A multi-robot collaborative feeding system and method

By using a multi-robot collaborative feeding system, combined with visual recognition and central control, the feeding system of the tobacco packaging production line has achieved flexible adaptation and efficient material supply, solving the problems of poor material adaptability and low resource utilization in the existing technology, and improving the versatility of the production line and the utilization rate of equipment.

CN121536556BActive Publication Date: 2026-04-21BEIJING WISEDA TECH CO LTD
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2026-01-16
Publication Date
2026-04-21

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The existing tobacco packaging production line feeding system lacks flexibility and adaptability, and cannot simultaneously accommodate a unified feeding scheme for both small boxes and carton packaging. Furthermore, the robot feeding unit has low resource utilization and high modification costs.

Method used

The system employs a multi-robot collaborative feeding system, combining visual recognition technology and a central control system, to achieve intelligent identification, grasping, removal of outer packaging, and positioning of materials. Through modular design and intelligent scheduling, it can adapt to various material specifications and supply materials in parallel.

Benefits of technology

It enables flexible adaptation to various material specifications, reduces modification costs, improves equipment utilization and production efficiency, and meets the diverse small-batch switching needs of products.

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Abstract

This invention discloses a multi-robot collaborative feeding system and method. The system includes a feeding preparation module, an automatic feeding module, and a central control system. The feeding preparation module uses visual recognition to identify the position of packaging boxes, and the robot grasps and removes the outer packaging, placing it in a designated position on a transfer table. The automatic feeding module transports the transfer table to the production line, uses visual positioning to identify the materials and feeding ports, achieving precise delivery and continuous feeding. The central control system uniformly schedules all modules, coordinating multi-robot operations based on real-time visual feedback. This system achieves flexible adaptation to various material specifications, breaking through the limitations of traditional production lines that only adapt to a single box type, significantly improving production versatility and intelligence, and meeting the flexible needs of product diversification and small-batch switching.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robot collaborative control technology, specifically to a multi-robot collaborative feeding system and method. Background Technology

[0002] In the tobacco packaging production sector, the application of automated feeding technology has become a key link in improving production line efficiency and ensuring production continuity. Existing production lines are mostly designed and configured around specific packaging forms, generally suffering from functional specialization and insufficient flexibility. With the diversification of product specifications and the continuous increase in production cycle time, how to achieve flexible adaptation and efficient sharing of feeding systems has become a common issue that urgently needs optimization in the industry. Against this backdrop, existing technical solutions face the following prominent bottlenecks:

[0003] Currently, the box skin supply system on production lines has significant limitations in its adaptability: some existing production lines are dedicated to feeding small box skins, while others are only suitable for carton skins, lacking a unified feeding solution that can accommodate both types of skins simultaneously. Furthermore, although newer models are equipped with automatic feeding mechanisms for small box skins, there is still a lack of corresponding automated feeding solutions that can be directly retrofitted to the numerous existing production lines in use. It is worth noting that robotic feeding units typically have a high operating cycle time, and their actual supply capacity far exceeds the consumption requirements of a single production line. Therefore, from a resource allocation and cost-effectiveness perspective, a single feeding system has the potential to supply skins to multiple production lines simultaneously, but this has not yet been systematically designed and implemented in the current technological landscape. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To achieve the objective of this invention, this application provides a multi-robot collaborative feeding system, comprising:

[0005] The material preparation module is configured to obtain the position coordinates of the material based on visual recognition technology, and sequentially complete the grasping, transfer, fixing and removal of the outer packaging of the material, and place the processed material in the designated position on the paper card conversion table.

[0006] The automatic feeding module is configured to transport the paper card conversion table carrying materials to the corresponding area of ​​its production line. By identifying the type of materials and the location of each feeding port based on visual recognition technology, each material is placed in its corresponding feeding station to achieve continuous material supply.

[0007] The central control system is used to perform unified task scheduling and motion coordination of the material preparation module and the automatic feeding module. Based on visual feedback and production line status, it realizes multi-robot collaborative control, enabling the system to adapt to multiple material specifications at the same time.

