Self-adaptive loading and unloading platform and method

Abstract

The invention provides a self-adaptive loading and unloading platform and method.The platform comprises a platform body, the platform body comprises a movable chassis, and the self-adaptive loading and unloading platform further comprises a first mechanical arm located on the first side of the platform body; the second mechanical arm is located on the second side of the platform body; the conveying mechanism is arranged on the platform body and comprises at least one feeding position and at least two discharging positions; the control mechanism is used for controlling the first mechanical arm to grab the materials from the material area and placing the materials on one of the feeding positions; the control mechanism is further used for controlling the second mechanical arm to grab the materials from the corresponding discharging position and place the materials at the corresponding target unloading position. According to the invention, the waiting idle time of an execution part in an operation cycle is eliminated, the processing period of a single material is shortened, the single-machine processing capability is improved to the level of continuous line production, and the material throughput and the operation flexibility in unit time are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of mobile robot technology, specifically to an adaptive loading and unloading platform and method. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of automated logistics, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) / automated mobile robots (AMRs) have become key equipment for improving warehousing and loading / unloading efficiency. Traditional loading and unloading robots typically adopt a "single-item, single-transaction" operation mode: the robot moves to the picking point, where a set of picking and placing mechanisms loads the materials onto its own carrying platform; then, the robot moves to the target unloading point, where the same mechanism unloads the materials. Only after this process is completed can the robot return to or proceed to the next picking point for the next work cycle.

[0003] This sequential operation mode has significant technical bottlenecks. At any given moment, the robot's core execution components (such as the robotic arm) and carrying platform can only serve a single loading and unloading task. When the robot is unloading, its picking and placing mechanisms and carrying platform are both occupied, making it impossible to perform loading operations simultaneously; and vice versa. This results in a significant amount of functional idle time for the robot's critical operating units. Especially when the distance between the picking and unloading points is far, or when material stacking requires delicate operations, its effective working rate is greatly reduced, and the material turnover per unit time is fundamentally limited, making it difficult to meet the urgent demand for high throughput in modern logistics.

[0004] Furthermore, existing loading and unloading robots often lack flexible adaptive capabilities when facing complex scenarios with multiple unloading points. The working range of the robotic arm is fixed. If the unloading area is large or distributed in different locations, the robot usually needs to move as a whole to adjust its position. This not only increases the complexity of the operation path but also further prolongs the cycle of a single operation, limiting its application efficiency in confined spaces or high-density storage environments. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides an adaptive loading and unloading platform and method to solve the problems of low loading and unloading efficiency and poor operational flexibility in the prior art.

[0006] One embodiment of the present invention provides an adaptive loading and unloading platform, including a platform body, the platform body including a mobile chassis, and the adaptive loading and unloading platform further including: A first robotic arm is located on the first side of the platform body. The first robotic arm includes a first robotic arm body and a first gripping component located at the end of the first robotic arm body. The second robotic arm is located on the second side of the platform body. The second robotic arm includes a second robotic arm body and a second gripping component located at the end of the second robotic arm body. A conveying mechanism is provided on the platform body and includes at least one loading position and at least two unloading positions; the loading position is close to the first robotic arm and the at least two unloading positions are close to the second robotic arm; the conveying mechanism is used to transport the material placed at the loading position to the corresponding unloading position. The control mechanism is used to control the first robotic arm to grab materials from the material area and place the materials in one of the loading positions; the control mechanism is also used to control the second robotic arm to grab materials from the corresponding unloading position and place the materials in the corresponding target unloading position.

[0007] Furthermore, the conveying mechanism includes a first loading position, a second loading position, a first unloading position, and a second unloading position; A first conveying path is formed between the first loading position and the first unloading position; A second conveying path is formed between the second loading position and the second unloading position.

[0008] Furthermore, the first conveying path and the second conveying path are parallel, or the first conveying path and the second conveying path are arranged at a preset angle.

[0009] Furthermore, the conveying mechanism includes a first conveyor belt and a second conveyor belt; the first conveyor belt connects the first loading position and the first unloading position, and the second conveyor belt connects the second loading position and the second unloading position.

[0010] Furthermore, the first gripping component also includes a first imaging device disposed at the end of the first robotic arm; the second gripping component also includes a second imaging device disposed at the end of the second robotic arm, the first robotic arm includes a lifting mechanism disposed at the root of the multi-axis movable arm, and the second robotic arm includes a translation mechanism disposed at the root of the multi-axis movable arm.

[0011] Furthermore, the lifting mechanism includes a fixed frame disposed on the platform body, and a lifting frame that moves up and down relative to the fixed frame; The lifting frame includes an inner frame body disposed inside the fixed frame and an outer frame body disposed outside the fixed frame. The fixed frame has a guide groove on its side. The lifting frame also includes a synchronous guide member that passes through the guide groove and connects the inner frame body and the outer frame body. The inner frame body forms a longitudinal accommodating area, and the outer frame body and the fixed frame form a ring-shaped accommodating area; The lifting mechanism further includes a lifting guide assembly and a drive assembly, the drive assembly being housed in the longitudinal accommodating region, and the lifting guide assembly being housed in the annular accommodating region; The multi-axis movable arm of the first robotic arm is mounted on the lifting frame.

