Automatic system for paving surface

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a robotic system for performing automated tiling on a surface to be tiled. The surface may be a floor that needs to be covered with tiles. The robotic system of the present disclosure aims to provide a solution to minimize the size of the robotic system and its load bearing, while improving the treatment of an adhesive used to adhere tiles to the surface of a floor or tile to be laid. In order to achieve the purpose, the robot system is designed to allow storage of the ceramic tiles, so that the ceramic tiles are vertically arranged, namely the plane where the ceramic tiles are located is perpendicular to the surface through the storage mode of the ceramic tiles. By arranging the tiles in a vertical orientation, the size of the tiles does not limit the movement of the robot. In other words, when the tiles are stored in the magazine in a vertically oriented manner, the tiles do not exceed the boundaries of the robotic system, which makes the robotic system compact in structure, capable of passing through relatively narrow channels. Therefore, the size of the robot is minimized and is not influenced by the size of the tile. The robotic system may also include an adhesive preparation system in which an adhesive suitable for tiling or flooring may be prepared in situ. In addition, the robot system can comprise a mechanism which can apply the adhesive to the surface of the floor or the tile to be paved and can also apply the adhesive to the tile before the tile is placed on the surface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of building technology, and in particular to the field of automated floor systems. Background Technology

[0002] The following is a list of references related to the subject matter of this disclosure: -WO2021 / 240230 -US9074381 -US20190242142 -EP2907938 The citations of the above references in this document should not be construed as relating to the patentability of the subject matter of this disclosure. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This disclosure provides a robotic system for automatically laying tiles on a surface to be tiled. The surface can be a floor or a wall to be tiled. The robotic system of this disclosure aims to provide a solution that minimizes the size of the robotic system and its load-bearing capacity while improving the handling of adhesives used to adhere tiles to the surface to be tiled. To achieve this objective, the robotic system is designed to allow vertical storage of the tiles so that the size of the tiles does not restrict the robot's movement. In other words, when the tiles are stored vertically in a container, their size does not exceed the boundaries of the robotic system, allowing the robotic system to remain compact and pass through relatively narrow passages. Therefore, the robot size is minimized and is unaffected by the size of the tiles. The robotic system may also include an adhesive preparation device for on-site preparation of adhesives suitable for tiling or flooring. Furthermore, the robotic system may include mechanisms capable of applying adhesives both to the surface to be tiled and to the tiles before they are placed on the surface.

[0004] Therefore, one aspect of this disclosure provides a robotic system for automatically laying tiles or flooring on a surface to be tiled. The robotic system includes a navigation system comprising a motor unit and a positioning system. The motor unit allows movement of the robotic system, and the positioning system is configured to generate position data indicating the position of the robotic system on the surface to be tiled. The positioning system can utilize external devices to assist in providing the position of the robotic system, can utilize sensors integrated with the robotic system, can be partially manually operated, or any combination thereof. The robotic system also includes a tile hopper assembly including a tile receiving space adapted to receive and store tiles therein for use during the tiling process. The robotic system further includes one or more adhesive containers for receiving adhesive suitable for tiling the floor or flooring. The adhesive containers can be central containers or located near adhesive-consuming components. Furthermore, the container should be interpreted broadly to include a mixer (which prepares an adhesive by mixing two materials and delivers the adhesive produced therefrom to components that consume the adhesive), or a space for receiving adhesive from said mixer. The robotic system also includes an adhesive applicator configured to receive adhesive from at least one of the one or more adhesive containers and apply it to the surface of the flooring or tile to be laid. The robotic system also includes a tile placement assembly configured to extract at least one tile from the hopper assembly and place it at a designated location on the surface. The robot system also includes a processing circuit, i.e., a processor or controller, configured to: (1) receive or generate a flooring or tile laying scheme that indicates the tile arrangement on the surface of the flooring or tile to be laid; (2) control the navigation system to move the robot system to a desired location; this process may include receiving sensor input and, based on the sensor input, having the motor unit execute a movement trajectory to move to the desired location; (3) control the adhesive applicator to apply adhesive to a portion of the surface of the flooring or tile to be laid; and (4) control the tile placement assembly to extract a tile from the hopper assembly and place it at a designated location on the surface, the designated location being related to the portion of the surface; i.e., the tile is placed on the adhesive already applied to the surface. It should be noted that the processing circuit's ability to receive a flooring or tile laying scheme (which indicates the tile arrangement on the surface of the flooring or tile to be laid) also includes receiving a flooring or tile laying scheme generated by the processing circuit itself. Furthermore, the processing circuit can be a centralized architecture or distributed across multiple locations within the system to perform the processing operations required by the system.

[0005] Furthermore, it should be understood that the system disclosed herein is also applicable to wall tiling, and any statement regarding tiling a surface with flooring is applicable to tiling a wall with tiles.

[0006] It should be noted that the embodiments described in any aspect of this disclosure can be combined and applied in any way. In other words, any aspect of this disclosure can be defined by any combination of the embodiments.

[0007] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the mobility unit includes wheels or tracks to allow the movement.

[0008] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the tile placement assembly includes the adhesive applicator.

[0009] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the receiving space is configured to store tiles vertically, meaning the tiles stored in the hopper assembly are placed vertically. This ensures that when the tiles are stored vertically in the hopper, they do not extend beyond the boundaries of the robotic system, allowing the system to maintain a compact structure and pass through relatively narrow passages. It is important to note that the term "vertical storage" should be understood as meaning that the tiles stored in the receiving space are arranged vertically, with their plane perpendicular to the plane of the surface on which the robotic system is placed (typically the surface to be tiled). Therefore, the tile arrangement must be readjusted by the system to a horizontal configuration before the tiles can be placed in the desired position on the surface to be tiled.

