Vehicle-mounted small unmanned vehicle locking structure and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention provides a vehicle-mounted small unmanned vehicle locking structure and a control method thereof. The vehicle-mounted small unmanned vehicle locking structure comprises a charging pile, a guide groove and a locking mechanism. The charging pile, the guide groove and the locking mechanism are fixed to a vehicle-mounted square cabin or a container bottom plate through screws. The guide groove is used for guiding the small unmanned vehicle to move to a transportation position along a preset path; the locking mechanism comprises a locking hook and an electric mechanism for driving the locking hook to move, and has a release state and a locking state; two guide pins are arranged on the charging pile; the small unmanned vehicle can be installed in a square cabin or a container installed on a pickup truck and a flat car chassis through the guide pin, and transportation and release of the small unmanned vehicle in disaster monitoring and unknown area detection application scenes are achieved. Accurate guiding, safe locking and quick releasing of the unmanned vehicle can be achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of intelligent control technology, and in particular to the locking and unlocking structure and control method of a vehicle-mounted small unmanned vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of unmanned technology, small unmanned vehicles are increasingly being used in disaster monitoring, emergency rescue, and exploration of unknown areas. However, in practical applications, small unmanned vehicles often need to be quickly deployed to target areas using various transportation tools, which places higher demands on vehicle-mounted transportation and rapid deployment.

[0003] Currently, existing technologies for vehicle-mounted transportation of small unmanned vehicles mainly suffer from the following problems: First, traditional fixing methods mostly use simple mechanical fixing structures such as straps and buckles, which are not only cumbersome and time-consuming to install and dismantle, but also prone to failure due to vibration during vehicle operation, posing safety hazards; Second, existing technologies lack integrated transportation solutions, with charging piles, guiding devices, and locking mechanisms often being set up separately, making it impossible to achieve integrated operation of unmanned vehicle transportation, charging, and rapid release; Third, in complex road conditions, precise docking between small unmanned vehicles and transport carriers is difficult, easily causing equipment damage or release failure.

[0004] Especially in disaster emergency scenarios, time is of the essence, and existing technologies cannot meet the demands for rapid deployment. Traditional manual handling and simple securing methods are difficult to operate in harsh environments and cannot guarantee the stability and safety of unmanned vehicles during transportation. Furthermore, existing technologies lack automated locking and releasing mechanisms, requiring manual intervention, which is not only inefficient but also increases the risk of personnel exposure in hazardous environments.

[0005] Furthermore, existing vehicle-mounted transportation structures have poor versatility and are difficult to adapt to different types of transport vehicles (such as pickup trucks, flatbed trucks, etc.) and small unmanned vehicles of different sizes. In enclosed environments with limited space, such as modular shelters and containers, how to achieve compact storage, safe transportation, and rapid deployment of small unmanned vehicles has become an urgent technical challenge to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this application is to provide a locking and releasing structure and control method for a small vehicle-mounted unmanned vehicle, which can achieve precise guidance, safe locking and rapid release of the unmanned vehicle.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution:

[0008] Firstly, a vehicle-mounted small unmanned vehicle locking and releasing structure includes a charging pile, a guide groove, and a locking mechanism; the charging pile, guide groove, and locking mechanism are fixed to the bottom plate of a vehicle-mounted cabin or container by screws; the guide groove is used to guide the small unmanned vehicle to move along a preset path to the transportation position; the locking mechanism includes a locking hook and an electric mechanism that drives the locking hook to move, and has a released state and a locked state; the charging pile is provided with two guide pins; the guide pins can install the small unmanned vehicle in a cabin or container mounted on a pickup truck or flatbed truck chassis, realizing the transportation and release of the small unmanned vehicle in disaster monitoring and unknown area exploration application scenarios.

[0009] Furthermore, before the small unmanned vehicle enters the guide groove, the locking mechanism is in the released state. At this time, the locking hook flips outward, and the overall height of the locking mechanism does not affect the movement of the small unmanned vehicle in the guide groove. After the small unmanned vehicle enters the guide groove, the locking mechanism moves to the locked state through the electric mechanism. At this time, the locking hook flips upward and locks the circular limit beam at the bottom of the small unmanned vehicle to prevent the small unmanned vehicle from moving back and forth during transportation.

[0010] Furthermore, when the small unmanned vehicle moves to the transportation position and the locking mechanism is in the locked state, the two guide pins on the charging pile are inserted into the limiting holes of the small unmanned vehicle to prevent the small unmanned vehicle from moving up and down or left and right during transportation.

[0011] Furthermore, the electric mechanism of the locking mechanism is a motor drive device, which drives the locking hook to perform outward or upward movement through a gear transmission mechanism.

[0012] Furthermore, the guide groove is a U-shaped groove structure with wear-resistant lining plates on the inner wall. The inlet end of the guide groove is provided with a flared guide section to facilitate the entry of small unmanned vehicles into the guide groove.

