Intelligent catering collaborative robot

Abstract

The invention discloses an intelligent collaborative robot for catering. The intelligent collaborative robot comprises a plurality of meal storage units and a meal delivery transfer module. Each meal storage unit is used for storing different food materials in a classified manner; the meal delivery transfer module comprises a plurality of manipulators; each mechanical arm can correspond to one meal storage unit at the same time and is used for obtaining the food materials of the corresponding meal storage unit. According to the intelligent catering collaborative robot, intelligent combined meal delivery of food materials is achieved, and the problem that in the prior art, the food material combination efficiency is low is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of collaborative catering robots, and in particular to an intelligent collaborative catering robot. Background Art

[0002] With the accelerated transformation of the catering industry towards intelligent solutions, traditional manual meal preparation models are no longer able to meet the dual demands of efficient and consistent food quality in the modern fast food industry. Existing automated catering equipment generally suffers from the technical pain point of being single-function devices that can only transport or simply package ingredients, but are unable to intelligently combine multiple ingredients. Especially in customized meal service scenarios, existing equipment requires manual intervention to adjust ingredient ratios, which not only slows down meal preparation but also easily leads to meal preparation errors. These issues have severely restricted the application of intelligent catering equipment in scenarios such as fast food chains and central kitchens.

[0003] Market research has found that although existing technologies can achieve the delivery of basic ingredients, their linear conveyor belt structure means that different ingredients need to be taken in sequence, which cannot meet customers' immediate needs for "one-click combination of multiple categories of ingredients." Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an intelligent collaborative robot for catering, which can realize the intelligent combination of ingredients for serving meals and solve the problem of low efficiency of ingredient combination in the prior art.

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is achieved by adopting the following technical solutions:

[0006] A smart collaborative robot for catering, comprising: multiple food storage units and a food delivery transfer module; each of the food storage units is used to classify and store different ingredients; the food delivery transfer module includes multiple manipulators; each of the manipulators can simultaneously correspond to one of the food storage units and be used to obtain ingredients from the corresponding food storage unit.

[0007] Furthermore, the manipulator includes a telescopic drive device, a rotation limiting mechanism and a collection platform; the telescopic drive device can linearly extend and retract along the direction of food grabbing; the rotation limiting mechanism is linked to the telescopic drive device, and the rotation limiting mechanism includes a rotation transmission servo motor, a rotating shaft driven by the rotation transmission servo motor and a limiting member provided on the rotating shaft, the limiting member can rotate to the horizontal side of the food storage place on the food storage unit, and the telescopic drive device can drive the limiting member to push the food horizontally into the collection platform.

[0008] Furthermore, the food delivery transfer module includes a lifting drive mechanism; the lifting drive mechanism includes a guide rail, a first drive motor, a first screw rod, a first slider and a position detection sensor; the guide rail is arranged in a vertical direction, and the first slider is slidingly matched with the guide rail; the first drive motor is transmission-connected to the first slider through a first screw rod, and the first slider is slidably installed on the guide rail; the position detection sensor is used to monitor the height of the first slider in real time.

[0009] Furthermore, each of the food storage units also includes a food material sorting device; the food material sorting device is provided with a vertical arrangement channel, the vertical arrangement channel includes a cache queue station and a waiting station, the cache queue station is located above the waiting station, the cache queue station is used to store lunch boxes to be transferred to the waiting station, and the waiting station is used to support the lunch boxes so that the lunch boxes are exposed within the matching range of the limiting member.

[0010] Furthermore, the food arrangement device includes a separation mechanism; the separation mechanism is used to separate the lunch boxes at the waiting station and the lunch boxes in the cache queue station during the lunch box transfer process.

[0011] Furthermore, the separation mechanism includes a screw slide; the screw slide is arranged in the vertical arrangement channel, and the screw slide can support and release the lunch boxes in the vertical arrangement channel, and the screw slide guides the lunch boxes in the cache queue station to the waiting station during the descent process; the screw slide separates the lunch boxes in the cache queue station from the lunch boxes in the waiting station during the ascent process.