[0010] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the tile placement assembly cannot reach the receiving space because it is located within the minimum size range of the system. The hopper assembly includes a tile extractor assembly configured to extract at least one tile stored in the hopper assembly. The tile extractor includes a moving unit for moving the single tile to an accessible position accessible to the tile placement assembly. The moving unit should be understood as a unit capable of displacement together with at least one tile associated with or attached thereto. By performing displacement, the moving unit moves the tile from the receiving space to the accessible position. The inaccessible and accessible positions of the tile placement assembly are defined based on the range of motion of the tile placement assembly. The range of motion of the tile placement assembly is restricted to a specific boundary, and the receiving space is located outside this range of motion, therefore the tile placement assembly cannot reach the receiving space. Once the moving unit moves the single tile to the accessible position, the tile is within the boundary of the range of motion of the tile placement assembly. In other words, the tile placement assembly defines a range of motion, while the receiving space is located outside this range of motion. The moving unit is configured to move the tile from the receiving space to an accessible position within the range of motion of the tile placement assembly.

[0011] In some embodiments, the accessible location is a forward position relative to the receiving space along a forward direction. The forward direction is defined as the direction of extension of the arm extending from the arm base of the tile placement assembly. In other embodiments, the forward direction is defined as the overall forward direction of the system as it follows the movement of the motorized unit.

[0012] In some embodiments, the moving unit is configured to move the individual tile to an accessible position that can be reached by the tile placement assembly, while maintaining the individual tile in a vertically aligned state. The tile placement assembly is configured to attach to the tile at the accessible position and, typically after applying adhesive to the tile, rotate the tile to a horizontal orientation to suit placement on the surface to be tiled.

[0013] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the receiving space is defined between the tile extractor and at least a portion of the tile placement assembly.

[0014] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the tile extractor assembly includes a first attachment element for attaching the at least one tile to allow the at least one tile to be extracted from the hopper assembly and typically moved to an accessible position by the moving unit.

[0015] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the first attachment element includes a first vacuum element for applying a vacuum to the at least one tile to allow attachment of the at least one tile.

[0016] In some embodiments, the robotic system includes a tile holder configured to controllably switch between a tile holding state and a tile extraction state. In the tile holding state, the tile holder holds a tile received in the receiving space in place. In the tile extraction state, the tile holder allows a tile extractor to attach to and extract the tile. The tiles received in the receiving space are vertically aligned and may tip over if not held by the tile holder. The tile holder releases its hold on the tile only when the tile extractor needs to extract it, allowing the tile extractor (specifically, the first attachment element of the tile extractor) free contact with the tile. The processing circuitry is also configured to control the switching of the tile holder between the tile holding state and the tile extraction state.

[0017] In some embodiments of the robot system, the moving unit is configured to slidably move the at least one floor tile.

[0018] In some embodiments of the robot system, the moving unit is configured to rotate the at least one tile, wherein the rotation is about a first axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the at least one tile.

[0019] In some embodiments, the robotic system includes a tile adhesive application unit configured to apply an adhesive layer to a first tile (i.e., the tile to be placed next on the surface to be tiled) among the at least one set of floor tiles. The processing circuitry is configured to control the tile adhesive application unit to perform the application of the adhesive layer.

[0020] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the tile extractor assembly includes the tile adhesive application unit, wherein the tile adhesive application unit is configured to apply an adhesive layer to the first tile after the first tile has been extracted. That is, the tile adhesive application unit is designed to move with the tile extractor assembly or at least a portion of the tile extractor assembly. In other embodiments, the tile adhesive application unit is integrated with at least a portion of the tile extractor assembly.

[0021] In some embodiments of the robot system, the tile adhesive application unit is configured to receive adhesive from the one or more adhesive containers.

[0022] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the tile adhesive application unit includes an elongated adhesive applicator with one or more orifices for allowing adhesive to be discharged therefrom. After the first tile is removed, the adhesive applicator is movable on the surface of the first tile to allow adhesive to be applied to the surface of the individual tile by controlling the discharge of adhesive from the one or more orifices.

[0023] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the tile adhesive application unit includes a scraper for applying adhesive to the surface of the first tile after the adhesive has been discharged from the one or more holes.

[0024] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the tile extractor assembly includes a tile measuring unit for measuring the dimensions of the at least one tile and generating tile size data. The processing circuitry is configured to receive the tile size data and control the tile placement assembly based on the tile size data. That is, the processing circuitry is configured to use the tile size data to accurately place the tile when compensation is required due to manufacturing tolerances.

[0025] In some embodiments of the robot system, the tile placement assembly includes an arm and a tile placement subsystem, the arm being rotatable about a second axis perpendicular to a plane defined by the surface to be tiled, the tile placement subsystem being connected to the arm, and the tile placement subsystem being configured to remove a single tile from the at least one tile in the hopper assembly.

[0026] In some embodiments of the robot system, the arm is rotatably connected to an arm base, i.e., the arm base is fixed and the arm is rotatable relative to the arm base.

[0027] In some embodiments of the robot system, the receiving space is defined between the arm base and the tile extractor.

[0028] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the tile placement subsystem includes a second attachment element for attaching the individual tile to allow the individual tile to be extracted from the hopper assembly and moved to an accessible location.

[0029] In some embodiments of the robot system, the second attachment element includes a second vacuum element for applying a vacuum to the single tile to allow attachment of the single tile.

[0030] In some embodiments, the robotic system includes a second tile holder for holding a single tile to allow attachment via the second attachment element.

[0031] In some embodiments of the robot system, the tile placement subsystem includes a connector or connecting rod and a head unit. The connector is connected to the arm, and the head unit is connected to the connector and configured to extract the single tile from the hopper assembly.

[0032] In some embodiments of the robot system, the connecting portion is elongated and extends along a third axis parallel to the second axis, and the connecting portion is elongated.

[0033] In some embodiments of the robot system, the connecting portion is rotatable about the third axis.

[0034] In some embodiments of the robot system, the connecting portion is configured to move along the third axis, thereby changing the distance between the head unit and the arm, and thus allowing the head unit to reach the height of the surface.

[0035] In some embodiments of the robot system, the head unit is rotatable between two states: (1) a tile-picking state, in which the head unit is capable of picking up the single tile, i.e., the orientation or orientation of the second attachment element is suitable for attaching to the single tile when the single tile is vertically aligned; and (2) a tile-placing state, in which the head unit is capable of placing the single tile at a designated position on the surface to be paved, i.e., the orientation or orientation of the second attachment element is suitable for placing the tile on the surface to be paved, in which the tile is horizontally oriented. Typically, the rotation of the head unit is about an axis parallel to the plane defined by the surface to be paved, i.e., a rolling motion.

