Unmanned checking robot for cigarette cartons in flat tobacco warehouse area and checking method

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of tobacco warehouse management, and discloses an unmanned checking robot for cigarette cartons in a flat tobacco warehouse area and a checking method. The bottom of the scanning robot is provided with a ring body and a driving part driving the ring body to rotate. A plurality of buffering assemblies distributed in the circumferential direction are installed on the ring body, the buffering assemblies incline towards the outer side from the bottom of the driving part, and when the buffering assemblies are stressed, the buffering assemblies deflect for buffering. And the buffer assembly comprises loading shells, torsional spring pieces and buffer rod pieces, a plurality of loading grooves which are formed in the circumferential direction are formed in the bottom of the ring body, and the loading shells are detachably installed in the multiple loading grooves. The ring body and the inclined buffering assembly are installed at the bottom of the scanning robot, the buffering rod piece can deflect, buffer, reset and reduce impact force during collision, the buffering rod piece makes contact with the ground to deflect, buffer and reset during side turning, damage is prevented, the buffering rod piece is provided with a magnetic part and repels a magnetic plate of the loading shell, the buffering effect is enhanced, and the ring body can rotate to push away an obstacle. And the trafficability is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tobacco storage management technology, and in particular to an unmanned inventory robot and inventory method for cigarettes in a flat tobacco warehouse area. Background Technology

[0002] The tobacco storage area is an important place for tobacco storage. Its main function is to provide a relatively stable storage environment for tobacco, ensuring that the quality of tobacco is not affected during storage. The tobacco storage area usually has a large storage space and can hold a large number of tobacco cartons. These cartons are stacked according to certain rules to facilitate management and inbound and outbound operations. However, in the process of managing the cartons of tobacco, it is necessary to count the quantity and type of each carton of tobacco in the storage area. In recent years, with the continuous development of robotics technology, scanning robots have been gradually applied to the inventory work of tobacco cartons in the tobacco storage area. This scanning robot mainly consists of a mobile base, a lifting rod, and a scanning camera installed on the lifting rod. The mobile base can drive the entire robot to move freely in the warehouse and quickly reach the designated position according to the inventory needs. The lifting rod can be flexibly raised and lowered according to the stacking height of the cartons of tobacco, so that the scanning camera can scan and count cartons of tobacco at different heights, which can quickly grasp the inventory quantity and type, and effectively avoid inventory backlog or stockouts.

[0003] In the tobacco storage area, cigarettes are usually placed on shelves, which are arranged in aisles to form aisles. Scanning robots need to enter these aisles to scan the cigarettes on the shelves one by one. However, some cigarettes on the shelves may be irregularly placed. If a cigarette falls off the shelf and hits the scanning robot, it may cause the robot to tip over. In addition, there are also moving shelves, staff and other robots in the storage area. The probability of the robot colliding with these objects during operation is relatively high, which makes the robot body easy to be damaged. However, the current scanning robots lack an effective cushioning structure when they are hit by collisions or tip over, making it difficult to effectively protect themselves.

[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, this application proposes an unmanned inventory robot and inventory method for cigarettes in a tobacco warehouse. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention proposes an unmanned inventory robot and inventory method for cigarettes in a tobacco flat storage area. It solves the problems in related technologies where cigarettes may fall off and hit the robot due to irregular placement, causing it to tip over. In addition, the presence of moving shelves, personnel and other robots in the flat storage area increases the probability of collisions, making the robot body easily damaged, but there is a lack of buffer structure in case of collision or tipping.

[0006] This invention proposes an unmanned inventory robot for cigarettes in a tobacco warehouse, including a scanning robot;

[0007] The bottom of the scanning robot is equipped with a ring and a drive component that drives it to rotate;

[0008] The ring is equipped with multiple circumferentially distributed buffer components, and the buffer components are inclined outward from the bottom of the driving component. When the buffer components are subjected to force, they deflect and buffer.

[0009] The buffer assembly includes a loading housing, a torsion spring, and a buffer rod. The bottom of the ring body has multiple circumferentially arranged loading slots, and a loading housing can be detachably installed in each of the multiple loading slots. A buffer rod is installed in the loading housing through the torsion spring, and the buffer rod is inclined outward from the bottom of the loading housing.

[0010] As a further optimization of the present invention, the buffer rod includes a rod body, a cavity is formed inside the loading housing, and the cavity extends through the front side and bottom of the loading housing. The torsion spring is assembled inside the cavity, the top end of the rod body is connected to the torsion spring, and a loading port is provided at the bottom end of the rod body, and a wheel is rotatably installed in the loading port.