[0012] Furthermore, the screw slide includes a second drive motor, a second screw connected to the second drive motor, and a second slider connected to the second screw, the second screw extends in the height direction, and the second slider is connected to multiple horizontal support rods, and the multiple horizontal support rods are arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction, and the multiple horizontal support rods are used to support the horizontal opposite sides of the lunch box.

[0013] Furthermore, the horizontal supporting rod has an electric telescopic rod, and the electric telescopic rod can be extended into the positioning guide grooves on both sides of the lunch box.

[0014] Furthermore, the intelligent collaborative robot for catering includes a plurality of unit partitions, a plurality of dining ports and anti-jamming guide plates, the unit partitions are arranged between adjacent food storage units, and each dining port is connected to one of the food storage units; each anti-jamming guide plate is respectively arranged above one of the screw slides, and is used to guide the corresponding food boxes at the cache queue workstations to fall smoothly.

[0015] Furthermore, each of the food storage units is provided with a conveying mechanism, which is arranged at the waiting station and supports the lunch boxes at the waiting station; the conveying mechanism is used to horizontally convey the food in the food storage unit to the robot arm.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0017] By arranging multiple meal storage units and corresponding multiple robotic arms working together, each robotic arm can simultaneously grab and combine designated ingredients from different meal storage units, achieving intelligent and precise meal matching. This design completely replaces traditional manual combination methods. Through the coordinated operation of the robotic arms and the precise coordination of the conveyor mechanism, different types of ingredients are efficiently integrated according to order requirements, significantly improving the efficiency of combined meal delivery and solving the inefficiency problem caused by the existing technology that relies on manual sorting.

[0018] The vertically arranged channels enable the food storage unit to achieve three-dimensional food storage and automated supply. The vertically arranged channels' cache queues can store multiple layers of food boxes waiting to be picked up. Combined with the robotic arm's precise grabbing of food boxes at these stations, the storage unit significantly increases capacity within its limited footprint. This also ensures that when the robotic arm retrieves food, the lower layer of food boxes can be quickly replaced, avoiding food supply interruptions and significantly improving the system's continuous operation capabilities.

[0019] Utilizing a screw-slide separation mechanism and a conveying mechanism, the system precisely controls the separation and conveying of lunch boxes. The screw-slide, driven by a servo motor, achieves precise positioning, ensuring that only the required lunch boxes are separated and delivered to the waiting station. The conveying mechanism utilizes closed-loop control technology for smooth, horizontal conveyance of the lunch boxes. This design addresses the issues of jamming and stacking that can easily occur with traditional gravity-drop separation. Furthermore, the introduction of anti-jamming guides and a motorized telescopic rod ensures smooth transfer of lunch boxes, reduces the risk of jamming, and improves system reliability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of an intelligent collaborative robot for catering according to the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a structural schematic diagram of an intelligent collaborative robot for catering is shown;

[0022] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of a manipulator of an intelligent collaborative robot for catering is shown;

[0023] Figure 4 for Figure 2 A front view of a cross-sectional view of an intelligent collaborative robot for catering is shown;

[0024] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A partially enlarged view of the structural schematic diagram of an intelligent collaborative robot for catering shown;

[0025] Figure 6 for Figure 1 The figure shows a top view of the structural schematic diagram of an intelligent collaborative robot for catering.

[0026] In the figure: 1. Food storage unit; 2. Food transfer module; 3. Robot; 311. Telescopic drive device; 312. Rotation limit mechanism; 313. Collection platform; 315. Rotation transmission servo motor; 316. Rotation axis; 317. Limiting member; 4. Lifting drive mechanism; 5. Food sorting device; 6. Vertical arrangement channel; 611. Cache queue station; 612. Waiting station; 7. Separation mechanism; 711. Screw slide; 712. Horizontal support rod; 713. Electric telescopic rod; 8. Unit partition; 9. Food inlet; 10. Anti-jamming guide plate; 11. Conveying mechanism; 12. Food outlet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods. It should be noted that, under the premise of no conflict, the various embodiments or technical features described below can be arbitrarily combined to form new embodiments.