[0036] In some embodiments of the robot system, the head unit is capable of pitch rotation to allow for leveling operations on adhesive applied to the surface. The pitch rotation may be limited to a specific degree of yaw to each side. For example, the pitch rotation may be limited to 10°–20° yaw to each side.

[0037] In some embodiments of the robot system, the tile placement subsystem includes a surface adhesive application unit for applying adhesive to the surface to be tiled.

[0038] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the surface coating unit includes a pump for allowing controlled dispensing of adhesive, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control the operation of the pump and the movement of the surface coating unit to perform leveling application of adhesive on the surface to be paved.

[0039] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the arm includes a first portion and a second portion, which are pivotally connected to each other to allow the second portion to pivot relative to the first portion (or vice versa) about a joint defined between the arm base and the tile placement subsystem, thereby allowing additional rotational degrees of freedom about a fourth axis parallel to the second axis.

[0040] In some embodiments, the robotic system includes an adhesive preparation system. The adhesive preparation system includes a bag receiving space for receiving bags containing dry material required for preparing the adhesive. The adhesive preparation system also includes a mixer for mixing the dry material with water to obtain the adhesive. The adhesive preparation system further includes a bag opener configured to open individual bags. The adhesive preparation system also includes a separation unit configured to separate the dry material from the bags, such that the bags or fragments thereof are directed to a waste space or waste chamber, while the dry material is directed to the mixer. The adhesive preparation system also includes a water pump for pumping a required amount of water into the mixer to obtain the adhesive in the desired form.

[0041] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the bag opener includes blades for slicing the bag.

[0042] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the adhesive preparation system further includes a delivery pump for delivering the prepared adhesive to the tile placement assembly, the tile hopper assembly (particularly the tile adhesive application unit), or both.

[0043] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the adhesive preparation system includes a conveying device positioned to receive the dry material and fragments of the bag, and to transport the dry material and fragments of the bag to the separation unit. The conveying device may include a conveyor belt or a spiral element for pushing the dry material and fragments of the bag toward the separation unit.

[0044] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the separation unit includes a screen for allowing the dry material to be conveyed to the mixer and for causing the bag or fragments of the bag to reach the waste space downstream of the screen.

[0045] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the waste space or waste chamber is exposed by disassembling a portion of the separation unit or a portion of a removable unit that can be detached from the separation unit, thereby allowing the removal of the bags or fragments of the bags accumulated therein.

[0046] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the one or more adhesive containers are at least partially constituted by the mixer. That is, the mixer serves as a container for the adhesive and supplies the adhesive produced by the mixer to the tile placement subsystem or the tile adhesive application unit.

[0047] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the processing circuitry is also configured to control the operation of the adhesive preparation system, specifically to control the amount of dry material and water entering the mixer.

[0048] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the processing circuitry is also configured to perform a cleaning process for the adhesive preparation system. This cleaning process includes stopping the supply of the dry material and pumping water into the mixer for a selected time period.

[0049] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the cleaning process further includes introducing water into the one or more adhesive containers, and then collecting the water into a collection tank for further separation of materials.

[0050] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the position system includes one or more sensors for mapping the surface to be paved (optionally also including its surrounding environment, i.e., the space in which the surface is located, such as walls defining the surface, openings leading to the surface, etc.) and generating surface data based thereon. The surface data includes the mapping of the surface to be paved.

[0051] In some embodiments of the robot system, the one or more sensors include at least one of the following: a LiDAR (light detection and ranging) sensor, an image sensor (e.g., a camera), or a combination thereof.

[0052] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the processing circuitry is also configured to develop a flooring tiling plan based on the surface data. The flooring tiling plan includes the position of the tiles on the surface to be tiled, taking into account the dimensions of the surface or the space it occupies, as well as the dimensions of the tiles.

[0053] In some embodiments of the robot system, the surface data includes the positions of tiles already placed on the surface, and wherein the designated position on the surface is adjacent to at least one tile already placed on the surface.

[0054] In some embodiments of the robot system, the adhesive applicator is configured to apply adhesive to the surface to be tiled in conjunction with the movement of the robot system. In other words, the adhesive applicator is formed on the body of the robot system and configured to spray adhesive during the movement of the robot system, thereby applying adhesive to the desired location.

[0055] In some embodiments of the robotic system, the tile extraction component defines the boundaries of the robotic system. The moving units of the tile extraction component are configured to move parallel to the boundaries.

[0056] In some embodiments, the robotic system is in the form of a trolley. All components of the system are carried by the trolley. The trolley has a trolley area defined by a boundary that defines the placement positions of all components of the system, i.e., at least the bases of all components. The trolley area includes a trolley projection projected onto a plane parallel to the surface to be tiled. All bases and components of the system are located within the boundary of this projection. The arm of the tile placement assembly extends beyond the trolley area, but its base is located within the trolley area and the trolley projection; that is, the base of the arm of the tile placement assembly is included within the trolley area. It should be noted that the receiving space is entirely defined within the trolley area.

[0057] In some embodiments of the robot system, the head unit cannot reach the trolley. The moving unit moves the tile extractor from the trolley area to a position outside the trolley area accessible to the head unit. The tile extractor moves while maintaining the vertical orientation of the tile being extracted. Therefore, the attachment of the head unit to the tile occurs when the tile is in a vertical orientation.

[0058] In some embodiments of the system, the tile placement assembly includes a movable arm extending from a base of the tile placement assembly. The movable arm includes a head unit at its distal end for extracting the single tile from the hopper assembly; this head unit is identical to the head unit of the tile placement subsystem. A placement monitoring system is mounted on this head unit, capable of switching between a retracted state and an extended state. In the retracted state, the monitoring system is entirely within the boundaries of the head unit, allowing the head unit to operate and move without interference from the placement monitoring system. In the extended state, the placement monitoring system extends beyond the boundaries of the head unit. The monitoring system is configured to monitor the position of the tile to be laid relative to at least one already laid tile on the surface to be laid (e.g., lateral distance between tiles at one or more locations, or vertical height difference between tiles during placement), and generate placement data based thereon.

[0059] In some embodiments of the system, the placement monitoring system includes a track for switching between the retracted state and the deployed state, i.e., the monitoring component moves along the track to reach the desired location for monitoring and measurement.

