Express delivery pick-up robot based on visual identification and path planning

Abstract

The invention discloses a visual identification and path planning-based express delivery pick-up robot, which comprises a mobile platform, a visual identification module, a mechanical arm, an end effector, a storage module, a battery module and a control unit, and is characterized in that the mobile platform is located at the bottom of the mechanical arm and serves as a basic bearing platform of the whole robot; comprising but not limited to wheels, a rear axle, a front axle and other parts, and advancing, retreating and steering operations are achieved through driving of a stepping motor. The visual identification module is mounted at the tail end of the mechanical arm and is adjacent to the end effector; the battery module is mounted above the mobile platform, is adjacent to the control unit and provides power support for the robot; the end effector is mounted at the tail end of the mechanical arm, is used for accurately grabbing and releasing express packages, and comprises a gripper driving motor, a gripper connecting rod, a gripper and the like; the storage module comprises a storage basket and a lifting mechanism and is used for storing the grabbed express parcels; and the control unit is located above the mobile platform, serves as a core control part of the robot, coordinates and controls work of all the assemblies, and achieves the overall function of the robot. According to the invention, the express parcels can be efficiently grabbed and transported, the pickup efficiency and the automation level of an express supermarket can be obviously improved, the user experience is optimized, the operation cost is reduced, and an intelligent and automatic innovative solution is provided for the express industry.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of express delivery, and particularly relates to an automatic pick-up robot for an express delivery supermarket and its working method. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of e-commerce, the volume of express delivery business has shown an explosive growth. The traditional manual sorting and pick-up mode faces severe challenges in terms of efficiency, accuracy, and cost control. Especially in high-density operation scenarios such as express delivery supermarkets and logistics warehousing centers, the number of packages is huge, the specifications are diverse, and the distribution is complex. Manual operations are not only inefficient but also prone to problems such as wrong packages and missed packages. In addition, the rising labor costs and consumers' demand for the immediacy of the "last mile" service have further promoted the transformation of the express delivery industry towards intelligence and automation. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art and propose an express delivery pick-up robot based on visual recognition and path planning to solve the problems of low efficiency of manual sorting, long pick-up time, and crowded queuing during peak periods in the existing express delivery pick-up methods.

[0004] To achieve the above purpose, an express delivery pick-up robot based on visual recognition and path planning adopted by the present invention includes a mobile platform, a visual recognition module, a robotic arm, an end effector, a storage module, a battery module, and a control unit. The mobile platform is located at the bottom of the robotic arm and serves as the basic load-bearing platform for the entire robot, including but not limited to components such as wheels, rear axle, and front axle, and realizes forward, backward, and turning operations through driving by a stepping motor; the visual recognition module is installed at the end of the robotic arm and is adjacent to the end effector; the battery module is installed above the mobile platform and is adjacent to the control unit to provide power support for the robot; the end effector is installed at the end of the robotic arm and is used to precisely grasp and release express packages, including components such as a claw driving motor, a claw link, and a claw; the storage module includes a storage basket and a lifting mechanism for storing the grabbed express packages; the control unit is located above the mobile platform and serves as the core control part of the robot, coordinating and controlling the work of each component to realize the overall function of the robot;

[0005] Among them, the mobile platform includes wheels, a rear axle, a front axle, a vehicle panel, a buffer spring, and a steering axle. The vehicle panel is used to carry express packages and equipment components; the wheels are installed at both ends of the front axle and the rear axle, and are articulated with the vehicle body through the axle to achieve grounding and rolling; the front axle drives the vehicle frame to turn, and the rear axle mechanism drives the vehicle frame to move forward or backward. The front axle is linked with the steering axle, and the rear axle is elastically connected to the vehicle panel through a buffer spring for buffering vibrations;

[0006] Among them, the mobile platform includes a stepper motor, a speed reducer, a synchronous belt, and a direction retainer. The stepper motor is located above the vehicle panel and is used to provide precise rotational power. The input end of the speed reducer is coaxially connected to the stepper motor, and the output end drives a coupling through the synchronous belt. The synchronous belt surrounds the output shaft of the speed reducer and the coupling to achieve power transmission from the stepper motor to the steering shaft. The direction retainer is symmetrically fixed in the middle of the rear wheel shaft to restrict its degree of freedom of movement.