[0028] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" another element, it may be directly attached to the other element, or there may be an intermediate element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element, or there may be an intermediate element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only implementation method.

[0029] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms used in this specification are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0030] First embodiment:

[0031] See also Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 6 , a specific implementation manner of a preferred embodiment of the first embodiment of the present invention:

[0032] A smart collaborative robot for catering comprises: multiple food storage units 1 and a food delivery transfer module 2; each food storage unit 1 is used to store different ingredients in a classified manner; the food delivery transfer module 2 includes multiple manipulators 3; each manipulator 3 can simultaneously correspond to one of the food storage units 1 and retrieve ingredients from the corresponding food storage unit 1. The multiple food storage units 1 are arranged in a matrix and fixed on a work surface of a rack, with each unit maintaining a standard spacing. The food delivery transfer module 2 is positioned across the food storage unit array 1 via a lifting drive mechanism 4 or a translational guide module. The food delivery transfer module 2 is integrated with multiple manipulators 3 arranged in parallel, each manipulator 3 being rigidly connected to the food delivery transfer module 2. The multiple manipulators 3 and the food delivery transfer module 2 form a collaborative operation area, providing a stable structural foundation for the simultaneous operation of the multiple manipulators 3, enabling intelligent food delivery through food combination, and resolving the low food combination efficiency problem in the prior art. By arranging multiple food storage units 1 and corresponding manipulators 3 to work in coordination, each manipulator 3 can simultaneously grab and combine designated ingredients from different food storage units 1, achieving intelligent and precise food delivery. This design completely replaces the traditional manual combination method. Through the collaborative operation of the manipulator 3 and the precise coordination of the conveying mechanism 11, different categories of ingredients are efficiently integrated according to order requirements, significantly improving the efficiency of combined meal delivery and solving the problem of low efficiency caused by relying on manual sorting in the existing technology.

[0033] The dynamic operating principle of this intelligent collaborative catering robot is as follows: The food delivery transfer module 2, via a lifting drive mechanism 4, can move up and down, or left and right, achieving precise positioning. Its motion control system uses an adaptive algorithm to adjust motion parameters in real time, ensuring quick station switching. The modularly integrated multi-manipulator unit 3 utilizes a distributed control architecture, with each manipulator 3 independently equipped with a high-precision controller. The control system controls food grabbing, enabling simultaneous food acquisition by multiple manipulators 3. During operation, the main control system coordinates the translational motion of the food delivery transfer module 2 with the extension and rotation of the manipulators 3 based on an optimal path planning algorithm. When the food delivery transfer module 2 reaches the target food storage unit 1, each manipulator 3 synchronously executes the grabbing action according to a preset program. After food retrieval is completed, the manipulator 3 moves along the planned trajectory to the collection station. The food delivery transfer module 2 and manipulator 3 work in a synchronized array, ultimately delivering the food to the food delivery port 12 safely and accurately. This design aims to provide an intelligent collaborative catering robot with transfer modules and flexible combinations that enables intelligent food delivery through food assembly, addressing the low efficiency of food assembly in existing technologies.

[0034] It can be understood that the intelligent collaborative robot for catering adopts a two-dimensional mobile meal transfer module 2 (composed of a collection platform 313 driven by a high-precision servo motor and a lifting drive mechanism 4), and achieves high positioning accuracy through a closed-loop control system. During operation, the transfer module first quickly translates to the target meal storage unit 1 station along the setting direction of the lifting drive mechanism 4, and then the lifting drive mechanism 4 drives the manipulator 3 array to the precise meal pickup position. Each manipulator 3 unit is equipped with a telescopic drive device 311 and a rotating shaft 316, and adaptive grasping is achieved through a control algorithm. When executing a combined meal instruction, the system adopts a time-optimal trajectory planning algorithm to enable multiple manipulators 3 to complete synchronous pick-up and placement actions in a short time, and transport the ingredients to the dynamic collection platform 313 through a high-speed conveyor belt. Throughout the process, the lossless transfer of fragile ingredients is ensured, and the redundant meal storage unit 1 is automatically filled to improve the success rate of meal pickup.