[0060] In some embodiments of the system, the placement monitoring system includes a laser-based profile measurement unit configured to measure at least one of the following: (1) the lateral distance between the tile to be laid and the at least one already laid tile; (2) the vertical height difference between the tile to be laid and the at least one already laid tile; or (3) both the lateral distance and the vertical height difference between the tile to be laid and the at least one already laid tile. Vertical and lateral orientations should be understood relative to the surface to be laid. Lateral distance refers to the distance on the plane defined by the surface to be laid.

[0061] In some embodiments of the system, the placement monitoring system includes a laser unit and an imaging unit. The laser unit is configured to emit two or more laser lines extending between the tile to be laid and the at least one already laid tile. The imaging unit is configured to image the two or more laser lines to allow determination of the angle (i.e., the yaw angle on the plane defined by the surface to be laid) formed by two adjacent edges of the tile to be laid and the at least one already laid tile. This angle determination can be performed by the processor of the placement monitoring system or the processing circuitry of the system.

[0062] In some embodiments of the system, the processing circuitry is configured to operate the placement monitoring system. The processing circuitry is also configured to control the tile placement assembly based on the placement data.

[0063] In some embodiments of the system, the head unit includes a plate defining its boundaries, and the placement monitoring system is mounted on the plate.

[0064] In some embodiments of the system, the imaging unit of the placement monitoring system has a focal axis. The laser unit is arranged to emit two or more laser lines at a non-parallel angle relative to the focal axis. This makes it easier to identify the edges of the tiles, thereby improving measurement accuracy.

[0065] Brief description of the attached figures To better understand the subject matter disclosed herein and to illustrate its practical implementation, embodiments will now be described by way of non-limiting examples, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1A-1O The diagram shows a different view of an embodiment of a robotic system (or part thereof) for performing automated tiling on a surface to be tiled, according to one aspect of this disclosure. Figure 1A This is a perspective view of the robot system; Figure 1B This is the front view of the robot system; Figure 1C This is a bottom perspective view of the robot system; Figure 1D This is a perspective view of the adhesive preparation system for the robotic system; Figure 1E This is a side view of the system when the moving unit has moved to an accessible forward position; Figure 1F This is the front perspective view of the system when the moving unit has moved to an accessible forward position; Figure 1G This is a perspective view of an adhesive preparation system carrying a bag containing dry adhesive material; Figure 1H This is a perspective view of part of the adhesive preparation system; Figure 1I This is a top view of the distal portion of the conveying device of the adhesive preparation system, showing the conveying elements, waste space, removable parts of the adhesive preparation system, and openings for receiving dry material. Figure 1J This is a perspective view of a tile adhesive application unit, showing the scraper and the slit for adhesive discharge; Figure 1K This is a side view of the system, illustrating one step in the tile adhesive application process; Figure 1L This is a side view of the system, illustrating one step in the tile adhesive application process; Figure 1M This is the main view of the system, illustrating one step in the tile adhesive application process; Figure 1N It is a top-down perspective view of the system, illustrating one step in the tile adhesive application process; Figure 10 This is a top view of the system.

[0066] Figure 2A-2D This is a schematic diagram of a non-limiting embodiment of a placement monitoring system according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 2AThis is a top-down perspective view of the monitoring system in its retracted state; Figure 2B This is a top-down perspective view of the deployed monitoring system. Figure 2C It is a top-view perspective view of the monitoring system measured by a laser-based contour measurement unit; Figure 2D It is a top-down perspective view of the monitoring system that measures using laser and imaging units.

[0067] Figure 3 This is a schematic example of a measurement performed using a laser-based contour measurement unit. Detailed Implementation

[0068] The following figures are used to illustrate embodiments and implementations of the present invention.

[0069] refer to Figure 1A-1NThis is a schematic diagram of a different view of an embodiment of a robotic system (or a portion thereof) for performing automated tiling on a surface to be tiled, according to one aspect of this disclosure. The robotic system 100 includes a movement unit 110, which is constructed of wheels to allow movement of the movement unit 100 on the surface on which it is placed. It should be noted that the movement unit may be constructed of tracks or any other movement scheme known in the art, and is not limited to wheels. The robotic system 100 also includes a tile hopper assembly 102, which includes a tile receiving space 104 adapted to receive tiles in a vertically aligned manner, i.e., the tiles are received in the receiving space such that their plane is perpendicular to the plane of the surface to be tiled. The robotic system also includes an adhesive container for containing adhesive suitable for tiling, which is prepared on-site in a mixer 162 of the robotic system, as described further below. It should be noted that the adhesive container may be part of the mixer or part of a system disposed downstream of said mixer 162. The robot system 100 also includes a tile placement assembly 108 configured to extract or pick up individual tiles from the hopper assembly 102 (after initial extraction of individual tiles from the tile receiving space 104 as described below) and place them at a designated location on the surface. In this exemplary illustration, the receiving space 104 is inaccessible to the tile placement assembly 108. This is due to the minimized configuration of the robot system 100 and the vertical arrangement of the tiles in the receiving space. To avoid the tile placement assembly 108 needing to cross the horizontal boundary of the robot system 100 defined by the wheels to reach the tiles in the receiving space, the hopper assembly 102 also includes a tile extraction assembly 112 configured to extract individual tiles from the hopper assembly 102 and deliver them to an accessible location accessible to the tile placement assembly 108. In this example, the receiving space 104 is defined between the tile extractor 112 and at least a portion of the tile placement assembly 108 (arm base 136 in this example). That is, the receiving space 104 is defined between the tile extractor 112 on one side and the arm base 136 on the other side. In addition, the receiving space is designed such that when a tile is received therein, the tile will not extend beyond the rear of the robotic system 100.