[0007] Among them, the visual recognition module is used to obtain real-time image information of the surrounding environment, identify features such as the order number, size, and position of the express package, and provide a basis for path planning and package grasping.

[0008] Among them, the robotic arm is a six-axis robotic arm, which includes multiple joints, a large arm, and a small arm, and can perform various actions such as extending, bending, and rotating in the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis directions. The large arm connects the base of the robotic arm and the small arm, providing support and transmitting power. The small arm connects the large arm and the end effector, further transmitting power and achieving more precise motion control. The joints are the movable parts of the robotic arm, driven by motors to achieve multi-degree-of-freedom motion, enabling the robotic arm to flexibly adjust the grasping angle and position.

[0009] Among them, the end effector is installed at the end of the robotic arm and is used to precisely grasp and release the express package. It includes components such as a gripper drive motor, a gripper link, and a gripper. The gripper is the movable part and is used to clamp the express package. The gripper drive motor is used to drive the opening and closing of the gripper to ensure the accuracy of grasping and releasing.

[0010] Among them, the battery module includes a high-capacity lithium battery pack, a power management system, and a battery housing. The lithium battery pack is located inside the battery housing and is used to store electrical energy and provide continuous power support for the robot. The power management system is electrically connected to the lithium battery pack and is used to monitor the battery status, manage the charging and discharging processes, and ensure the safety and stability of the battery. The battery housing is made of high-strength and lightweight materials to protect the battery pack from the external environment.

[0011] Among them, the storage module includes a storage box and a lifting mechanism. The storage basket is installed above the mobile platform through the lifting mechanism. The storage basket is used to store the grasped express packages, has a certain capacity and stability, and ensures that the packages will not fall or be damaged during transportation.

[0012] Among them, the control unit includes an input module, a display screen, and a processor with built-in algorithms and machine learning models. The control unit is used to receive the transmission data of the lidar and perform pick-up path planning and charging path planning through spatial modeling and path planning algorithms. At the same time, it also receives the transmission data of the visual recognition module and identifies the waybill number, size, and position information of the express package through visual recognition algorithms, generating spatial displacement data to achieve pick-up.

[0013] Among them, the input module is used for the user to input the pick-up code or mobile phone number; the display screen is used to display the robot status, pick-up progress, and user interface.

[0014] An express pick-up robot based on visual recognition and path planning according to the present invention, under the coordinated control of the control unit, accurately identifies the characteristic information of the express package through the visual recognition module, independently plans the optimal pick-up path by using the control unit, and at the same time, with the flexible operation of the robotic arm and the end effector, realizes the efficient grasping and transportation of the express package, can significantly improve the pick-up efficiency and automation level of the express supermarket, optimize the user experience, reduce the operation cost, and provide an intelligent and automated innovative solution for the express industry. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the following drawings are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0016] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of an express pick-up robot based on visual recognition and path planning according to the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of the mobile platform of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of the end effector of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 4 It is a schematic structural diagram of the storage module of the present invention.

[0020] 1 - Mobile platform, 101 - Wheel, 102 - Rear axle, 103 - Front axle, 104 - Buffer spring, 105 - Vehicle panel, 106 - Reducer, 107 - Steering shaft, 108 - Timing belt, 109 - Stepper motor, 110 - Direction retainer, 111 - Coupling, 2 - Control unit, 3 - Storage basket, 4 - Power module, 5 - Robot arm, 501 - Base, 502 - Upper arm, 503 - Lower arm, 504 - Motor, 6 - LiDAR, 7 - Visual recognition module, 8 - End effector, 801 - Gripper drive motor, 802 - Synchronous pulley, 803 - Gripper link, 804 - Guide rail, 805 - Gripper, 9 - Lifting mechanism, 901 - Drive motor, 902 - Jack support, 903 - Lead screw, 904 - Support base. Detailed implementation manners