[0008] Furthermore, the material preparation module includes:

[0009] The suction cup mechanical gripper is configured to identify material stacks to determine the location information of the materials, and to suck up and release the entire stack of materials or the outer kraft paper under negative pressure, as well as to pick up materials that have been unpacked by the mechanical gripper.

[0010] The organizing mechanism is configured to fix the material transferred by the suction cup mechanical claw through a four-sided clamping method, and cooperate with the suction cup mechanical claw to remove the outer packaging of the material;

[0011] The first collaborative robot is configured to receive control commands and spatial coordinates from the control system and precisely drive the suction cup mechanical gripper at its end to perform movement and operation between the workstations defined by the material stacking, sorting mechanism and paper card conversion station.

[0012] Furthermore, the suction cup mechanical gripper includes:

[0013] A first-view camera is configured to capture and identify material stacks to determine the location of the materials.

[0014] The suction cup is configured to use negative pressure adsorption to pick up entire stacks of materials or pick up the outer packaging individually.

[0015] The first mechanical gripper is configured to perform gripping operations, including gripping materials for transfer before unpacking and gripping the unpacked materials and placing them in a designated location after unpacking.

[0016] Furthermore, the top of the paper card conversion table is provided with multiple card plates, and the top of the card plates is provided with anti-air pads to facilitate the mechanical claw to grasp the materials. The top of the anti-air pads is equipped with limit frames to ensure that the materials are neatly arranged.

[0017] Furthermore, the automatic feeding module includes: a composite robot, which includes a mobile chassis and a second collaborative robot mounted thereon; the mobile chassis is configured to move to below the paper card conversion table and perform a lifting operation to load at least one of the paper card conversion tables;

[0018] A robotic gripper, mounted at the end of the second collaborative robot, includes a second vision camera and a second robotic gripper;

[0019] The second vision camera is configured to identify the position of the feed port on the production line and the position of the material on the paper card conversion table; the second mechanical gripper is configured to grab the corresponding material according to the identification result and accurately place it at the target feed port.

[0020] Furthermore, the straightening mechanism also includes a cutter, configured to work with the suction cup mechanical claw to cut the outer packaging kraft paper of the material, thereby completing the unpacking operation.

[0021] Furthermore, the automatic feeding module also includes an automatic feeding device, configured to be installed at the feeding station of the production line, to organize the materials placed by the robotic gripper, and to move the materials by the conveyor belt to eliminate gaps between the materials and achieve continuous feeding.

[0022] Furthermore, the central control system is also configured to dynamically schedule the task sequence of the composite robot based on visual feedback and status information of multiple production lines, enabling the system to provide feeding services to multiple production lines simultaneously and improve equipment utilization.

[0023] Furthermore, the visual recognition technology is also configured to distinguish the material categories of small box packaging skin, medium box packaging skin and strip box skin, and send the category information to the central control system to adapt to different material feeding requirements.

[0024] To achieve the same inventive objective, this application also provides a multi-robot collaborative feeding method, comprising the following steps:

[0025] Material preparation steps: Based on visual recognition technology, the materials are distinguished and their position coordinates are obtained. The materials are then picked up, transferred to the organizing mechanism for fixing and removal of the outer packaging. The processed materials are then placed in their respective positions on the corresponding cardboard conversion table.

[0026] Automatic feeding step: The paper card conversion table carrying materials is transported to the corresponding area of ​​its production line. The material type and the position of each feeding port are identified by visual positioning technology. Each material is placed in its corresponding feeding station and continuous feeding is achieved in combination with the automatic feeding device.

[0027] The central control system performs unified task scheduling and motion coordination for the material preparation and automatic feeding steps, and realizes multi-robot collaborative control based on visual feedback and production line status, enabling the system to adapt to multiple material specifications simultaneously.

[0028] The beneficial effects of the above technical solution are as follows:

[0029] The system achieves flexible adaptation and efficient processing of various material specifications. By integrating visual recognition technology into the material preparation module, the system can intelligently distinguish between different sizes of packaging boxes, such as small and medium-sized boxes, and accurately obtain their position coordinates, thereby guiding the robot to complete the grasping process. Combined with the functions of fixing materials and removing outer packaging by the organizing mechanism, and the positioning of materials by the cardboard transfer table, the system successfully breaks the deadlock of the past where a production line could only adapt to a single type of box, meeting the flexible needs of modern production for product diversification and small-batch switching, and significantly improving the versatility of the production line.