[0035] In addition, the food storage unit 1 can adopt a modular layered design, with the upper layer being a rotating freezing compartment for storing frozen ingredients, the middle layer being a constant temperature heating compartment for placing cooked food, and the lower layer being provided with a drawer-type dry food box with a weighing sensor; the manipulator 3 can also select a three-finger adaptive gripper (with silicone anti-slip texture) to grasp regular packaged products according to the characteristics of the ingredients, or a vacuum suction cup group (with a pressure regulating valve) to absorb ingredients with flat surfaces, or a mesh flexible grabber (made of nylon) to support loose materials; when acquiring the ingredients, the coordinates of the ingredients are located through machine vision, and the manipulator 3 is first driven by a servo motor to the front of the target food storage unit 1, and then the contact pressure is adjusted through force sensor feedback. When the strain gauge detects the preset pressure value, the gripper closes or the suction cup starts, and the infrared sensor verifies the grasping status.

[0036] See also Figure 3The manipulator 3 includes a telescopic drive device 311, a rotation limiting mechanism 312 and a collection platform 313; the telescopic drive device 311 can be linearly extended and retracted along the direction of food grabbing; the rotation limiting mechanism 312 is linked to the telescopic drive device 311, and the rotation limiting mechanism 312 includes a rotation transmission servo motor 315, a rotating shaft 316 driven by the rotation transmission servo motor 315 and a limiting member 317 provided on the rotating shaft 316, the limiting member 317 can be rotated to the horizontal side of the food storage place on the food storage unit 1, and the telescopic drive device 311 can drive the limiting member 317 to push the food horizontally into the collection platform 313. The structure of the manipulator 3 adopts a modular design: the telescopic drive device 311 is rigidly connected to the base of the manipulator 3 (collecting platform 313) through a gear rack mechanism (a ball screw linear module or a linear guide pair can also be used), and its gear rack mechanism is driven by a servo motor; the rotating shaft 316 of the rotation limit mechanism 312 is supported at the front end of the telescopic drive device 311 through an angular contact bearing, and the aluminum alloy limiter 317 (the surface is coated with food-grade silicone) installed on the shaft can rotate back and forth 90°, and its initial position forms a certain angle with the telescopic axis; the collection platform 313 is formed by bending 304 stainless steel plate and is fixed under the base of the manipulator 3. A 15° inclined guide plate is provided at the entrance of the platform to precisely match the motion trajectory of the limiter 317. The overall structure has significantly improved the accuracy and operation efficiency of food grabbing through finite element optimization.

[0037] The dynamic working principle of the structure of the manipulator 3 is as follows: when the manipulator 3 with one of the target ingredients selected by the system arrives at the corresponding food storage unit 1, the telescopic drive device 311 operates (gear rack mechanism) and propels forward at a stable speed, so that the internal telescopic rod moves to the horizontal side position of the food storage unit 1 where the food is stored; at this time, the limiter 317 is in an inactive state and moves synchronously with the telescopic rod. When the telescopic rod of the limiter 317 arrives at the food acquisition operation area, it maintains a certain gap with the side of the food, and the rotation transmission servo motor 315 drives the rotating shaft 316 to drive the limiter 317 to rotate 90°; then the telescopic drive device 311 retreats at a stable speed, so that the limiter 317 contacts the food smoothly and applies a stable constant thrust, pushing the food horizontally and sending it to the collection platform 313; after the pushing is completed, the rotation transmission servo motor 315 is reversed to reset the limiter 317.