[0021] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, where the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to explain the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0022] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the present invention. In addition, in the description of the present invention, the meaning of "a plurality of" is two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0023] Please refer to Figures 1 to 4, the present invention provides a courier pick-up robot based on visual recognition and path planning, which includes a mobile platform 1, a visual recognition module 7, a robotic arm 5, an end effector 8, a battery module 4, and a control unit 2. The mobile platform 1 is located at the bottom of the robotic arm 5 and serves as the basic bearing platform for the entire robot, including but not limited to components such as wheels 101, rear axle 102, front axle 103, etc., and realizes forward, backward, and steering operations through the drive of a stepper motor 109; the visual recognition module 7 is installed at the end of the robotic arm 5 and is adjacent to the end effector 8; the battery module 4 is installed above the mobile platform 1 and is adjacent to the control unit 2 to provide power support for the robot; the end effector 8 is installed at the end of the robotic arm 5 and is used to precisely grasp and release courier packages, including components such as a gripper drive motor 801, gripper link 803, and gripper 805; the storage module includes a storage basket 3 and a lifting mechanism 9 for storing the grasped courier packages; the control unit 2 is located above the mobile platform 1 as the core control part of the robot, coordinates and controls the work of each component, and realizes the overall function of the robot;

[0024] Among them, the mobile platform 1 includes wheels 101, rear axle 102, front axle 103, vehicle panel 105, buffer spring 104, and steering shaft 107. The vehicle panel 105 is used to carry courier packages and equipment components; the wheels 101 are installed at both ends of the front axle 103 and rear axle 102, and are hinged to the vehicle body through the axle to realize grounding and rolling; the front axle 103 drives the vehicle frame to turn, and the rear axle 102 mechanism drives the vehicle frame to move forward or backward. The front axle 103 is linked with the steering shaft 107, and the rear axle 102 is elastically connected to the vehicle panel 105 through the buffer spring 104 for buffering vibration;

[0025] Among them, the mobile platform 1 includes a stepper motor 109, a reducer 106, a synchronous belt 108, and a direction retainer 110. The stepper motor 109 is located above the vehicle panel 105 and is used to provide precise rotational power; the input end of the reducer 106 is coaxially connected to the stepper motor 109, and the output end drives the coupling 111 through the synchronous belt 108; the synchronous belt 108 surrounds the output shaft of the reducer 106 and the coupling 111 to realize the power transmission from the stepper motor 109 to the steering shaft 107; the direction retainer 110 is symmetrically fixed in the middle of the rear axle 103 to limit its degree of freedom of movement;

[0026] Among them, the visual recognition module 7 is used to obtain real-time image information of the surrounding environment, identify features such as the order number, size, and position of the courier package, and provide a basis for path planning and package grasping;

[0027] Among them, the robotic arm 5 is a six-axis robotic arm, which includes multiple motors 504, a large arm 502, and a small arm 503, and can perform various actions such as extending, bending, and rotating in the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis directions; the large arm 502 connects the base 501 of the robotic arm and the small arm 503, providing support and transmitting power; the small arm 503 connects the large arm 502 and the end effector 8, further transmitting power and achieving more precise motion control; the joints are the movable parts of the robotic arm, driven by the motors 504 to achieve multi-degree-of-freedom motion, enabling the robotic arm to flexibly adjust the grasping angle and position;

[0028] Among them, the end effector 8 is installed at the end of the robotic arm 5 and is used to precisely grasp and release express packages, including components such as a gripper drive motor 801, a gripper link 803, and a gripper 805. The gripper 805 is the movable part for clamping express packages; the gripper drive motor 801 is used to drive the opening and closing of the gripper 805 to ensure the accuracy of grasping and releasing;

[0029] Among them, the battery module 4 includes a high-capacity lithium battery pack, a power management system, and a battery housing. The lithium battery pack is located inside the battery housing and is used to store electrical energy and provide continuous power support for the robot; the power management system is electrically connected to the lithium battery pack and is used to monitor the battery status, manage the charging and discharging processes, and ensure the safety and stability of the battery; the battery housing is made of high-strength and lightweight materials to protect the battery pack from the external environment;

[0030] Among them, the storage module includes a storage box 3 and a lifting mechanism 9. The storage box 3 is installed above the mobile platform 1 through the lifting mechanism 9. The storage box 3 is used to store the grabbed express packages, having a certain capacity and stability to ensure that the packages will not fall or be damaged during transportation;

[0031] Among them, the control unit 2 includes an input module 201, a display screen 202, and a processor with built-in algorithms and machine learning models. The control unit 2 is used to receive the transmission data of the lidar 6 and perform pick-up path planning and charging path planning through spatial modeling and path planning algorithms. At the same time, it also receives the transmission data of the visual recognition module 7 and identifies the waybill number, size, and position information of the express package through visual recognition algorithms, generating spatial displacement data to achieve pick-up;

[0032] Among them, the input module 201 is used for the user to input the pick-up code or mobile phone number; the display screen 202 is used to display the robot status, pick-up progress, and user interface.

