A docking control method and control system for a cabin section

By combining the docking device and the robotic gripper, the modules are docked in stages. The use of movable and clamping support mechanisms solves the problems of low docking efficiency and precision, and improves the stability of docking accuracy and welding quality.

CN117773552BActive Publication Date: 2026-03-17BEIJING XINGHANG MECHANICAL ELECTRICAL EQUIP CO LTD
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-12-26
Publication Date
2026-03-17

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In the existing technology, the docking device of the compartment is difficult to adjust its position and posture flexibly in multiple directions, resulting in low docking efficiency and poor accuracy, and the docking accuracy is difficult to maintain during transportation and welding.

Method used

The docking of the modules is carried out by a combination of docking device and robotic gripper. The docking is divided into two steps: preliminary docking and final docking, through the movement and clamping of fixed base, mobile base, first support mechanism and second support mechanism. The docking accuracy is ensured by the flexible adjustment and clamping force of the clamping mechanism and support mechanism.

Benefits of technology

This improved the efficiency and precision of compartment docking, ensured the stability of docking accuracy during transportation and welding, prevented a decrease in docking accuracy, and improved welding quality.

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Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of cabin section butt joint control method and control system, belong to non-standard component assembly technical field, solve the low technical problem of the butt joint efficiency and butt joint accuracy when the existing butt joint tool carries out cabin section butt joint.The method of the present application comprises: the butt joint device is set to butt joint preparation state;First cabin section is grabbed by robot gripper and is installed to butt joint device;Make robot gripper grab second cabin section and preliminarily butt joint second cabin section with first cabin section;Second cabin section preliminarily butt jointed is installed to butt joint device;Make the mobile base move towards the fixed base to butt joint position, to finally butt joint second cabin section with first cabin section, then second support mechanism moves towards fixed base to second support position to support the second end of second cabin section.The present application can improve butt joint efficiency and butt joint accuracy, and welding does not need to be disassembled from butt joint device after butt jointed cabin section, it is favorable to improve welding accuracy.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of non-standard component assembly technology, and in particular to a docking control method and control system for a single compartment. Background Technology

[0002] Automated assembly of modules involves a series of processes, such as docking, scanning, and welding. Each step in the automated assembly process affects the final welding quality, especially the docking process. In existing technologies, docking devices are generally used for module docking. However, when there is a misalignment between the two modules, existing docking devices struggle to flexibly adjust the module positions in multiple directions, and their adjustment precision is poor, resulting in low docking efficiency and low docking accuracy.

[0003] Because the compartment sections are non-standard components, typically made of aluminum alloy and with irregular shapes, there are strict requirements for their support and stress during assembly. Therefore, the docking fixtures for the compartment sections need to not only maintain their shape but also allow for flexible adjustments to ultimately achieve the required weld precision after docking. However, existing docking fixtures generally use multiple sets of clamping ring mechanisms for compartment docking, which cannot adequately meet the support and stress requirements of compartment sections with irregular shapes, resulting in lower docking accuracy.

[0004] Meanwhile, each step in the automated assembly of the compartments has a designated operating environment. Therefore, after docking, the docking fixture needs to be transported to the operating environment of other steps. The existing docking fixture cannot guarantee that the docking accuracy of the compartments will still meet the accuracy requirements during transportation and after repeated placement. Furthermore, during compartment welding, the docked compartments need to be disassembled from the docking fixture and installed on the compartment rotation device to facilitate welding of the compartment joints. However, the disassembly and assembly of the compartments will reduce the docking accuracy of the compartments, thus affecting the final welding quality. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on the above analysis, the embodiments of the present invention aim to provide a module docking control method and control system to solve the technical problems of low docking efficiency and low docking accuracy of existing docking tooling when docking modules.

[0006] This invention provides a module docking control method, which uses a docking device and a robotic gripper to dock modules. The docking device includes: a base and a fixed base, a movable base, a first support mechanism, and a second support mechanism arranged sequentially on the base along a first direction. The fixed base is fixed to the base, and the first support mechanism, the second support mechanism, and the movable base are all movably disposed on the base. Both the fixed base and the movable base are provided with a clamping mechanism for clamping the module. The clamping mechanism includes multiple positioning pins and multiple grippers. The positioning pins are used for module docking, and the grippers are used for clamping the module.

[0007] The method includes the following steps:

[0008] Set the docking device to docking ready state;

[0009] The robotic gripper picks up the first compartment and positions it onto the positioning pin of the fixed base clamping mechanism; then, the first support mechanism moves to the first support position to support the second end of the first compartment, and the grippers of the fixed base clamping mechanism clamp the first end of the first compartment.

