Stacking robot, stacking operation method and smoke box stacking system

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of automation equipment, and particularly relates to a stacking robot, a stacking operation method and a smoke box stacking system.The stacking robot at least comprises a movable bearing platform with the double-state switching capacity of a moving state and an operation state; the rigid supporting frame is fixedly arranged on the movable bearing platform; the stacking execution units operate independently and are installed on the different sides of the rigid supporting frame respectively, and each stacking execution unit comprises a multi-degree-of-freedom mechanical arm and a grabbing executor installed at the tail end of the multi-degree-of-freedom mechanical arm; the material conveying system is arranged on the operation side of the rigid supporting frame and used for sequentially conveying the to-be-stacked materials to the preset grabbing stations of the stacking execution units; the control system is electrically connected with the movable bearing platform, the stacking execution unit and the material conveying system; wherein the control system is configured to selectively start one or more than two stacking execution units to participate in stacking operation according to a real-time operation state or an external instruction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of automation equipment technology, specifically relating to a palletizing robot and palletizing operation method, and a cigarette box palletizing system. Background Technology

[0002] Palletizing is a crucial link connecting production and warehousing in cigarette logistics and distribution centers, and its efficiency and quality directly determine the throughput capacity of the entire logistics line. In recent years, with the comprehensive advancement of the tobacco industry's "smart logistics" strategy, cigarette carton palletizing equipment is undergoing a rapid transformation from "manual operation" to "automation, flexibility, and intelligence."

[0003] The manual palletizing stage presents both efficiency bottlenecks and safety hazards. In some small and medium-sized cigarette logistics and distribution centers, the palletizing of cigarette cartons is still mainly done manually. Workers need to continuously perform heavy physical labor such as bending over to grab, turning around and stacking. The palletizing capacity of a single person per shift is limited, and as the working time increases, problems such as stacking deviation, loose stacking, and cigarette carton collapse caused by fatigue occur frequently.

[0004] While the semi-automated assisted palletizing stage has seen some improvements, it hasn't fundamentally broken through limitations. Some logistics centers have introduced auxiliary palletizing equipment, such as pneumatic balancers and fixed lifting platforms. Although such equipment reduces the physical burden on operators to some extent, it is essentially still a "human-machine-assisted" operation mode—the equipment only provides assistance; grasping, positioning, posture adjustment, and stacking path still require manual control. Problems at this stage include: the work cycle is still limited by human reaction speed, and the single-box stacking cycle has not been significantly shortened; the consistency of stack shape highly depends on operator skill, resulting in low standardization; and the equipment has limited functionality, unable to achieve information linkage with upstream conveyor lines and downstream AGVs, lacking a level of intelligence.

[0005] While fixed automated palletizing improved efficiency, its structural flaws became apparent. With the advent of automation, articulated palletizing robots and Cartesian coordinate palletizers were widely adopted in the tobacco logistics industry. Fixed palletizing equipment, represented by four-axis and six-axis industrial robots, has become the mainstream solution due to its high repeatability and programmed operation. However, after years of large-scale application, its structural defects have become increasingly apparent, specifically: First, space resources are permanently occupied, resulting in rigid layouts. Once installed, fixed palletizers permanently occupy specific workstations. In cigarette logistics and distribution centers, palletizers have high idle rates during off-seasons, but due to their immobility, the floor space they occupy cannot be freed up for temporary storage or other operations. This "space fixation" phenomenon, coupled with continuously rising land costs, has become a prominent pain point for enterprises' refined operations. Secondly, the fixed operating range limits the utilization rate of equipment. The operating radius of fixed equipment is limited by the reach of its robotic arm and the position of its base. When multiple production lines intermittently generate palletizing needs, companies often face a dilemma: either configure a palletizer for each production line separately, resulting in redundant investment and capacity; or concentrate the cigarette boxes to a single palletizing station through a complex ground conveyor line, but this will introduce a series of secondary problems such as excessively long conveying distances, path congestion, and an increase in failure points.

[0006] Furthermore, the interruption of operations during pallet changing disrupts the continuity of the process. Current fixed palletizing equipment generally adopts a "single-station, single-machine operation" mode. When a pallet is full, the equipment must stop and wait for a forklift to remove the full pallet and place the empty pallet. For large distribution centers with high daily inbound volumes, this intermittent operation becomes a "hidden bottleneck" restricting the peak throughput capacity of the entire line. In addition, the equipment is functionally limited and lacks adaptability to fluctuations in incoming materials. Existing equipment typically operates at a fixed pace, lacking a real-time response mechanism to fluctuations in cigarette box flow. When upstream production lines temporarily reduce production, the equipment continues to idle at its rated speed, resulting in wasted energy. During peak flow periods such as promotional seasons and pre-holiday stocking, the equipment is under prolonged overload, leading to increased failure rates and soaring maintenance costs.

[0007] Based on the above, it is necessary to design a mobile gantry-type automatic palletizing robot that combines mobility, high rigidity, dual-station collaboration, and intelligent mode switching, aiming to reconstruct the technical paradigm of cigarette box palletizing equipment from the underlying architecture. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The primary objective of this invention is to provide a palletizing robot that solves the technical problem of integrating mobile deployment, dual-station collaboration, and rigid locking in operation.

[0009] The second objective of this invention is to provide a palletizing operation method to solve the technical problem of integrating mobile deployment, dual-station collaboration, and rigid locking in operation.

[0010] The third objective of this invention is to provide a cigarette box palletizing system to solve the technical problem of integrating mobile deployment, dual-station collaboration, and rigid locking in operation.

[0011] The palletizing robot of this invention is implemented as follows:

[0012] A palletizing robot, comprising at least:

[0013] The mobile platform has the ability to switch between mobile and operational states.

[0014] A rigid support frame is fixedly mounted on the movable load-bearing platform;

[0015] At least two independently operating palletizing execution units are installed on opposite sides of the rigid support frame, and each palletizing execution unit includes a multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm and a gripping actuator installed at its end.

[0016] The material conveying system is set on the working side of the rigid support frame and is used to convey the materials to be palletized to the preset gripping stations of each palletizing execution unit in sequence.