[0012] Furthermore, the translation mechanism includes a second slide rail horizontally disposed on the platform body, and a second slider disposed on the second slide rail and slidably connected to the second slide rail; The second slide rail is arranged perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying mechanism, and the multi-axis movable arm of the second robotic arm is arranged on the second slider.

[0013] Furthermore, the mobile chassis includes a chassis body and at least one vertical steering wheel disposed on the chassis body; The vertical steering wheel includes: The mounting base plate is fixed to the chassis body; A steering bracket is rotatably mounted on the mounting base plate; The traveling wheels are mounted on the steering bracket and can rotate about their own axis of rotation; A drive motor is fixed to the mounting base plate. The drive motor has an output shaft, and the rotation axis of the output shaft is coaxial and collinear with the reversing axis of the walking wheel. A steering motor is fixed to the mounting base plate, and the output end of the steering motor is connected to the steering bracket in a transmission manner. The output shaft passes through the steering bracket and extends into it, and a first rotating gear is provided on the output shaft; The steering bracket is equipped with a rotatable linkage shaft, and the linkage shaft is equipped with a second rotating gear and a first helical gear. The walking wheel has a receiving shaft, and the receiving shaft is provided with a second helical tooth; The first rotating gear meshes with the second rotating gear, and the first helical tooth meshes with the second helical tooth, causing the drive motor to drive the walking wheel to rotate; The output of the steering motor drives the steering bracket to rotate, causing the traveling wheel to rotate around its reversing axis and change direction.

[0014] Another aspect of this invention provides an adaptive loading and unloading method, applied to an adaptive loading and unloading platform as described in any of the preceding embodiments, the method comprising: Obtain the regional planning information for the target unloading area; Based on the material unloading position distribution of the conveying mechanism and the working range of the second robotic arm, the target unloading area is divided into blocks to generate at least two unloading blocks, and a corresponding mapping relationship is established between each unloading block and the material unloading position of the conveying mechanism. Control the first robotic arm to grab materials from the material area and place the materials at the loading position of the conveying mechanism; The conveying mechanism is controlled to transport the material placed at the loading position to the unloading position corresponding to the current unloading block; Control the second robotic arm to grab the material from the corresponding unloading position and place the material in the corresponding target unloading area; Repeat the above steps until all unloading blocks are unloaded.

[0015] Furthermore, when controlling the first robotic arm to grasp materials, the lifting mechanism of the first robotic arm is controlled according to the height of the target material to drive the first robotic arm to move in the vertical direction, so that the first robotic arm can grasp the material at different height positions; When controlling the second robotic arm to grab materials, the translation mechanism of the second robotic arm is controlled according to the position of the target unloading area to drive the second robotic arm to move in the horizontal direction, so that the second robotic arm can move to the working position that can cover the target unloading area. When controlling the conveyor to transport materials, the conveyor is controlled to transport the materials to the unloading position corresponding to the current unloading block, based on the corresponding mapping relationship established in the steps.

[0016] This invention constructs a fully parallel loading and unloading production line by using a first robotic arm, a second robotic arm mounted on a mobile chassis, and a conveyor mechanism connecting them. The first robotic arm is dedicated to continuously grabbing materials from the material area and placing them at the loading position of the conveyor mechanism; simultaneously, the second robotic arm can selectively grab materials from multiple unloading positions and stack them. Since the conveyor mechanism provides at least two unloading positions, the second robotic arm can flexibly switch its grabbing points according to different locations in the unloading area, expanding its effective coverage area without moving the entire platform and reducing the frequency of overall platform movement. The action cycles of the two robotic arms overlap due to the buffering connection of the conveyor mechanism, eliminating the waiting idle time of the core execution components in the work cycle, significantly shortening the processing cycle of a single piece of material, and upgrading the single-machine processing capacity from sequential operation to continuous flow operation, greatly improving the material throughput and operational flexibility per unit time. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A structural diagram from another perspective; Figure 3This is a perspective view of the first robotic arm according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a perspective view of the translation mechanism according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a perspective view of the lifting mechanism of the first embodiment of the present invention in the lowered state; Figure 6 This is a perspective view of the lifting mechanism of the first embodiment of the present invention in the raised state; Figure 7 This is a perspective view of the lifting frame according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a perspective view of the fixing frame according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the vertical steering wheel according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the internal transmission structure of the vertical steering wheel according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a cross-sectional view of the vertical steering wheel according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Labels in the diagram: 1. Platform body; 2. First robotic arm; 21. First robotic arm body; 22. First gripping component; 221. First imaging device; 23. Lifting mechanism; 231. Fixing frame; 231a. First slide rail; 231b. Guide groove; 232. Lifting frame; 232a. First slider; 2321. Inner frame; 2322. Outer frame; 2323. Synchronization guide; 3. Second robotic arm; 31. Second robotic arm body; 32. Second gripping component; 321. Second imaging device; 33. Platform 331. Transfer mechanism; 332. Second slide rail; 4. Conveying mechanism; 6. Mobile chassis; 61. Chassis body; 7. Vertical steering wheel; 71. Mounting base plate; 72. Steering bracket; 73. Traveling wheel; 731. Receiving shaft; 732. Second helical gear; 74. Drive motor; 741. Output shaft; 742. First rotating gear; 75. Steering motor; 751. First steering gear; 76. Linkage shaft; 761. Second rotating gear; 762. First helical gear; 77. Second steering gear; 8. Material. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The technical solutions of the embodiments 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, and 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.