[0010] The robotic gripper picks up the second compartment and performs a preliminary docking between the docking stop at the first end of the second compartment and the docking stop at the second end of the first compartment, so that the docking seam between the second compartment and the first compartment reaches the first preset size.

[0011] The mobile base moves toward the fixed base to a ready position, so that the positioning pin of its clamping mechanism is positioned and connected to the second end of the second compartment; then, the second support mechanism moves to a pre-support position and contacts the first end of the second compartment, and the robot gripper releases the second compartment; wherein, in the vertical direction, the dimension of the first end of the second compartment is larger than the dimensions of other parts;

[0012] The movable base moves toward the fixed base to the docking position, reducing the docking seam between the second compartment and the first compartment to a second preset size; the second support mechanism moves to the second support position to support the first end of the second compartment, thereby completing the docking assembly of the first compartment and the second compartment.

[0013] Based on further improvements to the above method, the first preset size is 1mm to 3mm; the second preset size is 0.01mm to 0.05mm.

[0014] Based on a further improvement of the above method, setting the docking device to the docking preparation state includes:

[0015] The first support mechanism is moved to a first clearance position, the distance between the first clearance position and the fixed base is greater than the length of the first compartment; the second support mechanism and the movable base are both moved to a second clearance position, the distance between the second clearance position and the fixed base is greater than the sum of the lengths of the first compartment and the second compartment.

[0016] Based on a further improvement of the above method, each of the clamping mechanisms further includes a chuck, a plurality of grippers are spaced apart on the chuck, and each gripper is movable in a direction away from or near the center of the chuck; a plurality of positioning pins are spaced apart on the chuck and are retractable in the first direction;

[0017] When the docking device is in the docking preparation state, the positioning pin is in the extended state, and the gripper moves to the position furthest from the center of the chuck.

[0018] Based on a further improvement of the above method, the chuck of the clamping mechanism is rotatably mounted on the fixed base and the movable base, respectively;

[0019] The fixed base and the movable base are respectively provided with retractable first pins, and the chuck is provided with a first insertion hole that cooperates with the first pin. When the first pin is inserted into the first insertion hole of its corresponding chuck, the rotation of the chuck is restricted.

[0020] When the docking device is in the docking preparation state, the first pins of both the fixed base and the movable base are inserted into the corresponding first holes so that the chuck cannot rotate.

[0021] Based on a further improvement of the above method, both the first support mechanism and the second support mechanism include a support base and a weir ring. The bottom of the support base is slidably connected to the base, and the weir ring is disposed on the top of the support base. The weir ring includes an upper ring and a lower ring, and the upper ring is detachably connected to the lower ring.

[0022] When the docking device is in the docking preparation state, the upper retaining rings of the first support mechanism and the second support mechanism are detached from their corresponding lower retaining rings.

[0023] After the first support mechanism moves to the first support position to support the first end of the first compartment, the robot gripper will install the disassembled upper ring onto its lower ring.

[0024] After the second support mechanism moves toward the fixed base to the second support position to support the second end of the second compartment, the robot gripper will install the disassembled upper clamping ring onto its lower clamping ring.

[0025] Based on a further improvement of the above method, the shaped retaining ring is rotatably mounted on the corresponding support base.

[0026] Based on a further improvement of the above method, the robot gripper uses the following method to position and install the first end of the first compartment onto the positioning pin of the clamping mechanism of the fixed base:

[0027] The fixed base is provided with a first visual feature block, and the robot gripper is provided with a camera;

[0028] The robotic gripper grasps the first module and moves it along the taught path to its corresponding tooling photographing position.

[0029] The camera takes a picture of the first visual feature block to obtain the docking pose of the first module.

[0030] The robotic gripper positions the first end of the first compartment onto the positioning pin of the clamping mechanism on the fixed base according to the docking posture of the first compartment.

[0031] Based on a further improvement of the above method, the robot gripper is used to initially dock the docking stop at the first end of the second compartment with the docking stop at the second end of the first compartment using the following method:

[0032] The first section is equipped with a second visual feature block;

[0033] The robotic gripper grasps the second compartment and moves it along the taught path to its corresponding tooling photographing position.

[0034] The camera takes a picture of the second visual feature block to obtain the docking pose of the second module;

[0035] The robotic gripper performs a preliminary docking between the docking stop at the first end of the second module and the docking stop at the second end of the first module, based on the docking posture of the second module.