[0013] Secondly, a control method for a locking and unlocking structure of a vehicle-mounted small unmanned vehicle, the control method comprising the following steps:

[0014] Step S1: Detect whether the small unmanned vehicle has started to enter the guide groove. When it is detected that the small unmanned vehicle has started to enter the guide groove, keep the locking mechanism in the released state, so that the locking hook is turned outward and the overall height does not affect the movement of the small unmanned vehicle in the guide groove.

[0015] Step S2: When it is detected that the small unmanned vehicle has fully entered the guide groove and reached the preset transport position, the electric mechanism controlling the locking mechanism drives the locking hook to flip up from the outward flip state, so that the locking hook locks the circular limit beam at the bottom of the small unmanned vehicle, thus completing the locking of the small unmanned vehicle's forward and backward movement.

[0016] Step S3: After the locking mechanism completes the locking state, control the two guide pins on the charging pile to move towards the small unmanned vehicle, so that the guide pins are inserted into the limiting hole of the small unmanned vehicle, thereby completing the locking of the small unmanned vehicle's up-down and left-right movements.

[0017] Step S4: When it is necessary to release the small unmanned vehicle, control the two guide pins on the charging pile to exit from the limiting hole, thereby releasing the restriction on the up-down and left-right movement of the small unmanned vehicle.

[0018] In step S5, after the guide pin is fully retracted, the electric mechanism controlling the locking mechanism drives the locking hook to return from the upward flipped state to the outward flipped state, thereby releasing the restriction on the forward and backward movement of the small unmanned vehicle and enabling the small unmanned vehicle to drive out along the guide groove.

[0019] Further, in step S1, it detects whether the small unmanned vehicle has begun to enter the guide groove. When it is detected that the small unmanned vehicle has begun to enter the guide groove, the locking mechanism is kept in the released state, so that the locking hook is turned outward and the overall height does not affect the movement of the small unmanned vehicle in the guide groove, including:

[0020] An infrared sensor is installed at the entrance of the guide channel. When the sensor detects that the front end of the small unmanned vehicle has entered the guide channel, it sends a signal to the control terminal. The control terminal keeps the electric mechanism of the locking mechanism from moving, so that the locking hook remains in the outward-open released state, ensuring that the small unmanned vehicle can move smoothly along the guide channel to the transport position.

[0021] Further, in step S2, when it is detected that the small unmanned vehicle has fully entered the guide groove and reached the preset transport position, the electric mechanism controlling the locking mechanism drives the locking hook to flip up from the outward flipped state, so that the locking hook locks the circular limit beam at the bottom of the small unmanned vehicle, completing the locking of the small unmanned vehicle's forward and backward movement, including:

[0022] A position detection sensor is installed at the transport position of the guide chute. When the position detection sensor detects that the rear end of the small unmanned vehicle has completely passed through and reached the preset transport position, the control terminal sends a locking command to the electric mechanism of the locking mechanism. The electric mechanism drives the gear transmission mechanism to rotate the locking hook 90 degrees upward from the outward flip state, so that the hook part of the locking hook is engaged under the circular limit beam at the bottom of the small unmanned vehicle. At the same time, the position feedback sensor confirms that the locking hook has reached the locking position, thus completing the locking of the small unmanned vehicle's forward and backward movement.

[0023] Furthermore, when the sensor detects that the front end of the small unmanned vehicle has entered the guide groove, it sends a signal to the control terminal, including:

[0024] Three infrared sensors are equally spaced along the width direction at the entrance of the guide groove to form an isosceles triangle detection array. The three infrared sensors are the first infrared sensor, the second infrared sensor, and the third infrared sensor.

[0025] The control terminal collects the signal strength values ​​of three infrared sensors in real time and calculates the coordinates (x, y) of the center point of the front end of the small unmanned vehicle according to the triangulation geometry algorithm. When the calculated coordinates (x, y) meet the preset geometric boundary conditions of the guide groove entrance area: |x-x0|≤L / 2 and |y-y0|≤W / 2, where (x0, y0) is the center coordinate of the guide groove entrance, L is the width of the guide groove, and W is the allowable offset, the control terminal determines that the front end of the small unmanned vehicle has entered the guide groove and sends a confirmation signal.

[0026] Furthermore, when the position detection sensor detects that the rear end of the small unmanned vehicle has completely passed and reached the preset transport position, the control terminal sends a locking command to the electric mechanism of the locking mechanism (3), including:

[0027] Two position detection sensors B and C are set at the transport position of the guide groove (2), respectively located at the front and rear boundaries of the preset transport position;

[0028] The control terminal calculates the rear position coordinates of the small unmanned vehicle in real time based on the coordinates (x, y) of the front center point of the small unmanned vehicle and the geometric dimension parameter Lc of the small unmanned vehicle.