[0011] As a further optimization of the present invention, the torsion spring includes a shaft and torsion spring bodies. The shaft is arranged laterally inside the loading housing, and the two ends of the shaft are rotatably engaged with the inner walls of the two sides of the loading housing. The top end of the rod body is fixedly fitted onto the shaft. Two torsion spring bodies are symmetrically fitted onto the shaft, and the two ends of the two torsion spring bodies are respectively connected to the two sides of the rod body and the inner walls of the two sides of the loading housing.

[0012] As a further optimization of the present invention, a first magnetic plate arranged at an inclination is installed on the front side of the loading housing, a second magnetic plate arranged at an inclination is installed on the bottom of the loading housing, and a magnetic part is installed at the top of the rod, and the magnetic part repels the first magnetic plate and the second magnetic plate respectively.

[0013] As a further optimization of the present invention, the magnetic part includes a first magnetic block and a second magnetic plate. The first magnetic block and the second magnetic block are symmetrically installed at the top of the rod and correspond to the first magnetic plate and the second magnetic plate, respectively. The adjacent side of the first magnetic block and the first magnetic plate are both positive poles, and the adjacent side of the second magnetic block and the second magnetic plate are both positive poles.

[0014] As a further optimization of the present invention, the top wall of the loading housing is threaded with a bolt, and a threaded hole is opened in the loading groove at the bottom of the ring, and the bolt is threadedly connected in the threaded hole.

[0015] As a further optimization of the present invention, the scanning robot includes a robot base, an alarm is installed on the top of the robot base, a tilt sensor is installed in the middle of the rod, and a controller is provided inside the robot base, with the alarm and the tilt sensor both electrically connected to the controller.

[0016] As a further optimization of the present invention, the driving component includes a motor and a gear. The bottom of the robot base is provided with an annular groove and a mounting groove. The ring body is disposed at the bottom of the robot base, and a slider that slides in cooperation with the annular groove is installed on the top of the ring body. The motor is installed in the mounting groove. A toothed block is installed around the inner wall of the ring body. The output end of the motor is connected to a gear that meshes with the toothed block. The motor is electrically connected to the controller inside the robot base.

[0017] As a further optimization of the present invention, the scanning robot also includes a lifting rod and a camera. The lifting rod is mounted on the robot base, and the camera is mounted on the lifting rod and driven by it to move up and down.

[0018] As a further optimization of the present invention, the bottom of the robot base is equipped with multiple rollers for driving its overall movement.

[0019] A method for unmanned inventory counting of cigarettes in a tobacco warehouse, employing the aforementioned unmanned inventory counting robot for tobacco warehouses, includes the following steps:

[0020] Step 1: Start the controller and check whether the alarm and tilt sensor on the robot base are working properly. At the same time, drive the rollers to move the scanning robot to the inventory start position.

[0021] Step 2: When the scanning robot moves within the channel, if it encounters a small obstacle, the drive unit will activate, causing the ring to rotate. The buffer assembly on the ring will then rotate, and the wheels of the buffer rods will push aside the obstacle during rotation, ensuring that the robot's movement path is unobstructed.

[0022] Step 3: The controller controls the lifting rod to rise and fall according to the stacking height of the cigarette packs, adjusts the height of the camera to align it with cigarette packs at different heights, and scans and inventories the cigarette packs to obtain cigarette pack information;

[0023] Step 4: When the robot is hit by a collision or impact, the buffer rod of the buffer assembly is deflected by the force, the torsion spring generates a reverse elastic force, and at the same time the magnetic part generates a repulsive force with the first magnetic plate or the second magnetic plate, which together offset the impact force and protect the robot body.

[0024] Step 5: The tilt sensor in the middle of the pole detects the deflection angle of the pole in real time and transmits the angle data to the controller. The controller judges the collision or impact force according to the preset threshold. If the force exceeds the threshold, the controller immediately sends an alarm command to the alarm, and the alarm will sound or light an alarm.

[0025] Step Six: After the collision or impact, the torsion spring releases its elastic potential energy, pushing the buffer rod back to its initial tilted state. The scanning robot then continues the inventory work until the inventory task for the entire shelf area is completed.