[0036] On the other hand, embodiments of the present invention provide a module docking control system for implementing the method described above. The system includes: a controller, a host computer, a robotic gripper, and a docking device. The controller is connected to the host computer; the host computer is connected to the robotic gripper to control the movement of the robotic gripper; in the docking device, the movement of the first support mechanism, the second support mechanism, and the movable base, as well as the clamping movement of the clamping mechanisms on the fixed base and the movable base, are driven by corresponding drivers. The controller is connected to the drivers to control the movement of the mechanism corresponding to the driver.

[0037] Compared with the prior art, the present invention can achieve at least one of the following beneficial effects:

[0038] 1. In this invention, the module docking is divided into two steps: preliminary docking and final docking, which are respectively completed by a robotic gripper and a moving base of the docking device. Specifically, after the robotic gripper picks up the first module and installs it onto the docking device, the robotic gripper first performs preliminary docking between the second module and the first module. Then, the preliminarily docked second module is installed onto the docking device, and finally, the moving base achieves final docking between the second module and the first module. Compared with relying solely on the docking device to complete module docking, the cooperation between the robotic gripper and the moving base improves both docking efficiency and accuracy.

[0039] 2. In the segment docking device of the present invention, a rotatable clamping mechanism is provided on the fixed base and the movable base, and the first support mechanism and the second support mechanism have rotatable V-shaped clamping rings. When the segments are docked, the clamping mechanism is locked so that it cannot rotate, so as to ensure the docking accuracy of the segments. After docking is completed, the lock on the clamping mechanism is released, so that the two docked segments can rotate around the axis to facilitate welding. Thus, it is not necessary to disassemble the docked segments from the docking device during welding, avoiding the reduction in docking accuracy caused by disassembly and assembly of the segments, and improving the welding accuracy.

[0040] 3. The docking device of the present invention, by providing clamping mechanisms on the fixed base and the movable base, can stably support and shape the two compartments to be docked during the docking process, thereby ensuring the docking accuracy of the compartments. Furthermore, after the compartments are docked, the fixed base and the movable base, through their clamping mechanisms, can apply a certain clamping force along the axial direction of the two docked compartments, preventing a decrease in docking accuracy during transport and repositioning.

[0041] 4. In the compartment docking device of the present invention, the first support mechanism, the second support mechanism and the movable base can all be movably mounted on the base, thereby enabling flexible adjustment of the distance between the fixed base, the first support mechanism, the second support mechanism and the movable base. When the robot gripper performs compartment positioning, installation and docking operations, the first support mechanism, the second support mechanism and the movable base move to the corresponding avoidance position, so that the robot gripper has space to flexibly adjust the compartment attitude.

[0042] In this invention, the above-described technical solutions can be combined with each other to achieve more preferred combinations. Other features and advantages of this invention will be set forth in the following description, and some advantages may become apparent from the description or be learned by practicing the invention. The objects and other advantages of this invention can be realized and obtained from what is particularly pointed out in the description and drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0043] The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention. Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same parts.

[0044] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the module docking control method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the compartment docking device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism on the fixed base according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism on the movable base according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first support mechanism and the second support mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Figure label:

[0050] 1-Base; 2-Fixed base; 3-Movable base; 4-First support mechanism;

[0051] 5-Second support structure; 6-First compartment; 7-Second compartment;

[0052] 101-Chuck; 102-Gripper; 103-Positioning pin; 104-Visual feature block;

[0053] 105 - First pin;

[0054] 201-Upper retaining ring; 202-Lower retaining ring; 203-Support base; 204-Second pin;

[0055] 205-dimensional block. Detailed Implementation

[0056] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this application and are used together with the embodiments of the present invention to illustrate the principles of the present invention, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0057] This invention provides a module docking control method, which uses a docking device and a robotic gripper to dock modules. Figure 1 As shown in the image.

[0058] like Figure 2-5 As shown, the docking device includes: a base 1 and a fixed base 2, a movable base 3, a first support mechanism 4, and a second support mechanism 5 arranged sequentially on the base 1 along a first direction. The fixed base 2 is fixed on the base 1, and the first support mechanism 4, the second support mechanism 5, and the movable base 3 are all movably arranged on the base 1. Both the fixed base 2 and the movable base 3 are provided with clamping mechanisms for clamping the compartment sections. The clamping mechanism includes multiple positioning pins 103 and multiple grippers 102. The positioning pins 103 are used for positioning the compartment sections, and the grippers 102 are used for clamping the compartment sections.

