Autonomous delivery apparatus and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to autonomous distribution equipment and a control method thereof. The autonomous delivery device includes a mobile chassis configured to be movably disposed; the machine body is arranged on the movable chassis; the lifting driving mechanism is obliquely arranged on the machine body, the lower end of the lifting driving mechanism is arranged close to the edge of the machine body, and the upper end of the lifting driving mechanism is arranged close to the center of the machine body; the shoulder piece is obliquely arranged, and the shoulder piece is in transmission connection with the lifting driving mechanism so as to move back and forth between the upper end and the lower end of the lifting driving mechanism; the mechanical arm is in transmission connection with the shoulder piece; when the autonomous distribution equipment walks, the shoulder piece drives the mechanical arm to move to the upper end of the lifting driving mechanism, so that the shoulder piece and the mechanical arm are arranged close to the center of the machine body, and / or when the autonomous distribution equipment works, the lifting driving mechanism drives the mechanical arm to move to the lower end of the lifting driving mechanism; and the mechanical arm is used for operating objects on the ground or in the machine body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of intelligent devices, and in particular to an autonomous delivery device and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Delivery robots are automated devices that can autonomously navigate and avoid obstacles. They are mainly used for automatic handling and delivery of items in different scenarios. They can work in restaurants, hospitals, large shopping malls, and logistics centers, significantly improving efficiency, reducing labor costs, and improving delivery accuracy. The delivery robot has a cabin inside its body for storing and retrieving items to be delivered.

[0003] In the related technology, due to the structural design defects of the delivery robot itself and the influence of the placement of items in the cabin, the center of gravity of the delivery robot will be unstable, causing the delivery robot to tilt and then fall when climbing slopes, crossing bumps, accelerating and decelerating, etc., affecting the reliability and safety of the delivery robot. Summary of the invention

[0004] Based on this, it is necessary to provide an autonomous delivery device and its control method to address the problem of unstable center of gravity and easy tipping, which affects the reliability and safety of the delivery robot.

[0005] In a first aspect of the present application, an autonomous delivery device is proposed, comprising:

[0006] Mobile chassis;

[0007] A fuselage, wherein the fuselage is mounted on the mobile chassis;

[0008] A lifting drive mechanism, wherein the lifting drive mechanism is installed on the fuselage, and the lower end of the lifting drive mechanism is arranged close to the edge of the fuselage, and the upper end of the lifting drive mechanism is arranged close to the center of the fuselage; and

[0009] A mechanical arm, the mechanical arm is transmission-connected to the lifting drive mechanism;

[0010] Among them, when the autonomous delivery equipment is moving, the lifting drive mechanism drives the robotic arm to move to the upper end of the lifting drive mechanism so that the robotic arm is arranged close to the center of the fuselage; and / or, when the autonomous delivery equipment is operating, the lifting drive mechanism drives the robotic arm to move to the lower end of the lifting drive mechanism so that the robotic arm can operate on the ground or items in the fuselage.

[0011] When the autonomous delivery equipment of the present scheme is working, the lifting drive mechanism drives the robotic arm downward to the lower end of the lifting drive mechanism, so that the robotic arm can pick up the items to be delivered and load them into the fuselage; thereafter, the autonomous delivery equipment can move to the delivery destination according to the planned path. When the autonomous delivery equipment is moving, the lifting drive mechanism drives the robotic arm upward to the upper end position of the lifting drive mechanism, so that the robotic arm can be arranged close to the center of the fuselage, thereby ensuring the stability of the center of gravity of the whole machine, thereby effectively preventing the delivery robot from tilting and then tipping over when climbing slopes, crossing bumps, accelerating and decelerating, etc., thereby ensuring the reliability and safety of the delivery robot.

[0012] The technical solution of this application is further described below:

[0013] In one embodiment, the lifting drive mechanism is arranged on the fuselage in an inclined state; and / or the autonomous distribution equipment also includes a shoulder piece, which is arranged inclined, and the shoulder piece is transmission connected to the lifting drive mechanism so as to move back and forth between the upper end and the lower end of the lifting drive mechanism, and the robotic arm is transmission connected to the shoulder piece.

[0014] In one embodiment, when the shoulder member and the robotic arm are located at the upper end position of the lifting drive mechanism, the robotic arm can be folded and retracted so that the orthographic projection of the shoulder member and the robotic arm in the ground direction falls into the mobile chassis or at least partially falls into the mobile chassis.

[0015] In one embodiment, the fuselage includes a cabin and a column, the cabin is arranged above the mobile chassis, the column is installed above the cabin, a cabin is formed inside the cabin, and a storage table is formed on the outer wall of the cabin, and the robotic arm is at least used to transfer items on the storage table to the cabin, or to transfer items from the cabin to the storage table.

[0016] In one of the embodiments, along the travel direction of the autonomous delivery device, the robotic arm and the column are arranged near the front of the autonomous delivery device, a counterweight block is provided in the mobile chassis, and the counterweight block is arranged near the rear of the autonomous delivery device.

[0017] In one embodiment, the autonomous delivery device further comprises a first identifier, which is disposed on a side of the column facing the storage platform;

[0018] And / or, the recognition head of the first identifier is tilted downward toward the storage table so that the recognition viewing angle is toward the storage table.

[0019] In one embodiment, the robotic arm includes an arm portion, an end effector, and a second identifier. One end of the arm portion is mounted on the shoulder member, the end effector is mounted on the end of the arm portion away from the shoulder member, and the second identifier is mounted on the end effector or the arm portion.

[0020] In one embodiment, the shoulder member is provided with a socket hole, and one end of the arm portion away from the end effector is provided with a socket post, and the socket post is detachably mounted in the socket hole; alternatively, the shoulder member is provided with a socket post, and one end of the arm portion away from the end effector is provided with a socket hole, and the socket post is detachably mounted in the socket hole; a wire passing hole is further formed inside the shoulder member for a connection cable to pass through and be connected to the arm portion.