[0029] When the signal states of position detection sensors B and C form a geometric verification relationship with the calculated back-end position coordinates, that is, when sensor B is triggered and position detection sensor C is not triggered, and the geometric distance difference Δd between the calculated back-end position coordinates and the preset transportation position coordinates is ≤ ε, where ε is the allowable error threshold, the control terminal confirms that the small unmanned vehicle has completely reached the preset transportation position and sends a locking command to the electric mechanism of the locking mechanism.

[0030] Beneficial effects:

[0031] Through the dual guiding design of guide groove and charging pile guide pin, the small unmanned vehicle can be accurately positioned along the preset path, avoiding the positioning deviation problem in traditional manual handling or simple fixing methods. The electric locking mechanism can realize one-click locking and releasing, which significantly shortens the deployment time of the unmanned vehicle and is particularly suitable for time-sensitive application scenarios such as disaster monitoring and emergency rescue.

[0032] By integrating the charging pile, guide channel, and locking mechanism into one unit and fixing them uniformly to the vehicle-mounted cabin or container floor with screws, the charging, guiding, and locking functions are organically unified. This integrated design not only reduces the space occupied by the equipment but also simplifies the operation process, eliminating the need for equipment switching or reinstallation during transportation, charging, and release.

[0033] The locking mechanism employs an electrically driven locking hook design, which securely locks the small unmanned vehicle during transportation, effectively preventing displacement or damage caused by bumps and vibrations during travel. The pre-defined path guidance function of the guide slot ensures the stability of the unmanned vehicle during loading, reducing the risk of human error.

[0034] This structure can be installed in equipment such as cabins and containers mounted on chassis such as pickup trucks and flatbed trucks, and has good platform adaptability. The modular design of the guide pins and locking mechanism enables it to adapt to small unmanned vehicles of different sizes, providing a standardized solution for the rapid deployment of various types of unmanned equipment.

[0035] The automatic control function of the electric locking mechanism enables automated locking and unlocking of unmanned vehicles, reducing the need for manual intervention. In hazardous or harsh environments (such as disaster sites or unknown areas), this automation not only improves operational efficiency but also reduces the risk of personnel exposure, ensuring the safety of operators.

[0036] This structure is particularly suitable for complex applications such as disaster monitoring and unknown area exploration, enabling rapid and safe deployment of unmanned vehicles in harsh environments. The integrated charging pile design ensures continuous power supply or charging for the unmanned vehicles during transportation, extending their mission execution time and improving the overall system's mission sustainability. The screw-fixing method results in a simple, reliable structure with low maintenance costs. The mature design of the electric locking mechanism ensures long-term stability and reliability, reducing equipment failure rates and improving the overall system availability. Attached Figure Description

[0037] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of this application. The illustrative embodiments and descriptions of this application are used to explain this application and do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. Wherein:

[0038] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the locking and securing structure for a small vehicle-mounted unmanned vehicle.

[0039] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the transportation status of a small unmanned vehicle.

[0040] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the charging pile locking pin and the small unmanned vehicle.

[0041] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0042] 1. Charging pile; 2. Guide channel; 3. Locking mechanism; 4. Small unmanned vehicle. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The present application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Various examples are provided by way of explanation and not by way of limitation. In fact, those skilled in the art will recognize that modifications and variations can be made to the present application without departing from the scope or spirit thereof. For example, a feature shown or described as part of one embodiment may be used in another embodiment to produce yet another embodiment. Therefore, it is desirable that the present application encompass such modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0044] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the vehicle-mounted small unmanned vehicle locking and releasing structure of the present invention mainly consists of core components such as a charging pile 1, a guide groove 2, and a locking mechanism 3. This locking and releasing structure is fixedly installed on the floor of a vehicle-mounted cabin or container using screws, enabling the small unmanned vehicle 4 to be securely installed in cabins or containers mounted on chassis such as pickup trucks or flatbed trucks. This allows for the safe transportation and rapid release of the small unmanned vehicle 4 in complex application scenarios such as disaster monitoring and unknown area exploration.

[0045] In this embodiment, the guide trough 2 adopts a U-shaped trough structure design, and its inner wall is lined with wear-resistant plates to reduce frictional wear of the small unmanned vehicle 4 during movement. The inlet end of the guide trough 2 is specially equipped with a flared guide section, which adopts a tapering structure to effectively guide the small unmanned vehicle 4 accurately into the guide trough 2 along a preset path, improving docking accuracy and operational convenience. The main function of the guide trough 2 is to provide a precise movement trajectory for the small unmanned vehicle 4, ensuring that it can smoothly reach the preset transportation position.