[0026] The above-described technical solution of the present invention has the following beneficial technical effects:

[0027] 1. This invention installs a ring at the bottom of a scanning robot, and installs multiple circumferentially arranged and outwardly inclined buffer components at the bottom of the ring. When the scanning robot is subjected to a collision during movement, it can be elastically buffered by the buffer components on the ring. Specifically, when the buffer rod in the buffer component collides with an object, the buffer rod deflects inward under the action of the torsion spring and buffers the impact. After the collision, it resets under the action of the torsion spring, thus protecting the main body of the scanning robot. The buffer components designed above can effectively reduce the impact force on the scanning robot when it collides with shelves, other robots, or workers during movement, reduce the risk of damage to the scanning robot, thereby improving the service life and operational stability of the scanning robot, reducing maintenance costs and downtime, and ensuring the continuity and reliability of scanning work.

[0028] 2. When a carton of cigarettes falls from the shelf and hits the scanning robot, the robot will tip over due to the force. At this time, multiple buffer rods arranged circumferentially around the ring will play their role. The buffer rods at the tipping position will make timely contact with the ground and deflect outward under the action of the torsion springs to buffer the movement. Furthermore, the torsion springs will help the scanning robot to reset, effectively preventing damage to the scanning robot due to tipping over. This avoids equipment failure and increased maintenance costs caused by tipping over, while ensuring the normal operation of the scanning robot under complex working conditions and improving its adaptability and safety in tobacco warehouse areas.

[0029] 3. By setting a magnetic part on the buffer rod and setting a first magnetic plate and a second magnetic plate that repel the positive pole on the loading shell, when the buffer rod deflects, the repulsive force between the magnetic part and the first or second magnetic plate can further enhance the buffering effect. This design not only improves the impact resistance of the scanning robot when it is hit or struck, but also effectively reduces the risk of damage to the scanning robot caused by excessive impact force, further improving the safety and reliability of the scanning robot. At the same time, this magnetic buffering mechanism can achieve more effective buffering protection without adding an additional power source, reducing the energy consumption and maintenance cost of the scanning robot, making it more suitable for long-term stable operation in complex environments.

[0030] 4. When the scanning robot encounters small obstacles during operation, the drive unit at the bottom of the scanning robot can drive the ring body to rotate and move multiple buffer components around its periphery, which can push the obstacles aside. This improves the scanning robot's passability in complex environments, reduces the situation of the scanning robot stopping or being damaged by collision due to obstacles, and further improves the working efficiency and smooth operation of the scanning robot, enabling it to complete scanning tasks more efficiently.

[0031] 5. Regardless of whether the scanning robot is subjected to impact or collision, it can be deflected and buffered by the buffer rods on the ring. During the deflection and buffering process, the tilt sensor on the buffer rod can measure the angle of its deflection and tilt to determine the force of the impact or collision. Then, in conjunction with the alarm, it decides whether to sound an alarm to notify the staff. This design enables real-time monitoring and early warning of the scanning robot's operating status, timely detection of abnormalities and taking measures to reduce the risk of equipment damage caused by collisions or impacts. It also makes it easier for staff to understand the status of the scanning robot in a timely manner and to carry out corresponding maintenance and management. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an unmanned inventory robot for cigarettes in a tobacco warehouse area proposed in this invention.

[0033] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom structure of an unmanned inventory robot for cigarettes in a tobacco warehouse area proposed in this invention.

[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the robot base of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the cooperative structure of the ring body, driving component and buffer assembly of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 5 For the present invention Figure 4 Enlarged view of A in the middle;

[0037] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the buffer component of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the buffer rod of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 8 For the present invention Figure 7 A magnified view of B in the middle.

[0040] Reference numerals: 1. Scanning robot; 11. Robot base; 111. Roller; 112. Annular groove; 113. Mounting groove; 114. Alarm; 12. Lifting rod; 13. Camera; 2. Ring body; 21. Slider; 22. Tooth block; 3. Drive component; 31. Motor; 32. Gear; 4. Buffer assembly; 41. Loading housing; 411. First magnetic plate; 412. Second magnetic plate; 413. Bolt; 42. Torsion spring; 421. Shaft; 422. Torsion spring body; 43. Buffer rod; 431. Rod body; 432. Wheel; 433. Tilt sensor; 44. Magnetic part; 441. First magnetic block; 442. Second magnetic block. Detailed Implementation

[0041] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these descriptions are merely exemplary and not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, descriptions of well-known structures and techniques are omitted in the following description to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concept of the invention.