[0070] The tile extractor 112 includes a moving unit 114 for moving the single tile to an accessible position accessible to the tile placement assembly 108. The moving unit 114 is configured to rotate the single tile about a first axis FA perpendicular to the plane defined by the tile received in the receiving space 104. The tile extractor 112 also includes a first attachment element 116 for attaching the single tile to allow extraction from the cassette assembly 102. The first attachment element 116 may include, for example, a vacuum element 118 for applying a vacuum to the single tile to allow attachment thereto. The tile extractor 112 also includes a tile retainer 120 for holding the tile in place as it is received in the receiving space 104 to maintain its stability. Because the tiles are vertically aligned in the receiving space 104, it is necessary to hold them or provide a reaction force, even if only by providing a portion for the tile to rest against in the form of the tile retainer 120. Therefore, the tile holder 120 can be considered as a separator between the tile to be retrieved and the tile still remaining in the receiving space 104. The tile holder 120 can be in the form of a protrusion controllably positioned between specific tiles or before a selected tile. The tile holder 120 is configured to switch between a tile holding state and a tile retrieval state. In the tile holding state, the tile holder ensures the tile remains in place and does not tip over; in the tile retrieval state, the tile holder allows the tile extractor 112 to retrieve the tile. After the tile is retrieved, the tile holder 120 returns to the tile holding state. The rotational movement of the moving unit 114 moves the attached tile from a position inaccessible to the tile placement assembly 108 to an accessible position where the tile placement assembly 108 can attach to the tile and remove it from the tile retrieval assembly. In other words, the range of motion of the tile placement assembly 108 prevents it from attaching to tiles in the receiving space 104. The moving unit 114 moves the tile from the receiving space 104 to the forward position, where the forward direction FD is defined as the general direction in which the arm 132 extends from the arm base 136, as will be explained below. The tile remains vertically aligned during the movement, therefore the attachment between the tile placement assembly 108 and the tile occurs while the tile is vertically aligned. After attachment, rotation of the head unit 146 of the tile placement assembly 108 horizontally aligns the tile for placement on the surface to be tiled. Figure 1E-1F The displaced moving unit 114 is shown, and the moving unit 114 is in an accessible position to the tile placement assembly 108.

[0071] The tile extraction assembly 112 also includes a tile adhesive application unit 122 configured to receive adhesive from the adhesive container 106 and apply an adhesive layer to the individual tile. The tile adhesive application unit 122 includes an elongated adhesive applicator 124, which includes holes or slits 125 for allowing adhesive to drain from it. Figure 1J (This is most clearly illustrated in the text). After a single tile is attached to the second attachment element 138 of the tile placement assembly 108, the adhesive applicator 124 becomes movable on the surface of the single tile, as will be described in detail below. Since the first attachment element 116 is attached to the bottom surface of the tile to be coated with adhesive, the tile must first be attached via the second attachment element 138. Once the tile is attached by the second attachment element 138, the tile adhesive applicator 122 begins to operate, applying adhesive to the surface of the single tile by controlling the discharge of adhesive from the holes. That is, the tile adhesive applicator is configured to move along the surface of the tile while applying adhesive, to achieve effective application of adhesive to the entire or most of the surface of the tile. In this non-limiting example, the tile adhesive applicator 122 includes a scraper 128 for smoothing the adhesive on the surface of the single tile after it has been discharged from the holes or slits. Figure 1K-1M An example of the adhesive application process is illustrated. After the tile is removed from the receiving space 104 and the second attachment element 138 is attached to the tile, the tile adhesive application unit 122 moves approximately over the entire tile, applying adhesive to the surface of the tile that will face the ground. Figure 1K In the process, the tile adhesive application unit 122 first moves downwards to the bottom of the tile and reaches the bottom of the tile, as shown. Figure 1L As shown. In Figure 1M In the process, the tile placement assembly 108 adjusts the tiles to allow the tile adhesive application unit 122 to reach the top of the tiles. After the adhesive application process is complete, the tile placement assembly 108 adjusts the tiles to align them horizontally for placement on the surface to be tiled, such as... Figure 1N As shown. The relative directions such as top, bottom, and downward mentioned during the adhesive application process all refer to tiles that are arranged vertically.

[0072] The tile extraction assembly 112 may also include a tile measuring unit (not shown) for measuring the dimensions of the individual tile. This measuring unit is an optical unit that determines one dimension of the tile by measuring the distances to both ends of the tile. After the moving unit 114 rotates the tile about a first axis, the measuring unit can measure the distances to the other ends of the tile (since the measuring unit does not rotate with the moving unit 114), thereby determining another dimension of the tile, which in turn allows for the determination of the entire surface area of ​​the tile, i.e., the determination of the tile's two-dimensional dimensions. This is crucial for verifying the actual dimensions of the tile, ensuring that the tile is accurately placed adjacent to another tile without creating unnecessary gaps.

[0073] The tile placement assembly 108 functions to extract a tile from the tile extractor 112 and place it at a selected location on the surface to be tiled, according to the tiling scheme. Therefore, the tile placement assembly 108 includes an arm 132 rotatably connected to an arm base 136 to allow rotation about a second axis SA perpendicular to the plane defined by the surface to be tiled. The arm 132 includes a first portion 152 and a second portion 154 pivotally connected to each other to allow pivoting movement of the second portion 154 relative to the first portion 152 (or vice versa), and defines a joint 130 between the arm base 136 and the tile placement subsystem 134 connected to the distal end of the tile to allow additional rotational freedom about a fourth axis FOA parallel to the second axis SA. These rotations of the arm about the second axis SA and the fourth axis FOA allow it to reach any position on the surface to be tiled between the arm base 136 and the distal end of the arm 132. As described above, the tile placement assembly 108 further includes a tile placement subsystem 134 connected to the arm 132, configured to remove a single tile from the tile hopper assembly 102 after it has been extracted by the tile extractor 112. The tile placement subsystem 134 is formed as a connecting portion 144 (consisting of a connecting rod 144) and a head unit 146. The connecting rod 144 is connected to the arm 132, and the head unit 146 is connected to the distal end of the connecting rod 144. The connecting rod 144 extends along a third axis TA parallel to the second axis SA and the fourth axis FOA. The head unit 146 is movable along the third axis TA in response to displacement of the connecting rod 144 along the third axis TA. In some non-limiting embodiments, the head unit 146 may also rotate along the third axis TA as the connecting rod 144 rotates about the third axis TA. The head unit 146 is configured to remove the single tile from the tile extractor 112 via an attachment element 138 (in the form of a vacuum applicator for applying a vacuum to the single tile), thereby attaching the single tile and allowing it to be moved to the desired position. However, it should be noted that other types of attachment elements known in the art can also be used to achieve similar effects. The head unit 146 is configured to perform a rolling motion to allow it to switch between a tile extraction state and a tile placement state. In the tile extraction state, the head unit can extract the tile from the tile extractor 112; in the tile placement state, the head unit can place the single tile at a designated position on the surface to be tiled. The rolling motion that allows the switching occurs about an axis parallel to the plane defined by the surface to be tiled. Furthermore, the head unit 146 is also configured to perform pitch rotation at specific angles to each side. The tile placement subsystem 134 also includes a surface adhesive application unit 148 for controlled application of adhesive to the surface to be tiled. The surface coating unit 148 includes a pump (not shown) for controlling the discharge of adhesive through the orifice 150.