[0021] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," "third," and "fourth," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0022] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0023] First embodiment: Please refer to the appendix. Figures 1 to 11 As shown, this embodiment provides an adaptive loading and unloading platform, including a platform body 1, the platform body 1 including a mobile chassis 6, and the adaptive loading and unloading platform further including: The first robotic arm 2 is located on the first side of the platform body 1. The first robotic arm 2 includes a first robotic arm body 21 and a first gripping component 22 located at the end of the first robotic arm body 21. The second robotic arm 3 is located on the second side of the platform body 1. The second robotic arm 3 includes a second robotic arm body 31 and a second gripping component 32 located at the end of the second robotic arm body 31. The conveying mechanism 4 is disposed on the platform body 1 and includes at least one loading position and at least two unloading positions; the loading position is close to the first robotic arm 2 and the at least two unloading positions are close to the second robotic arm 3; the conveying mechanism 4 is used to transport the material 8 placed at the loading position to the corresponding unloading position. A control mechanism (not shown in the figure) is used to control the first robotic arm 2 to grab material 8 from the material area and place material 8 in one of the loading positions; the control mechanism is also used to control the second robotic arm 3 to grab material 8 from the corresponding unloading position and place material 8 in the corresponding target unloading position.

[0024] In this embodiment, the platform body 1 is the load-bearing frame structure of the entire loading and unloading platform, constructed by welding or assembling metal profiles to ensure sufficient structural strength and rigidity. The movable chassis 6 is located at the bottom of the platform body 1, enabling the overall movement of the platform. The first side and the second side can be opposite or adjacent sides of the platform body 1. In this embodiment, the first side and the second side are located on opposite sides of the platform body 1 to facilitate a clear flow line operation direction during loading and unloading.

[0025] As a specific embodiment, both the first robotic arm 2 and the second robotic arm 3 are multi-axis robotic arms with multiple degrees of freedom, enabling them to move flexibly in three-dimensional space. The first gripping component 22 and the second gripping component 32 are end effectors for gripping material 8, and different types can be selected according to the characteristics of material 8. In this embodiment, as an application scenario for gripping grain bags, the gripping component is preferably a suction cup device, which uses negative pressure to adsorb the surface of the bagged material, achieving non-destructive and reliable gripping.

[0026] As a specific solution and not a limitation, the conveying mechanism 4 in this embodiment includes two conveyor belts arranged parallel to each other on the platform body 1. The loading position is located on the conveying mechanism 4 near the first robotic arm 2, i.e., the starting point where the first robotic arm 2 places the material 8; the unloading position is located on the conveying mechanism 4 near the second robotic arm 3, i.e., the ending point where the second robotic arm 3 removes the material 8. In this embodiment, two unloading positions are provided, located at the ends of the two conveyor belts respectively, and the two unloading positions are spaced apart in the horizontal direction, so that the second robotic arm 3 can select between different unloading positions.

[0027] The control mechanism is the core control unit of the entire loading and unloading platform. It is electrically connected to the drive components in the first robotic arm 2, the second robotic arm 3, the conveying mechanism 4, and the mobile chassis 6, and is used to coordinate and control the collaborative work of each part.

[0028] As a specific solution rather than a limitation, the conveying mechanism 4 includes a first loading position (not shown in the figure), a second loading position (not shown in the figure), a first unloading position (not shown in the figure), and a second unloading position (not shown in the figure); a first conveying path is formed between the first loading position and the first unloading position; and a second conveying path is formed between the second loading position and the second unloading position.

[0029] In this embodiment, the conveying mechanism 4 has two independent loading positions and two independent unloading positions, forming two completely independent conveying paths. The first loading position and the second loading position are both located close to the first robotic arm 2, and the first robotic arm 2 can place the material 8 at the first loading position or the second loading position as needed.

[0030] Preferably, the first conveying path and the second conveying path are arranged in parallel.

[0031] As an optional rather than limiting option, the first and second conveyor paths are arranged in parallel in this embodiment, that is, the two conveyor belts described above are arranged side by side. This layout makes the structure of the platform body 1 most regular, which is convenient for processing, manufacturing and maintenance.

[0032] The conveying mechanism 4 includes a first conveyor belt (not shown in the figure) and a second conveyor belt (not shown in the figure); the first conveyor belt connects the first loading position and the first unloading position, and the second conveyor belt connects the second loading position and the second unloading position.

[0033] In this embodiment, the conveyor belts can be standard belt conveyors, each with an independent drive motor and control unit, allowing for independent control of the running direction and speed. Two conveyor belts are fixed side-by-side on the platform body 1, their length and width designed according to the dimensions of the material 8. For example, for a standard grain bag (approximately 90cm × 50cm), the conveyor belt length can be designed to be 200cm and the width 60cm to ensure the stability of the material 8 during transport.

[0034] As an optional and not limited option, the first gripping component 22 further includes a first imaging device 221 disposed at the end of the first robotic arm 2; the second gripping component 32 further includes a second imaging device 321 disposed at the end of the second robotic arm 3, the first robotic arm 2 includes a lifting mechanism 23 disposed at the root of the multi-axis movable arm, and the second robotic arm 3 includes a translation mechanism 33 disposed at the root of the multi-axis movable arm.

