Loading and unloading robot, loading method and unloading method

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of logistics equipment, in particular to a loading and unloading robot, a loading method and an unloading method.The loading and unloading robot comprises a loading and unloading trolley, a mechanical arm, a clamp, a photoelectric sensor, a laser radar, an industrial camera assembly, a control cabinet and a conveying mechanism; the mechanical arm is mounted on the loading and unloading trolley; the clamp is mounted at the end part of the mechanical arm; the photoelectric sensor, the laser radar, the industrial camera assembly and the control cabinet are arranged on the loading and unloading trolley. The control cabinet controls the mechanical arm and the clamp to grab materials for loading or unloading through information of the photoelectric sensor, the laser radar and the industrial camera assembly. The conveying mechanism is arranged on the loading and unloading trolley and connected with the loading and unloading trolley conveying line. The loading and unloading vehicle robot can be used for taking, placing and stacking goods in the container, and the robot has the functions of autonomous navigation, autonomous motion planning, visual recognition, grabbing and stacking and the like.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of logistics equipment, and particularly relates to a loading and unloading robot, a loading method and an unloading method. BACKGROUND

[0002] In recent years, with the rapid development of automation technology and artificial intelligence, robots are widely used in various manufacturing fields. Due to the advantages of reducing manual operation, reducing labor intensity and precise positioning, robots greatly improve the efficiency in the production process. For example, mobile robots AGV are used for the movement of goods in production, and industrial robot arms can be used for production feeding and discharging.

[0003] In manufacturing and warehousing logistics, it is often necessary to complete the taking and placing of goods at designated locations, such as the transfer and loading and unloading of materials in the factory. Such tasks are more complex. For example, in the case of material loading, the goods in the warehouse need to be transported into the container and stacked. The container may be parked at different positions, and material stacking needs to be performed inside the container. For relatively complex taking and placing tasks, manual operation is usually used, which is labor-intensive and low in efficiency. A single type of robot cannot complete the above work. Existing composite robots generally have small loads and cannot be applied to the taking and placing of goods in the warehousing logistics industry.

[0004] In summary, there is an urgent need for a loading and unloading robot, a loading method and an unloading method to solve the problem of high labor intensity and low efficiency of existing manual operation. SUMMARY

[0005] The present application aims to provide a loading and unloading robot, a loading method and an unloading method, and the specific technical solutions are as follows: A loading and unloading robot, comprising: A loading and unloading trolley, a walking mechanism is arranged below the loading and unloading trolley; A robot arm is installed on the loading and unloading trolley, a transmission component is installed on the robot arm for movement of the robot arm; A clamp is installed at the end of the robot arm for grabbing materials for loading or unloading; A photoelectric sensor is arranged on the loading and unloading trolley for detecting the position of the loading and unloading trolley relative to the container to provide coordinate data for the movement of the loading and unloading trolley; A laser radar is arranged on the loading and unloading trolley for identifying the internal space of the container and the position of the container; An industrial camera assembly is arranged on the loading and unloading trolley for detecting the attitude of the materials during loading or detecting the labels of the materials during unloading; A control cabinet is arranged on the loading and unloading trolley for receiving information of the photoelectric sensor, the laser radar and the industrial camera assembly and controlling the robot arm and the clamp to grab the materials for loading or unloading. The conveying mechanism is arranged on the loading and unloading trolley and connected to the conveying line of the loading and unloading trolley.

[0006] Optionally, the loading and unloading robot also includes a clearance light, which is arranged on the loading and unloading trolley and is used to display the operating status of the loading and unloading trolley.

[0007] Optionally, the loading and unloading robot also includes lights and cameras; The lighting lamp is arranged on the loading and unloading trolley to illuminate the interior space of the container; The camera is arranged on the loading and unloading trolley and is used for transmitting the working status of the loading and unloading robot in real time.

[0008] Optionally, the loading and unloading robot is characterized in that it also includes a push plate and a driving member, the driving member is connected to and drives the push plate, and the push plate is used for material merging.