[0038] The meal transfer module 2 includes a lifting drive mechanism 4; the lifting drive mechanism 4 includes a guide rail, a first drive motor, a first screw rod, a first slider and a position detection sensor; the guide rail is arranged in the vertical direction, and the first slider is slidably matched with the guide rail; the first drive motor is connected to the first slider through the first screw rod, and the first slider is slidably mounted on the guide rail; the position detection sensor is used to monitor the height of the first slider in real time. The guide rail of the lifting drive mechanism 4 adopts a high-precision linear guide rail, which is rigidly fixed to the frame column by bolts; the first screw rod is directly connected to the first drive motor through a coupling, and the first slider is engaged with the screw rod through a pre-tightened ball nut, and lithium-based grease is applied to the contact between its sliding surface and the guide rail; the position detection sensor is installed at the tail end of the motor and is fixed parallel to the guide rail through a bracket. The overall structure promotes the smooth transportation of the overall lifting drive mechanism 4 after finite element optimization. The lifting drive mechanism 4 is controlled by a high-rigidity guide rail and a servo motor, providing a stable and reliable vertical motion reference for the meal transfer module 2.

[0039] During operation, when the system receives a height adjustment command, the first drive motor drives the first screw to rotate, driving the first slider to move vertically along the guide rail; the position detection sensor provides real-time feedback on the slider position, and the control system dynamically adjusts the motor torque through an algorithm to enable the slider to run smoothly and the positioning accuracy to be controlled within a safe range; under abnormal circumstances, the system immediately triggers the braking resistor and stops movement within a short time.

[0040] See also Figure 4 、 Figure 5 Each meal storage unit 1 also includes a food material organization device 5; the food material boxes are used to store food materials in a classified manner; the food material organization device 5 is provided with a vertically arranged channel 6, which includes a buffer queue station 611 and a waiting station 612. The buffer queue station 611 is located above the waiting station 612 and is used to store food materials to be transferred to the waiting station 612. The waiting station 612 is used to support the food materials so that the food materials are exposed within the matching range of the limiter 317. The food material organization device 5 of the meal storage unit 1 adopts a 304 stainless steel frame structure. The vertically arranged channel 6 is composed of two sets of parallel guide rails (the spacing is adapted to the width of the standard meal box). The upper buffer queue station 611 is located below the waiting station 612. Polytetrafluoroethylene wear-resistant guide plates are installed on both sides of the channel. The gap between the channel and the food material box is controlled within a certain range to prevent the food material box from tilting. The entire channel is connected to the main body of the meal storage unit 1 by screws. Through the design of the vertically arranged channel 6, the meal storage unit 1 realizes three-dimensional storage and automated supply of food materials. The cache queue station 611 of the vertically arranged channel 6 can store multiple layers of lunch boxes to be picked up, and cooperate with the robot 3 to accurately grab the lunch boxes at the waiting station 612, so that the capacity of the food storage unit 1 can be greatly increased under a limited footprint. At the same time, it ensures that the lower-level lunch boxes can be quickly filled when the robot 3 picks up the food, avoiding interruption of food supply and significantly improving the system's continuous operation capability.

[0041] During operation, after the lunch boxes on the lower layer are taken away, the lunch boxes at the cache queue station 611 slide naturally down along the vertical arrangement channel 6 under the action of gravity, and are positioned by their own weight; when the fall stops, the lunch boxes fall into the waiting station 612; when the robot 3 takes the food, the limiter 317 pushes the lunch box horizontally to make it slide on the waiting station 612 (a conveyor belt mechanism can be used to assist in transmission). After the food is taken, the remaining lunch boxes are automatically filled due to the action of gravity, and the entire process does not require any power components.

[0042] During installation, a spirit level is used to calibrate the verticality of the guide rail, and a counterweight is used to test the smoothness of the slide. Daily maintenance only requires regular wiping of the guide rail surface. The structure supports the continuous operation of standard-sized lunch boxes and can achieve more than one stable cycle under long-term working conditions. This device realizes the function of automatically replenishing food ingredients and cooperates with the robot 3 to grasp, effectively improving the grasping success rate.