[0046] The locking mechanism 3 is installed at the end of the guide groove 2. Its core components include a locking hook and an electric mechanism that drives the locking hook. The electric mechanism uses a motor drive device, which converts the rotational motion of the motor into the outward or upward movement of the locking hook through a precision gear transmission mechanism. The locking mechanism 3 has two working states: a released state and a locked state. In the released state, the locking hook is in the outward position. At this time, the overall height of the locking mechanism 3 is lower than the height of the groove opening of the guide groove 2, and it does not affect the normal movement of the small unmanned vehicle 4 in the guide groove 2 at all. In the locked state, the locking hook is flipped up 90 degrees, and its hook can accurately engage under the circular limiting beam at the bottom of the small unmanned vehicle 4, thereby effectively preventing the small unmanned vehicle 4 from shifting in the front and rear directions during transportation.

[0047] The charging pile 1 is fixedly installed in front of the transport position of the guide trough 2, and has two guide pins. These two guide pins adopt a high-precision linear guide structure, which can move precisely in the horizontal direction under the drive of the electric push rod. When the small unmanned vehicle 4 moves to the preset transport position and the locking mechanism 3 locks, the two guide pins on the charging pile 1 will move synchronously towards the small unmanned vehicle 4 and accurately insert into the corresponding limiting holes at the front end of the small unmanned vehicle 4. This dual locking mechanism can effectively prevent the small unmanned vehicle 4 from shifting vertically or horizontally during transport, ensuring transport safety.

[0048] In actual operation, the control method of this locking and releasing structure is strictly implemented according to the following steps:

[0049] The specific implementation process of step S1 involves precisely and evenly spaced three infrared sensors—a first infrared sensor, a second infrared sensor, and a third infrared sensor—along the width direction at the entrance of the guide groove 2. The first infrared sensor is installed 40 mm inside the left edge of the guide groove 2 entrance, at a height 120 mm from the bottom surface of the guide groove 2. The second infrared sensor is installed on the center line of the guide groove 2 entrance, 80 mm from the leading edge of the entrance, at a height 120 mm from the bottom surface of the guide groove 2. The third infrared sensor is installed 40 mm inside the right edge of the guide groove 2 entrance, at a height 120 mm from the bottom surface of the guide groove 2. The optical axes of all three infrared sensors are tilted at a 15-degree angle inwards towards the guide groove 2 to ensure effective coverage of the entire entrance area. The three infrared sensors are E3Z-LS61 diffuse reflection photoelectric sensors with a detection distance range of 30-150 mm and a response time of 1 millisecond.

[0050] The control terminal uses a 32-bit microcontroller based on the ARM Cortex-M7 architecture, with a main frequency of 480MHz, and is equipped with a 16-channel, 16-bit precision analog input module. The control terminal is connected to three infrared sensors via shielded cables, acquiring the analog signal strength values ​​of the first, second, and third infrared sensors in real time at a sampling frequency of 200Hz. The control terminal's built-in triangulation algorithm first performs digital filtering on the acquired raw signals, using a five-point moving average filtering algorithm to eliminate ambient light interference. Then, based on the characteristic curves of the infrared sensors, the signal strength values ​​are converted into distance values. Let the installation coordinates of the first infrared sensor be (x1 = -60, y1 = 0), the second infrared sensor be (x2 = 0, y2 = 80), and the third infrared sensor be (x3 = 60, y3 = 0), in millimeters. Based on the triangulation principle, the following system of equations is established:

[0051] (x-x1) 2 +(y-y1) 2 =d12 ;

[0052] (x-x2) 2 +(y-y2) 2 =d2 2 ;

[0053] (x-x3) 2 +(y-y3) 2 =d3 2 ;

[0054] Where d1, d2, and d3 are the distances from the front reflection point of the small unmanned vehicle 4 to the three infrared sensors, respectively. The control terminal uses Newton's iteration method to solve this nonlinear equation system, with an iteration accuracy of 0.1 mm and a maximum number of iterations of 50. When the calculated coordinate position (x, y) satisfies the preset geometric boundary conditions of the guide groove entrance area: |x-x0|≤L / 2 and |y-y0|≤W / 2, where (x0=0, y0=80) are the center coordinates of the guide groove 2 entrance, L=200 mm is the width of the guide groove 2, and W=30 mm is the allowable lateral offset, the control terminal determines that the front end of the small unmanned vehicle 4 has entered the guide groove 2.

[0055] The control terminal sends a PWM control signal to the motor driver of the locking mechanism 3 via the CAN bus, with the duty cycle set to 0% to ensure the motor is powered off. Simultaneously, the control terminal reads the status of the locking hook position feedback sensor, confirming that the locking hook is currently in the outward-facing position, with its highest point 45 mm above the bottom of the guide groove 2 and 60 mm below the groove wall, completely unaffected by the movement of the small unmanned vehicle 4. The control terminal displays the real-time trajectory of the small unmanned vehicle 4 and the status of the locking mechanism 3 on the LCD screen, while simultaneously emitting a short beep to indicate that the system has entered standby locking mode.