[0030] The automatic feeding module can autonomously transport paper card converters carrying materials and use its own vision system to identify the feeding port positions of different production lines to complete precise feeding. This modular and mobile solution avoids large-scale and costly modifications to the main structure of existing production lines, providing a practical and easy-to-implement path for the automation upgrade of a large number of traditional production lines in use, and greatly reducing the cost and time of technical transformation.

[0031] The system maximizes resource utilization efficiency through intelligent scheduling by a central control system. Based on real-time visual feedback and the status of each production line, the central control system performs unified task scheduling and motion coordination for multiple robots in the loading and unloading modules. This allows a single, highly efficient robot loading unit to serve multiple production lines, fully leveraging its operational capacity, which far exceeds the needs of a single line. At the system level, this achieves resource sharing and dynamic allocation, effectively reducing equipment idle time and significantly improving overall production efficiency and return on investment. Attached Figure Description

[0032] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0033] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of a multi-robot collaborative feeding system according to the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of a multi-robot collaborative feeding system according to the present invention;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of a paper card converter and a first collaborative robot according to the present invention;

[0036] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the suction cup mechanical claw of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the regulating mechanism of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 6 This is a structural diagram of the card plate, the clearance pad, and the limiting frame of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 7 This is a structural diagram of the composite robot of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 8 This is a structural diagram of the robotic gripper and the second collaborative robot of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 9 This is a structural diagram of the automatic feeding device of the present invention.

[0042] Among them, 10. Material preparation module; 11. Suction cup mechanical gripper; 112. First vision camera; 113. Suction cup; 114. First mechanical gripper; 12. Steering mechanism; 13. First collaborative robot; 20. Automatic feeding module; 22. Composite robot; 221. Mobile chassis; 222. Second collaborative robot; 23. Mechanical gripper; 231. Second vision camera; 232. Second mechanical gripper; 31. Paper card conversion table; 32. Cardboard; 33. Air clearance pad; 34. Limiting frame; 41. Automatic feeding device; 412. Material steering mechanism; 413. Conveyor belt. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments.

[0044] Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar symbols denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the invention, and should not be construed as limiting the invention.

[0045] One embodiment of the present invention provides a multi-robot collaborative feeding system, which effectively overcomes the limitations of existing technologies through modular design and intelligent scheduling mechanisms. The system is as follows: Figures 1 to 9 As shown, it includes:

[0046] The material preparation module 10 is configured to obtain the position coordinates of materials such as small boxes, medium boxes and strip boxes based on visual recognition technology. Then, it sequentially completes the grabbing, transfer, fixing and removal of the outer packaging of the materials, and places the processed materials in fixed positions on the paper card conversion table 31 to realize the unified pre-processing of materials of multiple specifications.

[0047] The automatic feeding module 20 is configured to transport the paper card conversion table 31 carrying materials to the corresponding production line area. It accurately determines the material type and the position of each feeding port through visual recognition technology, and accurately places various materials in the corresponding feeding station to achieve a continuous and uninterrupted feeding process.

[0048] The central control system 30 is used for unified task scheduling and motion coordination of the material preparation module 10 and the automatic feeding module 20. This system is further configured to dynamically schedule the task sequence based on real-time visual feedback and the status information of multiple production lines, enabling the system to simultaneously provide feeding services to multiple production lines, thereby significantly improving equipment utilization and overall capacity. Based on this, the central control system achieves multi-robot collaborative control, enabling the system to adapt to multiple material specifications simultaneously and support parallel feeding to multiple production lines, significantly improving equipment utilization and the overall flexibility of the production system.

[0049] Through the above-described structure, this invention not only overcomes the shortcomings of existing technologies such as poor material compatibility, high modification costs, and low resource utilization, but also achieves intelligent, flexible, and efficient material feeding processes without the need for additional components, providing a scalable solution for the automation upgrade of tobacco packaging and other similar industries.