[0021] In one embodiment, the shoulder member has opposite first and second mounting ends, and the distance between the first mounting end and the cabin body is greater than the distance between the second mounting end and the cabin body;

[0022] The first mounting end is mounted on the column, and one end of the arm portion away from the end effector is connected to the second mounting end.

[0023] In one embodiment, the lifting drive mechanism is disposed inside the column. The column is provided with an inclined rail groove, and one end of the shoulder member passes through the inclined rail groove and is in transmission connection with the lifting drive mechanism, so that the shoulder member can move back and forth between an upper limit position and a lower limit position;

[0024] Or / and, the lifting drive mechanism is linearly inclined, and the inclination of the shoulder member is less than the inclination of the lifting drive mechanism.

[0025] In one embodiment, when the shoulder member is in the lower limit position, the second mounting end extends out of the front side of the cabin body, so as to form an anti-interference gap between the robotic arm and the cabin body.

[0026] In one embodiment, the lifting drive mechanism includes a power source, a transmission component, and a connection component. The power source is in transmission connection with the transmission component, and the transmission component is in transmission connection with the connection component so that the connection component can move up and down, and the shoulder member is connected to the connection component.

[0027] In one embodiment, the power source includes a driving motor, the transmission assembly includes a bracket, a synchronous pulley set and a lead screw nut pair, the connection assembly includes a nut connecting piece, a slider and an arm connecting piece, the driving motor is installed on the bracket, the synchronous pulley set and the lead screw nut pair are both movably arranged on the bracket, the driving motor is in transmission connection with the lead screw nut pair through the synchronous pulley set, the nut connecting piece is connected with the lead screw nut pair, and both the nut connecting piece and the slider are connected with the arm connecting piece, and the arm connecting piece is assembled and fixed with the shoulder piece.

[0028] In a second aspect of the present application, a control method applied to the autonomous delivery device as described above is further proposed, which includes the following steps:

[0029] Obtain a packing instruction, and detect whether there are items to be delivered in a specified area according to the packing instruction;

[0030] When it is detected that there are items to be delivered in the specified area, control the hatch door of the cabin to open, and control the robotic arm to put the items to be delivered into the cabin of the cabin.

[0031] In one embodiment, after the step of controlling the robotic arm to put the items to be delivered into the cabin of the cabin, it further includes:

[0032] Obtain a delivery instruction, and control the lifting drive mechanism to drive the robotic arm to move to the upper end position of the lifting drive mechanism according to the delivery instruction, so that at least part of the robotic arm is located within the outer contour line of the mobile chassis. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] The drawings constituting a part of the present application are used to provide a further understanding of the present application. The schematic embodiments of the present application and their descriptions are used to explain the present application and do not constitute an improper limitation to the present application.

[0034] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0035] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of the autonomous delivery device described in one embodiment.

[0036] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of the autonomous delivery device when the shoulder piece is in the lower limit position in an embodiment of the present application.

[0037] Figure 3Schematic structural diagram of the autonomous delivery device when the shoulder member is at the upper limit position in another embodiment.

[0038] Figure 4 Schematic structural diagram of the autonomous delivery device from an oblique rear perspective.

[0039] Figure 5 Schematic structural diagram of the autonomous delivery device from a longitudinal section perspective.

[0040] Figure 6 Schematic partial exploded structural diagram of the autonomous delivery device.

[0041] Figure 7 Schematic structural diagram of the lifting drive mechanism in one embodiment.

[0042] Figure 8 Flowchart of the steps of the control method for the autonomous delivery device described in one embodiment.

[0043] Explanation of reference numerals:

[0044] 100, autonomous delivery device; 10, fuselage; 11, cabin; 111, compartment; 112, storage platform; 12, column; 121, oblique track groove; 20, first identifier; 30, robotic arm; 31, arm part; 311, insertion post; 32, end effector; 33, second identifier; 40, shoulder member; 41, first mounting end; 42, second mounting end; 43, insertion hole; 50, lifting drive mechanism; 51, power source; 52, bracket; 53, synchronous pulley set; 54, lead screw nut pair; 55, nut connecting piece; 56, slider; 57, arm connecting piece; 60, upper limit position; 70, lower limit position; 80, mobile chassis; 81, counterweight; 90, head; 91, pan-tilt head; 92, screen assembly; 921, screen housing; 922, touch screen; 923, recognition probe; 90a, wide-angle camera; 90b, sensor. Detailed implementation manners

[0045] To make the above objects, features, and advantages of the present application more obvious and understandable, the following will describe the detailed implementation manners of the present application with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to fully understand the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without departing from the connotation of the present application. Therefore, the present application is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0046] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that if there are terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., the orientation or positional relationship indicated by these terms is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing the present application 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 a limitation on the present application.

[0047] In addition, if there are terms such as "first" and "second", these terms are only used for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In the description of the present application, if there is a term "plurality", the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0048] In the present application, unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, if there are terms such as "mounted", "connected", "connected to", "fixed", etc., these terms should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or integrated; it may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it may be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it may be the communication inside two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly limited. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0049] In the present application, unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, if there is a description such as a first feature being "on" or "under" a second feature, the meaning may be that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are indirectly in contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, the first feature being "above", "over" and "on top of" the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or merely indicates that the first feature has a higher horizontal height than the second feature. The first feature being "under", "beneath" and "underneath" the second feature may be that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or merely indicates that the first feature has a lower horizontal height than the second feature.

[0050] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may also be an intermediate element. If an element is considered to be "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element at the same time. If any, the terms "vertical", "horizontal", "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and similar expressions used in this application are only for the purpose of illustration and do not represent the only implementation.