[0042] like Figures 1-8 As shown, the present invention proposes an unmanned inventory robot for cigarettes in a tobacco warehouse, which includes a scanning robot 1;

[0043] The bottom of the scanning robot 1 is equipped with a ring 2 and a drive component 3 that drives it to rotate;

[0044] Multiple circumferentially distributed buffer components 4 are installed on the ring body 2, and the buffer components 4 are inclined outward from the bottom of the driving component 3. When the buffer components 4 are subjected to force, they deflect and buffer.

[0045] The buffer assembly 4 includes a loading housing 41, a torsion spring 42, and a buffer rod 43. The bottom of the ring body 2 has multiple circumferentially arranged loading slots. The loading housing 41 can be detachably installed in each of the multiple loading slots. The buffer rod 43 is installed in the loading housing 41 through the torsion spring 42, and the buffer rod 43 is inclined outward from the bottom of the loading housing 41.

[0046] When the scanning robot 1 moves in the warehouse aisle, if it collides with shelves, other equipment, or personnel, the first object to come into contact with is the buffer rod 43, which is inclined on the ring body 2. The collision force causes the buffer rod 43 to deflect inward toward the scanning robot 1. At this time, the buffer rod 43 drives the torsion spring 42 to undergo elastic deformation. The torsion spring 42 absorbs the impact force generated by the collision through its own deformation, preventing the impact force from being directly transmitted to the main body of the scanning robot 1. When the collision force disappears, the torsion spring 42 releases its elastic potential energy, pushing the buffer rod 43 back to its initial inclined state, thus preparing for the next possible collision.

[0047] When the scanning robot 1 is performing inventory operations, if the cigarettes on the shelf are not placed in an irregular manner and fall and hit the scanning robot 1, the scanning robot 1 will tend to tip over due to the impact force. At this time, among the multiple buffer rods 43 distributed circumferentially on the ring body 2, the buffer rod 43 located in the direction of tipping will first contact the ground. The reaction force of the ground will cause the buffer rod 43 to deflect further outward. The torsion spring 42 will absorb the energy generated by the impact and tipping through elastic deformation. At the same time, the inclined buffer rods 43 provide support for the scanning robot 1. With the restoring force of the torsion spring 42, the scanning robot 1 is prevented from continuing to tip over and is assisted in restoring its stable state, protecting the main body and internal core structure of the scanning robot 1 from damage.

[0048] When the scanning robot 1 encounters a small obstacle during its movement, the drive unit 3 starts and drives the ring body 2 to rotate. The ring body 2 simultaneously drives the buffer rods 43 of all the buffer components 4 on it to rotate. The rotating buffer rods 43 can push the obstacle to both sides, widening the passage space of the scanning robot 1 and ensuring that it can reach the inventory position smoothly. During this process, the inclined structure of the buffer rods 43 and the elastic characteristics of the torsion spring 42 can prevent the buffer rods 43 from being damaged when pushing the obstacle, thus ensuring the continuous protection capability of the buffer components 4.

[0049] In this embodiment, the buffer rod 43 includes a rod body 431. A cavity is formed inside the loading housing 41, and the cavity extends through the front and bottom of the loading housing 41. A torsion spring 42 is assembled inside the cavity. The top end of the rod body 431 is connected to the torsion spring 42. A loading port is opened at the bottom end of the rod body 431, and a wheel 432 is rolled inside the loading port. When the buffer rod 43 collides with an object, the rod body 431 drives the wheel 432 to contact the colliding object. The rolling characteristics of the wheel 432 convert sliding friction into rolling friction, reducing the frictional force at the moment of collision. At the same time, the rod body 431 deflects around the torsion spring 42, and the torsion spring 42 generates a reverse elastic force, which gradually offsets the collision force. The above design avoids the instantaneous impact force from causing structural damage to the scanning robot 1, ensuring that the scanning robot 1 can still operate normally after the collision.

[0050] In this embodiment, the torsion spring 42 includes a shaft 421 and torsion spring bodies 422. The shaft 421 is laterally disposed inside the loading housing 41, and both ends of the shaft 421 are rotatably engaged with the inner walls of both sides of the loading housing 41. The top end of the rod 431 is fixedly fitted onto the shaft 421. Two torsion spring bodies 422 are symmetrically fitted onto the shaft 421, and the two ends of the two torsion spring bodies 422 are respectively connected to the two sides of the rod 431 and the inner walls of both sides of the loading housing 41. When the rod 431 is deflected by force, it will drive the shaft 421 to rotate, and the shaft 421 will then twist the torsion spring bodies 422 on both sides. The torsion spring bodies 422 generate elastic potential energy due to the torsion, forming a reverse torque that opposes the deflection of the rod 431. When the external force disappears, the torsion spring bodies 422 release elastic potential energy, driving the shaft 421 and the rod 431 to return to their original positions.