[0033] In this embodiment, the operation of the express pickup robot mainly relies on the control unit 2 to coordinate the work of each module, the visual recognition module 7 and the laser radar 6 to achieve environmental perception and path planning, the mechanical arm 5 and the end effector 8 to complete the package grabbing and placement, and the mobile platform 1 is responsible for navigation and transportation. The specific operation steps are as follows:

[0034] After the robot is powered on, the control unit 2 automatically detects the status of each module, including the stepper motor 109 of the mobile platform 1, the joint motor 504 of the robot arm 5, the gripper drive motor 801 of the end effector 8, the laser radar 6 and the visual recognition module 7. The control unit has a built-in indoor map of the express station, the laser radar 6 scans the surrounding environment and plans a route from the current location to the target pickup area; the visual recognition module 7 synchronously captures the shelf and package images to identify the location and characteristics of the target package.

[0035] The user inputs the pickup code or mobile phone number through the input module 201 of the control unit 2, and the display screen 202 displays the verification result. The control unit 2 retrieves the storage location in the database according to the package information, generates the optimal pickup path based on the environmental map, and plans the movement trajectory of the robotic arm 5.

[0036] The stepper motor 109 drives the wheel 101 through the reducer 106 and the synchronous belt 108. The front wheel shaft 103 is controlled by the steering shaft 107, the rear wheel shaft 102 provides power, the direction keeper 110 ensures driving stability, and the buffer spring 104 absorbs road vibration. At the same time, the laser radar 6 detects obstacles in real time, and the control unit 2 dynamically adjusts the path to ensure safe navigation to the target shelf.

[0037] The visual recognition module 7 at the end of the robotic arm 5 is aligned with the target shelf, identifies the package number and the grasping point, converts the package position into the joint space coordinates of the robotic arm 5, and plans the grasping trajectory. The base 501 is fixed to the mobile platform 1, and the upper arm 502 and the lower arm 503 adjust their postures through the motor 504 so that the end effector 8 is aligned with the package. The gripper drive motor 801 drives the gripper 805 to close through the synchronous pulley 802 and the connecting rod 803, and the guide rail 804 ensures the linear movement of the gripper. After removing the package from the shelf, the robotic arm 5 retracts to a safe height, and the drive motor 901 of the lifting mechanism 9 adjusts the height of the storage basket 3 through the screw rod 903 and the jack bracket 902 to prepare for receiving the package. The robotic arm 5 puts the package into the storage basket 3, and the end effector 8 releases the package to complete the release.

[0038] The control unit 2 plans the shortest path to return to the user's location, the mobile platform 1 navigates along the road signs, the storage basket 3 is lowered to a user-operable height through the lifting mechanism 9, the display screen 202 prompts that the pickup is completed, and after the user takes out the package, the robot automatically resets and stands by.

[0039] If visual recognition or grasping fails, the robot retries through the control unit 2 or reports to the system. The power module 4 monitors the battery level. When the battery level is low, it automatically navigates to the charging pile and aligns with the charging interface through the lidar 6.

[0040] The above-disclosed is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Of course, the scope of the rights of the present invention cannot be limited thereby. Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand all or part of the processes of implementing the above embodiments, and the equivalent changes made according to the claims of the present invention still fall within the scope covered by the invention.