[0059] The method includes the following steps:

[0060] Step 1: Set the docking device to docking ready state;

[0061] Step 2: The robot gripper picks up the first compartment 6 and positions the first end of the first compartment 6 onto the positioning pin 103 of the clamping mechanism of the fixed base 1; then, the first support mechanism 4 moves to the first support position to support the second end of the first compartment 6, and the gripper of the clamping mechanism of the fixed base 1 clamps the first end of the first compartment 6.

[0062] Step 3: The robot gripper picks up the second compartment 7 and performs preliminary docking between the docking stop at the first end of the second compartment 7 and the docking stop at the second end of the first compartment 6, so that the docking seam between the second compartment 7 and the first compartment 6 reaches the first preset size.

[0063] Step 4: The movable base 3 moves toward the fixed base to the ready position, so that the positioning pin 103 of its clamping mechanism is positioned and connected to the second end of the second compartment 7; then, the second support mechanism 5 moves to the pre-support position and contacts the first end of the second compartment 7, and the robot gripper releases the second compartment 7; wherein, in the vertical direction, the size of the first end of the second compartment 7 is larger than the size of other parts.

[0064] Step 5: The movable base 3 moves toward the fixed base 1 to the docking position, so that the docking seam between the second compartment 7 and the first compartment 6 is reduced to the second preset size. Then, the second support mechanism 5 moves to the second support position to support the first part of the second compartment 7, thereby completing the docking assembly of the first compartment 6 and the second compartment 7.

[0065] Compared with existing technologies, in this embodiment of the invention, the segment docking is divided into two steps: preliminary docking and final docking, which are respectively completed by a robotic gripper and the moving base 3 of the docking device. Specifically, after the robotic gripper picks up the first segment 6 and installs it onto the docking device, the robotic gripper first performs preliminary docking between the second segment 7 and the first segment 6. Then, the preliminarily docked second segment 7 is installed onto the docking device, and finally, the movement of the moving base 3 achieves the final docking between the second segment 7 and the first segment 6. Compared with the method of completing segment docking solely by the docking device, the cooperation between the robotic gripper and the moving base 3 improves both docking efficiency and docking accuracy.

[0066] The docking device of this invention, by providing clamping mechanisms on the fixed base 2 and the movable base 3, can stably support and shape the two compartments to be docked during the docking process, thereby ensuring the docking accuracy of the compartments. Furthermore, after the compartments are docked, the fixed base 2 and the movable base 3, through their clamping mechanisms, can apply a certain clamping force along the axial direction of the two docked compartments, preventing a decrease in docking accuracy during transport and repositioning.

[0067] In summary, the docking device of this invention can ensure the docking accuracy of the compartments during docking, transportation, and placement, thereby ensuring that the docking accuracy of the compartments after welding and assembly meets the accuracy requirements.

[0068] The docking device will be described in detail below.

[0069] In the module docking device of the present invention, the first support mechanism 4, the second support mechanism 5, and the movable base 3 are all movably mounted on the base 1, thereby allowing for flexible adjustment of the distance between the fixed base 2, the first support mechanism 4, the second support mechanism 5, and the movable base 3. During module positioning, installation, and docking operations by the robot gripper, the first support mechanism 4, the second support mechanism 5, and the movable base 3 move to corresponding clearance positions, providing the robot gripper with space to flexibly adjust the module's attitude. Specifically, the first support mechanism 4, the second support mechanism 5, and the movable base 3 are each driven by a driving mechanism, such as a linear motor mechanism.

[0070] In one specific embodiment, each of the clamping mechanisms further includes a chuck 101, a plurality of grippers 102 are spaced apart on the chuck 101, and each gripper 102 is movable in a direction away from or near the center of the chuck 101; a plurality of positioning pins 103 are spaced apart on the chuck 101, and each is capable of extending and retracting in the first direction.

[0071] When the docking device is in the docking preparation state, the positioning pin 103 is in the extended state; the gripper 102 moves to the position furthest from the center of the chuck 101, that is, in the open state.

[0072] In this embodiment, each gripper 102 of the clamping mechanism can independently reciprocate to open and close, thereby matching the edge of the irregular compartment to achieve clamping and fixation.

[0073] In this embodiment, during the docking of the compartments, a first pin 105 is used to prevent the clamping mechanism from rotating, thus facilitating the docking operation. After the compartment docking is completed, the first pin 105 is released from locking the chuck 101, allowing the two docked compartments to rotate around the axial direction, which facilitates the subsequent welding process and improves welding accuracy.