[0074] The robotic system 100 also includes an adhesive preparation system 156, which includes a bag receiving space 160, a mixer 162, and a bag opener 161. The bag receiving space 160 receives bags containing dry materials needed to prepare the adhesive. The mixer 162 mixes the dry materials with water to obtain the adhesive. The bag opener 161 is configured to open individual bags and typically includes one or more blades for slicing the bag. Figure 1G-1H As shown in the example, the bag opener is configured to controllably open a bag containing dry material, allowing the dry material inside the bag to fall into a conveying device 176 located below the bag. The conveying device 176 includes a conveying element. The conveying element may be in the form of a screw conveyor 163, such as... Figure 1H-1I As exemplified. Some bag fragments also arrive at the conveying device along with the dry material. The conveying device transports the dry material and bag fragments to a separation unit 166, which is configured to separate the dry material from the bag, such that the bag or its fragments are directed to a waste space 168 (defined in the distal portion of the conveying device 176), while the dry material is directed to a mixer 162. This is achieved, for example, by providing one or more holes 165 at the bottom of the separation unit 166, allowing only dry material particles to pass through while preventing bag fragments from passing through, effectively forming a screen and thus achieving the separation of the dry material from the bag fragments, as shown. Figure 1I As exemplified. Dry material passes through the orifice to the mixer 162, while bag fragments are directed to the waste space 168 or waste chamber located downstream of the orifice. The waste space 168 is part of a removable portion that can be detached from the separation unit 166, or the waste space 168 can be accessed by removing the removable portion 167 (e.g., Figure 1I (As illustrated in the example) to reach and remove fragments from the material bag. The adhesive preparation system 156 also includes a water pump 170 for pumping the required amount of water into the mixer 162 to mix the water with the dry material to form an adhesive. It should be noted that the adhesive container 106 may be at least partially constituted by the mixer 162. The adhesive preparation system 156 also includes a delivery pump 174 for delivering the prepared adhesive to the tile placement assembly 108, the tile hopper assembly 102 (particularly the tile adhesive application unit 122), or both simultaneously.

[0075] The robot system 100 may further include a positioning system configured to generate position data indicating the position of the robot system on the surface to be tiled. The positioning system may utilize external devices to assist in providing the robot system's position, utilize sensors integrated into the robot system, be partially manually operated, or employ any combination of the above methods.

[0076] The robot system 100 also includes processing circuitry (not shown) configured to control the operation of its components to autonomously perform tiling according to a desired tiling scheme. For autonomous tiling, the processing circuitry is configured to independently operate the following: (1) a navigation system that moves the robot system to the desired location according to a received tiling scheme indicating the tile arrangement on the surface to be tiled; (2) the formulation of a tiling scheme based on surface data; (3) the operation of the adhesive preparation system 156; (4) a cleaning process for the adhesive preparation system 156, wherein the cleaning process includes stopping the supply of dry material to the mixer 162 and pumping water into the mixer 162 for a selected time period; and (5) an adhesive applicator to apply adhesive. (6) Tile adhesive application unit 122, for applying an adhesive layer to the tile; (7) Surface adhesive application unit 148, wherein the processing circuit controls the operation of the pump and the movement of the surface adhesive application unit 148 to achieve leveling application of adhesive on the surface to be tiled; (8) Tile measuring unit, for measuring the size of the tile and generating tile size data; (9) Tile placement assembly 108, for extracting the tile from the hopper assembly 102 and, based on the tile size data received from the tile measuring unit, for precisely placing the tile at a designated position on the surface.

[0077] Now for reference Figure 10 The diagram shows a top view of a system in the form of a trolley. The dashed rectangle illustrates the trolley boundary of the trolley area CA, defined by the trolley's boundaries. All components of system 100 are situated within this trolley area. In some embodiments, the system's wheels define at least a portion of the boundary of the trolley area.

[0078] The arm base 136 of the tile placement assembly is located within the boundary of the cart area CA, while the arm 132 extending from the base 136 extends beyond the boundary of the cart area CA. The receiving space 104 is completely defined within the boundary of the cart area CA. Regardless of the movement of the tile placement assembly 108, the head unit 146 cannot reach the cart area CA to retrieve the tiles stored vertically in the receiving space 104. Through its displacement, the tile extractor 112 moves out of the cart area CA, allowing the head unit 146 to engage with the retrieved tile, thereby attaching it to the tile and subsequently placing it in the desired position on the ground. Thus, the initial position of the tile extractor 112 is within the boundary of the cart area CA, while its rotational displacement brings it to a position accessible to the head unit 146 outside the cart area CA.

[0079] Now for reference Figure 2A-2DThis is a schematic diagram of the placement monitoring system of this disclosure. The placement monitoring system 280 is mounted on the inner surface of the plate 281 of the head unit 282 of the system's tile placement assembly. The outer surface of the plate 281 is configured to attach to the tile to be laid. The placement monitoring system 280 includes a laser-based contour measurement unit 283, a laser unit 284, and an imaging unit 285, all mounted on a track 286 and capable of moving between an unfolded state and a fixed state on the track, wherein, as... Figure 2A As shown, when retracted and closed, they are all located within the boundary of plate 281, as... Figure 2B-2D As shown, in the unfolded state, they are all positioned at the desired locations above the surface to be tiled, suitable for measuring the position of the surface to be tiled relative to adjacent fixed, already tiled tiles. The selected positions place the measuring components of the placement monitoring system 280 (i.e., the laser-based profile measurement unit 283, the laser unit 284, and the imaging unit 285) in a position where their field of view covers both the tile to be tiled and the fixed, already tiled tiles. When placed above two adjacent tiles, the placement monitoring system 280 is capable of performing two types of measurement processes.