[0051] Referring to Figures 1 to 5 , a kind of autonomous delivery device 100 shown in an embodiment of the present application, which is specifically a delivery robot. Exemplarily, the autonomous delivery device 100 includes a mobile chassis 80, a fuselage 10, a lifting drive mechanism 50, a shoulder member 40 and a robotic arm 30.

[0052] Among them, the robotic arm 30 is in transmission connection with the shoulder member 40; the mobile chassis 80 is used to load the fuselage 10, the lifting drive mechanism 50, the shoulder member 40 and the robotic arm 30, improving the integration degree of the autonomous delivery device 100. At the same time, the mobile chassis 80 provides the mobility required by the autonomous delivery device 100 to realize the autonomous delivery of items.

[0053] Optionally, the mobile chassis 80 can be any one of a wheeled mobile chassis, a tracked mobile chassis, etc., and can be flexibly selected according to actual needs.

[0054] For example, in this application, the mobile chassis 80 adopts a wheeled mobile chassis, and the wheeled mobile chassis specifically includes drive wheels, auxiliary wheels, omnidirectional wheels, suspensions, batteries, chassis frames, drive boards and shells, etc.

[0055] Continuing to refer to Figures 1 to 5 , the fuselage 10 is installed on the mobile chassis 80; the lifting drive mechanism 50 is arranged obliquely on the fuselage 10, the lower end of the lifting drive mechanism 50 is arranged close to the edge of the fuselage 10, and the upper end of the lifting drive mechanism 50 is arranged close to the center of the fuselage 10; the shoulder member 40 is arranged obliquely, and the shoulder member 40 is in transmission connection with the lifting drive mechanism 50 to move back and forth between the upper end and the lower end of the lifting drive mechanism 50.

[0056] Among them, when the autonomous delivery device 100 is walking, the shoulder member 40 drives the robotic arm 30 to move to the upper end of the lifting drive mechanism 50, so that the shoulder member 40 and the robotic arm 30 are arranged close to the center of the fuselage 10; and / or, when the autonomous delivery device 100 is operating, the lifting drive mechanism 50 drives the robotic arm 30 to move to the lower end of the lifting drive mechanism 50, so that the robotic arm 30 operates on the items on the ground or in the fuselage 10.

[0057] Combined with Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, it should be noted that when the shoulder member 40 is at the upper end of the lifting drive mechanism 50, that is, the shoulder member 40 and the robotic arm 30 are at the upper limit position 60; when the shoulder member 40 is at the lower end of the lifting drive mechanism 50, that is, the shoulder member 40 and the robotic arm 30 are at the lower limit position 70.

[0058] Further, when the shoulder member 40 and the robotic arm 30 are at the upper end position of the lifting drive mechanism 50, the robotic arm 30 can be folded and retracted so that the orthographic projection of the shoulder member 40 and the robotic arm 30 in the ground direction falls within the mobile chassis 80 or at least partially falls within the mobile chassis 80. At this time, the overall delivery robot has a high degree of retraction, a compact structure, the smallest projected area on the ground, the best turning radius and aisle passability, and is suitable for moving or turning in narrow aisles or in the narrow space of a car body.

[0059] When the autonomous delivery device 100 of this solution is working, the lifting drive mechanism 50 drives the shoulder member 40 down to the lower end of the lifting drive mechanism 50 so that the robotic arm 30 can pick up the items to be delivered and load them into the fuselage 10 or take out the items in the fuselage 10; afterwards, the autonomous delivery device 100 can move towards the delivery destination according to the planned path. When the autonomous delivery device 100 is walking, under the drive of the lifting drive mechanism 50, the shoulder member 40 will drive the robotic arm 30 to move up to the upper end position of the lifting drive mechanism 50 together. In this way, the shoulder member 40 and the robotic arm 30 can be arranged closer to the center of the fuselage 10 together, thereby ensuring the balance of the overall center of gravity, and effectively avoiding the body from tilting and falling when the delivery robot moves such as climbing slopes, crossing bumps, accelerating and decelerating, and ensuring the use reliability and safety of the delivery robot.

[0060] Please continue to refer to Figures 1 to 5 , the fuselage 10 includes a cabin 11 and a column 12. The column 12 is installed above the cabin 11. An inner cabin 111 is formed inside the cabin 11, and a placement table 112 is formed on the outer wall surface of the cabin 11.

[0061] The column 12 and the cabin 11 can be an integral structure or can be detachably assembled. For example, in this application, the column 12 and the cabin 11 are detachably assembled to facilitate later maintenance operations after the column 12 is disassembled.

[0062] The installation method of the column 12 and the cabin 11 can be, but is not limited to, any one of or at least a combination of two or more of screwing, clamping, bonding, magnetic attraction connection, etc.

[0063] The column 12 specifically includes a front column shell and a rear column shell. The front column shell and the rear column shell are assembled to enclose an installation cavity, with a simple structure and light weight, which is conducive to realizing the lightweight design of the whole machine.

[0064] Please continue to refer toFigure 5 Based on the above embodiments, along the traveling direction of the autonomous delivery device 100, the robotic arm 30 and the column 12 are arranged close to the front of the autonomous delivery device 100, and a counterweight 81 is arranged inside the mobile chassis 80, and the counterweight 81 is arranged close to the rear of the autonomous delivery device 100. In this way, the counterweight 81 and the robotic arm 30 and the column 12 arranged close to the front form a front-rear force balance relationship, ensuring that the overall force of the autonomous delivery device 100 is more balanced and ensuring the smoothness of the autonomous delivery device 100 when going uphill, crossing a threshold, accelerating, and braking.

[0065] In this application, the column 12 is arranged on the top surface of the cabin 11 and biased towards the front side of the autonomous delivery device 100, so that an area near the rear side of the top surface of the cabin 11 can be vacated to form a storage platform 112, simplifying the forming structure and method of the storage platform 112 and reducing the design cost.