[0009] Optionally, the industrial camera assembly includes a first mounting block, a first round rod, a second mounting block, a second round rod and an industrial camera body; The first mounting block is rotatably disposed on the first round rod and is movably disposed along the length direction of the first round rod; The industrial camera body is arranged on the first mounting block, and the first round rod is connected to the second mounting block; The second mounting block is adjustably arranged along the length direction of the second round rod, and the second round rod is arranged on the loading and unloading trolley.

[0010] Optionally, the clamp is a suction cup clamp driven by a vacuum pump, and the vacuum pump is arranged on a loading and unloading trolley.

[0011] Optionally, at least one photoelectric sensor is provided at each of the four corner points and the front end of the loading and unloading trolley.

[0012] Optionally, the traveling mechanism includes a steering wheel and a steering wheel drive arranged below the loading and unloading trolley.

[0013] In addition, the present invention also provides a loading method using the above-mentioned loading and unloading robot, comprising the following steps: S101: Based on the spatial position, shape, and height of the current loading area within the container's interior space, combined with the shape, placement constraints, quantity, and order, stacking positions for stacking materials are generated in a specific order. The stacking positions are the relative spatial corner coordinates Pos(x, y, z, a, b, c, p1, p2) of each material, where x, y, and z represent spatial coordinates, a, b, and c represent spatial vectors, and p1 and p2 represent posture information. A stacking sequence is generated. The stacking sequence includes the relative spatial corner coordinates of multiple materials, expressed as (pos1, pos2, pos3, ..., posN). S102: The palletizing sequence instructs the conveyor mechanism to turn according to the palletizing sequence requirements, merges materials of the same specifications that can be stacked at one time, and sends them to the robot palletizing preparation area. The industrial camera component takes pictures of the materials to ensure that the current direction of the materials is consistent with the state in the palletizing sequence. If there is any inconsistency, an abnormal alarm is issued and the materials are discharged; S103: The loading and unloading robot generates different material suction actions to avoid obstacles and place the material according to the single palletizing position requirements in the palletizing sequence. By default, the lower left side of the fixture is flush with the edge of the material. When it is on the right side of the space, the right side of the fixture is flush with the material. When the material to be placed is above the space, the upper side of the suction cup fixture is flush with the upper side of the material to avoid collisions with obstacles at the edge of the space due to the protruding fixture; S104: Based on the single stacking position in the stacking sequence, the current spatial position of the trolley returned by the laser radar, the gripping method of the fixture, and the relative position between the robot and the trolley, spatial coordinate processing and conversion are performed to convert the coordinates of the single stacking position into the coordinates of the world coordinate system of the loading and unloading robot. The coordinates of the gripping point and the placement point are determined based on the world coordinate system of the loading and unloading robot, and the gripping and placement trajectory of the loading and unloading robot is dynamically generated based on the current spatial situation to avoid collisions between the loading and unloading robots. S105: The loading and unloading robot completes material loading through the robotic arm and clamps. After completing the material loading, it uses the laser radar to scan the point cloud data of the loading area, splices the point cloud data to detect the material placement, and identifies whether the material is placed correctly.

[0014] In addition, the present invention also provides a method for unloading a vehicle using the above-mentioned loading and unloading robot, which is characterized by comprising the following steps: S201: The loading and unloading trolley scans spatial position information using a photoelectric sensor and a laser radar, and moves to the front of the material to be unloaded in the interior space of the container based on the spatial position information; S202: The laser radar scans the interior space of the container to obtain the current material point cloud data; S203: Merging, splicing, and filtering the current material point cloud data, obtaining the material coordinates by identifying the edge gap features of the material, and calculating the coordinates of the material relative to the loading and unloading trolley; S204: Based on the material coordinates, generate the depalletizing material coordinates POS (x, y, z, a, b, c, z1, z2) in order from top to bottom and from edge to center, where x, y, z represent spatial coordinates, a, b, c represent spatial vectors, and z1 and z2 represent posture information. Generate the depalletizing sequence {POS1, POS2, POS3...POSN} based on the optimized combination of the fixture size, the material size, and the relationship between the material and the surrounding space inside the container; S205: The loading and unloading robot performs spatial coordinate conversion based on the relationship between the trolley coordinate system and the loading and unloading robot's world coordinate system, converts the coordinates of the depalletized material into the coordinates of the loading and unloading robot's world coordinate system, and generates a depalletizing action based on the coordinates of the depalletized material; S206: Dynamically generate a depalletizing route based on the depalletizing action, the material placement point action and posture. The loading and unloading robot performs depalletizing operations according to the depalletizing route and places the materials on the conveying mechanism.