[0051] In this embodiment, a first magnetic plate 411 is installed at an angle on the front side of the loading housing 41, and a second magnetic plate 412 is installed at an angle on the bottom of the loading housing 41. A magnetic part 44 is installed at the top of the rod 431, and the magnetic part 44 repels the first magnetic plate 411 and the second magnetic plate 412 respectively. When the rod 431 deflects forward, the magnetic part 44 approaches the first magnetic plate 411, and the repulsive force between the two increases. Together with the elastic force of the torsion spring 422, the magnetic part 44 hinders the deflection of the rod 431 and enhances the buffering effect. When the rod 431 deflects downward, the magnetic part 44 approaches the second magnetic plate 412, and the magnetic part 44 also generates a repulsive force, which assists the torsion spring 422 in buffering. After the external force disappears, the repulsive force can also help the torsion spring 422 push the rod 431 to quickly return to its original position.

[0052] In this embodiment, the magnetic part 44 includes a first magnetic block 441 and a second magnetic plate 412. The first magnetic block 441 and the second magnetic block 442 are symmetrically installed at the top of the rod 431 and correspond to the first magnetic plate 411 and the second magnetic plate 412 respectively. The adjacent side of the first magnetic block 441 and the first magnetic plate 411 are both positive poles, and the adjacent side of the second magnetic block 442 and the second magnetic plate 412 are both positive poles. When the rod 431 deflects forward, the distance between the first magnetic block 441 and the first magnetic plate 411 shortens, and the repulsive force increases, which, together with the torsion spring 422, buffers the force. When the rod 431 deflects downward, the repulsive force between the second magnetic block 442 and the second magnetic plate 412 comes into play.

[0053] In this embodiment, the top wall of the loading housing 41 is threaded with a bolt 413, and a threaded hole is provided in the loading groove at the bottom of the ring 2, with the bolt 413 threaded into the threaded hole. During installation, the loading housing 41 is placed into the loading groove, and the bolt 413 is rotated to screw it into the threaded hole. Through the thread engagement between the bolt 413 and the threaded hole, the loading housing 41 is fixed on the ring 2. When it is necessary to disassemble or replace the buffer assembly 4, the bolt 413 is rotated in the opposite direction to disengage the bolt 413 from the threaded hole, and the loading housing 41 can be removed from the loading groove. The above-mentioned threaded connection method is simple and convenient to operate, and the installation and disassembly of the buffer assembly 4 can be completed without professional tools, reducing maintenance difficulty and cost.

[0054] In this embodiment, the scanning robot 1 includes a robot base 11, an alarm 114 is installed on the top of the robot base 11, an tilt sensor 433 is installed in the middle of the rod 431, and a controller is provided inside the robot base 11. The alarm 114 and the tilt sensor 433 are both electrically connected to the controller.

[0055] When the buffer rod 43 is deflected by a collision or impact, the tilt sensor 433 will detect the deflection angle of the rod 431 in real time and convert the angle data into an electrical signal and transmit it to the controller. After receiving the signal, the controller will determine the force of the collision or impact according to the preset angle threshold. If the force exceeds the threshold, the controller will send a command to the alarm 114, and the alarm 114 will issue an alarm signal. The cooperation between the tilt sensor 433 and the controller realizes real-time monitoring of the force of the collision or impact, which can promptly detect abnormal impacts on the robot. The alarm function of the alarm 114 can quickly notify the staff to handle the situation, avoid the robot being damaged further due to failure to detect the fault in time, and at the same time remind the surrounding people to pay attention to safety and reduce the risk of accidents.

[0056] In this embodiment, the driving component 3 includes a motor 31 and a gear 32. The bottom of the robot base 11 is provided with an annular groove 112 and a mounting groove 113. The ring body 2 is set at the bottom of the robot base 11, and the top of the ring body 2 is equipped with a slider 21 that slides in cooperation with the annular groove 112. The motor 31 is installed in the mounting groove 113. A toothed block 22 is installed around the inner wall of the ring body 2. The output end of the motor 31 is connected to the gear 32 that meshes with the toothed block 22. The motor 31 is electrically connected to the controller inside the robot base 11. When the ring body 2 needs to be rotated, the controller sends a command to the motor 31. The motor 31 drives the gear 32 to rotate. The gear 32 drives the ring body 2 to rotate around the robot base 11 through meshing with the toothed block 22, thereby driving the buffer assembly 4 to rotate. This ensures that when the ring body 2 encounters a small obstacle, it can drive the buffer assembly 4 to rotate smoothly and push the obstacle away, improving the passability of the scanning robot 1 in complex environments.