[0066] In one embodiment, a first identifier 20 is further arranged on the column 12, and the identification angle of view of the first identifier 20 faces the storage platform 112, and is used to assist the robotic arm 30 to grab the items on the storage platform 112.

[0067] For example, the first identifier 20 can specifically be any one of visual recognition, lidar recognition, etc., and can be flexibly selected according to actual needs.

[0068] In other embodiments, the first identifier 20 can also be arranged on other support positions, as long as the identification angle of view of the first identifier 20 faces the storage platform 112.

[0069] Among them, the shoulder member 40 is driven by the lifting drive mechanism 50, so that the robotic arm 30 is movably arranged on the column 12. The robotic arm 30 can at least be used to transfer the items on the storage platform 112 to the cabin 111, or transfer the items from the cabin 111 to the storage platform 112. For example, the robotic arm 30 can be used to transfer the items on the storage platform 112 to the cabin 111, or transfer the items from the cabin 111 to the storage platform 112, or transfer the items from the cabin 111 to the ground or other support surfaces.

[0070] In addition, the robotic arm 30 can also have other functions such as pressing an elevator button and knocking on a door.

[0071] Please continue to refer to Figure 2 and Figure 5 , for example, in this application, the cabin 11 is cubic, and the cabin 111 formed inside is also cubic, and the length, width, and height dimensions are 280mm * 380mm * 420mm respectively.

[0072] In addition, in order to facilitate the robotic arm 30 to accurately locate and grasp the items stored in the cabin 111 in dimly lit places such as at night or in corridors, a lighting lamp is installed on the top wall and / or side wall inside the cabin 111.

[0073] Furthermore, an inlet and outlet is formed on the side of the cabin 111 located at the front side of the autonomous delivery device 100. A closable cabin door is installed at the inlet and outlet, and the cabin door is an automatic door. When the cabin door is opened, the lighting lamp is automatically lit synchronously.

[0074] For example, the cabin door specifically includes a door body, a linkage mechanism and a motor. The motor is in transmission connection with the linkage mechanism and are respectively installed on the cabin body 11. The door body is in transmission connection with the linkage mechanism, thereby driving the door body to automatically open or close the inlet and outlet in a rotational or linear movement manner.

[0075] When the autonomous delivery device 100 of this solution is working, the items that the user needs to deliver can be directly placed on the placing table 112 formed on the cabin body 11. Since the placing table 112 has a certain height, it enables the user to easily and conveniently place the items on the placing table 112 without bending down; then the robotic arm 30 moves to the placing table 112. With the auxiliary recognition and positioning of the first recognizer 20, the robotic arm 30 can accurately grasp the items, and then automatically transfer the items to the cabin 111 formed inside the cabin body 11. In this way, the autonomous delivery device 100 can carry out the delivery work; when it reaches the destination, the robotic arm 30 can automatically take out the items from the cabin 111 and place them on the placing table 112, facilitating the user to directly pick up the items; compared with the prior art, the delivery robot 100 of this solution can replace manual labor to complete the work of loading items into the cabin 111, without the user having to bend down or lower their head, thereby saving the user's physical strength and time and enhancing the user's experience.

[0076] Please continue to refer to Figures 3 to 5 , optionally, on the basis of the above embodiment, the first recognizer 20 is installed on the side of the column 12 facing the placing table 112, and the recognition angle of the first recognizer 20 is set to be inclined downward towards the placing table 112. For example, the recognition head of the first recognizer 20 is set to be inclined downward towards the placing table 112.

[0077] In this way, it can be ensured that the recognition head of the first recognizer 20 is directly facing the placing table 112, so as to obtain a complete image of the placing table 112 and the items on the placing table 112, thereby accurately positioning the items and assisting the robotic arm 30 to accurately and effectively grasp the items.

[0078] Specifically, the first recognizer 20 employs a depth vision camera (RGB-D camera), and the recognition lens of the depth vision camera is disposed to incline downward toward the placement table 112. The RGB-D camera typically has a resolution of 320×240, and it obtains all RGBD data, such as image data and depth and distance data corresponding to the image data, through a USB data cable. In this way, functions such as item recognition, robotic arm grasping, and SLAM mapping can be realized through the image data, depth, and distance data obtained by the depth vision camera.

[0079] Please continue to refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4 , further, the autonomous delivery device 100 further includes a plurality of wide-angle cameras 90a and a plurality of sensors 90b. One wide-angle camera 90a is installed on each of the left and right side walls and the rear side wall of the cabin 11, and one sensor 90b is installed on each of the left and right side walls and the rear side wall of the cabin 11.

[0080] The two sensors 90b installed on the left and right sides are used to detect obstacles in the two side areas to prevent the robotic arm 30 from colliding with items or people in the environment, and the sensor 90b installed on the rear side wall is used to detect obstacles or steps in the space near the rear of the mobile chassis 80. The three wide-angle cameras 90a are responsible for observing the surrounding environment to find elevator information or the position of people.

[0081] For example, the sensor 90b can specifically adopt a depth vision sensor.

[0082] Please continue to refer to Figures 1 to 4 , in addition, in yet another embodiment, the robotic arm 30 includes an arm portion 31, an end effector 32, and a second recognizer 33. One end of the arm portion 31 is installed on the shoulder member 40, the end effector 32 is installed at the end of the arm portion 31 away from the shoulder member 40, and the second recognizer 33 is installed on the end effector 32 or the arm portion 31.

[0083] The arm portion 31 specifically adopts a multi-axis arm portion, such as one of a three-axis arm portion, a five-axis arm portion, etc., which can be selected according to actual needs. The arm portion 31 has multi-axis rotation and movement degrees of freedom, and can drive the end effector 32 to move flexibly in space and avoid obstacles, so as to drive the end effector 32 to move back and forth safely and efficiently between the placement table 112 and the cabin 111.