[0017] The control system is electrically connected to the movable support platform, the palletizing execution unit, and the material conveying system, respectively.

[0018] The control system is configured to selectively activate one or more palletizing execution units to participate in the palletizing operation based on the real-time operation status or external instructions.

[0019] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the mobile support platform includes:

[0020] Load-bearing chassis;

[0021] The mobile drive module, located on the underside of the chassis, is used to drive the displacement and steering of the entire machine;

[0022] The liftable rigid support module is located at the edge of the load-bearing chassis and has an upward moving posture and a downward working posture.

[0023] When the liftable rigid support module is in the working position, its lower end is in rigid contact with the ground, which switches the movable bearing platform from the moving state to the working state and suppresses the shaking of the whole machine during the palletizing operation.

[0024] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the mobile drive module includes:

[0025] The steering wheel module is arranged at two corners along a diagonal direction of the supporting chassis and is driven independently by a servo motor;

[0026] The omnidirectional wheel module is arranged at the remaining two corners along the other diagonal direction of the supporting chassis, and it can turn accordingly.

[0027] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the rigid support frame is a gantry frame main system, which includes:

[0028] Left and right columns;

[0029] The top connecting beam is rigidly connected to the top of the left and right columns;

[0030] The left-side sliding rail is located on the outside of the left-side column;

[0031] The right-side slide rail is located on the outside of the right-side column.

[0032] The palletizing execution unit is slidably mounted on the left and right slide rails via a sliding support platform.

[0033] In an optional embodiment of the invention, each of the palletizing execution units is a four-degree-of-freedom robotic arm system, comprising:

[0034] A sliding bearing platform, which cooperates with the left or right slide rail, provides a first degree of freedom in the vertical direction;

[0035] The boom structure is connected to the sliding support platform via a boom motor rotary joint, providing a second degree of freedom;

[0036] The forearm structure is connected to the upper arm structure via a forearm motor rotary joint, providing a third degree of freedom;

[0037] The actuator, which is connected to the forearm structure via an end motor rotary joint, provides the fourth degree of freedom.

[0038] In an optional embodiment of the invention, the control system is configured to switch at least one of the following operating modes based on real-time smoke box flow, preset operating strategies, or pallet status events:

[0039] Single-arm working mode: Only one palletizing execution unit is activated to participate in the operation, while the remaining palletizing execution units are in standby or low-power state;

[0040] Dual-arm simultaneous operation mode: Two or more palletizing execution units are started simultaneously to work independently and in parallel;

[0041] Dual-arm alternating working mode: Two or more palletizing execution units are initially in parallel operation. When any station triggers a pallet full-pile event, the palletizing execution unit corresponding to that station suspends operation, while the other palletizing execution units continue to operate. Once the station resumes operation, the suspended palletizing execution units are put back into operation.

[0042] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, when the control system executes the dual-arm alternating working mode, it specifically includes:

[0043] Set up an independent stack layer counter for each palletizing station;

[0044] When any stack counter reaches the preset full stack threshold, the control system controls the palletizing execution unit corresponding to that station to actively pause after completing the current stacking cycle and triggers the full stack prompt signal for that station.

[0045] The corresponding section of the material conveying system for this workstation is temporarily suspended.

[0046] Once the pallet positioning sensor at the workstation sends a signal indicating that the empty pallet is in place, and this is confirmed by the human-machine interface terminal, the control system resets the pallet counter at the workstation, restarts the material conveying system at the workstation, and wakes up the palletizing execution unit at the workstation.

[0047] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the control system also executes a spatial interference avoidance strategy in the dual-arm simultaneous operation mode:

[0048] The optimal trajectory for dual-arm collaborative operation is pre-stored;

[0049] Real-time monitoring of the position and speed of each joint in the left and right palletizing execution units;

[0050] The start-stop sequence and movement path of each joint are dynamically adjusted to avoid physical collisions between the arms in the common work space.

[0051] The palletizing operation method based on the palletizing robot of the present invention is implemented as follows:

[0052] A palletizing operation method based on the palletizing robot includes at least:

[0053] Step S1: Positioning and locking the machine in working state. Move the machine to the target work position using the movable support platform; switch the liftable rigid support module to the working position and make rigid contact with the ground to suppress machine shaking.

[0054] Step S2: Material conveying. The material conveying system sequentially conveys the materials to be palletized to the preset gripping station of the palletizing execution unit.

[0055] Step S3: Intelligent scheduling and palletizing execution. The control system selectively activates one or more palletizing execution units based on real-time operating conditions. The activated palletizing execution units use multi-degree-of-freedom coordinated motion to grab materials and place them on the pallets of the corresponding workstations.

[0056] The cigarette box palletizing system of the present invention is implemented as follows:

[0057] A cigarette box palletizing system, comprising at least:

[0058] The aforementioned palletizing robot;

[0059] At least two pallet stations, each corresponding to the working area of ​​the palletizing execution unit;

[0060] The upstream conveyor line connects to the inlet of the material conveying system.

[0061] The forklift or AGV scheduling system is communicatively connected to the full-pile indication signal output terminal of the control system.

[0062] The beneficial effects of this invention are that the palletizing robot, palletizing method, and cigarette box palletizing system provided by this invention, through the integration of a movable support platform and a liftable rigid support module, enable the palletizing robot to have the mobility of "coming when called and leaving when finished". Actual tests show that the entire process of switching the machine from mobile state to working state (including automatic addressing, precise stopping, and foot locking) is short. Compared with the traditional fixed equipment's "one-time installation, lifetime occupation" mode, a single device can cover multiple flexible workstations within a certain range, greatly improving the overall utilization rate of the equipment.

[0063] Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. The objects and other advantages of the invention are realized and obtained in accordance with the structures particularly pointed out in the description, claims and drawings.

[0064] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, preferred embodiments are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0065] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0066] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the palletizing robot of the present invention.

[0067] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the four-degree-of-freedom robotic arm system of the palletizing robot of the present invention.

[0068] Figure 3 This is a structural schematic diagram of the gantry main system of the palletizing robot of the present invention.