[0057] In this embodiment, the scanning robot 1 also includes a lifting rod 12 and a camera 13. The lifting rod 12 is mounted on the robot base 11, and the camera 13 is mounted on the lifting rod 12 and driven by it to move up and down. When inventorying cigarettes at different heights, the controller sends a command to the lifting rod 12 according to the stacking height of the cigarettes. The lifting rod 12 drives the camera 13 to rise or fall, adjusting the height of the camera 13 so that the camera 13 can be aimed at cigarettes at different heights, clearly capture cigarette information, and complete the scanning inventory.

[0058] In this embodiment, the bottom of the robot base 11 is equipped with multiple rollers 111 for driving its overall movement. When it is necessary to move the scanning robot 1 to a designated inventory location, the controller sends a command to the drive mechanism, which drives the rollers 111 to roll. The rollers 111 drive the entire robot base 11 and the lifting rod 12, camera 13 and other components above it to move, so that the robot can move freely in the passage of the tobacco flat warehouse area and reach different shelf areas to conduct cigarette inventory.

[0059] A method for unmanned inventory counting of cigarettes in a tobacco warehouse, employing the aforementioned unmanned inventory counting robot for tobacco warehouses, includes the following steps:

[0060] Step 1: The controller 11 is started and checks whether the alarm 114 and tilt sensor 433 on the robot base 11 are working properly. At the same time, the drive wheel 111 drives the scanning robot 1 to move to the inventory start position.

[0061] Step 2: When the scanning robot 1 moves in the channel, if it encounters a small obstacle, the drive unit 3 will start, causing the ring body 2 to rotate. The buffer assembly 4 on the ring body 2 will rotate accordingly, and the wheel 432 of the buffer rod 43 will push away the obstacle during the rotation, ensuring that the robot's movement channel is unobstructed.

[0062] Step 3: The controller 11 controls the lifting rod 12 to rise and fall according to the stacking height of the cigarette packs, and adjusts the height of the camera 13 so that it is aligned with the cigarette packs at different heights. The camera 13 scans and inventories the cigarette packs to obtain cigarette pack information.

[0063] Step 4: When the robot is hit by a collision or impact, the buffer rod 43 of the buffer assembly 4 is deflected by the force, the torsion spring 42 generates a reverse elastic force, and at the same time the magnetic part 44 generates a repulsive force with the first magnetic plate 411 or the second magnetic plate 412, which together offset the impact force and protect the robot body.

[0064] Step 5: The tilt sensor 433 in the middle of the pole 431 detects the deflection angle of the pole 431 in real time and transmits the angle data to the controller 11. The controller 11 judges the collision or impact force according to the preset threshold. If the force exceeds the threshold, the controller 11 immediately sends an alarm command to the alarm 114, and the alarm 114 emits a sound or light alarm.

[0065] Step Six: After the collision or impact ends, the torsion spring 42 releases its elastic potential energy, pushing the buffer rod 43 back to its initial tilted state. The scanning robot 1 continues to perform the cigarette inventory work until the inventory task of the entire shelf area is completed.

[0066] The specific working principle of this invention is as follows:

[0067] The staff sends movement commands to the controller inside the robot base 11 through the control system. The controller drives multiple rollers 111 at the bottom of the robot base 11 to roll. The rollers 111 drive the entire scanning robot 1 to move in the warehouse aisle until it reaches the shelf area that needs to be inventoried. During the movement, if a small obstacle is encountered, the controller can activate the drive component 3. The motor 31 drives the gear 32 to rotate. The gear 32 meshes with the tooth block 22 on the inner wall of the ring body 2, causing the ring body 2 to rotate. The slider 21 at the top of the ring body 2 slides in the annular groove 112 of the robot base 11. The ring body 2 then drives the bottom buffer component 4 to rotate, pushing the obstacle aside and ensuring that the robot passes smoothly.

[0068] Upon reaching the designated shelf area, the controller sends a lifting command to the lifting rod 12 based on the stacking height of the cigarette packs. The lifting rod 12 then moves the camera 13 up or down, adjusting it to a position that matches the height of the cigarette packs. Once the camera 13 is pointed at the cigarette packs, it captures information such as the barcode and appearance of the cigarette packs and transmits this information to the controller. The controller processes and stores the information, completing the inventory of cigarette packs at that height. Subsequently, the lifting rod 12 continues to adjust the height of the camera 13 to scan and inventory cigarette packs at other heights one by one until the inventory of cigarette packs in the entire shelf area is completed.