[0084] Optionally, the end effector 32 can be selected as a dexterous hand, such as a five-finger dexterous hand, a three-finger dexterous hand, etc., or a gripper with functions such as grasping and pressing can also be selected.

[0085] Specifically, the end effector 32 of the present application adopts a five-fingered dexterous hand, which has degrees of freedom imitating the movement of a human hand. Therefore, it can be more effectively applied to grasping items of various shapes and sizes, ensuring the effectiveness of picking up and placing items. At the same time, with the visual assistance positioning provided by the second recognizer 33, the effectiveness of the end effector 32 in grasping items can be more reliably ensured.

[0086] For example, the second recognizer 33 can specifically be any one of visual recognition, lidar recognition, etc., and can be flexibly selected according to actual needs.

[0087] Optionally, the second recognizer 33 also adopts but is not limited to a depth vision camera.

[0088] Please continue to refer to Figures 1 to 3 , in addition, on the basis of any of the above embodiments, two robotic arms 30 are provided. The two robotic arms 30 are respectively arranged on opposite sides (such as the left and right sides) of the column 12. The two robotic arms 30 can move independently or cooperate. Moving independently means that the two robotic arms 30 can independently grasp items or slide up and down independently. Cooperating means that the two robotic arms 30 can cooperate to grasp items or slide up and down together.

[0089] In actual work, when the size and weight of the item on the placement table 112 are small, only one of the robotic arms 30 can be controlled to perform the operations of grasping, transferring, and placing the item to reduce energy consumption. When the volume and weight of the item on the placement table 112 are large, or the item is directly placed on the ground, the two robotic arms 30 can cooperate to simultaneously grasp the item to ensure the stability and reliability of grasping the item.

[0090] In addition, the autonomous delivery device 100 adopting the above structure of the robotic arm 30 also has the ability to autonomously take the elevator, that is, the autonomous delivery device 100 visually judges the elevator position through the second recognizer 33 or other recognizers during the delivery process, and realizes autonomous manual operation of the elevator with the help of the end effector 32.

[0091] Please continue to refer to Figures 1 to 4 , further, in another embodiment, the shoulder member 40 has opposite first mounting end 41 and second mounting end 42, and the distance between the first mounting end 41 and the cabin 11 is greater than the distance between the second mounting end 42 and the cabin 11; thus, the shoulder member 40 is inclined.

[0092] The first mounting end 41 is mounted on the column 12, and one end of the arm 31 away from the end effector 32 is connected to the second mounting end 42.

[0093] The obliquely arranged shoulder member 40 is connected to the robotic arm 30. On the one hand, it enables the robotic arm 30 to be completely or at least partially received within the orthographic projection (i.e., the projection on the ground) of the mobile chassis 80 of the cabin 11 when the robotic arm 30 is in a non-working state, reducing the overall lateral dimension of the autonomous delivery device 100 and avoiding affecting the passing performance. On the other hand, it can also make the center of gravity of the mobile chassis 80 more centered, improving the stability of the overall movement of the device.

[0094] As Figure 6 shown, more specifically, the shoulder member 40 is detachably connected to the arm portion 31, enabling the shoulder member 40 to serve as a maintenance break point for facilitating the maintenance of connection cables and the like of the robotic arm 30. For example, the shoulder member 40 is provided with a socket hole 43, and one end of the arm portion 31 away from the end effector 32 is provided with a socket post 311, which is detachably installed in the socket hole 43. The interior of the shoulder member 40 is also provided with a wire passing hole for the connection cable to pass through the wire passing hole and then be connected to the arm portion 31.

[0095] It can be understood that one end of the connection cable away from the arm portion 31 is electrically connected to a control board provided within the fuselage 10 to achieve the motion control of the arm portion 31.

[0096] In other embodiments, the socket post 311 can also be provided on the shoulder member 40. Correspondingly, the socket hole 43 is provided at one end of the arm portion 31 away from the end effector 32.

[0097] In one embodiment, the socket post 311 can be a rotary motor to achieve multi-degree-of-freedom movement of the arm portion 31 through the rotary motor.

[0098] Please continue to refer to Figures 2 to 6 , further, the lifting drive mechanism 50 is disposed inside the column 12 and is obliquely arranged. The column 12 is provided with an inclined rail groove 121. One end of the shoulder member 40 passes through the inclined rail groove 121 and is in transmission connection with the lifting drive mechanism 50, enabling the shoulder member 40 to move back and forth between the upper limit position 60 and the lower limit position 70.

[0099] It should be noted that the inclined arrangement of the lifting drive mechanism 50 can be a linear inclined arrangement or a non-linear inclined arrangement, such as a curved inclined arrangement. Correspondingly, the inclined rail groove 121 provided on the column 12 is a linear inclined rail groove or a curved inclined rail groove.

[0100] When the lifting drive mechanism 50 drives the shoulder member 40 to move upward to the upper limit position 60, that is, when the shoulder member 40 is located at the upper inclined end of the inclined rail groove 121, the shoulder member 40 can drive the robotic arm 30 to be completely or at least partially retracted within the orthographic projection of the cabin 11 and the mobile chassis 80. In this way, the center of gravity of the whole device is made more centered, ensuring the movement stability of the whole device.

[0101] When the lifting drive mechanism 50 drives the shoulder member 40 to descend and move to the lower limit position 70, that is, when the shoulder member 40 is located at the lower oblique end of the oblique track groove 121, the robotic arm 30 extends to the front outside of the cabin body 11 and the mobile chassis 80, and is arranged closer to the ground and the cabin 111, so as to obtain a wider moving and operating space for grasping the items on the ground or in the cabin 111.