[0035] In this embodiment, the first imaging device 221 and the second imaging device 321 can be industrial cameras integrated into the gripping component, used to acquire image information of the material 8 and the unloading area in real time. The lifting mechanism 23 is located at the root of the first robotic arm 2, used to drive the entire first robotic arm 2 to rise and fall vertically to accommodate the stacking of material 8 at different heights. The translation mechanism 33 is located at the root of the second robotic arm 3, used to drive the entire second robotic arm 3 to move horizontally to expand its operational coverage.

[0036] As a preferred option and not a limitation, the lifting mechanism 23 includes a fixed frame 231 disposed on the platform body 1, and a lifting frame 232 that moves up and down relative to the fixed frame 231; The lifting frame 232 includes an inner frame 2321 disposed inside the fixed frame 231 and an outer frame 2322 disposed outside the fixed frame 231. The fixed frame 231 has a guide groove 231b on its side. The lifting frame 232 also includes a synchronous guide 2323 that passes through the guide groove 231b and connects the inner frame 2321 and the outer frame 2322.

[0037] As a specific solution rather than a limitation, such as Figure 7 As shown, the inner frame 2321 of the lifting frame 232 has a base formed on its top, which is used to install the multi-axis movable arm of the first robotic arm 2. The inner frame 2321 also includes an inner shell formed between the base and the synchronous guide 2323. A third opening is provided on the side of the inner shell for pipeline laying and heat dissipation and ventilation.

[0038] like Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the side of the fixing frame 231 has a first guide surface and a second guide surface arranged at intervals. In this embodiment, the first guide surface is the long side of the fixing frame 231, and the second guide surface is the short side of the fixing frame 231. The guide groove 231b includes a first opening on the first guide surface and a second opening on the second guide surface. The synchronous guide member 2323 includes an annular body and a first guide block and a second guide block extending horizontally outward from the annular body. The first guide block corresponds to the position of the first opening, and the second guide block corresponds to the position of the second opening. With this structure, the synchronous guide member 2323 can be simultaneously embedded in multiple sides of the fixing frame 231 to provide multi-dimensional rigid constraints on the inner frame 2321 and the outer frame 2322.

[0039] The inner frame 2321 forms a longitudinal accommodating area (not shown in the figure), and the outer frame 2322 and the fixing frame 231 form a ring-shaped accommodating area (not shown in the figure); The lifting mechanism 23 further includes a lifting guide assembly and a drive assembly (not shown in the figure), the drive assembly being housed in the longitudinal accommodating region, and the lifting guide assembly being housed in the annular accommodating region; The multi-axis movable arm of the first robotic arm 2 is mounted on the lifting frame 232.

[0040] This embodiment achieves high rigidity and high stability in the lifting of the first robotic arm 2 through a nested lifting frame structure. Specifically, the fixed frame 231 is fixed to the platform body 1, serving as the base of the entire lifting mechanism 23. The lifting frame 232 includes an inner frame 2321 and an outer frame 2322. The inner frame 2321 is located inside the fixed frame 231, and the outer frame 2322 is located outside the fixed frame 231. The two are fixedly connected by a synchronous guide 2323 passing through the guide groove 231b on the side of the fixed frame 231, forming an integral lifting frame 232. This design allows the inner frame 2321 and the outer frame 2322 to move synchronously during the lifting process, avoiding jamming or tilting caused by uneven force.

[0041] Furthermore, the drive assembly is housed in a longitudinal accommodating area within the inner frame 2321, specifically on the central axis of the entire lifting mechanism 23. In this embodiment, the drive assembly is an electric cylinder, with its cylinder body fixed to the bottom of the fixed frame 231 and a push rod extending upwards and connecting to the top base of the inner frame 2321. When the electric cylinder operates, the push rod directly pushes the inner frame 2321 upwards along the central axis, thereby causing the entire lifting frame 232 to rise. This centrally driven layout allows the driving force to be transmitted along the geometric center of the lifting mechanism 23, eliminating the overturning moment inevitably generated in traditional side-driven methods, significantly reducing friction and wear during the lifting process, and improving the smoothness and precision of the movement.

[0042] Furthermore, the lifting guide assembly is housed in an annular region between the outer frame 2322 and the fixed frame 231, i.e., surrounding the drive assembly. In this embodiment, the lifting guide assembly includes a first slide rail 231a disposed on the outer surface of the fixed frame 231, and a first slider 232a disposed on the inner wall surface of the outer frame 2322. The first slide rail 231a is arranged vertically, and the first slider 232a slides in cooperation with the first slide rail 231a. By arranging the guide assembly around the central drive assembly, a symmetrical and stable guide support ring is formed around the central driving force, which can effectively resist the lateral force generated by the lifting frame 232 when subjected to eccentric load, further improving the rigidity and torsional resistance of the lifting mechanism 23.

[0043] Furthermore, the multi-axis movable arm of the first robotic arm 2 is mounted on the top of the lifting frame 232, i.e., on the top base of the inner frame 2321. When the lifting mechanism 23 drives the lifting frame 232 to rise or fall, the entire first robotic arm 2 rises and falls accordingly, thereby enabling the grabbing of material 8 at different height positions. For example, when it is necessary to grab material 8 from the top of the stack, the lifting mechanism 23 drives the first robotic arm 2 to rise to the corresponding height; when the stack height decreases, the lifting mechanism 23 drives the first robotic arm 2 to gradually descend, so that the first robotic arm 2 always maintains the optimal grabbing posture.

