached from the charging device, it sends a charging completion message to the central control server and starts the return procedure. Of course, if a replenishing robot is already working at this time, the replenishing robot also needs to start the return procedure. After starting the return procedure, the charging robot moves back to the initial position (charging base station).

[0135] S71. The central control server receives the charging completion information and marks the working robot that meets the remaining power requirement and the corresponding recharging robot as the charging robot in standby mode, so as to facilitate the subsequent scheduling of the two robots. The remaining power requirement can be met as long as the remaining power is greater than the preset power value.

[0136] In a further embodiment of the present invention, step S2 specifically includes:

[0137] The central control server selects one charging robot as the working robot based on the energy storage capacity of each standby charging robot and its distance from the charging location. Generally, the larger the energy storage capacity of a charging robot, the higher its scheduling priority; the smaller the distance from the charging location, the higher its scheduling priority. In addition, after the working robot and the recharge robot complete step S7 and enter the return program, if the remaining energy requirement is met, then in the standby charging robot sequence, if a new charging request information appears, the working robot or the recharge robot, since it is on its return journey and not at its initial location (charging base station), is likely to be closer to the charging location and can quickly reach the charging location to charge the user's electric vehicle. This further optimizes scheduling, improves timeliness and efficiency, and enhances the user experience.

[0138] This invention also provides a charging method for an intelligent charging robot, used in a central control server, comprising the following steps:

[0139] The central control server receives charging request information sent by user terminals;

[0140] The central control server selects one of the charging robots from the standby charging robots as the working robot and sends a charging request to the working robot. The charging request is used to trigger the working robot to plan a driving route and drive to the corresponding charging position according to the driving route.

[0141] The central control server receives energy replenishment request information sent by the working robot;

[0142] The central control server selects another charging robot as the replenishment robot, sends a replenishment command to the replenishment robot, and triggers the replenishment robot to automatically drive to the position of the working robot, replenish the working robot or the device to be charged, and send the replenishment information to the central control server.

[0143] The energy replenishment request information is sent by the robot when it determines that its remaining power has dropped to a preset threshold.

[0144] The present invention also provides a charging system, including a central control server and a charging robot.

[0145] The central control server is used to receive charging request information sent by user terminals, and can respond to the charging request information by selecting one of the charging robots in standby state as the working robot and sending charging request information to the working robot. It is also used to receive energy replenishment demand information sent by the working robot, and can respond to the energy replenishment demand information by selecting another charging robot as the energy replenishment robot and sending energy replenishment instructions to the energy replenishment robot.

[0146] The charging robot communicates with the central control server. When it receives a charging request from the central control server, it can plan a route and drive to the corresponding charging location to charge the device. When its remaining power drops to a preset threshold, it sends a recharge request to the central control server. When it receives a recharge command from the central control server, it can automatically drive to the location of other working robots to recharge other working robots or devices, and send recharge information to the central control server. In other words, the charging robot performs different functions depending on the information it receives. When it receives a charging request, it acts as a working robot to charge electric vehicles. When it receives a recharge command, it acts as a recharge robot and docks with the working robots to recharge.

[0147] In some embodiments of the present invention, the charging system further includes a charging base station for charging the charging robot, so as to store and charge the charging robot.

[0148] The present invention also provides a storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described charging method for the intelligent charging robot.

[0149] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A charging method of a smart charging robot, characterized by, The method comprises the following steps: S1, the user terminal sends a charging request information to the central control server, wherein the charging request information comprises a charging position of the user terminal; S2, the central control server receives the charging request information, selects one of the standby charging robots as a working robot, and sends the charging request information to the working robot; S3, the working robot plans a driving route according to the charging request information, and drives to the corresponding charging position according to the driving route; S4, after the working robot detects that the charging gun is inserted into the device to be charged, the working robot enters a charging state and starts to output electric energy to charge the device to be charged; S5, the working robot judges whether the remaining electric quantity of the working robot decreases to a preset threshold value; If yes, the working robot sends a power supplement demand information to the central control server; S51, the central control server receives the power supplement demand information, selects another charging robot as a power supplement robot, and sends a power supplement instruction to the power supplement robot; S6, the power supplement robot receives the power supplement instruction, automatically drives to the position of the working robot, supplements electric energy to the working robot, and sends a power supplement information to the central control server; Step S6 specifically comprises: S61, when the power supplement robot enters a preset range of the working robot, the power supplement robot sends an approaching information to the working robot; S62, the working robot receives the approaching information, detects and judges whether there is an obstacle within a preset distance on one side of the charging port structure assembly: If yes, the working robot sends a stop information to the power supplement robot, and adjusts the posture until there is no obstacle within the preset distance on one side of the charging port structure assembly, and then enters step S63; If no, the working robot directly enters step S63; S63, the working robot stops detecting and judging whether there is an obstacle within a preset distance on one side of the charging port structure assembly, and sends an approaching information to the power supplement robot; S64, the power supplement robot receives the approaching information, and starts to move close to the working robot until the plug assembly of the power supplement robot is aligned with the charging port structure assembly of the working robot and the distance between the power supplement robot and the working robot is less than a set docking distance; S65, the plug assembly of the power supplement robot is extended, so that the charging plug is inserted into the charging interface of the working robot, and the working robot or the device to be charged is charged; Step S64 specifically comprises steps of: S641, after the power supplement robot receives the approaching information, the power supplement robot moves to a coarse positioning position; S642, the light emitting unit of the power supplement robot emits a light beam to the working robot; S643, the light receiving unit of the working robot receives the light beam, and judges whether the transverse distance between the position of the light receiving unit receiving the light beam and the reference position is greater than a transverse preset threshold value: If yes, the working robot sends an adjustment posture information to the power supplement robot, the power supplement robot receives the adjustment posture information and moves to an adjustment position in a direction of reducing the transverse distance, and then returns to step S642; If no, the power supplement robot moves close to the working robot to a distance less than the set docking distance. S644, judging whether the height distance between the position of the received light beam and the reference position is greater than the height preset threshold value: If yes, the working robot sends the synchronous movement information to the energy supplement robot, the energy supplement robot receives the synchronous movement information, and the energy supplement robot and the working robot synchronously move to adjust the position until the height distance between the position of the received light beam and the reference position is not greater than the height preset threshold value, and then returning to step S642; If no, step S65 is entered.