[0015] The application of the technical solution of the present invention has the following beneficial effects: The present invention provides a loading and unloading robot, a loading method and an unloading method. The loading and unloading robot in the present invention can be used for picking up, placing and stacking goods in containers. The robot has functions such as autonomous navigation, autonomous motion planning, visual recognition, grasping and stacking, and can flexibly perform a variety of complex handling and stacking tasks. Compared with manual loading and unloading, it can improve efficiency. The loading and unloading robot provided by the present invention can simultaneously have both loading and unloading functions, and can be applied to the loading and unloading of various containers and materials, with better versatility.

[0016] In addition to the above-described objects, features and advantages, the present invention has other objects, features and advantages. The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions of the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a loading and unloading robot in a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of industrial camera components.

[0019] Among them, 1- loading and unloading trolley, 2- walking mechanism, 3- robotic arm, 4- fixture, 5- photoelectric sensor, 6- lidar, 7- industrial camera assembly, 7.1- first mounting block, 7.2- first round rod, 7.3- second mounting block, 7.4- second round rod, 7.5- industrial camera body, 8- control cabinet, 9- conveying mechanism, 10- clearance light, 11- lighting lamp, 12- camera, 13- push plate, 14- vacuum pump, 15- lifting ring. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Obviously, the embodiments described are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment provides a loading and unloading robot, a loading method, and an unloading method, including: A loading and unloading robot, comprising: A loading and unloading trolley 1 is provided with a traveling mechanism 2 below the loading and unloading trolley; A robotic arm 3 is mounted on the loading and unloading trolley 1 , and a transmission component is mounted on the robotic arm 3 for movement of the robotic arm 3 ; A clamp 4 is mounted at the end of the robotic arm 3 and is used to grab materials for loading or unloading; The photoelectric sensor 5 is provided on the loading and unloading trolley 1 and is used to detect the position of the loading and unloading trolley 1 relative to the container and provide coordinate data for the movement of the loading and unloading trolley 1; A laser radar 6 is provided on the loading and unloading trolley 1 and is used to identify the interior space of the container and the location of the containers; An industrial camera assembly 7 is provided on the loading and unloading trolley 1 and is used to detect the posture of materials when loading or to detect labels on materials when unloading; The control cabinet 8 is provided on the loading and unloading trolley 1 and is used to receive information from the photoelectric sensor 5, the laser radar 6 and the industrial camera assembly 7 and control the robotic arm 3 and the clamp 4 to grab materials for loading or unloading; The conveying mechanism 9 is provided on the loading and unloading trolley 1 and connected to the loading and unloading trolley conveying line; The clearance lights 10 are provided on the loading and unloading trolley 1 and are used to indicate the operating status of the loading and unloading trolley 1; Lighting lamp 11 and camera 12; the lighting lamp 11 is provided on the loading and unloading trolley 1 for illuminating the interior space of the container; the camera 12 is provided on the loading and unloading trolley 1 for transmitting the working status of the loading and unloading robot in real time; The push plate 13 and the driving member are connected to and drive the push plate 13 , and the push plate 13 is used for material merging.

[0022] In this embodiment, the industrial camera assembly 7 includes a first mounting block 7.1, a first round rod 7.2, a second mounting block 7.3, a second round rod 7.4 and an industrial camera body 7.5; The first mounting block 7.1 is rotatably mounted on the first round rod 7.2 and is movably mounted along the length of the first round rod 7.2; The industrial camera body 7.5 is arranged on the first mounting block 7.1, and the first round rod 7.2 is connected to the second mounting block 7.3; The second mounting block 7.3 is adjustably arranged along the length direction of the second round rod 7.4, and the second round rod 7.4 is arranged on the loading and unloading trolley.