[0043] The food arrangement device 5 includes a separation mechanism 7; this separation mechanism 7 is used to separate the food boxes at the waiting station 612 from the food boxes in the buffer queue station 611 during the food box transfer process. The separation mechanism 7 can adopt various structural forms to achieve efficient separation. For example, a mechanical mechanism uses a two-way linkage baffle mechanism, with an aluminum alloy baffle fork driven by a servo motor to achieve cross-opening and closing; a pneumatic mechanism uses a polyurethane separation claw, with a solenoid valve controlling the cylinder for rapid clamping and release; an electromagnetic mechanism can also be equipped with a neodymium iron boron permanent magnet and a silicon steel sheet magnetic conductor group, which generates magnetic attraction when powered to separate the metal food boxes. This mechanism plays a core role in the overall separation function: through precise control, physical isolation is achieved at the moment of food box transfer, preventing the upper food box from accidentally falling and causing jamming, while ensuring the accurate positioning of the food box at the waiting station 612. A buffer design (shock-absorbing rubber pad) can also reduce the impact of the food box, allowing the automatic refill system to maintain high-frequency operation. The above separation mechanism 7 significantly improves the working efficiency of the intelligent collaborative robot for catering.

[0044] The separation mechanism 7 includes a screw slide 711; the screw slide 711 is arranged in the vertical arrangement channel 6. The screw slide 711 can support and release the lunch boxes in the vertical arrangement channel 6. During the descent process, the screw slide 711 guides the lunch boxes in the cache queue station 611 to the waiting station 612; during the ascent process, the screw slide 711 separates the lunch boxes in the cache queue station 611 from the lunch boxes in the waiting station 612. The screw slide 711 includes a second drive motor, a second screw connected to the second drive motor, and a second slider connected to the second screw. The second screw extends in the height direction. The second slider is connected to multiple horizontal support rods 712. The multiple horizontal support rods 712 are arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction. The multiple horizontal support rods 712 are used to support the horizontally opposite sides of the lunch box.

[0045] The lead screw slide 711 uses a parallel layout of precision ball screws and high-rigidity linear guides, fixed to both sides of the vertically arranged channel 6 by aluminum alloy brackets; a support plate with anti-slip stripes is installed on the flat surface of the slide; the drive end uses a servo motor connected to the lead screw through a synchronous pulley; the overall structure is connected to the channel frame with high-strength bolts, and the vertical running straightness is controlled within a safe range.

[0046] When refilling is needed, the second drive motor drives the second screw rod to descend at a stable speed, and the horizontal support rod 712 carries the lunch box of the cache queue station 611 downward synchronously, and is precisely guided to the waiting station 612; after reaching the position, the horizontal support rod 712 quickly contracts to complete the release of the lunch box; in the rising stage, the second drive motor reverses, and the horizontal support rod 712 is lifted at a certain speed, stops at a buffer distance from the bottom of the upper lunch box, and releases the horizontal support rod 712 to abut the bottom of the upper lunch box. The second drive motor starts and drives the upper lunch box to move upward, causing the upper lunch box to separate from the lunch box of the waiting station 612, forming a physical separation layer. This design plays a core role in the overall device of the intelligent collaborative robot for catering, accurately separating the lunch boxes of the waiting station 612 and the cache queue station 611, and refilling in an orderly manner.

[0047] In addition, the horizontal support rod 712 includes an electric telescopic rod 713, which can extend into the positioning guide slots on both sides of the lunch box. The electric telescopic rod 713 utilizes a micro-servo electric cylinder structure, with an anodized aluminum alloy cylinder body and an integrated ball screw and planetary reducer. The rod end is equipped with a nylon guide head that precisely mates with the lunch box's positioning guide slots. The entire rod is secured to the interior of the horizontal support rod 712 via a flange mount, allowing for a telescopic travel that aligns with the lunch box. During operation, the rod receives a control signal, and the screw drives the guide head out at a rotating speed. Once the guide head enters the lunch box's guide slot, a current loop is used to confirm contact. During retraction, the motor reverses, and the guide head retracts at a predetermined speed to a clearing position. After retraction, the horizontal support rod 712 retracts into the internal groove of the support rod, maintaining a safety gap of at least 2 mm from the lunch box's trajectory. The horizontal support rod 712 delays its lifting and lowering motion after the electric telescopic rod 713 is fully retracted.