2. The charging method of the intelligent charging robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, after step S51, further comprising steps of: S52, the working robot detects and judges whether there is an obstacle within a preset distance on one side of the charging port structure assembly in real time; If yes, adjusting the posture until there is no obstacle within the preset distance on one side of the charging port structure assembly; Wherein one side of the charging robot is provided with a charging port structure assembly, and the other side is provided with a telescopic plug assembly, and the charging plug of the plug assembly is used for inserting into the charging interface of the charging port structure assembly of the other charging robot. Further comprising steps of: 3.The charging method of the intelligent charging robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, S7, when the charging gun of the working robot is separated from the device to be charged, sending the energy charging completion information to the central control server, and starting the return program; S71, the central control server receives the energy charging completion information, and marks the working robot meeting the remaining power requirement and the energy supplement robot corresponding to the working robot as standby state charging robots. Step S2 specifically comprises: 4.The charging method of the intelligent charging robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, The central control server selects one of the charging robots as the working robot according to the power storage amount of each standby state charging robot and the distance from the charging position. Comprising the following steps: 5.A charging method of a smart charging robot, used for a central control server, characterized in that, Receiving the charging request information sent by the user terminal, Selecting one of the standby state charging robots as the working robot, and sending the charging request information to the working robot, the charging request information being used to trigger the working robot to plan a driving route and drive to the corresponding charging position according to the driving route; Receiving the energy supplement demand information sent by the working robot; Selecting another charging robot as the energy supplement robot, sending the energy supplement instruction to the energy supplement robot, and sending the energy supplement information to the central control server, the energy supplement instruction being used to trigger the energy supplement robot to automatically drive to the position of the working robot, supplement the energy of the working robot, and supplement the energy of the working robot; The energy supplement demand information is sent by the working robot when the remaining power of the working robot decreases to the preset threshold value; The energy supplement robot automatically drives to the position of the working robot, supplements the energy of the working robot, and sends the energy supplement information to the central control server, specifically comprising: S61, when the energy supplement robot enters the preset range of the working robot, the energy supplement robot sends the approaching information to the working robot; S62, the working robot receives the approaching information, detects and judges whether there is an obstacle within a preset distance on one side of the charging port structure assembly: ​ If yes, the energy supplement robot is sent stop information, and the posture is adjusted to the preset distance on the side of the charging port structure assembly without obstacles, and then step S63 is entered; If no, step S63 is directly entered; S63, the working robot stops detecting and judging whether there is an obstacle within the preset distance on the side of the charging port structure assembly, and sends the energy supplement robot approach information; S64, the energy supplement robot receives the approach information, and starts to move close to the working robot until the plug assembly of the energy supplement robot is aligned with the charging port structure assembly of the working robot and the distance between the energy supplement robot and the working robot is less than the set docking distance; S65, the plug assembly of the energy supplement robot is extended, the charging plug is inserted into the charging interface of the working robot, and the working robot or the device to be charged is charged; Step S64 specifically includes steps: S641, after the energy supplement robot receives the approach information, it moves to the coarse positioning position; S642, the light emitting unit of the energy supplement robot emits a light beam to the working robot; S643, the light receiving unit of the working robot receives the light beam, and judges whether the transverse distance between the position of the light receiving unit receiving the light beam and the reference position is greater than the transverse preset threshold value: If yes, the working robot sends posture adjustment information to the energy supplement robot, the energy supplement robot receives the posture adjustment information and moves to adjust the position in the direction of reducing the transverse distance, and then returns to step S642; If no, the energy supplement robot moves close to the working robot to a distance less than the set docking distance; S644, judges whether the height distance between the position of the light receiving unit receiving the light beam and the reference position is greater than the height preset threshold value: If yes, the working robot sends synchronous movement information to the energy supplement robot, the energy supplement robot receives the synchronous movement information, the energy supplement robot and the working robot move synchronously to adjust the position until the height distance between the position of the light receiving unit receiving the light beam and the reference position is not greater than the height preset threshold value, and then returns to step S642; If no, step S65 is entered.

6. A charging system for implementing the method of charging the intelligent charging robot according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, It includes: The central control server is used for receiving the charging request information sent by the user terminal, and can select one of the charging robots in standby state as the working robot in response to the charging request information, and send the charging request information to the working robot, and receive the energy supplement demand information sent by the working robot, and can select another charging robot as the energy supplement robot in response to the energy supplement demand information, and send the energy supplement instruction to the energy supplement robot; The charging robot is in communication connection with the central control server, and when receiving the charging request information sent by the central control server, it can plan a driving route and drive to the corresponding charging position to charge the device to be charged, and when the remaining power of the charging robot decreases to a preset threshold value, it sends the energy supplement demand information to the central control server; when receiving the energy supplement instruction sent by the central control server, it can automatically drive to the position of the other working robot to supplement the energy of the other working robot, and send the energy supplement information to the central control server.

7. The charging system of claim 6, wherein, It also includes a charging base station for charging the charging robot.

8. A storage medium storing a computer program, characterized by The computer program is executed by a processor to implement the charging method of the intelligent charging robot according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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