[0050] In one specific embodiment of the present invention, the material preparation module 10, through the coordinated operation of the suction cup mechanical gripper 11, the aligning mechanism 12, and the first collaborative robot 13, achieves intelligent pre-processing of materials of various specifications. This module employs a complete workflow: First, the first collaborative robot 13 receives control commands and spatial coordinates from the central control system, precisely driving its end-effector suction cup mechanical gripper 11 to move above the material stack. The suction cup mechanical gripper 11 integrates multiple functional components. A first vision camera 112 captures and identifies the material stack, accurately determining the position information of small boxes or cartons, providing a positioning basis for subsequent operations. The suction cup 113 component uses negative pressure adsorption to pick up the entire stack of materials and the outer kraft paper packaging. It can also pick up and transfer the separated kraft paper to a designated location for packaging recycling. The first mechanical gripper 114 is responsible for performing the gripping operation, assisting in gripping the materials before unpacking to ensure transfer stability, and reliably grasping the materials after unpacking. This multimodal gripping design enables the system to adapt to the material handling needs of different states, significantly improving operational flexibility and reliability.

[0051] After the material is transferred to the sorting mechanism 12, the mechanism firmly secures the material using a four-sided clamping method. Its built-in cutting device, in conjunction with the suction cup mechanical claw 11, precisely cuts and removes the outer packaging kraft paper. The stable clamping and precise cutting functions of the sorting mechanism 12 effectively ensure the safety and efficiency of the unpacking process, preventing material displacement or damage. After the unpacking operation is completed, the system enters the material sorting stage. The first collaborative robot 13 first drives the suction cup mechanical claw 11 to transfer the peeled outer kraft paper to a specially designed recycling area for unified processing, demonstrating the system's environmentally friendly design and standardized material management. Subsequently, the robot precisely positions itself above the unpacked material, reliably grasps the processed material using the mechanical claw, and smoothly transfers it to the designated position on the paper card conversion table 31, achieving precise placement of the material.

[0052] Through the close cooperation of the aforementioned components, the material preparation module 10 achieves full automation from material identification, gripping, fixing, unpacking to positioning. This design not only significantly reduces the intensity of manual intervention but also ensures the consistency of material preparation quality through standardized processing procedures, laying a solid foundation for the efficient operation of the subsequent automatic material feeding module 20.

[0053] In one specific embodiment of the present invention, the paper card conversion table 31 adopts a modular design, with multiple independent card plates 32 on its top for carrying materials of different specifications. Each card plate 32 has a dedicated clearance pad 33 on its surface, providing the necessary bottom operating space for the mechanical gripper's grasping operation and effectively avoiding interference between the mechanical gripper and the surface of the card plate 32. An adjustable limiting frame 34 is installed above the clearance pad 33, ensuring that the materials maintain a neat posture during placement and transfer through lateral constraints.

[0054] This structural design, through the coordinated operation of the clearance pad 33 and the limiting frame 34, ensures both the ease of material gripping by the mechanical claw and the stability of material stacking, significantly improving the reliability and positioning accuracy of material transfer. Furthermore, the space under the pallet 32 ​​is optimized for forklift operations on the composite trolley, facilitating rapid loading and unloading operations at the transfer station. This design greatly improves material turnover efficiency and provides crucial support for the system to achieve continuous material supply across multiple production lines.

[0055] In one specific embodiment of the present invention, the automatic feeding module 20 achieves full automation of the material handling process from turnover to feeding through the intelligent cooperation of the composite robot 22 and the robotic gripper 23. This module uses the composite robot 22 as the core transportation unit, which consists of a mobile chassis 221 and a second collaborative robot 222 mounted on it. The mobile chassis 221 can be precisely positioned and moved below the paper card conversion table 31, and stably loaded at least one conversion table through a lifting operation, thereby efficiently completing the cross-regional transfer of materials. This design enables the system to dynamically schedule tasks according to production needs, supporting parallel feeding of multiple production lines, significantly improving equipment utilization and production flexibility.