[0044] As a preferred option rather than a limitation, the translation mechanism 33 includes a second slide rail 331 horizontally disposed on the platform body 1, and a second slider 332 disposed on the second slide rail 331 and slidably connected to the second slide rail 331; the second slide rail 331 is disposed perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying mechanism 4, and the multi-axis movable arm of the second robotic arm 3 is disposed on the second slider 332.

[0045] In this embodiment, the translation mechanism 33 is used to drive the second robotic arm 3 to move horizontally, thereby expanding its coverage area in the unloading area. Specifically, the second slide rail 331 is fixed to the platform body 1, and its extension direction is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveyor belt (i.e., perpendicular to the length direction of the platform body 1). The second slider 332 is slidably engaged with the second slide rail 331, and the root of the multi-axis movable arm of the second robotic arm 3 is fixed to the second slider 332. By driving the second slider 332 to move along the second slide rail 331 (e.g., through a lead screw, belt, or rack and pinion mechanism), the entire second robotic arm 3 can be translated in a direction perpendicular to the conveyor belt.

[0046] This translational design, perpendicular to the conveyor belt direction, allows the second robotic arm 3 to move flexibly within a wider unloading area. For example, when the unloading area is located on the left side of the platform body 1, the translation mechanism 33 drives the second robotic arm 3 to move to the left, close to the first unloading position, grab the material 8 from the first unloading position, and unload it to the left area. When the left area is full and it is necessary to switch to the right area for unloading, the translation mechanism 33 drives the second robotic arm 3 to move to the right, close to the second unloading position, grab the material 8 from the second unloading position, and unload it to the right area. Through the cooperation of the translation mechanism 33 and the two unloading positions, the second robotic arm 3 can cover a wider unloading range without moving the entire platform, significantly improving operational efficiency.

[0047] As a preferred embodiment, and not a limitation, the mobile chassis 6 includes a chassis body 61 and at least one vertical steering wheel 7 disposed on the chassis body 61; the vertical steering wheel 7 includes: Mounting base plate 71, which is fixed to the chassis body 61; The steering bracket 72 is rotatably mounted on the mounting base plate 71; The traveling wheel 73 is mounted on the steering bracket 72 and can rotate around its own axis of rotation; A drive motor 74 is fixed on the mounting base plate 71. The drive motor 74 has an output shaft 741. The rotation axis of the output shaft 741 is coaxial and collinear with the reversing axis of the walking wheel 73. Steering motor 75 is fixed on the mounting base plate 71, and the output end of steering motor 75 is connected to steering bracket 72 in a transmission connection. The output shaft 741 passes through the steering bracket 72 and extends into it. A first rotating gear 742 is provided on the output shaft 741. A rotatable linkage shaft 76 is provided inside the steering bracket 72. A second rotating gear 761 and a first helical gear 762 are provided on the linkage shaft 76. The traveling wheel 73 has a receiving shaft 731. A second helical gear 732 is provided on the receiving shaft 731. The first rotating gear 742 meshes with the second rotating gear 761, and the first helical gear 762 meshes with the second helical gear 732, so that the drive motor 74 drives the traveling wheel 73 to rotate. The output end of the steering motor 75 drives the steering bracket 72 to rotate, so that the traveling wheel 73 rotates and reverses around its reversing axis.

[0048] In this embodiment, the mobile chassis 6 uses a vertical steering wheel 7 as the actuator for walking and steering, achieving a high degree of integration between driving and steering, while optimizing the spatial layout. Specifically, the mounting base 71 of the vertical steering wheel 7 is fixed to the chassis body 61, serving as the mounting base for the entire steering wheel. Both the drive motor 74 and the steering motor 75 are fixed to the mounting base 71 and do not rotate with the steering of the walking wheels 73. This design is one of the core innovations of the vertical steering wheel 7.

[0049] The output shaft 741 of the drive motor 74 extends vertically downwards, and its rotation axis is coaxial and collinear with the reversing axis of the traveling wheel 73 (i.e., the axis around which the traveling wheel 73 turns). The output shaft 741 passes through and extends into the rotatable steering bracket 72, and a first rotating gear 742 is fixed on the output shaft 741. The steering bracket 72 is rotatably mounted on the mounting base plate 71 via bearings and is used to support the traveling wheel 73. A rotatable linkage shaft 76 is provided inside the steering bracket 72, and a second rotating gear 761 and a first helical gear 762 are fixed on the linkage shaft 76. The first rotating gear 742 meshes with the second rotating gear 761 to form a single-stage reduction transmission.

[0050] The traveling wheel 73 is located at the bottom of the steering bracket 72, and its receiving shaft 731 is horizontally arranged (perpendicular to the reversing axis). A second helical tooth 732 is fixed on the receiving shaft 731. The first helical tooth 762 on the linkage shaft 76 meshes with the second helical tooth 732 on the receiving shaft 731 to form a two-stage reduction transmission, which converts the vertical rotation into the horizontal rotation, thereby driving the traveling wheel 73 to rotate around its own rotation axis.