[0102] Please continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 5 , further, the lifting drive mechanism 50 is linearly inclined, and the inclination of the lifting drive mechanism 50 is smaller than the inclination of the shoulder member 40.

[0103] On the one hand, the lower part of the lifting drive mechanism 50 inclines forward and is close to the edge of the fuselage 10 (for example, it can be the front edge of the fuselage 10), and the upper part of the lifting drive mechanism 50 inclines backward and is close to the center of the fuselage 10; when the autonomous delivery device 100 needs to move and the lifting drive mechanism 50 rises to the upper limit position 60, the height of the shoulder member 40 and the robotic arm 30 increases, and they move towards the center of the fuselage 10. The robotic arm 30 and the shoulder member 40 can be retracted within the ground projection contour of the mobile chassis 80. At this time, the ground projection of the autonomous delivery device 100 is the smallest, the turning radius and the aisle passability are the best, the center of gravity is also closest to the center of the fuselage 10, and the stability of the autonomous delivery device 100 is the best. When the autonomous delivery device 100 grabs a heavy item from the ground, the robotic arm 30 can rise and be retracted within the ground projection contour of the mobile chassis 80 without tipping over, which can improve the load capacity of the autonomous delivery device 100.

[0104] In addition to increasing the operation range in front of and below the robotic arm 30, the obliquely arranged shoulder member 40 can also help the proximal joint of the robotic arm 30 avoid the top cover of the cabin body 11 when the lifting drive mechanism 50 descends to the lower limit position 70, avoiding interference between components. At the same time, it can also make the arm part 31 protrude more from the fuselage 10, avoiding interference between the distal joint of the arm part 31 and the fuselage 10 when operating on ground items. In addition, compared with the horizontal setting, the oblique setting of the shoulder member 40 can move the center of gravity of the robotic arm 30 backward while ensuring the operation ability, further improving the stability of the autonomous delivery device 100.

[0105] On the other hand, both the lifting drive mechanism 50 and the shoulder member 40 are obliquely arranged, and the inclination of the lifting drive mechanism 50 is smaller than the inclination of the shoulder member 40, which can reduce the component force of the gravity of the robotic arm 30 along the direction of the lifting drive mechanism 50, thereby reducing the load of the lifting drive mechanism 50 and increasing its service life.

[0106] Optionally, the inclination angle range of the shoulder member 40 is 15° - 45°, for example, it can be selected as 29°.

[0107] The tilt angle range of the lifting drive mechanism 50 is 60° to 90°, for example, it can be selected as 79°.

[0108] Please continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3 , it should be noted that when the shoulder member 40 is at the upper limit position 60, the front projection of the shoulder member 40 in the direction of the column 12 is located within the side range of the column 12. In this way, it can be avoided that the shoulder member 40 extends and is exposed outside the column 12, which affects the overall beauty of the machine, and at the same time increases the operation range of the robotic arm 30 on the placement table 112.

[0109] Please continue to refer to Figure 4 , and it should be noted that when the shoulder member 40 is at the lower limit position 70, the second mounting end 42 extends to the outside of the front side of the cabin 11, so as to form an anti-interference gap between the robotic arm 30 and the cabin 11. Thus, it can be avoided that the robotic arm 30 collides and interferes with the front outer wall of the cabin 11 during movement, ensuring the safe and reliable operation of the robotic arm 30, and ensuring that the robotic arm 30 has a large operation range on the ground or in the cabin 111.

[0110] In addition, on the basis of any of the above embodiments, the lifting drive mechanism 50 includes a power source 51, a transmission component, and a connection component. The power source 51 is drivingly connected to the transmission component, and the transmission component is drivingly connected to the connection component so that the connection component can move up and down, and the shoulder member 40 is connected to the connection component.

[0111] During operation, the power source 51 outputs a driving force, and the driving force is transmitted to the connection component through the transmission component, so that while the connection component moves up and down, it synchronously drives the shoulder member 40 and the robotic arm 30 to move up or down, flexibly adjusting the working state of the autonomous delivery device 100 to meet the operation requirements such as the overall machine storage, item grasping, and item storage.

[0112] Please continue to refer to Figures 5 to 7 , specifically, in an optional embodiment, the power source 51 includes a driving motor, the transmission component includes a bracket 52, a synchronous pulley set 53, and a lead screw nut pair 54, the connection component includes a nut connecting piece 55, a slider 56, and an arm connecting piece 57. The driving motor is installed on the bracket 52, the synchronous pulley set 53 and the lead screw nut pair 54 are both movably arranged on the bracket 52, the driving motor is drivingly connected to the lead screw nut pair 54 through the synchronous pulley set 53, the nut connecting piece 55 is connected to the lead screw nut pair 54, and both the nut connecting piece 55 and the slider 56 are connected to the arm connecting piece 57, and the arm connecting piece 57 is assembled and fixed to the shoulder member 40.

[0113] Thus, when the driving motor starts to work and rotate, it drives the nut in the lead screw nut pair 54 to slide up and down along the lead screw through the synchronous pulley set 53. When the nut slides up and down, it drives the shoulder part 40 and the robotic arm 30 to slide up and down through the nut connecting piece 55 and the arm connecting piece 57.

[0114] The driving motor, the synchronous pulley set 53 and the lead screw nut pair 54 are in transmission cooperation, which can ensure the smoothness and accuracy of power transmission, improve the power utilization rate, and thus ensure the driving efficiency of the shoulder part 40 and the robotic arm 30, and avoid the flutter during the lifting and moving of the robotic arm 30, which may cause the item to be grasped insecurely and result in the item falling and being damaged.