[0069] During robot movement and inventory, if a cigarette falls from the shelf and hits the robot, or if the robot collides with the shelf, other robots, or staff, the buffer component 4 will first come into play. The impact or impact force will act on the rod 431 of the buffer rod 43, causing the rod 431 to deflect around the shaft 421, which will twist the torsion spring 422 on the shaft 421. The torsion spring 422 will generate elastic force to buffer the impact. At the same time, the first magnetic block 441 and the second magnetic block 442 at the top of the rod 431 will generate repulsive force with the corresponding first magnetic plate 411 and second magnetic plate 412 on the loading shell 41, which will help the torsion spring 422 to enhance the buffering effect and reduce the impact of the impact force on the main body of the scanning robot 1. If the impact force is too large and the robot tends to tip over, the multiple buffer components 4 distributed circumferentially on the ring 2 will come into contact with the ground. The impact force will be absorbed through the above buffering mechanism, and the scanning robot 1 will be reset under the action of the torsion spring 422 and the magnetic repulsive force to prevent tipping over.

[0070] During the operation of the buffer assembly 4, the tilt sensor 433 in the middle of the rod 431 detects the deflection angle of the rod 431 in real time and transmits the angle data to the controller. The controller judges the collision or impact force according to the preset threshold. If the force exceeds the threshold, it indicates that the robot may be subjected to a serious impact. The controller immediately sends an alarm command to the alarm 114 on the top of the robot base 11. The alarm 114 emits a sound or light alarm to remind the staff to deal with it in time and avoid damage to the robot or the escalation of the accident.

[0071] When the buffer assembly 4 is damaged and needs repair or replacement, the operator can unscrew the bolt 413 on the top wall of the loading housing 41 to separate the bolt 413 from the threaded hole of the loading slot of the ring 2, remove the loading housing 41 from the loading slot of the ring 2, replace the new buffer assembly 4, and then fix it with the bolt 413. The operation is convenient and ensures that the robot can quickly resume work.

[0072] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the embodiments are not limited to the specific implementation methods described above. The specific implementation methods described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of the embodiments described above, all of which are within the protection scope of the embodiments described above.

Claims

1. A robot for unmanned inventory counting of cigarettes in a tobacco warehouse, characterized in that, Including scanning robot (1); The bottom of the scanning robot (1) is provided with a ring body (2) and a driving member (3) for driving the rotation of the ring body (2); A plurality of circumferentially distributed buffer assemblies (4) are mounted on the ring body (2), and the buffer assemblies (4) are inclined outward from the bottom of the driving member (3) and deflect when subjected to force. The buffer assembly (4) comprises a loading shell (41), a torsion spring member (42) and a buffer rod member (43), a plurality of circumferentially arranged loading grooves are formed in the bottom of the ring body (2), and a plurality of loading shells (41) are detachably mounted in the loading grooves, the buffer rod member (43) is mounted in the loading shell (41) by the torsion spring member (42), and the buffer rod member (43) is inclined outward from the bottom of the loading shell (41).

2. A tobacco flat storage area carton inventory robot according to claim 1, wherein, The buffer rod member (43) comprises a rod body (431), a cavity is formed in the loading shell (41), and the cavity penetrates through the front side and the bottom of the loading shell (41), the torsion spring member (42) is assembled in the cavity, the top end of the rod body (431) is connected with the torsion spring member (42), and a loading port is formed in the bottom end of the rod body (431), and a wheel (432) is rotatably mounted in the loading port.

3. A tobacco flat store area carton inventory robot according to claim 2, characterised in that, The torsion spring member (42) comprises a shaft (421) and a torsion spring body (422), the shaft (421) is transversely arranged in the loading shell (41), both ends of the shaft (421) are rotatably connected with the inner walls of both sides of the loading shell (41), the top end of the rod body (431) is fixedly sleeved on the shaft (421), and two torsion spring bodies (422) are symmetrically sleeved on the shaft (421), both ends of the two torsion spring bodies (422) are connected with both sides of the rod body (431) and the inner walls of both sides of the loading shell (41).