[0048] The intelligent collaborative robot for catering includes multiple unit partitions 8, multiple dining ports 9, and anti-jamming guides 10. The unit partitions 8 are located between adjacent food storage units 1, and each dining port 9 is connected to one of the food storage units 1. Each anti-jamming guide 10 is located above one of the screw slides 711 and is used to guide the food boxes at the corresponding cache queue station 611 to fall smoothly. The unit partitions 8 are installed between the food storage units 1 using stainless steel plates, and the spacing is adjustable through a slide. The dining port 9 includes an inclined funnel structure, the upper end of which is welded to the food storage unit 1. The anti-jamming guide 10 is made of a steel plate with grid holes, fixed at an angle above the screw slide 711, and has a flexible buffer layer on the contact surface with the food box. The various components are fastened with bolts to ensure the stability of the overall structure. In addition, the system can also be equipped with sensors to monitor the position of the food box and automatically adjust the guide angle in the event of an abnormality.

[0049] When the lunch box falls from the cache queue, the grid structure of the anti-jamming guide 10 guides it to slide smoothly into the dining port 9 and offsets the deviation; the unit partition 8 blocks the interference of the adjacent dining storage unit 1, and the inclined design of the dining port 9 ensures that the lunch box naturally transitions to the vertically arranged channel 6.

[0050] Second embodiment:

[0051] The second embodiment includes the first embodiment, and is different from the first embodiment in that:

[0052] Preferably, each meal storage unit 1 is provided with a conveying mechanism 11, which is arranged at the waiting station 612 and supports the lunch box at the waiting station 612; the conveying mechanism 11 is used to convey the food in the meal storage unit 1 horizontally to the manipulator 3. The conveying mechanism 11 in each meal storage unit 1 is mainly composed of a synchronous pulley system or a roller module driven by a motor, which is arranged horizontally along the bottom of the meal storage unit 1 and passes through the waiting station 612 area. The surface of the conveyor belt is made of non-slip silicone or striped metal to ensure stable support of the lunch box; limit baffles or photoelectric sensors are added on both sides to prevent the lunch box from shifting during transportation. A mechanical positioning stop device is provided at the end of the mechanism to accurately align with the meal picking position of the manipulator 3. Some configurations can also integrate a weighing module to monitor the weight changes of the lunch box in real time.

[0053] When the system receives the meal-picking instruction, the motor of the conveying mechanism 11 starts, and the synchronous belt is controlled by the reducer to move at a constant speed toward the manipulator 3, driving the lunch box at the waiting station 612 to slide horizontally. The manipulator 3 tracks the movement trajectory of the lunch box in real time through the visual system or position feedback signal. When the lunch box reaches the preset grabbing point, the conveying mechanism 11 stops suddenly and triggers the gripping action of the manipulator 3. If multiple lunch boxes are operated continuously, the conveying mechanism 11 can be operated intermittently in sections to cooperate with the manipulator 3 to complete batch grabbing. A modular design can be adopted during implementation, and the conveying mechanism 11 and the meal storage unit 1 are fixed with quick-release bolts for easy maintenance and upgrading. The basic version uses PLC to control the stepper motor and realizes closed-loop speed regulation through encoder feedback. This design is conducive to cooperating with the operation of the manipulator 3 to realize the rapid combination of ingredients for meal delivery, solving the problem of low efficiency of ingredient combination for meal delivery in the prior art.

[0054] In the description of this specification, the reference terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples" mean that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and integrate different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as features of different embodiments or examples, unless they are mutually inconsistent.

[0055] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. Throughout the description of this application, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0056] The above are only specific embodiments of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various modifications or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application, and such modifications or substitutions should be included in the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. An intelligent collaborative robot for catering, characterized in that: include: A plurality of food storage units (1), each of the food storage units (1) being used to store different food ingredients in a classified manner; A meal delivery transfer module (2), the meal delivery transfer module (2) comprising a plurality of manipulators (3); each of the manipulators (3) can simultaneously correspond to one of the meal storage units (1) and be used to obtain food ingredients from the corresponding meal storage unit (1).