Claims

1. A courier pickup robot based on visual recognition and path planning, characterized in that: It includes a mobile platform, a visual recognition module, a robotic arm, an end effector, a storage module, a battery module and a control unit. The mobile platform is located at the bottom of the robotic arm and serves as the basic bearing platform of the entire robot. It includes but is not limited to wheels, rear wheel axles, front wheel axles and other components, and is driven by a stepper motor to realize forward, backward and steering operations; the visual recognition module is installed at the end of the robotic arm, adjacent to the end effector; the battery module is installed above the mobile platform, close to the control unit, to provide power support for the robot; the end effector is installed at the end of the robotic arm, for accurately grasping and releasing express parcels, including gripper drive motors, gripper connecting rods, grippers and other components; the storage module includes a storage basket and a lifting mechanism for storing grasped express parcels; the control unit is located above the mobile platform as the core control part of the robot, coordinating and controlling the work of each component to realize the overall function of the robot.

2. The express delivery pickup robot based on visual recognition and path planning as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The mobile platform includes wheels, rear axles, front axles, vehicle panels, buffer springs, and steering shafts. The vehicle panels are used to carry express parcels and equipment components. The wheels are mounted on both ends of the front and rear axles, and are hinged to the vehicle body through the axles to achieve grounding and rolling. The front axle drives the frame to turn, and the rear axle mechanism drives the frame forward or backward. The front axle is linked to the steering shaft, and the rear axle is elastically connected to the vehicle panel through a buffer spring to buffer vibration.

3. The express delivery pickup robot based on visual recognition and path planning as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that: The mobile platform includes a stepper motor, a reducer, a synchronous belt, and a direction retainer. The stepper motor is located above the vehicle panel and is used to provide precise rotational power. The input end of the reducer is coaxially connected to the stepper motor, and the output end drives the coupling through a synchronous belt. The synchronous belt surrounds the output shaft of the reducer and the coupling to achieve power transmission from the stepper motor to the steering shaft. The direction retainer is symmetrically fixed in the middle of the rear wheel axle to limit its freedom of movement.

4. The express delivery pickup robot based on visual recognition and path planning as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The visual recognition module is used to obtain the surrounding environment image information in real time, identify the order number, size, location and other features of the express package, and provide a basis for path planning and package grabbing.

5. The express delivery pickup robot based on visual recognition and path planning as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The robotic arm is a six-axis robotic arm, which includes multiple joints and an upper arm and a lower arm, and can perform multiple actions such as extension, bending, and rotation in the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis directions; the upper arm is connected to the base and the lower arm of the robotic arm to provide support and transmit power; the lower arm is connected to the upper arm and the end effector to further transmit power and achieve more precise motion control; the joints are the active parts of the robotic arm, which are driven by motors to achieve multi-degree-of-freedom motion, allowing the robotic arm to flexibly adjust the grasping angle and position.

6. The express delivery pickup robot based on visual recognition and path planning as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The end effector is installed at the end of the robotic arm and is used to accurately grasp and release express parcels. It includes components such as a gripper drive motor, a gripper connecting rod and a gripper. The gripper is a movable part and is used to clamp the express parcel. The gripper drive motor is used to drive the opening and closing movement of the gripper to ensure the accuracy of grasping and releasing.

7. The express delivery pickup robot based on visual recognition and path planning as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The battery module includes a high-capacity lithium battery pack, a power management system and a battery housing, wherein the lithium battery pack is located inside the battery housing and is used to store electrical energy and provide continuous power support for the robot; The power management system is electrically connected to the lithium battery pack and is used to monitor the battery status, manage the charging and discharging process, and ensure the safety and stability of the battery; The battery casing is made of high-strength and lightweight material to protect the battery pack from external environmental influences.

8. The express delivery pickup robot based on visual recognition and path planning as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The storage module includes a storage box and a lifting mechanism. The storage basket is installed above the mobile platform through the lifting mechanism. The storage basket is used to store the grabbed express parcels and has a certain capacity and stability to ensure that the parcels will not fall or be damaged during transportation.

9. The express delivery pickup robot based on visual recognition and path planning as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The control unit includes an input module, a display screen, and a processor with a built-in algorithm and machine learning model. The control unit is used to receive the transmission data of the laser radar and perform pickup path planning and charging path planning through spatial modeling and path planning algorithms. It also accepts the transmission data of the visual recognition module and identifies the order number, size and location information of the express package through the visual recognition algorithm, and generates spatial displacement data to realize pickup.

10. The express delivery pickup robot based on visual recognition and path planning as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that: The input module is used for the user to input the pickup code or mobile phone number; the display screen is used to display the robot status, pickup progress and user interface.

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