[0074] Specifically, the chuck 101 is provided with a plurality of through slots extending radially thereon, and the plurality of through slots are spaced apart circumferentially along the chuck 101. The grippers 102 are respectively movably disposed in the through slots, and the through slots serve as the moving tracks of the grippers 102.

[0075] Preferably, all the positioning pins 103 are tapered. This allows the positioning pins 103 to be guided by their tapered shape, facilitating accurate docking between the compartment and the clamping mechanism. Furthermore, the number of positioning pins 103 is set to at least two, preferably two.

[0076] Preferably, the chucks 101 of the two clamping mechanisms are rotatably mounted on the fixed base 2 and the movable base 3, respectively. The centers of the two chucks 101 are located on the same axis extending along a first direction, and both chucks 101 are capable of rotating around the axis. The fixed base 2 and the movable base 3 are each provided with a retractable first pin 105. Each chuck 101 is provided with a first insertion hole that mates with the first pin 105. When the first pin 105 is inserted into the first insertion hole of its corresponding chuck 101, it restricts the rotation of the chuck 101.

[0077] When the docking device is in the docking preparation state, the first pins 105 of both clamping mechanisms are inserted into the corresponding first insertion holes so that the chucks 101 of both clamping mechanisms cannot rotate.

[0078] Specifically, the clamping mechanism further includes multiple drive mechanisms for moving the grippers 102, each drive mechanism corresponding to one of the grippers 102. Each gripper 102 is driven by an independent drive mechanism, allowing for greater flexibility. More specifically, the drive mechanisms can be linear drive mechanisms such as cylinders or linear servo motors.

[0079] In one specific embodiment, both the first support mechanism 4 and the second support mechanism 5 include a support base 203 and a shaped retaining ring. The bottom of the support base 203 is slidably connected to the base 1, and the shaped retaining ring is disposed on the top of the support base 203. The shaped retaining ring includes an upper retaining ring 201 and a lower retaining ring 202, and the upper retaining ring 201 is detachably connected to the lower retaining ring 202.

[0080] When the docking device is in the docking preparation state, the upper clamping rings 201 of the first support mechanism 4 and the second support mechanism 5 are both detached from their corresponding lower clamping rings 202; after the first support mechanism 4 moves to the first support position to support the first end of the first compartment 6, the robot gripper installs the detached upper clamping rings 201 onto its lower clamping rings 202; after the second support mechanism 5 moves toward the fixed base 2 to the second support position to support the second end of the second compartment 7, the robot gripper installs the detached upper clamping rings 201 onto its lower clamping rings 202.

[0081] In this embodiment, the V-shaped retaining ring is designed with an openable upper part to facilitate the placement of compartment sections.

[0082] Preferably, the shaped retaining ring is rotatably mounted on the support base 203. The shaped retaining ring can rotate about an axis extending along the first direction, so that the two sections after welding can rotate about the axial direction to facilitate welding and improve welding accuracy.

[0083] Furthermore, the upper retaining ring 201 has a first engaging portion at each end, and the lower retaining ring 202 has a second engaging portion at each end. The first engaging portion engages with the corresponding second engaging portion. The lower retaining ring 202 has a second pin 204 at each end. The second pin 204 can extend and retract along the first direction. The first engaging portion at each end of the upper retaining ring 201 has a second insertion hole, and the second engaging portion at each end of the lower retaining ring 202 has a third insertion hole. When the first engaging portion engages with the corresponding second engaging portion, the second pin 204 is inserted into the second insertion hole and the third insertion hole to lock the upper retaining ring 201 and the lower retaining ring 202 together.

[0084] The upper retaining ring 201 and the lower retaining ring 202 are engaged through a snap-fit ​​structure consisting of a first snap-fit ​​part and a second snap-fit ​​part. This snap-fit ​​structure is simple and facilitates alignment when the upper retaining ring 201 is installed onto the lower retaining ring 202. Furthermore, after the robot gripper engages the upper retaining ring 201 and the lower retaining ring 202, the second pin 204 locks them together, preventing them from separating.

[0085] Preferably, the inner peripheral wall of the shaped retaining ring is provided with a shaped block 205 that matches the shape of the outer wall of the compartment. The shaped block 205 is designed according to the shape of the outer wall of the compartment to provide good support for the compartment.