[0056] The specific implementation process of step S2 involves precisely setting two position detection sensors at the transport position of the guide groove 2: Detection sensor B is installed at the front boundary of the preset transport position, 2200 mm from the inlet of the guide groove 2; detection sensor C is installed at the rear boundary of the preset transport position, 2300 mm from the inlet of the guide groove 2. Both sensors are inductive proximity switches of model OMRONE2E-X10ME1, with a detection distance of 10 mm, a response time of 0.5 ms, and an installation height of 80 mm from the bottom surface of the guide groove 2.

[0057] Based on the coordinates (x, y) of the front center point of the small unmanned vehicle 4 calculated in step S1, and combined with the geometric dimension parameter Lc = 950 mm (vehicle length) of the small unmanned vehicle 4, the control terminal calculates the rear position coordinates (xr, yr) of the small unmanned vehicle 4 in real time using a similar triangle geometric algorithm. The specific calculation formula is as follows:

[0058] xr = x - Lc × cos(θ);

[0059] yr = y - Lc × sin(θ);

[0060] Where θ is the motion direction angle of the small unmanned vehicle 4, which is calculated from two consecutive front-end coordinate positions. The control terminal updates the back-end position coordinates every 10 milliseconds to ensure the real-time performance and accuracy of the calculation.

[0061] When sensor B detects a metal object (the rear end of the small unmanned vehicle 4), it outputs a high-level signal. When sensor C does not detect a metal object, it outputs a low-level signal. At the same time, the geometric distance difference Δd between the calculated rear end position coordinates (xr, yr) and the preset transportation position coordinates (xt = 2250, yt = 0) is ≤ ε, where ε = 8 mm is the allowable error threshold. The control terminal confirms that the small unmanned vehicle 4 has completely reached the preset transportation position.

[0062] The control terminal sends a locking command to the motor driver of locking mechanism 3 via an RS485 bus. The command format is: 0xAA0x550x010x010x000x000x000x000x010xFF, where 0x01 indicates a locking action and 0x01 indicates forward motor rotation. Upon receiving the command, the motor driver starts the 24V DC geared motor at 1000 rpm, driving the locking hook to rotate upwards from its outward-facing position via a single-stage gear transmission mechanism (transmission ratio 1:5). The gear transmission mechanism includes a driving gear (module 1.5, 20 teeth) and a driven gear (module 1.5, 100 teeth), with the driven gear fixedly connected to the locking hook shaft. The locking hook completes a 90-degree rotation within 0.8 seconds, and its movement trajectory is precisely designed with a cam profile to ensure smooth, shock-free movement.

[0063] When the locking hook reaches the locked position, the Hall position sensor mounted on the locking hook shaft outputs a high-level signal. Upon detecting this signal, the control terminal immediately sends a stop command to the motor driver, de-energizing and braking the motor. Simultaneously, the control terminal detects the contact force between the locking hook and the circular limit beam using a force sensor. When the contact force reaches 50-80 Newtons, locking is considered complete. The control terminal displays the "Locking Complete" status on the LCD screen and records the locking timestamp, providing a timing reference for subsequent operations.

[0064] In the specific implementation process of step S3, after the locking mechanism 3 completes the locking state, the control terminal confirms through the internal status register that the locking hook position feedback sensor has output a locking signal, and the locking force sensor reading remains stable for more than 100 milliseconds within the range of 50-80 Newtons. The control terminal sends a guide pin advance command to the servo driver of charging pile 1 through the 485 bus. The command format is: 0xAA0x550x020x010x000x320x000x000x020xFF, where 0x02 indicates the guide pin action, 0x01 indicates the advance direction, and 0x0032 indicates the advance distance of 50 mm.

[0065] The charging pile 1 is internally equipped with two high-precision linear servo motors, model MAXONEC45FL, with a rated power of 70 watts and a rated speed of 3000 rpm. The servo motors drive the guide pins horizontally via a ball screw transmission mechanism (5 mm lead, C3 precision). The ball screw is connected to the servo motor output shaft via a coupling. The guide pins are mounted on a linear guide slider, model HIWINMGN9, with a repeatability of ±0.005 mm. The guide pins are made of high-strength alloy steel with a hard chrome plating, a diameter of 20 mm, and a 45-degree chamfer at the front end for easy insertion into the limiting hole.

[0066] The control terminal reads the position feedback signals of the two guide pins at a frequency of 100Hz and adjusts the speed and torque of the servo motor in real time through a PID control algorithm. When the guide pin advances to a distance of 10 mm from the target position, the control terminal reduces the advancing speed from 50 mm / s to 10 mm / s, entering a precise positioning mode. When the front end of the guide pin contacts the edge of the limiting hole of the small unmanned vehicle 4, the force sensor installed at the rear end of the guide pin detects a sudden increase in contact force. The control terminal determines that the guide pin has been accurately aligned with the limiting hole based on the force-displacement curve, and then continues to advance at an ultra-low speed of 2 mm / s until the guide pin is fully inserted into the limiting hole to a depth of 40 mm.