[0069] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the movable support platform of the palletizing robot of the present invention.

[0070] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the control system of the palletizing robot of the present invention.

[0071] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the conveyor belt mechanism of the palletizing robot of the present invention.

[0072] The diagram shows: a four-degree-of-freedom robotic arm system 100, a gantry main body system 200, a movable support platform 300, a control system 400, a conveyor belt mechanism 500, a sliding support platform 101, a boom motor rotary joint 102, a boom structure 103, a forearm motor rotary joint 104, a forearm structure 105, an end effector motor rotary joint 106, an actuator 107, a left column 201, a left slide rail 202, a right column 203, a right slide rail 204, a top connecting beam 205, a support chassis 301, a steering wheel module 302, a caster wheel module 303, a liftable fixed foot 304, a main control cabinet 401, dual touch screens 402, an industrial remote control 403, a counting sensor 501, a primary conveyor belt 502, a primary smoke-pushing mechanism 503, a secondary conveyor belt 504, and a secondary smoke-pushing mechanism 505. Detailed Implementation

[0073] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0074] Example 1:

[0075] Please see Figures 1 to 6As shown, this embodiment provides a palletizing robot, including: a movable support platform 300, capable of switching between mobile and operational states, enabling flexible scheduling and stable support of the entire machine within a logistics workshop. A rigid support frame, fixedly mounted on the movable support platform 300, serves as the load-bearing skeleton of the palletizing robot, providing a high-rigidity mounting foundation for the palletizing execution units. At least two independently operating palletizing execution units are installed on opposite sides of the rigid support frame, each including a multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm and a gripping actuator installed at its end, used to independently complete the gripping and stacking of cigarette boxes. A material conveying system, located on the operational side of the rigid support frame, is used to sequentially convey the materials to be palletized to the preset gripping stations of each palletizing execution unit. The control system 400 is electrically connected to the mobile support platform 300, the palletizing execution unit, and the material conveying system, respectively, and is used to realize the automated control, status monitoring and intelligent scheduling of the whole machine. The control system 400 is configured to selectively start one or more palletizing execution units to participate in the palletizing operation according to the real-time operation status or external instructions.

[0076] Based on the above structure, the movable support platform 300 of this embodiment includes: a support chassis 301, which adopts a high-strength welded steel structure and serves as the basic support unit of the entire machine; a movement drive module, located on the lower side of the support chassis 301, used to drive the displacement and steering of the entire machine; and a liftable rigid support module, located on the edge area of ​​the support chassis 301, which has an upward movement posture and a downward working posture. When the liftable rigid support module is in the movement posture, its lower end is detached from the ground, and the entire machine is supported by the movement drive module, allowing for flexible movement. When the liftable rigid support module is in the working posture, its lower end is in rigid contact with the ground, forming a stable "four-point support" foundation, enabling the movable support platform 300 to switch from the movement state to the working state, effectively suppressing the shaking of the entire machine caused by the high-speed start-stop and large inertia movement of the robotic arm during the palletizing operation. The liftable rigid support module includes liftable fixed feet 304, which are respectively located at the four corners of the support chassis 301 and are uniformly controlled and synchronously raised and lowered by the control system 400. Each fixed foot has an anti-slip pad at the bottom, providing a static friction coefficient of not less than 0.6 when in contact with the ground, ensuring that the whole machine does not shift during the palletizing operation.

[0077] The mobile drive module includes: a steering wheel module 302, which is arranged at two corners along one diagonal of the supporting chassis 301 and is independently driven by a servo motor. It integrates driving and steering functions, enabling flexible movement with zero turning radius; and a caster wheel module 303, which is arranged at the remaining two corners along the other diagonal of the supporting chassis 301, and follows the steering, providing auxiliary support and guidance.

[0078] The rigid support frame is the main system 200 of the gantry frame. It is a rectangular steel pipe welded structure with finite element optimization design, which combines lightweight and high rigidity. It includes: a left column 201 and a right column 203, which are rigidly connected to the bearing chassis 301 at the bottom by high-strength bolts; a top connecting beam 205, which is rigidly connected to the top of the left column 201 and the right column 203 to form a closed "gate" frame, which significantly improves the torsional and bending stiffness; a left slide rail 202, which is set on the outside of the left column 201; a right slide rail 204, which is set on the outside of the right column 203; and a palletizing execution unit that is slidably installed on the left slide rail 202 and the right slide rail 204 through a sliding bearing platform 101.

[0079] This embodiment combines a "diagonal steering wheel + omnidirectional wheel" mobile configuration with a "four-corner synchronous lifting foot" locking mechanism in operation mode, creating a unified, high-rigidity working unit with the mobile chassis and rigid support frame. Laser interferometer testing shows that when the lifting fixed foot 304 is in the lowered and locked state, the residual vibration amplitude at the end of the robotic arm under maximum load and highest speed conditions is ≤±0.3mm, fully meeting the ±1mm accuracy requirement for cigarette box palletizing. This marks the first time that mobile palletizing equipment has achieved operational accuracy comparable to fixed palletizers.

[0080] Each palletizing execution unit is a four-degree-of-freedom robotic arm system 100, comprising: a sliding support platform 101, which cooperates with the left slide rail 202 or the right slide rail 204 to provide a first degree of freedom in the vertical direction; a large arm structure 103, which is made of hollow aluminum alloy profile with internal wiring, and is connected to the sliding support platform 101 via a large arm motor rotary joint 102, providing a second degree of freedom, and is driven by a high-rigidity harmonic reducer, providing a second degree of freedom with a rotation range of ±150°; a small arm structure 105, made of carbon fiber composite material, which is lightweight and high-rigidity, and is connected to the large arm structure 103 via a small arm motor rotary joint 104, providing a third degree of freedom with a rotation range of ±180°; and an actuator 107, which is connected to the small arm structure 105 via an end effector motor rotary joint 106, and provides a fourth degree of freedom. The rotation range is ±360°, used to adjust the cigarette box gripping posture. The actuator 107 here is, for example, but not limited to, an adaptive vacuum suction cup gripper, used to adsorb the upper surface of the cigarette box. Optionally, the adaptive vacuum suction cup gripper integrates a multi-channel independently controlled vacuum generator and suction cup assembly, which can automatically adjust the adsorption point according to the size of the cigarette box, and can grasp 1-2 standard cigarette boxes at a time. Through the coordinated movement of the above four degrees of freedom, the four-degree-of-freedom robotic arm system 100 can realize the entire process of grasping, lifting, translating, rotating, and lowering in three-dimensional space, and has significant advantages such as flexible obstacle avoidance and a large working space. Although this embodiment uses a vacuum suction cup as the preferred option for the actuator 107, for packaging boxes with uneven surfaces or air permeability, it can also be replaced with a servo electric gripper or an airbag gripper. As long as reliable grasping and releasing of the cigarette box can be achieved, it is a simple substitution of the technical solution of this invention.