[0086] In one specific embodiment, the base 1 is provided with a track extending along a first direction, and the first support mechanism 4, the second support mechanism 5 and the movable base 3 are slidably connected to the track.

[0087] Specifically, the first support mechanism 4, the second support mechanism 5, and the movable base 3 are each driven by a drive mechanism, such as a linear motor mechanism.

[0088] In addition, the aforementioned positioning pin 103, first pin 105, and second pin 204 are all electric mechanisms.

[0089] The docking control method of this invention will be described below.

[0090] Step 1, setting the docking device to the docking preparation state, includes:

[0091] Step 11: The first support mechanism 4 moves to the first clearance position, and the distance between the first clearance position and the fixed base 2 is greater than the length of the first compartment 6; the second support mechanism 5 and the movable base 3 both move to the second clearance position, and the distance between the second clearance position and the fixed base 2 is greater than the sum of the lengths of the first compartment 6 and the second compartment 7.

[0092] Specifically, before the robotic gripper installs the first section 6 and the second section 7 onto the docking device, the first support mechanism 4, the second support mechanism 5, and the movable base 3 are adjusted to suitable clearance positions so that the robotic gripper has the space to flexibly adjust the attitude of the sections when performing the subsequent section docking operation.

[0093] Setting the docking device to the docking preparation state further includes:

[0094] Step 12: Set the clamping mechanisms of the fixed base 2 and the movable base 3 to the docking preparation state. Specifically, insert the first pins 105 into the corresponding first holes so that the chucks 101 cannot rotate, set the positioning pins 103 to the extended state, and move the grippers 102 to the position furthest from the center of the chucks 101 (i.e., the open state).

[0095] Step 13: Set the ferrule of the first support mechanism 4 and the second support mechanism 5 to the docking preparation state. Specifically, set the second pin 204 to the retracted state and remove the upper ferrule 201 from its corresponding lower ferrule 202.

[0096] Step 2: The robot gripper picks up the first compartment 6 and positions the first end of the first compartment 6 onto the positioning pin 103 of the clamping mechanism of the fixed base 2; then, the first support mechanism 4 moves to the first support position to support the second end of the first compartment 6, and the gripper 102 of the clamping mechanism of the fixed base 2 clamps the first end of the first compartment 6.

[0097] Step 2: Position and install the first compartment 6 onto the docking device. During implementation, the positioning pin 103 of the clamping mechanism of the first compartment 6 and the fixed base 2 is inserted into the positioning hole at the first end of the first compartment 6. Then, the first support mechanism 4 supports the second end of the first compartment 6, achieving precise positioning of the first compartment 6. Finally, the gripper 102 clamps the first end of the first compartment 6, providing a stable clamping force to ensure docking accuracy.

[0098] It should be noted that the first support position is the position where the four-dimensional ring of the first support mechanism, the shaped block 205, matches the outer wall of the first compartment 6.

[0099] Specifically, in step 2, the first end of the first section 6 is positioned and installed on the positioning pin of the clamping mechanism of the fixed base 2 using the robot gripper in the following way:

[0100] The fixed base 2 is provided with a first visual feature block 104, and the robot gripper is provided with a camera; the robot gripper grasps the first compartment 6 and moves the first compartment 6 to its corresponding tooling photographing position along the teaching path; the camera takes a picture of the first visual feature block 104 to obtain the docking pose of the first compartment 6; the robot gripper positions and installs the first end of the first compartment 6 on the positioning pin of the clamping mechanism of the fixed base 2 according to the docking pose of the first compartment 6.

[0101] Step 3: The robot gripper picks up the second compartment 7 and performs a preliminary docking between the docking stop at the first end of the second compartment 7 and the docking stop at the second end of the first compartment 6, so that the docking seam between the second compartment 7 and the first compartment 6 reaches the first preset size.

[0102] Specifically, the first preset size mentioned above can be set to 1mm-3mm, preferably 1mm.

[0103] In step 3, the robot gripper is used to initially dock the docking stop at the first end of the second section 7 with the docking stop at the second end of the first section 6 using the following method:

[0104] The first section 6 is provided with a second visual feature block 104; the robot gripper grasps the second section 7 and moves the second section 7 to its corresponding tooling photographing position along the teaching path; the camera takes a picture of the second visual feature block 104 to obtain the docking pose of the second section 7; the robot gripper performs preliminary docking of the first end docking stop of the second section 7 with the second end docking stop of the first section 6 according to the docking pose of the second section 7.