[0067] The control terminal confirms that the guide pin has reached its final position via two limit switches: the first limit switch triggers at an insertion depth of 35 mm, and the second limit switch triggers at an insertion depth of 40 mm. When both limit switches are triggered and the force sensor reading is stable within the 30-50 Newton range, the control terminal determines that the guide pin insertion is complete. The control terminal sends a braking command to the servo drive, and the servo motor enters position holding mode, locking the current position. Simultaneously, the control terminal displays "Double locking complete, transportation ready" in the system status bar and sends a locking completion signal to the remote monitoring center via the wireless module.

[0068] The specific implementation process of step S4 is as follows: When the small unmanned vehicle 4 needs to be released to perform a task, the operator sends a release command through the touch screen on the control panel or a remote control terminal. The control terminal first verifies the current system status: confirming that the vehicle is stationary (vehicle speed sensor reading is 0), confirming that the vehicle is on a level surface (tilt sensor reading is within ±2 degrees), and confirming that there are no obstacles around (detected by ultrasonic sensors). Only when all safety conditions are met will the control terminal allow the release operation to be performed.

[0069] The control terminal sends a guide pin retraction command to the servo driver of charging pile 1 via a 485 bus. The command format is: 0xAA 0x55 0x02 0x000 x000 x32 0x000 x000 x03 0xFF, where 0x00 indicates the retraction direction. The servo driver controls two linear servo motors to synchronously reverse, and the guide pin retracts from the limiting hole at a speed of 30 mm / s. The control terminal monitors the retraction position of the guide pin and the force sensor reading in real time. When the guide pin retracts 30 mm, the force sensor reading should drop below 5 Newtons, indicating that the guide pin has completely disengaged from the limiting hole.

[0070] During the guide pin retraction process, the control terminal is equipped with multiple safety protection mechanisms: if the force sensor reading exceeds 80 Newtons, it indicates that the guide pin may be stuck, and the control terminal immediately stops the retraction action and issues an alarm; if the positional deviation of the two guide pins exceeds 1 mm, the control terminal adjusts the synchronization control parameters of the servo motor to ensure that the two guide pins retract synchronously; if the retraction time exceeds 3 seconds and is still not completed, the control terminal determines it to be an abnormal state, stops the operation, and prompts for checking mechanical faults.

[0071] When the guide pin is fully retracted to its initial position (50 mm from the four limit holes of the small unmanned vehicle), both position detection switches trigger the positioning signal, and the control terminal confirms that the guide pin has been safely retracted. The control terminal sends a stop command to the servo drive and applies electromagnetic braking to ensure that the guide pin will not move accidentally during transportation vibrations. At the same time, the control terminal displays the guide pin status via LED indicators: green indicates that it is fully retracted, red indicates that it is still locked, and yellow indicates that it is in motion.

[0072] In step S5, after the guide pins have fully retracted and a position feedback signal has been received, the control terminal performs a 100-millisecond delay to confirm that the guide pins have completely disengaged and there is no risk of rebound. The control terminal confirms through its internal state machine that the position feedback signals of both guide pins show a "fully retracted" state, and that the force sensor readings are both less than 2 Newtons, indicating that the guide pins have no contact with the small unmanned vehicle 4.

[0073] The control terminal sends a release command to the motor driver of locking mechanism 3 via the CAN bus. The command format is: 0xAA0x550x010x000x000x000x000x000x040xFF, where 0x00 indicates a release action and 0x00 indicates motor reversal. Upon receiving the command, the motor driver controls the 24V DC geared motor to reverse at a speed of 800 rpm, driving the locking hook from the upward-flipped state back to the outward-flipped state via a gear transmission mechanism. Because the release process needs to overcome spring preload and friction, the motor driver employs current closed-loop control, limiting the drive current to within 120% of the rated current to prevent motor overload.

[0074] During the release process, the locking hook's movement trajectory is divided into two stages: the first stage (0-60 degrees) is a rapid release stage with a speed of 120 degrees / second; the second stage (60-90 degrees) is a buffer stage, where the speed decreases to 30 degrees / second to ensure the locking hook lands smoothly and avoids impact noise. A rotary encoder installed on the locking hook shaft provides real-time feedback on the angle position. When the angle reaches the range of 89-91 degrees, the control terminal determines that the locking hook has reached the outward flip position.