[0051] The output end of the steering motor 75 is provided with a first steering gear 751, and a second steering gear 77 is rotatably provided on the mounting base plate 71. The second steering gear 77 is fixedly connected to or integrally formed with the steering bracket 72. The first steering gear 751 meshes with the second steering gear 77. When the steering motor 75 is working, it drives the second steering gear 77 to rotate through gear transmission, thereby driving the steering bracket 72 and the traveling wheels 73 on it to rotate around the reversing axis as a whole, realizing reversing.

[0052] The advantages of this vertical steering wheel 7 structure are as follows: both the drive motor 74 and the steering motor 75 are fixed, with only lightweight components such as the travel wheels 73 and the steering bracket 72 participating in the steering motion, resulting in low steering inertia and fast response speed. Simultaneously, since the output shaft 741 of the drive motor 74 is coaxial and collinear with the reversing axis, the travel wheels 73 do not drive the drive motor 74 to rotate during reversing. Therefore, the wheel width design of the travel wheels 73 is not limited by the motor size, allowing for the use of wider travel wheels 73, significantly enhancing balance and load-bearing capacity during movement. Furthermore, the entire structure is compact and has high space utilization, facilitating the arrangement of multiple steering wheels on the chassis body 61.

[0053] As a specific solution rather than a limitation, the mobile chassis 6 in this embodiment is equipped with four vertical steering wheels 7, which are respectively arranged near the four corners of the chassis body 61 to achieve omnidirectional mobility. By coordinating the driving speed and steering angle of the four steering wheels 7, the control mechanism can realize various movement modes of the chassis, such as forward, backward, lateral, diagonal, and stationary rotation, to adapt to flexible scheduling in narrow spaces.

[0054] This invention constructs a fully parallel loading and unloading production line by using a first robotic arm, a second robotic arm mounted on a mobile chassis, and a conveyor mechanism connecting them. The first robotic arm is dedicated to continuously grabbing materials from the material area and placing them at the loading position of the conveyor mechanism; simultaneously, the second robotic arm can selectively grab materials from multiple unloading positions and stack them. Since the conveyor mechanism provides at least two unloading positions, the second robotic arm can flexibly switch its grabbing points according to different locations in the unloading area, expanding its effective coverage area without moving the entire platform and reducing the frequency of overall platform movement. The action cycles of the two robotic arms overlap due to the buffering connection of the conveyor mechanism, eliminating the waiting idle time of the core execution components in the work cycle, significantly shortening the processing cycle of a single piece of material, and upgrading the single-machine processing capacity from sequential operation to continuous flow operation, greatly improving the material throughput and operational flexibility per unit time.

[0055] Second embodiment: Unlike the first embodiment described above, this embodiment provides an adaptive loading and unloading platform with a V-shaped conveyor belt structure.

[0056] In this embodiment, the conveying mechanism includes a V-shaped conveyor belt with one loading position and two unloading positions. The loading position is located in the middle of the V-shaped conveyor belt, close to the first robotic arm; the two unloading positions are located at the two ends of the two branches of the V-shaped conveyor belt, close to the second robotic arm, and are distributed at an angle in the horizontal direction.

[0057] Because the two branches of the V-shaped conveyor belt are arranged at a certain angle, the two unloading positions point to opposite sides of the second robotic arm's working range. This layout is suitable for operation scenarios where the unloading areas are distributed on both sides in front of the platform: when the target unloading area is on the left, the conveyor moves forward and transports the material to the unloading position of the left branch; when the target unloading area is on the right, the conveyor moves in the opposite direction and transports the material to the unloading position of the right branch.

[0058] The V-shaped conveyor belt structure allows the two unloading positions to be naturally separated in space, enabling the second robotic arm to cover a wide unloading range without the need for an additional translation mechanism. The conveyor belt can run in both directions, selectively transporting materials from the loading position to the unloading position on the left or right side according to control commands.

[0059] Third embodiment: This embodiment provides an adaptive loading and unloading method, applied to the adaptive loading and unloading platform described in the first or second embodiment above. The method includes the following steps: First, the control agency obtains the regional planning information of the target unloading area.

[0060] The planning information for this area includes the overall scope of the unloading area, its boundary coordinates, and the preset unloading requirements. For example, in a warehouse unloading scenario, the target unloading area is a rectangular area 5 meters long and 3 meters wide, and it is planned to stack three rows of grain bags in order from left to right.

[0061] Next, based on the distribution of unloading positions of the conveying mechanism and the working range of the second robotic arm, the control mechanism divides the target unloading area into blocks, generates at least two unloading blocks, and establishes a corresponding mapping relationship between each unloading block and the unloading position of the conveying mechanism.

[0062] As a specific solution rather than a limitation, this embodiment has two unloading positions, located on the left and right sides respectively. The control mechanism first obtains the working range parameters of the second robotic arm, including its maximum extension radius and joint angles. Through calculation, it determines the left and right boundaries that the second robotic arm can cover without moving the platform. Based on this, the target unloading area is divided into a left block and a right block, and a mapping relationship is established: the left block corresponds to the left unloading position, and the right block corresponds to the right unloading position. For example, for the above-mentioned 5m × 3m unloading area, if the working range of the second robotic arm can cover a width of 2.5 meters on the left, then the left 2.5 meters is designated as the left block, and the right 2.5 meters is designated as the right block.