[0023] In this embodiment, the clamp 4 is a suction cup clamp, which is driven by a vacuum pump 14 , and the vacuum pump 14 is provided on the loading and unloading trolley 1 .

[0024] In this embodiment, at least one photoelectric sensor 5 is provided at the four corner points and the front end of the loading and unloading trolley 1. The photoelectric sensors 5 provided at the four corner points and the front end of the loading and unloading trolley 1 can detect the position of the loading and unloading trolley 1 relative to the container, and then the loading and unloading trolley 1 changes its walking direction according to the position to ensure that the loading and unloading trolley 1 does not interfere or collide with the container.

[0025] In this embodiment, the traveling mechanism 2 includes a steering wheel and a steering wheel driver provided below the loading and unloading trolley 1 . In another specific implementation case, a crawler track and a crawler track driver may also be used as the traveling mechanism 2 .

[0026] This embodiment also includes a vehicle loading method using the above-mentioned loading and unloading robot, comprising the following steps: S101: Based on the spatial position, shape, and height of the current loading area within the container's interior space, combined with the shape, placement constraints, quantity, and order, stacking positions for stacking materials are generated in a specific order. The stacking positions are the relative spatial corner coordinates Pos(x, y, z, a, b, c, p1, p2) of each material, where x, y, and z represent spatial coordinates, a, b, and c represent spatial vectors, and p1 and p2 represent posture information. A stacking sequence is generated. The stacking sequence includes the relative spatial corner coordinates of multiple materials, expressed as (pos1, pos2, pos3, ..., posN). S102: The palletizing sequence instructs the conveyor mechanism to turn according to the palletizing sequence requirements, merges materials of the same specifications that can be stacked at one time, and sends them to the robot palletizing preparation area. The industrial camera component takes pictures of the materials to ensure that the current direction of the materials is consistent with the state in the palletizing sequence. If there is any inconsistency, an abnormal alarm is issued and the materials are discharged; S103: The loading and unloading robot generates different material suction actions to avoid obstacles and place the material according to the single palletizing position requirements in the palletizing sequence. By default, the lower left side of the fixture is flush with the edge of the material. When it is on the right side of the space, the right side of the fixture is flush with the material. When the material to be placed is above the space, the upper side of the suction cup fixture is flush with the upper side of the material to avoid collisions with obstacles at the edge of the space due to the protruding fixture; S104: Based on the single stacking position in the stacking sequence, the current spatial position of the trolley returned by the laser radar, the gripping method of the fixture, and the relative position between the robot and the trolley, spatial coordinate processing and conversion are performed to convert the coordinates of the single stacking position into the coordinates of the world coordinate system of the loading and unloading robot. The coordinates of the gripping point and the placement point are determined based on the world coordinate system of the loading and unloading robot, and the gripping and placement trajectory of the loading and unloading robot is dynamically generated based on the current spatial situation to avoid collisions between the loading and unloading robots. S105: The loading and unloading robot completes material loading through the robotic arm and clamps. After completing the material loading, it uses the laser radar to scan the point cloud data of the loading area, splices the point cloud data to detect the material placement, and identifies whether the material is placed correctly.