[0056] The robotic gripper 23, serving as the execution terminal for the material loading operation, is installed at the end of the second collaborative robot 222 and integrates a second vision camera 231 and a second robotic gripper 232. The second vision camera 231 first captures and identifies the materials at the production line's feeding port and on the cardboard transfer station 31 in real time, accurately acquiring spatial coordinate information. The second robotic gripper 232, based on visual feedback, adaptively grasps small or medium-sized boxes and precisely places them at the corresponding loading station. This vision-guided gripping and placing strategy not only ensures the accuracy of the loading position but also avoids material misplacement or omission, ensuring production continuity and stability.

[0057] By combining the mobility of the composite robot 22 with the precise operation of the robotic gripper 23, the automatic feeding module 20 achieves on-demand and efficient supply of various materials. The entire system, through unified scheduling by the central control system, fully leverages the high cycle time of the robots, expanding from single-line to multi-line services while meeting single-line requirements, providing manufacturing enterprises with a low-cost, high-efficiency automation upgrade solution.

[0058] In one specific embodiment of the present invention, the automatic feeding module 20 further includes an automatic feeding device 41 specifically designed for continuous feeding. This device is directly installed at the original small box feeding conveyor belt position on the production line, replacing the original conveying mechanism. Its main function is to precisely arrange the materials placed by the robotic gripper 23 and automatically eliminate gaps between materials through the continuous operation of the conveyor belt 413, thereby achieving stable and uninterrupted continuous feeding. When the composite robot 22 precisely places the small box materials at the feeding station, the automatic feeding device 41 immediately starts its workflow. First, the built-in feeding and arranging mechanism 412 orients and adjusts the posture of the materials, ensuring that each stack of materials maintains a neat and uniform stacking state. This arranging process effectively avoids material misalignment or tilting, providing reliable assurance for feeding accuracy. Subsequently, the dedicated conveyor belt 413 begins continuous operation, smoothly conveying the arranging materials to the production line inlet. During this process, through precise displacement control of the conveyor belt 413, gaps between stacks of materials are automatically eliminated.

[0059] This gap elimination mechanism ensures the continuity of material supply and solves the production interruption problem caused by material gaps in traditional feeding processes. The automatic feeding device 41 adopts an installation method that directly replaces the original conveyor belt 413, minimizing the need for production line modifications and reflecting the system's design concept of "achieving maximum benefits with minimal modifications." Through the synergistic effect of regularization and conveying, this device not only improves the automation level of the feeding process and enhances the operational stability and efficiency of the production line, but also provides the ultimate guarantee for the entire multi-robot collaborative feeding system to achieve efficient and continuous production operations.

[0060] This invention provides a multi-robot collaborative material feeding method, which achieves automated material feeding management for various material specifications through systematic step design and intelligent control strategies.

[0061] The material preparation step, as the initial stage of the method, first uses high-precision visual recognition technology to identify the material stack. The system controls a collaborative robot to drive a suction cup mechanical gripper 11 to perform a grasping operation, transferring the target material to a sizing mechanism 12 for fixation. In the sizing mechanism 12, the material is stably fixed by four-sided clamping, and the mechanical gripper works together to cut and remove the outer packaging kraft paper. The processed material is then precisely positioned on the corresponding cardboard transfer table 31, fully preparing for subsequent material loading operations. This step, through a standardized pre-processing procedure, ensures the uniformity of material specifications and quality, laying a solid foundation for supplying materials to multiple production lines.

[0062] The automated feeding step completes the preparatory work, realizing the intelligent transfer of materials from turnover to feeding. The composite robot 22 first loads the paper card transfer station 31 containing materials and transports it to the corresponding production line area according to the scheduling instructions of the central control system. Upon arrival at the target area, the robotic gripper 23 accurately identifies the material type and the location of each feeding port using visual positioning technology, placing different materials into their corresponding feeding stations. During this process, the automatic feeding device 41 neatly arranges the placed materials and eliminates material gaps through the continuous operation of the conveyor belt 413, achieving a continuous and stable feeding process. This step fully leverages the high efficiency of robot operations, enabling parallel service to multiple production lines through intelligent scheduling, significantly improving equipment utilization.

