A floating chassis for a small autonomous mobile robot

Abstract

The application provides a floating chassis for a small autonomous mobile robot, which comprises a rear connecting rod, a front connecting rod, a rear chassis and a front chassis, the rear connecting rod is in an inverted L shape, the lower end of the rear connecting rod is rotationally connected with the rear chassis, the front end of the rear connecting rod is rotationally connected with the upper end of the front connecting rod, the lower end of the front connecting rod is rotationally connected with the front chassis, and the front side of the rear chassis is rotationally connected with the rear side of the front chassis; a groove is arranged between the front chassis and the rear chassis, drive wheels are arranged on both sides of the groove, and balance wheels are arranged on the front chassis and the rear chassis; when the drive wheels pass through a pit, the rear side of the front chassis and the front side of the rear chassis can sink together with the drive wheels, so that an included angle is formed between the front chassis and the rear chassis, the front connecting rod and the rear connecting rod are driven to swing backward, the shock is buffered, the influence on the carried goods is reduced, and the safety and stability of the goods transportation are ensured.

Description

[0001] Divisional application statement

[0002] This application is a divisional application of Chinese invention patent application No. 202310212125.X, filed on March 7, 2023, entitled "Autonomous Mobile Robot". Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates to the field of transportation equipment technology, specifically to a floating chassis for a small autonomous mobile robot and a universal chassis module for robots. Background Technology

[0004] The most significant feature of mobile robots is their unmanned operation. Equipped with an automatic control system, mobile robots can automatically travel along a predetermined route without human guidance, transporting goods or materials from the starting point to the destination. They are indispensable transportation equipment in modern factories. However, existing mobile robots generally occupy a large space and have low integration.

[0005] Currently available small mobile robots lack reliable shock absorption structures to cushion vibrations. When the drive wheels go over potholes, vibrations occur, causing the cargo they are carrying to fall off, making it difficult to guarantee the safety and stability of cargo transportation. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to overcome one or more defects in the prior art and provide a floating chassis for a small mobile robot that can ensure the safety and stability of cargo transportation.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a floating chassis for a small autonomous mobile robot, comprising a rear link, a front link, a rear chassis, and a front chassis. The rear link is inverted L-shaped, with its lower end rotatably connected to the rear chassis, its front end rotatably connected to the upper end of the front link, its lower end rotatably connected to the front chassis, and the front side of the rear chassis rotatably connected to the rear side of the front chassis.

[0008] A groove is formed between the front chassis and the rear chassis, and drive wheels are mounted on both sides of the groove. Balance wheels are mounted on both the front chassis and the rear chassis. When the drive wheels pass over the groove, the rear side of the front chassis and the front side of the rear chassis sink down together with the drive wheels, forming an angle between the front chassis and the rear chassis, causing the front connecting rod and the rear connecting rod to swing backward to buffer the vibration.

[0009] Preferably, the drive wheel is connected to a differential drive module, the differential drive module is connected to a drive controller, and the drive controller is used to control the two drive wheels to move at different speeds.

[0010] More preferably, the drive controller is connected to the main controller, and a barcode scanner is connected in the groove, the barcode scanner being signal-connected to the main controller.

[0011] More preferably, the barcode scanner is used to identify the identification code preset on the walking path, and then compare it with the comparison information pre-stored in the main controller. The main controller controls the drive controller to adjust the drive wheel for position positioning.

[0012] More preferably, the differential drive module, the drive controller, and the main controller are located above the front chassis and the rear chassis.

[0013] More preferably, the two drive wheels are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the barcode scanner.

[0014] More preferably, the floating chassis is used for a robot universal chassis module, and the robot universal chassis module further includes a support plate connected to the upper end of the floating chassis.

[0015] More preferably, the pallet is connected to a transition track to connect to the guide rail, or a robotic arm is installed on the pallet to move light goods.

[0016] Due to the application of the above technical solution, the present invention has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0017] The floating chassis for a small autonomous mobile robot provided by this invention includes a rear link, a front link, a rear chassis, and a front chassis. The rear link is shaped like an inverted L, with its lower end rotatably connected to the rear chassis and its front end rotatably connected to the upper end of the front link. The lower end of the front link is rotatably connected to the front chassis, and the front side of the rear chassis is rotatably connected to the rear side of the front chassis. A groove is provided between the front and rear chassis, and drive wheels are mounted on both sides of the groove. Balance wheels are mounted on both the front and rear chassis. When the drive wheels pass over the groove, the rear side of the front chassis and the front side of the rear chassis sink along with the drive wheels, thus forming an angle between the front and rear chassis. This causes the front and rear links to swing backward, buffering the oscillations and reducing the impact on the carried goods, thereby ensuring the safety and stability of goods transportation. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1This is a structural diagram of an autonomous mobile robot.

[0020] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the internal structure.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of a floating chassis.

[0022] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the bottom structure. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 An autonomous mobile robot in a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a robot body 1, a floating chassis 2 connected to the robot body, an upper end of the floating chassis 2 connected to a support plate 3, and the floating chassis 2 including a rear link 21, a front link 22, a front chassis 23 and a rear chassis 24. One end of the rear link 21 is rotatably connected to the rear chassis 24, the other end of the rear link 21 is rotatably connected to the front link 22, the lower end of the front link 22 is rotatably connected to the front chassis 23, the rear side of the front chassis 23 is rotatably connected to the rear chassis 24, the floating chassis 2 is connected to the support plate 3, and drive wheels 5 are mounted on both sides of a groove 4 formed between the front chassis 23 and the rear chassis 24. Balance wheels 6 are mounted on both the front chassis 23 and the rear chassis 24.