[0080] The first measurement process is performed by a laser-based contour measurement unit 283, which provides the X and Z coordinates along one or more light rays it generates. In this example, there are two laser-based contour measurement units 283, which generate two non-parallel light rays, such as... Figure 2C As shown. By analyzing the Z and X coordinates, the lateral clearance along the X-axis and the vertical height difference along the Z-axis can be calculated. Figure 3 The diagram illustrates the results of such measurements. The lines above and between the tiles are light rays; by measuring the X and Z coordinates of these light rays, the lateral distance and vertical height difference between two adjacent tiles can be measured.

[0081] The second measurement process is performed by the laser unit 284 and the imaging unit 285. The laser unit illuminates two adjacent tiles with one or more beams of light, such as... Figure 2D As shown, the imaging unit 285 images the light rays and identifies points on the edge of the tile by analyzing the image. By identifying two or more points on a single edge, the edge line of the tile can be determined. Once the two edge lines of two adjacent tiles are determined, the yaw angle of the tile to be laid relative to the fixed laid tiles can be determined.

[0082] The data obtained from the two measurement processes are processed, and the tile placement component takes corrective action to adjust the tile to be laid to the desired position and orientation (i.e., yaw angle) on the surface.

Claims

1. A robotic system for automatically laying tiles or flooring on a surface to be tiled, comprising: Navigation system, the navigation system comprising: A mobility unit for allowing the robot system to move; and A positioning system configured to generate position data indicating the position of the robot system on the surface of the floor or tile to be laid; A tile container assembly, the tile container assembly including a tile receiving space adapted to receive tiles therein; One or more adhesive containers for receiving adhesives suitable for laying flooring or tiles; An adhesive applicator is configured to receive adhesive from at least one of the one or more adhesive containers and apply it to the surface of the floor or tile to be laid. A tile placement assembly is configured to extract at least one tile from the hopper assembly and place it at a designated location on the surface; The processing circuit is configured as follows: (1) Receive a tile laying plan, which indicates the tile arrangement on the surface of the floor or tile to be laid. (2) Control the navigation system to move the robot system to the required position; (3) Control the adhesive applicator to apply the adhesive to the surface of the floor or tile to be laid. (4) Control the tile placement assembly to extract the tile from the box assembly and place it on a designated position on the surface, the designated position being related to the portion of the surface.

2. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein, The mobility unit includes wheels to allow the movement.

3. The robot system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The tile placement assembly includes the adhesive applicator.

4. The robot system according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein, The receiving space is configured to vertically store ceramic tiles.

5. The robot system according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The receiving space is inaccessible to the tile placement assembly. The hopper assembly includes a tile extractor assembly configured to extract at least one tile stored in the hopper assembly. The tile extractor includes a moving unit for moving the single tile to an accessible position accessible to the tile placement assembly.

6. The robot system according to claim 5, wherein, The receiving space is defined between the tile extractor and at least a portion of the tile placement assembly.

7. The robot system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein, The tile extractor assembly includes a first attachment element for attaching the at least one tile to allow the at least one tile to be extracted from the hopper assembly and moved to an accessible location.

8. The robot system according to claim 7, wherein, The first attachment element includes a first vacuum element for applying a vacuum to the at least one tile to allow attachment of the at least one tile.

9. The robotic system of claim 7 or 8, further comprising a first tile holder configured to controllably switch between a tile holding state and a tile extraction state, wherein in the tile holding state, the first tile holder holds a tile received in the receiving space in place, and in the tile extraction state, the first tile holder allows the tile extractor to attach to and extract the tile.

10. The robot system according to any one of claims 5-9, wherein, The moving unit is configured to move the at least one tile in a sliding manner.

11. The robot system according to any one of claims 5-9, wherein, The moving unit is configured to rotate the at least one tile, wherein the rotation is about a first axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the at least one tile.

12. The robot system according to any one of claims 5-11, comprising a tile adhesive application unit configured to apply an adhesive layer on a first tile of the at least one tile, the processing circuit being configured to control the tile adhesive application unit to perform the application of the adhesive layer.

13. The robot system according to claim 12, wherein, The tile extraction assembly includes the tile adhesive application unit, wherein the tile adhesive application unit is configured to apply an adhesive layer to the first tile after the first tile has been extracted.

14. The robot system according to claim 12 or 13, wherein, The tile adhesive application unit is configured to receive adhesive from the one or more adhesive containers.

15. The robot system according to any one of claims 12-14, wherein, The tile adhesive application unit includes an elongated adhesive applicator with one or more orifices for allowing adhesive to be discharged therefrom. After the first tile is removed, the adhesive applicator is movable on the surface of the first tile to allow adhesive to be applied to the surface of the individual tile by controlling the discharge of adhesive from the one or more orifices.

16. The robot system according to claim 15, wherein, The tile adhesive application unit includes a scraper for applying adhesive to the surface of the first tile after the adhesive has been discharged from the one or more holes.

17. The robot system according to any one of claims 5-16, wherein, The tile extractor assembly includes a tile measuring unit for measuring the size of at least one tile and generating tile size data. The processing circuit is configured to receive the tile size data and control the tile placement assembly based on the tile size data.

18. The robot system according to any one of claims 1-17, wherein, The tile placement assembly includes: An arm, rotatable about a second axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the surface of the floor or tile to be laid; and A tile placement subsystem is connected to the arm and configured to remove a single tile from the at least one tile in the hopper assembly.

19. The robot system according to claim 18, wherein, The arm is rotatably connected to the arm base.

20. The robot system according to claim 18 or 19, wherein, The tile placement subsystem includes a second attachment element for attaching the individual tile to allow the individual tile to be extracted from the hopper assembly and moved to an accessible position.

21. The robot system according to claim 20, wherein, The second attachment element includes a second vacuum element for applying a vacuum to the single tile to allow attachment of the single tile.

22. The robotic system of claim 20 or 21, further comprising a second tile holder for holding a single tile to allow attachment via the second attachment element.

23. The robot system according to any one of claims 18-22, wherein, The tile placement subsystem includes a connecting part and a head unit. The connecting part is connected to the arm, and the head unit is connected to the connecting part and configured to extract the single tile from the hopper assembly.