[0075] The control terminal verifies the release status using both a locking hook position feedback sensor and a force sensor: a low-level signal from the position feedback sensor indicates that the locking hook has turned outwards to its correct position; a force sensor reading below 10 Newtons indicates that the locking hook has completely separated from the circular limit beam. When both verification conditions are met, the control terminal sends a stop command to the motor driver and applies dynamic braking to ensure the locking hook remains stable in the outward-turned position.

[0076] At this time, the control terminal plays a prompt message "Release complete, please start the unmanned vehicle" via the voice module, and simultaneously displays a green release indicator light on the LCD screen. Upon receiving the release completion signal, the onboard control system of the small unmanned vehicle 4 starts the drive motor, allowing it to smoothly drive out along the guide chute 2 at a low speed of 100 mm / s. The wear-resistant lining plate (made of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene with a friction coefficient of 0.12) inside the guide chute 2 ensures the smooth movement of the small unmanned vehicle 4, and the horn-shaped guide section (opening angle 30 degrees) provides ample space for the small unmanned vehicle 4 to exit. Once the small unmanned vehicle 4 has completely left the guide chute 2, the control terminal automatically enters standby mode, preparing for the next locking operation.

[0077] In this embodiment, the guide groove 2, locking mechanism 3, and charging pile 1 are all made of high-strength aluminum alloy with anodized surfaces, exhibiting excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical strength. The electric mechanism features a waterproof and dustproof design, achieving an IP67 protection rating, enabling it to adapt to various harsh environmental conditions. The entire locking and releasing structure is designed with ease of operation and reliability in mind. Through precise sensor detection and intelligent control algorithms, the automatic locking and releasing of the small unmanned vehicle 4 is achieved, significantly improving the efficiency and safety of field operations.

[0078] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A vehicle-mounted small unmanned vehicle locking structure, characterized in that, The system includes a charging pile (1), a guide groove (2), and a locking mechanism (3); the charging pile (1), the guide groove (2), and the locking mechanism (3) are fixed to the vehicle-mounted cabin or container floor by screws; the guide groove (2) is used to guide the small unmanned vehicle (4) to move along a preset path to the transportation position; the locking mechanism (3) includes a locking hook and an electric mechanism that drives the locking hook to move, and has a released state and a locked state; the charging pile (1) is provided with two guide pins; the guide pins can install the small unmanned vehicle (4) in a cabin or container mounted on a pickup truck or flatbed truck chassis, so as to realize the transportation and release of the small unmanned vehicle (4) in disaster monitoring and unknown area detection application scenarios.

2. The vehicle-mounted small unmanned vehicle locking structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before the small unmanned vehicle (4) enters the guide groove (2), the locking mechanism (3) is in the released state. At this time, the locking hook flips outward, and the overall height of the locking mechanism (3) does not affect the movement of the small unmanned vehicle (4) in the guide groove (2). After the small unmanned vehicle (4) enters the guide groove (2), the locking mechanism (3) moves to the locked state through the electric mechanism. At this time, the locking hook flips up and locks the circular limit beam at the bottom of the small unmanned vehicle (4) to prevent the small unmanned vehicle (4) from moving back and forth during transportation.

3. The vehicle-mounted small unmanned vehicle locking structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the small unmanned vehicle (4) moves to the transportation position and the locking mechanism (3) is in the locked state, the two guide pins on the charging pile (1) are inserted into the limiting hole of the small unmanned vehicle (4) to prevent the small unmanned vehicle (4) from moving up and down and left and right during transportation.

4. The vehicle-mounted small unmanned vehicle locking structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, The electric mechanism of the locking mechanism (3) is a motor drive device, which drives the locking hook to perform outward or upward movement through a gear transmission mechanism.

5. The vehicle-mounted small unmanned vehicle locking structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The guide groove (2) is a U-shaped groove structure with wear-resistant lining plates on the inner wall. The inlet end of the guide groove (2) is provided with a flared guide section to facilitate the entry of small unmanned vehicles (4) into the guide groove (2).

6. A control method for the locking and releasing structure of a vehicle-mounted small unmanned vehicle as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The control method includes the following steps: Step S1: Detect whether the small unmanned vehicle (4) has started to enter the guide groove (2). When it is detected that the small unmanned vehicle (4) has started to enter the guide groove (2), keep the locking mechanism (3) in the released state, so that the locking hook is turned outward and the overall height does not affect the movement of the small unmanned vehicle (4) in the guide groove (2). Step S2: When it is detected that the small unmanned vehicle (4) has completely entered the guide groove (2) and reached the preset transport position, the electric mechanism of the locking mechanism (3) drives the locking hook to flip up from the outward flip state, so that the locking hook locks the circular limit beam at the bottom of the small unmanned vehicle (4), and completes the locking of the small unmanned vehicle (4) for forward and backward movement. Step S3: After the locking mechanism (3) completes the locking state, control the two guide pins on the charging pile (1) to move towards the small unmanned vehicle (4), so that the guide pins are inserted into the limiting hole of the small unmanned vehicle (4) to complete the locking of the small unmanned vehicle (4) in the up and down and left and right movements. Step S4: When it is necessary to release the small unmanned vehicle (4), control the two guide pins on the charging pile (1) to exit from the limiting hole, thereby releasing the restriction on the up-down and left-right movement of the small unmanned vehicle (4). In step S5, after the guide pin is fully retracted, the electric mechanism controlling the locking mechanism (3) drives the locking hook to return from the upward flipped state to the outward flipped state, thereby releasing the restriction on the forward and backward movement of the small unmanned vehicle (4) and enabling the small unmanned vehicle (4) to drive out along the guide groove (2).