[0115] It should be noted that two lifting drive mechanisms 50 can also be set inside the column 12 at the same time. Each lifting drive mechanism 50 is correspondingly connected to a robotic arm 30, so that the two robotic arms 30 can move up or down independently respectively to meet the needs of more usage scenarios. For example, when one robotic arm 30 grabs an item on the storage platform 112 and transfers it into the cabin 111, the other robotic arm 30 can perform the ladder pressing operation, thereby improving the continuity of the work content, saving the intermediate time consumption, and enhancing the distribution efficiency of the autonomous delivery device 100.

[0116] Please continue to refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 5 In addition, on the basis of any of the above embodiments, the autonomous delivery device 100 further includes a head 90. The head 90 includes a screen assembly 92 and a pan-tilt unit 91. The pan-tilt unit 91 is arranged at the top of the column 12, and the screen assembly 92 is in transmission connection with the pan-tilt unit 91. The pan-tilt unit 91 is used to drive the screen assembly 92 to rotate left and right or pitch. The screen assembly 92 can be used to display expressions or operate machine devices, and is driven by the pan-tilt unit 91 to face the user, enhancing the interaction experience.

[0117] In addition, a microphone array is also arranged on the pan-tilt unit 91 or the top of the column 12. The microphone array is used for the user to have a voice interaction with the autonomous delivery device 100. In addition, it can also detect the position where the sound is emitted and find the direction of the person initiating the voice interaction, so that the screen assembly 92 can accurately perform the turning action. Further, the two robotic arms 30 can also cooperate with the voice to perform gesture actions to strengthen the welcome function of the autonomous delivery device 100.

[0118] It should also be noted that a Vslam (Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) sensing device is installed at the top of the column 12. Vslam is a technology that can perceive the environment in real time through a camera, achieve autonomous positioning and build a map, and is used to realize the autonomous planning of the moving path and navigation of the autonomous delivery device 100.

[0119] Specifically, the gimbal 91 includes a roll motion unit and a pitch motion unit. The roll motion unit is arranged at the top of the column 12 and is used to output rotational power in the left and right roll directions. The pitch motion unit is transmission-connected to the roll motion unit and is used to output rotational power in the up and down pitch directions. The screen assembly 92 includes a screen housing 921, a touch screen 922 and an identification probe 923. The touch screen 922 and the identification probe 923 are respectively mounted on the screen housing 921, and the touch screen 922 and the identification probe 923 are both arranged toward the front of the autonomous delivery device 100.

[0120] Through the wide-angle camera 90a and the depth vision sensor 90b installed on the front side of the column 12, the direction and height of the user in front can be captured in real time and accurately, so as to control the side swing motion unit to drive the screen assembly 92 to rotate left and right in the horizontal direction, and control the pitch motion unit to drive the screen assembly 92 to adjust the pitch rotation, so that the screen assembly 92 can be aimed at the user. On the one hand, a welcoming effect can be formed by displaying expressions, etc., and on the other hand, it can also be used to operate the touch screen 922 to realize information interaction with the autonomous delivery device 100.

[0121] like Figure 8 As shown, in addition to the above, the present application also protects a control method of the autonomous delivery device 100, which includes the following steps:

[0122] S10: Obtain a packing instruction, and detect whether there are items to be delivered in the designated area according to the packing instruction.

[0123] S20 : ​​When it is detected that there are items to be delivered in the designated area, the door of the cabin 11 is controlled to open, and the robotic arm 30 is controlled to put the items to be delivered into the cabin 111 of the cabin 11 .

[0124] Furthermore, after the step of controlling the mechanical arm 30 to place the items to be delivered into the cabin 111 of the cabin body 11, the method further includes:

[0125] The delivery instruction is obtained, and the lifting drive mechanism 50 is controlled according to the delivery instruction to drive the mechanical arm 30 to move to the upper end position of the lifting drive mechanism 50 , so that at least part of the mechanical arm 30 is located within the outer contour line of the mobile chassis 80 .

[0126] It should be noted that the designated area may be a shelf, the ground, or a storage table formed by the outer wall of the cabin, etc. The automatic delivery device may obtain instructions by, but is not limited to, clicking on a screen, voice, etc.

[0127] Among them, making at least part of the robotic arm located within the outer contour line of the mobile chassis can be achieved by directly moving the robotic arm to the upper end position of the lifting drive mechanism 50, or by moving the robotic arm to the upper end position of the lifting drive mechanism 50 and then controlling the robotic arm 30 to fold and retract. The folding and retracting method is not limited, as long as the robotic arm 30 is completely or at least partially located within the outer contour line of the mobile chassis 80 after folding and retracting.

[0128] In a specific working scenario, when it is recognized that there is an item to be delivered on the storage platform 112, the robotic arm 30 grabs the item and transfers it to the storage in the cabin 111. Then, the lifting drive mechanism 50 drives the shoulder part 40 and the robotic arm 30 to rise to the upper limit position 60. Then, control one of the robotic arms 30 to fold and retract in front of the column 12, and the other robotic arm 30 to fold and retract behind the column 12, which can achieve the welcome effect while ensuring that the center of gravity of the whole machine is centered and the posture is stable. Then, the autonomous delivery device 100 navigates autonomously towards the delivery destination. When arriving at the destination, the cabin door of the cabin 11 opens, the robotic arm 30 descends and takes out the item from the cabin 111 and places it on the storage platform 112. After the user takes away the item, or directly places the item on the ground, closes the cabin door, takes the elevator downstairs, and returns autonomously.

[0129] The technical features of the above-described embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. For the sake of brevity of description, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-described embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, it should be considered as the scope described in this specification.

[0130] The above-described embodiments only represent several implementation manners of the present application. The description is relatively specific and detailed, but it cannot be understood as a limitation to the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the concept of the present application, several deformations and improvements can still be made, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the patent of the present application should be subject to the appended claims.