[0105] Step 4: The mobile base 3 moves to the ready position, and the positioning pin of its clamping mechanism is positioned and connected to the second end of the second compartment 7. Then, the second support mechanism 5 moves to the pre-support position and contacts the first end of the second compartment 7. The robot gripper releases the second compartment 7.

[0106] In the vertical direction, the first end of the second section 7 is larger than the dimensions of other parts, thereby enabling the second support mechanism 5 to move to the pre-support position and the second support position.

[0107] Step 4: By moving the movable base 3 and the second support mechanism 5, the pre-connected second compartment 7 is installed onto the docking device. After the movable base 3 and the second support mechanism 5 are in place, since the second compartment 7 and the first compartment 6 have been pre-connected, the two ends of the second compartment 7 are supported by the second end of the first compartment 6 and the clamping mechanism of the movable base 3, respectively. The second support mechanism 5 is in contact with the second compartment 7 to prevent the second compartment 7 from detaching from the first compartment 6.

[0108] During implementation, the positioning pin 103 of the clamping mechanism of the mobile base 3 is inserted into the positioning hole at the second end of the second compartment 7 to achieve precise positioning of the second compartment 7. Then, the gripper 102 of the clamping mechanism of the mobile base 3 clamps the second end of the second compartment 7, thereby providing it with a stable clamping force to ensure docking accuracy.

[0109] It should be noted that the pre-support position is the position where the shaped block 205 of the shaped ring of the second support mechanism 5 matches the outer wall of the second compartment 7.

[0110] Step 5: Move the movable base 3 toward the fixed base 2 to the docking position, so that the docking seam between the second compartment 7 and the first compartment 6 is reduced to the second preset size. Then, the second support mechanism 5 moves toward the fixed base 2 to the second support position to support the second end of the second compartment 7, thereby completing the docking assembly of the first compartment 6 and the second compartment 7.

[0111] Specifically, the aforementioned second preset size meets the docking accuracy requirements of the compartment joints, for example, the second preset size is 0.05mm.

[0112] During the final docking operation between the first section 6 and the second section 7, the second section 7 is pushed closer to the first section 6 by the moving base 3, so that the docking seam between the two is further reduced until the docking accuracy requirements are met.

[0113] At the same time, since the position of the second compartment 7 has changed, the position of the second support mechanism 5 also needs to be adjusted accordingly, that is, from the pre-support position to the second support position, so that the shape-enclosing block 205 of its shape-enclosing ring matches the shape of the second compartment 7, thereby providing good support and shape-enclosing function for the second compartment 7.

[0114] On the other hand, embodiments of the present invention provide a module docking control system. The system includes: a controller, a host computer, a robotic gripper, and a docking device. The controller is connected to the host computer; the host computer is connected to the robotic gripper to control the movement of the robotic gripper; in the docking device, the movement of the first support mechanism 4, the second support mechanism 5, and the movable base 3, as well as the clamping action of the clamping mechanisms on the fixed base 2 and the movable base 3, are driven by corresponding drivers. The controller is connected to the drivers to control the movement of the mechanisms corresponding to those drivers.

[0115] Specifically, the system also includes a touchscreen connected to the host computer. The touchscreen is used to input control commands and display status or fault information fed back to the host computer from the robot gripper, controller, and docking device's actuators.

[0116] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes of the methods described in the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware, and the program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium may be a disk, optical disk, read-only memory, or random access memory, etc.