24. The robot system according to claim 23, wherein, The connecting portion extends along a third axis parallel to the second axis.

25. The robot system according to claim 24, wherein, The connecting part is rotatable about the third axis.

26. The robot system according to claim 24 or 25, wherein, The connecting portion is configured to move along the third axis, thereby changing the distance between the head unit and the arm.

27. The robot system according to any one of claims 23-26, wherein, The head unit is rotatable between a tile extraction state and a tile placement state. In the tile extraction state, the head unit can extract the single tile. In the tile placement state, the head unit can place the single tile at a designated position on the surface of the floor or tile to be laid.

28. The robot system according to any one of claims 23-27, wherein, The head unit is capable of pitch and rotation.

29. The robot system according to any one of claims 18-28, wherein, The tile placement subsystem includes a surface adhesive application unit for allowing adhesive to be applied to the surface of the flooring or tile to be laid.

30. The robot system according to claim 29, wherein, The surface coating unit includes a pump for allowing controlled dispensing of adhesive, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control the operation of the pump and the movement of the surface coating unit to perform leveling application of adhesive on the surface of the flooring or tile to be laid.

31. The robot system according to any one of claims 18-30, wherein, The arm includes a first portion and a second portion, which are pivotally connected to each other to allow the second portion to pivot about a joint relative to the first portion, thereby allowing additional rotational degrees of freedom about a fourth axis parallel to the second axis.

32. The robot system according to any one of claims 1-31, comprising an adhesive preparation system, said adhesive preparation system comprising: The material bag receiving space is used to receive material bags containing the dry materials needed to prepare the adhesive. A mixer is used to mix the dry material with water to obtain an adhesive. The bag opener is configured to open individual bags. The separation unit is configured to separate the dry material from the bag, such that the bag or fragments of the bag are directed to a waste space, while the dry material is directed to the mixer. A water pump is used to pump the required amount of water into the mixer.

33. The robot system according to claim 32, wherein, The bag opener includes blades for slicing open the bag.

34. The robot system according to claim 32 or 33, wherein, The adhesive preparation system also includes a delivery pump for delivering the prepared adhesive to the tile placement assembly, the tile hopper assembly, or both.

35. The robot system according to any one of claims 32-34, wherein, The adhesive preparation system includes a conveying device for receiving the dry material and fragments of the bag, and conveying the dry material and fragments of the bag to the separation unit.

36. The robot system according to any one of claims 32-35, wherein, The separation unit includes a screen for allowing the dry material to be conveyed to the mixer and for allowing the bag or fragments of the bag to reach the waste space.

37. The robot system according to any one of claims 32-36, wherein, The waste space can be exposed by disassembling a portion of the separation unit or by disassembling a portion of a removable unit that can be detached from the separation unit.

38. The robot system according to any one of claims 32-37, wherein, The one or more adhesive containers are at least partially comprised of the mixer.

39. The robot system according to any one of claims 32-38, wherein, The processing circuit is also configured to control the operation of the adhesive preparation system.

40. The robot system according to claim 39, wherein, The processing circuit is also configured to perform a cleaning process for the adhesive preparation system, the cleaning process including stopping the supply of dry material and pumping water into the mixer within a selected time period.

41. The robot system according to claim 40, wherein, The cleaning process also includes introducing water into the one or more adhesive containers, and then collecting the water into a collection tank.

42. The robot system according to any one of claims 1-41, wherein, The location system includes one or more sensors for mapping the surface of the floor or tile to be laid and generating surface data based thereon.

43. The robot system according to claim 42, wherein, The one or more sensors include at least one of the following: a lidar (LIDAR) sensor, an image sensor, or a combination thereof.

44. The robot system according to claim 43, wherein, The processing circuit is also configured to develop a flooring or tile installation plan based on the surface data.

45. The robot system according to any one of claims 42-44, wherein, The surface data includes the positions of tiles already placed on the surface, and wherein the specified position on the surface is adjacent to at least one tile already placed on the surface.

46. ​​The robot system according to any one of claims 1-45, wherein, The adhesive applicator is configured to work in conjunction with the movement of the robot system to apply adhesive to the surface of the floor or tile to be laid.

47. The robot system according to any one of claims 1-46, wherein, The system is in the form of a trolley; wherein the trolley includes a trolley area defining the placement positions of the navigation system, the one or more adhesive containers, the adhesive applicator, and the tile placement assembly; wherein the arm of the tile placement assembly extends beyond the trolley area.

48. The robot system according to any one of claims 1-47, wherein, The tile placement assembly includes a movable arm extending from a base of the tile placement assembly. The movable arm includes a head unit at its distal end for extracting the single tile from the hopper assembly. The head unit is equipped with a placement monitoring system capable of switching between a retracted state and an extended state. In the retracted state, the monitoring system is entirely within the boundary of the head unit; in the extended state, the placement monitoring system extends beyond the boundary of the head unit. The monitoring system is configured to monitor the position of the tile to be laid relative to at least one already laid tile on the surface to be laid and generate placement data based thereon.

49. The robot system according to claim 48, wherein, The placement monitoring system includes a track for switching between the retracted state and the deployed state.

50. The robot system according to claim 48 or 49, wherein, The placement monitoring system includes a laser-based contour measurement unit configured to measure at least one of the following: (1) the lateral distance between the tile to be laid and the at least one laid tile; (2) the vertical height difference between the tile to be laid and the at least one laid tile; or (3) the lateral distance and vertical height difference between the tile to be laid and the at least one laid tile.

51. The robot system according to any one of claims 48-50, wherein, The placement monitoring system includes a laser unit and an imaging unit; wherein the laser unit is configured to emit two or more laser lines that extend between the tile to be laid and the at least one already laid tile; and the imaging unit is configured to image the two or more laser lines to allow determination of the angle formed by two adjacent edges of the tile to be laid and the at least one already laid tile.

52. The robot system according to any one of claims 48-51, wherein, The processing circuit is configured to operate the placement monitoring system; wherein the processing circuit is configured to control the tile placement assembly based on the placement data.

53. The robot system according to any one of claims 48-52, wherein, The head unit includes a plate defining its boundaries, and the placement monitoring system is mounted on the plate.

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