[0027] This embodiment also includes a method for unloading a vehicle using the above-mentioned loading and unloading robot, comprising the following steps: S201: The loading and unloading trolley scans spatial position information using a photoelectric sensor and a laser radar, and moves to the front of the material to be unloaded in the interior space of the container based on the spatial position information; S202: The laser radar scans the interior space of the container to obtain the current material point cloud data; S203: Merging, splicing, and filtering the current material point cloud data, obtaining the material coordinates by identifying the edge gap features of the material, and calculating the coordinates of the material relative to the loading and unloading trolley; S204: Based on the material coordinates, generate the depalletizing material coordinates POS (x, y, z, a, b, c, z1, z2) in order from top to bottom and from edge to center, where x, y, z represent spatial coordinates, a, b, c represent spatial vectors, and z1 and z2 represent posture information. Generate the depalletizing sequence {POS1, POS2, POS3...POSN} based on the optimized combination of the fixture size, the material size, and the relationship between the material and the surrounding space inside the container; S205: The loading and unloading robot performs spatial coordinate conversion based on the relationship between the trolley coordinate system and the loading and unloading robot's world coordinate system, converts the coordinates of the depalletized material into the coordinates of the loading and unloading robot's world coordinate system, and generates a depalletizing action based on the coordinates of the depalletized material; S206: Dynamically generate a depalletizing route based on the depalletizing action, the material placement point action and posture. The loading and unloading robot performs depalletizing operations according to the depalletizing route and places the materials on the conveying mechanism.

[0028] It should be noted that the loading and unloading robot in this embodiment detects relevant point cloud data through the laser radar 6, thereby locating and grabbing the materials. The specific point cloud data processing method and the positioning method of the loading and unloading robot can refer to patent application 202411229833.5 (stacking robot positioning method and stacking system).

[0029] The foregoing description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and variations of the present invention are possible. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention are intended to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A loading and unloading robot, characterized in that: include: A loading and unloading trolley (1), with a walking mechanism (2) provided below the loading and unloading trolley; A mechanical arm (3) is mounted on the loading and unloading trolley (1), and a transmission component is mounted on the mechanical arm (3) for the movement of the mechanical arm (3); A clamp (4) is mounted on the end of the mechanical arm (3) and is used to grab materials for loading or unloading; A photoelectric sensor (5) is provided on the loading and unloading trolley (1) and is used to detect the position of the loading and unloading trolley (1) relative to the container and provide coordinate data for the movement of the loading and unloading trolley (1); A laser radar (6) is mounted on the loading and unloading trolley (1) and is used to identify the interior space of the container and the location of the container parts; An industrial camera assembly (7) is provided on the loading and unloading trolley (1) and is used to detect the posture of materials when loading or to detect labels on materials when unloading; A control cabinet (8) is provided on the loading and unloading trolley (1) and is used to receive information from the photoelectric sensor (5), the laser radar (6) and the industrial camera assembly (7) and to control the mechanical arm (3) and the clamp (4) to grab materials for loading or unloading; The conveying mechanism (9) is arranged on the loading and unloading trolley (1) and is connected to the conveying line of the loading and unloading trolley.

2. The loading and unloading robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a clearance lamp (10) which is arranged on the loading and unloading trolley (1) and is used to display the operating status of the loading and unloading trolley (1).

3. The loading and unloading robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes a lighting lamp (11) and a camera (12); The lighting lamp (11) is arranged on the loading and unloading trolley (1) and is used to illuminate the interior space of the container; The camera (12) is arranged on the loading and unloading trolley (1) and is used to transmit the working conditions of the loading and unloading robot in real time.

4. The loading and unloading robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a push plate (13) and a driving member, wherein the driving member is connected to and drives the push plate (13), and the push plate (13) is used for material merging.

5. The loading and unloading robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The industrial camera assembly (7) comprises a first mounting block (7.1), a first round rod (7.2), a second mounting block (7.3), a second round rod (7.4) and an industrial camera body (7.5); The first mounting block (7.1) is rotatably arranged on the first round rod (7.2) and is movably arranged along the length direction of the first round rod (7.2); The industrial camera body (7.5) is arranged on the first mounting block (7.1), and the first round rod (7.2) is connected to the second mounting block (7.3); The second mounting block (7.3) is adjustably arranged along the length direction of the second round rod (7.4), and the second round rod (7.4) is arranged on the loading and unloading trolley.

6. The loading and unloading robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The clamp (4) is a suction cup clamp, driven by a vacuum pump (14), and the vacuum pump (14) is arranged on the loading and unloading trolley (1).