2. The intelligent collaborative robot for catering according to claim 1, characterized in that The manipulator (3) comprises a telescopic drive device (311), a rotation limiting mechanism (312) and a collection platform (313); the telescopic drive device (311) is capable of linearly extending and contracting along the direction of food material grabbing; the rotation limiting mechanism (312) is linked to the telescopic drive device (311); the rotation limiting mechanism (312) comprises a rotation transmission servo motor (315), a rotating shaft (316) driven by the rotation transmission servo motor (315), and a limiting member (317) provided on the rotating shaft (316); the limiting member (317) is capable of rotating to the horizontal side of the food material storage area on the food storage unit (1); and the telescopic drive device (311) is capable of driving the limiting member (317) to push the food material horizontally into the collection platform (313).

3. The intelligent collaborative robot for catering according to claim 2, characterized in that: The meal delivery transfer module (2) includes a lifting drive mechanism (4); the lifting drive mechanism (4) includes a guide rail, a first drive motor, a first screw rod, a first slider and a position detection sensor; the guide rail is arranged in a vertical direction, and the first slider is slidably matched with the guide rail; the first drive motor is connected to the first slider through a first screw rod, and the first slider is slidably installed on the guide rail; the position detection sensor is used to monitor the height of the first slider in real time.

4. The intelligent collaborative robot for catering according to claim 3, characterized in that: Each of the food storage units (1) further comprises a food material arrangement device (5); the food material arrangement device (5) is provided with a vertical arrangement channel (6), the vertical arrangement channel (6) comprising a cache queue station (611) and a waiting station (612), the cache queue station (611) being located above the waiting station (612), the cache queue station (611) being used to store food boxes to be transferred to the waiting station (612), and the waiting station (612) being used to support food boxes so that the food boxes are exposed within the matching range of the limiting member (317).

5. The intelligent collaborative robot for catering according to claim 4, characterized in that: The food arrangement device (5) comprises a separation mechanism (7); the separation mechanism (7) is used to separate the lunch boxes at the waiting station (612) from the lunch boxes in the cache queue station (611) during the lunch box transfer process.

6. The intelligent collaborative robot for catering according to claim 5, characterized in that: The separation mechanism (7) includes a screw slide (711); the screw slide (711) is arranged in the vertical arrangement channel (6); the screw slide (711) can support and release the lunch boxes in the vertical arrangement channel (6); the screw slide (711) guides the lunch boxes in the cache queue station (611) to the waiting station (612) during the descent process; the screw slide (711) separates the lunch boxes in the cache queue station (611) from the lunch boxes in the waiting station (612) during the ascending process.

7. The intelligent collaborative robot for catering according to claim 6, characterized in that: The screw slide (711) includes a second drive motor, a second screw connected to the second drive motor, and a second slider connected to the second screw, the second screw extending in the height direction, the second slider connected to a plurality of horizontal support rods (712), the plurality of horizontal support rods (712) are arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction, and the plurality of horizontal support rods (712) are used to support the horizontal opposite sides of the lunch box.

8. The intelligent collaborative robot for catering according to claim 7, characterized in that: The horizontal supporting rod (712) has an electric telescopic rod (713), and the electric telescopic rod (713) can be extended into the positioning guide grooves on both sides of the lunch box.

9. The intelligent collaborative robot for catering according to claim 6, characterized in that: The intelligent collaborative robot for catering comprises a plurality of unit partitions (8), a plurality of dining ports (9) and an anti-jamming guide plate (10), wherein the unit partitions (8) are arranged between adjacent dining storage units (1), and each dining port (9) is connected to one of the dining storage units (1); each anti-jamming guide plate (10) is respectively arranged above one of the screw slides (711) and is used to guide the dining boxes of the corresponding cache queue station (611) to fall smoothly.

10. The intelligent collaborative robot for catering according to claim 4, characterized in that: Each of the food storage units (1) is provided with a conveying mechanism (11), which is provided at the waiting station (612) and supports the food box at the waiting station (612); the conveying mechanism (11) is used to horizontally convey the food in the food storage unit (1) to the robot (3).

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