[0081] The palletizing execution unit is slidably mounted on the left slide rail 202 and the right slide rail 204 via the sliding support platform 101. The sliding support platform 101 is embedded with a ball block slider and a gear and rack transmission mechanism driven by a servo motor, so as to realize high-precision and high-response vertical reciprocating motion along the slide rail.

[0082] The material conveying system is a conveyor belt mechanism 500, including a primary conveyor belt 502 and a secondary conveyor belt 504 used in conjunction, and a counting sensor 501 mounted on the primary conveyor belt 502. The primary conveyor belt 502 is used to receive incoming material from upstream. The secondary conveyor belt 504 is located on one side of the primary conveyor belt 502, arranged at a 90° angle to it. The counting sensor 501 is used to count the quantity of material passing through. Preferably, the counting sensor 501 is a through-beam photoelectric sensor.

[0083] To meet the usage requirements of this embodiment, the control system 400 includes: a main control cabinet 401 with a built-in programmable logic controller (PLC) located on the rear side of the gantry main system 200 and above the support chassis 301; a human-machine interface terminal on the main control cabinet 401 for parameter setting and status monitoring; and a remote control terminal wirelessly or wiredly connected to the control system 400 for controlling the movement, start, and stop of the movable support platform 300. The human-machine interface terminal is a dual touchscreen 402, using an industrial-grade capacitive touchscreen with split-screen display, capable of simultaneously monitoring the real-time status of the left and right robotic arms and conveyor belts; the remote control terminal is an industrial remote control 403, using 2.4GHz frequency hopping communication, with an effective control distance of not less than 50m, and equipped with an emergency stop button and a three-position enable switch.

[0084] The dual touchscreen 402 uses an industrial-grade capacitive touchscreen with split-screen display, allowing simultaneous monitoring of the real-time status of the left and right robotic arms and conveyor belts. The remote control terminal is the industrial remote control 403.

[0085] The control system 400 is configured to switch at least one of the following working modes based on real-time cigarette box flow, preset operating strategies, or pallet status events: Single-arm working mode: only one palletizing execution unit is activated to participate in the operation, while the remaining palletizing execution units are in standby or low-power state; Dual-arm simultaneous working mode: two or more palletizing execution units are activated simultaneously to operate independently in parallel; Dual-arm alternating working mode: two or more palletizing execution units are initially in parallel operation state. When any workstation triggers a pallet full-pile event, the palletizing execution unit corresponding to that workstation pauses its operation, while the remaining palletizing execution units continue to operate. After the workstation resumes its operating conditions, the paused palletizing execution units are re-activated.

[0086] In detail, regarding the specific implementation process, in single-arm operation mode, when the real-time cigarette box flow rate is lower than the first threshold (e.g., ≤300 boxes / hour), the control system 400 automatically activates the single-arm operation mode. The system only activates one side of the palletizing execution unit (left or right), while the other side unit enters a deep standby state—servo motors are powered off, air circuits are cut off, and the touch screen backlight is dimmed, achieving energy-saving operation. In this mode, a single arm independently completes the entire process of cigarette box grabbing and stacking, reducing the overall power consumption by approximately 40%. In dual-arm simultaneous operation mode, when the real-time cigarette box flow rate is higher than the second threshold (e.g., ≥600 boxes / hour), the control system 400 automatically activates the dual-arm simultaneous operation mode. The left and right palletizing execution units start simultaneously and operate independently in parallel. Based on a pre-stored dual-arm anti-interference trajectory library, the PLC dynamically adjusts the movement timing and path of the two robotic arms: when the left robotic arm is in a low grabbing position, the right robotic arm actively maintains a high stacking position; when both arms enter the common area simultaneously, speed coordination ensures that the minimum safe distance is not less than 200mm. In this mode, the system's peak palletizing efficiency can reach more than 1.8 times that of the single-arm mode. The dual-arm alternating working mode is a key technology in this invention that solves the industry pain point of "pallet replacement interruption." The execution logic of this mode is as follows: The system initially operates in a dual-arm simultaneous working mode; the PLC sets independent stack counters for the left and right palletizing stations, with the counter increasing with each stack of cigarette boxes; when either stack counter reaches the preset full-stack threshold (e.g., 8 layers), the PLC does not immediately stop the machine, but first controls the corresponding palletizing execution unit to safely complete the current cigarette box stacking cycle—precisely placing the cigarette box, breaking the vacuum with the suction cup, and lifting the robotic arm back to the standby point; subsequently, the PLC sends an active pause command to the station: the robotic arm on that side enters a holding state, the conveyor belt motor on that side stops, and the air path of the cigarette pushing mechanism is cut off; simultaneously, the PLC triggers the full-stack warning signal for that station: the audible and visual alarm sounds, the corresponding touchscreen area flashes, and a pallet replacement interruption signal is sent to the AGV scheduling system via the industrial Ethernet. A pallet replacement request is received. During the pause at this workstation, the palletizing unit on the other side remains completely unaffected and continues to transport, grab, and stack cigarette boxes at a normal pace. After the forklift removes the full pallet and places an empty pallet, the pallet positioning sensor (preferably a laser rangefinder sensor) installed at this workstation detects the empty pallet's arrival signal. To prevent the risk of sensor malfunction, the PLC does not automatically restart upon detecting the signal. Instead, a confirmation dialog box pops up on the dual touchscreens 402, requiring manual secondary confirmation by the operator. After the confirmation signal is input, the PLC executes the status recovery program: clearing the alarm status of this workstation, resetting the stack counter to zero, restarting the conveyor belt and cigarette pushing mechanism, and waking up the robotic arm. The system returns to the dual-arm simultaneous operation mode until the alternation logic is triggered again when either pallet is fully stacked.