[0063] The central control and coordination process runs throughout the entire material feeding process. Based on real-time visual feedback and the status information of each production line, the central control system performs unified task scheduling and motion coordination for the material preparation and automatic feeding steps. The system dynamically optimizes the robot's work path and task sequence, achieving precise collaborative control among multiple robots. This intelligent scheduling mechanism not only ensures that the system can simultaneously adapt to multiple material specifications but also gives the entire system the ability to adapt to fluctuations in production demand, greatly improving the overall flexibility of the production system. Through the close coordination of the above three steps, the method of this invention effectively solves the problems of poor material adaptability and low equipment utilization in traditional material feeding systems, providing a complete and reliable solution for automation upgrades in tobacco packaging and other similar industries. This method, while ensuring feeding accuracy and efficiency, minimizes the need for modifications to existing production lines, achieving a smooth transition to intelligent upgrades and cost control.

[0064] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the overall material loading process is as follows: The material loading preparation process begins with the first collaborative robot 13 (robotic arm) starting from its initial position. Its end-effector, the suction cup gripper 11, first moves to directly above the material stack. Using a first vision camera 112 integrated into the gripper, it visually perceives and determines the target, accurately identifying the specific location of the small box or carton material. Next, according to the task scheduling instructions of the central control system, the gripper adaptively adjusts and moves above the target material stack. The suction cup 113 component uses negative pressure adsorption to pick up the entire stack of material (along with its outer kraft paper packaging) and lifts it vertically. Subsequently, the gripper transfers the material and places it in the designated position of the organizing mechanism 12. This mechanism then firmly secures the material using a four-sided clamping method. Its built-in cutting device works in conjunction to precisely cut and "open" the outer kraft paper. Afterward, the gripper uses the suction cup 113 to vertically lift the separated kraft paper, transfers it to a dedicated paper storage location, and then releases the negative pressure to complete the recycling of packaging waste. Next, the robotic gripper switches to gripper mode and returns to the 12th position of the sorting mechanism to reliably grasp the unpacked clean material, moving to directly above the paper card conversion table 31. At this time, the vision system once again senses the placement of the existing materials on the table, and the central control system calculates the precise position of the card plate 32 where the material needs to be placed based on the real-time task requirements. The robotic gripper then smoothly and accurately places the material in place, and finally the robotic gripper returns to its initial position, completing a fully automated pre-processing cycle from identification and unpacking to positioning and placement.

[0065] The automated feeding process begins with the composite robot 22 (consisting of a mobile chassis 221 and a second collaborative robot 222) in its initial standby position. The central control system, based on the status of each production line, uses its integrated second vision camera 231 to identify and select the cardboard transfer station 31 loaded with the corresponding materials. The mobile chassis 221 of the composite robot 22 then precisely positions and moves to the target transfer station, lifting and loading one transfer station stably. It can then efficiently load a second transfer station to accommodate sufficient materials. Next, the system selects the first feeding point based on real-time detection results of the small box or carton feeding port. The composite robot 22 first moves to the carton feeding point, and the second collaborative robot 222 drives its end effector to move above the transfer station. Using visual perception, it precisely locates the carton material, grasps it, and accurately places it into the carton feeding port. The end effector then resets. The composite robot 22 then moves to the small box feeding point, where the end effector, guided by vision, similarly identifies, grasps, and accurately places the small box material into the small box feeding station. At this point, the automatic feeding device 41 (installed at the original conveyor belt position) immediately starts, straightens the newly placed small box of materials, and automatically eliminates material gaps through the continuous operation of the conveyor belt 413, achieving continuous and stable feeding to the production line. After completing all the feeding tasks of this production line, the composite robot 22 transports the empty transfer station in sequence and unloads it back to the designated area, and then loads two new full-load transfer stations. According to the scheduling instructions of the central control system, it moves to another production line and repeats the above intelligent feeding process to achieve parallel feeding of multiple lines. After all tasks are completed, the composite robot 22 finally returns to the initial position, completing a complete flexible feeding cycle serving multiple production lines.