7. The control method for the vehicle-mounted small unmanned vehicle locking and releasing structure according to claim 6 is characterized in that, Step S1: Detect whether the small unmanned vehicle (4) has started to enter the guide groove (2). When it is detected that the small unmanned vehicle (4) has started to enter the guide groove (2), keep the locking mechanism (3) in the released state, so that the locking hook is turned outward and the overall height does not affect the movement of the small unmanned vehicle (4) in the guide groove (2), including: An infrared sensor is installed at the entrance of the guide trough (2). When the sensor detects that the front end of the small unmanned vehicle (4) enters the guide trough (2), it sends a signal to the control terminal. The control terminal keeps the electric mechanism of the locking mechanism (3) from moving, so that the locking hook is kept in the outward release state, ensuring that the small unmanned vehicle (4) can move smoothly along the guide trough (2) to the transport position.

8. The control method for the locking and releasing structure of the vehicle-mounted small unmanned vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that, Step S2: When it is detected that the small unmanned vehicle (4) has fully entered the guide groove (2) and reached the preset transport position, the electric mechanism controlling the locking mechanism (3) drives the locking hook to flip up from the outward flipped state, so that the locking hook locks the circular limit beam at the bottom of the small unmanned vehicle (4), completing the locking of the small unmanned vehicle (4) for forward and backward movement, including: A position detection sensor is set at the transport position of the guide groove (2). When the position detection sensor detects that the rear end of the small unmanned vehicle (4) has completely passed through and reached the preset transport position, the control terminal sends a locking command to the electric mechanism of the locking mechanism (3). The electric mechanism drives the gear transmission mechanism to rotate the locking hook 90 degrees upward from the outward flip state, so that the hook part of the locking hook is engaged under the circular limit beam at the bottom of the small unmanned vehicle (4). At the same time, the position feedback sensor confirms that the locking hook has reached the locking position, thus completing the locking of the small unmanned vehicle (4) for the front and rear movement.

9. The control method for the locking and releasing structure of the vehicle-mounted small unmanned vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that, When the sensor detects that the front end of the small unmanned vehicle (4) enters the guide groove (2), it sends a signal to the control terminal, including: Three infrared sensors are equally spaced along the width direction at the entrance of the guide groove (2) to form an isosceles triangle detection array. The three infrared sensors are the first infrared sensor, the second infrared sensor and the third infrared sensor. The control terminal collects the signal strength values ​​of the three infrared sensors in real time and calculates the coordinate position (x, y) of the center point of the front end of the small unmanned vehicle (4) according to the triangulation geometry algorithm. When the calculated coordinate position (x, y) satisfies the preset geometric boundary conditions of the guide groove entrance area: |x-x0|≤L / 2 and |y-y0|≤W / 2, where (x0, y0) is the center coordinate of the guide groove entrance, L is the width of the guide groove, and W is the allowable offset, the control terminal determines that the front end of the small unmanned vehicle (4) has entered the guide groove (2) and sends a confirmation signal.

10. The control method for the locking and releasing structure of the vehicle-mounted small unmanned vehicle according to claim 9, characterized in that, When the position detection sensor detects that the rear end of the small unmanned vehicle (4) has completely passed and reached the preset transport position, the control terminal sends a locking command to the electric mechanism of the locking mechanism (3), including: Two position detection sensors B and C are set at the transport position of the guide groove (2), respectively located at the front and rear boundaries of the preset transport position; The control terminal calculates the rear position coordinates of the small unmanned vehicle (4) in real time using a similar triangle geometric algorithm based on the coordinates (x, y) of the center point of the front end of the small unmanned vehicle (4) and the geometric dimension parameter Lc of the small unmanned vehicle (4). When the signal states of position detection sensor B and detection sensor C form a geometric verification relationship with the calculated back-end position coordinates, that is, when detection sensor B is triggered and position detection sensor C is not triggered, and the geometric distance difference Δd between the calculated back-end position coordinates and the preset transportation position coordinates is ≤ ε, where ε is the allowable error threshold, the control terminal confirms that the small unmanned vehicle (4) has completely reached the preset transportation position and sends a locking command to the electric mechanism of the locking mechanism (3).

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