[0087] The core value of this model lies in transforming the "downtime for pallet changing" inherent in traditional fixed palletizers into "continuous single-arm operation time," enabling the palletizing system to maintain 50% of its capacity output during the pallet change window. Based on a typical distribution center performing 60 pallet changes per day, with each change taking 3 minutes, this model can recover 180 minutes of lost capacity daily, equivalent to an increase of approximately 3,000-4,000 cartons of cigarettes that can be palletized.

[0088] Based on the above, more specifically, when the control system 400 executes the dual-arm alternating working mode, it includes: setting an independent stacking counter for each palletizing station; when any stacking counter reaches the preset full-stack threshold, the control system 400 controls the palletizing execution unit corresponding to that station to actively pause after completing the current stacking cycle and triggers the full-stack prompt signal for that station; the corresponding section of the material conveying system for that station suspends operation; after the pallet positioning sensor for that station sends back an empty pallet positioning signal and it is confirmed by the human-machine interface terminal, the control system 400 resets the stacking counter for that station, restarts the material conveying system for that station, and wakes up the palletizing execution unit for that station.

[0089] In the dual-arm simultaneous operation mode, the control system 400 also implements a spatial interference avoidance strategy: pre-stores the optimal trajectory for dual-arm collaborative operation; monitors the position and speed of each joint of the left and right palletizing execution units in real time; and dynamically adjusts the start-stop sequence and motion path of each joint to avoid physical collisions between the two arms in the common working space. Specifically, in the offline stage: through kinematic simulation, a dual-arm interference-free trajectory library is pre-generated for different sized cigarette boxes and different palletizing patterns and stored in the PLC; in the online stage: the position feedback of the encoders of each joint of the left and right robotic arms is read in real time; when it is detected that the two arms are about to enter the overlapping interference zone, the PLC dynamically adjusts the movement speed (deceleration) or path (detour) of one side of the robotic arm to ensure that the Euclidean distance between the two arms is always greater than the preset safety threshold; if an extreme situation occurs that causes the safety threshold to be unable to be maintained, the system triggers an anti-collision emergency stop and sends an alarm to the host computer.

[0090] The palletizing robot in this embodiment integrates a movable support platform 300 and a liftable rigid support module, enabling it to be "summoned immediately and removed immediately after completion." Actual testing shows that the entire process of switching from mobile to operational status (including automatic addressing, precise positioning, and foot locking) is short. Compared to the traditional fixed equipment's "one-time installation, lifetime occupation" model, a single unit can cover multiple flexible workstations within a certain range, significantly improving the overall utilization rate of the equipment.

[0091] Example 2:

[0092] Please see Figures 1 to 6 As shown, based on the palletizing robot of Embodiment 1, this embodiment provides a palletizing operation method, which includes at least:

[0093] Step S1: Positioning and locking the machine in working state. Move the machine to the target work position using the movable support platform 300; switch the liftable rigid support module to the working position and make rigid contact with the ground to suppress machine shaking.

[0094] Step S2: Material conveying. The material conveying system sequentially conveys the materials to be palletized to the preset gripping station of the palletizing execution unit.

[0095] Step S3: Intelligent scheduling and palletizing execution. The control system 400 selectively starts one or more palletizing execution units according to real-time operating conditions. The started palletizing execution units grab and place materials onto the pallets of the corresponding workstations through multi-degree-of-freedom coordinated motion.

[0096] More specifically, in step S3, the real-time operating conditions include the real-time smoke box flow rate; when the real-time smoke box flow rate is lower than the first threshold, the control system 400 automatically activates the single-arm working mode; when the real-time smoke box flow rate is higher than the second threshold, the control system 400 automatically activates the dual-arm simultaneous working mode; the first threshold is less than or equal to the second threshold.

[0097] In step S3, the palletizing execution unit completes the gripping and stacking through the coordinated movement of four degrees of freedom. Specifically, this includes: the sliding support platform 101 descends along the slide rail, bringing the execution mechanism 107 close to the material; the execution mechanism 107 adsorbs the upper surface of the material; the sliding support platform 101 raises the material to a safe height; the upper arm motor rotation joint 102 and the lower arm motor rotation joint 104 work together to transport the material to the top of the stacking station; the end motor rotation joint 106 adjusts the posture of the material to match the stack shape; and the sliding support platform 101 lowers, accurately placing the material at the designated position on the pallet.

[0098] In terms of specific implementation:

[0099] First implementation scenario – Single-arm operation mode (energy-saving operation under low flow conditions):

[0100] During the night shift at a cigarette logistics and distribution center, the inbound cigarette carton flow rate drops to 250 cartons / hour. The flow monitoring module built into the control system 400 detects that the real-time flow rate is below a preset first threshold (300 cartons / hour) and automatically sends a mode switching request to the PLC in the main control cabinet 401 (401). The PLC executes the single-arm working mode activation sequence:

[0101] Step 1: Operation Status Confirmation. Check the current status of the adjustable fixed foot 304 (304). If it is in the raised position (moving state), the foot lowering procedure will be executed automatically, and the four corner feet will extend synchronously until they are pressed against the ground. The foot will lock when the pressure sensor reports a contact force ≥500N.

[0102] Step 2: Unit Allocation. Based on the preset rotation strategy, the left-side palletizing unit is activated this time. The PLC sends a standby command to the right-side robotic arm: the right-side servo motor is powered off and braked, the main air valve is shut off, and the right-side conveyor belt motor stops.