[0066] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "an embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "a specific embodiment" or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, illustrative expressions of terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0067] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A multi-robot collaborative feeding system, characterized in that, include: The material preparation module (10) is configured to obtain the position coordinates of the material based on visual recognition technology and distinguish the material categories of small box packaging skin, medium box packaging skin and strip box skin, and sequentially complete the grabbing, transfer, fixing and removal of the outer packaging of the material, and place the processed material in a fixed position on the paper card conversion table (31). The automatic feeding module (20) is configured to transport the paper card converter (31) carrying materials to the corresponding area of ​​its production line, identify the type of materials and the location of each feeding port based on visual recognition technology, and place each material in its corresponding feeding station to achieve continuous feeding. The automatic feeding module (20) includes: A composite robot (22) includes a mobile chassis (221) and a second collaborative robot (222) mounted thereon; the mobile chassis (221) is configured to move below the card changeover station (31) and perform a lifting operation to load at least one of the card changeover stations (31). A robotic gripper (23) is mounted on the end of the second collaborative robot (222), and includes a second vision camera (231) and a second robotic gripper (232). The second vision camera (231) is configured to identify the position of the feed port on the production line and the position of the material on the paper card conversion table (31); the second mechanical gripper (232) is configured to grab the corresponding material according to the identification result and place it precisely at the target feed port; The central control system is used to perform unified task scheduling and motion coordination of the material preparation module (10) and the automatic feeding module (20), and realize multi-robot collaborative control based on visual feedback and production line status, so that the system can adapt to multiple material specifications at the same time.

2. The multi-robot collaborative feeding system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material preparation module (10) includes: The suction cup mechanical claw (11) is configured to identify the material stack to determine the material location information, and to suck and release the entire stack of materials or the outer kraft paper under negative pressure, as well as to pick up the unpacked materials by the mechanical claw. The organizing mechanism (12) is configured to fix the material transferred by the suction cup mechanical claw (11) by clamping it from four sides, and cooperate with the suction cup mechanical claw (11) to remove the outer packaging of the material; The first collaborative robot (13) is configured to receive control commands and spatial coordinates from the control system and precisely drive the suction cup mechanical claw (11) at its end to perform movement and operation between the workstations defined by the material stacking, structuring mechanism (12) and paper card conversion station (31).

3. The multi-robot collaborative feeding system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The suction cup mechanical gripper (11) includes: A first-vision camera (112) is configured to photograph and identify material stacks to determine the location of the materials; The suction cup (113) is configured to pick up the entire stack of materials or pick up the outer packaging individually by means of negative pressure adsorption. The first mechanical gripper (114) is configured to perform gripping operations, including gripping material for transfer before unpacking and gripping the unpacked material and placing it in a designated location after unpacking.

4. The multi-robot collaborative feeding system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The paper card conversion table (31) is provided with multiple card plates (32) on the top. The card plates (32) are provided with a clearance pad (33) on the top to facilitate the mechanical claw to grab the material. The clearance pad (33) is equipped with a limit frame (34) on the top to ensure that the material is neat.

5. The multi-robot collaborative feeding system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The straightening mechanism (12) also includes a cutter, configured to work with the suction cup mechanical claw (11) to cut the outer packaging kraft paper of the material and complete the unpacking operation.

6. The multi-robot collaborative feeding system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The automatic feeding module (20) also includes an automatic feeding device (41), which is configured to be installed at the feeding station of the production line to organize the material placed by the robotic gripper (23) and move the material by the conveyor belt (413) to eliminate the gap between the materials and realize continuous feeding.

7. A multi-robot collaborative feeding method, characterized in that, The method of using the multi-robot collaborative feeding system according to any one of claims 1 to 6 includes the following steps: Material preparation steps: Based on visual recognition technology, distinguish the materials and obtain their position coordinates, and sequentially complete the grabbing and transfer of the materials to the straightening mechanism (12) for fixing and removal of the outer packaging, and place the processed materials in the corresponding paper card conversion table (31) in the correct positions. Automatic feeding step: The paper card conversion table (31) carrying materials is transported to the corresponding area of ​​its production line. The material type and the position of each feeding port are identified by visual positioning technology. Each material is placed in its corresponding feeding station and continuous feeding is achieved by combining with the automatic feeding device (41). The central control system performs unified task scheduling and motion coordination for the material preparation and automatic feeding steps, and realizes multi-robot collaborative control based on visual feedback and production line status, enabling the system to adapt to multiple material specifications simultaneously.

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