[0025] When the robot body is in a planar state, the front link 22 and the rear link 21 form a rectangular structure with an open bottom. Regardless of whether the front chassis 23 or the rear chassis 24 is under force, the front link 22 and the rear link 21 can make a certain amount of swinging to alleviate the oscillation and keep the robot body 1 in a stable state. When the drive wheel 5 in the middle goes over the pit, the rear side of the front chassis 23 and the front side of the rear chassis 24 sink down with the drive wheel 5, forming an angle between the front chassis 23 and the rear chassis 24, breaking the planar state. At this time, the front link 22 and the rear link 21 will make a backward swinging motion to buffer the oscillation and keep the robot body 1 in a balanced state.

[0026] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2In the above embodiment, the robot body 1 includes an outer shell 11, the outer shell 11, the front chassis 23, the rear chassis 24 and the pallet 3 together form an installation cavity, and a main controller 7 and a drive controller 8 for controlling the rotation of the drive wheel 5 are provided in the installation cavity, and the drive controller 8 is signal connected to the main controller 7.

[0027] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the above embodiment, the drive wheel 5 is connected to the differential drive module, the differential drive module is connected to the drive controller 8, and the drive controller 8 is used to control the two drive wheels to move at different speeds, so that the robot body 1 can rotate from 0° to 360°.

[0028] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the above embodiment, a laser navigation component 9 is provided in the mounting cavity. The laser navigation component is located on the upper front side of the mounting cavity and is signal-connected to the main controller 7. The laser navigation component 9 is used to detect obstacles at a distance on the walking path of the robot body 1 and transmit the detection results to the main controller 7. The main controller 7 controls the drive controller 8 to adjust the drive wheel 5 according to the position of the obstacle to avoid the obstacle.

[0029] Reference Figure 2 In the above embodiment, a vision camera 90 is also provided in the mounting cavity. The vision camera 90 is connected to the front side of the upper surface of the front chassis 23 and is signal-connected to the main controller 7. The vision camera 90 is used to detect obstacles nearby on the walking path of the robot body 1 and transmit the detection results to the main controller 7. The main controller 7 controls the drive controller 8 to adjust the drive wheel 5 according to the position of the obstacle to avoid the obstacle.

[0030] Reference Figure 4 In the above embodiment, a barcode scanner 20 is connected in the groove formed between the front chassis 24 and the rear chassis 23. The barcode scanner 20 is signal-connected to the main controller 7. The barcode scanner 20 is used to identify the identification code preset on the robot body's walking path, and then compare it with the comparison information pre-stored in the main controller 7 to locate the position of the robot body 1.

[0031] Reference Figure 2 In the above embodiment, a charging brush plate 30 is connected to the upper surface of the rear chassis 24, the charging brush plate 30 is electrically connected to the battery assembly disposed in the mounting cavity, and the main controller 7 is electrically connected to the battery assembly.

[0032] In practical implementation, the autonomous robot involved in this invention can also be used as a general chassis module for other types of robots. For example, the guide rail can be connected by connecting the transition rail on the pallet 3, and a robotic arm can be set on the pallet 3 to move light goods.

[0033] Specific embodiments have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this invention. The descriptions of the embodiments above are only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this invention. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this invention. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

Claims

1. A floating chassis for a small autonomous mobile robot, comprising a rear link, a front link, a rear chassis, and a front chassis, characterized in that: One end of the rear link is rotatably connected to the rear chassis, the other end of the rear link is rotatably connected to the front link, the lower end of the front link is rotatably connected to the front chassis, and the rear side of the front chassis is rotatably connected to the rear chassis. A groove is formed between the front chassis and the rear chassis, and drive wheels are mounted on both sides of the groove. Balance wheels are mounted on both the front chassis and the rear chassis. When the drive wheel passes over the groove, the rear side of the front chassis and the front side of the rear chassis sink down along with the drive wheel, forming an angle between the front chassis and the rear chassis, causing the front connecting rod and the rear connecting rod to swing backward to buffer the vibration. The drive wheel is connected to the differential drive module, the differential drive module is connected to the drive controller, the drive controller is used to control the two drive wheels to move at different speeds, and the drive controller is connected to the main controller.

2. The floating chassis for a small autonomous mobile robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: A barcode scanner is connected inside the groove, and the barcode scanner is signal-connected to the main controller.

3. The floating chassis for a small autonomous mobile robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The barcode scanner is used to identify the identification code preset on the walking path, and then compare it with the comparison information pre-stored in the main controller. The main controller controls the drive controller to adjust the drive wheel for position positioning.

4. The floating chassis for a small autonomous mobile robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The two drive wheels are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the barcode scanner.

5. The floating chassis for a small autonomous mobile robot according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The floating chassis is used in a general-purpose robot chassis module, which also includes a support plate connected to the upper end of the floating chassis.

6. The floating chassis for a small autonomous mobile robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: The pallet is connected to the transition track to connect the guide rail, and a robotic arm is installed on the pallet to move light goods.

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