[0063] Then, the control mechanism controls the first robotic arm to grab the material from the material area and place the material at the loading position of the conveyor mechanism.

[0064] The first robotic arm identifies the position and posture of the material based on the image information collected by the first imaging device, adjusts the gripping angle, picks up the grain bag, and places it stably at the loading position. If the conveying mechanism has multiple loading positions, the control mechanism can select the corresponding loading position for placement based on the current operating load or the correspondence between the target unloading position and the loading position.

[0065] After the material is placed, the control mechanism controls the conveying mechanism to transport the material to the unloading position corresponding to the current unloading block.

[0066] For example, when unloading needs to be done to the left block, the conveyor transports the material to the left unloading position; when unloading needs to be done to the right block, it transports it to the right unloading position. The conveyor selects the corresponding conveying path according to the control command. If a V-shaped conveyor belt is used, selective conveying is achieved by changing the direction of the conveyor belt; if parallel double conveyor belts are used, the corresponding conveyor belt is activated for conveying.

[0067] Once the material reaches the corresponding unloading position, the control mechanism controls the second robotic arm to grab the material from the unloading position and place the material in the corresponding target unloading area.

[0068] The second robotic arm identifies the specific location and current stacking height of the unloading area based on the image information collected by the second imaging device, and then adjusts the placement posture to place the materials in the designated location.

[0069] Repeat the above steps until all unloading blocks are unloaded.

[0070] Throughout the operation, the control mechanism monitors the current stacking status of each unloading block in real time and dynamically adjusts the unloading block selection for the next material. For example, when the left block is full first, the control mechanism automatically switches the subsequent materials to the corresponding unloading position on the right block for conveying and unloading, realizing alternating or sequential operations on the left and right sides.

[0071] As a preferred embodiment, when controlling the first robotic arm to grasp materials, the lifting mechanism of the first robotic arm is controlled according to the height of the target material to drive the first robotic arm to move in the vertical direction, so that the first robotic arm can grasp the material at different height positions.

[0072] For example, when grabbing from the top of the stack, the lifting mechanism drives the first robotic arm to rise to a height of 2 meters; as the stack gradually decreases, the lifting mechanism gradually lowers the first robotic arm to a height of 0.5 meters, always maintaining the optimal grabbing posture.

[0073] When controlling the second robotic arm to grab materials, the translation mechanism of the second robotic arm is controlled according to the position of the target unloading block to drive the second robotic arm to move in the horizontal direction, so that the second robotic arm can move to the working position that can cover the target unloading block.

[0074] For example, when unloading needs to be done to the left block, the translation mechanism drives the second robotic arm to move to the left to the vicinity of the left unloading position; when unloading needs to be done to the right block, the translation mechanism drives the second robotic arm to move to the right to the vicinity of the right unloading position.

[0075] When controlling the conveyor to transport materials, the conveyor is controlled to transport the materials to the unloading position corresponding to the current unloading block, based on the corresponding mapping relationship established in the aforementioned steps.

[0076] The selective conveying action of the conveyor mechanism is coordinated with the placement action of the first robotic arm and the grasping action of the second robotic arm to form an efficient assembly line operation.

[0077] This embodiment acquires the planning information of the target unloading area and divides it into blocks based on the distribution of unloading positions and the working range of the second robotic arm. It establishes a corresponding mapping relationship between unloading blocks and unloading positions, achieving dynamic adaptive allocation of the unloading area. This method enables the second robotic arm to automatically select the corresponding unloading position to grab materials based on the current location of the unloading block, covering a large unloading area without moving the entire platform, significantly reducing the frequency and path complexity of overall platform movement.

[0078] During the operation, the lifting mechanism of the first robotic arm adjusts its gripping position in real time according to the height of the target material, ensuring optimal gripping posture at different stacking heights. The translation mechanism of the second robotic arm adjusts its working position in real time according to the location of the target unloading area, ensuring optimal stacking posture in different unloading areas. The conveying mechanism selects the corresponding conveying path according to the mapping relationship, accurately conveying the material to the target unloading position. The coordinated control of the three actuators forms a complete closed-loop adaptive adjustment mechanism, enabling the entire loading and unloading process to automatically optimize and adjust according to real-time changes in the working environment.

[0079] By repeating the above steps until all unloading blocks are unloaded, this embodiment achieves continuous parallel operation. The first robotic arm can focus on continuously gripping materials, while the second robotic arm can focus on continuously stacking materials. The action cycles of the two overlap due to the buffer connection of the conveyor mechanism, eliminating the waiting idle time of the core execution components in the operation cycle, significantly shortening the processing cycle of a single piece of material, and upgrading the single-machine processing capacity from sequential operation to continuous flow operation, greatly improving the material throughput and operational flexibility per unit time.

[0080] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An adaptive loading and unloading platform, comprising a platform body, characterized in that, The platform body includes a mobile chassis, and the adaptive loading and unloading platform also includes: A first robotic arm is located on the first side of the platform body. The first robotic arm includes a first robotic arm body and a first gripping component located at the end of the first robotic arm body. The second robotic arm is located on the second side of the platform body. The second robotic arm includes a second robotic arm body and a second gripping component located at the end of the second robotic arm body. A conveying mechanism is provided on the platform body and includes at least one loading position and at least two unloading positions; the loading position is close to the first robotic arm and the at least two unloading positions are close to the second robotic arm; the conveying mechanism is used to transport the material placed at the loading position to the corresponding unloading position. The control mechanism is used to control the first robotic arm to grab materials from the material area and place the materials in one of the loading positions; the control mechanism is also used to control the second robotic arm to grab materials from the corresponding unloading position and place the materials in the corresponding target unloading position.