[0103] Step 3: Smoke Box Conveying. The horizontally positioned smoke box enters the primary conveyor belt 502 from the upstream line. The smoke box continues to move to the end of the primary conveyor belt 502, where, for example but not limited to, the primary smoke pushing mechanism 503 on the primary conveyor belt 502 pushes the smoke box to the secondary conveyor belt 504. The secondary conveyor belt 504 transports the smoke box to its end, where the secondary smoke pushing mechanism 505 on the secondary conveyor belt 504 pushes the smoke box to the gripping point of the left-side robotic arm.

[0104] Step 4: Grabbing and Stacking. The left sliding support platform 101 descends along the left slide rail 202, causing the adaptive vacuum suction cup of the actuator 107 to approach the upper surface of the cigarette box. The vacuum generator starts, the suction cup adsorbs the cigarette box, and the pressure switch provides a confirmation signal for adsorption. The sliding support platform 101 raises the cigarette box to a safe height (≥100mm from the top surface of the lower cigarette box). The upper arm motor rotation joint 102 and the lower arm motor rotation joint 104 work together according to the preset stacking trajectory to transport the cigarette box above the left pallet station. The end motor rotation joint 106 finely adjusts the yaw angle of the cigarette box to align it with the stack shape. The sliding support platform 101 slowly lowers, and the vacuum breaker valve activates the instant the cigarette box contacts the lower cigarette box or pallet, releasing the cigarette box from the suction cup. The robotic arm returns to the gripping point, awaiting the next cycle.

[0105] Step 5: Cycle and Monitoring. The above steps are run continuously at a rate of approximately 6 seconds per box. The left screen of the dual touchscreen 402 displays parameters such as the joint angle of the left robotic arm, vacuum adsorption status, and current palletizing layer in real time; the right screen is in standby mode with its brightness reduced.

[0106] This implementation demonstrates that the system can automatically switch to single-arm operation mode under low flow conditions, achieving significant energy savings while fully meeting production needs.

[0107] The second implementation scenario – simultaneous dual-arm operation mode (peak operation process under high-intensity warehousing cycle):

[0108] During a promotional season at a cigarette logistics and distribution center, the inbound volume of cigarette cartons surged to 750 cartons per hour. The PLC detected that the real-time volume exceeded the second threshold (600 cartons per hour) and automatically switched to a dual-arm simultaneous operation mode.

[0109] Step 1: Dual-sided activation. The PLC wakes up the right robotic arm: the right servo motor performs a power-on self-test, the air circuit is connected, and the right conveyor belt motor starts. Both sides enter full-speed operation.

[0110] Step 2: Parallel conveying on both sides. The left and right branches of the conveyor belt mechanism 500 operate independently (in actual implementation, the conveyor belt mechanism 500 can be flexibly arranged according to the site; it can either share the same primary conveyor belt 502 for diversion or be supplied by two independent upstream lines). The smoke box counting, primary pushing, and secondary pushing precisely reach the left and right grab points, with the cycle synchronization error controlled within ±0.2 seconds.

[0111] Step 3: Dual-arm coordinated placement. The left and right robotic arms simultaneously initiate their grasping cycles. The anti-interference algorithm module within the PLC reads the angle coordinates of each joint on both robotic arms in real time. When the system detects that the left robotic arm is in a low-position grasping state and the right robotic arm is in a high-position rotation state, it determines there is no risk of interference and maintains full-speed operation. When the left robotic arm finishes placing the object and rises, and the right robotic arm simultaneously descends to prepare for grasping, the system predicts that the two arms will approach each other within a spatial area of ​​Z=1200mm~1500mm and X=±300mm in 0.8 seconds. It immediately executes an obstacle avoidance strategy: the right robotic arm's grasping and descent speed is temporarily reduced from 100% to 60%. After the left robotic arm is fully raised to Z≥1600mm, the right arm resumes full speed. The entire process is smooth and fluid, without sudden stops or abrupt trajectory changes.

[0112] Step 4: Status Synchronization and Recording. The PLC writes the number of palletizing layers, cycle time, fault information, etc. on the left and right sides into the database in real time. The dual touch screens 402 split screen display the dual-side 3D simulation screens, allowing operators to intuitively monitor the collaborative status of the two arms.

[0113] Actual measurements show that the peak palletizing efficiency of the system in this embodiment reaches 580 boxes / hour, which is 65.7% higher than that of the single-arm mode (350 boxes / hour) and close to 83% of the theoretical double efficiency (700 boxes / hour). The cycle time loss introduced by the anti-interference algorithm is controlled within an acceptable range.

[0114] The second implementation scenario – alternating dual-arm working mode (the core process for addressing tray replacement interruption issues):

[0115] The system initially operates in a dual-arm simultaneous operation mode. Internally, the PLC maintains the left and right stack counters for the left and right workstations respectively, with a preset full stack threshold of 8 layers for both.

[0116] Timeline T0: The left stack counter is 7, and the right stack counter is 5. The left robotic arm is stacking the 3rd box on the 8th layer, and the right robotic arm is normally grabbing the 6th layer of cigarette boxes.

[0117] Timeline T1 (30 seconds later): The left robotic arm completes the stacking of the 5th box on the 8th layer, the stack counter increments to 8, and the full stack event is triggered.

[0118] PLC execution alternation mode logic:

[0119] Cycle completion: The PLC does not immediately interrupt the left robotic arm, but allows it to continue completing the currently executing stacking cycle. After approximately 3 seconds, the left robotic arm completes the stacking of the 6th box on the 8th layer, the suction cup is released, and the robotic arm lifts back to the standby point.

[0120] Active pause: The PLC sends a pause command to the left unit—the left robotic arm servo brakes, the left primary / secondary conveyor belt 504 motor stops, and the air path of the left smoke pushing mechanism is locked.

[0121] Full pallet notification: The PLC drives the audible and visual alarm on the left workstation to sound (frequency 1Hz), the background color of the left area of ​​the dual touch screen 402 turns red and flashes to display "Pallet full, please replace", and at the same time sends a "Left workstation full, request pallet replacement" signal to the AGV scheduling system via the bus.

[0122] Right-side operation continues: During the entire pause on the left side, the right-side robotic arm and its corresponding conveyor belt mechanism 500 remain completely unaffected, continuing to pick up and stack cigarette boxes at a normal pace. The stack counter on the right gradually increases from 5 to 7.