7. The loading and unloading robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: At least one photoelectric sensor (5) is respectively provided at the four corner points and the front end of the loading and unloading trolley (1).

8. The loading and unloading robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The traveling mechanism (2) comprises a steering wheel and a steering wheel driver arranged below the loading and unloading trolley (1).

9. A loading method using the loading and unloading robot according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The steps include: S101: Based on the spatial position, shape, and height of the current loading area within the container's interior, combined with the shape, placement constraints, quantity, and order of the materials to be stacked, stacking positions for the materials are generated in a specific order. The stacking positions are the relative spatial corner coordinates Pos(x, y, z, a, b, c, p1, p2) of each material, where x, y, and z represent spatial coordinates, a, b, and c represent spatial vectors, and p1 and p2 represent the posture information of the stacked materials. The relative spatial corner coordinates of multiple materials are used to generate a stacking sequence. The stacking sequence includes the relative spatial corner coordinates of the multiple materials, and the expression is (pos1, pos2, pos3, ..., posN). S102: The palletizing sequence instructs the conveyor mechanism to turn according to the palletizing sequence requirements, merges materials of the same specifications that can be stacked at one time, and sends them to the robot palletizing preparation area. The industrial camera component takes pictures of the materials to ensure that the current direction of the materials is consistent with the state in the palletizing sequence. If there is any inconsistency, an abnormal alarm is issued and the materials are discharged; S103: The loading and unloading robot generates different material suction actions to avoid obstacles and place the material according to the single palletizing position requirements in the palletizing sequence. By default, the lower left side of the fixture is flush with the edge of the material. When it is on the right side of the space, the right side of the fixture is flush with the material. When the material to be placed is above the space, the upper side of the suction cup fixture is flush with the upper side of the material to avoid collisions with obstacles at the edge of the space due to the protruding fixture; S104: Based on the single stacking position in the stacking sequence, the current spatial position of the trolley returned by the laser radar, the gripping method of the fixture, and the relative position between the robot and the trolley, spatial coordinate processing and conversion are performed to convert the coordinates of the single stacking position into the coordinates of the world coordinate system of the loading and unloading robot. The coordinates of the gripping point and the placement point are determined based on the world coordinate system of the loading and unloading robot, and the gripping and placement trajectory of the loading and unloading robot is dynamically generated based on the current spatial situation to avoid collisions between the loading and unloading robots. S105: The loading and unloading robot completes material loading through the robotic arm and clamps. After completing the material loading, it uses the laser radar to scan the point cloud data of the loading area, splices the point cloud data to detect the material placement, and identifies whether the material is placed correctly.

10. A method for unloading a vehicle using the loading and unloading robot according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The steps include: S201: The loading and unloading trolley scans spatial position information using a photoelectric sensor and a laser radar, and moves to the front of the material to be unloaded in the interior space of the container based on the spatial position information; S202: The laser radar scans the interior space of the container to obtain the current material point cloud data; S203: Merging, splicing, and filtering the current material point cloud data, obtaining the material coordinates by identifying the edge gap features of the material, and calculating the coordinates of the material relative to the loading and unloading trolley; S204: Based on the material coordinates, generate the depalletizing material coordinates POS (x, y, z, a, b, c, z1, z2) in order from top to bottom and from edge to center, where x, y, z represent spatial coordinates, a, b, c represent spatial vectors, and z1 and z2 represent the posture information of the depalletizing material. Generate the depalletizing sequence {POS1, POS2, POS3...POSN} based on the optimized combination of the fixture size, the material size, and the relationship between the material and the surrounding space inside the container; S205: The loading and unloading robot performs spatial coordinate conversion based on the relationship between the trolley coordinate system and the loading and unloading robot's world coordinate system, converts the coordinates of the depalletized material into the coordinates of the loading and unloading robot's world coordinate system, and generates a depalletizing action based on the coordinates of the depalletized material; S206: Dynamically generate a depalletizing route based on the depalletizing action, the material placement point action and posture. The loading and unloading robot performs depalletizing operations according to the depalletizing route and places the materials on the conveying mechanism.

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