2. The adaptive loading and unloading platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveying mechanism includes a first loading position, a second loading position, a first unloading position, and a second unloading position; A first conveying path is formed between the first loading position and the first unloading position; A second conveying path is formed between the second loading position and the second unloading position.

3. The adaptive loading and unloading platform according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first conveying path and the second transmission path are parallel, or the first conveying path and the second transmission path are arranged at a preset angle.

4. The adaptive loading and unloading platform according to claim 3, characterized in that, The conveying mechanism includes a first conveyor belt and a second conveyor belt; the first conveyor belt connects the first loading position and the first unloading position, and the second conveyor belt connects the second loading position and the second unloading position.

5. The adaptive loading and unloading platform according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The first gripping component further includes a first imaging device disposed at the end of the first robotic arm; the second gripping component further includes a second imaging device disposed at the end of the second robotic arm, the first robotic arm includes a lifting mechanism disposed at the root of the multi-axis movable arm, and the second robotic arm includes a translation mechanism disposed at the root of the multi-axis movable arm.

6. The adaptive loading and unloading platform according to claim 5, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism includes a fixed frame mounted on the platform body and a lifting frame that moves up and down relative to the fixed frame; The lifting frame includes an inner frame body disposed inside the fixed frame and an outer frame body disposed outside the fixed frame. The fixed frame has a guide groove on its side. The lifting frame also includes a synchronous guide member that passes through the guide groove and connects the inner frame body and the outer frame body. The inner frame body forms a longitudinal accommodating area, and the outer frame body and the fixed frame form a ring-shaped accommodating area; The lifting mechanism further includes a lifting guide assembly and a drive assembly, the drive assembly being housed in the longitudinal accommodating region, and the lifting guide assembly being housed in the annular accommodating region; The multi-axis movable arm of the first robotic arm is mounted on the lifting frame.

7. The adaptive loading and unloading platform according to claim 6, characterized in that, The translation mechanism includes a second slide rail horizontally disposed on the platform body, and a second slider disposed on the second slide rail and slidably connected to the second slide rail; The second slide rail is arranged perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying mechanism, and the multi-axis movable arm of the second robotic arm is arranged on the second slider.

8. The adaptive loading and unloading platform according to claim 6, characterized in that, The mobile chassis includes a chassis body and at least one vertical steering wheel disposed on the chassis body; The vertical steering wheel includes: The mounting base plate is fixed to the chassis body; A steering bracket is rotatably mounted on the mounting base plate; The traveling wheels are mounted on the steering bracket and can rotate around their own axis of rotation; A drive motor is fixed to the mounting base plate. The drive motor has an output shaft, and the rotation axis of the output shaft is coaxial and collinear with the reversing axis of the walking wheel. A steering motor is fixed to the mounting base plate, and the output end of the steering motor is connected to the steering bracket in a transmission manner. The output shaft passes through the steering bracket and extends into it, and a first rotating gear is provided on the output shaft; The steering bracket is equipped with a rotatable linkage shaft, and the linkage shaft is equipped with a second rotating gear and a first helical gear. The walking wheel has a receiving shaft, and the receiving shaft is provided with a second helical tooth; The first rotating gear meshes with the second rotating gear, and the first helical tooth meshes with the second helical tooth, causing the drive motor to drive the walking wheel to rotate; The output of the steering motor drives the steering bracket to rotate, causing the traveling wheel to rotate around its reversing axis and change direction.

9. An adaptive loading and unloading method, characterized in that, Applied to an adaptive loading and unloading platform according to any one of claims 1 to 8, the method includes: Obtain the regional planning information for the target unloading area; Based on the material unloading position distribution of the conveying mechanism and the working range of the second robotic arm, the target unloading area is divided into blocks to generate at least two unloading blocks, and a corresponding mapping relationship is established between each unloading block and the material unloading position of the conveying mechanism. Control the first robotic arm to grab materials from the material area and place the materials at the loading position of the conveying mechanism; The conveying mechanism is controlled to transport the material placed at the loading position to the unloading position corresponding to the current unloading block; Control the second robotic arm to grab the material from the corresponding unloading position and place the material in the corresponding target unloading area; Repeat the above steps until all unloading blocks are unloaded.

10. The adaptive loading and unloading method according to claim 9, characterized in that, When controlling the first robotic arm to grab materials, the lifting mechanism is controlled to drive the first robotic arm to move vertically according to the height of the target material, so that the first robotic arm can grab the material at different height positions; When controlling the second robotic arm to grab materials, the translation mechanism is controlled to drive the second robotic arm to move horizontally according to the position of the target unloading block, so that the second robotic arm moves to the unloading position corresponding to the target unloading block; When controlling the conveying mechanism to transport materials, the corresponding conveying path is selected according to the mapping relationship between the unloading block and the unloading position, so that the material is transported to the target unloading position along the corresponding conveying path.

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