[0123] Timeline T2 (approximately 150 seconds later): The forklift receives an instruction from the AGV dispatch system and arrives at the left workstation. After visually confirming the audible and visual alarm, the forklift driver removes the full pallet and places a new empty pallet. The laser rangefinder sensor mounted on the left workstation bracket detects the empty pallet is in place and outputs a switch signal to the PLC.

[0124] Timeline T3: The PLC receives the pallet positioning signal but does not immediately restart automatically. A confirmation dialog box pops up on the left side of the dual touchscreen 402: "New pallet detected in the left workstation, resume operation? [Confirm] / [Cancel] (automatic retry in 30 seconds)". After the forklift driver or on-site operator visually checks that the pallet's position and orientation are correct, click [Confirm].

[0125] Time axis T4: The PLC receives an acknowledgment signal and executes the recovery program.

[0126] Clear the alarm status of the left workstation, stop the audible and visual alarms, and restore the touch screen to its normal green display; reset the stack counter to zero on the left; re-energize the left conveyor belt motor and the air circuit of the smoke pushing mechanism; release the brake on the left robotic arm and enter the ready state.

[0127] Timeline T5 (approximately 10 seconds later): The upstream smoke box reaches the left gripping point, the left robotic arm starts gripping, and the system returns to the dual-arm simultaneous working mode.

[0128] Timeline T6 (approximately 90 seconds later): The stack counter increments to 8, and the right-side workstation is full. At this time, the PLC executes symmetrical alternating logic—the right side pauses, and the left side continues running.

[0129] This embodiment features a full video recording and timing analysis: the total time for changing trays at the left workstation was 193 seconds (from the triggering of full stacking to the resumption of operation), during which the right robotic arm continued to operate, stacking a total of 32 cigarette boxes. If a traditional fixed dual-arm parallel equipment were used, both sides would be completely stopped during the tray change, resulting in a production loss of approximately 64 boxes stacked on both sides within 193 seconds. The dual-arm alternating working mode in this embodiment recovered 50 boxes of production loss in this tray change event (32 boxes on the right side + 18 boxes stacked in the first 2 minutes after the left side resumed operation), achieving a recovery rate of 78%.

[0130] The fourth implementation scenario – whole machine movement and switching between working states (standard procedure for switching from “moving state” to “working state”):

[0131] A production workshop received a temporary palletizing task for line B. The operator started the mobile gantry palletizing robot via industrial remote control 403 (403).

[0132] Step 1: Unlocking in moving state. The PLC detects that the currently adjustable fixed foot 304 is in the lowered and locked state, and first executes the foot lifting procedure: the four corner feet rise simultaneously by 20mm, the pressure sensor returns to zero, and it is confirmed that the feet are completely off the ground.

[0133] Step 2: Navigation Movement. The operator gives a forward command via the industrial remote control 403 joystick. The servo motors on both sides of the steering wheel module 302 drive the machine differentially, moving it towards line B at a speed of 0.8 m / s. The omnidirectional wheel module 303 follows the steering, ensuring smooth passage through 90° right-angle bends.

[0134] Step 3: Precise Positioning. Magnetic nails are pre-embedded in the ground of the B-line work area. The vehicle-mounted magnetic navigation sensor detects the magnetic nail signal, and the PLC automatically takes over control. Through a PID algorithm, the steering wheel speed is adjusted, the entire machine decelerates, and precisely stops at the target position with a positioning accuracy of ±5mm.

[0135] Step 4: Operation Mode Lock. The PLC automatically executes the foot descent program. The four adjustable fixed feet 304 extend synchronously, and after contacting the ground, continuous pressure is applied until the contact force reaches 800N. The servo motors of each joint are enabled, and the system enters the operation mode.

[0136] Step 5: Mode Selection and Startup. The operator selects "Dual Arm Simultaneous Working Mode" via the dual touchscreens 402 and clicks start. The system performs a power-on self-test and enters fully automatic palletizing mode after 30 seconds.

[0137] The entire process of moving the machine from the edge of line B to the work position and completing the work status switch takes 52 seconds, which is far less than the installation and commissioning cycle of several hours for traditional fixed equipment.

[0138] This embodiment is also applicable to extended configurations with three or four palletizing execution units. For example, two robotic arms are arranged on each of the front and rear sides of the gantry main system 200, forming a four-station circular work area. When the material flow rate is extremely high, all four robotic arms can be started simultaneously for parallel operation; when some stations are full, the remaining stations continue to operate. Such variations are still within the scope of protection of this embodiment.

[0139] Example 3:

[0140] Please see Figures 1 to 6 As shown, based on the palletizing robot of Embodiment 1, this embodiment provides a cigarette box palletizing system, including: the palletizing robot of Embodiment 1; at least two pallet workstations, each corresponding to the working area of ​​the palletizing execution unit; an upstream conveyor line, which is connected to the inlet of the material conveying system; and a forklift or AGV scheduling system, which is communicatively connected to the full-pile prompt signal output terminal of the control system 400.

[0141] The shortcomings of the above solutions are the result of the inventor's practical experience and careful research. Therefore, the discovery process of the above problems and the solutions proposed in this disclosure below should be considered as the inventor's contribution to this disclosure.

[0142] In this document, when it is mentioned that a first component is located on a second component, this can mean that the first component can be directly formed on the second component, or that a third component can be inserted between the first and second components. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the thickness of the components may be exaggerated or reduced for the purpose of effectively describing the technical content.

[0143] In this document, when an element or layer is referred to as “located,” “joined to,” “connected to,” “attached to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly located, joined, connected, attached to, or coupled to the other element or layer, or there may be intermediate elements or layers present. Conversely, when an element is referred to as “directly on another element or layer,” “directly joined to,” “directly connected to,” “directly attached to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intermediate elements or layers present. Other terms used to describe relationships between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items.

[0144] In this document, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. As used herein, expressions such as “at least one of…” modify the entire list of elements when following a list of elements, rather than individual elements in the list. For example, the expression “at least one of a, b, and c” should be understood to include only a, only b, only c, both a and b, both a and c, both b and c, or all of a, b, and c.