Claims

1. An autonomous delivery device, characterized in that, Comprising: A mobile chassis; A fuselage, which is installed on the mobile chassis; A lifting drive mechanism, which is installed on the fuselage, and the lower end of the lifting drive mechanism is arranged close to the edge of the fuselage, and the upper end of the lifting drive mechanism is arranged close to the center of the fuselage; And A robotic arm, which is in transmission connection with the lifting drive mechanism; Wherein, when the autonomous delivery device is moving, the lifting drive mechanism drives the robotic arm to move to the upper end of the lifting drive mechanism, so that the robotic arm is arranged close to the center of the fuselage; and / or, when the autonomous delivery device is operating, the lifting drive mechanism drives the robotic arm to move to the lower end of the lifting drive mechanism, so that the robotic arm operates on the items on the ground or inside the fuselage.

2. The autonomous delivery device according to claim 1, wherein The lifting drive mechanism is arranged on the fuselage in an inclined shape; and / or, the autonomous delivery device further includes a shoulder member, the shoulder member is arranged in an inclined shape, and the shoulder member is in transmission connection with the lifting drive mechanism to move back and forth between the upper end and the lower end of the lifting drive mechanism, and the robotic arm is in transmission connection with the shoulder member.

3. The autonomous delivery device according to claim 2, characterized in that When the shoulder member and the robotic arm are at the upper end position of the lifting drive mechanism, the robotic arm can be folded and retracted so that the orthographic projection of the shoulder member and the robotic arm in the ground direction falls into the mobile chassis or at least partially falls into the mobile chassis.

4. The autonomous delivery device according to claim 2, wherein The fuselage includes a cabin and a column, the cabin is arranged above the mobile chassis, the column is installed above the cabin, a cabin is formed inside the cabin, a storage platform is formed on the outer wall surface of the cabin, and the robotic arm is at least used to transfer the items on the storage platform into the cabin, or transfer the items from the cabin to the storage platform.

5. The autonomous delivery device according to claim 4, characterized in that, Along the traveling direction of the autonomous delivery device, the robotic arm and the column are arranged close to the front of the autonomous delivery device, and a counterweight is arranged inside the mobile chassis, and the counterweight is arranged close to the rear of the autonomous delivery device.

6. The autonomous delivery device according to claim 4, wherein, The autonomous delivery device further includes a first identifier, and the first identifier is arranged on the side surface of the column facing the storage platform; And / or, the recognition head of the first identifier is arranged to incline downward towards the storage platform, so that the recognition angle of view faces the storage platform.

7. The autonomous delivery device according to claim 4, wherein The robotic arm includes an arm part, an end effector and a second identifier, one end of the arm part is installed on the shoulder member, the end effector is installed at the end of the arm part far from the shoulder member, and the second identifier is installed on the end effector or the arm part.

8. The autonomous delivery device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The shoulder member is provided with a plug hole, and one end of the arm part far from the end effector is provided with a plug post, and the plug post is detachably installed in the plug hole; or, the shoulder member is provided with a plug post, and one end of the arm part far from the end effector is provided with a plug hole, and the plug post is detachably installed in the plug hole; a wire passing hole is further formed inside the shoulder member, and the wire passing hole is used for a connection cable to pass through and then be connected to the arm part.

9. The autonomous delivery device according to claim 7, wherein, The shoulder member has opposite first and second mounting ends, and the distance between the first mounting end and the cabin body is greater than the distance between the second mounting end and the cabin body; The first mounting end is mounted on the column, and one end of the arm away from the end effector is connected to the second mounting end.

10. The autonomous delivery device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The lifting drive mechanism is disposed inside the column. The column is provided with an inclined rail groove. One end of the shoulder member passes through the inclined rail groove and is in transmission connection with the lifting drive mechanism, so that the shoulder member can move back and forth between the upper limit position and the lower limit position; Or / and, the lifting drive mechanism is linearly inclined, and the inclination of the shoulder member is less than the inclination of the lifting drive mechanism.

11. The autonomous delivery device according to claim 10, characterized in that, When the shoulder member is in the lower limit position, the second mounting end extends out of the front side surface of the cabin body, so as to form an anti-interference gap between the robotic arm and the cabin body.

12. The autonomous delivery device according to claim 10, characterized in that, The lifting drive mechanism includes a power source, a transmission assembly and a connection assembly. The power source is in transmission connection with the transmission assembly, and the transmission assembly is in transmission connection with the connection assembly so that the connection assembly can move up and down. The shoulder member is connected to the connection assembly.

13. The autonomous delivery device according to claim 12, characterized in that, The power source includes a driving motor. The transmission assembly includes a bracket, a synchronous pulley set and a lead screw nut pair. The connection assembly includes a nut connecting piece, a slider and an arm connecting piece. The driving motor is mounted on the bracket. The synchronous pulley set and the lead screw nut pair are both movably arranged on the bracket. The driving motor is in transmission connection with the lead screw nut pair through the synchronous pulley set. The nut connecting piece is connected to the lead screw nut pair, and both the nut connecting piece and the slider are connected to the arm connecting piece. The arm connecting piece is assembled and fixed to the shoulder member.

14. A control method applied to the autonomous delivery device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that, Including the following steps: Obtain a packing instruction, and detect whether there are items to be delivered in a specified area according to the packing instruction; When it is detected that there are items to be delivered in the specified area, control the cabin door of the cabin body to open, and control the robotic arm to put the items to be delivered into the cabin of the cabin body.

15. The control method of the autonomous delivery device according to claim 14, characterized in that, After the step of controlling the robotic arm to put the items to be delivered into the cabin of the cabin body, it further includes: Obtain a delivery instruction, and control the lifting drive mechanism to drive the robotic arm to move to the upper end position of the lifting drive mechanism according to the delivery instruction, so that at least part of the robotic arm is located within the outer contour line of the mobile chassis.

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