4. The tobacco flat storage area piece cigarette unmanned inventory machine robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, A first magnetic plate (411) is arranged on the front side of the loading shell (41), a second magnetic plate (412) is arranged on the bottom of the loading shell (41), a magnetic part (44) is arranged on the top end of the rod body (431), and the magnetic part (44) repels the first magnetic plate (411) and the second magnetic plate (412) respectively.

5. A tobacco flat store area carton inventory machine robot according to claim 4, wherein, The magnetic part (44) comprises a first magnetic block (441) and a second magnetic block (442), the first magnetic block (441) and the second magnetic block (442) are symmetrically arranged on the top end of the rod body (431) and correspond to the first magnetic plate (411) and the second magnetic plate (412) respectively, one side of the first magnetic block (441) adjacent to the first magnetic plate (411) is a positive electrode, and one side of the second magnetic block (442) adjacent to the second magnetic plate (412) is a positive electrode.

6. A tobacco flat storage area carton inventory robot according to claim 2, wherein, A screw (413) is threadedly connected to the top wall in the loading shell (41), and a threaded hole is formed in the loading groove in the bottom of the ring body (2), and the screw (413) is threadedly connected in the threaded hole.

7. A tobacco flat storage area carton inventory robot according to claim 2, wherein, The scanning robot (1) comprises a robot base (11), a top of the robot base (11) is provided with an alarm (114), a middle of the rod body (431) is provided with an inclination sensor (433), an inside of the robot base (11) is provided with a controller, and the alarm (114) and the inclination sensor (433) are electrically connected with the controller.

8. A tobacco flat store area carton inventory machine robot according to claim 7, characterised in that, The driving member (3) comprises a motor (31) and a gear (32), a bottom of the robot base (11) is provided with an annular groove (112) and a mounting groove (113), the ring body (2) is arranged at the bottom of the robot base (11), a top of the ring body (2) is provided with a sliding block (21) which is in sliding fit with the annular groove (112), the motor (31) is arranged in the mounting groove (113), an inner wall of the ring body (2) is provided with a plurality of tooth blocks (22), and an output end of the motor (31) is connected with the gear (32) which is in mesh with the tooth blocks (22); the motor (31) is electrically connected with the controller in the robot base (11).

9. A tobacco flat store area carton inventory robot according to claim 7, wherein, The scanning robot (1) further comprises a lifting rod (12) and a camera (13), the lifting rod (12) is arranged on the robot base (11), and the camera (13) is arranged on the lifting rod (12) and is driven to lift.

10. The tobacco flat storage area piece cigarette unmanned inventory machine robot according to claim 7, characterized in that, A plurality of rollers (111) are arranged at the bottom of the robot base (11) and are used to drive the whole to move.

11. A method for inventorying tobacco pieces in a tobacco flat storage area, using a machine for inventorying tobacco pieces in a tobacco flat storage area according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The method comprises the following steps: Step one: the controller (11) is started, it is checked whether the alarm (114) and the inclination sensor (433) and the like components on the robot base (11) work normally, and meanwhile the rollers (111) are driven to move the scanning robot (1) to a starting position of checking; Step two: when the scanning robot (1) moves in a channel, if a small obstacle is encountered, the driving member (3) is started, the ring body (2) is rotated, the buffer assembly (4) on the ring body (2) is rotated, and the wheels (432) of the buffer rod (43) are used to push away the obstacle in the rotating process, so that the moving channel of the robot is kept unobstructed; Step three: the controller (11) controls the lifting rod (12) to lift according to the height of the tobacco pieces, adjusts the height of the camera (13), and aligns the camera (13) with the tobacco pieces of different heights; the camera (13) scans and checks the tobacco pieces and obtains the information of the tobacco pieces; Step four: when the robot is collided or hit, the buffer rod (43) of the buffer assembly (4) is deflected under force, the torsional spring (42) generates a reverse elastic force, the magnetic part (44) generates a repulsive force with the first magnetic plate (411) or the second magnetic plate (412), and the impact force is offset, so that the robot body is protected; Step five: the inclination sensor (433) in the middle of the rod body (431) detects the deflection angle of the rod body (431) in real time, transmits the angle data to the controller (11), the controller (11) judges the degree of collision or hit according to a preset threshold, if the degree exceeds the threshold, the controller (11) immediately sends an alarm instruction to the alarm (114), and the alarm (114) sends a sound or light alarm. Step six: after the collision or hit ends, the torsion spring (42) releases the elastic potential energy and pushes the buffer rod (43) to reset to the initial inclined state, and the scanning robot (1) continues to perform the piece cigarette inventory work until the inventory task of the entire shelf area is completed.

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