[0145] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing specific exemplary configurations only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular articles “a,” “an,” and “the” may also be intended to include plural forms unless otherwise clearly stated herein. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are inclusive and thus specify the presence of features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein should not be construed as requiring them to be performed in the specific order discussed or shown, unless specifically identified as such. Additional or alternative steps may be employed.

[0146] As used herein, the phrases “in one embodiment,” “according to one embodiment,” “in some embodiments,” etc., generally refer to the fact that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic following the phrase can be included in at least one embodiment of this disclosure. Therefore, a particular feature, structure, or characteristic can be included in more than one embodiment of this disclosure, such that these phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. As used herein, the terms “example,” “exemplary,” etc., are used to “serve as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation, aspect, or design described herein as “example” or “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or superior to other implementations, aspects, or designs. Rather, the use of the terms “example,” “exemplary,” etc., is intended to present concepts in a specific manner.

Claims

1. A palletizing robot, characterized in that, At least including: The mobile platform has the ability to switch between mobile and operational states. A rigid support frame is fixedly mounted on the movable load-bearing platform; At least two independently operating palletizing execution units are installed on opposite sides of the rigid support frame, and each palletizing execution unit includes a multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm and a gripping actuator installed at its end. The material conveying system is set on the working side of the rigid support frame and is used to convey the materials to be palletized to the preset gripping stations of each palletizing execution unit in sequence. The control system is electrically connected to the movable support platform, the palletizing execution unit, and the material conveying system, respectively. The control system is configured to selectively activate one or more palletizing execution units to participate in the palletizing operation based on the real-time operation status or external instructions.

2. The palletizing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mobile carrier platform includes: Load-bearing chassis; The mobile drive module, located on the underside of the chassis, is used to drive the displacement and steering of the entire machine; The liftable rigid support module is located at the edge of the load-bearing chassis and has an upward moving posture and a downward working posture. When the liftable rigid support module is in the working position, its lower end is in rigid contact with the ground, which switches the movable bearing platform from the moving state to the working state and suppresses the shaking of the whole machine during the palletizing operation.

3. The palletizing robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The mobile drive module includes: The steering wheel module is arranged at two corners along a diagonal direction of the supporting chassis and is driven independently by a servo motor; The omnidirectional wheel module is arranged at the remaining two corners along the other diagonal direction of the supporting chassis, and it can turn accordingly.

4. The palletizing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rigid support frame is the main system of the gantry crane, which includes: Left and right columns; The top connecting beam is rigidly connected to the top of the left and right columns; The left-side sliding rail is located on the outside of the left-side column; The right-side slide rail is located on the outside of the right-side column. The palletizing execution unit is slidably mounted on the left and right slide rails via a sliding support platform.

5. The palletizing robot according to claim 4, characterized in that, Each of the palletizing execution units is a four-degree-of-freedom robotic arm system, comprising: A sliding bearing platform, which cooperates with the left or right slide rail, provides a first degree of freedom in the vertical direction; The boom structure is connected to the sliding support platform via a boom motor rotary joint, providing a second degree of freedom; The forearm structure is connected to the upper arm structure via a forearm motor rotary joint, providing a third degree of freedom; The actuator, which is connected to the forearm structure via an end motor rotary joint, provides the fourth degree of freedom.

6. The palletizing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control system is configured to switch at least one of the following operating modes based on real-time smoke box flow, preset operating strategies, or pallet status events: Single-arm working mode: Only one palletizing execution unit is activated to participate in the operation, while the remaining palletizing execution units are in standby or low-power state; Dual-arm simultaneous operation mode: Two or more palletizing execution units are started simultaneously to work independently and in parallel; Dual-arm alternating working mode: Two or more palletizing execution units are initially in parallel operation. When any station triggers a pallet full-pile event, the palletizing execution unit corresponding to that station suspends operation, while the other palletizing execution units continue to operate. Once the station resumes operation, the suspended palletizing execution units are put back into operation.

7. The palletizing robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, When the control system executes the dual-arm alternating working mode, it specifically includes: Set up an independent stack layer counter for each palletizing station; When any stack counter reaches the preset full stack threshold, the control system controls the palletizing execution unit corresponding to that station to actively pause after completing the current stacking cycle and triggers the full stack prompt signal for that station. The corresponding section of the material conveying system for this workstation is temporarily suspended. Once the pallet positioning sensor at the workstation sends a signal indicating that the empty pallet is in place, and this is confirmed by the human-machine interface terminal, the control system resets the pallet counter at the workstation, restarts the material conveying system at the workstation, and wakes up the palletizing execution unit at the workstation.

8. The palletizing robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, In the dual-arm simultaneous operation mode, the control system also executes a spatial interference avoidance strategy: The optimal trajectory for dual-arm collaborative operation is pre-stored; Real-time monitoring of the position and speed of each joint in the left and right palletizing execution units; The start-stop sequence and movement path of each joint are dynamically adjusted to avoid physical collisions between the arms in the common work space.

9. A palletizing operation method based on the palletizing robot according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, At least including: Step S1: Positioning and locking the machine in working state. Move the machine to the target work position using the movable support platform; switch the liftable rigid support module to the working position and make rigid contact with the ground to suppress machine shaking. Step S2: Material conveying. The material conveying system sequentially conveys the materials to be palletized to the preset gripping station of the palletizing execution unit. Step S3: Intelligent scheduling and palletizing execution. The control system selectively activates one or more palletizing execution units based on real-time operating conditions. The activated palletizing execution units use multi-degree-of-freedom coordinated motion to grab materials and place them on the pallets of the corresponding workstations.

10. A cigarette box palletizing system, characterized in that, 。 The palletizing robot as described in any one of claims 1 to 8; At least two pallet stations, each corresponding to the working area of ​​the palletizing execution unit; The upstream conveyor line connects to the inlet of the material conveying system. The forklift or AGV scheduling system is communicatively connected to the full-pile indication signal output terminal of the control system.

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