[0117] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for controlling docking of a cabin section, the docking of the cabin section being performed using a docking device and a robot gripper, characterized by, The docking device comprises a base, a fixed base, a moving base, a first supporting mechanism and a second supporting mechanism arranged in sequence along a first direction on the base, the fixed base is fixed on the base, the first supporting mechanism, the second supporting mechanism and the moving base are movably arranged on the base, the fixed base and the moving base are provided with clamping mechanisms for clamping cabin sections, the clamping mechanism comprises a plurality of positioning pins and a plurality of clamping claws, the positioning pins are used for cabin positioning, and the clamping claws are used for clamping cabin sections; The method comprises the following steps: The docking device is set to a docking preparation state; The robot gripper grabs the first cabin section and positions the first end of the first cabin section to the positioning pins of the fixed base clamping mechanism, then the first supporting mechanism moves to the first supporting position to support the second end of the first cabin section, and the clamping claws of the fixed base clamping mechanism clamp the first end of the first cabin section; The robot gripper grabs the second cabin section and preliminarily docks the docking stop of the first end of the second cabin section with the docking stop of the second end of the first cabin section, so that the docking joint between the second cabin section and the first cabin section reaches a first preset size; The moving base moves towards the fixed base to the preparation position, so that the positioning pins of the clamping mechanism thereof are positioned and connected with the second end of the second cabin section, then the second supporting mechanism moves to the pre-supporting position to contact the first end of the second cabin section, and the robot gripper releases the second cabin section; wherein in the vertical direction, the size of the first end of the second cabin section is larger than that of other parts; The moving base moves towards the fixed base to the docking position, so that the docking joint between the second cabin section and the first cabin section is reduced to a second preset size, then the second supporting mechanism moves to the second supporting position to support the first end of the second cabin section, thereby completing the docking assembly of the first cabin section and the second cabin section; The clamping mechanism further comprises a chuck, a plurality of the clamping claws are arranged at intervals on the chuck, and each of the clamping claws can move in a direction away from or close to the center of the chuck; a plurality of the positioning pins are arranged at intervals on the chuck and can be extended and retracted in the first direction; When the docking device is in the docking preparation state, the positioning pins are in the extended state, and the clamping claws move to the position farthest from the center of the chuck; The chuck of the clamping mechanism is rotatably arranged on the fixed base and the moving base respectively; The fixed base and the moving base are respectively provided with retractable first pins, the chuck is provided with a first insertion hole matched with the first pin, and the rotation of the chuck is limited when the first pin is inserted into the first insertion hole of the corresponding chuck; When the docking device is in the docking preparation state, the first pins of the fixed base and the moving base are inserted into the corresponding first insertion holes, so that the chuck cannot rotate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The first preset size is 1mm to 3mm, and the second preset size is 0.01mm to 0.05mm.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, The docking device is set to a docking preparation state, which comprises: The first support mechanism moves to a first avoiding position, the distance between the first avoiding position and the fixed base is greater than the length of the first cabin section; the second support mechanism and the moving base both move to a second avoiding position, the distance between the second avoiding position and the fixed base is greater than the sum of the lengths of the first cabin section and the second cabin section.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The first support mechanism and the second support mechanism both include a support seat and a V-shaped embracing ring, the bottom of the support seat is in sliding connection with the base, and the V-shaped embracing ring is arranged at the top of the support seat; the V-shaped embracing ring includes an upper embracing ring and a lower embracing ring, and the upper embracing ring is detachably connected to the lower embracing ring; When the docking device is in a docking preparation state, the upper embracing ring of the first support mechanism and the upper embracing ring of the second support mechanism are both detached from the corresponding lower embracing ring; After the first support mechanism moves to a first supporting position to support the first end of the first cabin section, the detached upper embracing ring is installed on the lower embracing ring by the robot gripper; After the second support mechanism moves to a second supporting position to support the second end of the second cabin section, the detached upper embracing ring is installed on the lower embracing ring by the robot gripper.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, The V-shaped embracing ring is rotatably arranged on the corresponding support seat.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The robot gripper positions and installs the first end of the first cabin section on the positioning pin of the fixed base clamping mechanism by the following method: A first visual feature block is arranged on the fixed base, and a camera is arranged on the robot gripper; The robot gripper grasps the first cabin section and moves the first cabin section to a corresponding tool photographing position along a teaching path; The camera photographs the first visual feature block to obtain a docking pose of the first cabin section; The robot gripper positions the first end of the first cabin section on the positioning pin of the fixed base clamping mechanism according to the docking pose of the first cabin section.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, The robot gripper preliminarily docks the docking stopper of the first end of the second cabin section with the docking stopper of the second end of the first cabin section by the following method: A second visual feature block is arranged on the first cabin section; The robot gripper grasps the second cabin section and moves the second cabin section to a corresponding tool photographing position along a teaching path; The camera photographs the second visual feature block to obtain a docking pose of the second cabin section; The robot gripper preliminarily docks the docking stopper of the first end of the second cabin section with the docking stopper of the second end of the first cabin section according to the docking pose of the second cabin section.

8. A docking control system for a cabin section for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that The system comprises a controller, an upper computer, a robot gripper and a docking device, The controller is connected with the upper computer, and the upper computer is connected with the robot gripper to control the action of the robot gripper; In the docking device, the moving actions of the first support mechanism, the second support mechanism and the moving base, and the clamping actions of the clamping mechanisms on the fixed base and the moving base are respectively driven by corresponding drivers, and the controller is connected with the drivers to control the actions of the corresponding mechanisms of the drivers.

Citation Information

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